The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 11, 1991, Page 3, Image 3
Sexism
Clarence Thomas might just be
pioneer in case of women's rights
The Viewpoint section has been dominated by the issue of rac
ism these past few weeks, but all sides have neglected to mentioi
another form of insidious prejudice. Since the sexual harassmen
allegations against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, sex
? i ~ r: * r ? _ t . t
ism aiiu uic ngm ior women s ngnis nave received new attention.
Whether or nor Thomas is guilty is not the issue. What is s<
interesting is that the all-male Senate Judicial Committee origi
nally dismissed the allegations as being irrelevant to Thomas
nomination. The senators now deny this, but the perception is un
mistakable that they just didn't think of sexual harassment as ;
serious crime. Physically and emotionally abusing someone be
cause of their gender should always be a crime; unfortunately, th<
male-dominated U.S. government is just starting to realize that.
Proportionately, it can be argued that women are the mos
oppressed group of all. Although 50 percent (or more) of tht
country is female, there are only a handful of female senators anc
representatives in the U.S. Congress. There are few female gover
nors and there has never been a female secretary of state or de
fense, leave alone a female president of the U.S.
Women are also vastly underrepresented in the nation's corporations
and press. Many women executives talk about the sexisi
barrier that keeps them from rising to the top of their professions
To be sure, prejudice against all groups is intolerable, but wo
men's rights seem to have been curiously ignored in the past decade.
Hopefully, the Thomas controversy will end this neglect.
/ a 3r~rs A \ \ / IT'S A r j
ll black!) wh|te js
thing jt t ;b.?t
I YOU W0ULDN1 ( w \ R.E.HE.N D
1 I
W~7 rrn
&'ni %p?a? %
i gamecock"
News: 777-7726 Advertising: 777-4249
Chris Silvestri
Editor in Chief
David Bowden Brant Long
Managing Editor/Viewpoint Editor Copy Desk Chief
Tige Watts Octavia Wright
News Editor Carolina Life Editor
Aaron Sheinin Teddy Lepp
Sports Editor Photography Editor
Patrick Villegas Gordon m antler
i ...... rj:<? ' ? --
nssi.News liuiior News
Tracey Davis Rich Taylor
Asst. Carolina Life Editor Asst. Sports Editor
Virginia Marshall Greg Rickabaugh
Asst. Copy Desk Chief Asst. Photography Editor
Wayne Williams Eric Glenn
Comics Editor Darkroom Technician
Reneea.Gibson Laura S.Day
Asst. Media Director I Advertising Manager Production Manager
Stacie Lewis Ray Burgos
4 - * * A ? n j . . _ 1 /
asst. Advertising Manager /\ssi. rroaucuon Manager
Erik Collins Carolyn Griffin
Faculty Adviser _ _ Business Manager
Lara Chapman
Asst. Classified 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.
Citadel's frej
Is The Citadel becoming soft? Are recent allegations
causing administration to crack dowr
too much on what many outsiders are calling
hazing and ill-treatment?
It seems like recent allegations are made b>
n the misinformed public who try and pass judglt
ment on a military school that was once unique
from others around it. The Citadel gives a particular
group of people the challenge and discipline
they need and want.
The four athletes who quit and complained
~ about treatment cannot say they hadn't had
some type of expectations when they first weni
in. They could not have blindly entered the
a school as a knob (freshman) expecting to be given
easy treatment.
l A junior student at The Citadel talked to me
recently about the system at the military
t college.
The student sergeant said the main feeling on
campus is that the allegations are obvious exaggerations
from students who quit and were
looking for an excuse. They simply could not
handle the system.
But according to the junior, the system has
drastically changed from his days as a knob.
Coming Out ]
Today is National Comine Out Dav On this
day gays, lesbians and bisexuals are asked to
take their next step and come out of their
closets to someone new: a parent, friend or
roommate. On this day those of us who will no
longer hide also offend a lot of bigots.
There will be backlash. Letters will be written
that will say our lifestyle is a sin (a point I
will not argue, as I do not know the mind of
God). There will be homophobic jokes, and although
some of us will come out with pride,
others will hide in fear.
That fear which controls so many, homophobia,
is bigotry. That is something which no one
\ says very loudly, in fear of offending someone.
But, let's be honest. Bigotry is one of the most
hateful, damaging feelings a person can have.
And racism, sexism and homophobia are
bigotry.
Gays and lesbians can be fired frgm, their
jobs solely because of whom they love, and it is
legal. In many states, we pannot adopt-children,
I LET
I.. - , |, 111 n': - j r ------ : : - -1 -: -'i:
a i A m j way to ma
Abortion isn't McCart
1C thai tha
^ w UIUI U1V
merely logical
a fetus the
To the editor: being?
It amuses me that Brian McCar- Since th
ter thinks he can logically con- iefs defin
elude an answer to a question of man is to 1
morality. Logic has very little to tributes. /
do with the realities and emotions human usu
of everyday life. conception
In any case, he has given us an developing
' intellectualized version of the anti- to 8 weeks
abortion/pro-life side of abortion, The key
and as such can be useful. I have and this i
always been of the opinion that complicate
you can't be for or against a belief have to si
or movement if you don't know aside),
what the issues are. A huma
As someone who does not want organism i
to see abortion banned, I would month. B;
like to explore his arguments and alive with
come up with my own logical ment 0f 0,
conclusions. capable of
First, I want to say that this is 0ld fetus
not an attack on Brian McCarter. outside of
He is probably the most thought- chanical ir
provoking person I have ever met, does happe
and I respect his opinion. We just Only .01
don't always agree with each choirp.
other. most of the
So, I'll start with McCarter's as- problems o
sertion that women who get pre- The pregnant
chose to do so by not abs- to protect
taining from sex or not using birth strictcd ab
control. Having sex without any and early
kind of safeguards, may be stupid, trimester (<
but it is not an automatic choice to tions occur
become pregnant. Our species, un- The questi
like most, don't have sex to just the 14th A
procreate. fetus until
Of course, women and men are human bein
both responsible for providing ef- The 14tl
fective birth control in their sexual tees that li;
relationships. But I also realize taken awa>
that in reality, birth control is not a unviable fel
100 percent guarantee against pre- ca]^ isn't it'
gnancy. And let's face it, there is Logically
inadequate sex education that deals Amendmen
with birth control in this country unviable fel
whether it be in the schools, chur- i
,
ches or health care facilities and 0wn life fur
especially in the home. In or(jer
McCarter's second contention is pietely in t
that abortion is an act of violence constitution
against a child by its mother. vcry j
When a woman chooses to have an ft? Sorry, t
abortion, it is usually after a diffi- about,
cult period of deliberation that may
include the father or her family. rca^ly
Logically is it reasonable to as- an(* ^
sume this same woman actually w *>ocs
hates the embryo or fetus inside of woman fa<
her? Is she trying to figure out a pregnancy
ihmen system
; GREG RlCKABAUGI
The hazing was not done in a spiteful sort
way, the junior said. It made knobs work I
, much harder to succeed and become better.
a~ i CA 1
naving wuu uu pusnups iwu years ago i
a common occurrence in the early morn
hours for the knob. In fact, he would constar
arrive at class dripping with sweat.
But not now.
The knob system rules now state that a kr
can only be made to do pushups in the afl
noon ? and only a maximum of 15 an hour.
Boy, sounds exhausting to me! I thinl
would be dead by the time that 16th one ca
around.
And why such a big change? This junior s*
it is parents who call in and complain that Ih
1 children are too tired when they come to cl
because of the pushups. Wahhhhh!
Day educates
Kyira Brooke Guest
Editorial
just because of sexual orientation, not beca
of unfitness to parent We can be together
20 years and never be allowed to marry, j
still be kept from seeing our spouse if hospi
ized because we are not legally "family."
are killed for who we are; made into pul
spectacles and moral threats.
All because of who we love.
Does anyone find it ridiculous that a per:
hate someone else for what they do in b
What happened to privacy, or support or dh
sity? Our country was supposed to guaran
the right to pursue happiness, not just
heterosexuals.
Even if sexual orientation is partially choi
why is it wrong? What religion we are is a it
TERS TO THE ED
Ice it suffer? aware of the potenti
er's strongest argument her. In fact, the maj
fetus should be thought who want the abi
an and entitled to protec- (even though they r
the 14th Amendment. Is to choose) realize l
: same thing as a human ity involved.
-Still, whether a i
lis is an emotional issue, to end a pregnancy,
e our terms. To be hu- up for adoption, or
lave human form and at- herself, it will be i
i fetus is a developing reflects her own u
ally from 3 months after stances and personal
to birth (an embryo is a Even then, some
; human from conception she was right; som
). think she was wrong
word nere is developing Pai
s where the issue gets Art history gra
>d (and the courts will ^ ,
et personal philosophy ISCIlSltlV]
ii fetus is not a viable qIIaWC 111
until around the eighth 111
i viable, I mean born
such form and develop- To the editor:
gans as to be normally My letter is writ)
living. A seven-month the letter written in
usually cannot survive paper, "Whites don
the womb without me- As a white male, I
itervention (although it truly do not unders
n). the reason being th;
percent of abortions by don't give white pe
in the last trimester and to.
>se are because of health Saying "It's a Bla
f the fetus. wouldn't understand
choice movement wants solve the country's p
the legality of unre- ism and prejudice,
ortions during the first them worse. The
part of the second whites are out to g
)l percent of all abor- make them suffer a
in the first trimester), all. Progress is be
on now becomes does America. In 1950
Lmendment protect the whites had their ow
it can become a viable tains, schools and
g? Since then, the doc
i Amendment guaran- opened for any m
fe or liberty cannot be white, to be anythinj
' from a person. Is an be.
tus a person yet? Tough It's not a "Black
? thing, it is an Amerk
', and as far as the 14th until you realize tl
t is concerned, no. An never get ahead. Doi
;us is not a legal person past, look to the ft
e it cannot sustain its then we can be one p
ictions. Benjam
to ban abortions com- Music educatio
he U.S., it will take a All
al amendment. Sounds /\1I I dCC*
ind calculated, doesn't #
hat's what logic is all be preju
, arguments on viability Jo the editor:
th Amendment is not "It's a white worl
through the mind of a have to!"
;ed with an unwanted For those of yo
!. She is very much what this means, pi
i not that bad
Parents need to tell their kids to suck it up,
, because they chose to go there. Then, and only
then, can they get on with making the military
? college a unique experience for those who want
it.
But no, they must bombard the administra
tion with calls of hazing (and even racism). The
fourth-class system becomes easier and easier
with each new year. And each year the fresh^al
men complain more and more, according to the
junior.
vas Of course there are going to be freshmen
in2 who cannot handle the system. But The Citadel
>tly is not for everybody, just like a large college
like USC or Clemson may not be for everyone.
And yes, the system may not be perfect. But
iob let the students and administration realize the
er- mistakes and make the proper corrections.
But among all the complaints comes one
c 1 good point. It is the administration of the school
me who will form an investigative committee to examine
treatment at the college. Because,- as
ayS soon as you let an outsider come in with no
,eir knowledge of what The Citadel is trying to do,
ass yuu ^au uci nc win oe me urst to scream and
point fingers.
USC students
ter of personal choice, yet it is staunchly defended
by our government Why is one choice
worse than another? Perhaps some people are
? so insecure that everyone has got to be exactly
like them, and if we aren't, they feel justified in
I hating us.
Instead of discriminating against gays, lesuse
bians and bisexuals, we should be happy that
others are finding love together. To do anything
else would be unjustifiably narrow-minded.
talWe
All of you know someone who is gay, aljjjc
though you may not be aware of it. Does it really
matter, in the long run, who they love?
Don't be so fond of hating that you won't stop
son doinS ?
ed? I'm a lesbian. I refuse to live in fear. I am
,er_ not ashamed to love. No one should be congee
trolled by bigotry.
for The Gay and Lesbian Student Association
can be reached through P.O. Box 80098.
jce Kyira Brooke is the president of the Gay and
lat- Lesbian Student Association.
ITOR
al life inside of "understand" at the end of that
ority of women phrase. I'm sure many black peolity
to choose pie would consider that phrase to
nay never have be both racist and offensive. I
he responsibil- would have to agree with them.
Unfortunately, I would also have
voman decides to consider the phrase that Taifa S.
give the child Graves ended her letter (published
keep the child on Wednesday, Oct. 9) with to be
i decision that equally offensive and racist: "It's a
nique circum- black thing and you could never
philosophy. understand."
one will think _
eone else will ? U 1S Cresting to note that
Graves' letter was written in remme
L. Eades sP?nse 10 an article she considered
iduate student racisL letter is written in response
to a letter I consider hypojfwr
critical. It would seem that Graves
' has no objections to racism, except
x when practiced against blacks.
Racism is defined by The New
Webster's Dictionary as "the assumption
that one race is biologiten
concerning callv sunerior to another " It
i Wednesday's not say, "The assumption th?t the
't understand." white race is biologically superior
can say that I to the black race." This would lead
tand. A lot of me to believe it is equally possible
it most blacks for both races to practice their own
ople a chance particular brand of evil.
Graves is a marvelous example
ck Thang, you qf ^ belief. jjow can she> jn
docsn t help gQ(Xj conscjOUSt criticize anyone
roblem of rac- for racjst writings, when her letter
it only makes -s equaiiy offensive to whites?
feelings that Qoes racjsm become right when
ct blacks and ^ tums ^ ^bles on the white
re not true at people by attacking them?
ung made in
, blacks and Graves clearly gets her point
n water foun- , , ? .
across, she believes racism against
restaurants. ., . . . , . i -.u
blacks is bad. I can also agree with
irs have been . ... T,. ... . 6. ,
_ m this nnint Hut I n ltb-o ?/ ? Kr/vi<ior.
an, oiacK or T~~ r u lw
z he wants to comment to ? racism is bad
? whether practiced against
" or "While" blacks, hispanics, Asians or even
:an thing, and whites.
fiat you will Graves suggests that "the next
1 t live in the time you (I assume she refers to
lture. Maybe white here) want to write about us
rople. (black people), I suggest you
in A. Merritt (whites again?) get some help from
n sophomore a knowledgeable brother or sister!"
s can Well, I suggest that the next time
? you, or anyone, want to write
Q1C0Q against racism, you get some help
from a person who isn't racist.
Hypocrisy has been called the Vas,
eline of social intercourse, but let's
an don t j^p intercourse private.
u wondering J.A. Osborne
ace the word International studies freshman