The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 29, 1986, Page 2, Image 2
Viewpoint *
2 ^ Wednesday, October 29, 1986
THE GAMECOCK? ????im inmuwmimimmwrmmmwmiihim in ? biii
Disclosure
Judge's ruling that USC must revet
Sadat's salary reinforces the FOIA
Something happened Tuesday that shed a little bright*
"enncliino" Atl Qrtnth f"* a rrvli n i a nc' tr\ Lnniu n/li'
ovtuoiiiiiv v/n uv-'uiu Vviu vniimii,? i 15111 iu i\nu>? nr u?
state institutions are doing with their money.
A circuit judge ruled against (JSC's efforts to kee
Jehan Sadat's salary and expenses secret, some of whic
were funded by state taxes.
Bravo.
This decision has helped reassure the press and tl
public that they can rely on the Freedom of Informatic
Act to let the facts out into the open.
Judge James Moore of the Eighth Circuit Court said
his ruling that USC's arguments against disclosure <
Jehan Sadat's salary and other benefits paid by the unive
sity did not outweigh the public's right to know.
Journalists of The Gamecock, for certain, always belie
ed in the public's right to this information. Paul ar
Cheryl Perkins' question about Sadat's salary was a goc
one, and it is a boon for the public that the university fins
ly has been ordered to answer it.
Moore said USC's concern that disclosure would inva<
Sadat's personal privacy was also outweighed by tl
public's right to know.
"The public policy in favor of the disclosure of financi
information is not to be thwarted because of a claim th
disclosure would unreasonably invade personal privacy,
he said. "There is no personal privacy right here to ove
ride the goals of the FOIA.
"Such a 'right to know' should outweigh any individu
harm which can be attributed to the revelation of Sadal
salary," he said.
While Sadat's personal safety is important, she has p
herself in the position as a public figure. With this stat
comes a certain amount of danger and considerably lc
personal privacy.
The university should have realized this when fir
deciding whether or not to reveal her salary to the Perkin
Apparently Moore agreed. He said Sadat is a publ
figure and has a lower expectation of personal privacy
at least to the extent of keeping her financial arrangemen
with a public university secret.
USC officials had refused to release the information u
til the judge decided whether the state's Freedom of Info
mation Act mandated disclosure.
While the university waited, the news media waited ;
well. It was a tense wait for South Carolina journalist
Would the judge reinforce the FOIA with a ruling
release the information? Or would he detract from it with
ruling to allow USC to keep the information confidentia
What resulted from the pending litigation let journalis
breathe a sigh of relief.
Moore gave the Freedom of Information Act a boc
with his decision. As a result, it was able to serve as
device to let the public know important facts, its intend*
purpose, not as a stifling device.
It is comforting for members of the press and the pub
that their "right to know" has not been restrained.
With this ruling, another precedent has been set in fav
of the public and the press, and an important foothold h
been secured for freedom of information.
The public's need to know is sometimes the most imp(
tant factor in regard to information one party may cc
J ;a ; i _* ?_ i A i r..i .
siuer sensitive. L.et s nope present anu iuiuie univeisny t
ficials won't forget this important factor as other studci
pose questions.
H0SE^...F0K ME ?/ Ctt"w,wl,llwl
CCXI 101 ?MM MDVN.I
_____ ^caw/fe
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Write us a letter
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" Of Halloween, Gadhafi
>St
a A dream of Halloween night.
ed I was walking across The Horseshoe late in
the night. All the trick-or-treatcrs had headed
jjc home. I was alone, returning from a fairly
successful Halloween boozerama.
But the dark gray fog ruled the night.
or For some reason, the night was not only
ias dark and gray, but also seemed malevolent. A Stephen Guilfo
menace of incredible power seemed to wait wmmmm?mmmm?mm?mmmm
)r_ behind the next curve.
There was an explosion in the ground ahead
of mc. The stench of brimstone punched my
5'~ nostrils, smoke jabbed my eyes, the force of
TtS the explosion hit mc like a southpaw's hook,
forcing mc to my knees.
1 looked up, and screamed.
| Satan was sitting before ine, a burning said. "I've got power
H giant with hoots, horns and wings. though, and make it
"Call mc Lou," he said to me, every "Pal, swell, gosh;
syllable a curse. The guy who wrote G
2|j "Lou?" I squeaked. finally rising to the o
"Lucifer, Lou, Satan, His Unholiness, hideous insult imagir
*3 whatever. I'm easy." "No, I wrote Gilli
{at "What do you want with me?" I forcefully "I always thought
managed to barely whisper. show should burn in
r' "Press, pal," he said. "We're gonna make he is, because it wa
mc look like a swell dude to all the people in returned.
the world. You'll help, won't you?" "ART! ART! IT
"No," I said. "That's wrong." One raged. "1 am of
"Gosh, you don't have much choice," he ever hope lor, all the
a A the power you could
T~ A with me voluntarily.
** / ' y?u w'" ot*ierw'sc c"
f k \ A L ncr drinking very ch
k\c?tii-^j% M
/ mi Wi^r> T8T- Imw* >V c
I jfiix I ^ V v **"> rMpW'i'S"-M' had to think of some
I $y?/^-Cw-<S. j sou' from at least pr
I lt? ei"You have to pr
/y ^" first," I suddenly sai
ik X'" "Three tasks. Nu
L c' L must, ah, do a good
r % x < t States of America. V
/' A? > \ \ "Make Moamma
Ai M,,r j /c^'XVh '< ? V / .'\ ' < man. That's the tick
'* v> ?\ /yT^V' v^V tL I <* J S "He's one of my i
, ,raS? -?OUj -14; he said.
/ I \ 2 v .' r 1 "You won't get m
| $( KCV do this and two othc
' V>C*Sl?tf llluilr/ition hy Robb lan? "Wait a SCCOnd,"
The Gameco
Kdltor in Chief AinUlunl News Kdhort
it of two letters per month hy l.indu Taylor Amy DelPo
Managing Kdlior Maria /'rains
? r;ni.i r#i?,,?rc John fioyelle Viewpoint Kdllor
V I I VI i I \\J t) I. \ / I / I ' I M I II 1 IK IV. I I V I 1 . \ .
, r Copy l>r?k ( hlrf Jullcl Nader
pics 10 make room for new Guil/oyle M,?? >dliu,
C.'op) Wendy liden
Viewpoint I".d i I C>r , 7 he l)?tk ( hlrf traturr* Krtllor
iwer A, Russell House, USC, Wendy liden Paula Weihington
29208. New* Kdilor Aixisturil Feature* Ktihor
Buddy Moore Kuthryn Jeffries
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and a Devil named Lou
minute later he reappeared.
"You will be happy to know 1 just apa
Pcarcd to Mo in the form of Mohammed. I
(\ toll him it was his task to write a new Koran
M just for his Libyans. He'll tell all the Libyans
JPr they should live in peace and harmony, even
ML)W with Jews."
yle "That's service above and beyond the call If
mmmm ( J \ of duty, because they hale Jews for some
V / reason. But I hope you realize these tasks will
j/ be permanent even if you don't win. That's
\ , the deal."
"Yes," Lou growled, "what's next?"
"Now, I want you to make sure no nuclear
device will explode on this planet ever again."
Lou said, "I'll see what I can do." Again
. I'll be swell about this, he vanished, as 1 tried to think of a sure-fire
worth your while, pal." way to get off scot-free, but again he reapwho
taught you to talk? pearcd a few seconds later. "It's taken care
Ulligan's Island!" I said, of. Every time fissionable or fusionable
ccassion, using the most material is put into a warhead, a bizarre
lable. sunspot will negate its atomic force. What's
gan's Island." next?
the guy who wrote that
hell. It's good to know He was smiling a victory sneer.
is just so worthless," I I started to sweat in his infernal presence,
and I knew I didn't have a test to get this jerk
WAS ART." the Dark off mv hack.
fering you all you could But, then again, inspiration's my specialty.
money in the world, all "Get USC to release the full salary of
I want, if you will work Jehan Sadat," I said.
Think carefully, 'cause Lou's form began to shake and rumble.
d up on some street cor- The Dark One began to burn and smoke.
eap wine and screaming "No. No. An impossible task, even for one .
of my immense, inferenal power. You win.
s in a pretty bad mood. I You win. I CAN'T DO IT. AH, AH y>
thing to save my meager AAAAHH," he yelled, his voice almost as
ematurc damnation. deafenine as Sam KinisonV
ovc your power to me Then he exploded.
id.
sd. I was safe from the Devil, had saved the ;
mber one, ah, um, you world from a psychopathic terrorist, and
deed for, ah, the United nuclear extermination. All in all, it was a
'eah! good night.
r Gadhafi into a good The fog seemed to lighten, just a little.
el!"
most valuable servants," Editor's note: Stephen Guilfoyle is the cdpy
desk chief of The Gamecock and a regular
y cooperation unless you columnist. He stole the line about inspiration
ix very hard tasks." from the Han Solo novels by Brian Daley, but
he said, and vanished. A he is very sorry.
?ck Iinnniiin
iimmamrmrntmmammmBmtmmmKmmmtammmaommmeimmmmmmmmmtKmmammBmmmmttmmmmmm
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