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Vote American people voluntarily give up their right to choose We live in the land of the free. We have an inalienable right t make choices for ourselves, "for the people, by the people." ] someone turned around and told any of us that we could nc choose what we want to eat for dinner, what movie we want t see, or who we want to associate with, they could expect incredi ble resistance. Americans won't pass up their right to choose fc anytning, right? well tnen maybe someone should try and explai why 49.65 percent of eligible residents in the state of South Cai olina pass up their right to vote every time an election roll around. We complain about corrupt politicians, huge deficits and cen sorship all the time. These are things we have a right to be con cerned about. They are issues that affect our lives everyday, 10 percent of our lives, not just the 50.35 percent of people who hav registered to vote. Somehow, however, it seems remarkable tha for all the outrage over bad policy we hear, only half of the votini population is upset. Everyone who is 18 or older in this country has a responsibility Our government is designed so that every member of this countr guards and protects it through the power of free election just a closely as the soldiers who have fought to preserve those sam elections. If we are concerned, responsible citizens, we should make sur "we the people" are shaping the future of our country. American are given every opportunity to become involved. Candidiates fo elections take stands on the issues facing us. We can leam jus about everything about them and their policies before we step int< a voting booth. These are the people who are shaping the worl< we live in, from local Columbia elections to the Oval Office. W< orp Q uniniia Ortiltltn; tVia a Uiv u uin^uv wuiiujr VYiiLlt U1& liavt L11C 1^1^115 ill LilCl hands all the way up the totem pole to choose who will represen their best interests. People fear that corrupt politicians or communism will be th< downfall of America. Indirectly maybe, but the real cause will b< apathy. The only way forces like those could crush a country ai strong as this one is because Americans are voluntarily giving uj their right to choose. At least a new authoritarian governmen wouldn't hear any complaining from 50 percent of the populatior because it never meant much to them anyway. *1 DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOUR WESTERN CUSTOMS, GEORGE, BUT 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' TO YOU, TOO" * &nlOor. Loots p*fT'V<Sr*TCHThe Gamecock ? News: 777-7726 Advertising: 777-424! Jeff Wilson Sharon Willamson Editor in Chief Managing Editor/Copy Desk Chiej J Lynn Gibson Elizabeth Lynch News Editor Carolina Life Editor dougaube renee meyer Sports Editor Photography Editor vn t v c* tuaiva a o IVJC/LiJUl V. 1 ilUlHAiS Viewpoints Editor Elizabeth Fox Sherri Tillmaf Assistant News Editor Assistant News Edito david bowden kathy hebergei Assistant Carolina Life Editor AssLtani Carolina Life Edito Brant Long Julie bouchillo? Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Photography Edito octavia wright Assistant to the Editors Kristin Francis Erik Collin* Graduate Assistant Faculty Advise Ed Bonza Laura S. Da^ Director of Student Media Production Manage Ray Burgos renee Gibso? Assistant Production Manager Advertising Manage Kyle berry Carolyn Grifff Assistant Advertising Manager Business Manage Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters shoul< be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, pre fessional title if a USC employee or South Carolina resident, or year and major a student. An address and phone nypber are required with all letters sent. Th( Gamecock reserves the right to editletters for style, possible libel or in case c space limitations. The newspaper will not withhold names under an; circumstance. * ???? I l T echnology him The other night, I was walking with two of * my friends, talking about average, everyday topics, when suddenly one of my friends, Cole, flE brought up the observation that everybody should have to walk ? private transportation m should be outlawed. 1 JP Now, in the big, real picture, this could never \ (and should never) happen. But, looking at it A from a different perspective, it would be beneficial for people to walk more than they do. First, it would get people some exercise, and abou some of these fat behinds could be trimmed up Yc a bit. It would also cut down on the amount of dowi exhaust released into the atmosphere. Th Another positive point for walking is the peo- peop pie aspect of it. Think of the characters in days Huckleberry Finn, The Wizard of Oz, Oliver crinru Twist and a score of other traveling stories that help took place long before cars were a common "adv thing. These characters met people ? interest- from ing people with diverse backgrounds and diffe- Yc rent lives. They had different perspectives and react outlooks and visions. I'm convinced good ol' mact i Huck learned more in his travels than any have schoolbook or newspaper could have taught him or ai ? - Lot switch is J?,i ^ ? f i 11 living in Capstor - problem Hall supposed to is too expensive ] To the editor: dent's budget? V Parking is a worn out issue. our cars *n a SP Everyone on this campus realizes time, so meters ai that. I am not writing to simply temative. The "d< complain about "no parking this area are full r ~ spaces;" my concerns are deeper. time. So, that leav r As a junior, I have had a few I respect the rij t J U1 u..-. students, but as a panting pruDieins, uui never any , severe ones. It has always been a ^ent' 1 ^ matter of riding until someone dnvinS mY car h? r leaves. Now, I realize I am in for some real difficulties. The only public parking lot I EVER find a space in has now been made a commuter lot. (It's the lot between Henderson and Pickens streets). Pol lfipc I found this out when, after a r V/IIllvij week, I returned to my car to find 1 1 a bright, yellow envelope under SOI0 (till my windshield wiper. I tried to find another place to park on the To the editor: same side of campus but to no This letter is ii avail. It was after dark, and I re- should I say ins] j fused to park my car at the coli- slaw Szczech's) a i- seum or Bates when this supposed ber 7 th. In that i if "commuter lot" was practically about the shock 9 barren. My roommate was with ^/hen he arrived me, but crime has gotten so bad i alized how difl lately that safety isn't even found a. compared to E J impairs anymore. When we think ' ders personal i than KELLY C. THOMAS cw? 1 Besi dio i ther( a: t real life. . ma^ )u just can't meet people like that driving keep 1 the interstate in a Mercedes. othei lere are drawbacks, however. For instance, In le are a lot less friendly to strangers nowa- only . This is partly from necessity because cianj 3 ana violence are so rampant. But I can't get 1 but wonder if many of our technological pie c ances" aren't slowly dragging us apart is sii other people. what >u no longer have to travel to a place to missi t a client ? just use your telephone, fax Te line or special computer modem. If you do it do to travel, there's no walking or stagecoach and ly form of transportation that takes more perse ry dilemma ? and Europeans, we usually : >rld are students of what we consider signil le and Columbia differences and political mc park when $120 But culturally speaking, the for a college stu- dency is to put American Ve usually leave European in the same bag, ot for days at a they were one and the same e a ridiculous al- cept in English departments ^signated" lots in other social sciences departi learly ALL of the where the difference bet1 es us nowhere. American and British or Eurc , art and literature is often mad *hts of commuter average educated citizen wil n on-campus stu- yQU Americans and Europear ve the option of ^ same and 5^^ essentia me at night. ^ tjie same wa fQr ajj one can g Cassy Norris ordinary life : relations junior advertising/ Being a literature student, I noticed the great and essentia ferences between American A Pnmrwan litAratnr#* Onina ha j-rfUAvj>/vuti nvviULUIV. VV? 1 Ilvll Ordinary life,' let us take a ti r? the nearby video store. When rerence to rent a movie with my fri all of them American, I en alone in the 4drama' or 'con i response to, or sections. They call me acros }ired by, (Rado- store from the 'action' or 'a< rticle on Septem- ture' sections: "Why do you article, he talked to get one of those depressing he experienced vies? Why do you want to \ in America and those movies where nothing < Ferent Americans ing happens, movies that ai Europeans. slow and boring?" about Americans Having lived in the states \ relationships a couple of days. When you stop to rest for night, there's no hotel tavern or gathering e for guests to meet and discuss the latest _ ? IT* - - - jenings ? ana i aouot anyone would any. They're too into their television shows, puter games and telephone conversations, des, you can get news on the television, raor newspaper any time ? if nothing else, >'s always Newsweek. 11 of these things that are supposed to be ing our lives easier and better seem to be >ing us from communicating with each r. business, we no longer talk xo people ? to machines, computers, analysts, techni} and advisers. We don't share news; we t, swallow it and regurgitate it Some peolon't even think about it, and a news story nply that ? a story. The reality of much of : goes on in the world today is totally ed by a lot of people. ?hnology gives us easier, longer lives, but es not make us happier or more prosperous, it certainly doesn't allow for improving >n-to-person relations. speak few years I have come to the reali'icant zation that American taste (in liter)dels. ature, cinema, etc.) is essentially ; ten- distinctive. Americans want to see and movies that will cheer them up, as if movies that realistically or not . Ex- show the world the way they i and would like it to be. We Europeans nents go to the movies to see something ween as realistic as possible, something ^pean we can identify with, and somee, the times reality is rather gloomy. 1 tell Szczech said in his column that ts are Americans are by and large very lly in happy and affable people. I must ;ee in agree, and since art (in any form) is in my opinion nothing but a reflection of society, I must conclude have that American art is more light1 dif- hearted because they have perhaps and more reasons to be merry ? more ck 10 reasons man us Europeans, poorer rip to and socio-political-tension I go stricken. ends, American movies and literature d up make Europe look dull and boring nedy' in comparison. American art relies s the on strong emotions and dynamism; iven- a consequence of a way of life want which to us Europeans in America ; mo- seems to be too pessimistic in all vatch aspects: too fast, too sensational, jxcit- too active .... re so Manuel Lirola (from Spain) for a English graduate student