The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 10, 1987, Page 2, Image 2
Viewpoint ?
2 Wednesday, June 10, 1987
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Rape
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compassion, not curiosity
Has the crime of rape become so trite now that there
must be some other aspect to it to make it a serious offense?
It appears so. At least, that's what has happened
in the case of a drifter from Miami, Terry Lee Phillips,
and his arrest in the reported rape of a Columbia
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Phillips has AIDS. To add to the humiliation of the
rape itself, the victim now has to worry about the
possibility of contracting this fatal disease. Lawmakers
sec this as a landmark case.
While this case is unusual ? probably the first of its
kind ? it is still an act of rane. Wc cannot let our
paranoia about AIDS or our shameful curiosity of
tragedy cause us to overlook this.
The case is beginning to turn into a media circus. Does
the man accused of the rape deserve such attention?
Does the victim? No. The media must curb its desire for
disaster and despair, leave the woman alone to attempt a
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lecuveiy aim leave mc couris aione 10 attempt 10 serve
justice.
First and foremost, the woman is a rape victim. If she
is diagnosed as carrying the AIDS disease, it should be a
second case. Let's try to keep them separate and have
some compassion for the woman as she faces a possible
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new case to put in the law books.
T asteless
Station should respect victim
There is an unwritten, eardinal rule of journalism:
never publish the name of a rape vietim, unless that victim
dies. In most states, this rule is also a law. Columbia's
ABC affiliate, WOLO-TV, broke this rule ? and
perhaps the law ? last week.
A Columbia woman has accused a 27-year-old Florida
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i umici ui i aping iici. L/uring coverage or me armer s
| trial this past Wednesday, a WOLO reporter broadcast
i the name of the woman making the accusation. Not only
was the mistake not caught then, but it was repeated on
Thursday morning broadcasts, as her name was again
mentioned by another reporter.
Whether WOLO's news staff broke any of South
C arolina's laws is uncertain. Whether they violated journalistic
ethics and standards is clear. They did.
A rape victim is subject to two emotional tortures: the
despicable act itself and the harrowing trial that follows
? 11 a suspect is caught. The victim should not face a
third assault by having her name broadcast to the community.
WOLO clearly forgot this with their callous and
irresponsible act.
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BoTH or THE A&OVE. ?
Write us a letter
let us know what's on your mind. Letters must Names will not be
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V
Welcome to tt
"The policy of our paper is very simple ? I"
merely lo tell the truth. * *
Those simple 13 words were the creed of the
late Nelson Poynter, founder of the Si.
Petersburg Times newspaper. It is that
sentence tnat siuck in my mind as I grew up in
Florida, reading the Times every day. It is
that sentence that became a belief for me and,
hopefully,every other journalist in the world !
to live by. And it is that sentence and belief |
that 1 bring with me to The Gamecock as
editor in chief lor the summer.
We are going to tell the truth this summer, I
whenever and wherever it 111:1 v he fmmH Anrl
that won't be easy, because journalism is a li
double-edged sword. Nine times out of 10, I
either the truth isn't easy, or getting to the r
truth isn't easy. ii
Some people would probably prefer we ig- t
nore all the financial controversies that have c
erupted at USC' during the past 12 months t
and concentrate on the "happy news," such a
as duck retrievals and scholarship winners.
Some people would probably prefer that we v
not exist at all. And I'm sure some people t
would probably prefer a more complacent, I
impressionable person as the runvsnnnrr's 1
editor instead of a cynical, temperamental r
rebel. a
Sorry, some people. We'll all have to live S
with each other. c
The Gamecock is not out on a headhunt, s
and it won't resort to sensationalism. We c
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Hollywood set
Not much can get Woody Allen to venture
into public, but the creator of films such as
Manhattan and Hannah and Her Sisters
showed up at a recent U.S. Senate subcommittee
hearing. For once, a congressional subcommittee
had a purpose: to examine the colorization
of black and white films, a practice
Allen accurately labeled as "sinful."
The colorization controversy erupted this
past Christmas season, when Ted Turner's
"Superstation," WTBS-TV, showed a colorized
version of It's a Wonderful Life. Many
in the film community, including Allen and >
that movie's star, James Stewart, didn't think
this was so wonderful and lashed out at
Turner. i
Opponents of colorization say it's like painting
a moustache on the Mono Lisa, and the >
analogy is not as far-fetched as it seems.
Film making is an art; it demands skill and
talent. Granted, Police Academy IV might
not be a piece of art, but a velvet portrait of
F.lvis isn't either. Like literature, paintings
and sculpture, the majority of movies is crap,
but every so often, a great director such as
Allen creates a film that can really be called
an artwork. And does someone else have the
right to alter that work, just because the person
buys it?
No, but this is Turner's main line of
defense. He says his ownership of the these
movies gives him the right to do anything he
wants with them, regardless of the intent of
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withheld, and pseudonyms
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licit ia <1 mini ui iwu ICUC!'* I itiiior in i.mei
, by the same writer Patrick Jean
to edit letters and editorials
, taste and clarity. We also News Kdltor
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to^!c.s , Viewpoint Kditor
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ouse, University of South Kathcrinc Gllberi
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laven't sought to destroy the career of USC
'resident James Holderman ? merely to
cport on the events and controversies involvng
him. We haven't jumped on the media
tandwagon surrounding USC graduate and
vernight celebrity Donna Rice. When the
ime comes for some f;iir nnrl honest rpnnrtino
bout her (if it ever docs), we'll be there.
Despite our good-natured personability,
ve'll never please all of the oeonle all of the
ime. That's one of the first cruel lessons I
earned about this line of work. Some folks
iate all journalists, whether we deserve it or
lot. Some fraternity or sorority member will
ilways say that we have an anti-greek bias,
iome minority student will always say that we
over the WASP news. Some politically active
tudent will always complain that we're too
onservativc or too liberal. Still another will
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Andy
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(he film makers.
Turner also says today's television audiences
don't like black and white. Roger
Mayer, president of Turner Entertainment
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v-w., cianin auuivu^v,^ tan i ut pti suadcd,
cajoled or bullied" into watching
black and white programming. Yet, black and
white reruns of The Andy Griffith Show continue
to garner good ratings, as do other
classic TV shows shot in black and white.
Beyond that, some of the most popular
music videos are in black and white. The
Psychedelic Furs and Billy Idol shot their
latest videos in black and white. Heck, even
Bon Jovi and Ratt are getting into the act. If
young viewers, the primary audience for these
videos, hate black and white, why are so
many videos filmed that way?
amecock
features senior (Graphics
Andy Bechtel Robb La
Sports Editor Comics 1
Richard Breen Tracy M
Photography Editor Adviser
' Nick Leoncavallo Bill Rogi
4
amecock
always read a few pages, throw it down on the
ground and call it a piece of trash.
A little research of The Gamecock
disproves all of those opinions. We've never
gone out of our way to be hated. Our staff,
both the hierarchy and the reporters, are com- ^
posed of greeks and non-greeks, whites and M
minorities, liberals and conservatives, all of
whom work well together. Some of us may
carry extreme feelings or opinions, but we put
them aside to fairly report and critique. And
we do our best. We're as human as anyone
else, and we make mistakes. Who doesn't?
We'll never be able to cover every single
person and event at the University of South
Carolina. We simply don't have the manpower
or the money ? especially this summer.
But in the meantime, we're going to do
the best we can with what we've got. If you
love us or hate us, don't cheer or bitch about
us to your classmates and roommates ? let us M
know. The door to our office in Russell
House Room 321 is always open to you. Drop
off a letter, chew us out, or, if you want to
help out or think you can do better, pick up a
staff application and story assignment.
The policy of our paper is very simple ? to
report the news that concerns the USC community
as fairly and accurately as possible
and to openly welcome comments, criticisms
and assistance. What other newspaper is willing
to say that? Well, gotta go. There's some
truth out there to find ? and tell.
colorization
At the subcommittee hearing, Allen suggested
educating young people to appreciate
black and white, but obviously, they already
do, considering the amount of videos made in
black and white now on heavy rotation on ^
MTV. Still, Allen's idea is a good one.
Colorizing companies defend themselves on
another front: they say they clean up the
prints before they colorize them, restoring the
film to its original state. But what's the point
ol cleaning up a turn it it s going to be
altered? Restoring old movies to their original
condition is great; colorizing them is not.
Mistakes are already beginning to plague
the colorized movies. The most glaring example
came with Frank Sinatra's film Suddenly:
the colorizers gave "Old Blue Eyes" brown
eyes. In The Maltese Falcon, Humphrey
Bogart's suit ended up the wrong color. m
Above all, the color has a strange tint to it
that makes the films look terrible, robbing
them of any cinematography they may have
had.
Thanks to testimony from Allen and
others, Congress may pass legislation to stop
colorization. If ever a law were needed concerning
art, it is one to halt this mindless
lanipci nig wun wic movies, one ui /\mcrica s
most cherished art forms. Maybe the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences could give Allen a special Oscar for
his efforts to stop colorization ? but he probably
wouldn't show up.
. (
Editor Director of Student Media
ne Bill Clements
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Margaret Michels M
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