The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 02, 1987, Page 6, Image 6
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6 Monday, February 2, 1987
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Fanatics
State should not let small group
of fundamentalists taint papal visi
w w
In September, Pope John Paul II will make a histori<
visit to South Carolina. Protestants and Catholics alike ar<
looking forward to this momentous occasion, and Soutl
Carolina will receive more press coverage and worldwide
attention than it ever has. Unfortunately, however, soiru
of this attention will focus on a few kooky individuals in
tent on disrupting this rare papal visit.
A movement has begun to protest the Pope's trip ant
some fundamentalist Baptists are proposing a billboarc
campaign that will reveal the evils of the Pope and the
Catholic Church. This would be laughable if it weren't sc
embarrassing to the more normal-minded citizens of this
state.
The last thing the state of South Carolina needs is self
righteous billboards littering its highways refuting Catholic
doctrine and spreading common misconceptions about th<
Catholic Church.
Imagine people driving in from out of state and seeing
those defamatory billboards loom at them from the side o:
the road. No one should have to be exposed to such ;
tasteless display on the behalf of the fundamentalists.
The Pope's visit to this state is an extremely wondrou:
thing, and it is pathetic that a handful of false prophet:
would try to spoil the event for the many who are eagerb
looking forward to it.
The efforts of these fire and brimstone zealots overstej
the bounds ot religious freedom, not to mention goo(
taste. They are overtly saying to more than 70,00(
Catholics in this state, "You are evil and you are wrong.'
The best thing this state could do is to totally remove
itself from this loathesome minority and pay no attentioi
to it. Religious intolerance has no place here or anywher
else in the United States.
The protesters are probably harmless, but thei
strangeness is reason enough to keep a wary eye on them
They have come up with some of the most bizarre indict
ments of Catholicism imaginable. These arc bitter indict
ments that have no basis in reality and are totally devoid o
Christian love and understandine. Thev sav with convic
tion and utter belief that the Catholics "are gonna tak
over" if the Pope is allowed to come here. In a state that i
solid Baptist, that remark is not only dim-witted, but era/,
as well.
The worst possible thing that could happen at this poir
is if these people can establish a following here or abroac
As long as they remain small, they are only aggravatin
nuisances, and only slightly potentially dangerous. If pec
pie will begin realizing that they are just a handful of ofl
the-wall fanatics, maybe they will slither away.
But, if they are allowed to grow and to spread thei
disturbing message across the state, they won't be the onl
ones who will look stupid. When the world press descend
on South Carolina in September and it sees a group c
fanatics denouncing the Pope or billboards denouncin
Catholicism, we will all look ridiculous and backward.
It takes an open-minded populous to welcome with ope
arms a man who is the leader of a religion with which the
have no association or feeling. We hope South Carolin
will keep that in mind. People outside the state would e;
pect a demonstration of ignorance and intolerance by pe(
pie here. It should be our aim, however, to show the coui
try and the rest of the world that we accept the Pope wit
open arms and open minds and that no group of peop
will cloud our judgment or respect for him or for tl
Catholic faith.
I Hi- "
Write us a letter
Tell us what's on your mind. I otters must There is a limit c
he typed, double-spaced and no more than the same w riter.
250 words. Include name, address and We reserve the r
telephone number for verification. Names on outdated topic
will nol be withheld. Guest editorials are topics.
limited to 5(X) words. Indicate whether you Write to: V
arc a student, USC staff member, or com- (iarnecoi k, Drawc
munity member in letters and editorials. C olumbia, S.C. 2(
#
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<
. Bigots unwillir
"> On Saturday, Jan. 24. the citizens of Foi
J syth County in Georgia, who stand for th
3 Old South, the traditional, bigoted South thj
i separated all life into two cultures, wer
overwhelmed.
r> _ . - -
Twenty thousand people marched silentl
1 through the small town of Gumming to sho1
C their faith in equality and their desire to live i
peace. The residents protesting the marc
r were shocked by the numbers and th
seriousness of the marchers.
They were unprepared that day just as the
arc unprepared every day to walk on groun
that is changing under their feet. They are n<
f ready to accept a free society. It is not in the
past, their memory, nor can they imagine
with enough strength to believe it possibli
They have lived secluded from integration i
s an old world, and it's hard for the old t
Y change. Some of the men waving Confedera
flags were young, but their thinking is old an
it too weak to face realitv. American societ;
j even world society, is moving in a directic
g rz: r
' [Letters to th
' Sundial picture sundial
y r ago anc
!'t lacks accuracy ?
g Preside
To the editor:
In the issue of The Gamecock
n dated Wednesday, January 21, _
:y 1987, there appeared a picture of ^Q|
|3 a larup tractor behind a aranitn
<- block. The caption below the pic- lAfpi
-j_ ture read: "Construction is tak- WwCI
^ ing place on the Horseshoe for a
sundial." 1 was dismayed that To the
" The Gamecock was seemingly not In r
le aware of the history and Jan. 1
ie significance of this particular would
campus area. statem
First of all, the picture was at the C(
I least two months old. Anyone ideals
who has seen the site in question sland
recently will attest that the work Carol
I is almost complete. The moment recogn
captured on film and displayed in King*!
The Gamecock occurred in federa
November as ground was being Generi
broken. federa
Secondly, and perhaps most Davis
importantly, the construction is more,
not for just any sundial, and the 1 tl
sundial in question is not new as clearec
implied by the caption. Rather, it soldier
is almost 60 years old. The class a
granite monument in the picture The S<
I was a gift to the university by the the n
1927 charter class of Omicron trampl
! Delta Kappa. The site, lying bet- ideals;
ween Currell College and bably
McKissick Museum, is being more t
refurbished by the university as a ciples <
result of a significant faculty gift t he
(J and through the contributions of Southt
} ODK faculty, alumni and student soldier
members. Omicron Delta Kappa but fo
is a leadership society comprised and tl
of college juniors and seniors as wrong
well as facultv and alumni Th<*
I members. Wc, in addition to from i
other activities, present Awards Consti
Day in the spring each year.. the rig
Unfortunately, the original is som
The
Kdilor in Chief
>1 I wo letters per month by Roni liea Kaym
Managing Kdilor
iyht to slop pi lining letters Amy DelPo
s to make room for new c!,p'\
Stephen Guilfo)
... _. 4?.\islani C op>
icwpoint I ditor, 7he l)esk Chief
i A, Russell House, USC, Monu Pehquin
J20K. News Kdilor
Paula Wethingt
in # #% Iquo rnn i;*..
y IU iQbc icamy
r- p???????????
w editorial
,e By Amv Brown ^ ijgj
d
3t
ir that leaves the residents of Forsyth standing
it agape on the side of the road,
e. Confusion was the predominant expression
in I saw on the faces of the people protesting our
o presence. It took many forms: false bravado,
te anger, blank dismay. At the place where our
id buses unloaded, a young man leaned against a
y, pick-up truck with a hamburger in one hand
>n and a Confederate flag in the other, his stance
e editor
was stolen several years proud of because it tc
i a new one will be install- to remove themselv
art of the renovation. country they loved s<
Rodney Brown was ?n'y because t
nt, Omlcron Delia Kappa merchant found that I
Biology, senior l,v? "lthoul
and his system of sla<
provoked the firinj
ithpptl Vffcliolc Sumter to start th
IUIGIII ICUCId Southern independer
aLhJamaJI Confederate soldi
re Slandered patriarch who del
home, his state, and
, editor wlul uuin aRU nonor.
esponse to the editorial of rac'st Klan mem
9 entitled "Sad State," I trayed in such travest
like to make the following and South and the
ent: there is no reason that ^reY- The Confede
mfederate soldier and the was embodiment
of honor should be we ca'j great in
ered because South "American.' Ther
ina does not totally Confederate soldier,
iize Dr. Martin Luther be 8reat Robert E
5 birthday. The Con- youngest private in
te soldier and men such as federate Army, :
al Robert E. Lee and Con- honored with as mi
ite President Jefferson and reverence as any
have the same right, if not Ma
to be honored. 15
link the wrong must be
1 up. The Confederate Rffellf*|l IMQI
was an average, middle- E&tSilUIB wVOI
ind non-slaveholding man. - fl
jutherner strongly felt that ||t?l oCSllolCl
ational government had
led on the very political To the editor:
he held most dear, and pro- I would like to resp
no one in 1860 embodied Barber's editorial
he ideals and political prin- playing time (or la
of the Founding Fathers of several of USC's
Republic than the players. First, no or
;rners. So, the Confederate the players she spoke
did not fight for slavery, tice and sit on the
r individual rights, honor parently, it has not
le principles of right and her that being part ol
contributing in wh
Southern people seceded possible is importai
the Union in a legal and people. Having par
tutional manner. They had many team sports, 1
ht to act as they did, and it you can take great sa
ething that one should be seeing a team effort
Gamecock __
Assistant News Kdltors Sports Kdllor
? Sherri Berry Jeff Shrewsbury
Brenda Myth Assistant Sports Kditor
Viewpoint hdiior Wayne Washington
Hal Millard Photograph) Kditor
>le Money Editor Jennifer Steib
Candy Burr Assistant Photograph) Kd
Features Kdllor Thomas Humphrey
Tamuru Willis
Assistant Features Kditor
on Patrick Jean
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1 of integration
a little too cocky to be really brave. An angry
group stood on an embankment yelling
discordant obscenities as we marched past.
Their noise pulsed uneven, like static against a
background of shuffling feet. I could not hear
every word, but I thought I heard suspicion
and doubt mixed with fear and anger in their
voices ? not just suspicion of us and our
motives, but doubt of themselves and their
way of life.
That Saturday, segregationists were shown ^
that they are now the minority. The Klan and
more silent racists have become a disenfranchised
group, and terrorism is their desperate
weapon. This is not to say that they are impotent
or inconsequential. They will continue to
fight in the night under white robes.
Whenever several of their number can surround
an isolated black, violence will happen,
but theirs is not the will of the majority. They
have no power to determine how people will
i: a i f -A
uvc luuay or 111 me iuiure. ^
>ok courage victory, no matter what form
es from a your contribution takes. I am cer0
dearly. It tain that Coach Felton and the
he Yankee other players appreciate the efle
could not fort and dedication that these
thern taxes players bring to the team. The
very that he teamcertainlybenefits from these A
1 on Fort players' presence and the players
e war for benefit from the experience
ice. So the whether they get playing time or
er was a not.
fended his I am sure that the players not
hie ^Aiintrn eppino aftinn lunnlH Iauo nlo?
UIJ VUUIil I J "VV...JJ kviiwii "UUIU IUW IU
He was not more. But, 1 am also certain that
ber as por- none of them would trade any of
ies as North the Gamecocks' hard fought vic;
Blue and tories for a few minutes of playrate
soldier ing time.
of all that I feel that Coach Felton has
the word done a fantastic job with a team
efore, the that very few people felt was
whether he capable of winning more than a AU
i. Lee or the handful of games, much less beat
the Con- numerous quality opponents and
should be have a chance at the Metro Conunh
fanfare ference Championship. Coach
other. Felton was brought here to win
rk I Walts ballgames and run a quality pro>85
graduate 8ram- winning games means
only playing six or seven players,
then that is what is necessary. 1
mers dare say that the Gamecock
. alumni and supporters would not
iction relish the idea of watching a victory
slip away simply to give a
player time on the court. ^
>ond to Beth basketball program is ob- *
rnnrpmino viously in very capable hands. If
ick of) for you have not seen l^e
, {"InmprnrW nl?u thic coocnn
uusKcinau *""-7 ""J
ie is forcing arc missing a real treat. This team
of to prac- ^as 8enerated more excitement in
bench. Ap- tlle c?l?seum than any team in
occurred to quite a few >'ears- Hopefully, the
f a team and relationship between USC and
atever way Coach Felton will last many
it to many years.
ticipated in Thomas Cogging
[ know that Office of Sponsored
itisfaction in Programs and Research
pay off in 1975 graduate t0
Datehook hxlilor Director of Student Media
Kalherine Gilbert Bill Clements
Graphics Kdltor Production
Robb Lane C. L. Norris
Comic* hditor S. Ha
Tracy Mixson Advertising Manager
litor Advl**r Margaret Michels
Bill Rubers Awlsiant Advertising Manager
Jan Hodges
1 *