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Film Reverse prejudice isn't helping integration effort in Hollywood On the premiere of the PBS show Edze. black film-maker Snike a u ' " r Lee said white directors should not be allowed to direct films about black people. Not only is this an arrogant and condescending statement to make, but it is a dangerous mindset to have in any artistic media. An artist should never try to place limits on what groups are "allowed" to participate in an art-form. Lee's statement is as narrow-thinded as saying, "only blacks can perform rap music" or "only whites can play heavy metal" or even "only Japanese can learn karate." Just because a group originates an art-form doesn't mean that group has a monopoly on it. Similarly, a group cannot monopolize stories about itself. People like Spike Lee would like to pretend that white people can't imagine what it's like to be poor, abused and insulted. Of course they can; just like Spike Lee can try to imagine what being white is like. Needless to say, Spike has white people in all of his films. No problem. T-T r\n/r?\mr if* rvn n t olrr* n T ' n ** 11 vinw iaA.wd a yuan IAJ na lugiccu lAJiiiau&iuii, n would seem that white writers cannot have black characters in their books either because they can't possibly "understand" the black experience. Also, great movies like Gandhi and The Last Emperor could not have been made because they were directed by white people, and white people can't film the Indian or the Chinese experience. If Lee ran the country, only black people would be playing rock 'n' roll, blues, jazz and rap. Of course, all those black musicians couldn't record their music because the phonograph and other re- g cording devices were made by whites like Thomas Edison. Edison I also invented the motion-picture camera, so Spike, you'd be out of ^ a job. And don't use any light bulbs either. But wait a minute, a black man invented the traffic light! Which race gets to use those since they use bulbs? ov As any sane person can see, you can't divide a civilization's fi\ accomplishments up along racial lines. All races have contributed fn to make this the greatest country in the world. In fact, it is our st? cultural diversity that gives our nation it's strength. Part of our bl( strength lies in our freedom of expression. White people can make films about black people if they want to, and vice versa. Thanks to the country we live in, this column can be written and Spike Lee en can talk his trash to a grateful nation. pa! O hai Homecoming 1991 I Simply ? >> WORST/ | ha^ r:<ptpr?i i : M/i/NjNG ? " cv&HE m* _, jT anc iHH ^] j C^j | Uv( per 1GAMECOCK d us' News: 777-7726 Advertising: 777-4249 Chris Silvestri Editor in Chief n ; ? V ; David bowden Brant Long n Managing Editor/Viewpoint Editor Copy Desk Chief ; Tige Watts Octavia Wright News Editor Carolina Life Editor ,j,q ; Aaron Sheinin Teddy Lepp ?t Sports Editor Photography Editor late > sity y proj Patrick Villegas Gordon Mantler ka" to t Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor TrajJey Davis Rich Taylor d0 , Asst. Carolina Life Editor Asst. Sports Editor the Virginia Marshall Greg Rickabaugh sPa: ship Asst. Copy Desk Chief Asst. Photography Editor pQte Wayne Williams Eric Glenn n Comics Editor Darkroom Technician dec( -?? unr Renee A. Gibson Laura S. Day that Asst. Media Director I Advertising Manager Production Manager Stacie Lewis Ray Burgos past Asst. Advertising Manager Asst. Production Manager is fi Erik Collins Carolyn Griffin j Faculty Adviser Business Manager ques Lara Chapman Asst. Classified Manager i ; wit! Letters f^alicy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at chai maximucn, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, professional title if Ofl L a USC enriployee or South Carolina resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phqne 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 " 0< not withhold names under any circumstance. favc heat WP" saj ireek system It's Homecoming time once again and o er 200 organizations at USC, a grand total o re will be building floats. Most of USC' iternities have decided to join this year's lov itistic for reasons that recently have beei )wn entirely out of proportion. So, if an all-encompassing reason must b< ide public, here goes: Fraternities, on the av ige, no longer have the money to invest in ai mimate, ridiculously expensive mound o per, wood and wire that is seen by only < adful of people on an underrated day. The general reaction to the fraternities' deci >n seems to be pretty negative: "They are br jing an end to a tradition." Or are we? )Uffht that ITSP fraHitirm moon* Hnint ~ -v v?*w? UUU1UV1I Uivuili UUU^ ngs that would eventually better yourself lit chapter and the university as a whole. Anc it is exactly what today's Greeks at Carolina ve been doing all along! athletic depa What is the purpose of intercollegiate athle5? I believe it is to represent the universit) 1 promote a positive image in order to attraci dents and finances. [ believe the USC softball team has repreited this university in an excellent mannei ce 1979, when the program first began. In past decade, the USC softball team has repented this university twice at the College >rld Series. In 1983 and 1989, the team fined third and seventh in the nation respec;ly. This past year, the team had a 51-13 red, which calculates as a .828 winning centage. This success was achieved as an independent m, not a team competing in the Metro Conmce. Even though the team did not represent C in the Metro Conference, they did repreI F1 Km Imm I r7 , ma are these VOOCIS might statement, 0 East Care ot be answer Division I the editor: Whatev "his letter is in reference to the jjon needs st performance of the Univer- ' pjxon; wf of South Carolina's football is not bci ?ram. Personally, I believe our Maybe n has the potential and ability Ron Mey >ecome a top 20 contender in football c( college football arena. What I Colts j ai not understand though, is how job done, athletic department expected expressed, rky Woods to bring his leader- East > to USC and bring out that weekend. ntial. nrnnwm i< ow, I realize Mr. Woods had a ^ Appal >nt record at Appalachian State knows' wc versity, but hey, let's face it, 's Appalachian State. I have seen any improvement in :'s football program over the two years. I think Mr. Woods u 1 eeling the pressure of "Big DlaC e" college football. Whether he handle it or not is own tionable. don't know if the problem lies To the edi lin the defensive formation I am w lgc, or if it is the lack of size Tim Que he offensive line. Maybe it's in to my leu "kindness attitude" that Mr. that you t 3ds portrays; just look at the making z >rable comments he gives to Queen, th i coaches for such teams as Fund is i . Carolina. Come on, how good cause the i still active pai f I Steve Robinson Guest Editorial 1 What? Greeks not participating in Homecomf ing? If you believe this, listen to the awards gii ven to Carolina's top organizations during halftime tomorrow. These ought to spell out Greek - participation just as plain as the horse on Rick - Gant's shirts! I r Thp rjrsolfc Orfln't Irv/vlrinrr f/vr j Xiiv vjivvaj cuv/ii l iv/Uivillg 1U1 V^WIiil U11UU1VJII , and controversy. They are simply looking for a 1 bit of recognition and cooperation from a unii versity which currently seems to take advantage of them. Sure, we have had our share of faults, rtment makes ; Charity Ballard Guest Editorial I _ sent USC on a larger scale, both regionally and nationally. But now, since this university's athletic programs have moved into the SEC, the athletic department doesn't think the Softball program should continue to represent USC. Their main reason being the lack of softball teams in the conference. In my opinion, the softball program could continue to represent USC in a positive way as an independent team. TERS TO THE EDI teams? To back up this students at histori< when was the last time African-American pri lina, or for that matter tions. I didn't expect ; el, had a top 25 rating? this, Mr. Queen, beca ard-nose football, not a gument is based on I prep school. There wouldn't have for the NAACP if the er the problem, a solu- land truly had everyoi to be found. As for Mr. terests at heart from th< lat do you do wnen a jod ng fulfilled? Correct it! r. Dixon needs to call ss Black America er, recent former head because Miss America )ach for the Indianapolis cally Miss White Am n sure he could get the wasn t called that Thi Well, my comments are European standards Maybe we can at least sa^ Miss Tennessee State this on'y accepts black cor I believe their football y?u know any white > about the same as that want 10 enter? Mr. 1 achian State's. Who white woman did ente might even win. simP1y because the s beauty would be dil Steven Forester Queen, your slateme USC alumni Afncan-Amcncan per hatred that leads to rac asinine (stupid). ks need Oh yeah, Mr. Quee nrnnnc American isn't a col ULI|J!S identity, something th ^ * Americans were denic two hundred years. I s iton you take an Afro 335 < riting in response to Mr. you icave this uni en's humorous response checked, and it's avail :er. Mr. Queen, I suggest studcnts at USC. 00 search for facts before 1 fool of yourself. Mr. ie United Negro College lot available to me be- Robert 1 UNCF is only for select Political sci I )QD ARGUMENT f TLAG BURNING. I rt of college but fraternities and sororities at USC have consistently taken pro-active steps to prevent their reoccurrence. From academics to alcohol, campus safety to community service, the Greek system has dealt with the issues that affect us all. And they've done so with commitment and class. It's time for the university to stop looking down at the Greek system internally while bragging about it in its statistical charts and brochures. With cooperation from both sides, we can do great things. And to Dr. Palms: once again we welcome you. Know that within this great university and its great student body lies one heck of a Greek system. We're ready to work with you. Please accept our hands; all 2600 of them. And to the rest of the students, staff and faculty: we'll see < : you tonight at Cockfest. Just look for us; we'll be the ones standing together. bad decision The athletic department has also said they will use the money from the softball team to sponsor track. This seems ridiculous to me when you consider the enormous amount of money available to the athletic department. Currently, the money being used to fund softball is .011 percent of the budget, a very small percentage indeed. I think if the athletic department administration were willing, they could easily fund a softball program as well as a new track team. I would think with the image this institution has taken on recently, concerning the actions of former President Holderman among other things, the university would welcome and want to hold onto something such as a softball program that does represent USC in a positive fashion. TOR va'te' End of queen us" you"' hurts tradition assumption. been a need jo the editor: laws of this My years (1961-65) at the Unile s best in- versity of South Carolina were val3 beginning. uable and memorable for me. The friendships I made, the education I t was created received and the experiences I t was practi- lived have made me a better erica; it just citizen. s society has Al the 1964 USC-Citadel footof beauty, hall game, I was crowned the Uniack America versity of South Carolina Homeitestants? Do coming Queen. A feat quite unbewomen that hevable in the mind of a girl from Queen, if a Allendale. At the USC-East Carr, she'd lose olina game, our daughter, Eli;tandards of zabeth Ann, was crowned the 1990 Terent. Mr. Homecoming Queen. Again, an innt that the credible happening, but one that is petuates the only a part of her university :ism is quite experience. Your front nafff. article on We/t nesday, Sept. 25, concerning the n, African- Homecoming activities and the or, it's an ^act 11131 there wl11 ^ no ^UItIler at African- Homecoming queens was indeed d for over notewonh>'iuggcst that Is ,U,C Carolina that we knew :lass before 3 v dead? Are the student versity I ^ administration, the truslable to all toes anti 1,16 alumnl wll? contribute so much money, time and effort in support of this fine university going to allow one more tradition to be gone with the wind? L. Ellington Ann Gray Loadholt ence junior USC Class of 1965