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World War unfortunately distracted from other important issues Now that the Persian Gulf War is over, hopefully the United States will direct its reiuvenated world respect towards a number of pressing concerns. The following issues are going to be critical to world peace and security in the coming years: Collapse of the Soviet Union. With the evident failure of Gorbachev to rehabilitate his country, the Soviet Union's situation is turning desperate. The referendum on the continued union of Soviet republics scheduled for March 16 is being boycotted by at least 7 republic leaders. The growing rift between the republics and the central government is being exacerbated by a crippled Soviet economy which is only getting worse. Anarchy in a country of 300 million with thousands of nuclear missiles must be avoided at all costs. International trade. The preservation of free trade (or maybe the creation of free trade) should be a high priority of the Western powers. If, for example, the European Community starts to set up more barriers to imports or if protectionist Congressmen decide to "punish" Japan with tariffs, the resulting trade war could give the world economy all the fiscal stability of Brazil. Third World poverty. Speaking of Brazil, the entire Third XI 7 1 J ^ 1_ 1 _ _ f J A TX .1 A A.t T T o wonu is on uie onnK 01 disaster, reopie coinpiaui aooui me u.a. giving aid to poor nations, but it would be in America's interest to build up the economies of these countries before the fragile democracies of South America and Africa become new Iraqs. These issues are obviously going to cost the United States and the West in general a great deal of money and effort. However, to bring about President Bush's "New World Order," a huge restructuring of the world economy is going to be needed. A financial investment now may mean no human investment later in another police action in Mexico or Lithuania. "WE COOLP CLAIM WF WEKE MBQUOIE A6AIN" InimfM 1. %51 The Gamecock News: 777-7726 Advertising: 777-4249 Kathy Blackwell robyn Thompson Editor in Chief Managing Editor Chris Silvestri David Bowden Copy Desk Chief Viewpoint Editor Lucy Soto Kathy Heberger News Editor Carolina Life Editor Steve Johnson Renee Meyer Sports Editor Photography Editor Aaron Sheinin Tige Watts Assistant News Editor Assistant News Editor octavia wright patrick vlllegas Assistant Carolina Life Editor Assistant Sports Editor jennifer jablonski julie bouchillon Assistant Copy Desk Chief Assistant Photography Editor Eric Glenn Wayne Williams Darkroom Lab Technician Comics Editor ED Bonza Erik Collins Director of Student Media Faculty Adviser i aiipa s riav tl.ir n.m/,^0 unvi??? "" ?*?* IY/V I DUKOUS Production Manager Assistant Production Manager Renee Gibson Kyle Berry Advertising Manager Assistant Advertising Manager Carolyn Griffin 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 student. 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. .Jta-J i Pro teams no Watching and talking about sports is my favorite activity, so I am quite disturbed by the commercialization of Amercian pro leagues. The unbelievable salaries of professional athletes is not the problem as I see it, but rather the attitude of team owners. I fully realize that most owners do not run pro teams as a hobby, but rather as a profitmaking enterprise. However, the quest for money is taking the dignity away from the most popular sports in the nation: football, basketball and baseball. A few examples will prove my point. Victor Kiam, the creepy owner of the New England Patriots football franchise, has constantly whined about moving the team to a bigger market. He was rumored to be making a deal to 111^ ncvtapapci ui After reading a letter to the editor by three Preston resident advisors concerning The Gamecock's "feverish intent to publish negative news, racially-biased editorials and aggressive accusations," I felt compelled to respond. This is not the first time this issue has been raised, but Preston brought it to the forefront with its recent letter. Before anyone makes the accusation that The Gamecock does not cover the university fully or equally, however, they must understand the problems of a student newspaper. Most student newspapers are small, underfunded organizations supported by the blood of a few dedicated staff members and forced to cover a monstrous leviathan of a campus. As a newspaper, we have to cover the immense number of student organizations on campus ranging from the USC Band to the Preston Residence Hall Government plus any administrative actions by the university, any community events that affect our students and anything LETTERS TO Th War editorial ?/ largely correct To the editor: ^ Congratulations on your sensible ^ editorial of Feb. 25. You were right on the mark for the most f*pcr>f part, although it might be a bit * early to celebrate total victory. However, it might be wise to To the editc hedge your bets on Bush a little. I am wri Two years is a long way to go, and article on "i the domestic side can go sour in in the Feb. short order. cally to the Kuwait may indeed have some Asaro state< democratic trends, but they will no by the al doubt occur under a restored mo- demonstrate narchy. The U.S. may restore its I immed relations with its Middle East coal- why would ition partners, but hardly with Jor- The anti-w dan, Yemen, Algeria, Morocco and peace move the Sudan. support to If the U.N., the Saudis, Egypt, Middle Eas Israel and the coalition are big lieve that 1 HaL?M*ToH? i IS SWtYs S^NGS**)' ^ a BNlguT/ better than m< DAVID BOWDEN . go to Sacramento, and more recently, to Rhode Island, where the governor promised the Patriots a lot of money and a new stadium. Kiam is symptomatic of many team owners who are scurrying from city to city looking for the most money. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants were early examples of this ugly trend when they decided California was the place they ought to be. Since then, the Lakers went to L.A., the Jazz went to Utah, the Colts went to Indianapolis and thousands of ifairly criticize JP I CHAD BRAY . Sj that happens around or to the university. While attempting to compile everything that happens on campus during the week, we run into the problem of trying to squeeze all of these events into six to 10 pages of newsprint three times a week. As part of Student Media, the small amount of money received is divided from Student Activities Fees between us and three other student organizations: Portfolio, Garnet and Black and WUSC-FM. Our portion plus the small amount from advertisements pays for the limited space we have weekly to cover the campus. HE EDITOR gree with you that Iraq, supporters feel that it the Palestinians are the such as "S.M.A.S.H." th support for the soldiers. Raymond A. Moore It would be logical u 5C Professor Emeritus if one supports a so wishes ardently for thei Bstcrs anc* sa^e return h would not be banging si cally upon the war drum 'Vl, someone to war and tell have your support is in >r: sad paradox. ting m response to tne More importantly, it 1 Students show support," see that only a hundre 15 Gamecock, specifi- showed up to march for paragraph in which Joe the soldiers. A lot of p< 1 that he was surprised do some serious soul-se isence of counter- this school; we all may I >rs at the support rally. to go if this war elongate liately asked myself, or six months of ground I Asaro be surprised? Finally, I was dismay ar or better, the pro- that so many people asse ;ment gives our utmost dam to Hitler; Bush h the soldiers in the good. job. More disheari t. Matter of fact, I be- a poster with a bomb a<j nost of the pro-peace Saddam saying "Hapf jrcenaries it fans lost their home teams to the capricious . whims of owners. ? FvP.n F.rlrlifi DpRnrtrUn Tr iKa ucnollu lmro ??u IV UJUU11J iUVV/able owner of the 49ers nodded to the trend when he changed the logo on the team helmets from "SF" to "49ers." Luckily he changed his mind, but as Sports Illustrated pointed out, it was indicative of the trend away from teams as hometown heroes to becoming nomadic gunsfor-hire, looking for the city with the deepest wallets. Now I read that NFL games are going to start being on pay-per-view in 1993. Soon, you won't be able to see a pro game in any sport without paying $19.95 to your local cable company. There is no reason for optimism; professional sports is becoming just as much an industry as the phone company. :d in letter Another problem is that we Find out about most student activities weeks after they happen. Unless we are issued a press release by that student organization or we have a staTf member who is in that organization, no one notifies us about what happened until after it is old and stale as a news story. Any student can submit a story to the newspaper. All they have to do is make the effort. Finally, as a newspaper, it is our duty to inform the student body about what happens at USC: good or bad. We can not ignore a story simply because it portrays the university in a bad light. How can we Fix or prevent problems on campus if they are ignored by the organiza- y tions that are supposed to highlight them? I'm sorry that all of Preston's activities were not covered, but next time I invite Shaun Heneghan, Mark Fernandez, Steve Coburn or any other student to submit a story when they wish their organization to be covered. We are i not perfect, but we try damn hard. # is groups tine's Day." The organizers of at have no S.M.A.S.H. may want to take note most people don't support war nor " ) state that the government's extensive in- | ldier and volvement in this conflict ir well be- Everybody, though, supports the j lome, one American men and women who o emphati- are there right now and who are to . s. To send be sent in the future. S.M.A.S.H. I them they may just want to start a pro-war ; the least a faction on the USC campus, but * this I think is terribly vain and was sad to cowardly. d students ' support of Whynot Join lhe milltary wvv lf > xjple must war is what you suPPorl' not ? , nlense Hon'i insult the friends and * arcning in *- , x the next family and supporters of the men * s into five and women who are being put at \ battle. risk of life and limb in order to le/ed to see gitimize your pro-war marches. I iciate Sad- Just as there is a difference beas done a twecn supporting our soldiers and ' lening was blind militarism and nationalism. / Idressed to Carl Maas > )y Valen- Psychology soph or: ore