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1 Lottery State lottery in South Carolina 1~J 7 a neeaeuy rnurcu revenue source ^ Some people call it legalized gambling. Others call it a practical way to solve the state's budget problems. It's called a state lottery, and the debate over it has returned to the state legislature, again. A proposal to allow a state lottery in South Carolina is being discussed in a judiciary subcommittee and will probably not see action by the entire legislature until next session. Tlie three bills that have been introduced would give voters the chance to decide whether they want a lottery. Many states across the country already have a state lottery of one form of another, including many in the South. t In 1993, a time of budget cuts and declining state revenues, the continued debate over this issue makes little sense. I Many people want to make it a moral vs. pragmatic debate, with 1 anti-lottery groups taking the supposed moral high ground. ^ Gambling is a sin. thev crv. Another argument acainst a lotterv is 1 ^ , J -- J c " J that it undermines the morals taught to children in church and at home, while many see a lottery taking advantage of the poor, who can least afford it. The practical argument is obvious. A lottery gives the state one more revenue source, without raising taxes. And lotteries actually give the participant a chance to make their money back plus a whole lot more. No other revenue-making scheme does that. The lottery has proven successful across the country, especially ^n the Northeast, where the tax base is declining. Florida's lottery, in the news lately for enormously high pay-offs, has also been a complete success, making millions for the state each year. And more and more of our neighbors are joining the lottery bandwagon every vear. Georgia's will start in Julv. taking South Carolina lot- 1 tery money across the border. 1 But morals are also on the side of having a lottery. Is it ultimatety moral to cut higher education, health care and jobs to balance the budget? Education is vital to any individual's success, and the cuts in South Carolina's public universities and schools will have a pro- , foundly negative effect on the state's future. Bankrupting the future 5f South Carolinians by recklessly slashing education is not moral. ] Allowing people to get only sub-human health care is also, in \ our opinion, an immoral act. But our representatives in the Statehouse feel that government-supported medical care, no matter what the effect on people, is not so necessary. Is that moral? The bottom line is this. In this day and age, South Carolina cannot afford to fall behind the rest of the country, economically and culturally, in the misunderstood names of morality and Christianity. As one woman said in one of the lottery hearings, Jesus Christ /* will not send somebody to hell because they bought a lottery ticket. C This is quite true. The state legislature should give South Carolina voters the lhance to decide if they want a lottery. And maybe they'll vote ] against it, but they should be given the opportunity to choose in the first place. 1 Otherwise, South Carolina could be the country's most "moral" ^ state, stuck in 19th-century society. ??? ( 'One' concept symbolizes j universal power, simplicity I At times, it seems that para' doxes are as much a part of jfiSSfiht" math as addition and subtraction. Now, some of the more bizarre 1 ones have multiplied and pow- Vf ered their way into the qualita- | ' It all stems from the fact that, -ironically enough, hierarchy | > based on quantitative weights J . I 1J ? ll,A A uoes noi iioiu guuu in uic KAHUL intriguing world of numbers. In S H A R A N G P A N I fact, it is the simplest, most sin- L^? I gular, next to nothing that hogs all our attention and respect. An level, it represents the most eleuncomplicated, straight stroke is mentary building block, the sufficient to make this number indispensable tile in the brilliant more important than any of its mosaic that is this world. Life more elaborate and curved peers, without it would be impossible, Like its triumphant homonym, as it would be impossible to crethe number "1" evokes, as when ate an ocean without even a sinidentifying a position, an image gle drop of water or a house of of unchallenged, undeniable cards without a single card. It is superiority. A "100 percent," or what makes existence so simple literally translated, a "1" on a and fulfilling, by allowing us a ) test represents the ultimate acad- taste of a small piece of the big emic achievement. Our attitude picture, and language, too, seem to be A win-loss record of 10 losses partial to it. It is always the first to no wins might differ from a impression, and the fust experi- nine losses to one win record by ence of anything that is the most a small quantitative amount. But lasting one. The "primary" cause it is the one win that represents is the one most influential and a humongous psychological important. And "one," is what leap, light years ahead from the we must all try to be, by moving absolute failure a zero signifies. towards a unified existence. It is that one win that is the Technically speaking, "1" morale preserver, the saving symbolizes the universal, grace and the antidote for any absolute yardstick for quantify- painful memories of losing. ^ ing any real or imaginary entity. The other day, someone used * For instance, no magical quirk a fallacious mathematical arguof nature was responsible for ment to prove that one was making the atmospheric sea lev- equal to two. el pressure at zero degrees It did make me one-der for a Celsius precisely one atmos- moment, how our lifestyles phere. It was made to be that would get transformed if the way. And "one" is what encom- King were to lose its crown, passes and binds our boundless cosmos into a singular universe. Rahul Sharangpani is At a more abstract and deep a columnist for The Gamecock Viewpoint ^ mnc ^v/nw V Should women be z nit i [c .w giw uic upjnjiiuiiiij' uaci\. iu uiu?c wjiu ucscivc 11. /\nu 11 5 a Mitiaiic gy hat we made women prove themselves. g Ask yourself this question. If women were in control of our society, en vould they demand men to prove themselves? Score another one for the women in what isn't a battle of the sexes. m( instead, it's a battle of equality. A sex-blind, color-blind and moral- cu 3lind battle of equality. tar Tige Watts is a columnist for The Gamecock -1 |tiWh Sljqn. ,- - r^?'.. _ t, v. . Bible should be taught from forei?n (i e- R?man) ruIe- pfc , . . , ? Historically, Jesus tailed to gain ] IS nistorical artliact this liberation for the Jews, and su{ was therefore dismissed as a got ?* e f.1 or,' . , ,. Messiah. A Messiah by the con- sal Ms Meyers letter lo U* editor lemDorarv detinition is a whollv ,n tne Wednesday, April 28 issue ^ Thus> ^ can " >f The Gamecock, asks tor seen ^ a.Messiah jn ^ contempo. ^ eligion ^ t0 Pro^ ^ aD."on;, rary, but not in tiie historical sense. for liased presentation of t e lb e, ^ unjversjty js composed of rur vhich is a valid lequest. ^ students from many different reli- n0 ^eyer^ s^s er gions, diversity must be considered beliefs about the Bible have con- jn ^ classroom xh professors inually been challenged by most Ieachina Religion 101 are justified nrr scholars opinions She implies jn u ^ Bible as a histori. P? hat Christianity is the sole religion ca| rather ^ a religiouSi are n the Bible worth teaching, yet tun udaism is another equally worthy Tomer Tishgarten ""i elision, which follows the Torah. ... .. ... .r Old Testament. Religion 101 B.o.ogy pre-med jun.or nQ| onuses on the history of religion as Klara Cohn set in introductory course. Thus, if ? * the deity of Christ" is not the Mathjumor us nain focus of the course, Ms. wa Vleyers should not take offense. . pai As Jews, our belief that Jesus Education Should be pu vas the Son of God, or a Messiah, USC'S tOD Priority s non-existent. According to "The mc Jewish Literacy Book," the biblical To the editor: co1 lefinition of a "Messiah" comes I have never written to The rom the first centuries of the Gamecock, but the comment by <Ju: Common Era, meaning a military engineering professor Reginald Fu eader, who would free the Jews Hilborn on graduate students' and the NE7^7S??Sm sr ^ Jtek VDaiiit P.O. BOX 85131 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH Editor in Chief Patrick Villegas Associate Editors Lee Clontz. J.T. Wagenheim Viewpoint Editor Gordon Mantler 1 r Copy Desk Chief Brian Garland Sout News Editors .lack Dunn. Melissa Tennen Wed Asst. News Editors Lea Clayton. Rochelle Killingbeck weel Carolina! Editor Jennifer Fuller ycrsj Asst. Carolina! Editor Melinda Waldrop ? Sports Editor Nancy Salomonsky Asst. Sports Editor Rob Rodusky ailth< Photo Editor Stephanie Newlin T1 Asst. Photo Editor Kelly Johnson publ Graphics Editor Gregory Perez ^ Asst. Graphics Editor Chris Muldrow ' Cartoonist Paul Jon Copy Editors Chris Davis. Thoin Hantaan resp< Student Media Coordinator Jim McKellar The Production Manager Laura Day Asst. Production Manager Jim Green Advertising Manager Renee Gibson 1 Asst. Advertising Manager Michael Van B*irgen ?t th Faculty Adviser Erik Collins dent Graduate Assistant Brian McGuire Darkroom Technicians Erin Galloway. Rika Hashimoto Equality. It's a simple word to say or spell, but it's hard to feel what bat word means, especially if you're a minority. U.i In a country that claims "all men are created equal," it's hard to lin relieve that minorities have to live without a feeling of equality. But it lappens, and all anyone can do about it is fight it. You have to stand up He md rightfully take what's yours. And you have to shape government ? be way it should be in your eyes. And that's what is happening... Bo Defense Secretary Les Aspin announced this week that women in the go nilitary would serve more in the field of combat. It's an announcement wil hat makes another nlavinu field level. P" It seems that women have been suppressed for over a thousand years vvc n social status, political power, religion and so on. And with another ? century on the horizon, we find different traits in different people. wc Some want to maintain the status quo because it's easy and comfort- me ible, even though it may be wrong. Meanwhile, there are others who 80" lave courage and look to the new century as an opportunity. The decision to allow women into combat is another in a sure to be ong line of issues that gives our society the courage to change things or the right reasons. 0 ' Oil Within the past 100 days, we have faced issues like health care _ eform, freedom of choice, gay rights and women's rights. We have and ve will continue to even out the mountains that separate us. ^ There is no reason why women should not be allowed in combat. nQ Women have proven they are capable at handling such stress. It's time en r\ niira tKa AmMAt4nri?Hr f r? fU mkrv f/a ?# A ?-?If' ? <-* aIa??v*/\ V SSPflPP illowed in combat? > " I'm not planning to go into a whole tangent about why women in the S. military shouldn't be driving tanks and shooting M-16s on the front es of a major war. Ideally, I think women have the right to fight for the American military. >wever, it is simply not a practical idea, and here are some reasons why: Most importantly, what happens if Ms. Army pilot is shot down over >snia-Herzegovina while attacking Serb guerrillas from the air. I'm not ing to get into what they do to the women there, but could you imagine lat would happen to an American woman if she were taken captive as a soner of war? It would not only be totally sad and devastating, but it >uld outrage us more than if a.man were taken captive. This will make everyone mad at me, but you've got to admit that >men are much more emotional than men. Could she really stand it :ntally to be in the trenches killing and killing and killing. I don't think I do realize there are a few who do want to do that, but they are very v. Also, fighting in combat requires a great amount of strength and durance. Sorry, ladies, but this is endurance that only men are capable Granted, American Gladiators Lace and Blaze could whip some seris tail in combat, buf people like them are few and far between. Think of it from a man's standpoint. It would devastate me to see a gile, young woman be massacred by Iraqi gunfire. Women are beauti, fine creatures who should be treated like a piece of delicate glass ? t as target practice for guys with AK-47s. The bottom line is their presce on the front line would adversely affect the men fighting, putting erybody in danger. Aside from Israel, no other country allows women in combat. Can an ure world oe wrong/ There are many reasons why women shouldn't fight in combat, many ire than why they should. "Why shouldn't they be allowed" just doesn't t it. The whole issue, like many other issues currently plaguing the miliy, shouldn't even be an issue. J.T. Wagenheim is an associate editor for The Gamecock ;'! . . . lessors' jobs drove me to it. wisely, then it would be more likeMr. Hilbom, if professors are not ly to provide more funding, iposed to teach, then just what The faculty and administration at ?n ?f f r> r\rti > fU a?v\ iKaaa LI I T Q nnnrl * a Inlr a a aaa/1 l.ju is 11 iu pay uicin uiusc uig uttu ivj wkc a icaiiy guuu aries and only pay graduate stu- look at their priorities because, its enough to pay rent and eat? from what I have seen of USC in rsonally, I always thought it was &e last four years, those priorities JOB of a professor to teach and certainly don't appear to be educagraduate students to assist, not ^oni the whole show. Fortunately, t all professors feel they are Connie Parker )ve teaching. ' Journalism junior Ihis attitude is only one of the >blems this university has. There the continuous rising costs of Lion and housing. Where does all 5 money go, people? [ would love ,o see the budget. ?????? L?e,u,?s in bits and pieces like we ha\e should be 200-250 words maxi;n, but a full-scale budget show- mum. Full name and profesr what all tho mnnPU mminn intn dnnni ^ ? if j t.aimv w?* uiv iiivuvj wxiiiug iiuv/ diuuai line ui jeai auu uidjui, n !C is allotted for. Perhaps if it a student, must be included is going less towards the fresh along with an address and nsies and plants and outrageous Phone nu ber. . 1 , ? ?. reserves the right to edit for tchases, such as the Caiolina style, possible libel or space tza Hotel, then there would be limitations. The Gamecock will >re for education, and several not withhold names under any lieges would not have to face circumstances. istic cuts that will affect the ality of education they provide, rther, perhaps if Congress saw ! money it gave USC being spent ? 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