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Violence Weekend violence on rise, USC needs everyone's help Several violent incidents have USC reeling and wondering what to do. After a stepshow Friday night, a number of incidents were reported. A girl, who said she was heavily intoxicated, was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital to be treated for vomiting among other symptoms. At that event, police reports say, a student reported he was struck over the head with a chair. Another student was stabbed. Another student was possibly shot. Also, on the fraternity quad, a fight broke out between members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and members of Chi Psi. The fight was broken up, and those involved refused medical treatment, according to police reports. That's not all. The Wild Pizza was robbed Sunday. The Rutledge Chapel was also broken into and vandalized. Cars in university parking lots are being broken into for the single purpose of vandalism, not theft. Add to this list other numerous events, plus the unfortunate shooting of a UNC student two weekends back and the rape of a USC student near campus, and the mind is boggled trying to find out what is going on here. Most of those hurt in the incidents at Russell House were visitors to campus and not students. But that is just as unfortunate. Not only are students who live here the victims of crime, but our guests are also being victimized. The university is going to take measured, incremental steps to try to put an end to this crime wave, but it is going to require cooperation from the students. If you want to live in a crimeridden dump, you can resist. But if you want USC to be a reasonably safe place, then cooperate in anyway you can. ID cards will now be checked a bit more regularly. If you don't have your ID on you, and you live on campus, show the key to your dorm room. If you hear or see something out of the ordinary, report it. If you are holding an event, make sure that you know who your guests are. Is USC under siege by crime? No. But if the events continue, the administration will escalate its efforts to put an end to it. Nobody wants USC to become the college equivalent of Sing Sing. So use your head, and be careful. Report anything that is unusual. Help out. For The Record Paper right to urge but wrong to ignore victims One of the letters to the editor in today's newspaper says that a victim of a rape is never at fault for the rape. It also says that Monday's editorial in The Gamecock stated otherwise. The writers of the letter, two volunteers with the Rape Crisis Network, are exactly right, on both points. The editorial discussed both a rape incident and a shooting/robbery incident that took place two weeks ago. While trying to urge students, especially new students, to use caution when off campus, this paper at the same time tread rather incautiously on the feelings of crime victims, most especially rape victims. The point was not to lay blame, but to highlight how a simple error in judgment can result in tragedy. That was a judgment error on our part. And it may have caused another kind of tragedy, unnecessarily causing victims of crimes to feel guilty. It was callous, but the main part, about trying to be cautious, we stand by. Nothing can be done to make up for any hurt feelings, but The Gamecock apologizes anyway and hope our readers understand that the intent was to prevent another such occurrence. Stephen Guilfoyle Editor in Chief npi 1 The Gamecock m J Best Non-daily Collegiate Newspaper, Southeastern Region Society of Professional Journalists, 1987-88 I Editor in Chief Datebook Editor STEPHEN GUILFOYLE JENNY SHARPE Managing Editor Graphics Editor SON HA MICHAEL SHARP Copy Desk Chief Comics Editor WAYNE YANG TRACY MIXSON News Editor HAL MILLARD Assistant News Editor Adviser STEVE PRADARELLI PAT MCNEELY ??*?? nrinmvi Graduate Assistant IV1/\JK I rL/\i\Jun Features Editor PHILLIP MCKENZIE SUSAN NESBITT Director of Student Media Assistant Features Editor ED BONZA TOM JOYNER Advertising Manager Sports Editor MARGARET MICHELS KEVIN ADAMS Production Assistant Sports Editor LAURA DAY CHRIS SILVESTRI RA* BURGOS Photography Editors Assistant Advertising Manager BRIAN SAULS BARBARA BROWN TEDDY LEPP Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print letters received. Letters should be, at a maximum, 250 to 300 words long. Guest editorials should not exceed 500 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for style or possible libel. The Gamecock will not withhold names under any circumstance. ' =3^ [iW Columnist There's a nasty rumor going arounc pus, started by me, actually. Or rati whose comprehension of what I write is nonexistent. Apparently, they say, I hate the Soi what I read in two letters to the editor tl and scores of others last semester. These red on by a column I wrote last semest In the column, I wrote that because the South from New York City, that 1 rather rude welcome from such Soui Lewis Grizzard, who refuses to accept i Southerner except those born and bred South. I said when I went to school tl few kids who parroted Grizzard so wondered if they had any minds of the And I said that Grizzard and his ilk Southern hospitality isn't "as widesprea would have it." That's all I wrote. The letters poured in from peopl slandered the South, I libeled Griz? defamed Southern hospitality. But i again, just parrots of what Grizzard writes, telling me that Delta is ready > But since they were parrots, I kind of j of them off as people who don't ha dividuality or original thought in their inhospitable minds. But they're not Southerners, in because Southerners are hospitable, an Letters to 'Blue-blazers' spoil the tun To the editor: I want to write about an event that marred last Saturday's football game. During the game (as at many other games here and around the country), people in the section in which I was sitting were harmlessly batting around a small beach ball. As it started to get near the ground seats, one of Holderman's Blue-Blazered police officers took the ball away and handed it to one of USC's men-inblue, who proceeded to deflate it. The crowd in the area responded with boos and chants of "beach ball, beach ball." Some started throwing cups (1 don't condone that). It was a simple thing, in some respects quite trivial, but it was a mean and senseless thing to do, an act that spoiled the fun of the game for many. I don't know who these BlueBlazers Gestapos are, but I bet they were hall and traffic monitors in school and are probably on their way to successful careers as politicians and lawyers (woe to us!). I would like to suggest that every student bring a beach ball to the game (p.s. don't inflate it until you get in the stadium), and let's add some fun to the game. James W. Johnson Geography senior Use elevators sensibly To the editor: Each day, almost without fail, I witness a gross display of laziness in the Coker Life Sciences Building ? people who must use the elevator to go up or down just one floor\ These people seem perfectly able to walk a flight of stairs ? they aren't on crutches or in wheelchairs, nor are they carrying bicycles or heavy boxes. Actually, they'd probably arrive at their destinations a lot faster if they didn't wait on the elevator, but they wait\ Take for example the young girl who runs to catch an elevator filled to capacity and has the nerve to ask, "Would you press 'two' please?" What about the athletic-looking guy who rides down from second floor to first? But don't get the idea that it's only students who commit this vile act: 1 saw a member of the cleaning tsf\ Si ' ''* net wrw : hopes to 1 this camler, people i just about uth. That's | lis semester 5 were spur- Stephen I moved to Gllilfoyle received a therners as inyone as a I here in the lere were a perfectly I ir own. fascinating, active minds, prove that That may sound funny < id as legend ly if you believed those lei It really burns me that I e saying I umn a semester later. I wai :ard and I was expressing anger at tl Tiost were, insults I and other people f constantly moved here have recer vhen I am. respected, interesting pers( >assed most ing Northerners, or "dam ive any in- sea slugs, puny little, But that's offensive. I also said that I, and my mind, came down here, constani d they have because Grizzard and th the editor crew do the exact same thing. It's disgusting. And you guilty ones all know who you are! For those of you who don't know where the stairs are, try opening that little door just before you turn to get on the elevator! The stairs are really easy to use, too. Maybe you're wondering how much time I spend on the elevator to witness all this. I work on seventh floor, and most days ride up to tnere, but I do walk down, and certainly never take the elevator up or down just one or two floors! So many members of our society are exercise and fitness conscious. I think a few people around the university need to exercise their brains and see how ridiculous it is to ride up or down just a few floors (unless you are legitimately unable to do so). Unlike the elevators in this building, the stairs are almost never out of order; you don't have to wait for them, there's no danger of becoming stuck between floors, and they sure as heck are never crowded. Donita F. Mosser Research Specialist, College of Pharmacy Elementary, dear Simon To the editor This letter is written in response to the one from Roger Schroppe and James Simon in The Gamecock Aug. 2. Gentlemen, everyone loves a good cliche, but three, please "give me a hrpnV " Thp lnct timp I rhprWprl I didn't have a chip on my shoulder, nor was I riding on a high horse, but I did, however, wake up and smell the coffee. Funny thing about that coffee, it smelled liberal. You asked how I could classify The Gamecock as a liberal publication, and my only answer to that is, I can read. In the spring, in his slanderous attack on the South, Stephen Guilfoyle confessed he was a liberal. So doesn't it stand to reason that if he is liberal and the editor, that The Ggmecock just might be a liberal publication. Deduction, Mr. Schroppe and Mr. Simon, deduction. On another point, you asked how I could make any judgments on The Gamecock when I only read the sports and comics. I realize now that 1 didn't make myself clear enough on that point. What I was alluding to in I THAT5 RIGHTA LITTLE SANCTIMONY? A LITTLE HYSTERIA- . A LITTLE ANTT5EMIT15MJ ^ THINK Of THE MEDIA EMOSORE " THINK Of TI FONP-RAISlNO ) fOTENTlAU i ON Of CHRISTIANS I ! correct na: shoving thei: I umn about t to being a li Wrong. :oming from me, but on- I'vej never tters. vative, Con have to defend that col- label you wa sn't trashing the South. I Never. 1 d lie continuous stream of inaccurate. I rom the North who have do. But I'r ved from Grizzard, a believe in. I' 3n when he isn't compar- certain thing n Yankees," to parasitic So jf I'm liberal. It's i If you're other Northerners who what you wi tly talk about the North I hope thi e others are constantly Butil dou ' that statement was that, in my Opinion, the sports and comics have more journalistic merit than the editorials of Stephen Guilfoyle. And the third point I wish to address is the one that puzzles me the most. You stated, "The war is over and whoever won is inconsequential 123 years later." I had to ask myself, what war do you speak of? I don't recall writing anything about a war in my letter. If you're going back that far in time you'd be well advised to trace my family tree back to Ireland, because that's where my ancestors were at that time. In fact, they didn't even come to the United States until after the turn of the century when they adopted South Carolina as their home. My God, was there a war in Ireland 123 years ago? We are a nation of immigrants, and anyone who comes to Sduth Carolina and likes being here will be welcomed by me. However, I have no time for those who come here to complain and ridicule my homfe. I will not retract any of the statements of my previous letter, but I will say that my comments were only directed towards the editor of The Gamecock, Stephen Guilfoyle. Michael Ardis Public Administration Graduate student \ Rape victim never at fault | To the editor: As students at Carolina, we are concerned about the recent rape that occurred. As Rape Crisis Network Volunteers, we are concerned with students' reactions and attitudes toward the rape. Rape, whether it be by a friend, date or stranger, is one of the niost traumatic experiences that could happen in a person's life. Although rape is never the fault of the victim, contrary to the opinion expressed in The Gamecock's Monday editorial, there are some steps that you can take to place you in a low-risk situation: 1. Never walk alone after dusk. If you absolutely must, call a frifend before you leave. Then call them back when you have gotten home safely. 2. Never go home with a person on a first date or even on the first few dales. When you tell a date "No'f ? be firm. 3. Never accept a ride home from . i sty rumor r heritage in our faces, yet saying we t ours or move back. ensive. ) South Carolina July 10, 1980. I have louth for more than a third of my life, it will be exactly half my life. And the "or my life says I'll be right here in the really do. >r the brilliant graduate student who lis up again, take a look at his second He says this paper is liberal, to quote, deduction. He says he read in my colhe South last semester that I admitted beral. admitted to being a liberal, consertmunist, Nazi or whatever political int to give me. lon't believe in labels, because they're believe in a lot of things that liberals n also against many things liberals m not a conservative, but 1 believe in ;s that conservatives do. not a liberal, then this paper isn't tot conservative. into deduction, Mr. Ardis, deduce 11 from that. s will put an end to fhe nasty rumors, bt it. anywhere with a stranger or anyone you have recently met. Call a taxi if you are stranded. Although these suggestions are not foolproof, they are certainly common sense ways to avoid what could be a high-risk situation. If you are attacked, please do not feel guilty. No orl/o/I fK n ronorl onrl oc \Jiit a5is.tu IU ut laptu aim, aa previously said, the victim is never at fault. Finally, if you or someone you care about has been raped, please call the Rape Crisis Network. Rape Crisis Network is an entirely no-profit organization staffed by trained volunteers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The volunteers understand how you feel and can help, whether they refer you to a counselor give you legal information or simply lend a sympathetic ear. The number is 252-8393. Please be assured that anything you tell a volunteer will be kept in strictest confidence. We hope you never need to call, but if you do, there is someone ready to assist you anytime. Berkeley Grier Marie-Louise Ramsdale Rape Crisis Network volunteers Guilfoyle has guts, cares T~ A/lh/v^ 1 VJ lilt tURUl In response to Mr. Ardis' criticism of Stephen Guilfoyle, I must say that this born and bred Southerner applauds Mr. Guilfoyle's efforts. Guilfoyle has guts. I admire anyone who is willing to stand up for the rights of students. If criticizing excessive spending by the USC administration and caring for humanity is liberal, then what's wrong with being liberal? He's looking out for the interests of students. Stephen riiiilf/Mrln Vior mArolc tVton mAct vj uui \jyiv* naa iuuit inuiau man niuji state politicians who allow medical waste to be brought to South Carolina. By the way, Mr. Ardis, check your facts. Mr. Guilfoyle has never lived in the state of New Jersey, which, when last I checked, is still part of the Union. Guilfoyle has been a resident of South Carolina for the last eight years, and I hope he remains in South Carolina. We need men ? and women ? like Stephen Guilfoyle for a better state. Chris Burnette Marketing junior