Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Viewpoint ^ Monday, April 7, 1986 i mi ii?? THE Compron (JSC should USC's administration would be making a good move if it compromises with a student group that wants to build a "shantytown" on campus to protest South Africa's system of apartheid. USC, which prides itself on intellectual freedom, is working to help the Free South Africa Alliance express its objection to racial segregation in that country. The group originally wanted to build a shantytown on USC's Horseshoe, but building constraints have cans ed delays. The administration should compromise and let the group build the shantytown on another part of the campus. In this way, students could express concern, have an opinion and most importantly, our state-run school would be saying 'yes, freedom of speech is practiced here.' This university is for students. And by compromisbetters to Capitol needs symbol for all To the editor: We have all encountered the age-old Confederate flag arguments. To participate in such a topic immediately brings about the most heated emotions, and there is little opportunity for clear, objective thinking. Both sides feel they are right. I put aside my personal beliefs in an attempt to state the facts. A major argument arose between the Southern states and the Federal government concerning the right of Southern states to handle their own affairs. We are not being fair and objective if we do not examine the underlying reasons for the desire to have states' rights and for the Secession. We cannot believe f borp uror ^ -- lUSri v rrax UUl a 5pctli 11 TCUSOIl for such a heated debate. The reason was the desire of the South to maintain certain freedoms. One letter that I found disturbing appeared in the Wednesday, March 26 edition of The Gamecock. Howard Hughes informs readers of his position in a way that shows little to indicate his objective, factual journalism background. The feelings of people sensitive to the human tragedy of slavery, and the crippling effect it had on all who participated, should not be taken so lightly. Mr. Hughes, instead of saying that these neonle .ire "r?:iiv?? <^? just plain stupid," should examine those "gallant Confederate soldiers." None of them fought for ALL citizens. Blacks made up half the population at the time, and were not even considered citizens. John Godwin's Friday, March 28 notion that "equality simply isn't in the nature of things" is also a way of blindly clinging to old, biased perceptions. There are many who are considered overzealous about their opinions of the flan. Perhans one might consider the context in which the flag appeared. Imagine an old truck going by with a Confederate Hag hanging in the rear window, driven by white Southerners who yell "nigger!" at blacks who happen to be walking down the sidewalk. Imagine such a flag at KA "Old South" ISefid us a | Lxpress your likes and dislikes ici iu me cuuor or a guest CCJUO | Letters must he typed, douhle more than 300 words. Include ; dress, telephone number and wl rcached for verification. Letters also should include wh student, staff or community i editorials must be limited to 5 writers must come to the newsr picture taken. lise allow building o ing, USC administrators arc frno/t/Mn r. UI.VUUIH U1 CA|JICS" sion and thought. Shantytowns arc being built at Purdue University, University of California at Berkeley and other major universities. These two universities supposedly have established a more prominent position in higher education than USC. But at these two icons of higher learning, protests were suppressed: 91 students were arrested Thursday at Berkeley, and 22 students were arrested Saturday at Purdue for building shantytowns. " These two incidents arc shameful situations that no university should ever allow. Universities supposedly provide an atmosphere that helps breed different political and social viewpoints, which shouldn't be suppressed. A compromise would at least say the administration does care about student opithe editor parties, where students dress up like Confederate soldiers and fine Southern ladies, and some blackening their faces in imitation of slaves of old and participating in auctions. It would be difficult, under such circumstances, to have a positive perspective of the Hag, especially combining all of this with the history of the South, with all of its dramatic beauty and unbelievable pain. Those who are proud of the South, with its beautiful magnolias, elegant traditions and folksy ways, have reasons to be proud. Yet there are many things about the South that are good and bad for blacks and whites alike. a seems me dcsi tiling to do is to strive to mend those aspects about our society that we know are wrong, like prejudice and active discrimination. We can't undo the past, but we must make an effort to strike down things that stand in the way of human progress, instead of clinging to things that are reminders of a bitter and painful past for so many. If only we could find a new symbol for the State House, one that would represent a new spirit in the South, and throughout the < country as a whole! I Catherine Fleming ( Journalism < graduate student i I State taking side ; while flying flag | I lo the editor, and faithful i Southerners: i Correct ? The Civil War was not just about slavery. COrrect ? Many brave people gave their lives for their beliefs and homeland. However . . . This last statement can be said of both In fnrl I h;?!n i distant uncles, one of which i played a fife for the South, the other drummed for the North. ' To assume the Confederate flag does not bring to mind a war-torn country and slavery must he dealt with as a bias. As stated, and well documented, < slavery was not the sole cause of < the Civil War. But as most school < children know, it was one of the t issues involved, and unfortunate- I ly it is the most remembered. This letter by writing a let- The Gamecock rial. letters a month by -spaced and no only be withheld /our name, ad- pseudonyms are n< icre you can be ether you are a The Gamecock r nember. Guest and guest editoria 00 words, and returned. Send oom to have a Gamecock, Drawc bia, S C. 29208. f shantytowns nion. Judging by last week's actions. Purdue and Berkelev do not. South Africa's divide-andrule system represents racial inequality and oppression that is the embodiment of Prime Minister P.W. Botha's regime. By compromising, USC officials would be acting rationally and in the interest of intellectual freedom, one of the main constitutional principles of the United States. In this case, the administra (ion would nol be looking away from (he problem, but rather, solving it peacefully. As Botha's government is learning in South Africa, the problem does not disappear if freedom of expression is limited. Instead, it gathers strength. USC's Free South Africa Alliance is working to stop apartheid through action. A I - ? * 1 ^ wish. All others have this same right and do NOT have to display said symbol. But . . . Do other former members ol i he Confederate States of America fly the Stars 'n' Bars over their state capitals? The real issue is: should that flag fly, KKJ years after the Confederacy, over our state Capitol? As the inJividual is allowed his/her own right to expression, should not the government attempt to be as neutral or unprovocativc as possible? Is it right for the state government to choose sides, to /miu, in mis case, UbL. officials would be doing the same. being the case, the idea that the Stars 'n' Bars docs not remind people of slavery and the Civil War is not sound logic. It must be noted that a flag is a symbol. The flag itself is not slavery or bravery. It is only a reminder. That is one purpose of the tlag. Fortunately there are those who are reminded of brave deeds. Hut those memories do not V.um.v.1 VJUI lUUMlll'l |JU'I )UI1 S ladings or memories of the ills surrounding the Confederacy or the Civil War. There was, and is, good and bad on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. To an outsider coming to this wonderful city, seeing the Confederate flag on the State House may appear to be a Haunt or reminder. In this country the individual's right to display his pride in a place, belief, act or event is law. Loyal Southerners can buy, hang, wear or display the Stars 'n' Bars in any manner they may publicly represent one segment ol the local society and ignore the requests and feelings of the remainder of its constituents? Keith Mosher Staff member Instructional Services Center Flag symbolizes I urave soldiers To the editor: I his letter is in response to The Gamecock's March 21 editorial jii the removal of the Southern L'ross (Confederate flag) from he State House dome. This flag las been criticized far too long. How can this flag be associated will print no more than two the same writer. Names will by special exception, and ot allowed. escrves the ri^ht to edit letters Is, both of which will not be letters to: Editor, The r A, Russell House, Colum so much with slavery any more than the American Hag which flew over slave states (including Northern slave states) t'oi some 50 years before the war between the states? The answer lies m Northern textbook authors' misrepresentations of the war in order to justify Mr. Lincoln's actions, which caused the deaths of over half a million men. Mr. Lincoln stated at the beginning of the war that the w ?>s nut siavcry, ow ino preservation of the union. I he Southern states had the right to secede, and Mr. I ineoln violated the U.S. Constitution In invading Southern soil. Our textbooks, rather than our flag, are to blame for the blacks resenting the old Confederate South and the Southern Cross. Many people say you can't live in the past, that the only thing important is the present. I he people of Greece and Koine, the greatest civilizations in history, believed that you should honor the heroes of the past by bringing f o r vv a r d their ideas an d achievements. Southerners have flown our defeated flag, not in reference 10 slavery, or as a racist gestuie, but to honor our ancestors who fought bravely and valiantly to defend ther homeland. Steven P. Sanders Management, senior Double-parked cars in danger To iIk* editor: Time and time again, I find the ears of faculty, staff and others left in the driveway ol the student parking lot at the US( Credit Union hxcluding those who illegally use handicapped spaces, these double-parkers are the most in considerate boors on campus. Although spaces are reserved for Credit Union members directl\ across the street at the yellow meters, many prefer blocking students' cars to crossing Pendleton Street ? e\en when the Credit Union spaces are open. If these persons cannot find suitable parking at the Credit Union, they should ride the Shuttlecock. B?it New?p?p?f 1 SC Press Association i| j fall 1985 * * hriilnr in < hie I Hiimiiiss i \farisa J. I'orto \fnrw It ManjHiny I ditor Vit-vtpoin li-ri /{owe ( art Pa\ ( op> Di sk ( hu-f spotlight Inula Taylor Id ( Ihiii Assistant ( op\ Desk ( hirf Assistant liuddv \1oorc Slc/>ln'n Sews hditor I'u/rti A j Juliet Nader Sports I d Assistant Nf?s hditors John Ho Hal Millard Assistant I'aulu ll'clhirixlon Jc/J Shri ?VJ?t I '??Si ',< .K.<J 1 10m now on. I will make an el ton to ha\e these doubleparked cars towed away, and ..... ... l- - -- ? - - 1 inuc omci SlllUCIHS IO CIO UlC same. As foi the offending parties, sta\ out 111 our parking lot. or consider sour cars at risk. Patrick E-vans Marketing and management, senior Topless sunner offends resident I o the editor: VV h-.i k 11,;. .. .*-1.1 - ...nil i "* Hill >> v F l n.1 V.IHIIII1U lO. 1 lie days arc beautilul aiui perfect lot suntaiuung. One can see the students lyinu out on the campus lawns, enjoying the sun. It is a great time of yeai to he outdoors. But we can never accept what we witnessed yesterday. We 1 i \e in the family housing on USC campus. Here there are husbands and \\i\es and children and other students. We were looking oik out apartment window and tight therein plain view was a girl sunbathing who had taken oil hei top. exposing herself. She didn't care about us or anybody else. We did not want to have to see this. We called the police and complained to put a stop to it. The police came and the lady in tnnereniiy put her lop back on. We couldn't understand why more action was not taken against Iter. We immediately phoned the police hack and they said the police are supposed to he congenial towards the students. I he police should not he agreeable with hei indecency. I roni our window we saw the maintenance men at the physical plant watching and staring at her. a .:.. . ? .*%"> iill/CIIS, Wt MIOW ItKlt SllC can't do that in our country. hether a student or an outsider, the police are iec|uired to implement all laws ot the country, including the laws that govern obscenity. I he university security police must ensure that this will not take place loi continued de cent family living in this coinmimil v Wo aro against all forms of pornography, it loads onl\ lo destruction and a Iito far trom Ciod. Our suggestion to the -am bathers is i*.? please have the sense ie Gamecot hdilor IMiuto^r.ipIn I (tiinr ratits lui\ (irunhcri; i r.niior \smnI;imI i'holokraplit it son Scon Kcr/ct Senior I'hoto^rs I dilor /></? u! /)<>ison 7/>//ss I Hiitheld Spotlight I (lilors (imi/iivlr Senior Reporters Iran / <1 Holu/n iior I'' tithtAc wtlr I "i\ Drll'o Spnrls Ktlilor Horn //<*</ hu\/ic wshury hmnnc Kori/i I -IPalR^SIH i to think about the others and put on enough bathing suit that you would wear in front of the living Clod Himself. ^ ') Name withheld by request Greeks respond to TKE article I o the editor: On April 2, The Gamecock ran I ^ an article about Tail Kappa lip- * silon fraternity by Mr. Barry Bradley, a supposed journalist. As two members of the executive cmincii of 1 KI:. ?e would like to "sot the record straight," so to speak. 1 list, the article was over three weeks old. 1 he initial purpose of the article was to inform the USC community about our oruani/a lion, not to borate the IntralraternitN Council or its expansion committee. Incidently, Mr. Bradley, had you checked out your sources, you would have known that the IIX" expansion committee \oted 1 hursday, March 27, to expand the greek system. I his was already old news and thus displayed la/y reporting. We have met with II C expansion committee officers, and they have explained to us thai it w ill take some time. We, as a-v a Maternity, understand this. 1 uthermore, it is our purpose to aid the expansion committee in any manner possible that will facilitate the process that will enable us to be recogni/ed on campus. We are currently working on a list ol criteria we must meet Mist, hi addition to unrLim> - - - - *,,,o on expansion criteria. we have paitieipaied in road trips, mixers, athletic events, happy hours, alumni coordination and philan- A) throps projects tliix semester as re^' ulai I u nct ions o I on r 1 ratcrnit>. We have a strong group of haid-uorking men in I KI-, and we \\il! not let Mr. Bradley's inept journalism skills deter our el torts. Mark Redmond International studies, junior Vance Jenkins Journalism, junior -lr I Mil Kalt>\ i.ewis I'racv Miwon I clilur / red StcpjU' \dvis?T Hill Rogers Dircilor Hill ( lemen t s I'milmiion /1'wis ( 'ovington Mark Armstrong Xthcrlising Manner Margaret Mnhels Q Mutlt-nl Atlierlising Mutineer Kclh I reus