The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 11, 1995, Page 4, Image 4
Serving USC
Lee Clontz, Editor in Chief CI
Edltorla
Erin Galloway, Wendy Hudson, S
Jimmy DeButts, Ryan Wilson, Ca
rut vegeta
out to pasi
Did you just say you didn't lil
buddy.
Actually, you can't be arrested
veggies...yet.
Unfortunately, that might cht
ture debates a vegetable libel bill
state's crops illegal. That means p
and on television would be subject
not right in the pumpkin patch.
The bill is motivated by farmers
to markets for the goods they prod
ington state apple crisis of severa
the chemical Alar contaminated a
plummeted and took about two y?
of contamination were never subs
It makes sense that farmers w(
on comment about their products;
kind words will ruin sales and pi
advantage.
The American right to freely *
outweighs the potential threat to
try could regulate through libel 1
ucts, we might never find out ab<
structed, falsely advertised or pol
farmers are often characterized as
mean they are free from criticism
If insecticides are injuring us,
crops aren't edible, the public she
responsible for proving claims thi
tributed or that a danger exists;
to perpetuate unbased rumors an<
of selling a few newspapers. To pi
tion in choosing products is ridicu]
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Generatio
lazy, imnn
f BYRON
1/V I JAMES
P Columnist
Is Generation X lazy or just
unmotivated? On the way back
r. /"ii- 1 x ] 1 t
irum uiim icsiuii, a menu axiu x
had this discussion about our age
group. Dave argued that most of
us were lazy and didn't work hard
enough. I argued that, just like
any age group, there will be a
wide range of personalities: hard
drivers, lazy, motivated and cynical.
I believe Gen X is given such
a bad reputation because we tend
to be more adventurous and daring.
We bungee jump, streak and
pierce anything not tied down.
We like rap music, raves and the
TV show "The Grind" ? well,
that's just me.
I don't think you can generalize
or label a group by a few
outrageous 20-somethings. We
like to party and have fun, but
we are serious about the causes
we support. For instance, we are
more environmentally and socially
conscious than our moneygrubbing
baby boomer predecessors.
Some Gen Xers are inventive
and seek to rebuild America
through programs like City Year
and AmeriCorps. Those programs
were started by and for the members
of our generation. We are
also preparing for bright and successful
careers. The law schools
ol Virginia, Georgetown, uuKe
and Emory will be sprinkled with
USC Gen Xers who want to sit
on the Supreme Court, head the
EPA and even occupy the White
House. If these people are lazy
and unmotivated, I want to see
the successful examples.
Dave also argued that we
watch too much television and
don't read enough. I call bull on
"XBaiffeod? ?
Lee ClonU Jimmy DeButts
Editor in Chief Ryan Wilson
Chris Muldrow Sports Editors
Viewpoints Editor Kim Truett
Carson Henderson Photo Editor
Radhika Taiwan! Ethan Myerson
Copy Desk Chiefs Ryan Sims
Erin Galloway Graphics Editors
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Features Editors Cartoonists
The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the
University of South Carolina and is published Tuesday
through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, with
the exception of university holidays and exam periods.
Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the
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The
Stock
' Since 1908
iris Muldrow, Viewpoints Editor
il Board
usan Goodwin, Allison Williams,
rson Henderson, Radhika Talwani
m i i ra i
Die noei
ture
ce broccoli? You're under arrest,
for saying bad things about your
inge as South Carolina's Legislal
that would make criticizing the
leople commenting in newspapers
; to fines if they suggested all was
3 who see "veggie libel" as a threat
uce. They often point to the Wash1
years ago, when media reported
pples. Sales of Washington apples
;ars to recover, though the claims
itantiated.
>uld want some kind of restriction
it appears to them that a few unit
them at quite an economic discomment
and criticize, however,
vegetable profits. If every indusaws
what people say about prodDut
products that are poorly con anliollw
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the lifeblood of this country doesn't
i.
if vegetables are contaminated, if
>uld know. Of course, the press is
it certain crops should not be disno
respectable journalist is going
1 villanize farmers for the purpose
iinish someone for promoting caulous.
To make laws protecting vegnX
isn't
rtivated
that argument. Sixty percent of
my peers grew up as latch-key
kids, and the television became
our babysitters. Many afternoons,
- "Supers tation Fun time" was my
after-school entertainment. With
the advent of MTV and ESPN,
there was no need to read Alice
Walker or Maya Angelou because
there was "Downtown" Julie
Brown. But I read Walker and
Angelou anyway. It's easier to
watch an image than to create
one after reading a book. Ifs hard
to break a habit that is so ingrained
in your environment and
culture.
The baby boomers like to talk
about how politically unconscious
the Gen Xers are, but I would
rather be unconscious than guided
by the racism, sexism and classism
that laws and policies have
been laced with over the last 40
years.
We are a generation that read
about Watergate and lived
through Iran-Contra and the greed
and stupidity of the Reagan years.
No wonder we don't care or trust
the government ? what has the
government done to gain our
trust? Gen Xers seek a government
that is representative and
responsive to all the people of the
United States.
Our generation is more diverse
and racially tolerant than the
baby boomers, and we seek to
heal the wounds of a racially intolerant
past. Gen Xers refuse to
be categorized in terms of time
tables for success. We don't lock
ourselves in being "this" by age
25. We want to live life and enjoy
every minute of it ? I sure
have. At the end of the debate,
Dave thought Gen X was lazy
and unmotivated, and I told him
to shut up and drive because I
wanted to get home to see "The
Grind."
Byron James is a political
strip nrp sspnior.
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FALLOUT FAOfi\ 1 1
We R0BB6M... I
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QUOTEUNQUOTS
"The fact that people spoke out a
the s
Anti-violence i
Event excuse tor
NOW to bash
Republican policy
Here at the Mean-Spirited, Smug, Intolerant,
Right-Wing Division of The Gamecock editorial
page, we spend countless hours searching for stupid
people to make fun of in this column. This
week, we were aided in our efforts by the good
folks at the C-Span cable network (motto: "You
don't need a doctor's prescription to get a good
night's sleep.").
Sunday afternoon, C-Span broadcast live coverage
of the "Stop Violence Against Women" rally
from the Mall in Washington. You might be
asking yourself, "Pat, what on earth is funny
about violence against women?" There is NOTHING
remotely amusing about violence directed
at women. This rally, however, was sponsored by
our good friends at the Nutty, Out-of-Touch, National
Organization of Women (NOT-NOW), and
whenever Patricia Ireland's gang is involved, you
know there will be some hilarious hijinks going
on.
The day's program was designed to protest violence
against women in America. According to
NOT-NOW, what is the primary cause of violence
against women?
a. Rapists, murderers, abusive boyfriends and
Social Security:
In today's society, we are becoming inundated
with Newt and the boys' cries for less government.
That's all you hear coming out of the mouth
of Georgia's finest. One of ol' Newt's targets is
something that many politicians have tried to attack
before because they use the negative connotations
of society to drive their attack. That's
right, I'm talking about the welfare system.
Before you stop reading this because you agree
with Mr. Gingrich, I would like to give you some
facts about welfare and also suggest something
else that even takes more of our tax dollars every
year. If you doubt the figures, check Donald Kettl's
book "Deficit Politics" or talk with Professor
Shirley Geiger in the political science department.
I would suggest doing both because you
would be amazed at the facts and appalled by the
lies our Republican Congress is telling us.
Many past attacks on the welfare system have
been focused on the black community's abuse of
the system.
Well, contrary to this popular belief, the majority
of people on welfare are white.
Most people also believe that welfare spending
takes up a large part of the federal budget.
Yeah, it takes up a huge 1 percent of the budget.
That's right, just 1 percent, Mr. Gingrich.
About 34 million to 35 million people receive
the benefits of welfare, and in 1992,14.5 percent
of families were below the poverty line.
South Carolina would lose over $4 billion if
welfare is cut. Trust me, these proposed cuts will
affect everyone.
Where will Mr. Beasley come up with $4 billion?
Anyone? Anyone? That's a four with nine
zeros after it.
Did you know that the fastest growing group
in poverty is the two-parent household?
That's families with two people working to
support them ? now tell me how many people
are affected by that, Mr. Gingrich?
TS Tuesday, April 11,1995
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gainst bigotry, the fact that people spoke for 1
peakers and participants is really a relief to se
BGLA member Christa Tumell
"ally exploited
PAT MCNEILL
other scum masquerading as men.
b. The lack of attention paid by law enforcement
to domestic violence and abusive relationships.
c. The continued positive media attention given
to women-beaters such as John Wayne Bobbitt,
Jeff Stone Gilooly, the late Kurt "CocaineBrain"
Cobain, Axl Rose, O.J. Simpson and Mike
Tyson.
d. The steady mass-media diet of misogynist
rap and music videos, gory Oscar-nominated films,
soft-core pornography and trashy television shows
where women are treated primarily as sex obi
/i4- <-i
JCl/tO.
e. Newt Gingrich and the Republicans' "Contract
with America."
Needless to say, if you picked "e," you, too,
could have been a guest speaker at the NOTNOW
rally Sunday. In fact, I heard at least two
news reports explain the rally was designed to
stop the "anti-woman agenda of the 'Contract
with America.'" The afternoon's final speaker,
one Jackson Katz, told the thinning crowd that
the problem is "not just batterers and rapists who
are in prison or are in treatment programs. It's
the men in this building right here. (Points tosacred
cow that
RYAN WILSON
Poverty among children has doubled in the
last five years. Where is all this money going, you
ask?
Well, to give you a hint, in 1986, $200 billion
was cut from youth welfare programs and given
to Social Security.
Whoa, calm down, Bossy, I haven't killed you
just yet, but I have found the reason for some of
our spending woes, the "Sacred Cow" of politics:
the Social Security system.
Did you know this entitlement system takes
up 45 percent of all domestic spending? You would
think this 45 percent would be going to a large
part of the population, but it's not.
The 45 percent goes to a mere 12 percent of
the population of the United States, or, in other
words, the elderly.
I not saying the elderly do not deserve some
kind of stipend after they retire, but the elderly
are among the fastest growing segments of the
population, and they already take almost half of
all domestic spending.
Something must change.
I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact
that there won't be any Social Security for me
when I am old enough to collect it.
Because the elderly of today are receiving money
they have not earned.
It takes the average retired married couple
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the money it has put into Social Security.
This wouldn't be a problem, but on average,
today's life expectancy for males is 79, with women
living, on average, five years longer at 84.
So if you take a rough average, most elderly
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tolerance, the sheer diversity of
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women's pain
ward the U.S. Capitol.) The Newt Gingrichs, the
Dick Armeys (pause for tasteless "Dick" joke),
and the Rush Limbaughs of the workL.we as men
need to call attention to how ridiculous some of
these men are."
After hearing this excellent summation of the
issue, I have decided to agree with Mr. Katz that
the solution to violence against women should
begin on Capitol Hill. I am therefore recommending
that any members of the Columbia chapter of
NOW should purchase a copy of "Senatorial Privilege:
The Chappaquiddick Cover-up" by Leo Demore,
which details how one evil, rich, white male
Senator left a beautiful young female aide to die
rather than risk sullying his public image. Knock ^
yourselves out, people.
I am sure that many readers have friends or
relatives who have been the victims of rape, sexual
assault or some form of abusive relationship.
These are traumatic experiences that some people
never recover from. The women who have to
deal with these problems are real people with real
emotions. They need love, understanding and
support. If NOW had thought things through;'
perhaps it would not have exploited the women's!
pain for the sake of stopping a balanced-budget
amendment.
Pat McNeill is a third-year law student.
needs reform i.
1 4
get 5.5 years worth of money they haven't earned
and won't pay taxes on when they get it.
I hope these facts don't escape us when it comes
to the '96 elections.
It is clear that welfare isn't the big problem it
is made out to be. Congress, Republicans and Democrats
alike, must soon address its "Sacred Cow"
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Ryan Wilson is a political science junior.
Faces in the News
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