The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 27, 1992, Page 3, Image 3
Viewpoint
Vote
Students must elect a government
sympathetic to issues, concerns
A majority of USC students are apathetic, in part because of the
lack of representation by their elected government.
Every student election brings promises from student politicians
to fight for lower tuition, parking solutions and better student representation
in USC's administration.
Despite the politicians' yearly claim of improvement, the issues
that students insist receive attention are never fully addressed.
Now is the time to demand and implement change. The powei
to vote is an incredible responsibility and must be used to its potential.
It is ineffective when only 10 percent of the student bod)
votes, which has been the case in the last several elections.
Candidates must address relevant problems that have been present
for generations, yet go unsolved. Parking is not a problem on
campus, it's an epidemic that hasn't been cured because of lackadaisical
pressure.
The new parking garage on Senate Street is a move in the righ
direction, but what's the next step? Deciding is an example of hov
students and their leaders must collaborate to find a solution. W<
can no longer vote a candidate into office unless he or she has ;
long-term vision that provides answers.
Students must also vote for leaders who will make a consciou:
effort to fight for more higher education funding.
We must have a leader who can stand up to the state Legislature
and USC administration. Change only comes from pressure, and il
tuition is to stop rising, voters must put pressure on the candidates
We must have leaders who are not worried about confronting
USC President John Palms and telling him students don't want the
Carolina Plaza Hotel.
We can no longer afford leaders who put their interests ahead o
students. We must demand a change for better representation.
"Ml, IF I WERE PRESIPENX f?
VO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE THINGS
QTC nQrl^inrr or otherwise find a wav to
7 * O cars parked just one day
^Pr*OrirlnF*\7 ICCI l p week, the world would t
jCV/UHUui J IddllC cleaner and friendlier. As it
addiction of some adversely
To the editor: well-being of all.
I have zero sympathy for the vehicle Maybe I'm just another i
operators who whine about a paucity of freak, but I feel sure I'll
parking spaces, on campus, or else- measure of solidarity amon
where. A more valid complaint could you less desensitized hoofe
be made about the cacaphony and clists. Is there anybody ou
stench produced by all this fume- sides me who'd love to W2
belching machinery, to the psycholigi- morning, look outside, anc
cal detriment of even the most desensi- some maverick trees had
tized pedestrian or cyclist. Moreover, spmng up overnight through
many drivers seem to regard those on ing asphalt, or read in the hi
foot or bicycle as second-class citizens, a huge tax was to be levied <
as if the power at their control justifies to finance the constructic
them in depriving non-drivers of their paths and a modernized rail
right-of-way. France or Japan?
There is definitely a redneck syn- Pipe dreams? For sure,
drome on this campus, and in the na- they'll approach reality wf
tion at large, that glorifies burning fos- cans start worrying more 2
sil fuels and says to hell with the envi- thing and less about parkin
ronment. If more people would carpool manding that our "environm
Question: At what ag
II ^ 'l^il
> aHUHjl
IVkUS
Wm mi
Jack Pettit Tye I
Music major Polit
"By sixth grade because "The
that's when kids start to be- fowl
come aware of their whei
sexuality." aboii
; tionj
it's b
^ros
I
Government ac
t Recently, Student Government has com
v under fire for being ineffective, useless an
* far too political.
j We must realize any governmental bod
is ineffective and slow to a point. Studer
Government is no different than the Sout
s Carolina legislature or the U.S. Congress.
Student Government has addressed issue
that concern the entire campus. And 90 pei
cent of the students cannot complain aboi
? representation when they did not eve
bother to vote last spring.
It is difficult to accomplish many eartl
t shattering things during one year, especial!
at USC. Student Government has achieve
many little victories toward a more progre:
sive and livable university society,
f Most students feel Carolina's tuition
too high, thanks to the economy and 01
backward-thinking legislators. Student Got
ernment has tried to combat tuition ii
creases through a broad letter-writing can
paign, which will continue until progress
made.
Student Government will institute an a<
visement critique form in February, a fir
step in trying to improve the questionab
advisement at USC.
Last fall, a race relations forum was he
by Student Government after the issue <
ethnicity arose on campus. With the thre
Student gover
Enter the mysterious world of Studen
Government, the inner workings: a 30-mi
nute debate over semantic word meaning*
i.e.: handicapable, introduction of phony le
gislation as a joke and back-seat stance
against the elitest USC administration.
What is Student Government?
The ideal: A group of students, electe
by the entire student body, to forcefully, ac
curately represent students' concerns to th
administration. An institution in which fu
ture leaders can practice and refine neces
sary skills.
The reality: A group of students, electee
by one in 10 members of the student bod>
who handcuff themselves to powerlessnes
and conduct useless government in the mos
prudent manner.
Student Government is viewed as a prac
tice ground for real government. And that'
the problem. It shouldn't be political. Wh
are candidates trying to imitate politicians
their games, their system, their corruption?
There should be no mudslinging. Stu
dents have basically the same concerns. W
are Democrats and Republicans in the oul
side world, we are students at USC. W
If you have an
you would like to see addressed
drop it in a Suggestion Box or Call Th
keep their dent" start paying more than lip s
out of the to his election promises.
>e quieter, David \
is, the auto Graduate st
affects the
Cross Fire
'aving ecog'some'of
raises questioi
rs and cyt
there be- To the editor:
ike up one I have just a few questions
I find that dress to Shelley Magee about h<
arrogantly cle on pro-choice,
unsuspect- 1. You say you are not pro-ab
salines that Does this make you anti-abortion
on gasoline 2. Would you say that stealing
>n of bike drunk driving, murder etc. are
system a la dealing with morality? If so, v
you say government shouldn't
but maybe lowed to legislate morality?
len Ameri- 3. If the fetus is, as you sa
ibout brea- alive, and is, as you say, part
ig, and de- mother, are you saying that the
ental presi- is not alive or just part of the mo
ie do you think sex education si
Edwards Blanca Carles
ical Science major Spanish major
>y should have it by about "About ninth gr
th grade because that's they do it any
n they become curious 'a*e to help anyl
it things. If they're ques3
can be soothed, then
>etter for everyone.
s Firc^
Idresses concerns
e of a polarized campus, Student Government
d stepped in to bring racial tensions to the
forefront, where we can deal with it openly
y and progressively.
it Parking seems to be a perpetual problem,
h and that is natural. Any large university in a
congested area experiences this.
<s Student Government has fought for stur
dents' parking rights steadfastly the past
it two years. We no longer have to pay $3
n during coliseum events if we have a class.
A new parking garage is being built, and
i- existing lots have been made safer,
y The charge that Student Government
d does not stand up to the administration is
5- unfounded.
?..:~i .i..
OIUUC1U VJUVC1II1I1CIII piutcMcu viuicnuy
is after the administration "borrowed"
ir $100,000 from student funds, without any
type of consultation or discussion,
i- Our government is limited because the
y administration has the final word. The stuis
dent president does not have a vote on the
Board of Trustees.
But without Student Government, the
st students would have no organized voice to
le represent them to the administration.
Id - Gordon Mantler
3f Gordon Mantler is a news editor for The
at Gamecock.
J
nment impotent
it just want someone to inspire us to unite
i- and, in the spirit of activism, make a
>, difference.
And we want someone with fangs, who
s will look John Palms and state lawmakers
in the eyes and say NO, we don't accept
that, this is what we want, and if you don't
d give it to us, you will be out of a job.
Nanby-panby politicking has no place
e here. Save it, if you must, for the outside
i- arena.
Simply put, Student Government lacks
the intensity and willingness to make real
d change. It's the student leaders' mentality
that causes the administration to not take
s them seriously. It seems epidemic in stu;t
dent governments to get locked into believing
they ire not equal.
A little arrogance, a little confidence and
s a lot of passion is what we want from Stuy
dent Government. Only with those qualities
>, will USC's student leadership serve its true
purpose.
e - Eric Ward
Eric Ward is editor in chief for The
e Gamecock.
Issue or question
in Cross Fire or USC Voices, Please
>e Gamecock Newsroom at 777-7726.
i
ervice 4. When you say the fetus is only
alive when it can survive outside the
'assar womb, are you saying that our parents
udent have a right to kill us until we are
moved out of the house and selfsupporting?
5. You said the following in your
column: "When we let the state step in
and start making choices about our values
for us, we will be watching the
? ...l* l ~c i:r_
luunuauun upun which uur way 01 nie
to ad- is based crumble beneath our feet. And
ir arti- we may be unable to claw out of the
pit into which we would fall."
onion. Are you talking about abortion, or
i? slavery?
5, rape, 6. Finally, when you say government
issues has no place in your home, are you
/hy do saying that you are the exception?
be al- Shelley Magee, I think maybe you
should think through your ideas and
ly, not make sure they are logical before you
of the write.
mother John C. Troutman Jr.
ther? Theology senior
hould be taught in schools?
Ik "*
Wyatt Urmey
Advertising/Public Relations
major
ade because if
later, it's too "It should be taught gradually
thing." over time, not in any one particular
grade, so it's not like
some kind of forbidden fruit."
Carolina Shuttle
deserves thanks
- Shelley Magee
The Carolina Shuttle has somehow developed a
pretty bad reputation on this campus.
Because of some negative publicity, much of
which has actually come from this newspaper, there
are a lot of students walking around with some misconceptions
about this student service. I think it's
time to try and give them a fair shake.
Last week I was riding on a very full shuttle
headed from the nursing building to the coliseum.
Everyone was packed on like sardines* trying to get
to class on time.
I was standing at the front of the bus holding the
railing on the ceiling. As we
tried to cross the intersection at
Blossom and Pickens streets, a jKjsife,
jerk in a red sports car ran a
light and cut off the shuttle,
which was almost in the intersection.
My back was turned ( fg x
to the window, and I was not %
paying attention until I heard
people start screaming.
I turned around to see what was happening, and in
that cr\lit OAr?r\nH nnt rvnlx/ HiH thp Hri\/Af manatYA tn
uiui oyyiiv Jwv/iiU) nut wi11 y uiu uiv un? vi utuiiugv iw
stop the bus, but helped keep me from going through
the front windshield.
Then he stood up, made sure everyone was all
right, and wrote down the license number on the car,
which I was able to see as the car was going up the
hill on Pickens Street. He calmed everyone down
and finished the route, and everyone got off the bus
safely.
J
The driver took the whole incident in stride as
part of his job. No one thanked him. But if he hadn't
made an almost impossible stop and had hit the car
instead, there would have been many people who,
no doubt, would have been plenty quick to sue him.
One driver said that everyday he drives, someone
runs a light or ignores a stop sign. If the shuttle *
didn't have good, responsible drivers, there would
have been more than one minor accident tost year.
The Carolina Shuttle faces one blow after another
each time the budget is cut. The service does the
best it can with what they have.
Shuttle employees do not cut the number of buses
running. That is the fault of the university. If you
want more buses, don't complain about the shuttle
system, write a letter to Dr. Palms and tell him that
everyday you ride the route to the coliseum, or
wherever you go, it's unsafe on the buses because
50 people have to cram into it to get to their class
on time.
Have you ever tried walking from the coliseum to
the BA Building in 15 minutes, Dr. Palms? We need
more buses.
The lack of buses is not only a strain on the riders
but also on drivers. The driver who reacted so responsibly
should not have had to deal with an overcrowded
bus and fight city traffic at the same time.
The Carolina Shuttle is a service we should appreciate.
The shuttle employees are doing as much
as they can with as little as they've got. And on a
personal note from everyone who forgot to mention
it that day, including myself, thank you, Sean.
IGamecock
Editor in Chief Eric Ward
Managing Editor Tige Watts
Copy Desk Chief Kathy Heberger
Asst. Copy Desk Chief Jennifer Jablonski
Viewpoint Editor Shelley Magee
News Editors...Patrick Villegas/Gordon Mantler
Asst. News Editor Kim Everitt
Carolina! Editor Greg Rickabaugh
Asst. Carolina! Editor Lee Clontz
Graphics Editor Ryan Sims
Photography Editor Virginia Marshall
Asst. Photography Editor Eric Glenn
Sports Editor Ben Breazeale
Asst. Sports Editor Chad Bray
Faculty Adviser Erik Collins
Asst. Advertising Manager Melissa Owenby
Asst. Classified Manager Amy Taylor
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.
The Gamecock reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible
libel or space limitations. The Gamecock will not withhold names
under any circumstances.