The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 17, 1988, Page 5, Image 5
Reform
Electoral system, especially
V.P. selection must change
Americans should have an option, something on their ballot
in November that would let them say "yes" to their candidate i
they are for a candidate, but "no" to the candidate's pick fo
vice president.
There are may voters across the country right now who ma;
not vote for either of the major two tickets, not because the;
don't like the candidates, but because thev don't like who thei
candidates chose to run with them.
Millions of voters across the country voted for Vice Presiden
George Bush in the Republican primaries. Millions more votet
for Massachusestts Gov. Michael Dukakis in the Democrats
Primaries.
But who voted for Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle? Who voted fo
Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen?
Nobody but Bush and Dukakis and maybe some of their cam
paign staffers.
That's not a democratic process. The people are presentee
with candidates by the nominees and are told, "You have tc
vote for him as well as me."
As sharp a choice as Bentsen was for the Dukakis ticket, he i:
in no way comparable to the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Jackson ha<
received a substantial number of votes across the campaign trail
adding more than 7 million voters to the Democratic Party
What does Bentsen bring to the ticket? He is a respected but little
known senator. And the one issue that got the most mileage
out of Sen. Bentsen's name was his legal but inappropriate,
$10,000 a plate breakfast club for Washington lobbyists.
And almost everyone is in agreement that the choice of Sen,
Quayle slightly hurt the Bush ticket originally and has shown little
promise for the candidate. Quayle's qualities are an attractive
face, authorship of the Job Training Partnership Act and his
age, 41, which may or may not bring in the yuppie vote for the
t?f?niihlir,anc
But wouldn't the Republicans second-best primary contestant,
Sen. Bob Dole, have strengthened the Bush ticket much
more than the choice of Quayle? Dole is a proven, well-known
leader who is outspoken and almost too honest ? he's known
for saying exactly what he thinks.
The American electoral process is in trouble right now. Now
that we are approaching the end of the Reagan years, it seems,
from the alarming statistics about the number of people who
aren't registering to vote, that the turnout in this election will
reach record lows. And if that is true, it means that the
American people have no confidence in the candidates or their
picks for the V.P. slot.
This is the first election that many of us can remember where
there was no clear frontrunner before the election. It used to be
that people at least thought there was one or two persons in line
for the presidency.
But the people thought of in line for the presidency ? New
York Gov. Mario Cuomo, New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley and
Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn for the Democrats and Tennessee Sen.
Howard Baker for the Republicans ? men so presidential they
were guaranteed nominations, chose not to run.
We need election reform in America. Qualified people should
not be dropping out or not running. And the choice of the second
in line for the presidency should not be left to one man.
Maybe having the second place person might be an idea. But the
way it is now is unfair to the American people.
It's too important a decision to be left up to one of the seven
dwarfs, Republican or Democrat.
r "V *
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The Gamecock
Best Non-daily Collegiate Newspaper, Southeastern Region
Society of Professional Journalists, 1987-88
Editor in Chief Datebook Editor
STEPHEN GU1LFOYLE JENNY SHARPE
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Letters Policy: The Gamecock will In to prim letters received. Letters should be. at a maximum. 250 to 500
words long. Guest editorials should not exceed 500 words. We reserxe the right to edit letters for sole or possible
libel. The Gamecock will not withhold names under anx circumstance.
: |a
I
USC not comi:
. So, we've lost, and we're completely out of the
picture for the season's ultimate laurels, the national
championship. Right?
I'm not so sure.
First, we have to look at what happens to USC
when they release the AP Top 20 poll tonight
around 10:30. If we drop out, it will probably be all
over.
But if we just drop down and not out, maybe
L back to around No. 16, we still have a chance to acrnmnlish
enmp oonrl thinoc
r ? """0?
Of the Top 10, No. 6 Florida State has suffered a
loss. No. 1 Miami lost this weekend to No. 4 Notre
Dame, which will probably be one of two
undefeated teams at the end of the year.
No. 2 UCLA and No. 3 Southern Cal will be facing
each other, so one of them is bound to lose, or i
they might even tie, though it is unlikely.
Notre Dame will also beat Southern Cal, which I
will probably lose to UCLA as well. With two I
losses, Southern Cal would drop out of the picture. I
West Virginia, though undefeated, plays the
weakest schedule in the country. It won't go much 1
higher unless it plays a masterful bowl game and ?
wins against a big team. !
Oklahoma and Nebraska are now into the weak <
part of their schedules, having been beaten by,
respectively, USC and UCLA. They may be invited I
to a national championship bowl, but maybe not. (
Letters to the <
Homosexuals out. Oppressi
j 1 -n education an<
not abnormal wan student*
in her editoi
Out Day is
To the editor: straights to 1
I must say that I am sickened by gay brothers
the attitude toward homosexuality teachers. It is
expressed by Eric Beckner (letter to wary of some
The Gamecock, Oct. 12). Mr. do not under;
"VlAMf riA nrn/4nn" * !*. . 1 ~
uvwivuvi 11V/IUJ IlU glUU^C agCHUM lUIHiy IU ICclI
homosexuals for being what they are, fears and misi
but please, don't "shove it in his and lesbians
face," as he puts it. they are no d
What is it that Mr. Beckner, and choice of a pe
others who share his opinion, feel is Congratula
being shoved in their faces? Expres- and lesbians \
sions of affection between two people
who care about each other? Is it
more sexual for two men or two psych
women to hold hands, hug or kiss
than it is for a man and a woman to 1-1 f)lT|(
do the same? I have never seen (and
doubt that Mr. Beckner has, either) 1 *
gays or lesbians behaving in a more lOvCllx
sexually explicit manner in public
than most heterosexual couples. In To the editor:
fact, most homosexual and lesbian Try as I mig
couples 1 know must refrain from all is a school for
but the most platonic expressions of dividuals, peo
affection ? something that most continually pr<
heterosexuals have the luxury of not First, Mr.
having to think about. Mr. Beckner you have The
cites his former roommate as an ex- article on
ample of a "good" gay man ? that heterosexuals
is, he suppressed what is natural to they choose it?
him and then split at the end of the fixed? What k
semester. you experience
Mr. Beckner now tells us that he son? Do your
cannot understand why all homosex- you get the po
ll^le Hn nnt "osiin hie in th<=? Ac f/^r th<a
same way as his former roommate. I Closet Club,"
offer this explanation to Mr. many more th
Beckner: nobody, gay or straight, is campus. Housi
under any obligation to earn your 2,500 homose*
respect or approval. You are not the prised? Don't
judge of what is normal, natural or friends are pre
healthy for anyone but yourself. One like some whe
doubts that Mr. Beckner tried to gain reveal their i
his gay roommate's respect by hiding homophobic in
his own heterosexual behavior; in- Additionally
deed, Mr. Beckner probably has grudge against
never thought about needing to gain your gay room
ine respeci 01 a nomosexuai. it to leave.' wny
mutual respect is a goal, that can be respect" by 1>
attained by keeping an open mind "out of the spc
and trying to get rid of notions that him the same ?
people who do not share our sexual do as you plea
preference (or race, or religion, or tivities were "n
sex) are less than us. Many narro\
I do not wish to present this as a black people
personal attack of Mr. Beckner but prefer that th<
on the predominant attitude on this Dark Ages or s
???????
It?
?letely out of T
Stephen .
Guilfoyle ' !
"?txJ:
j
i
We've got Florida State and Clemson coming /
up. Clemson has been as on and off as we have.
Florida State remains high in the polls despite its
3-31 thrashing by Miami because it was No. 1 for J
the entire preseason. That spectre still looms over 1
the Seminoles.
What was the problem this weekend, nobody t
knows. But, as linebacker Matt McKernan said ?
after the game, the team did not play its best ball t
Saturday. But this is still the team that thrashed s
3eorgia. Its best ball is still pretty damn good. i
If the Gamecocks can prepare the way they did
:or that game, dissecting everything their future i
opponents did before playing them, knowing their r
editor ,
rd homosexuals coming Americans finally had takei
on is not an answer ? could take and fought I
a tolerance is. As les- rights. Homosexuals must
Cris Hartley pointed out and fight for their rights as
"ial, National Coming majority never freely gives r
an opportunity for minority,
earn more about their And to answer your quesl
, sisters, friends and Beckner, 1 too am gay. Gay
natural to be afraid or ud. And you'll notice I've si
thing different that we name. So make that sixteen
stand. Take the opporn
and lessen your own Michelh
conceptions abouj gays Engli:
? you will find that
"loZo IT*in lhdr Greek clou
tions to all of the gays _ J J
vho have come out! 131*3.111 (1630
Robin E. O'Hearn
ology graduate student To the editor:
1 am responding tc
nnhfllllH Williams' letter fror
L/pilU nj 1H Gamecock) Oct. 14. As a pr
l (Goddamn independent),
31 found that a non-fraternity
sorority member is presen
many more opportunities fo
ht to believe that USC ty of experience than are tho
tolerant, educated in- dead clones who make up
pic axe trie oecKner greeKS. i Know trom hrstl
3ve me wrong. perience ? I used to be a p
Beckner, what would Fraternities primarily cc
Gamecock cover in an WASPs (or WASP wanna-fc
heterosexuals? Are enjoy beer, petite-nosed
born that way or do "cool" music and b<
1 Can heterosexuals be Sororities consist of shallov
ind of prejudice have nosed blondes who enjoy si
d as a "straight" per- smoking at parties and f
parents know? 1 hope dudes (about whom they sinf
int. , tie songs). A greek organi;
"Come Out of the not a place that helps solve tl
I assure you there are blems that our (Student) V
an 15 gay persons on Williams) mentioned at the b
ing estimates there are of his letter. It is merely
'1121 s. nr\ rumniK <siir_ uhprp
be. Many of your world, a world in which peo|
)bably gay, but they, beliefs, skin, colors,
) placed ads, do not preferences, economic sit
dentity for fear of etc. must be encountered,
dividuals on campus. And speaking of skin colo
, if you have no Mr. Williams complair
homosexuals, why did "... races are separated (
mate have to consent hate," he fails to mention
should he "earn your greek system is a major facto
;eeping his activities separation, with its all-white
)tlight." Did you give black organizations. Can ;
courtesy? Or did you agine a black girl trying to
ised because your ac- Tri-Delt? Or good ole' And
iormal"? to get into Alpha Phi Alp
v-minded people find way, man. Although there a
revolting and would isolated white fraternities al
;y went back to the East Coast that have adn
egregation. But black black or two, the greek sj
- h MarWE? ,
? -TH? AflMnPi Ce*JSrnVflOrJ
,
op 20 picture
affenses and defenses cold we can beat teams of
Florida State's caliber.
We can beat these teams.
Because we are as good as they are. And the
strange thing about this game is that Georgia Tech,
which iook us 10 me wooasnea, 10 quote usl
head coach Joe Morrision, who was quoting
Georgia head coach Vince Dooley, is that Georgia
rech is a good team as well. They probably did the
evel of preparation for us that we did for Georgia.
We know where that "woodshed" is at, and
we've got guys big enough, fast enough and
alented enough to forcefully send them there. We
ust have to have the right attitude; we just can't
jnderestimate anyone. Not N.C. State. Not Navy.
\nd certainly not Florida State and Clemson.
The season is far from over.
There's still a lot of football left to be played, as
VIcKernan said. These guys know how to do it, so
et's not get down on them. They really tried.
There were two bright notes from Saturday's
;ame. The defense did get into the game and only
illowed one fieldgoal in the second half. And the
unning game, which has been almost non-existent
,ince Harold Green got hurt, started to come out of
ts slump.
The Gamecocks ran for 90 yards on the ground,
>5 of those coming from Green, who said he felt
nuch better. So it's not all bleak.
l all they shamefully, anachronistically
For their segregated; therefore, it is racist.
be seen Greeks, wake up! It is unhealthy
well. The and impractical to hide in a houseful
ignts to a ol people just like you. Think of all
the different types of people you
ion, Mr. could be learning about. Imagine
and pro- yourself trying to make a business
igned my deal with a person of Indian descent
20 years from now. Will you be
afraid? Stand-offish? Just plain
i Schohn rude? Will you lose that millionsh
senior dollar client because you've spent
your entire life drinking Budweiser
and watching football with fellow
lCi3 flaxen-haired fraternity friends?
Think about it.
Kate Moore
SCC junior
>Residents need
7dhave safe parking
or nonted
with To the editor:
r diversi- This letter is in response to the
ise brain- numerous articles and letters concerthe
USC ning student parking, for 1 think they
land ex- are missing the point of resident stuledge.
dent complaints. Contrary to
uisiM 01 popuiai oenei, some restuent
te's) who students do not use their cars to drive
blondes, to class. I live in Columbia Hall, and
ilching. my car stays in the lot w hile 1 walk to
v, petite- McMaster, the PE center and the
hopping, Band Hall, to name a few places,
raternity However, there are places off cami
cute lit- pus that 1 need and want to go to,
nation is and the only time that 1 and most
lose pro- other busy students have to go off
P (Andy campus is at night. Commuting
eginning students have driveways at home or
a place nearby lots to park their cars in,
the real whereas resident students take a
3le of all chance on finding spaces near their
sexual dorm. If anyone thinks I'm walking
uations, from the coliseum or the top floor of
Blossom Garage, as Mr. (Danny)
rs, while Baker of Parking and Vehicle
is that Registration suggests, to Columbia
jften by Hall by myself at night, you are out
that the of your mind. However, if a shuttle
t in mat service ran irom tnese out ot tne way
and all- lots to residence halls at night, 1
you im- would not object to using these lots,
get into If the administration and the comly
trying muting students want my space near
ha? No Columbia Hall, they better find a
re a few safe place for me to park elsewhere,
ong the
litted a Betty Carlsson
'Stem is music junior