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Viewpoint 1 Friday, October 30, 1987 THE GAMECOCK 3 K AMY DELPO Editor in Chief I STEPHEN GUILFOYLE Copy Desk Chief | rpi BRENDA BLYTH News Editor X ilC BRAD FERRAR Viewpoint Editor I TAMARA WILLIS Features Editor tjramecock WAYNE WASHINGTON sports Editor : KEITH JONES Photography Editor j I ROBB LANE Graphics Editor : PAULA WOJTOWICZ Beat Editor i Shrewd Gore takes advantage of poll to emerge as serious candidate ^Although he has not led any public-opinion polls, presidential j hopeful Sen. Albert Gore Jr., D-Tenn., has emerged as a serious candidate in the light of a rather controversial straw poll. * \/i 1? rr 1 inn i his pusi iviuuuay, vjuic ictcivtu J7u vvjita 111 int juuui Carolina Democratic straw poll, finishing way ahead of Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., who received 101 votes. Gore won 62 percent of the vote, a margin normally considered to be a landslide. However, there was one catch to the proceedings. The poll was a Democratic fund-raiser, and it cost $50 to cast a vote. Those who finished well behind Gore downplayed the significance of the poll. South Carolina native Jesse Jackson, who received 3 perecent of the vote, told his supporters not to attend the event, calling it a "poll tax." And the national campaign manager for Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill., said the poll was "a show of money" and discouraged Simon's followers from voting as well. ^ But Gore, being the shrewd man he is, took advantage of the opportunity. He sent his father, the distinguished former senator Albert Gore Sr., to speak on his behalf. The elder Gore did so and presented his son's strong points quite impressively. In the process, he caused the other candidates to complain about the validity of the poll, rather than forwarding their own political ideas. Good or bad, the topic of the day was Gore as he received valuable publicity in a campaign that has many voters bypassing the issues and simply trying to identify the candidates. Thic mflv havp a hanHwaoon pffprt fnr Gnrp Manv rpcnnnci ble citizens who feel obligated to vote for someone might vote for Gore simply because they remember he won the only straw poll of 1987. South Carolina is representative of other Southern states, and Gore may build a nucleus of support on the strength of this victory. After all, John Connelly, a former Texas governor ended j* ? his 1980 presidential campaign after he lost the South Carolina primary to eventual winner Ronald Reagan. Although the other candidates publicly denounced the poll, they must now be privately concerned about the inertia Gore has gained by seizing this political opportunity, no matter how valid it may be. 1 ? j "PUT EVFRYTHIN6 WVE GOT INTO STAR WARS" i : * The Staffs Assistant Copy Desk Chief Historian Andy Bechtel Bobby Jones Assistant News Editors Adviser Todd Mines Bill Rogers Jeff Shrewsbury Director of Student Media Assistant Features Kditor Margaret Michels Firdous Barnji Production A??ictnnt SnorK Kditor ( hurt Nnrri* Rae I.cigh Son Ha Assistant Photography Kditor Advertising Manager Jonathan Williams Margaret Michcls ~ Datebook Kditor Assistant Advertising Manager ) Q Jenny Sharpe Dawn Miller l-CUtM Policy: Tht (imtcotk wMI io Io ?' < W??rt r??l?t<. LrtKra ?ko?;d K?. ai nulnum, lMloM ?o<** lost- ?;?* ? rdltorUI* (koaM no* ?? ?! MM wards. Wi rmnt itw rt|M Io etfll tfllcn Ior M>l* or pot?4bk Hkrl. Tht Oamt?xk ?M not ?MkkoM uwi u?4?r u) (Inantuxt. } 1 I Gentry White House Ooooooooooo, it's scary time again. It's all hallow's eve, and the wolves are crying in the distance. Tonight and tommorrow will play host to some of the world's greatest Halloween parties. Somewhere in Billings, Mont., there is a guy dressed as a water buffalo, and in Texas there is a little Jock Ewing running around begging for chocolate. The best costume I ever heard of came from North Carolina State University, coincidently the team we play Saturday. Three of my friends dressed up in white plastic bags with ropes tied to their behinds and a giant "X" on their chests. They painted themselves white and walked around together as three sperm cells. And one of their friends dressed up as an egg, and they chased him around at a party. Pretty Freudian, huh? Round 2: Th For my Halloween column of 1986, 1 had a conversation with the devil. He was an amiable enough fellow, even though he wanted to destroy my soul, and we had a contest. A tale of Halloween night: I was walking across The Horseshoe and past the President's House. I suddenly remembered this past year. I had a weird dream in which I thought I was walking home after the Halloween party, and I had a contest with the devil. I must have been drinking some heavy stuff. Then there was an explosion in front of me, a smell of fire and brimstone. Then I saw it. 1 knew it had been no dream. There he was again. The devil. "w; ni.,r " iii) t>vlJ y llc 3C4IVJ. nuw a 11 nankin ; Remember me? Lucifer, but you can call me. . . ." "... .Lou for short, I remember." His way of talking made me begin to like him, but then I remembered that he was the writer of Gilligan's Island, and I knew he was capable of other evils almost as hideous. "You don't still want my soul, do you?" I asked. "Sure," he said. "I'm like a Highway Patrol officer. I got a quota to meet." He started to grow, rising more than 900 feet into the air. "Are you scared?" Lou asked. He raised a 70-foot foot to stomp me.l barely dodged the first time. How do you handle a 900-foot devil named Lou who's trying to stomp you out of existence? They don't teach things like this in University 101. I quickly listed the things I had going for me, Letters to thi Article overates Shrewsbu ?y point out milirarv sent 0fn< * modern v efficient To the editor- typical Is In response to jeff Shrewsbury's combat editorial concerning America's tac- SPETSNL tical supremacy over foreign coun- forces) 01 tries (Oct. 23), I would like to dis- I don't count Shrewsbury's uninformed ing I'm "facts." First, let me say that I am a trary, I 1 recently discharged veteran (military strictly p; police investigator) and have seen patriotic, friendly armies outperform their that the I /Miicricaii touiucrparis. Yourave Shrewsbury's statements concern- badly trs ing America's supremacy over Israel for his ii would be humorous were it not for U.S. serg the fact he believes himself. Israel is who are undoubtedly the most advanced they are military, in comparison with size, in civilian v the world. Israel has defeated officers enemies who have outnumbered military j them 20 to 1 on occasions. I want to ciency. / let this number sink in: 20 soldiers need of < against one Israeli soldier, and Israel Shrew; has yet to lose a war. United ! The statement that the United fanatical States,"taught them (the Israelis) Iran. I s everything they know" is ludricrous. are a suf The Israelis have never used tries w< American tactics, but have either in- powerle vented their own or modified Euro- analogy: \ I AmepicaiiFeace P The NOBEL if n? mwv costume part; Shrewsbury Those are the best costumes I ever heard of, but the point is there are creative people out there partying in weird get-ups tonight and tommorrow. I can just see the White House tommorrow night ? Ronnie and Nancy throwing a shindig for the ! ill uevii umuei J J strengths that might prove helpful. I have asthma, so the fight would probably kill me, even if I won. I guess that's not an asset. I wear glasses, which experience in many street fights in the Bronx tells me will fall off and either break or get stepped on. Strike two. That leaves me with my keen intelligence and rapier-sharp wit. I'm doomed. "Say, Lou," 1 said, trying to end his footy barrage, suddenly being inspired by the sight of the MrnnnalH'c oprncc tho ctroot * 1 \A7 11 I \faii 1 i L' r* o hot apple pie? Would ya?" "What the hell are you talking about?" Lou asked. "Haven't you ever been to McDonald's? Isn't it just the most wonderful place in the whole world?" I said. Lou spit flame at me. That didn't work. Plan B. 1 don't have a Plan B. * editor ethods. To disprove and the father gives the ry's statement, I simply wall" counseling by b that the United States has off opposing walls. Thi :ers to Israel after every the father is superior to vat to observe their highly does it show the father soldiers and tactics. The another grown mar iraeli soldier is a superior Shrewsbury can see my soldier than the average international level. \Z troop (Soviet special overrated U.S. Ranger. Hoi want anyone to get the feel- Criminal not patriotic; on the conjoined the U.S. Army for 4"|?ri Uriotic reasons. While I am fl lit I am not blind to the fact _ J.S. military is in sad shape. ^ rage private is unmotivated, lined and has little respect ncompetent soldiers. Many To the editor: eants are alcoholic "losers" In response to the Oc only in the military because on racism, let me expre: unable to make it in the and anger at Stephen vorld. The vast majority of description of the Con are more interested in as "an obscene sign politics than in miltary profi- hatred." ill in all, our services are in Obscene? 1 am not a i complete overhaul. not even an American sbury pointed out that the proudly carries not on States has been defeating Confederate flags. Do countries such as Libya and why? It is in homage to i hould certainly hope so; we hold in the greatest ad >erpower, whereas the coun- respect. My fiance's gr< s've been trouncing are cle was a captain in th ss fools. Consider this Evans' Brigade, Hooc A young brat hits his father, I.ongstrcet Corps, Arm; I fees- I i y nightmare State Department. The invitations probably have an elephant squatting over a donkey and saying, "You better go away, you bad ass, before 1 really get mad and nominate Charles Manson." The evening would start off slowly with Ronnie dressed as himself ? a giant turtle, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger showing up late and dressed as Omar Shariff saying "Where are the p wenches? Find me a female." Secretary of State George Shultz would probably come as Torquemada holding nooses with a little p Marine Lt. Col. Ollie North and Admiral Poindex- j ter hanging in effigy. And good old bd Meese, attorney general, would show up dressed as "the brainless lawman" and abscond with the punch. With a name like Casper, 1 wonder what Defense Secretary Wcinberber would come as or if he would come at all. i Lou returns I'm doomed. "Pick on someone your own size, will ya?" I said. Lou shrunk, but continued his fight. "All right, now we got an almost fair fight," I said. He still had flaming breath and a trident, and all I had was my bookbag. L.ou was looming over me, ready to destroy me. What to do? Then I had it. "Say Lou, want to hear a good joke?" Lou stopped, and there was an intrigued look on his face. "What's Ollie North's favorite cereal?" I asked. Lou didn't know. "Shredded wheal," 1 said. Lou began to laugh, his whole body began to shake. "How many Clemson students does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Lou didn't know. "Two: One to hold check the socket and one to drive the other one to the hospital when he electrocutes himself." Lou fell to the ground, rolling hysterically. Now 1 had him, and I wouldn't give him a break between joke and punchline. "What's the difference between a Clemson student and a bucket of cow manure? The bucket. What's the difference between a Clemson student and a pile of cow manure? The pile of cow manure doesn't have pimples." Lou exploded. Thank goodness Lou's never heard those old reliables before. 1 went home with my head held high. kid "wall-to- Virginia. It was because of this flag ouncing him that he left a widowed mother and is shows that eight-month pregnant wife to help the brat, but raise the Sprott Guards that became k <;iinerinr to the I Comnanv 23rd S.C. Volunteers. i? I think He gallantly fought at Morris Island, point on an Secessionville, Malverne Hill, Cattlctt's Station and Second Manassas, where he lost his left arm. He also rvee Steinberg helped organize the defense of justice major Clarendon County, and his command of young boys and crippled veterans faced Potter's army at HOI Dingle's Mill. It is for him and for # the thousands of boys like him that I am proud to wear the Southern Cross. As for the old hatred, lie, like the great majority of boys in gray, never t. 26 column owned a slave. Me cooperated in getss my sorrow ting a charter lor the South Carolina i Guilfoyle's State College at Orangeburg, and tofederate flag day one of the buildings in that camof an old pus is named in his honor. Yet, during the '60s, when Guilfoyle thinks i Southerner, that racism died, his grave and the , yet my car graves of many other Confederates ic, uui uiiti: wut icivaguu. nuw, v\mu i.-> mv, you wonder racist? those whom I All I can add is that 1 will name my miration and first son after Uncle Dan and that 1 ;at-grand un- will continue to pride in the Conic 23rd S.C., federate flag. J's Division, Begona Munoz /of Northern Graduate student, biology ]