The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 09, 1994, Page 4, Image 4
_4
Sen
J.T. Wagenheim, Editor in
Edl
1 wendy Hudson, car
Nancy Sale
Excuses
Criminals' abuse of te?
makes mockery of U.S.
It's a problem running rampa
standing up and talcing the h
turning to what has come to 1
The accused claim ludicrous tl
hallucinations or heard voices 1
them are getting off scott-free af
gists and weekly visits thereafter.
It's an excuse that makes assai
tims and the guilty into not guilt]
Harvard law professor Alan Der
crime on one hand, but very soft <
Lorena Bobbin's back home,
given mistrials, after the jury w;
decision, and a guy named Dan 1
instead of murder because he cl
him less than fully responsible fo
We recognize that there are ca
problems, and were probably noi
or those that would be in the bes
To make matters worse, once
their crimes, they are often giver
other perks which cast a glamo
crimes.
Tonya Harding may be the nex
begun telling stories of abuse by
tinued practice of abusive condi
Harding is indicted, her lawyer \
victim of the Kerrigan attack.
Some claim these defenses shei
offer insight about the pain and s
committed the crimes. Why son
overshadow the fact that they cor
decide whether someone is guilt}
are guilty. And that is what juries
Do the crime, do the time.
Society has become too soft, ai
long as the opportunity for emani
tinue to see some good acting i
Clinton de<
of nation's
Last Thursday, former Presider
Ronald Reagan made a return tri
to Washington, D.C., for a dinne
in his honor. Reagan spoke to th
gathering, focusing on a rar
defense of his record as a pres
dent. He accused Pres id en
Clinton and the Democrats c
stealing his ideas and, at the sam
time, discrediting his presidency.
It is a relief to know Reagan ha<
at least nne rhanre tri mihlirl
f ?^?V.
comment on the fraud and decei
that has become the cornerstone c
the Clinton administration.
Unfortunately, the mainstrear
media, who are for the most part ii
cahoots with Clinton, do not offe
any kind of truth on the 1980s o
the Reagan administration. Clintoi
and the media have painted th<
1980s as a period of economii
greed with soaring deficits.
At the same time, Clintoi
adopts, or steals, policy after poli
cy that is virtually identical to th<
policies of the Reagan administra
tion. What Clinton, the Democrat
and the media did to help elec
him over George Bush was to ere
l:? -ri I:.?I ?i
ait. uuu 15111 uta. nicy ntu auuu
the economy of the 1980s, the)
lied about who was actually
responsible for the recession o
1992 and they lied about th<
severity of the recession.
First of all, the economy of the
1980s was the longest sustainec
peacetime economic boom ir
modern history. That is a fact
supported by every kind of empir
ical evidence known to mankind
Clinton and the liberals couldn'i
discredit these economic successes,
so they took another angle.
They created this notion thai
economic success in the private
sector, especially when enjoyed by
the "rich" upper class and "big
business," is somehow greed.
What they don't tell you is
A :JJU -i 1
miicma a uiiuuic uash niovcu out
of the lower-income bracket more
during the mid- and late-1980s
than during any other decade.
Another cornerstone of Clinton's
argument has been that the gap
between the rich and the poor
grew during the 1980s. This is factually
incorrect, provided you
""?aifttcock I
Student Media Russell House-USC*
J.T. Wagenheim Nancy Salomonsk
Editor in Chief Carolina! Editor
Lee Clontz Tony Santori
Viewpoints Editor Sports Editor
Carson Henderson David Mandrell
Copy Desk Chief P*1010 P**10'
Gordon Mantler Chris Muldrow
Copy Desk Chief Graphics Editor
Wendy Hudson Nora Doyle
News Editor Asst. News
The Gamecock is the student newspaper of th<
University of South Carolina and is published Monday
Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semes
ters, with the exception of university holidays and exan
periods.
Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of th<
editors or author and not those of the University ol
South Carolina.
The Board of S'.udert thibl-ca.tions and Communication!
is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department ol
Student Media is its parent organisation.
intcock
'ing USC Since 1908
Chief Lee Clontz, Viewpoints Editor
torlal Board
son Henderson, Gordon Mantler,
jmonsky, Tony Santori
nporary insanity plea
legal system
jit in America's courtrooms. Instead of
eat for committing a crime, people are
>e known as "Th6 Abuse Excuse."
tings like they had too much sugar, had
rom their dogs. And a good many of
ter a few months of conning psycholoilants
into the assailed, villains into vic/
by reason of insanity,
showitz says, "We are becoming hard on
)n people who claim victimization."
Erik Menendez and brother Lyle were
is too dazed and confused to make a
White was found guilty of manslaughter
[aimed too much sugar in his diet left
r his actions.
ses where the accused did have mental
: so capable of making sound decisions,
t interest of society,
the criminals have been "cleared" of
t book or movie deals, a mini-series or
rous light on even the most heinous
t abuse-excuser. Her lawyer has already
the skater's ex-husband claiming, "contct
intended to disrupt" her career. If
vill most likely try to portray her as a
d light into the minds of criminals and
uffering they went through before they
teone committed a crime should not
nmitted it. That's what trials are for: to
r as charged, not whv or whv not thev
should focus on.
id criminals are all too aware of it. As
cipation by insanity exists, we will conn
America's courtrooms.
ceit cause
problems
e
T'lSfw&mp*
Tommy Touchberry
y COLUMNIST
it
^ adjust the average family incomes
a for new census information, which
^ reflects the growing rate of divorce
r and single-parent households.
The fact is, as a result of
1 Reagan's tax cuts, the upperincome
taxpayers contributed
~ more in taxes absolutely (total
dollars), and they paid a larger
share (percentage) than during
the previous years.
Why? Simply because the upper
class invests, everyone prospers,
s the economy grows and the upper
class has more income to tax.
u\vn._x
iww a. nucia.i wuuiu say, wnai
t about the recession of 1992?"
Well, that's simple too. First,
; President Bush, with all good
^ intentions, commits political suicide
by compromising on a taxand-spend
program devised by the
liberal Congress. Add a worldwide
j recession brought about by a
( downturn in the business cycle
and you have a recession.
Please don't be fooled by the
lies and deceit of Bill Clinton.
True, he has adopted many conservative
ideas, like crime issues
and welfare reform. Still, his conservative
ideas are greatly outnum,
bered by his liberal ideas and his
| liberal cronies, like Hillary, Janet
Reno and Donna Shalala.
And by the way, the next time 1
see one of those "I do blame you
for 12 years of Reagan and Bush"
bumper stickers, I am going to ask
that npr?nn n/hv thpv klnmp mp
|-? * * WH ?w M.MJ U1VJ L/IUII1V IIIU
for the revitalization of America's
economy and the return of
America to a position of greatness
in the world through military and
economic strength. A simplethank
you would suffice!
ws 777-7726 Chris Carroll
. . -tz. Cootdinatorof Student Media
Ivertising: 777-4249 Laura Day
iX: 777-6482 Production Manager
Columbia, SC 29208 J'm Grwn
Asst. Production Manager
;y Keith Boudreaux Gregory Perez
Asst. News Production Asst.
Brian McGuire
Emily Peterson Gradua,e ^
Asst. Photo Renee Gibson
Jimmy Debutts Advertising Manager
Asst. Sports J. Taylor Rutland
_ . . _ , Asst. Advertising Manager
Paul Jon Boscacc. Erik Co)lins
Cartoonist Faculty Advisor
Letters Polky
) The Gamecock will try to print all letters received,
i Letters should be 200-250 words and must include full
name, professional title or year and major if a student.
: letters must be personally delivered by the author to
f The Gamecocl: newsroom in Russell House room 321.
, The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letters for
f style, possible libel or space limitations. Names will not
be withheld under any circumstances.
P by coming up \
may not be pe
9K
%Wl(l
View|
t&wJi Jk'
iiyi
ofl
'^MMMMHPMMR
=^!^
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w
"We have spoken with pers<
premises, and these
SGA candid;
With the SGA elections coming up
I'm compelled to write two intriguin
candidates should be pondering. The:
a nutshell, are visitation policies in
tive residence halls and the level of sa
tain areas of campus.
rirst, mere s tne matter ot tne visit;
on campus. The policy needs to be cl
only for students but for the univer;
With the policy being as strict as it
are leaving university housing to find
apartments throughout the metropolii
This migration off campus is caus
lose revenue, which causes tuition r
and, in addition, creates limitations
activities and organizations. A conti
this trend would most definitely ere
rift in campus life as a whole, and tha
Ferrets less dangerous
than domestic pets
To the editor:
I read your article in The
Gamecock. There are some things I
want to add to your column, if I
can.
Lots of people have called me
now about ferrets. If people don't
call their representatives, my bill
won't pass. Some representatives
have told me I am the only person
who cares about the ferrets and
that there cannot be a bill just for
me.
In this state, any ferret whose
owners cannot keep it or who gets
lost or is found is killed. That is not
true for any other animal. Wild animals
get to go back to the wild, and
domestic and exotic animals get
new homes.
There is a black market for ferrets.
These animals get no health
care.
There was a rabid ferret in South
r<!?xl..in inrn i? ^_i..
v^aivsima in 1774. 11 w<w UIIC Ul Ulliy
14 ever in the United States. In the
1980s alone, there were 1,882 rabid
cats, 1,511 rabid dogs and 3,140
rabid livestock in the country.
In 1990, the USDA licensed
LMRAB-3 rabies vaccine for ferrets.
It met or exceeded all standards all
other vaccines for other animals
must meet for safety and effectiveness.
South Carolina not only will
not recognize it, but also has told i
veterinarians not to use it. That
makes no sense. <
Do you tl
5am ecock
points
SEEEr o
onnel of at least three buildii
are regulations designed by
ites should f
iiicic lias never uccn a rceorueu
transmission of ferret-to-human
rabies, and no one through history
mentions one. Since 1990, no ferret
that got the IMRAB-3 has got rabies.
Studies I wrote and called for from
all over show something DHEC will
not even look at: that rabid ferrets
do not shed the rabies virus in their
saliva.
I started writing and then calling
representatives because DHEC
would not meet with me or see my
papers.
If people like ferrets, have ferrets
or care about ferrets, could they
please call their representatives
soon?
Katie Sweeney
10-year-old ferret advocate
Greenville
Georgia state flag
product of racism
TVv fKo
A V UAV VU11U1
I am writing in response to Matt
McCord's letter in the Feb. 7
Gamecock defending the Georgia
battle flag. First, 1 would like to
inform Mr. McCord that regardless
of where one resides, whether in or
link the abuse e
)u have the court dockets full
vith things even though they
irtinent. It just crowds the
Tim Stello
Political science senior
ive to say so. It seems like it
/v v/nvj*. a vv/piv iia?v lkj laivv,
their action."
Sarah Nickel
English senior
i m*o par \ *
?6DINK _ I fll
J
II.I.III.UJ
autHii
12s who are verv concerned
langed, not JmBMK?"
iity as well. a 8reat tragedy,
is, students Second, there is the ir
houses and ty, which, according to
can area talked with, is a t>ig goi
ing USC'to ' piint'^r Wittf :
ates to rise held at gunpoint in fr
for student someone being mugged
inuation of raped or beaten because
ate a great less than satisfactory an
it would be parking garages.
The DHEC Vector Control says
there is not a vaccine that the manufacturer
and the USDA feel comfortable
with. The manufacturer
refutes this and the USDA licensed
and approved it. lhe rabid terret in
Horry County had not been vaccinated.
T'U 1 1 1 _ _i
flag to support a system that gives
people the right to oppress others
also makes him a racist.
Furthermore, if you support or
refuse to acknowledge the racism
a
xcuse has gone
"Yes. I think it has
context. I don't re
H^| legitimate purpose
El
H"No. Because for
overlooked. With
like they can come
c J
the university. We only enfoi
ocus on safe
Items sl
many stuck
Jay Tilley when daytil
I'm impt
COLUMNIST many ?* th
coming fn
thought SG
I'm sure thi
latter of on-campus safe- ^is a8a'nst
several students 1 have Many otf
icern. It's almost to the cussed, sue
>uch as sdrtieone being parking site
ont of the Towers, or hear my cc
, kidnapped or perhaps one of then
: of poor lighting and a Perhaps i
lount of security in the and it will 1
a door in tf
out of the state of Georgia, the
offensive meaning of the flag can be
understood throughout our nation.
In fact, the name of our country,
the United States of America, means
that all our states, Georgia included,
are united as a whole.
Therefore, the symbols of one state
depict the beliefs of our nation.
The Confederate flag, regardless
of its Southern heritage, does not
symbolize what America, the South,
or even the state of Georgia stands
for today, as does the American
flag. If it deserves its place in history,
then it should be put in a muse .i_
i . . .
um wun omer nistoricai items, not
inside stadiums and on top of statehouses
that serve and represent an
entire state.
Yes, native Georgians offended by
the flag may be a minority, but their
feelings are still important. Just
because a majority rules does not
make the majority right.
As far as his attempt to communicate
the intentions of the designer
of the flag, it is obvious that he has
failed to realize that, throughout
history, it has been common for the
most vicious racist to deny the fact
that he supports racism.
For many years, there have people
that claim not to have a racist
bone in their body and then go
home to put on their white cape
and mask. For a man to design a
Wednesday, February 9, 1994
xWwv/JX'X?'.
iSSBSS*
iSSiiiii
/C!> ^Vlllfllllt
HH.
IHIP
h~1.#7'
Wlth the cleanliness of their
xe them."
Chris Muldrow
SGA Elections Commissioner
ty, housing
ich as these must be improved, or
:nts will literally be scared off campus
me has concluded.
essed by the campaign platforms of
e presidential candidates, and this is
om someone who, until recently,
iA was a farce. I kind of still do, but
ere aren't many people who will hold
me.
ler issues on campus need to be dish
as what to do about the piss-poor,
jation, but 1 hope the candidates willy
ncerns ana attempt a solution when.
i is elected next week,
then I'll have more respect for SGA,
)e more than just names and titles on
le Russell House.
that is clearly present in such a flag,
then you sir, are just as bad as
those who fought so fervently for
racism to continue. People today ^
need to stop fighting for what they
have the democratic right to do as
American citizens, and start thinking
about what they have the moral
obligation to do as a human being.
Are you so willing to exercise
your rights that you are not concerned
about the millions of other
people, Georgians included, that
are so deeply hurt by this symbol?
Before you ridicule the AfricanAmerican
journalists for walking (
out, you should first do some t
research on black history and
oppression so that you can understand
what motivated them to take
these actions. I support those journalists,
whether they walked out on
the national anthem or Georgia's^
state song, because I too could not;
stand to hear words of our anthem,which
stands for equality and free-,
dom, while at the same time looking
at the battle flag.
Finally, I suggest to you that you
realize that the "piece of cloth" flying
over your capital is very impor- *
tant. It is not the flag, but the
meaning that aggravates so many
people. So if America, South
Carolina or Georgia plans to begin
to solve such important problems
as violence, they must first look to
their rooftops which houses a symbol
of hate.
Toby Jenkins
Public relations freshman
too far? [
. Some people take it out of
ally think they use it for any
Charlie Eaddy
ementary education sophomore
many years abuse has been
the new laws, people feel
forward with their story."
LaTasha Gandy
Biology junior ' r
fv P