The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 22, 1989, Page 3, Image 3
English
Federal government should not
legislate on issue of language
In the wakev of 13 state referendums about the issue of
language in the past five years, the move toward making English
the official tongue of the United States is gaining momentum at
an alarming rate. An amendment to the Constitution declaring
English the official language would have a chilling effect on not
only recent immigrants, but all Americans.
A number of organizations have formed in the past few years
to advocate English as the official language of the United States.
The names of these groups ? U.S. English, the American
Ethnic Coalition ? reflect the underlying tone of discrimination
in their quest.
These advocates warn that the influx of Hispanics, Asians and
other immigrants could create a culturally divided, bilingual
country. They claim that recent immigrants are not learning
English. The answer, they say, is an amendment to the Constitution
making English the official language and legislation restricting
rules for prospective citizens.
Immigrants to this country should be ready to accept aspects
of its culture, and studies show that they are willing to do so. A
survey in Florida indicated that Hispanic parents are more concerned
about their children reading and writing English than
non-Hispanic parents are. Most immigrants are eager to join the
mainstream of American society, which happens to use the
English language to communicate. It is in their own best interest
to become fluent in the tongue that most people in this country
speak; they do not need a law to force them to learn English
because most immigrants do so voluntarily.
Furthermore, the framers of the Constitution did not include
an amendment concerning an official language when they
drafted the document, although at that time many people spoke
languages other than English. They did not include an amend- f
ment because it was not needed. More than 200 years later, it
still is not needed.
America has a rich tradition of assimilating the "huddled
masses" into this land. This nation was built on immigrants,
most of whom could speak little English when they arrived. Now r
is not the time to break from that tradition. a
Making English the official language of the United States s
would be a slap in the face to immigrants past and present.
Worse yet, such legislation could be used as a tool of discrimina- (
tion and worsen ethnic tensions in this country. (
(
Helping
University shows compassion [
for victims of off-campus fire i
c
Although the university's administration is often criticized for
not caring about students, it has done an excellent job helping d
out some USC students left homeless by a devastating fire.
The blaze, which destroyed an apartment building on Gregg
Street Friday, left 11 students without a place to live. In a matter \,
of a few minutes, these students lost almost everything they
owned. They were left standing on the cold, wet street with not v
much more than the clothes on their backs. e
The shock of what had happened must have been devastating ^
for them.
University officials acted swiftly to help the students pick up h
the pieces and adjust to the crisis. They offered free temporary w
housing in the Towers, helped get them new ID cards and worked
with the University Bookstore to replace textbooks. The n
university also provided pillows, sheets and other necessities to rthe
displaced students.
Campus chaplains visited with them to offer advice and support.
Neighbors offered coats and allowed the students to call k
home to tell their parents what had happened. Fellow students 1
have also helped out, donating clothes and raising money. Many
on campus at the time of the fire rushed to the scene to see what ^
they could do to help. ^
The victims of the fire said they cannot thank everyone k
enough for the kindness and help they have received.
Everyone involved in helping these students deserves to be T
praised, especially the people at Off-Campus Student Services.
The university should be commended for going above and ^
beyond the call of duty by helping these off-campus students s<
rone with this disaster h
o
The Gamecock
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Best Non-daily Collegiate Newspaper, Southeastern Region ei
Society of Professional Journalists, 1987-88 r<
Editor in Chief Datebook Editor 1
ANDV BECHTEL JAN PHILLIPS
Managing Editor Graphics Editor S|
JEFL SHREWSBURY MICHAEL SHARP Sl
Copy Desk Chief Comics Editor
KATHY BLACKWELL TR\CY MIXSON
Assistant Copy Desk Chief Graduate Assistant
CARYNCRABB ROBERT STEVENSON P
Ne?s Editor Adviser et
MARY PEARSON pAT MCNEELY ?
Assistant NewsEdilors Director of Stndent Media tc
KtLLY C. 1 HUMAS pn D?N,? .
SUSAN NESBITT ' BONZA a
Features Editor Advert,sing Manager ?
TODD HINES MARGARET MIC HELS
Assistant Features Editor LAU^Ra"da\
TOMMY JOYNER Assjs(an( produc|ion Mana A
S ' " RAY BURGOS **
KEVIN ADAMS . . . D
Assistant Sports Editor A^"wn 8 P'
CHRIS SILVESTRI BARBARA BR( WN vj
Photography Editor m
TEDDY LEPP u
T
Letters Policj . the Gamecock will ir> to print all Inters received. I.etlers should he. at a maximum, 250 to
300 words long, (.uesl editorials should not exceed 500 s-ords. We reserve the right to edit letters for stvle or A
possible libel. The Gamecock will not withhold names under anv circumstance fc
Typecasting pi
Whpnpvpr I CPP Pnmmprpiolc that or/a ctrir?tl\; f
nade up of actors and actresses playing parts they
nade famous years ago, I get a strange feeling. It's
i feeling of either disgust for the advertisers or
ympathy for the actors. I am not sure which.
Take Gilligan of Gilligan's Island.
His name is Bob Denver. Everyone sees him as
jilligan. He says people on the street call him
jilligan. Whenever he is on television, he is
jilligan. It doesn't matter if he is playing another
>art.
I saw Denver in a movie once with Michael J.
:ox where he played the father of one of the
haracters. He was completely different from
jilligan, but the whole time I kept thinking, "Hey,
vhat's Gilligan doing as this guy's father?" t
They call it typecasting. When actors get famous t
n one memorable role, people expect them to stay
n that role or at least that genre forever. They get Z
ised to seeing them one way, and they can't deviate A
r disassociate him from that role. b
It's really not the fault of the viewers. They ti
lon't do it on purpose, but it happens just the t;
ame.
c
Take the tragic case of George Reeves. His story V
5 the epitome of the typecasting problem. b
Reeves played Superman in the old TV series and C
/as tremendously famous for it. He was loved by tl
veryone as Superman. When his show was cancelld,
everyone still thought of him as Superman. He si
ad trouble getting roles for a long time after that.
Reeves killed himself. Some who were close to tl
im say he was distraught because he could not get
/ork other than playing Superman. n
The feeling I get now when I see old actors n
egurgitating their famous roles is mixed, but I h
Letters to the
Armenia needs those affected i
. ^ i i nation or peop
Students help Armenians net
* us think about
Armenia who r
o the editor: attend and v
I am an American-Armenian stu- rather than ho
ent attending Rutgers University in futufe. Please
lew Jersey. As 1 began this new Donations
?mester, 1 couldn't help but wonder AGBU Armer
ow students in Armenia feel. Most River Rd., J
f the students have lost loved ones 07662.
nd friends, and many have been inared.
In addition, most of the
niversities in the area have been
ampletely destroyed. It is estimated
lat 88 schools were leveled within
tree minutes on the day the earthuake
hit.
No one could have predicted the T^lnfln
arthquake. However, we can help 1l Ivtlii
;build shattered lives. In particular,
am asking that we as students T*?*?|| Fl
rganize fund-raising events for the 1^
pecific purpose of rebuilding
:hools and universities. To the editor:
Funds can be raised in many dif- This letter is
;rent ways. Dances, concerts and the discussion c
ther activities can be held for the son's article titl
urpose of aiding the victims of the may ban pledg
arthquake. Students can even in the Feb.
rpanizp a neiphhnrhnnrl carrmaion dmnprnrk WP
) raise money. ing is a mattei
Since the earthquake, I have been among fratern
:tively involved in relief efforts that increasing
rganized by the Armenian General nities are favoi
enevolent Union. The AGBU, was dismayed
itablished in 1906, is the largest failed to ment
rmenian philanthropic organiza- citing example
on in the world. AGBU's Board of have taken star
irectors has pledged to spend 100 Perhaps t
;rcent of all money raised to aid the understandabl
ctims in Armenia. Donations ear- Gamecock is a
arked for a specific purpose will be Upsilon's stanc
sed only for that purpose. not really cc
herefore, all money raised by whereas opposi
merican students will be used only cent trend amo
>r that purpose. Upsilon has exf
The cost to rebuild the shattered odious traditioi
(
I
uts performer
Slisbury
hink it really stems from a feeling of sadness for
hem.
When I see the entire GUligan cast, the cast from
.eave It To Beaver and Grandpa from The
Tunsters doing McDonald's commercials, 1 laugh
ecause 1 like those characters, but I cry for the acars
who probably want to continue their craft and
ackle other roles.
It leads me to wonder how much I would be conerned
with roles I was taking if I were an actor.
Vould I be conscious of the roles 1 was taking
ecause 1 didn't want to get stuck into any genre?
)r would I take a role regardless, with the feeling
nat work is work?
It's a tough dilemma. Look at the actors who are
tarting to be typecast.
Bill Murray, for one, plays different roles, but
ley are really all the same.
Murray plays Murray cutting up and being funy
in different situations in almost every movie he
takes. Sure, he is a great comedic actor, but that is
ow he plays all his roles. He is being typecast in
editor
lenia and the lives of founding in 1834. Whe
s too large for any one fraternities are only now b
>le to bear alone. The realize that human dignit
:d our assistance. Let and should never be con
our fellow students in Delta Upsilon has known
tow have no schools to pie since the moment of
vho have questions, tion and has upheld it for
'pe, surrounding their a century and a half. Del
help. Thank you. applauds the stands taken
should be sent to da Chi Alpha and Zeta
lia Aid, 585 Saddle against hazing and encoui
saddle Brook, N.J. fraternities to do the sam<
While the elimination o
a worthy goal, I must,
David Kevorkian question the elimination c
AGBU as effective means towarc
Saddle Brook, N.J. Pledging, in and of itself,
My pledgeship was a
positive experience, and it
in achieving its goal of edc
preparing me for active, f
111^ HOI. membership. The evil lies
1 i " during pledging; the decisi
roulcni *s a c?nsci?us and voiui
Delta Upsilon has pledge
don't haze them.
; written in regard to E
>f hazing in Lynn Gib- Del
ed "Fraternity leaders
ing," which appeared
13 issue of The
lile it is true that haz
of growing concern J-ilCV'U.vfMl
al organizations and ~ #
: numbers of fra.er; ensure tair
'ing its elimination, I
to note that Gibson
ion Delta Upsilon in To the editor:
s of fraternities that In regards to the article
ids against hazing. troversy delays vote coun
his oversight is day's issue of The Gameci
e. After all, The to respond as a memb
newspaper, and Delta Judiciary Committee, a '
1 against hazing does Student Government and,
institute news. For portantly, a concerned stu
tion to hazing is a re- When I filed the compla
>ng fraternities, Delta ning Lorri Shealy and tf
?ressly forbidden that codes, my intentions wen
l since the date of its the responsibility on any c
s in dilemma
those roles.
When he tried to play a more serious, different
role in Razor's Edge, the public and the critics
pounded him as not being right for the part. Were
they pounding him because he was wrong for the
part, or were they pounding him because they were
used to seeing him be funny and sarcastic?
Look at Christopher Reeves ? no relation to
George. Christopher has played Superman in all
the four films, but he has done other work. His
other films, however, have received little viewer
response and bad reviews. Is that because he is a
bad actor or because the public can't deal with him
doing anything other than Superman?
The dilemma is understandable. They get a part
at the beginning of their fame that will pay them,
well, and since they had probably been struggling
for years to make it, they jump at it without thinking
about the cinematic consequences. After their
initial success, they accept a similar role because
they are afraid the public will forget them. If they
turn down a role, they may never get another
chance.
Then all of the sudden they are typecast,
regardless of their success.
Actors should not turn down roles or worry
about where their success will lead them. They
should take success wherever they can get it. But
the critics and the rest of the world should try and
remember these people are actors and can do more
than one role. We should stop saying, "Hey, that's
Superman. Um, Chris Reeves." We should be saying
"Hey, that's Chris Reeves, the guy who plaved
Superman."
No actor is a character, and the sooner the public
starts treating them as actors, the sooner their successes
will stop crushing their lives.
reas other part. It is extremely important to
eginning to protect the election codes, since we
y is sacred must have guidelines for the activities
apromised, of USC's caliber and to protect
this princi- students who are in effect protected
its concep- by the very same codes,
more than It is not my intention at all to quesIta
Upsilon tion Shealy's integrity or her capacity
by Lamb- to be a responsible president, nor
Beta Tau should it be Student Affairs' intenrages
other tion when trying this case. To stop
dwelling on the ethics and biases on
f hazing is everyone's part should be our main
however, concern now, so we may work quick>f
pledging ly and effectively on the main con1
that end. cern ? the prevalence of these very
is not evil. important election codes,
completely The code is as follows: Neither
SULLecaeu campaign iiiaiciicti iiui liiuiviuuai
icating and campaigning shall be allowed within
ull-fledged 50 feet of the poll or within the lobby
in hazing of any polling precinct where voting
on to haze is taking place. It was decided that "a
ntary one. candidate could easily interpret the
s; we just code to mean that the two requirements
were exclusive ? not inclusive.
In that case, if the poster
lane Secoy was outside the lobby, the candidate
ta Upsilon could assume it was legal."
Why, first of all, would a candidate
want to risk something this
important, and secondly, this code
interpreted inclusively or exclusively*
still renders this action illegal.
My decision to call out Shealy on
this action was not based on Shealv
herself, but the election codes and interpreting
these codes in the favor of
the students to protect them from
"Sign con- last-minute persuasion on the way to
it" in Fri- the polls. Since the election codes
~>ck, 1 wish violation has been made a public
er of the issue, Student Affairs has the responsenator
of sibility to take action. If this situamore
im- tion is not properly rectified, the elecdent.
tion codes that protect the students
int concer- will be discredited,
le election
s to stress Bunni Sanchez
andidate's Political science freshman