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Viewpoint The media Professionalism lacking in today s slanted media The public malaise for irresponsible journalism in this countr is growing. From all sides the media is blitzed with complaint and disdain. Over the years the malaise has given birth to stereotypes: Th media are negative, self serving, unfair and so on. Sadly, the stereotypes are often well-deserved, brought about b the media's behavior. ! The only way to break down the public's generalized attitude is to practice responsible, professional journalism. Personal chai acter attacks, tacky use of air time for insignificant, irrelevant edi torial comments and uncaring attitudes concerning the impact c negative publicity must cease. The jaded, arrogant journalist is the future unemployed journalist. It's no secret that the media can not continuously please ever) one. But that is every good journalist's goal. News people need a greater awareness of the groupthink mer tality they often develop after years in the business. . The quest for exposing corruption, the jadedness from peopl trying to use and manipulate the media and the knowledge ac quired from years of reporting build walls around journalists tht frequently close in around them. Trapped inside, they are out c touch with their audience. Their arrogance and unrealistic views build as they attempt t deal with complaints and set society straight. It becomes a viciou circle, driven by journalists' out-of-touch mentality. The solution is based on a simple concept, known as balanc< Journalists must be cognizant of the fact that their knowledge an power is great but must be accompanied by sensitivity and oper mindedness. Otherwise, the public malaise will continue to gro1 and jeopardize the credibility and future of the American media. f\WHAT 0\D <you I LOOKS UKE ySTEP OK? J 1U? Middle CLASS. x?' ' If you have an Issue or question you would like to see addressed in Cross Fire or USC Voices, Please drop it in a Suggestion Box or Call The Gamecock Newsroom at 777-7726. Discrimination being ignored are historically while ar To the editor: "Whiles Only" signs is i If only 95 percent of USC's campus sive' USC would und< had to be racially integrated, there tl0n 10 ""e8rale 5 Per would be outrage. Imagine barriers t-amPus. slating "Whites Only" and effectively keeping out all non-whites from 5 per- Actually, as pointed oui cent of the buildings here. Gamecock on Wednesdz 01 course that wouldn t mean that USC docs have such a non-whites couion i attend all classes rather than discriminating or participate in enough campus prog- whites, USC discriminates rams to satisfy federal regulations, only ablcd persons, lnaccessifc that certain residence halls and shout "Able-bodied Per; academic buildings would be accessible while university officials s< strictly to whites. have bothered obeying lh< rule at all, as if USC is a If a non-white wanted to participate disabled faculty and in activities normally taking place in a lavor. "Whites Only" building, that person could request the activity be moved to jjscs policies pe an integrated area. But, even in intc- crimination, an insult to grated buildings, certain entrances and lhc universljy. passageways could still be reserved for whites. Naturally, the university would have the option of integrating the entire campus, but since many older buildings International studi Question: Shoul Charles Traywick Ros; History major Engi "Definitely, for safety reasons "Yes and because it promotes a l?ss better workforce." allov y the man out 1 e ?i r*cros if n Choices, rights I am not pro-abortion. I don't think anyone is pro-abortion. ^ It's sad that we live in a society si closed to discussing its own sexuality the abortion is a major issue. Perhaps, if w e could talk about responsible sexual beha vior without fear that natural functions wi] corrupt our children, those childre wouldn't ever be standing terrified at th doors of a local clinic. But it is an issue and, unfortunately, it must be addressed. This column is not meant to tell yo o what to think. It's only asking you to en S sure that you can always think for yoursell I'm writing this because I believe tha neither the male-dominated bodies of th ; Supreme Court nor the members of the Se (j nate can be granted the power of telling j_ woman what she can do with her bod) Pro-choice laws do not mean anyone mu< have an abortion. They leave you able t make decisions for yourself. Pro-life law do not. The state cannot tell you what to think ""1 the state cannot tell you who to love, an the state cannot tell you which God to wot ship. No governing body reserves the rigl to make your moral judgements for yot That is why you have your own mind, an your beliefs are the only thing in life yo can truly call your own. Abortion robs The right to choose an abortion is tf most frightening freedom our country giv< its citizens. When any society begins to fight for tf right to kill its future, it is time to r< ^ evaluate that society's level of intellect an (// its conscience. 5^ The Supreme Court told women in 197 ^ they had the legal right to choose abortioi ^ Since this landmark decision, pro-life an ^ pro-choice groups have debated the right I ^ be born across the mass media. Their em< ^ tional outbursts and rioting create st< ^ rcolypes and confusion that cloud th problem. The problem is that fetuses, Latin fc "little ones," arc being extracted from the L mothers before they've had a chance to u life. lJ The right to choose indicates the pr< sence of responsible and intelligent qualitk in the chooser. A woman who chooses I kill the life inside her chooses to cheape the value of life in general. This decision sad and horrifying for the future. Ill is terrible when a 14-year-old, unwe* impoverished girl becomes pregnant. It unfortunate that men and women aon t r< ceive enough education about birth contrc It is unfortunate that a great percentage < our country's population lives on welfare. ^Tpe?g "PC" languai ;r no obhga- . 4 # cent of the gives identity To the editor: L by the The The idea of political correc ty, Jan. 15, a hot item lately. When I first h< policy. But term, an image of a little, grej against non- dady fussing over whether she against dis- put her finger in the air when si ile buildings cup of lea, came to mind. But sons Only," look at the exact issues that are eem nrond to 1 can see thai we are not iust e 95 percent about how to behave. This is nc Iready doing superficial issue here. I students a People arc saying, "Hey, lool I'm a human being with a pasi rpctuale dis- lurc an(* 'cc'in&s about them, everyone at y?u" Antl PcoPlc arc lc stand that. And when they dc stand, they think differentl; something, and their language lifer Holder ,JS rcsil|| jusl naturally. healthy. That's being cducatet ies freshman mg something about life. An d mandatory drug te< I - j I ft*** ? Mfl* |M t V':. l^^Wj gK & alind Rice ineering major >, because with the jobrates being so high why v people using drugs on job when they have so iy people needing jobs there." s Firi cannot be lin No stale has^ the right to you can do with your body. A i .. _ ...... i? ? - a miu as 11 sianus ngni nt it your body that is the issue hi e fetus from the female body, i- live alone. The day that scien 11 that a fetus is truly alive, tha n of a woman's body until it is e be one of the first to step ai j, way for a new' law on the boc When we let the state ste u making choices about our val i- will be watching the foundati< f. our way of life is based cn it our feet. And we may be unal e of the pit into which we woul If the state can make ab( a then it is only a step or two a ing us how many children wi ;t making abortions mandatory o tion figures rise too high. Ii s China, it can happen here. The rules and regulations government are important to d way of life. However, they ha my home trying to legislate it certainly not in my womb, i. - Shelley Magee Shelley Magee is Viewpc The Gamecock. rights from ft ie These problems ? the ecc is lion, sexual promiscuity ? debate. The hour a women i ie pregnant is not the time to lot lems that led to it, but to loc id make the best of it. Pregnancy is unwanted in 3 1977, it cost $350 to have ai a. about $35,000 to raise a c id reaches age 18. For the unwei to woman, pregnancy is not onl > but also unaffordable. i- Mother Theresa said, "T ie poor is the society that ki children." 3r She's right. The woman u ir have her child aborted inst y birth robs her offspring of the pcricnce this world, i- There is no excuse for at is right to choose who should to should die. ;n The right to life of an unl is the right to life of an 80-yeai not a topic for debate, d, As long as abortion is legs is to live is something debt i- America, the land of the free, ''* - Kathy Heberger Kathy Heberger is the cop> The Gamecock. what we're here for. The character Coc posed to represent two students, one Cocky a ?e African-American cu ever came up with th J meant well in trying to one. But the point is ll plies that there arc tw pics here, and the key\ tnefs 1S I say we arc not diffc a/* 1 ^ human beings. The f; ' ,air,, distinguish group cha Sh0uld nn. rhan,*, hrl .1 le has a . , . cally more alike than vi when I J raised- CI I ,? talking So' lonS ||VC lh,s )t just a niore lhe better. There lems with it of course. Bui we're much belle c at me! heard from everyone t t, a cul- in a society in which just like right to speak and b< ) under- who we really arc, an > under- who don't know us (hi y about changes That's 1, lcamd that's Journalism j sting be required in the workplace? 9 I ^pPp f i ^ wmmmtBtKm 5 Marvin McManus Karla Fulmer Finance major Biology/Pre-med major "It's not professional to have "| think it should depend on people in the workforce who the job, it's especially imporare drunk or high and tant for people like doctors, unsafe." machine operators, politicians, athletes and things like that." Tfifr Day to reflect gp% upon equality - John Palms # Today's observance of Dr. Martin Luther King lltcd ^r 's birthday ?ffers us an opportunity to reflect upon his ability to transcend racial and cultural divi? , sion in the name of community, equality and nonlell you what vio|en. social change. . . For my generation, memories of Martin Luther >w, it is only King jr's devoted struggle often evoke images of . re. Remove a ^js vjsjon an(j selflessness during civic strife. We ana it cannot witnessed his fearless efforts to recast our nation's tists can prove commitment to human dignity. t it is not part Decades later, his courage and the lessons of that birthed I will era remind us Qf our ^ | ? , >ide and make dependence as human beings ; and our obligation to honor p in and start rjghts of all people. The ues for us, we relevance of such values was mS* JN 3n upon which made clear when Nobel i m" imble beneath Peace Prize recipient Ar- WL Me to claw out chbishoD Desmond Tutu of d South Africa shared his mes>rtions illegal, sage of decency and freedom ? way from tell- wjt^ our December graduates. e can have, or Similar ideals were related to our announcement when popula- jasl Friday that we had established a partnership bet happened in tvveen the Penn Center near Beaufort and our Columbia and Beaufort campuses. The center is a vital ? edera part ^ state?s history. The University will help 1 Prese e our preserve its rich African-American heritage and that ve no place in Qj- Qur other sea island cultures. Such an initiative morality, and symbolizes what we might accomplish in sharing in the diverse character of our nation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught that we must >int Editor for not onty guard freedom but guard against racism and cultural fracture. Particularly at this time of international political upheaval and fiscal crises, it is im c portant to be mindful of his example. This day helps uHlo us to appreciate and respect the sacrifices that have inomv educa- ^en ma?^e' and responsibility we share, to safeare topics for guard human rights and the freedoms guaranteed by realizes she is the Constitution. 3k at the prob- we ?^serve l^e birth of a leader who gave his >k for ways to '^e 10 causes peace and justice, I join with our students and all of the USC community in honmost cases. In oring his legacy. i abortion and . ,l:ij nntii - John Palms is president of the University of 1 unemployed South Catoltna. kwheat is supdifferent kind of nd the other the 0 O FY"I D P A A It" Iture, and who g VT d 111 C t Ut K e term probably represent everylat the name im- Editor in Chief Eric Ward '0 different pco- Managing Editor Tige Watts vord is different. Copy Desk Chief Kathy Heberger rent. We are all Asst. Copy Desk Chief Jennifer Jablonski art that we. ran ViewDoint Editor Shell.ey Magee racteristics does News Editors...Patrick Villegas/Gordon Mantler lat we are basi- Asst. News Editor Kim Everitt /e are different. Carolina! Editor Greg Rickabaugh Asst. Carolina! Editor Lee Clontz movement. The Graphics Editor Ryan Sims 11 be some prob- Photography Editor Virginia Marshall There always is. Asst. Photography Editor Eric Glenn :r off for having Sports Editor Ben Breazeale han not. We live Asst. Sports Editor Chad Bray everyone has a Faculty Adviser Erik Collins 2 recognized for Asst. Advertising Manager Melissa Owenby d not who Others Asst. Classified Manager Amy Taylor nk we are. The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be 200-250 words. Full name and professional title, or year and major . if a student, must be included along with address and phone number. Ann Winchell j^g Gamecock reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel or space limitations. The Gamecock will not withhold names graduate student | o,,7 .. j