Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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EDITORIAL Lottery Gambling would provide needed dollars to schools ~~~ 'T'he Georgia state lottery rq?*s ra^n8 *n $3 million, and a sufficient amount is coming from South CaroIf the argument against having a state lottery here is made on the basis of a gambling morality issued by conservative Christians, their argument has failed. Our state government has already allowed such pariahs of gambling as bingo and video poker. Attorney General Travis Medlock's push to put an eight-machine limit on video poker parlors is a blow to the entrepreneur, and shows South Carolinians the lack of focus in this state's policymaking. The courts have induced these owners into investing in a business and then decide to regulate them to death or pull the carpet out from under them, all the while ignoring larger and more important problems. The state government has back-tracked on its promise to video poker establishments and has denied them their rights to free enterprise. Once given, the state wishes to take away their rights to opportunity. The solution to gambling, like most problems, comes not through physical limits, but education. Education paid for by gambling money. Gambling will remain despite any physical limits placed on it because gambling's physical aspects are only the symptoms ana not me source or any problem. To attack the problem, one must attack its source. But the state does not know what source it is crusading against. Is it crusading against gambling? Is it crusading for morality? It's definitely not crusading for education. It has been me time-honored tradition of government to be the reactionary punishers instead of being me proactive nourishers of our future citizens' minds. If any form of gambling is to be allowed, no matter how regulated, then all forms should be allowed. The burden of any resultant gambling problem lies with the individual and not the gov emment. Riverboat gambling along the Mississippi River has proven to be lucrative to states like Iowa and Missouri. The federal government has allowed Native Americans to operate casinos on reservations as a means to subsidize education and other public services. Gambling, approved of by the government and earmarked for education, is a viable supplement to local, state and federal funding for public and higher education. To the public, lotteries have less of a social stigma than casinos, and are devoid of the ills, such as prostitution and organized crime, associated with them. A South Carolina state lottery may not be the best answer, but given the state's interest in funding education at every level, it seems to be the only viable option. VI I Warning labels ( After last year's prolonged argumer over "Murphy Brown" and the need fc improved family values, conservative probably rejoiced when ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox bowed to congressional pressur and agreed to carry parental warning about violent content. Under the agreement, the network would begin the warnings this fall the would read, "Due to some violent conten parental discretion advised." Where this loose-knit agreement ends i where muddled questions begin. The basi arrmmpnt fr?r lahplincr nrnnnnpnt* cav i that curbing violence on TV will lower th rate of violence among adults and chi] dren. In 1950, television sets were in 15 pei cent of American households, and by 199 they were in 93 percent of then: Consequently, the number of murders pt year has risen from 7,942 in 1950 t 21,860 in 1990; and the murder rate p( 100,000 has risen from 5.3 in 1950 to 10. in 1990. These statistics clearly show thj violence has grown, but whether it i because of TV is highly arguable. Opponents of labeling blame the ou growth of violence on the last two hur dred years of oppressed peoples reactinj Fundamentalists can To the editor: subjec Regarding the June 30 letter judgm and others which seem to that tt claim the course on "Christian God w runuaiiiciuausm ana ruonc me wr Education" is offensive to raised Christians, let me say I am a ronme Christian, and I do not find the observ course offensive. What I do clusio find offensive is fundamental- choose ists who seem to claim exclu- search sive right to the label sages1 "Christian." to jus Human judgment is always finally >lli'k iUB^I > 1kAr^k6oopA/?r (T looks E fue Television networks i 8? dlftl/VS UAMMS &E EYJketfELiviolent SHOWS. Soo/ WE'LL BE ABLE To fiNt? The Si \ P?ALLM 3looP1 STuFF x ?V6d FASTtR.^^ ^ >n violent TV coulc It ~ e m-f H o I m a n ifelr/ Columnist t, 1_ is sometimes violently, against the c Establishment. The effect of this disilluis sionment has been an evolving, underlying e friction between adults and children, [- which escalates into physical and sexual abuse. r- Some of my more liberal colleagues 0 within the media will scream censorship, i. but I cannot agree with them. While I am ir still skeptical toward the actual impact of o viewing violence on children, the evidence ;r seems to establish a strong link between 2 the two, and so I favor the theory of labelit ing. is Yet the reality of labeling clearly does not work. Rather than deter people from t- looicing or listening 10 someuiing, u oniy i- seems to pique curiosity and makes people j, want to find out why it is so bad . i't claim exclusive right t to error, including the based on the Bible, ent of fundamentalists I have no problei iey know exactly what idea of "combatting as irymg 10 say unougii euce ui luuuamcu iters of the Bible. I was public education in a fundamentalist envi- believe that influe nt. After many years of pernicious and not ation, I came to the con- The state, howev< n that fundamentalists remain neutral in j their beliefs first, then matters; hopefull) i the Bible to find pas- sions to the course which can be interpreted satisfy the neutrali tify those beliefs, and ment. I hope respo claim their beliefs are zens will continue t 1 doom networks Broadcasters hiding behind the rallying cry of censorship are ludicrous. Because TV is so widespread and operated in the "public interest, convenience and necessity," the network presidents, like newspaper editors, must realize they are ultimately responsible for the impact of their message on their audience. The networks, facing increased competition from cable and premium channels and declining market shares, have turned toward violent programming to help increase their ratings. Advertisers Dav mil lions of dollars to have their products associated with violent programming targeted at children. Restrictions and warnings on violence will cost the networks needed advertising dollars and jeopardize their existence. One reason why people have turned to cable is because it supplies the violent programming that the networks don't. The networks are not protesting against labels, censorship, or even responsibility of the media; the networks are protesting against what they see as a congressionallyapproved death warrant. r< p u ~/ Ks.Lh. Iiui/Iiuri (3 F?crr^/vn?iJ Editor for The Gamecock to be called Christian efforts of the fundamentalists m with the to control the content of educa" the influ- tional curricula italists on In an open climate of free , since I exchange of ideas, people have ,11 cc iu uc the chance to grow into a deepChristian er fuuer spirituality, without ir should " ' .. . the pressure to conform to a i the revi- Particular set of religious docdescription Lrinesty requirensible citi- James Gleaton Jr. o resist the Education graduate student