The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 21, 1991, Page 3, Image 3
Hatred
Racism is dividing university
because of student intolerance
USC is now the center of hatred. Letters adorn the Viewpoi
section with nothing more than hate in their contents. Racism
splitting our campus apart and nobody is willing to stop it.
The racism problem has been around for so long. Africa
Americans claim European-Americans don't respect their cultui
Meanwhile, European-Americans claim their counterparts "whi
and complain" about the problem.
The arguments are there, but there's no attempt for solutic
People are sending in letters to the editor presenting the proble
and their solutions. However, no solution presented has propos
the two sides to sit down together and discuss their problems.
Kudos go to Ralph Johnson, a Student Affairs official who <
sists minorities. Johnson talked with The Gamecock and told
about the problems of the minorities. He said minorities fe
pushed out of their opportunity to talk about their problems.
He also told us of their disdain of our predominantly whi
staff. We do not exclude minorities from the staff. We need
many as possible to help add a different view of the campi
That's why we encourage anyone to join The Gamecock.
USC also needs to be more aware of the reasons behind bo
arguments. Quotes like "It's a black thing, you wouldn't unde
stand" and "Stop complaining, and work for your goals" only e
courage more separatism.
There's also a great hatred among European-Americans becau
African-Americans hold "culture fairs." The point of these fairs
a good one, but how many whites attend these fairs? There mi
be a move toward including whites within these events.
Instead of having a "minority culture fair," maybe we shou
hold a "different-cultures-of-all-sorts fair." It certainly wou
promote more participation.
Otherwise, there's just more separatism and more hatred.
Both sides need to sit down and push away all the stereotype
We need to work toward a common goal of equality and unde
standing. We need to pacify this hatred before somethir
explodes.
Spike Lee presented this problem before. Do the Right Thii
depicted the building up of all this hatred that exploded in gre
violence. We need to do something before this happens here.
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Chstntxrted by Tribune Media Service*
i GAMECOCK
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Chris Silvestri
Editor in Chief
David Bowden Brant Long
Managing Editor/Viewpoint Editor Copy Desk Chief
Tige Watts Oct a via Wright
News Editor Carolina Life Editor
Aaron Sheinin Teddy Lepp
Sports Editor Photography Editor
Patrick Villegas Gordon Mantler
Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor
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 glenjs
Comics Editor Darkroom Techniciar
Rene? a. Gibson Laura S. Da^
Asst. Media Director/Advertising Manager Production Manage\
Stacie Lewis Ray Burgos
Asst. Advertising Manager Asst. Production Managei
Erik Collins Carolyn Griffiin
' Faculty Adviser ^ Business Managei
Lara Chapman
Asst. Classified Manager
Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be. a
maximum. 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, professional title i
a USC employee or South Carolina resident, or year and major if a student. An addres
and phone number are required with all letters sent. The Gamecock reserves the righ
to edit letters for style, possible libel or in case of space limitations. The newspaper wil
not withhold names under any circumstance.
New facts hai
As you will no doubt have already read on
the front page, The Charlotte Observer ran a
story in their Sunday paper alleging former
USC President James Holderman made sexual
'nt advances toward some of his male student in1S
terns. Oh my!
n_ The rumors of Holderman's sexual preferre
ence or whatever have been a running joke
_ ' among many USC students for years, but aftei
all they were just rumors to be snickered at anc
given little credence.
>n.
:m The important fact is most people wouldn't
ed have really cared if Holderman was a homosexual
or bisexual if it hadn't been students
ls_ who were the alleged object of his advances 01
us public money that hadn't been used in pursuit
>ej of these supposed amores.
The reason this all seems so shocking is beite
cause it is a betrayal of trust. I personally
as wasn't as anxious to see Holderman cut dowr
iS> last year, because I thought he was a pretty
good president who just got too carried away
lth with the power at hand. These allegations seem
to be an extension of that very same abuse ol
nI
Group corre<
jjj In the October 4, 1991 issue of The Game
cock, the front-page headline stated, "Student:
renortedlv raned." As an addendum tr> this ml
umn, a second article appeared listing thing;
JS. women should do to avoid being raped. WhiU
:r- The Gamecock did not intend to misrepresen
lg the facts of acquaintance rape, Campus Rapt
Awareness (CRA) believes there are severa
ng issues which were overlooked.
First, the list itself focused solely on women
Rape is not only a woman's problem. Both mer
and women are victims, rapists and friends ol
each. A biased presentation does a disservice tc
all. If precautionary behavior is outlined for wo
men to follow then justice demands adverse ag
gressive behavior be outlined for men to avoid
The proximity of the list to the article implie;
the common and incorrect assumption that victims
can always prevent sexual attacks and thai
when an attack occurs it is the victim's fault
Precautions can be taken, but rape cannot al
ways be avoided.
Second, the list provided by the Associatior
of American Colleges contains several suggestions
that should not be viewed as steadfasi
rules. CRA has taken the list and expanded or
its fundamental ideas:
1/ LET
All races have ttuly ^fn
same emotions
To the editor: CJ
Spike Lee's comment that white ^Ull
people should not direct movies
about black people, and Taifa S. PCT{
Graves' comments in the October
9 issue of The Gamecock, ignore To the ed
the principle that art should ex- Donna
plore what it means to be human, The pre:
and should affirm the humanity of American
all races. ^as once
and resc
To be a free nation, America American
must allow anyone, white or black, How c<
to create art according to his or her a boycott
inspiration. Anyone may see and as the use
respect Malcolm X's strength and an off-ca
intellect as a leader, may under- Moore ha
stand the courage it took to bring many tii
racial injustice to the nation's at- thought,
tention. And all people, white or contact
black, experience triumphs and fai- Bureau,
lures just as Malcolm X exper- What h
ienr.ed them. ina ie nr?1;
--"O ^
No good art speaks to one race issue on
only. Mo' Better Blues does not bating rac
concern only black people any goal that
more than Shakespeare's plays together. ]
concern only whites people. Spike separatisn
Lee's movie shows a young man's Moore is ;
struggle to find the relationships Grantee
and people with whom he wishes tified in t
to settle down, concerns his need he did ap
to find a space in the world which and inqui
J will allow him to be happy. Whose resolve thi
i story is not the same? And Shakes- had stopp
peare's plays study man's limita- out the si
r tions, the consequences of being seen it wa
human. They pertain to all people. infuriated
r obvious
If we say black people should students.
' create art about blacks and white But no,
people should create art about authoritat
[ whites, we segregate art, acting as coverage
if there were inherent differences opinions
in the races. No such differences what she
exist. We all have moments of to do is a
weakness; we all bleed if cut; we by makin
all long for acceptance and love fighting f<
from the people around us. communit
[ Martin Luther King, Jr. called Ms. Mc
t for all of us to love our neighbors (he people
as ourselves. Only then, when fists sents Mai
unclench, when angry faces relax dents, sue
m into understanding smiles, may we agreed tha
*m Holderman
Dennis Shealy
' power that Holderman is so well known for
. now.
The article in The Charlotte Observer listed a
number of cases where Holderman would give
his intern credit cards and cash to buy new suits
or gifts in very expensive shops, how he would
give them scholarships, and take them on trips,
which seems to imply he was trying to sometimes
buy the intern's affections or their silence.
Now one suit I could understand, after all the
interns were working for Holderman and having
r to travel with him. Holderman might have just
i wanted to keep up appearances. And scholarr
ships and small gifts wouldn't seem that out of
r line, but Holderman took it way too far with
i money that wasn't his. The money aside; howr
ever, the interns make straight out allegations
cts stereotypes
Campus Rape Awareness
Guest Editorial
1
"Socialize with people who share your values"
? This is faulty logic; how can anyone
i know what another person's values are without
f first socializing with him? The intent behind
> this suggestion is simply to avoid people and
situations that are uncomfortable.
"Think about the pros and cons of dating
older men" (and women) ? The inference from
5 this seems to be a warning of the stereotypical
' "dirty old man." This is unfair to older men.
[ Age does not make rape more appealing to rapists.
It is also unfair to encourage women to
* make unsubstantiated generalizations about
older men as a group.
I
"Be alert to other unconscious messages you
t may be giving" ? Campus Rape Awareness
i wants readers to know this suggstion is twofold.
People should not only be aware of themTERS
TO THE EDI1
x. the incident was unwj
Jud Wolfskin that the Association co
English sophomore cused their energies on
ing problems.
Many of the people
i nnfn |_ "represents" seem to tl
1 UOlS-lllV should quit wasting ti
. j tion's time by whinin
)6CUl6Q plaining about incide
significance.
ltor: . The owner of Soni
Moore has done it again. apologized. Why cont
sident of the African- ass an(j aff01
Association for Students forgiveness?
again wasted the time
>urces of the African- J
community. International stud!
in she justify her call for
over such a trivial matter
i of the word "nigger" by lI^^Annn
mpus restaurant owner. iiUIIICvUIl
s threatened, as she does _ x A | A i
nes without a second not mai i
to form a petition and
the Better Business Totheeditor;
? This letter is in resj
4s. Moore is actually do- editorial in the Octot
irizing an already volatile of The GameC0l
the USC campus. Com- . ^ Homecoming W
ism and bigotry is a lofty
we should all pursue has been (two) >
But agitation and cultural Homecoming and, aft
I is the only thing Ms. for SOme careful thouj
accomplishing. the letter, it is time thai
I, the owner was not jus- coming Commission re
he use of the word, but Gamecock's articles,
ologize straightforwardly coc^ insinuated that be*
red as to how he could absence of the Ho
e situation. If Ms. Moore Queen, the fraternity
sd to think rationally ab- floats and low turnou
tuation, she would have coming events in gei
s a simple mistake by an Homecoming '91 "5
owner over a problem Worst."
ly created by USC . .
The decision for th
M? Mrwp must ikp hpr sion to not soonsor the
ive position and media ing Queen had valid ra
to voice unintelligent This tradition only i
and needless threats. small amount of the st
is apparently attempting lation: fraternities anc
dvance her own position although the invitatic
g it appear that she is tended to all student o
Dr the African-American to participate. Other g
y. out of the spectrum 01
>ore is out of touch with tion open to all US<
she "supposedly" repre- Who cares what con
ly African-American stu- brings? People who see
h as Kendra Byas, have ing as a way to brin
it the AAAS reaction to community together in
i's reputation
that Holderman made numerous sexual advances
toward them. If true, this is
unforgivable.
Holderman was a very powerful man here at
USC, and he also had a lot of clout around the
country. There's no doubt that he could have
put his interns in a very awkward situation. I
remember talking to one of his interns once,
who said you just didn't cross Holderman because
it was very possible for him to make or
break your future.
He was only speaking in general, but it
makes a point in this case. With Holderman's
kind of influence and the lavish gifts he could
bestow, it makes it easy to see how it would
take a person this long to come forward.
Only time will tell what will come of these
allegations, but they could well mark the end of
Holderman's chances to climb out of the mess
Ka knn /y/xHam kim/iAlf <*%?/\ T? ?n a ^ ?Wa* a
ut/ uas guu&u iiiiiiscii niiu. 11 is a suaiiic uiai a
man with the potential to do so much good
would use his position to try to sexually influence
young men who took jobs with him because
they thought it was a privilege only. It's a
shame the privilege turned out to be in Holderman's
bed.
> about rape
selves, but should also notice the messages
those around them are sending. The advice
CRA offers is to avoid acting on messages that
are not clearly stated. Never assume that someone
wants to have sex ? ask.
"Be aware, alcohol and drugs are often related
to acquaintance rape" ? While the absence
of alcohol was mentioned in the description
of the alleged attacks, the significance of
this fact was not explained in the list. Alcohol
consumption is present in at least 60 percent of
all sexual assaults. Stating the obvious: alcohol
impairs the ability of potential victims and assailants
to make clear decisions. Men and women
need to treat drinking responsibly and
should not attempt to justify abhorrent behavior
with lack of sobriety.
CRA thanks The Gamecock for covering the
highly sensitive issue of rape. The organization
welcomes any opportunity to increase awareness
and educate die student populance on this
emotional topic.
Should you wish to attend our meetings, they
are on every other Tuesday at 5:30 in the Russell
House room 306. If you have any questions,
please contact Women's Student Services or
Campus Student Services.
roR
I
irranted and doesn't single out or exclude any
uld have fo- group care. So a former Homemore
press- coming Queen lamented on the demise
of Carolina tradition. I say,
new traditions were created, with
Ms- M(X*e the betterment of USC in mind, at
jink that she ^ expense 0f obsolete traditions,
he Associa- Those silver bowls presented at
g and com- halftime represented those organints
of little zations that have worked toward
the improvement of the Carolina
's pizza has community. How should it be
inue to har- worse that, instead of recognizing
d him no one individual to represent USC at
Homecoming, that a number of
ohn Rhodes student volunteer organizations be
es freshman represented for bringing a positive
image to Carolina?
The fraternity boycott of the
# floats had a practical side as well.
[||f|2 Rushing percentages have declined
? and funding is sparse. The cost of
\orj building a float is quite high and
serves its own end; nothing is truly
gained in the process. These funds
could benefit charity events in
>onse to the which the Greeks are highly
er 6, 1991 involved.
:?, re: bashreek.
If the Carnival happens to fall
on a rainy day, there isn't much
weeks after one can about it, other than
er allowing maice alternative plans. Such was
;ht to enter - tfoe case on Wednesday; plans
t the Home- were ma(je t0 move the Carnival
P^es 3? into the Ballroom and everything
i ne uame- continued. C'est la vie, as it were.
:ause of the
mecoming So was Homecoming really so
boycott of horrible that its funding should be
t at Home- cut from the student activities proueral
made cess? Did the work of the Cornlimply
the mission warrant the editorial position
that Homecoming funding is
"just not worthy of our time?"
e Commis- Consider that, no Homecoming at
Homecom- ap No reason for alumni, students,
unifications, faculty and members of the Carmade
up a 0iina community to come together,
udent popu- No reason to feel pride in being a
I sororities, pan of USC. That is how I read
>n was ex- this editorial. As a part of the sturganizations
dent leaders, and as a member of
;roups were Homecoming Commission, I supi
this tradi- port our decisions of this year and
- students, i forward to next year's
troversy it Homecoming Week as well.
: Homecom?
TTCr1 w>.-?
g """ ueeje riei
a way that Homecominp Commission