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Homecoming "Non-issue " a waste of time and money Homecoming continues to rear its ugly head, both in student senate affairs and this year's student government campaign. Wednesday's senate meeting saw a two-and-a-half hour debate on two homecoming bills, both of which failed by narrow margins. So all the time and effort the sponsors of the bills devoted to this all-important issue is wasted because of stubbornness and ridiculous internal student government politics. Nothing has been accomplished. Homecoming is in the same position it was this past year and the year before that. Good. We are sick and tired of hearing about this ultimate non-issue. While fraying race relations and an ever-tightening budget are causing more and more problems, the non-issue of homecoming keeps taking the spotlight. Here is a newsflash. Students don't seem to care one way or another about homecoming. There are no crowds storming student government demanding a homecoming queen, an ambassador or anything else. Our random election poll showed that students were more concerned with race, parking, safety and tuition than anything else. Homecoming did not even rank in the top five issues. Candidates who feel it is necessary to make Homecoming a vital part of their campaign should be rejected. They obviously do not have a clue about the USC community's concerns. Tradition is wonderful, but one that is racially divisive is not needed, especially on this campus. An ambassador idea is fine if students become involved in the entire process, but that's the problem. Only a handful of activists and their friends participate in the events. The problems that would occur by bringing back a homecoming queen might not happen if the real issues such as race relations are addressed first. So quit wasting our time and money, and address the real issues. How difficult is that? USC's big-time sports lackluster off the field The USC Athletics Department needs of their athletes after IfllHI releasing the fall semester grades | l of the men's basketball and football teams. The football team earned a 1.94 1% WL and the basketball team a 2.12. By the way, kudos to Gamecock ^ defensive back Cedric Surratt PATRICK who earned a 4.0, although I'm VILLEGAS curious as to how much he alone pulled up the football team s students study by lockV? , , ? , ? ing them in a study hall room for Now, because the football team toee hours or by spying on lhem and basketball team have been (Q see altend c|ass> d js deemed so deserving, USC c|ear l0 me mat the students are Athletics Director Mike McGee , or do n01 wam t0 |earn has decided to hire two graduate And if dlesc foo|ban bas. assistants to serve as tutors for the ke|ba|, alh|etes blaine ,heir at tleies in trouble. erades on the fact that Ihev did Ciee, I wish someone would n0| have enoug|) ?|ne do we|| hue a giaduale assistant to help because they were practicing and me with my classes. conditioning their body every In addition, USC will crack da j wtn tell them to lake notes down on players by checking tor from (he usc w0lnen s lennis classroom attendance and by team. They practiced just like the increasing study hall time to five bi? b and ended u wim a days a week, three hours a day. 3 J4 How about that? They are going Regular Joes like me have such to toiee people to study. disdain for the bis-revenue athSo where do we put the blame? le|es mey^get the limeDo we start with the system |j h| and Ihe slatus of kings and because it abuses athlete-students aeens wilhoul funcUoninr, as a - oops, 1 mean student-athletes normal studen, These albleles as pawns in the corporate bve jn .stylish residence halls and world ol football and basketball. receive special attention because Do we blame the coaches they can block or dunk, because they are not concerned h,,,? with the academic success of their t0 do Well, but instead players, but instead only theii allow the blaine for their ineptiphysical piowess? ,u(je t0 jvjj on athletic departOr do we blame the education- ment not themselves al system lor not enriching these Hopefully, these athletes will athletes at the high school level? realize they can succeed in both I say, bhune the players. worlds of athletics and academics, 1 hese students are not dumb. II maybe they can finally bring they can understand complex some cjass nloi/knAl'p r\r\r\ p tnrriop t a ?v* j/iaj IIV/UKJ anu i ain positive they can handle a lit.le Pmnck vjUegas ? edmr cMef Sf,,,ra' of The Gamecock When the university has to The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be 200-250 words maximum. Full name and professional title or year and major, if a student, must be included along with an address and phone number. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for style, possible libel or space limitations. The Gamecock will not withhold names under any circumstances. 7 T CAiVT BE OVEftlM-HMI NO OH R ABOUT /S Writer misses p in gay ban debs To the editor: The recent letter to t from Charles Kopp on th the ban against gay men bians in the military m whole point. The point Justice'is no more an "idi( engineering program" tod was 200 years ago v Constitution and Bill c were adopted or 39 years the Supreme Court issued on Brown vs. Board of of Topeka, Kan. No m endure forever when it d tice to a sizeable fracti people. Justice is at least tant issue as the deficit < die-class tax cut. He also says that "we ; sexuals have a distinct i over the homosexual co we can reproduce, whei can only recruit." I beg The idea of "recruitment crous. It would make sense for him to say lha not want to have to asso* members of a differ* because they may "recrui tiieir ranks, une can no r vince someone who is hei to become homosexual can convince someont Caucasian to become American. James U. Gl Education graduat NEWSROOI 111 TfOX / / / - // P.O. BOX 85 Editor in Chief Associate Editors Viewpoint Editor Copy Desk Chief News Editors Asst. News Editors Carolina! Editor Asst. Carolina! Editor Sports Editors Asst. Sports Editor Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Graphics Editor Asst. Graphics Editor Cartoonist Copy Editors Student Media Coordina Production Manager Asst. Production Manag< Advertising Manager Faculty Adviser Graduate Assistant Darkroom Technicians... LI EVE, TMAT pep event THAT EALltf CARES HE?E AGA/A/. ^ "The 11 AcAPEMH Ti AW A?PS"P| / USC \ WLm joint ^? *'ie e^'tor: The conclusion to Charles 1 *te letter on gay men and lesbi the military demonstrates his to think beyond stupid cliches he editor Gay men and lesbians e issue of always served faithfulT i and les- valiantly in the Ajmerican m issed the I'1 fact, the weight of traditioi their side The organizer IO c atic social American Coniinental Aimy ay than it the Revolutionary War, Pr /hen the General (and later America )f Rights z^n) Baron von Steuben, ago when agreed to serve under G its ruling Washington after he got nev Education the Prussian army was to brii ition can UP on charges of homosexual cnies jus- Thus, not only was the f on of its of the army gay, he turr an impor- America for greater tolerai ar a mid- "ay mcn in military servici U.S. ban on homosexuals d; as hetero- 1946. The current hostility tc tdvantage them, wasting millions of t.i mmunity: lars to investigate and dis< reas they gay/lesbian servicepeople, to differ. only to 1982. a hated Reagan " is ludi- utive order, as much Fundamentally, all Clinton t he does cs to do is to return the it ciate with services to their traditions, ent race right-wing paranoia had set ii t" him to As for Clinton's prioriti nore con- presumably submitted this terosexual because he thought it would than one atively unproblematic, con i who is to, say, simultaneous eco ^ - - * " ? 1 i i _ African- sumuius anu uencn reuuctu was no doubt surprised by th of ignorance of Charles Ko| leaton Jr. his e student Amitai A English pre ' ISai 131 UNIVERSITY OF Patrick Vill Lee Clontz, J.T. Wagenl Gordon Ma Brian Gar Jack Dunn, Melissa Te Lea Clayton, Rochelle Killing Jennifer F Melinda Wal Nancy Salomonsky, Tim The Rob Rodi Stephanie Ne Kelly Joh Gregory F Chris Mule Par Chris Davis, Thorn Ha tor .Jim McK Laura sr Jim G Renee Gi Erik Cc Brian Mc( Erin Galloway, Rika Hashin w ' V///// M use I \ ill Sfop | Ml I GOVS* !i!i!i * EUC Clinton backin SPin on election plat failure To the editor: have gin Clinton is keepins { and paign promises? Shelle ilitary. yQU certainly must be nJS?n your information froi of the J durin? News. Since the week ussian look llie he has bac n citi- several pre-Election Day only Apparently, your memory eorge strong as your zeal for vs that social changes that the n ig him Americans did not vote ft ity. President Clinton said ounder lift the "evil" blockade led to by George Bush with reg; nee of gaj aiiens from Haiti. a The " those freedom-seeking ates to began the dangerous tr 3w?ff "land of freedom" for th ix dob _i; . "har^e comciue wun camion i dates president. Four hundrt i ex'V- were killed attempting to dangerous voyage. Since i wish- Bill Clinton has addn military Haitian people, telling before blockade would remain i i. is too late for those es, he though, isn't it? order Then there was the be rel- ahout having the most do npared nel |n history of the f m?riHe where is the "d e scale Financially, this is the ->p and cahinet *n the history of dency. Blame the Rea years, I guess. There i viram legitimate millionaires in ifessor net, including our very irreco SOUTH CAROLINA legas Keim The Gamecock is tht land South Carolina and is pi nnen Wednesdays and Fridays beck weekly during both sun uller versity holidays and exar droP Opinions expressed )r *en or author and not those o Hvl^n ^he Board of Studen nson publisher of The Gamecc 'erez parent organization of Th lrow Change of address I 11 Ion /^Arrncnnnrlonro chnillH Y V?UIlCjpUllVlVllVV C/..V/V..V. v. ell The University of South ( , Day Subscription rates ai reen Columbia, SC. The Gam< bson 0f the University of Soutl jllms ^ent activity fees. juire noto -?I * irtMEHT j# noNS. I / Use 5 / Am... / THE SMELL i ^ 'iOUNG A " K\,/ foLiTiCiAtfS M?m Ot^y^ in the k^X_ ?b4^l ? ? ' p oilt Riley- The other members are only very close to being millionaires. I lorm suppose that is Clinton's diversity. I call it "out of touch." t j ~c ...?i * insieau ui wuiR-in^ un uic issues ? his cam- that four out of 10 people elected y Magee, him to office to perform, Clinton receiving has put his efforts into social issues n "MTV that are not particularly accepted before he by most Americans. I remind you, ked off of Ms. Magee, it was not abortion, promises, gay rights or any social reforms / is not as that a deceived and misguided 43 the liberal percent of the American people lajority of elected him for; it was "the econo)r. my, stupid!" he would Now he is saying he will not instituted give us the middle-class tax break ard to ille- along with lowering the delicit. His Many of reason is that the government's Haitians estimate was lower than the deficit P L' fA thp ?r> U.>t l*PO 1 tpll ir v*v w uiv Ctciuail^ 15, UUl UJV, VC1IV11 15 UKU eir arrival the deficit is actually lower than ; tenure as that which Bill Clinton told us it :d people would be during the campaign. Mr. make the Clinton's numbers could not be that time, wrong, could they? If he believed essed the that his numbers on the deficit them the were correct, then he should give n place. It us the middle-class tax break and Haitians also make an attempt to lower the enormous deficit, promise As the Bush economic recovery ^erse cabi- continues, we realize we were not tresidency. as bad off as Bill Clinton led us to iversity?" believe. Four years from now, we most elite will be "huddled masses yearning the presi- to be free" ? free from Bill gan-Bush Clinton's empty promises, are seven the cabi- Gary H. Gore own Dick History junior 4 ADVERTISING p'p 777-4249 . COLUMBIA, SC 29208 ? student newspaper of the University of lblished three times a week on Mondays, i during the fall and spring semesters and \mer sessions, with the exception of uninination periods. in The Gamecock are those of the editors f the University of South Carolina, t Publications and Communications is the ?ck. 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