The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 03, 1997, Page 4, Image 4
Wnt(5
Serving USC
Chris Dixon, E
Stenhanie Sonnenfel
Editoria
Achim Hunt, Bryan Johnston, Karen Layn<
Jennifer Stanley
March is
made for
As we enter the ides of
March, another month is
set aside for the study of a
"non-traditional" part of
America's history?women.
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periods.
Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the
Carolina.
The Board of Student Publications and Commumcali
Student Media is its parent organization.
bibb^b
The Gamecock will try to print all letters rec
include full name, professional title or year a
delivered by the author to The Gamecock new
reserves the right to edit all letter for style, po
withheld for any circumstance.
i
Hopefully, one of the
bigger parts of the women's
liberation movement of the
1960s will be included in
school programs.
NOW, the National
Organization for Women,
played a large role in the
passing of gender-specific
equal rights laws.
The members of this
organization took the first
step in protecting equal
rights for women. They took
the legal aspect.
Making sexual
harassment and genderpreference
hiring illegal
was the most logical,
tangible and realistic step.
America now has strong
equal rights laws that
women in other countries
may hunger for.
But, many women
protest that they are still
treated differently,
subordinately, from men.
There are gray areas in
our society where, though
laws protect women, they
do not affect women.
Little, often intangible
differences between the
treatment of sexes can
sometimes make a woman
feel like the liberation
movement never happened.
What we're talking about
is thousands of years of
tradition: the morally
superior woman waits at
home with other women,
sharing in domestic chores,
while the burly, sex-oriented
men go out and participate
in violence or in "shady"
activities that women aren't
supposed to even realize
exist.
It's a traditional mindset
that many in our society
share, on one level or
another.
Even the more openminded
may find
themselves fighting against
stereotypical, patriarchal
views.
It is this ideology that
makes the last, but most
important step in total
equality, extremely difficult
Believing that we can
overthrow thousands of
years of one way of doing
things in three decades is
* ludicrous. A snap of the
fingers is not going to
change an entire nation's
way of thinking.
Even those who are
trying to change it may
Student Media Russell Horn
Chris Dixon News:
Editor in Chief Advertisi
Stephanie FAX:
Sonnenfeld
Viewpoints Editor Achlm Hani
Karen Layne
Jennifer Stanley Johnston
News Editors Sports Edltors
Lacy Arnold "?JPkl,u
_i__ * Ben Pillow
Features Iditors ' Chiel
Nlkld Thorpe
Photo Editor
The Gamecock it the student newspaper of the Ut
rinirrnrb
omviuin
Since 1908
Editor in Chief
Id, Viewpoints Editor
i Board
;, John Lyons, Lucy Arnold, Ben Muldrow,
, Nikki Thorpe.
anjamm
a month
women
actually be undermining
the cause.
Think of the mother who
vehemently tells her young
child, "You can do anything
a boy can. Don't ever let
someone tell you different."
She has instantly taught
her daughter that if s very
nossible a bov can do
something she can't, that
there will be a fight for
whatever it is she wants to
do and that society is out
there to tell her "no."
We could throw many
other trite examples at our
readers (the girl who sleeps
around is a prostitute while
a guy with just as many
sexual partners is hailed a
hero, a woman can claim
sexual harassment; but men
are "wimps" if they do), but
we feel they are so obvious
in our society, that to even
prod the issue would be an
insult to the readers'
intelligence.
Traditional stereotypes
also swing the other way,
and can be just as damaging
to women.
The male aspect of
patriarchate terms also
inhibits women because it
binds men to one way of
acting and does not
encourage crossover.
Tbke for example the feet
that there have been fights
to allow females into maleonly
schools, and as much
as she has been despised
by the traditional-minded,
she has had just as strong
support from others.
A boy who sues to get
into an all-female school
simply becomes a laughing
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It's up to each individual
to fight stereotypes on their
own.
Overcoming traditional
? illegal ? inequality is
the responsibility of every
person. Do you want
education? Then educate
yourself.
We know it is difficult to
refocus one's traditional
viewpoint, and thafs why
women must be patient (or
drive themselves crazy),
and men must be sensitive
to the patriarchate
stereotypes they may be
portraying.
This philosophy does not
apply to only gender, but
to race, physical handicaps,
mental handicaps, and age
as well.
Try to make a difference
in yourself, and we'll be one
step closer to equality.
le IJSC Columbia, SC 29208
777-7726 Adam Synder
ng-. 777-4249 Office Manager
777-6482 J*1"**
Cartoonist
Ben Muldrow Melissa Sellers
Graphics Editor Online Editor
MkldLa Rocque Laura Day
Asst. Viewpoints Creative Director
Reginna Green Erik Collins
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Jrfwlra Nash Marilyn
Asst-Featurea Edwards Taylor
Jeff Nicholson Marketing Director
Asst. Photo
livetxity of South Carolina and is published on Monday,
nesten, with the exception of university holidays and exams
editors or the author and not those of the University of South
Dns is the Publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of
eived. Letters should be 200-250 words and must
nd major if a student. Letters must be personally
sroom in Russell House room 333. The Gamecock
ssible libel or space limitations. Names will not be
VIEWF
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Cloning could
To the editor.
Wow, I can't believe it! WeVe finally
figured out how to create life. Man has
conquered the final frontier with this
new cloning thing.
Most of us have more or less shown
little surprise upon hearing of this due
to our progressive desensitization to
shock brought on by growing up in the
'90's, but this is big. This is real big.
This is science fiction come true. Think
about it, we now have the ability to create
life.. The possibilities are endless! Well
never have to work again.
Don't think for a minute that upon
gaining the technology to do this, the
same great and wise geniuses who created
the atomic bomb won't go on to clone
humans. In fact, I would be willing to
wager that if we're just now hearing
about cloning, that they've been doing
it for five years. Your next door neighbor
could be a clone!
On that note, what are the uses of
cloning?
Well, first off, I propose that they
make clones of all the professors at USC
so we won't have to suffer through the
ritual of breaking in any more Teaching
Assistants. Everybody will have a topnotch
professor! Next we could clone
Pamela Anderson. Think of it, for the
right price, anybody could have their
very own Pamela!
We could make clones of all of the
top-notch individuals in society who excel
in their field Think of professional sports
with an arena full of Michael Jordans.
You could just make a bunch of Michaels
and let him play himself! Who needs
the rest of those chumps? We could
eliminate world stupidity. When two
stupid people get married, we can pay
them not to breed and give them a clone
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Would the clones do what we say? Would
they be subject to the same laws? Seems
logical, if I cloned myself I would expect
to be able to tell me to fix myself
something to eat. I mean, Fm the boss
right? Hell, everybody could have their
own clone. Fd never have to go to class
again! The whole world would be like
playing Sega!
Clones are going to be the hottest
thing since Tickle Me Elmo. Nobody will
ever have to be bored again, they can
just talk to themselves. You could take
JOINTS
u
ip to be conference
? be conference el
Y Davis, Senior guard on the Gar
V.
be the answer
all of the worry out of blind dates, you
could just let your two clones go out first
and see if they get along! Isn't this world
great! What will they think of next?
What about cloning dead people like they
did on G.I. Joe, you know with the DNA
and all? We could dig up George
Washington, clone his DNA, and make
him president again. We could clone
Elvis! The king lives!
Life just gets more and more
interesting.
Craig Patton,
Junior
Gamecock newspaper
not practicing good ethics
To the editor:
I am writing this letter in regard to the
article about Michael C. Phillips. First of
all, I would like to point out the irony of
the article appearing one day prior to the
actual run-off elections for vice president.
Also the article ended by stating the names
of the two candidates: Kim Dickerson and
Phillips, and the date of the run-off elections,
respectively.
Personally, I am not an expert on
journalism, but the tactics used to persuade
people were quite evident What an attempt
to sanction someone's reputation. I did not
hear of the incident until I read the article
and deeply doubted its content. When I
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that he was one with distinct character ?
which remains to be seen in some young
men his age.
Yet, looks are not reliable when
evaluating someone, but the eloquence
which Phillips speaks and approaches
others with substantiates his virtue. In
other words, there is no way Phillips would
have struck the young lady. I can almost
assure that there are others whose feelings
parallel mine. Of course, I did hear these
individuals express these feelings. Could
the same be said about the information in
this article?
Whoever the anonymous source is, were
they actually there and did they hear
Phillips' portion of the incident? Also, were
the editors collectively aware that the
charges against Phillins were drooDed?
If the information about the suspended
charges was in the possession of the writers
of this article, then why was the story in
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5 champs, but it's a
(amps by ourselves
necock's SEC basketball champion
)
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to many's fanta
print? As if the whole situation were not c
grim enough, the article appeared on the c
front page with a flawless picture to t
accommodate it. s
Why is it that every time an individual
aspires to run for a political office (be it t
Student Government or the White House), t
their pasts are always swept from under c
the rug?
Oftentimes, these pasts are simply t
created by the so called Vctims" to destroy s
the accused. z
Consequently, a number of people had t
not seen Michael during the campaigning i
or even election time, and his persona was \
exposed to them for the first time through }
this article. t
Nice first impression, right? i
I know the ultimate goal of some <
journalist or editors is to enthrall the general t
public, but next time you all choose to play i
on people's emotions, make sure the ]
information is valid. s
To prevent humiliation and disdain,
do what is right for a change and not what (
gains you a few smiles and pats on the 1
back. Michael C. Phillips deserves an 1
immense and sincere apology because I
could only imagine the turmoil he suffered. :
Does Phillips also have to fork out over $20 ]
million to realize peace from those around j
him? This is for sure: In politics, the stakes i
are high. ]
DiAndra N. Jefferies
Freshman i
1
BGLA defends its need
for Student Government lunds
To the editor:
This is in response to Wayne Ridgeway
Jr.'s letter in The Gamecock ("Student
Opposes Homosexual Funding," Friday,
Feb. 28,1997).
Ridgeway certainly has the right to
believe that homosexuality or homosexual
behavior is sinful. However, I think his
assumption that everyone agrees with his
position is a bit presumptuous.
No doubt there are many who consider
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
(LGBT) people to be sinful, perverted and
immoral. Just as a generation ago interracial
marriages were perverted and
unnatural, a hundred years ago the right
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if women to vote was considered absurd jf
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heir agendas, and to maintain the status
[UO.
I would like to remind Ridgeway that
his a university. It's a place where we
hive to pursue truth, create new knowledge v
ind challenge assumptions and beliefs and '
he status quo. BGLA is perfectly justified
n requesting Student Activity funding.
We are students too, you know, not martians!
Whereas Ridgeway may deplore the fact
hat as a society we are moving toward a
nore inclusive and humane understanding
>f human sexuality, I find his assertion
hat funding LGBT student organizations
s "lunacy," in itself to be absurd, and his
premise that the "sin" of homosexuality
hould be obvious to everyone, a little naive.
I would also like to clarify that Student
jovernment is not financing "homosexual I'
sehavior," nor is it "promoting
lomosexuality."
We are human beings, not just sexual
icts, nor do we go around knocking on doors
promoting anything. And this is hardly
just a bedroom issue (just as being in love
and walking down the street holding the
band of your loved one is not just a bedroom
issue).
The absolute ignorance about the nature
of sexual orientation and identity are
patently obvious in Rklgeways letter. BGLA''
exists to provide support and a sense of
community to the LGBT students cd campus
and to educate the campus and raise
awareness about homosexuahtyfoisexuality
and the issues and needs facing LGBT
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to know how Student Activity money is
being used ? I invite him, and others of
similar opinion to attend a BGLA meeting
(they are open to everyone) to see what we
do, or to visit our websitqr
(http://web.csd.sc.edu/bgla).
I also invite him to get to know someone
who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or
transgendered and to understand what
that means before he goes about accusing
whole groups of people of being sinful.
Gaurav Shroff,
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USCBGLA
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