Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

\ Thursday, October 5,1995 I z 1 Serving USC Since 1908 Wendy Hudson, Editor in Chief Matt Pruitt, Viewpoints Editor Editorial Board * Lucy Arnold, Jamie Clark, Gregory Perez, Stephanie Sonnenfeld, Allison Williams, Larry Williams, Ryan Wilson, Chris Winston Palms should approve sexual orientation clause Did you know: That USCs equal opportunity statement has no clause preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation? Did you know: That a recent proposal by the Faculty Senate to add such a clause was rejected by President John Palms. Why, you may ask? Well, Palms stated that since there is currently no federal or state law providing the same protection, that the clause would Vioun r\f\ Ko/*lrmrr iiuvb uv wuwmiig. If this is the case, then protection of discrimination on this basis will probably never exist in this case. The likelihood of the General Assembly passing a law to substantiate such a clause is the same as a hurricane striking Kansas. Or at least, it won't happen unprompted. However, if a certain institution of higher learning, the largest one in the state, should set the precedent, there might be a chance. Of course, the clause would undoubtedly be put to the test, but this would only raise awareness and hopefully elicit a response. Defending such a provision vehemently just might convince the guys in the Statehouse that this is something worth having, if they want to keep their jobs, that is. One must also wonder if Palms explanation isn't just a smaller part of a bigger issue. Case in point: The Board of Trustees (Palms' collective boss) would have to approve such a clause. However, the Board is appointed by the predominantly conservative v state legislature (the Board's collective boss). Now, if you're a board member, and you vote for the clause, which your conservative boss's conservative constituents won't approve of, do you think if s likely that youH be reappointed? Remember that hurricane in Kansas? / This inference might be a stretch, but given the way that politics gener- *4 ally work in South Carolina, this reasoning is probably pretty sound, un- u fortunate as that may be. It seems that since the feasibility of passing such a clause is so little, nobody wants to try. Or do you? C 4-1 1 * ouuaieni men neeu i new computer jargon * Every time I turn on the ol' TV, I ^ See a mmmerr-ifll for something called DREW 51 bWAHT h? "Windows 95." Well since Fve seen the Columnist da commercial all over the place and since co somebody hit a baseball through one Bit?the little thing in the com- di< of mine, I decided to go check out some puter that breaks, causing the whole Qu of these Windows 95. thing not to work. Oi When I showed up at Lowe's, the Byte?what the mouse did to re! man laughed in my face and said that me. da Windows 95 had to do with comput- Hard disk?A disk defined by Ui ere, not the hole in the side of my house, its difficulty to figure it out. I use computers every day, but I Floppy?one of them little disks m! didn't know they made models with that gets stuck up in there. ve windows on them. I guess those are Apple?what I eat while I'm eal the fancy kind you have to get inside working on the computer. he to use. Macintosh?the name of the SC1 It's finally gotten to the Doint that man I had to give ifcfiOft tn fiv mv mm. acl computers have become a common- puter when I tried to process a deer ^ place, even in the South. Computers with it. th( have invaded big towns, like Colum- CD-ROM?compact disks by a as( bia, and even small towns like Sum- band called ROM Sa merton (pop. 975) and Rimini (pop. RAM?a male sheep tioi 35). Even my hunting license is a com- Memory?what I lose eveiy time er' puter printout. I try to work on this thing. mc I realize most of you who are as Input?the stuff I put in the comfortunate as I am to hail from below puter. pul the Mason-Dixon are not quite as com- Output?I don't know. I ain't gal puter literate as I am. So this is why never seen anything come out. doi I have come up with the Southern File?what my secretary does uir Man's Guide to Computers. to her nails while she is supposed to dei Hardware?the parts of a com- be working on the computer. puter which are too tough for you to Multi-media?having more than the figure out, like that little hook that one TV in your house. roc you know is supposed to go in that Mainframe?the big frame that loo certain hole. keeps all of the little frames togeth- the Software?some of the more Aim- er. ing sy parts of the computer, like those Dot Matrix?I think this is the many cords you have to put in those woman who used to own my printer, ^ . holes. because it says Dot Matrix on the front Port?the little thing on the back ofit. -L of the computer you can't get that lit- On-line?where your fish is when tie aoomcKey to go into that you Know you eaten nun with a pole. is supposed to go there. ? Monitor?a TV screen which thoi Girlfriend?the person who fi- shows you what you type in the com- mei nally convinces you that the doohick- puter. refe ey goes in the next plug. Keyboard?A board you hang sity Integrated?Software that will your keys on. Mine just happens to be able let all types of people use it. near my computer. resc Mouse?the critter that runs in And, last but not least... brin front of you while you use the com- Window?what you throw the m0g puter. computer out of once it erases that ' Processor?I don't know what term paper you've been working on ver? this does, but it sure as heck has noth- for weeks. a m ing to do with the processing of a deer. and... des( It cost me $600 to figure that one out. Crash?the sound it makes when ther it hits the ground. shie prof ~ " arly ?TK3i^rnrb ^!L7;7 I EttS^?n ?f?< V7UIIIWVUI cTv!"'i^,?>ioV~r''T' Gregory Perez Tani a A A.. / / /-o4oz Design Editor V0rS Student Media Russell House-USO Columbia, SC 29208 Byan fims ed. Online Editor Wendy Hudson Lucy Arnold Martha Hotop Chris Carroll * Editor in Chief Stephanie Asst. News Director of Student Media OUr Matt Pruitt Sonnenfeld Bei)Pi,,ow Laura Day Viewpoints Editor Features Editors Chris Dixon ' Creative Director Chris Winston Larry Williams Asst Features Jeff A. Breaux a m Copy Desk Chief Rvan Wilson Robbie Meek Art Director gXai Allison Williams Iports Editors Erik Collins M News Editor t?~i? Jason Jeffers Faculty Advisor ir.ith Rniiitrpanv Jamie Clark cartoonist man Keith Boudreaux photo Editor Circulation Manager Robert Walton I Asst. Photo Editor Letters Policy year The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. m lei South Carolina and is published Monday through Friday dur- Letters should be 200-250 words and must include full , ing the fall and spring semesters, with' the exception of univer- name professional title or year and major if a student. ^ n sity oi ysan exam pen s. Letters must be personally delivered by the author to On tl Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors ~~ ' . r D ,, .. uil L1 re author and not those of the University of South Carolina The Gamecock newsroom in Russell House room 333. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letters for ^ publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media sty|e possible libel or space limitations. Names will not tlgat is iR, parent organization. ? be withheld under any circumstances. lots ^ TEWPO ?Li. [oxrEI ? i WTE, UNQUOTE (It would) invite the kind of cynicii USC President John Palms, on the p decision muck After the events that transpired Tjubbw lesday at approximately 1 p.m., we id ourselves reasoning, reckoning. . Cc ost people would agree that Tuesday id to have been one of the weirdest Inthedefe ys in memory. The eeriness that ac- Johnnie Cochi mpanied the minutes before the ver- the idea that r :t was as unpredictable as the jury's ble contribute ick, four hour verdict the day before, purported that le thing is for certain in pondering the Mark Fuhrmar 3ults of the 0. J. Simpson trial: Tues- son for the mu y, October 3 was a sad day for the Why, throuj lited States of America. battle lines the In the hours preceding the verdict, Yes, the seeds s my of us looked forward to the re- deep in this c( aling of the court's findings with an prejudice is pre ger anticipation. Immediately after the reasoning aring the not guilty verdict, an inde- made the so cal ibable sick feeling entered our stom- with race relat is that has yet to leave. It isn't nec- For the def< larily because of the verdict itself, just case on one mi } whole culmination of a year long fi- ludicrous. Id io that, on Tuesday, finally ended, you're in. No c dly, the trial was a horrible aberra- free from the 1 q that is representative of yet anoth- ing. It's not to oncK tnat nas taiien trom our nation's daily in our coi iral wall of decency and ethics. simple prospec Shortly after the decision was made Each indivi blic, NBC TV ran a shot of students ride his or her c Jiered at Howard University, a pre- From the mis! ninantly black college. Pandemoni- theLosAngele i erupted with the derision, as the stu- the scapegoat o: its cheered for their "hero." O.J. Simpson 1 Later, a reporter from NBC disclosed horrible misca it, as the jury was exiting the court- criminal justia im after the decision, a black juror It needs to 1 ked towards Simpson and gave him Simpson was i i "Black Power" sign, a fist protrud- was pronounce into the air. enure needed to Tenure. It's a word that provokes debate among 3e both inside and outside the academic environlt. At one time and to most people, tenure simply rred to the rewards for a job well done. A universent out the message that it knew it had a valu- ta ! resource, and it was making an effort to see that turce would hang around for a bit and continue to ol Lg honor to the institution. This is still true, for the 01 it part. w Vet today when the word tenure comes up in con- la ,_i.: it.) n., AT Li -/ " - 1 sauuu, it s uiujxi uiuugni 01 as a miusione arouna ui riversity's neck. Most tenured professors remain te irving of their rewards; the work ethic that got n where they are does not dissipate as soon as the e\ Id of tenure is bestowed upon them. These are the as essors who make the newspapers due to their schol- to work or teaching ability. TTiey are not the focus so or attention at the moment, although it is impor- al ; never to forget that they are what holds a uni- la ity together. They should never be taken for grant- re to But while it is dangerous to focus the majority of to attention on the bad, it is equally dangerous to th the other way when the university truly does have th 11 1 1 *i * i . rrr./^? i " wsione annum lis necK. ai u?u s law scnool, tor nple, the resignation of Randall Chastain in the ge 3t of a university effort to revoke his tenure de- pr ds our attention. th Vofessor Chastain's law license was suspended a ou ago after he admitted taking thousand of dollars no gal fees for work he did not do. The scandal prompt- pr umerous newspaper articles which cited specifics de re professor's earnings. When some interested i employees read the articles and did some inves- to; ing, they learned that the professor not only took sh t' money he did not earn, he also neglected to pay fe: [NTS V 1 ? M????????^ sm about the university's motives a must strive to stay above." roposal to add a sexual orientation clai lied by irrelev; "J essence, means thai there was f WaiiAmS evidence presented by the j ilumnist to convince the jury beyoni : able doubt that Simpson con nse's closing arguments, crime. an drilled the jury with What, we must ask, doei 'acism was such a horri- reasonable doubt" essentiall r to this crime. Cochran doesn't exactly mean that th ;, in a cover-up, detective be 110% sure of themselves i led a plot to frame Simp- or another. The term "rea rders. there for a reason. With the shout the trial, were racial DNA evidence pitted against } size of canyons drawn? with his unknown whereabc 30wn by slavery run very fateful evening, Simpson wa mntry, and racism and yond a reasonable doubt, valent in our society, but What about Ted Bund) behind the results have killer, Bundy was deemed gu led progress we have had a reasonable doubt; howe\ ions an illusion. dence was circumstantial. I1 ense to base their whole came close to seeing Ted B an's supposed racism is mitting any one of his heinc on't care what country however, ail evidence point* ountry, no institution is Bundy and he was sent to t londage of racial think- chair. In the Simpson trial, s o realistic, either, espe- pointed towards Simpson ? intry, to be shocked by a else. The difference? The "p t of racism. racism pinned on Mark Fuh dual American must de- Let's face it - the jury ab >wn stance on this issue, position of power to send a me landling of evidence by racism, not their true feelings is Police Department to aL OK, Fuhrman was a racis f race by the defense, the OK, Fuhrman MIGHT have trial has represented a with evidence. So, are we 1 rriage of justice in our sume that Fuhrman was co ; system. ' enough to frame Simpson ii be pointed out that Mr. ders? Picture this: lot ruled innocent. He LAPD Cop: "Detective d "not guilty." This, in there's been a murder at th estate! Nicole Simpson and protect against aj SUSAN races" I Columnist e txes on that money. t Consequently, one day last spring, while hundreds \ ' law students were busily writing exam papers on r le side of the law school building, Professor Chastain ^ as being arrested on the others side. Several months [ ter and after a genuine effort was launched by the c liversity to find some way to revoke the professor's t nure, Professor Chastain resigned. Like the majority of folks who looked on while these r rents unfolded, I was indignant. Like the others, I e iked why the university could be forced to continue r pay this man who dishonored the institution. I al- j( i listened to the often repeated rumors about the umni who refused to contribute financially to the w school while Chastain remained on the faculty and ceived his $62,000 a year salary. I furthered listened a the disnissinns nhnnt tennnp in omnorol an/1 fV>o mm) ^ remove it from the university structure. But on furer contemplation, I wonder what a destruction of e e tenure system would ultimately lead to. Because while we have our problems at USC, Rut- c; rs University President Francis Lawrence, has some ^ oblems of his own. It seems he made a single remark b at as misinterpreted as being racist. Lawrence came ( t and assured the Rutgers community that he did fi t at all mean to say anything that could be inter- v eted in a racist way. He apologized for any misun- d rstanding. T However, a coalition of students have openly refused a accept Lawrence's apdogy. They have ignored Lawrence's v ining civil rights record, and they have called for his d moval. These hoodlums have declared mob rule, n " 3 c A ind judgement that this university jse to the equal opportunity clause ant issues i not enough named Ron Goldman are dead!" irosecution Fuhrman: "Are you serious! Let's i a reason- go! Hold on, let me grab this glove and omitted the these two socks!" You can fill in the rest, but before s beyond a you do, consider one thing: Theprobay mean? It bility that O.J. is a murderer is much e juiy must higher than a racist cop pulling some m 0r)6, big sham to frame a superstar. If racism sonable is . , f T . inscrutable 13 m 1&norance> * canno* see him alon? Fuhrman orchestrating such a complex uts on that "cover up." s guilty be- So. what if Simpson isn't guilty? As far as domestic violence is concerned, r? A serial what kind of message does that send to lilty beyond hi111? Why wasn't he punished for beatrer, allevi- ing his late ex-wife? On the 911 tape, Jo one ever we heard the late Nicole Brown Simpundycom son telling the 911 operator that her ex jus crimes; husband would kill her. In the backed towards ground, we heard Simpson, the crazed he electric animal screaming like a lunatic. I guess ill evidence now o.J. gets the message that it's okay ind no one to bruise and batter women, resence of So, as we contemplate the events of rm^1' . the past year in the 0. J. Simpson trial, 'use we are given perspective. Perspective ^orfthe tri radally sPea^nS> America has tak't So what en a step backwards. Perspective that > tampered (^ea^1 ^wo people can be forgotten 0 then as- *n exchange for sleazy entertainment. Id blooded The perspective that the politicalization 1 the mur- ?f hfe has penetrated everything, even our judicial system. And lastly, we are Fuhrman, given the perspective that, if you have e Simpson enough money in America, you can have some dude anything. Even your life. pathetic students Lawrence has actually had to be protected by bodyguards at various times since the incident began. I reflect on Rutgers' situation in light of some fright;ning statistics about students who are currently enering college from high school these days. Somewhere jetween one-third and one-half of these students have lot gained proficiency in reading. We won't even be fin to address their skills in science, math, and writng. We are just talking about the most basic of eduational achievements. (Why we allow higher educaion dollars to be waisted on remedial classes is an ssue that will have to wait for another day.) But for low, I have to wonder just what would happen to highir education if tenure were destroyed, given the disaal statistics on the students who populate the colages and universities. The answer is that a bad situition would become a nightmare situation. Enemies f tenure insist on accountability, and that is all well nd good, but can we have accountability for faculty nth no accountability for students? What evidence exists that students who have not ven learned to read well by the age of eighteen have ny true interest in education, especially higher eduation? It doesn't take a scientifically calculated naonal survey to tell us that there are significant numers of college students who want college to give them L) a social life and (2) a piece of paper suitable for aming. That's all they want. Do we really want the oices of such students to be heard in a university* ecision-making process regarding faculty selection? Tiese voices already pollute our educational system, nd a destruction of tenure without a silencing of these oices would almost certainly lead to an even more ismal state of affairs on our campuses. I, for one, am ot willing to take that ch&nce.