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Viewpoint 6 Wednesday, February 26, 1986 Safety fir Proposed Sa should educ< cries 01 ' unconstitutional" have surfaced recently concerning a proposed mandatory seat belt law. The law, currently under consideration by the South Carolina House of Representatives, was proposed to provide extra safety measures for drivers and passengers. Tnose opposing the law are using the weak unconstitutional ploy as their main argument. This argument voices the assumption that those old enough to drive are mature adults who can make rational decisions without the help of legislation by state government. It is a weak argument for this same reason. If they were making this decision rationally, there would be no need for this legislation. The positive aspects of the proposed seat belt law far outweigh unconstitutional arguments. Any police officer in the country can attest to the fact that scat belts save lives. Victims of severe car ac cidents often praise their seat belts or realize how foolish it was not to wear one. It would Who do we t The Gamecock staff is trying something new: running a reader survey to keep us in tune with campus. After this survey, we will know a little more about you, and we thought it only fair that you learn a little about us. Most of us are full-time students averaging 15 credit hours this semester. Our majors vary, from English and psychology to the different senilPIir'PC r\ f if*iirnol!riv> Ui juuiuaiioiii. Two editors are freshmen, two are sophomores, five are juniors and four are seniors. Four editors also have other jobs off-campus. Now it's your Frustrating. That's how it feels when you're a section editor spending 30 to 40 hours a week putting out a newspaper and you get no feedback. And feedback is what can make The Gamecock even better. At our last budget meeting, the staff talked about possible improvements and decided what we know is not what you know. Lynn Cusick, Viewpoint editor, asked for student feedback. Columnist Andy Duncan suggested a reader survey to help correct the problem. f? a r 1 i e r this semester, I distributed a pamphlet informing student groups and USC departments on how to contact us. I asked for comments, suggestions, condemnation or praise. Now, I'm approaching the most important part of campus, you, the reader, to help us help you. You have the right and the responsibility to question us. The staff, paid by student activities fees, is putting out a newspaper for you. We want student input so we can give you what you want s??tfpprt| i hi i The Gamecock needs your press your likes and dislikes b ter to the editor. Letters must be typed, doub a maximum length of 300 wor include the writer's name, add number and where the writer i for verification. Letters should also includ* writer is a student, staff c member. Guest editorials mus n < II ll llill iIII I III II ? St C. seat belt law ate, not punish be quite foolish and costly to wait until everybody has had a similar experience before they open their eyes to the advantages of seat belts. The law's purpose is to educate, not to punish. If people realize their lives and the lives of their passengers are made safer with the use of a seat belt, they would probably use it with more consistency. The law will get people into the habit of wearing seat belts, and then it would no longer be an issue. Anyway, how much of an inconvenience can something be when it requires one second of thought and maybe two seconds to implement. Mandatory baby scats were provided for in earlier legislation, and the law was passed to provide extra safety for the nation's infants. The same principle applies to the seat belt law. Its proponents arc not trying to cause any harm, but are trying to -J I 1! 11 - ? uccrcasc uouny narm 10 mose who ride in cars. Passengers might want to reconsider riding with those who would rather quote the constitution instead of preaching safety. hink we are? Each editor puts in an average work week of 30-40 hours in the office. The average hourly wage is 50 cents an hour. We work together to produce The Gamecock for a selfish reason, to learn our tr :lHp hut nlcr? t r\ nii/o wnn 1K0 ?IMV?V) UUl UI.JW VV/ 51 JUU 111C only paper in Columbia devoted to campus news three days every week. For whatever other reasons we work, we are ultimately producing your newspaper. We hope these facts have informed you about who we are and what we do on a daily basis. turn to speak cMarisa Porto Editor in chief i - ? - ? * * ii inn <i ci1111j(.1 > ncwbpapcr. /miu with your help, The Gamecock can only get better. If you complete this survey, we'll try to change the things you don't like and keep the things you do like. But if you don't fill it out, we'll never know what you want. So now it's your turn. opinions. Ex- 500 words and t y writing a let- ture. Photos car The Gamecoa le-spaccd, with letters a month els. They must will only be wi ress, telephone and pseudonym? ;an be reached The Gamecoc letters and guest 2 whether the returned. Send >r community Gamecock, Dra\ I he limited to umbia, S.C. 292i jfflf allw^waSvt SJSVI The Gamecock's Spring The Gamecock staff has prepared a survey to find out your opinion of the paper and to keep what you like and change what you don't. We plan to print the results after spring break, so please send your comments soon to Drawer A, Russell House, campus mail. Or turn them in at the following places: the Viewpoint editor's box in The Gamecock newsroom, Russell House 321; or in front of the Student Government office, first floor Russell House. To help us analyze the information, please include your major and year. Major Year How often do you read The Gamecock? ^ Where or when do you react it? (in class, at home, during lunch, etc.) What do you look at first? Last? What section do you like the most? The least? Why? Do you like the locally-drawn cartoons Etc. and Saturn? Why or why not? What section would you like to see expanded in the newspaper? ? Why? What section would you like to see less of? Why? How do you feel about the photography in The Gamecock? Who or what would you like to see more of in photographs? Do you prefer national, local or campus news? Why? Do you think the news stories of The Gamecock cover enough campus issues/events? Do the stories give you enough information? How can we inform you better about events on campus or elsewhere? Does the Datebook calendar inform you of events important to you?_ he writer may submit a pic- wunr in < hit-r inot be returned. Marisa J. Porto k will print no more than two M,,or jtrn n?H'f by the same writer. Names thheld by special exception Copy Oesu C hief ,, , Linda Taylor i arc not allowed. AssU?n, top> Cb|t, k reserves the right to edit Buddy Moore editorials. Letters will not be Kditor letters to: Editor, The Ju,ie'Na(ier A r, it if News hditors -ver A, Russell House, Col- Car/ oawson 08. Bob Kudelka 1 OILS' ABOUT L AM HOUR LEFT Y IK OUR LAUrtCrt 1 f & WIMCWVJ... ARE WE I I'LL ASK I ?60 ^ 1986 readership survey What type of events would you like to see more of in the calendar? Less of? Do you know how to get in contact with a section ^ editor for an ^vpnt9 Have you ever had trouble getting in contact with them? How do you feel about the amount of news, features, sports, etc., in the paper as compared to the amount of advertisements? Should The Gamecock print advertisements for beer ? sales? Are you offended by them? What do you like most about the Viewpoint section? Do you read the editorials? Why or why not? Do you like the columns? Why or why not? ^ Who is your favorite column writer? Who else would you like to see write a guest column? Do you read the business section? Why or why not? How do you feel about the features coverage? t> About snnrK rnvprao^9 ? ? ~ow * Have you noticed any changes in this semester's Gamecock? How do you feel about them? What other changes would you like to see? m What would you like to see more of in The Gamecock? Less of? __ What can The Gamecock do to improve? Any other comments?. Business Kditor Assistant Photography Kditor Maria Fratus Sean Keefer Viewpoint Kditor Adviser Lynn Cusick Bill Rogers Spotlight Kditor Director Mary Jo Miller Bill Clements Assistant Spotlight Kditor Production r j cm cnarnonss Lewis Covington Sport* Editor Mark Armstrong John Hoyette Assistant Sports Editor Advertising Manager Jeff Shrewsbury Margaret Michels ' Photograph) Editor Student Advertising Manager Av Ray Gr on berg Kelli breas