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Idiocy War on drugs takes all-time low, legislators only out for publicity Richland County has made the bold stand of banning phone pagers, or "beepers," from its public schools. Phone pagers are stereotypically used by drug dealers to receive messages from potential drug buyers. Banning an electronic device to stop drug dealing in schools is ridiculous and does nothing to actually prevent the crime. Electronic pagers have become a status symbol among some school children, and to categorize all kids with pagers as drug dealers is rather extreme and foolish. Once again the government is trying to legislate some greater good into being by passing a lot of silly laws. Banning pagers is no big deal, but it symbolizes the lack of imagination the government shows in dealing with major problems. No more pagers in schools is not going to miraculously cleanse Richland County schools of drugs. The drug problem also won't go away by making the state Legislature urinate into jars. An amendment to the House ethics bill would require 10 representatives and four senators to be tested for drugs every year. Is this really necessary? No one accused the State House of being a crack ring anyway. Perhaps an ethics quiz would be more appropriate. Drug-testing government officials brings up the wider issue of mandatory drug testing of real people. Where does the struggle against the horror of drug abuse become a violation of human rights? Forcing people to take drug tests is, in most cases, an unwarranted intrusion. South Carolina has a drug problem like everywhere else, but it will only be solved with intelligent measures, not token efforts to show how "serious" the government is. Hey, legislators, put down the urine samples and make South Carolina a better place to live so people won't feel the need to escape with drugs. "SOME COOP NEWS FOR A CHAN6E* filial u <?rtiiSkv^6^ HGAMECOTK1 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 Oct a via Wright Patrick Villegas 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 Laura S. Day Ray Burgos 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. HWttp AWTI I "^1 World League It is my difficult task to defend a muchmaligned national institution. No, not Congress, the World League of American Football. Everybody and their brother, from David Letterman to local sportcaster Rick Henry, have blasted the new football league as some egregious crime against humanity. They are wrong, and I will tell you why. But first, a little background. The World League of American Football (WLAF) is a spring football league sponsored by the NFL. It is essentially minor league pro football, true, but it brings the greatest sport of all time to cities that have never had the pleasure of watching long bombs and broken-field runs. Three of these new teams are in Europe, and the Europeans, judging from the crowd reaction I have seen on television, love it. So do the fans in American cities such as Birmingham, Orlando and San Antonio. In other words, cities ignored by the NFL for a long time. No, the World League doesn't have the polish of a Joe Montana-to-Jerry Rice touchdown pass, but it is not the farce its critics make it out LETTERS TO T Gays should all should e purge sins Finally, ] * 07 readers thai To the editor: car"pus <a' I would like to encourage the Rather?"we editor to take a bit more care in ti- .. \. tling the Letters to the Editor. Tim . . Mallace's recent letter was titled . "Homosexuals unchristian." This like the res title misrepresents what Tim is try- . , . ing to say about his beliefs about J homosexuality. Interdist The title implied that he would go on to say homosexuals are not Christians. Mallace did not say any y.!! "i such thing. I would like to bring i this to your attention because, as a aAA/| Christian, I understand some peo- gOUG pie are turned off from me because they think that when I feel certain xn eA\X( things are wrong, they perceive This jeU( that I am judging them. This is not j)r Holder the case. The Bible clearly tells me dent 0f jj; not to judge others. stand up ai Neither Mallace nor myself wish man jjke to condemn homosexuals for their justly treate behavior. We believe homosexual- j^o doubi ity is a sin; however, we also be- presidents \ lieve most all sin is the same. Like 0f the same every sin, we must work to elimi- not brough nate it. So, if I condemn a ho- jjke Holden " mosexual for his/her sin, I would yye be pointing the finger at myself for media proc my sins. because of There are Christians who are tion of fur practicing their homosexuality. I hadn't heai encourage them to pray and to many mjui( seek God's help in conquering ^irs that wi their desire. Just as so many sins versity thri become habitual, homosexuality forts an(j h may be a tough habit to break. today. Cursing was my problem. After While tf reading the Bible, talking with being ridici friends and a great amount of the universi prayer, 1 realized I had to get it out ity should of my system . . . and it took think twice work. And homosexuals can do the tion as the same thing with their desires. mention th I believe that because of certain which were events in one's life, a person can dent, while feel that he/she is naturally drawn lated conce to persons of the same sex. On the and contini other hand, I agree with Mallace derman's p; that God does not intend anyone to final analy be gay. The Bible is very explicit going to 1< in its statements that homosexual- olina will, ity is immoral. they have So, if you have no faith in the jewel. Bible, then I have no argument. Some the But, if you have even a thimble as to whe , full of faith, then I encourage you something I IHG PERIOD M m The Reagan Experien better than DAVID BOWDEN to be. I would wager that most of these criti so quick to judge haven't seen a whole WL/ game. Anyway, it is pretty easy to criticize a leagi that is only in its third week of play. Keep mind that the training camp for World Leag players began in February. Obviously, you w see snafus the first couple of weeks of a bra new league. I might add that sometimes it is r the on-field action so much as the televisi coverage that is lacking. The USA Netwc coverage has been awful, and surprisingly, AI hasn't done much better. Given the chickenfeed the World Leag pays these guys to play (base salary for m< players is $20,000), they play exceptiona HE EDITOR xamine yourself, your superb humanistic your actions, just as we rponstrated no spe ach day. race, creed or coloi I'd like to reassure the it: this, perhaps, starl t the Christians on this celebrities were invi id everywhere) should versity to address tl :mn those who sin. ment exercises, i are to love and live * Not only that, difl fesus as our example. I ities were integrall homosexuals. I simply the professorialshij hey will see that they, Whatever.the case it t of us, must-eventually man should not be n in their lives. comforted in knowii Mark Herndon one of the most 01 :iplinary studies senior scholarly presidents of South Carolina ha i a in honor or hok resiaenl fine tenure at Carol , ? T of Trustees should e L lOr UISv^ in his honor. it comes in support of Coach F man, the former presiSC, and it is time to riflf" fhilt id be counted. Holder- ^ HldX Jesus Christ, was un- To the editor: d and crucified. Mistake is absc t there are other college Only the mistake I' vho are probably guilty ference to is the on< ; misdemeanor but were writer of the misgi it to public degrading concerning contrac man. with USC basketball and listen to the news Felton. When thi laiming the indictment wants to be wrong, a small misappropria- wrong, ids. But as I listen, I The first error o rd anyone mention the citing Brent Price >ns and millions of dol- cock's best player. J ere brought to the uni- Barry Manning cou ough Holderman's ef- lunch, but that is ave made it what it is You cited Price's differences with Fel ia f/\rrv> a** rifanrl a?1 10 V*tn /t*aa! Anlttr ?* it luiiiiti pitdiutiii id itid 51 tat uuiituiiy 11 jled and scorned, so is with his coach as n ity. This type of public- tions to his defection make future applicants Sure Price had phi ; before taking a posi- ferences with Feltoi president, and not to plays basketball fo e x-number of dollars He is more concer 5 spent to find a presi- sonal stats more so talks are being circu- and losing as a teai ming the rising tuition USC, Coach Felton le to blame it on Hoi- belief that no one in< ast spending. But in the ger than the team, sis, Holderman is not they run the score ase anything, but Car- posely embarrass hopefully realizing that nents, hence they given up a precious lacking in class, ar fits in real well, aughts need to be given Secondly, you s ther this scandal had olina's 14-14 record Lo do with Holderman's if it were horrible. TOJNS; ce.. ouch. b people think "1 hard. I would argue that the WLAF players as a whole are playing with more emotion than some NFL players I could name because the World League guys want to play their way to - the big money of the NFL. Watch a WLAF game and tell me those guys aren't hitting hard. Finally, the WLAF (called Laugh Football by far too many people) has many technical innocs vations that I really would like to see in the NFL. Microphone communication between coaches and quarterbacks, live mikes on defenue sive players and the now-famous Helmet-Cam jn are not just technical gimmicks. They are interue esting ways to enhance the game, even if the ill f-word is aired every other play over the live nd mikes(0l To football fans the world over, the WLAF is on a great idea. Football purists should get off their )rk high horse and try watching the Orlando Thunder play the London Monarchs on Saturday (both are 2-0). If still unsatisfied, you snobs can ue just suffer until the NFL starts back in SeptemDst ber. I'll be loving life with a new group of footlly ball teams that I can watch beat each other up. - v- ? i i i?? in i ? '' p % v .. S Z | <: MM < <x % / ". , : skills. He de- record out of the hat with a denial favor to pleted roster such as USC's is a re\ Think about markable coaching feat few could ted when black accomplish. In regard to Eric ted to the uni- Sykes, he was a streak shooter, he commence- And as streak shooters go, Sykes was sorely lacking in consistency, "erent national- He was not one to be counting on. y involved in I believe you will be hard-pressed ) at Carolina, to find anyone knowledgeable on lay be, Holder- basketball who would call 89-90's troubled, but 14-14 record a failure with all facig that he was tors considered, jtstanding and Thirdly, you beat that dead the University horse and ragged this year's team's s ever known. late-season fall from grace. First ierman's very off.1 would like to point out that a ina, the Board disagreement between a player and rect a building coach DOES NOT equal a lack of respect. It simply means that there Lillie Parker Was a disagreement and that is all! USC alumna Quit your speculation. The wide1 _ spread lack of respect you pretend 0||Q|"| exists is only a rumor. Granted, the players you spoke oirrfi 11 of, Watson and Wilson, are a little tlTTlUl disenchanted. Jamie Watson is only a freshman and has a lot of >lutely right! maturing to do. Most of his dissam making re- tisfaction stems from limited play5 made by the ing time and not being the go-to uided opinion guy at crunch time. He needs only t negotiations to be patient His time will come, coach George In the case of Edmund Wilson, s newspaper he is not happy because he does it can be dead not play. He (toes not play because he does not know the plays. He is f judgment is totally lost on the court so he finds as the Game- himself on the bench. Of course he 0J0 English or is unhappy, but I'm afraid it is his ild eat Price's own fault another story. This past season USC accomphilosophical plished many great things, a 20 ton along with win season among them. Three out i getting along of five Felton-coached teams have lajor contribu- won 19 or more games, and two i to Oklahoma. have enjoyed post-season play, ilosophical dif- You can't really appreciate what n. Brent Price Felton has done unless you look at r Brent Price. the basketball program when he inned with per- herited it from Bill Foster and than winning compare it to now. n. Luckily for Great strides have been made i has a strong and vet vou still have to question dividual is big- whether or not George Felton is a At Oklahoma, positive for USC in its quest for up and pur- athletic excellence? Yes, this seaweaker oppo- son started great and did end on a are severely sour note, and there is just cause id Brent Price for dissatisfaction, but only because USC did not meet the stanpeak of Car- dards set by George Felton. in 1989-90 as Timothy Bowers To pull a .500 Media arts senior