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Flag burning Flag burning law draws protest from real patriots around U.S. ' > At 12:01 a.m. this past Saturday, the new federal law banning flag burning took effect. At just about the same time in several /\iffnrant in 1 1- ?1 ? 1 uni^i^iiL piawa in uit uuuiiuy, pcupic wnu nave aireauy sacniicea their minds and bodies for America in war defied that new law by burning a flag in protest. The people holding the matches were Vietnam veterans, and they were dam angry that the country they fought for has a law telling them how to be patriots. Who would know better what makes a good patriot than someone who slogged through jungles during war dodging bullets and watching other patriots die? They are dam angry that the symbol of liberty and patriotism is being placed above patriots and liberty themselves. The new law says it is illegal to "desecrate the flag of the United States." The veterans say the law is merely an infringement on their rights to express themselves. They say they wouldn't bum flags anyway, but they should have the right to do it if they want to. And they're right. They should have that right. This new law says, in effect, the flag itself is more important than the principles for which it waves. The law makes it clear that you will be a patriot in mind and action or you will be punished by the law. That goes against America's foundations. Americans should be able to express themselves any way they . want as long as they don't infringe on anyone else's right not to. This heinous act of burning the flag we love is nothing more than burning cloth that happens to have the symbol of liberty on it. Just because some ignorant person bums a piece of cloth because he thinks he's making a bold statement, doesn't mean he's any less a patriot. He is merely expressing himself. The symbols for what we believe in should not be forcibly put above what we believe in. Some supporters of the new law say burning a flag illustrates exactly why .the law is needed ? because America is the only place you can do that and escape a firing squad. But that's exactly why the law is not needed. Americans know they are in the freest country in the world and they don't need some law to make them show it. The protests this weekend came from those who should not be questioned about their patriotism. They've made their sacrifice. And it is a slap in their faces and all the people who have ever died for the United States' ideals if we make laws saying how, when or where you can or cannot express your love of America's present policies or hatred of them. If the protests continue, maybe Washington will get the message. More likely than not, however, the eggheads in Congress will try to sweep it under the rug and go on to the next blatantly political feather for their caps. -WOW! YOU THINK ANYTHING LIKE THAT ^COULP HAPPEN HERE?"^ * * m . j [ The Gamecock 1 ' Editor in Chief Assistant Photography Editor | WAYNE WASHINGTON JULIE BOUCHILLON 1 Managing Editor Viewpoint Editor ! HAL MILLARD JEFF SHREWSBURY Copy Desk Chief Datebook Editor KATHY BLACK WELL JAN PHILLIPS Assistant Copy Desk Chief Coinics/Graphics Editor jROBYN THOMPSON ROB LANE jNews Editor Graduate Assistant 'KELLY C- THOMAS KRISTIN FRANCIS Assistant News Editor Gamecock Adviser JEFF WILSON ERIK COLLINS Carolina IJfe Editor CfnHont \fpdla 1711 tClWl V* ^ROBERT THOMAS gj) BONZA Assistant Carolina Life Editor Production Manager jLYNN GIBSON LAURA S. DAY ^Sports Editor Assistant Production Manager rCHRIS SILVESTRI RAY BURGOS Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Advertising Manager -.BRANT LONG JEFFREY B. THOMPSON ^Photography Editor -teddy lepp i "Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at a maximum, 250 to -300 words long. The writer should include full name, professional title if an employee with USC or Columbia .resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent. 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. ' Ellis fans got1 seasons, Ellis has been arm and leadership Wayne qualities to match, Ellis Wfl<;h:nafftn never blossomed into vv dMlinglOIl the All-America quaf- ? terback many fans expected him to be. If he had a bad game by their standards, there would be calls for his replacement. Saturday, those calls were answered. There was an eerie hush at the stadium when Ellis remained on the ground after the other players had risen. "Oh no!" the fan next to me shouted. "There Letters to the e Honors college to evaluate i is same for all see To the editor: VI*)!* During my past three semesters r here at The USC, there have been nfif |i quite a few things that have "'"I 1J brought my blood to boil; the parking situation, the new visita- To the edito tion policy and tuition increases In readim just to name a few. But the occur- the editor ii rence which brings my silent ac- Samuel Edw ceptance of these situtions to an Oct. 25), I end appeared in the Oct. 11 issue sad (but no of The Gamecock. tion. It seem no discrepai As an Honors College sopho- fession ?f C more, I applaud South Carolina simultaneou: College's realization of the need to t?ward fello increase black enrollment. I can at- ^aps a dtth test to this through my own experi- order, ences. Having been enrolled in eight SCC classes thus far, I have Educa yet to share the classroom with an African-American student. But the Q Q] method espoused by Renea Harrison, SCC coordinator for Academic Affairs, to increase their UCIIII enrollment enrages me to no end. The idea of "judging the apllica- To the editoi tions of African-American students In respons differently" is not only an insult to hind Bible." the standards of South Carolina It bores r College, but to the black race who title t itself. minded intel daily know Standardized test results, such as hand, apath SAT and ACT scores, have played and die an integral part in the admissions process of not only the Honors Only a f College, but universities and col- Bible was leges nationwide. If these standar- men wh? h dized tests are deemed as not be- These^ were ing a reliable judge of a student's diose spiriti ability to perform, then why are dung I'r they used at all? I am not question- would not ur ing the validity of the assertion that black students do not score as P? not * well on the SAT as white students; I have seen no evidence to support Bible, or deny this tonclusion. But the vomiting wl idea of setting up different admis- anything, v sion standards according to race is stand in del insulting. Is the Honors College stuPid t( suggesting that black students are S'ves P^ace t( incapable of meeting the same standards as white students? However, If the standardized test scores guish betwe are an accurate portrayal of a stu- what is wi dent's potential, then allow them everything to continue as a part of the admis- Contrary t0 5 sions process here at SCC. But if nShts anci these scores can't be applied as a wrongs> ho\ universal standard, then they punishment shouldn't be used at all. Instead of rights and lowering the requirements for ad- wrongs, ho\ r\ i _ _ i Hussion ^uaseu on race, income or punisnmeni any other category inherent to a them happen student), perhaps the Honors Col- ceptance of h f N I GUESS IMS MEANS /T^M WE'RE ENGAGEP?... ^ ? what they wai goes this season and next." That statement, said even though the fan was obviously not aware of the fact that Ellis was closing out his career at USC this season, has a bit of truth to it. Say Ellis bounces up from the ground and leads the Gamecocks to a stirring victory. Say the Gamecocks go on to win two of their next three games. USC would have finished the season at 8-2-1. Throw in the possibility that Ellis could have led his team to its first major bowl victory, and the Gamecocks would have been voted in the Top 20 at the end of the season. And Top 20 teams have a much easier time recruiting great high school players than do 6-4-1 teams. Strange, isn't it, how one play can mean so much. The fans were disappointed to have their love-hate hero felled against the arch-rival Wolfpack. Ellis' disappointment, however, was probably more acute. Here he was, under a new coach and the umpteenth offensive system he's had to adapt to, and he was steadily becoming the great quarterback he, more than anyone else, ditor simply find a new way Finally, if you;don its applicants. the Bible, wait until y< Valerie A. Palmer before you start tellii economics sophomore not to take it so lit # then, keep your talk-sl 'ess faith to>'ourself- _ Dou] Electrical engine Hugo res I some recent letters to * ti The Gamecock (e.g. was Dig c 'ard Dunham's letter of have been struck by a To ^ it surprising) observa- T wnillH !iW, is that some people see Jensen's letter titled icy between their pro- onjy thing going on." . hristian faith and their (jent ^ ^harlestor 5 expression of hatred a^je experience f w human beings. Per- "welcome change of * soul-searching is in Hugo brought to the c ties. Let me tell you James U. Gleaton went home that weekt ition graduate student great "adventure," rei _ , past camping expedit tie hiding the loss of water and ] ? area ? for some of us I /-I D1 Kll P an outdoor S"11' for 0 ^ J-FlLflv/ canned goods and pac for days, taking spor r: the dark, and not havi >e to "Do not hide be- with those worldly, "luxuries" such as th ne to listen to people microwave, air conditi hemselves as open- frigerator. A nice adde llectuals babble as the the mile-long lines w; it all. On the other into to the numero etic infidels bashing enough to count on Bible infuriate me. grocery stores that dec the day after Hugo stru ool would state the written by "ordinary Forgive us Hugo vie ad spiritual feelings." ing so uncaring about men close to God and the world, but for most jal feelings" are some- world has completely < n sure Amy McCaleb ound us. Nearly eve iderstand. have worked so dilige been wiped clear by i >e so ignorant as to Hugo ? our homes, o hristians "hide behind our clothing, our boxe It makes me feel like ries and, with them, all x 1 - < * Tr i 1 j - lenever 1 near mis. n nupes anu oreams. l i ve must continually are very familiar witl 'ense of it. Likewise, Hugo horror stories ) think that the Bible multitude of news repc o prejudice. gazine articles focusi tragedy. the Bible does distinen what is right and Forgive the media fc *ong. Life isn't an jng the devastating ;-goes" experience. Hugo, but apparently, some beliefs, there are t>it more sensitive than wrongs. With the to the plight of othei vever, judgment and word to Mr. Jensen: shall come. (One of think about being more wrongs. With the out the situation of oth vever, judgment and you may need the he shall come. (One of someday, s to be a queerish ac- Jo< lomosexuality.) Chemistry: ited ? sort of wanted him to be. Against East Carolina this season, Ellis changed the play at the line of scrimmage countless times, hitting his receivers when they were covered one-on-one. He took the sack instead of trying to force the ball into double coverage. He looked off defenders who were trying to read his eyes to determine where he was going to throw the ball. But all the fans saw was the big numbers and the lopsided final score. Development, progress, leadership, they missed. Sure, at this point in his career, Ellis could have been comparable to great college quarterbacks of the past like Miami's Vinny Testaverde or UCLA's Troy Aikman. But Ellis was a big-time quarterback behind a small-time offensive line in comparison to other major college football lines. So, the third play of the 1989 N.C. StateUSC game will always be remembered. It will be remembered as the play that determined a season. But hopefully, it will someday be looked back upon as the play that made USC fans aware of how valuable the attributes loyalty and patience are. ?.? Loomis writes eraHj^Until abOUt IlOthillg low opinions To the editor: glas Winters j don't know about the rest of ering junior USC, but I am getting really fatigued with Amy Loomis' column illy in The Gamecock. Let's examine 7 some of the subjects that she has lool chosen to write about this semester. When we first heard from Amy, she was complaining about the difpond to Mr. ficult time she was having getting "Hugo not "lto some ?f the local bars. HowBeing a resi- ever, her problems seem to be i area, I was somewhat unique. Every weekend, irsthand the hundreds of underage drinkers de pace" that scend upon Five Points. I find it :oastal coun- difficult to believe that Amy, who when I *s ?f aSe? has such a difficult time. :nd, it was a More importantly, WHO CARES? niniscent of Even if she contends this has ions due to something to do with feminism, power in the there exists much more evidence to cooking on the contrary. Many bars only allow thers, eating underage women into their estabkaged foods lishment, while excluding underige baths in a8e men. ng to bother The next topic that she decided man-made to bore us with concerned her hare television, rowing freshman year. I don't wish oner and re- t0 appear unsympathetic. Many d bonus was people have problems trying to adaitincr tn apt just to the unspoken rigors of col us (almost le8e ^e- However, Amy's whining one hand) simply didn't seem to be newsworided to open thy journalism. Like many of ick. Amy's columns, there seems to be little resolve toward this otherwise :tims for be- worthwhile topic, the rest of Her latest sop was one of the of us, OUR most outrageous pieces of journalcrumbled ar- ism that I have ever seen. Amy's rything we attempt to bring us closer to the ntly for has state fair resulted in a quasi-artistic the hand of flow of garbled emotion. I couldn't ur furniture, decipher whether or not Amy even s of memo- enjoyed herself. In fact, I tend to 1 of our past wonder whether Amy has fun dom sure you ing anything at all. Her freshman i the many year was a wash. She doesn't even 1 from the seem to like the fair. She was irts and ma- nauseous almost the entire time, ng on this she was there. Yet, she calls the place magical. By Amy's definition, I guess a warm six-pack and ir spotlight- a stale burrito are also magical, effects of point is, Amy is using a they are a valuable resource to purge her Mr. Jensen emotions. Her latest enstallment a r>?1- !- - rs. A rinai uciunga ill uic rurijuuu magazine YOU just and not in The Gamecock. Maybe caring ab- she should take up poetry or abers because stract art. However, her forte Ip of them doesn't seem to be in field journalism. die Lastica Michael Cummings sophomore English senior