Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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nsaffe Serving USC Sir Stephanie Sonnenfeld, Chris Dixon, View Editorial I Martha Hotop, Achim Hunt, B Jennifer Stanley, Lisa Noworatzky, O V 0 P I N Stricter penalti for Rohypnol m There has been more and more discussion these days for and The DEA against legalizing to reclc drugs, and there Rohypnc are a lot of good Schedule C arguments on both sides. But right now, RohypnoJ is one of those drugs that is illegal and should definitely be so. With other drugs, a person chooses to put it into their body, and they are responsible for whatever effects it has on them. But it's not the same with Rohypnol. This drug is sometimes used by one person to rape and assault another. The victim is not making the choice. This drug is being used as a weapon against innocent people. And because of this, it is extremely different from all other illegal drugs. Rohypnol is odorless and colorless and dissolves quickly in liquid, so it can easily be slipped into someone's drink at a party, especially after that person has already had a few drinks. The drug also puts this person in a semiconscious state, so they may be able to leave the party with someone fine, but they won't be able to remember who it was that drugged them, took them home and raped them. Rohypnol lasts for a very long time. By the time a person becomes conscious, all the evidence concerning the crime could be gone. Because of these reasons and because this drug is so dangerous, the Drug Enforcement Administration should definitely reclassify Rohypnol as a Schedule raft"* s Stephanie Cece von Sonnenfeld Kolnitz Editor in Qrief Special Projects Chris Dixon Lisa Viewpoints Editor Noworatzky Martha Hotop Copy Desk Adam Snyder Robert Walton News Editors Photo Editor Jennifer Stanley Brian Rish Features Editor Graphics Editor Achim Hunt Rob Gioielli Sports Editor Asst. Viewpoints I I The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and 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 editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is its parent organization. Monday, Sept. 16 In Jamel Franklin's guest colun Homecoming festivites," the da Showcase should have been Sep A line in graduate student Bob "Columnist didn't consider true should have read, "You might fi answers are not as simplistic or portrayed." ok ice 1908 Editor in Chief points Editor loard rian Rish, Adam Snyder, ice von Kolnitz, Robert Walton i n M W es necessary lisuse, abuse One drug, which would put it on the same level needs as heroin and issify LSD. Even d as a though )ne drug. 0 a n,~ ^ a Roche,the maker of this drug, is headquartered in the U.S., Rohypnol isn't approved for medical use in this country. Hoflman-La Roche is arguing that the DEA should not reclassify Rohypnol because it does have legitimate medical use, even though Rohypnol is used for medical purposes outside of the U.S. But Hoffman-La Roche is taking steps to help curb trafficking of the drug into the U.S. from countries where it is legal. How could they, on one hand, be trying to help stop this drug from being brought into this country, and then on the other hand, lobby that in this country it shouldn't be considered as bad as heroin? Hoffman-La Roche is saying they are doing something about the abuse of this drug, but they are not doing enough. On top of that, they are trying to stop the federal government from doing more to prevent potential problems Rohypnol might cause. This drug is obviously as dangerous as LSD or heroin, if not more so. So like these drugs, it should be reclassified as a Schedule One drug under the Controlled Substances Act. This drug is dangerous not only because the person using it harm himself or herself, but they can harm others, as well. 777-7726 rtising: 777-1184 777-6482 Krilh Boodmux iniHHMmnuiH ^-^3' Dipka Bhambhani Director of Student Media Jessica Nash Laura Day Asst. Features Creative Director Bryan Johnston J.T. Wagenheim Dwayne A" Director McLemore Mark Hopkins Assl Sports Graduate Assistant Nikki Thorpe Marilyn Edwards Asst. Photo Taylor Jason Jeffers Martaing Director Daniel Brown Erik Co,,ins Cartoonists FacuU>'Advlsor The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. 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 The Gamecock newsroom in Russell House room 333. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letters for style, possible libel or space limitations. Names will not be withheld under any circumstances. in, "Franklin spells out te of the Homecoming t. 24. Strack's letter to the editor, meaning of compassion," nd that the issues and as cut and dried as you've i I Clst M f \ m Wl A ) \cm^oc "There has been Lack of lack of p John Frick ~| Is there any principle left in politics? The obvious answer to even the most hardened skeptic would have to be yes, but only because of the large number of politicians and the laws of probability. Somewhere at some time, they would say, some politician makes a decision oasea upon nis convictions t, convictions meaning the kind that come from someone's moral code and not the kind that come from the state's penal code.) The fact that this question even exists in our society today indicates the transformation our nation has undergone from the time of it's founding to the present. There seems to be a lot of debate on the subject, and society just can't seem to get its story straight. "We want honest, decent, trustworthy politicians," scream the masses, and yet President Bill Clinton, while wading through blatant attempts to mislead on the campaign trail, still leads in the polls. "We're tired of our children having children and our streets running rampant with crime," they say, but when someone Americans,; Fred Leach ~| I was down on the football field last Saturday when the national anthem was being played. I looked up into the stands to observe people's behavior during this time set aside to pay homage to the greatest country on the face of the earth. I was saddened by the indifference people seemed to show for the national anthem., Folks were standing up at least, but many were talking to the person next to them, shuffling up and down the aisles or sipping on their drinks, not aware of the significance of the moment. In spite of all our problems, America is still the greatest place to live, and it's time we remember that. When I was in kindergarten in the early 80s, every day at noon the radio would play The Star Sivsnrrla/i Rannoi' in Hnnnr nf Amoripfins who were being held hostage in Iran. I was usually in the car with my Y CUA/L ?ui?s. RZAUStlC-^ OF tiecrioN , /~v \*5?' f vlfcmmw i ^yymmm 'mmsm a dramatic increase in Roll two or three years, and we James McGivney, Drug Enforcement Ad principle rinciple in America needs what it pr We have fallen prey to the most perva: have ever launched on ourselves. W\ premise is a simple one. Do what you 1 by individual choice. takes a stand for what is right, there i never fails to be heard the call that you c can't legislate morality. ] If we as a society went to a ] psychologist, the diagnosis would be: < "Identity crisis with a tendency to avoid 1 commitment." 1 What has happened to shake the < foundations of this "nation under God," < a nation that still sees itself as the force for right in the world, yet creeps daily 1 toward a moral never-never land in the i name of progressivism? < We have fallen prey to the most j pervasive and effective enemy we could < have ever launched on ourselves. It's 1 called moral relativism, and ifs premise is a simple one. Do what you feel is right, i for morality is defined by individual j choice. 1 According to Allen Bloome, a < late professor from the i University of Chicago and i author of "The Closing of the students have mother when it came on. My mother would tell me to place my hand over my , heart and to pray for the hostages' safe , return. This was when I first started to learn about patriotism. Patriotism is, unfortunately, very hard to find these days. It is forgotten with all the political bickering and liberal propaganda. But it is something we cannot afford to lose, lest we forget where we came from. Being a histoiy major, I enjoy visiting historical sites. One needs to tour the fields of Yorktown or Gettysburg to fully realize what was done by Americans in the past to ensure that we are free today. Americans have died by the hundreds of thousands. Men and women, black and white. Love of country knows no gender or race. Men froze to death at Valley Forge, and those that died were considered lucky by their comrades who braved the harsh Pennsylvania winter without shoes apd suffered from dysentery. J' Vi V /*\ A. / / <-! ~f Isj 41 ( C . I i r ( IS { or rue o ten (\g? ALto^ev f WHAT I 606 ?\ vW<^ V IMiMlllil @tw rue a ypnol trafficking and abu > consider that a trend." ministration chiet ot public affairs. in politic i America i to practice eaches. >ive and effective enemy we could s called moral relativism and it's feel is right, for morality is defined \merican Mind," we can trace this cultural shift to the infiltration of nihilistic philosophy into our cultural dialect. This philosophic approach, which leads to the conclusion that life ultimately amounts jo nothing, introduced to us the concept hat variations from what was thought pf as right action were merely expressions pf different value structures. Whilethisseems tobe the predominant opinion of the day, it doesn't seem to garner much serious thought pr questioning. Saying that moral ibsolutes do not exist negates nearly everything our country was founded ipon. In fact, rights-based morality is the reason the United States was founded in the first place. For example, freedom to worship was viewed by our founding fathers as a right common to all rational creatures, and if this right was trampled upon, .then a moral wrong had been committed. Today, however, as government c lost sight i Patriotism is, unfortunately, very I with all the political bickering and we cannot afford to lose, lest we f Why did they do this? Why did men storm the beaches al Normandy? Why did the 54th Massachusetts attack Fort Wagner onlj to get massacred? Why did Bob Dol? charge a machine gun nest in World Wa] II, receiving wounds that left him nearly paralyzed? The answers to these questions an not found in the history books, but ir the hearts of the brave men and womer who payed the ultimate price for theii love of their country. Today in America, there are man} problems. Crime and violence ar< rampant, there are many poor, homeless people, and the education system is failinj our children. These are but a few serious problems that we as a society face. nowever, we musi noi ge discouraged, and we must not give up I ? , Z0/V{P\lS>lOti | CANU\ VPfltS 1 'L" I Tr\ nf iZArft II i 1/ ut//; * u* j [ ftKeuT \ \ DOLE ?J N^tCocU. | ise over the last s due to n people continues to grow in size and scope, the influence and understanding of these rules which govern man's interaction with his fellow man continue to shrink. Gone is our motivation to follow them, and gone is our understanding of why they exist. While many trace moral roots to religion, they fail to see that these roots sDrinsr from rationality as well. Just as someone working a job for many years figures out the best way to do his job, so has human history shown us that societies which interact under certain rules are better than those which do not. Oddly enough, these two sources converge to create what is today referred to as "traditional values." Perhaps the shortage of principle in our people has led to this shortage of principle in our leaders. This country is a representative democracy, and in this sense, I suppose it's working. But the importance and severity of this issue cannot be ignored. Just like a motor needs oil to make it run, so society needs these rules to insure that it too will survive and prosper. of patriotism iard to find these days. It is forgotten liberal propaganda. But it is something orget where we came from. America is still the greatest place on earth. Compared to those who fought i the wars or endured the depression, we r have it pretty easy. ; We cannot, however, afford to get r complacent and forget the hard times i that others have endured. I see the people in the stands not ; taking the national anthem seriously, 1 and I wonder what it means to them. Is 1 it nothing more than a song? r I see people on TV burning the flag, and I wonder how they can do such a f thing. Is it nothing more than a piece i of cloth to these people? 3 We need to be cognizant of what these I things stand for. They are symbols that s should be revered in honor of all the brave Americans who have died so that t we might have the freedom to eat chicken, i. get drunk and watch SEC football.