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? MHMMMBBWBWBHBBWHBi Viewpoint 4 Wednesday, April 9, 1986 mmmmmmmmmmHmmaammammMmmmmmMmmmmmmmmmmmKmmmmmammmmmTHE n ? ? ? Bad guy? Gorbachev of Reagan sticki The Soviet Union recently made a bold step forward in the area of nuclear disarmament, yet the United States is threatening to negate this effort for peace. General Secretary Gorbachev has expressed a desire to adopt a comprehensive test ban treaty. This treaty would end all nuclear testing for both countries. Reagan, however, is not expressing this same desire ? probably because the treaty would forbid further testing for his pet project, the Strategic Defense Initiative or "Star Wars." Granted, SDI has served some purpose ? it has scared the Soviets into negotiating for nuclear disarmament. Now that this most important step has been reached, it is time Reagan stopped generating support for Star Wars at home and abroad and started talking about peace. One of the biggest problems in the past concerning possible test banning has been verification. This means the United States and the Soviet Union have been insisting that representatives from each country be stationed at the other's test sites to ensure no testing takes place. The Soviet Union has not given in on this point, but they have at least agreed to further discuss this possibility. The United States has not even gone this far. I* - ' ' * i\cug;ui js jeopardizing this treaty by refusing to prohibit Third floor please, and make it quick A couple of Thursdays ago I j deeided to watch some late-night television. "Wow!" I thought. "Homework is all done, why ] waste all that time by sleeping? i I'm a college student, I'm independent, except for money (Hi Mom & Dad.), and I can do what I want." "Damn straight!" came a little voice from underneath my couch, I which belonged to a 200 year-old I1 Hostess Twinkie snack cake in L town to Tolumbia's bicentennial t celebration. d I clicked on (he tube to Chan- li nel 19 and proceeded to watch s Otis walk into Andy's office, say s "Hi" to Aunt Bea, who had s brought her sheriff/nephew some ii fried chicken and one of her g famous pickles for lunch, and p then lock himself in one of the g cells to sleep off a long night's drinking. v Then it came to me. "This I alcoholic who dresses lik<> :?n overweight and sloppy Mr. tl Roarke from 'Fantasy Island' in- n vented t h e elevator! Every a elevator I've ever ridden in has V "Otis" written on the floor where the doors close. a Did you ever notice tlie people ti in the elevator \\ith you? What a tl stupid question! Of course you k have ? everyone has! Everyone's It heard the fact that hardly tl anybody talks in elevators. It's human nature. Hut so is being tl stupid. o i.ci me give you an example: In tl certain elevators on campus, i.e. d Bates, Russell House, etc., the .V small numbers over the door arc lit up by even smaller light bulbs u Send us a F.xpress your likes and dislikes b> tor to the editor or a guest editoriz l etters must be typed, double-s] more man .hh) words. Include yo dress, telephone number and wher reached lor verification. I etters also should include whet student, staff or community me editorials must be limited to 500 writers must come lo the newsroc picture taken. fers test ban, f to Star Wars testing of nuclear weapons. Instead, he has agreed to for more SOI testing in weeks to tome. A comprehensive treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union could lead to even more dialogue and a better understanding between both countries. Reagan's refusal to shelve Star Wars and discuss options for nuclear peace reveals a certain contradiction in his motives. The United States would not need protection from untested, unproven and, i ii us, nun-inreatening weapons. But, if Reagan admits this truth to himself he will have to bury his pet project somewhere other than in the history books. Peace should be Reagan's top priority, not a build-up of weapons ? defensive or otherwise. Because SDI would have to defend the United States from hundreds of missiles in the event of a Soviet nuclear attack, the defense would require an infallible ? and expensive ? technology. But as impressive as the United States' technology can be, events such as the Challenger tragedy prove that our technology is not infallible. A HAthor /InTrtMi-rt ~ 1 1 / kiiv/iiivi uvitusc I!) lICCUCUt not a presidential pipe dream. The best way to start would be to bring nuclear arsenals to manageable levels and stop testing of new systems. ' I jT-JEl Chambliss hat don't work any more. But Iocs anybody recognize this lard-core fact and look omewherc else? Noooooo. They tare at the numbers much in the ame way that astronomers look ito the sky, as if waiting for a limmcr of intelligent life to apear from the simulated wood rain. People arc interesting to notice ,ncn mcy get in an elevator, hey resemble noted peronalities on Star Trek. There's lie guy who stands right in the liddle and doesn't move for nyone else getting on or off. Ve'll call him Captain Kirk. There's the guy who leans gainst the wall next to the conol panel, and the guy who links he knows everything to be nown about elevators ? and its you know it, too. Let's call icm Seotty and Mr. Spock. There's the guy who leans in le corner and, with every sound r sudden movement, declares lat everyone aboard is going to ie. You guessed it: He's Dr. IcCoy. OK >i ..M "II - < w.. ..vii, utuin me up xoiiy, ) the third floor if you would." letter / writing a let- The Gamecock il. letters a month b; paced and no only be withhelc ur name, ad- pseudonyms are n e you can be her you are a The Gamecock ruber. Guest and guest editoria ? words, and returned. Send in to have a Gamecock, Draw* bia, S.C. 29208. Letters to the Horn umiicuuuiv anuuiu yive attention to USC arts To the editor: As Associate Director of the USC Dance Company I was pleased to sec your full page photographic essay on the South Carolina Ballet Theatre. Features such as that create an awareness of what is available in the arts in Columbia. But what about what USC students arc doing right here on campus? During the two years that I have been teaching here, there has been very little coverage in The Gamecock on the USC Dancp rnmnanu Pinht _ _ . 1x15111 IIU rv wt ait' intensely rehearsing for our Spring Concert to be performed April 30 ? May 4. As a service to the community \v<* are also performing the concert on April 27th at Richland Northeast as part of their cultural scries. We frequently do similar performances for University and community functions. This is an important time for the USC Dance Company. We need your support in publicizing our Dance Concert. We provide an opportunity for over 30 USC dance students to perform in a professional setting. And of course we provide cultural experiences for the university audience. It would be a shame if The Gamecock fails to recognize the importance of letting students know what other students are doing in the arts. Eleanor Weisman Fears Assistant protessor, Theater and speech USC events coverage lacks in scope, depth To the editor: A lot of times this year, 1 have had to bite my lip and withhold a lot of criticism concerning The Gamecock's Entertainment. There have been problems of major omissions and glaring misinformation in your various articles and reviews, but I'm sure the members of your staff know their mistakes and are "learning from it." However, 1 must call to your attention the lack of support your newspaper has for the entertainment events performed by USC students. These criticisms stem from fh*? Department of Theatre and Speech's current production of King I.ear, but I'm sure that my feelings are the same as other studentoriented events. First of all, take into consideration that King l.ear is known as the greatest play in the English language. Also, take into consideration that this show employs some of the department's finest talents: USC students and faculty who have worked hours and hours for months to bring this great play to our stage. When such an event like this occurs on most university campuses, the student media Btit Ne* SC Press A ' F?ll U I Kdilor in ( will print no more than two Marisa J. y the same writer. Names will Managing , , . , , Jeri Rowi 1 by special exception, and iot allowed. . ( op> l>f?k l.inda Taj Assislunl ( reserves the right to edit letters liuddy ils, both of which will not be News letters to: Editor, The Juliet Nai cr A, Russell House, Colum- //"/'!v////o Paula We DIPLOMACY IN THE 1980s s editor is there, jumping at the opportunity to report such an event. The coverage given in your April 2 newspaper was not worthy of the event. This was especially pointed up by your full-page pictorial on the Columbia City Ballet dancers as they stretched and by your review of the ZZ Top concert, which took the primary spot on the same page as the Lear article. The Columbia City Ballet should have never taken precedent over any studentcrvAncnrn^ r opuiuuivu |jiuuiauuii. i ucrc is noining wrong with a pictorial of the CCB, but your photographers can just as easily come to a rehearsal of a play and shoot a roll of film there. As for the ZZ Top review, I have nothing against the band or its fans (of which I am one), but it would seem that an upcoming performance of the greatest play in the English language would carry more importance than a review of a rock concert. ZZ Top has nothing to gain from your review, but all of the people involved with King Lear would really appreciate that their time hasn't gone unnoticed; and the production itself would benefit from adequate coverage by letting the USC community know that there is a show going on. wnat an this boils down to is that a school newspaper's first obligation is the school and its happenings. It's quite good when your newspaper reports events happening around the Columbia area, but it really doesn't speak well of your entertainment staff when 1 have to look in the local papers to get information of events that are going on under your noses. This lackadasical attitude extends not only to the theatre department, but also to music and art. It's time for your staff to change this attitude and start reporting and informing your fellow students on alternative wavs of <nf?n ding an evening. I really would like to expect something more from a school newspaper than coupon clippings and comic strips, because there is so much more to our college lives. Bernard K. Addison Theatre graduate Laws against topless sunbathing unneeded To the editor: "Ooh! My feelings are hurt! This blasphemous woman is exposing another part of her body. Chase her, punish her, stone her!" Expressed differently, these ideas, typical of ridiculous bigots, appeared in an anonymous letter to the editor in Monday's Gamecock and were stated in ri?fpr<*nr<? in fact that a girl was sunbathing topless over the weekend. I am afraid to say that so much idiocy in a letter hurt my feelings, too. Intrinsically, there is nothing wrong with sunbathing naked. It actually makes sense since it avoids tan lines. Having lived in countries where people are not forced to wear clothing on the beaches, 1 get upset to sec that ?**___! he Garn< ,'hief Business hditor Photogi Porto Maria Frut us Ruv C.i hdltor Viewpoint hdltor Assistan ? Carl Dawson Sean K Senior f Chief Spotlight hdltor David i vlor Ed Cham bliss Visko i opy IKrsk Chief A?*lslant Spotlight hditors 9 ore Stephen Guilfoyle Senior I >r Patrick Jean kd Bol icr Sports hditor Art Bo> lew? hdltor* John Boyette Amy D I'd Assistant Sports hdltor Roni B thinglon JefJ Shrewsbury Joanne <l> Li;, ( ) in a supposedly open society like this one, laws known to be deleterious to society, like the so - called obscenity laws, for the restriction causes the vice. By definition and in a rational society, a crime should leave sequels. Sunbathing naked docs not. A law to keep people from doing so has therefore no rational justification and should be abolished. To write a letter to comnlain lhat rh f? law ic nAf onf Arnn^l Un^rUl.. , ...? .V..> ?.j IIVI VIIIUI VVU UlU .Mil) enough is a sign of a mean person. By the way, ma'am, your rightousness did not prevent you from withholding your name. Stephen Sen Mathematics, junior 3 Slavery still linked with Confederate flag To the editor: Once again the narrow-minded thinking that has excluded certain members of Southern society from the 20th century has manifested itself in two recent letters to The authors' rationale causes concern for many of us in the Carolina community. While we concede state's rights was a major Civil War issue, we think that it is neither naive nor stupid to realize that maintaining the status quo was a major force behind this issue. This perpetrated a system based on black slavery and the oppression of poor whites. While some people believe the Confederate flag represents the valor and honor of Confederate soldiers, this heroic symbol cannot ^ hf' HiunrppH frr?m tUn 1 : ?1 ?.,?.vvu ..win Hiv- uiijuM ciiiu iniiunianc ** system of the Old South. Applying the rationale of Mr. Smith, people of German ancestory would be right in displaying the Nazi flag because it, too, symbolizes a "devotion to their birthplace and faith in their state government." But an integral part of Nazism was the persecution of Jews and so-called inferior races, as slavery was an integral part of the Confederacy. While both authors display much compassion for the Confederate soldiers who lost their lives during the Civil War, we find it ^ disturbing that they fail to acknowledge the injustices and loss of lives suffered by Southern blacks during this time. Whether the express purpose of flying the Confederate flag is to insult any ethnic group is not the question; the fact remains that the activity does insult many blacks and whites alike. Michael Howell Marine science, graduate Anthony Gary Geology, graduate ecock phy F.ditor Kathy Lewis onberg Tracy Mixson it Photography Kditor Fred Steppe eefer Adviser i 'hotographers Bill Rogers Dotson Director ?;?iu Hill Clements 1 Production tcporters Lewis Covington ian Mark Armstrong er^e Advertising Manager elPo Margaret Michels . ea Kayne Student Advertising Manager Korth Kelli Freas