Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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V Action As gulf dispute grows toward war, local antiwar whisper gets louder There, has been much dispute over why the United States has sent 450,000 troops to the Persian Gulf. Reasons cited range from oil to stabilization of the Middle East to stopping naked aggression. At the roots of the dispute is a large oil field, a small part of which is in Kuwait. The dispute grew to a crisis, and now the crisis 'is threatening to turn to war. War is growing more imminent with each passing day. If we do go to war, many lives will be lost, and that raises concern, in many people's minds. French Foreign Minister Chevennement told The New York Times that the number of fatalities would near 100,000. Lower estimates range around 10,000. The Air Force agreed not to have services for bodies sent home because "there would be too many ceremonies," according to NeMsweek. The Pentagon has set up a continuous pipeline of blood, shipments to prepare for casualties, and caskets have been ordered;.While the Gulf Crisis moves closer to war and the reality begins to hit home, the antiwar sentiment is growing from a whisper to a dull1 roar and seems to be getting louder each day. The outcry is being heard on a local level as students, professors, lawyers, ministers: and others join together in a unified voice to let political leaders know that all is not well on the home front. A-group called South Carolinians Against War in the Middle East has formed to take action. On Tuesday, hundreds of people showed their concern by attending a forum on war in the Middle East. M&ny of the same people, and probably many more, will attend the Rally for Peace to be held on the State House grounds at noon on Saturday. "Every, day the news reports tell us more about our country preparing, fpr an offensive war," the group said in a recent release. "The politicians will respond to millions of angry and united citizens.*' Millions of citizens can only be gathered one at a time. No matter what your opinion about the eulf situation, express that opinion" so our leaders know where the public stands. ' MESSAGE TO C0H6RESS 25 r? r * *' The Gamecock * # News: 7-77-7726 Advertising: 777-4249 /* * > . Jeff Wilson Sharon Willamson Editor in Chief Managing Editor /Copy Desk Chief Lynn Gibson Elizabeth Lynch News Editor Carolina Life Editor DougAube Renee Meyer Sports Editor , Photography Editor elizabeth fox sherri tillman Assistant News Editor Assistant News Editor David Bowden Kathy Heberger Assistant .Carolina Life Editor Assistant Carolina Life Editor Brant Long Julie Bouchillon Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Photography Editor Sara Verne Octavia Wright Assistant Copy Desk Chief Assistant to the Editbrs Kristin Francis Erik Collins Graduate Assistant Faculty Adviser . EdBonza Lauras.Day . -. Director of Student Media Production Manager Ray Burgos Renee Gibson Assistant Production Manager Advertising Manager Kyle Berry Carolyn Griffin Assistant Advertising Manager Business Manager Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, professional title if a USC employee or South Carolina resident, or year and major if a<?tudent. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel or in case of space limitations. The newspaper will not withhold names under any circumstance. f ipp** <6 Equal rights < The question under consideration was put by W. E. Rone Jr. of The State newspaper: "Why, after 25 years of equal rights ? indeed special remedial treatment under the law ? do so many African-Americans remain outside of the bounds of middle class society? Why do even educated blacks seem increasingly remote, hostile and paranoid? In a society besotted with quick fixes and easy answers to every problem, is this the one that will prove insoluble?" I must differ with Rone. We have not had "25 years of equal rights." Much of that time was devoted to arguing and debating whether the policy of equal treatment under law was right for America. There was "massive resistance" at many turns. A sign on the back of a school bus described the state of affairs with humor: Warning ? This Bus Equivocates at Every Stop. We debated whether the federal government should tell the states what to do, wneiner Mrs. Murpny snouia oe loia now 10 run her boarding house or whether Olie should have the right to decide who eats in his diner. When I was a student in elementary and secondary schools during the days of segregation, all of the children (black and white) in the area rode school buses to school. The yellow school bus was as much a part of public education as the little red schoolhouse itself. Nonetheless, after the policy of equal treatment under law was announced, busing became the enemy of education. We debated. Then some argued that if we must desegregate, it should only involve a few, and no one should consider numerical goals. The "Q" word (quota) became a mortal sin. There was the debate over affirmative action. Given the history of race relations and the treatment of African-Americans in the past, how do we end the dual systems? How do we get white-Americans to accept AfricanAmericans as they are and give them a fair chance in the new unitary system? How do we help African-Americans with a different background understand and become effective in the unitary system? I find it hard to see how the LETTERS TO TH tt7 a i i aggression. Writer lacks momiobiigt ternational r use loyalty To the editor: militant host After reading Richard Rowell's Shealy sti tm IT 1 A T ? T thina wnrfl rxp xaiK on i>ov. ih, i Knew 1 0 must attend the Carolina-Clemson Middle East game so someone would offer our already waj football team some support. war monger Obviously, Rowell, it was possi- avoid w; ble for Carolina to be down by exhausting i only six points in the fourth quar- econom ter. Actually, this football game power. He h could have gone either way. precedented Maybe the concept of a "pep supporting c talk" is misunderstood in the land Also errc of garnet and black (where "fans" sertion that leave a losing team in the third war to gain quarter), but it seems that The y?u read th Gamecock could attempt to turn it Shealy? TI around. Let's try to boost our ath- Americans i letic teams instead of writing them lessons lear off even before they enter the Conflict de stadium. tancy of Ar Rowell, I do believe you were unpopular rr dreaming ? dreaming of writing Finally, for The Tiger. editorial wi William R. Snelson we simply journalism junior Middle Eas _ problems o Columnist SS f* a. thought in t ignores tacts ^ wwi i " ing out of t To the editor: jeopardize After reading Dennis Shealy's stability and editorial, "Americans apathetic to War scai side-show conflict," one had to be consequence left with feelings of complete ing. Howevi disgust. done to stop Shealy ignores the fact that the been stopp< United States has several geopoliti- millions of cal and economic interests in the saved in W Middle East inseparable from our not make th; national security. The fact remains dent Bush iknt r*? c?i uiai uiv VJllildl OUUC5 15 III U1C I"CI- 1CC15 OTC I1C sian Gulf to protect world oil sup- forces of i plies and Saudi Arabia from Iraqi from Baghd decades full ot O'NEAL SMALLS Guest Columnist nation can move from dual systems to a meaningful and fair unitary system without some type of affirmative action. When it appeared that these barriers were not stopping the equal rights under law movement, some rushed ahead in an effort to divert traffic at the next intersection. "They are not quali- _ fied" read the banner hoisted across the road. Prior to desegregation, "qualification" had a very different meaning in educational institutions and employment offices. Being a relative or friend of an insider, a prior associate, or an alumni, or being recommended by leading members of the community, etc., were among the principal "qualifications" for school or work. Since desegregation, the concept of qualification has been redefined to require certain culturally-based traits or experiences which are enjoyed largely by a limited class. This redefinition of the concept of qualification is undoubtedly progress. Nonetheless, we must take great care to avoid its use in a way that continues racial discrimination. The concept of qualification has sufficient flexibility to control the flow of traffic and that is its principal function. There are Rone's "25 years of equal rights." The male child in public school, while the above indicated debate raged on, entered the primarily white school knowing that he really is not wanted there. Picture an energetic and vivacious kid. somewhat slow in learning because of neglect at home, who is eager to prove his manhood and conceal his deficiencies. The child soon learns that a good way to divert attention from his shortcomings is to create a classroom disturbance. < 1 : * * " Mj: ? f rniTAD r CUI I yn Also at stake is our W. Keil ition to uphold the in- government/histc ights of the legitimate Jonathan emment that was dis- SCC governmc ugh naked and brutal ility. TTCr nirf' ites if there were any- ^ ^ ^ Lt I l< i fighting for in the , then we would have irCCCIOin II ged war. Who is the sr here? Bush has tried To the editor: it from the outset by Over this past decade, ill available dinlomatic artivplv pnerairacrprl thp lie channels within his tion of international stud las done so with an un- academic programs. W< international coalition tionals arrive in Ameria iur actions. expectation of an exper ineous is Shealy's as- will be both academicall Bush needs to wage cially enriching. Further reelection in 1994. Do come to the United Sta e public opinion polls, the impression that thi: hey show that most promotes the freedom of do not want war. The vidual. However, since ned from the Vietnam been here, we have cor >monstrate the reluc- conclusion that this is a n nericans to support an In our respective coui lilitary intervention. are accustomed to being Shealy concludes his adults, on an equal foo th the suggestion that our elders, from the aj withdraw from the Yet, we have to come t and let it resolve its that young American adu n its own. Come on, enjoy ? or even expect jn't you taken any 20th ? a similar status. We ary classes? Isolationist have encountered situal he United States led to have been demeaning to i global instability. Pull- viduals, where we have he Persian Gulf would treated with the courtes) the world's economic adult status accords us I political freedom. We respect the fact tha es everyone, and its guests in your country, ar >s are always devastat- should repect your count er, something must be but it is difficult to resj ) Saddam. If Hitler had that appear to us as beir id in Czechoslovakia, sive. Is it reasonable lives might have been 18-year-olds to vote an< rWII. The world need their country but not to at mistake twice. Presi- alcoholic beverages? Wh; is taking the steps he students tolerate the restri eessary to counter the itation policies, which go iggression emanating lives and effectively cui ad. ability to determine for tl iff * uncertainty Imagine a white female teacher faced with such a child. She has had no experience with such children. She hesitates to make demands on the boy, and he will not learn without them. TKa i O im/lAMiAM/lnUItt fA .? J* A* i"v Lvai/iivi la uiiu^iduuiuauijr X/iidiUYg uj wiiai black parents think and say. She wished to avoid charges or racial harassment and the attending adverse publicity that can destroy her career. The teacher's solution: benign neglect. Yes, ignore the child as much as possible and if she cannot, then place him in a "special class." You know the rest of the story ? you see the consequences around us every day. Then there is the white child. What has he been taught about race relations during those 25 years? The political and community leadership told him that he should not be required to go to school with African-American children; that they cause property devaluation when they move into a neighborhood; that only the highly qualified African-Americans should receive jobs, and the others should be on welfare. The female white child is rarely given both white and black (or is it colored?) dolls. The public schools don't teach them the value of racial intergration. Of course, there were many positive forces during the past 25 years. My point here is to identify some of the forces that helped to shape the society we have today. Those efforts to block progress had consequences ? causes and effects. They help to explain why some Aincan-Amencans mignt appear remote, nostile and paranoid." The African-American part of the dual system has been dismantled and many are left out on the streets. Important and hopeful changes have occurred in the EuroAmerican part of the dual system. This is where we are today. Now the task of fashioning an American unitary system can begin. God's work can truly be our own. O'Neal Small is a USC law professor and chairman of the university ad hoc committee on race relations. - ? ?L :h Coones how they wish to live? We are ad>ry senior vised by an American acquainMcHenry tance that these regulations are in jnt senior existence to protect young adults from potentially agitative situa1 jlo tions. Why cocoon them in cotton 111^ when they will inevitably have to deal with such realities in the gnu future? We are not advocating anarchy. USC has We are merely suggesting that participa- rtdes that deny USC students adult ents in its rights are questionable. 5 internai with the We understand there are a numience that ber of federal and state laws that y and so- must be adhered to, but surely the more, we credibility of any legal system is tes under called into question when it effecs country tively limits the personal freedom the indi- 0f its citizens and visitors. Therewe have fore, we feel that the university ne to the should listen more carefully to the needs of its student population and ntries, we do its best to accomodate them as treated as adults, ting with *e of 18. Unfortunately, we have no exto realize pectations that these circumstances ilts do not will change for the better. Rather, to enjoy we expect them to deteriorate ourselves further, as we have encountered an Lions that overwhelming sense of apathy is as indi- from all sides, not been r that our As Frederic Douglas, the ex at home, slave ana prominent abolitionist it we are sa^ "Those who profess to favour id as such freedom and deprecate agitation ry's laws, are men who want rain without pect laws thunder and lighming. Power conlg repres- cedes nothing without a demand. It to allow never did and it never will." 1 kill for consume An8e,a Lipscomb >' do USC history junior ictive vis- Stuart Dorman vern their marketing junior rtail their Jean-Philippe Belleau lemselves government graduate student