The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 12, 1988, Page 3, Image 3
Parking
Students should stop fighting
other students, band togethei
The parking problems have taken a new twist. Somehow,
commuting students have started snapping at resident students
for taking their parking spaces, and resident students have
started snapping back.
And the ones who should be snapped at, so they can be made
aware that there is a serious parking problem at USC, the administration,
sits back unaccosted and unscathed
No new plans have been announced to alleviate the problems,
which means the university probably still refuses to acknowledge
the problems exist.
And, from reading student letters and talking to students,
something the people at parking apparently haven't done, The
Gamecock has learned there is indeed a problem and a big problem,
with the parking situation. '
Some people get privileges and no fines, while others just
ticketed, cited, fined left and right ? they get screwed.
It s time for the double standards and favors to end. It's time
for the administration to take this problem seriously.
Here s a few things that have been brought to the attention of
The Gamecock, abuses that should be ended immediately.
1) People, especially new members of the USC "family,"
get ticketed for not parking "head in," as all the signs say.
l nere snouia oe a grace penoa at tne beginning 01 tne semester.
2) People, parents especially, still get ticketed during the
week before classes when parents and students are trying to
move in. And with two long holidays ? Thanksgiving and Fall
Break ? coming up, which means there will be a mass student
exodus, it will happen again unless someone tells the meter
maids to calm down and show a little compassion.
3) Handicapped students who took the time to buy a handicapped
sticker so they can park in handicapped spaces reserved
for them are more often than not ticketed for parking in
those spaces because the police and meter maids are too interested
in writing tickets to bother to check if there is a sticker
on the back bumper. Nope, if it's there, it get's a ticket.
4) Certain special members of the university are granted
special license plates and can park even in handicapped parking
spaces and get away with, apparently with the consent to the
parking department.
5) Students who have faculty or administrative ties can also
get parking stickers for those lots, just by getting a "job" in
some office, a sinecure for daddy's little darling boy or girl.
6) Meter maids will start writing a ticket and a student will
come out and explain to them ? most of the time using the truth
? the dire circumstances that forced them to park in the wrone
space and are ready to move, but the meter maids will ignore the
students, go on writing the ticket and put it on the car anyway,
i knowing full well the driver is standing right in front of them.
7) Worst of all, in the midst of what might be USC's worst
crime wave in recent years, some USC police officers are still
driving around, writing out parking and speeding citations when
they should be walking the university campus, trying to get the
outsiders back where they belong.
USC probably takes in enough money in fines alone to have
already paid off most of the parking garages. Why should they
have to pay $60 a semester to park in those two garages? That's
$20 more than it was in 1983, just five years ago, not just an inflationary
increase.
The Division of Parking and Vehicle Registration makes
beaucoup dinero, from fees and from fines. Yet students, faculty
and staff just get more and more of a hassle when they try to
do what anyone wants to do, park nearby where they live or
where they work or study.
We students shouldn't be attacking each other. That only
allows the division to ignore the problems and sit back and laugh
smugly at our own pettiness that divides us and prevents us from
banding together to fight this.
So The Gamecock is going to start trying to get the students to
come together. If you've got or get a ticket, send us a copy of it.
Explain why you got it. If we can get a good idea of how many
tickets are really written, we can make a stronger case.
If you think you were written a ticket wrongly, don't pay it,
go to the parking department and fight it. They have been
known to listen to students on occassion.
Keep those letters coming, so we can get a full view of the
scope of this problem, and we'll keep turning up the heat until
the administration gets off its duff and does something for the
students.
i , ; ;;
The Gamecock
5 . '
Best Non-daily Collegiate Newspaper, Southeastern Region
Society of Professional Journalists, 1987-88
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
Assistant Copy Desk Chief Adviser
KATHY BLACKWELL PAT MCNEELY
News Editor Graduate Assistant
HAL MILLARD PHILLIP MCKENZIE
Assistant News Editors Director of Student Media
STEVE PRADARELLI ED BONZA
MARY PEARSON Advertising Manager
Features Editor MARGARET MICHELS
SUSAN NESB1TT Production Manager
Assistant Features Editor ! aura DAY
T/A T r\
Assistant Production Manager
Sports Editor RAY BURGOS
KEVIN ADAMS
Assistant Sports Editor Adv!rtising Manager
CHRIS SILVESTRI BARBARA BROWN
Photography Editors
BRIAN SAULS
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.
I
"OH,YEAH?/ weu
Homosexuals
Every day on campus I hear jokes about gay and
lesbian people, hear people muttering "faggot" or
"dyke" about someone who looks different from
them, or who they just don't like, and hear "Sir ?
oops, I mean ma'am ..." when I walk up to the
lunch counter. Well, yesterday was National Coming
Out Day, and its purpose was to correct all that
and make being gay just another special, personal
part of someone's life.
The theme of National Coming Out Day was
"Take the Next Step," and it encouraged
Americans to bring themselves closer to a true
understanding of and comfort with homosexuality.
For gay people, it meant a step "out of the closet"
by acknowledging themselves as gay, telling a close
friend or even writing an editorial in their school
paper. For friends of gay people, it meant making
an effort to understand that aspect of their friends'
lives, sharing in their lives, or advocating gay
rights. For evervnnp it meant trvincr to rr?m*? r1r?cor
to that day when a true equality of rights exists,
and all people can be proud of who they are. I hope
it worked for all of you.
I am very proud of who I am and of my sexuality.
I don't consider my sexuality to be the definition
of myself, just as I don't consider my skin color,
sex, political beliefs or hobbies to be my definition.
Rather, it's a special part of myself that I
Letters to the
lk. jr * a a that there a
Movie protests ^abie *
* there are su<
showed faith ^u.'
tastic spot v
To the editor: the sunrise.
In response to John Gemmill as Yes, than
well as others who feel that protests up to the r<
to The Last Temptation of Christ are teaching m
unfounded, I wish to make two about life. 1
points, if I may: from me. I \
First, tangible evidence exists to comments. I
support Christ's existence. Countless anymore, IV
biblical accounts have been research- you and yo
ed and found to be true by both also take a 1
Christians and non-Christians. Much
of life 2,000 years ago has been pieced
together for study and verification.
The data compiled to support t
the life of Christ and the existence of
God has played a major role in the
conversion of several "intellectuals"
such as C. S. Lewis and Lew V V
Wallace. If biblical fact isn't enough,
science has provided some intangible was ii
form. Is a protest wrong, then
against a distortion of solid
evidence?
Second, following Jesus Christ To the edito
calls for faith, growth and devotion. We are
Faith and growth come through an Gamecock's
accurate understanding of and devo- and Becky I
tion to God's word. He is evident charges unb<
both through this work and in one's in the Oct.
own life. You are correct in stating Gamecock.
none living has walked and talked First, we w
with Jesus, but the sad thing is that Gamecock st
you have missed my second point: inexperie
One comes to know God, today, photographe
through reading his word. As one portant even
learns more, devotion to Him is im- believe that
minent. Active protest, stemming more than ju
from this devotion, is done in an ef- homecoming
fort to dispel mistaken notions of take an acth
who Christ is. Christian faith is that queen, whei
which is placed in the real Christ, is it other, they n
not? We don't claim to have "arriv- cle on the wi
ed," but what we do know, we try to cle informing
share. It isn't boasting . . . but homecoming
rather gratitude in action. "fluff" pieci
school paper
Serena K. Homes sense to print
nursing sophomore tivities and hi
side news.
i a* To Becky
SOlUtlOnS elected home
you expect
crazy, lame zl
whole idea oi
To the editor: You see it a
I have read Mr. Dunlap's letter when really
regarding the parking problem at that. Miss
USC, and I must say that I am truly should be a v
inspired. I just can't decide whether I intelligent an
want to start riding my bike to school tivities. Eac
or take the bus. Besides providing me nominee poss
with my daily aerobic exercise, a bike The fact thai
would be neat for cruising door to she wiggled,
door this winter, especially when the personal bia
temperature gets down to about 18, homecoming
and it's pitch dark by 5 p.m. And on Whether th
those morings when I just must revert the fact sti
to my former selfish ways and drive Nanette Gr
to school, it is certainly good to know Queen 1988,
tBPti
-1 MAy NOT BE JACK KENNED^ BUT V
RICHARD NIXON EITHER.'"
have right to
Guest ! ?
editorial
Hartley
share with people to make them understand that
not all lesbians are man-hating, 18-wheeler-driving
dykes named Butch, just as all gay men aren't lisping,
slender, blond hairdressers. We all have our
personal stereotypes, but when we apply them
wholesale with no consideration for reality, we
harm only ourselves by shutting out someone
valuable from our lives.
I grew up in Columbia, and until I moved to
Virginia three years ago to attend Virginia Tech,
I'd never knowingly met another lesbian, nor had I
proclaimed myself one. Back then I was just as igeditor
re great parking spaces tion in The Gamecoc
6:45 a.m. But wait, if received.
:h great opportunities at
bet if I got here at 4:30 Ljsa
1 really get a super fan occupational therapy
vhile even getting to see
ks again for waking me psycholog"
:alities of authority and
: such valuable lessons #
fou won't hear whining gll|f?l|flC C*l
close with just two final ^
>lease do not lecture me QK will
Ir. Dunlap, and would iVCitlv" fYlll
ur ridiculous proposals
one hike? To the editor:
Have you heard the
Tim Renick Mike Dukakis (Mass.)
College of Library Lloyd Bentsen (D?T
ind Information Science decided to blow off Sou
? as well as most of the
* It seems that Dukakis
1*0 Cft? a^e t0 re^ate t0 many o
I qL V down here and as a result
j . Vice president George 1
naGBQUaie polls. So, the Dukakis/B
^ has decided that there is
putting in an effort here
I shudder at the thou]
r: would happen to Ame
responding to The president turned away fr<
editorial "Racists?" that appeared difficult,
luntley's letter "Racism presidency is no cake w<
ilievable," both articles Dukakis can't relate to
10, 1988, issue of The with South Carolinians, 1
expect to handle Cong:
'ould like to address The Soviets? Maybe he will
aff ? Why did you use there is not point in putti
:nced , beginning effort there either,
rs to cover such an imit
as Homecoming? We Tifl
people are interested in En
1st the game but also the
queen. Since students _ _
/e part in electing their \/fl |"| *1 fj Q\T G
ther black, white, or J-"**"**** J ?
light appreciate an arti- 1*1 {
nning nominee. An arti- SIIGtV 111 I
; the student body on the
queen would not be a To the editor:
;. The Gamecock is the I would like to take a fe
, therefore it only makes to express my opinion o:
material on campus ac- whelming number of I
appenings as well as out- messages in the "Person;
Monday issue 01 J he
Huntley, had you been Everyone deserves the rigl
coming queen, wouldn't tise, for this reason I do n
a decent amount of harsh words for The
for your achievement? itself, even though it did i
have a problem with the of articles on homosexua
f Homecoming anyway. and did not give the sai
ts a "beauty pageant" heterosexuals,
it is much more than "Come out of the Clo
Homecoming Queen Give me a break! I must c<
vell-rounded individual, you for covering over half
d active in campus ac- sonal section with your a
h homecoming queen if you are so "gay and pr
essed the qualifications. were only one third of
t you feel "she waved, ments signed? Are you no
she won" shows your yourself as you want e1
s toward the idea of believe or are there only
queen. who want the campus to b
le issue is racial or not, are fifteen?
11 remains that Miss I have no grudge agains
aham, Homecoming uals. During my first s
deserved more recogni- USC, I found that one o
Mar^H g??w
-THtAn^nA caHswvriofii
ou're no
i live lifestyle
norant about gay men and lesbians as many USC
students are today, and this ignorance was lonely
and unnecessary.
Many individuals argue that homosexuality does
not need to be openly discussed because heterosexuality
isn't advertised. So why should homosexuality
be displayed? In reality, every heterosexual
in the country is free to "flaunt" their relationship
in public and have no comments made about them.
But if two women held hands in public, it would be
scandalous, and everyone nearby would stare. Our
country is geared to heterosexuality and a suppression
of opposing realities.
By living in a community where there were openly
gay people, I learned that there is no one type of
homosexual, just as there's no one type of
heterosexual, and that "queer" can be a label of
pride if you wear it that way. I hope yesterday
showed the whole Carolina community that we
can, and we will be proud of ourselves. And we will
be outspoken about gay rights until everyone can
be proud of us.
If you want more information about the Gay
and Lesbian Students Association, please call
Dorothy Disterheft at 777-2094 or Amitae Avitae.
If you want to call me, as others have done already,
please get my number from Columbia information
? the number in the USC directory is wrong.
k than she assigned roommates was gay.
Although he did agree to leave at the
end of the semester, the time I lived
? . . ? with him wnc nr?t 1 innlpocant u/ac
(J. Mccrea ? **v "" >
cn'nhnmnr* very considerate, very intelligent and
kept his activities out of the
Pasauarello spotlight. Why can't the rest of the
sophomore "Come out of the Closet C,ub" 8ain
my respect in the same way? There
are many people who find what you
llOWSl choose to do extremely distasteful. I,
for one, don't want to hear that
1,^ much about it. If I felt ill and threw
Jtt"LC up, I would not carry it around campus
and show it to everyone, and I
would not advertise the fact in The
news? Gov. Gamecock either. I'm not telling you
and Sen. to repent for something in which you
exas) have truly believe, just please don't shove
ith Carolina it in my face.
: South.
hasn't been Eric Beckner
f the voters biology sophomore
he is behind
entsenleaBn VP'S pkk ShOWS
nn r?r?int in _ _ ?
, ? bad judgment
ght of what **
rica if our To the editor:
am any task We must not forget that the presiAfter
all, dent of the United States does not
ilk. If Gov. run the complicated machinery of
and work government by himself. He must apiow
does he point hundreds, if not thousands, of
ress or the qualified people to carry out the
decide that functions of the executive
ing forth an department.
George Bush said that the most important
decision that he would make
tany Hoefer would be the selection of his viceiglish
junior presidential running mate. As the
first, and probably only executive
decision he ever made, he selected
I fl S Dan Quale f?r imPortant position.
If that represents the
j? _ _ } quintessence of Mr. Bush's judgment
LilC-V in the selection process, should he be
elected president, we are in very deep
doo-doo, to use one of his favorite
... :
W inuiucnis liiiciictiuai |jmascs. 1 ucu is 111c issue
n the over- ? Mr. Bush's judgment, the man
lomosexual who wants to be president ? not
als" of the Quayle's qualifications, which
Gamecock. everyone, Republican as well as
it to adver- Democrat, agrees are non-existent,
ot have any On the other hand, in spite of the
Gamecock dishonest distortions of Gov.
run a series Dukakis's record in Massachusetts,
Is last year we have heard little, if anything, to
ne time to question his ability and integrity in
this most important executive funcset
Club"? tion. This is most evident in his viceangratulate
president selection. He did not pick a
of the per- stooge or a clone. He demonstrated
rticles. But his intellectual integrity and his true
oud," why concern for the country by selecting a
your com- man most qualified for the job, even
t as sure of though they may have some disagreeveryone
to ment on issues. That's integrity ?
five of you and, really, what else are we voting
elieve there for?
t homosex- Joseph A. Capalbo
emester at Merrylane Farms
f my three Route 2, Eastover