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13ie (E Serving Edit< Chris Dixc Adam Snydi Nikki LaRocqi Stephanie Sonnenfeld I NAACPb "Little Rc Your school is under par. Your books are outdated and splattered with misprints, the rejects of the publishing world. NAAi Your science lackofr equipment may ,? consist of a few broken beakers and some explanatory posters or, perhaps, nothing at all. What's more, to get to this supposed place of learning, where your mind is supposed to be growing and challenging ideas, you have to walk a mile out of your way. Because, you see, you can't go to the good school down the block that has the fresh, new, updated books, the colored maps of the world, the chemistry sets and microscopes. You are not allowed. But let's say the law is changed. You can go to the better school, but only if you can endure shouts and taunts, spitting and slaps, shoves and slurs coming from the students and silence from the teachers and no recognition from the administration. Could you endure that? Could you learn in an environment like that? Forty years ago, nine students in Little Rock, Ark., did. They climbed stairs into a school, their school, through an angry mob, defying the National Guard, sent by then-Governor Orval Faubus and protected by 1,200 Army troops, sent by then-President Dwight Eisenhower. These students started the beginning of the end of legal segregation in September 1957. On September 25, watched by the student body, President Clinton and Gov. Mike Huckabee held the doors open for the original "Little Rock 9" as the adults symbolically climbed the stairs and entered Central High School, according to an article in Friday's edition of The State. The celebration of the end of legal segregation was obviously important enough for the governor and the president to attend. Yet there was a very important factor missing. Hie State and local chapters of the NAACP refused to attend the event, although they did keep members from picketing. How could an organization, devoted to helping African Americans and ending racism, not consider this celebration worthy enough of attendance? Student Media Russell Hous Chris Dixon Susan Editor in Chief Photo Adam Snyder Donnic Managing Editor Graphic Nikld LaRocque Stephanie Viewpoints Editor Asst Vuwp Rosalind Harvey Kristen R News Editor Cara 1 Sara Ladenheim Asst~ Neu News Editor, Design Tori C Marcus Amaker Phc Amy Shannon Brian Features Editors Online Achim Hunt Julie Bryan Johnston Chris Sports Editors Casey 1 Ben Pillow Jessan Copy Desk Chief Creative The Gamecock is the student cock are those of th newspaper of The University of South and not those of 1 Carolina and is published Monday, South Carolina. Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and five times Board of during the summer with the excep- tions and Commun tion of university holidays and exam lisher of The Gam< TheDepartnu Opinions expressed in The Game- dia is its parent or] The Gamecock will try to print The Gamecock nei all letters received. Letters should be House room 333. 200-250 words and must include full The Gamecock name, professional title or year and to edit all letter foi major if a student. Letters must be bel or space limita personally delivered by the author to not be withheld for 4 * 5amecock use Since 1908 arial Board in, Editor in Chief ?r, Managing Editor ue, Viewpoints Editor , Assistant Viewpoints Editor oycotts O" rvn 7 Moreover what was the negation point of boycotting the event? What a slap in the face 7T5TTn7T7M to the "Little Rock " * 9." OP showed By boycotting espect with celebration, r ,n.?? the NAACP effecboycott tively told these people, "Your determination, the first steps you personally took to end segregation, do not amount to anything 40 years after the event." Dale Charles, the president of the state and local chapters, explained in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "In our minds, we can see very little progress in the last 40 years with regard to African Americans." Perhaps he should tell that to the people who were hosed down and hnmharHpH urit.Vi faar craa in Southern streets as they peacefully marched for civil rights. Perhaps he should say that the faces of the men who were called "boy" or the children referred to as "pickininnies" or the people derogatorily laughed off as "nothing but niggers." Maybe Dale should tell that to the African Americans who are CEOs whose grandfathers were sharecroppers. Maybe he could tell that to the blues singers whose music was first enjoyed in juke joints, but is now celebrated and loved across the country. Maybe he should just tell the little black and white children who run around the playground together or to the happily married interracial couple. Dale is wrong. There has been a drastic change in race relations in the last 40 years. There is still much more change to be done, as well. Laws have been passed. It is now time for mainstream culture and entertainment to reflect those laws. That is where the change needs to be made. The interracial couple need to be accepted. More black women need to walk down more runways and show how beautiful black is. The corporate ladder needs to be filled with more African Americans to accurately reflect the demographics of this country. Yes, there is much to be done. But to say that there has been "very little progress" in the last 40 years is ignorant. And by boycotting the celebration of the bravery of nine young black teenagers in 1957, the NAACP has rendered that action insignificant and unimportant. a U8C Columbia, SC 29208 Meyers Ellen Parsons Editor Interim Director s Baker ?f Student Media s Editor Lee Phipps Sonnenfeld Advertising Manager oints Editor Sherry F. Holmes ichardson Classified Ad Manager Pellatt Carolyn Griffin >s Editors Business Manager VHara Jim Green to Editor Creative Director i Rish Michelle Dames Editor Creative Services Baker Graduate Assistant Culp Erik Collins Decker Faculty Advisor Hager Services The Gamecock Editor (803) 777-3914 e editors or author News (803) 777-7726 (he University of ETC. (803) 777-3913 V,e"P?ints I803' 7777726 scock Sports (803) 777-7182 ;nt of Student Meganization. Online (803) 777-3913 . Student Media vsroom in Russell Advertising (803)777-1184 Classifieds (803) 777-1184 [ reserves the right r style, possible li- Fax (803)777-6482 tions. Names will any circumstance. Office (803) 777-3888 V VIEWI fPL r US Florida i I Columnist | What do you consider the South? Better yet, do you consider Florida a Southern state? A few weeks back, while I was at work, someone asked me these questions. At first I was kind of thrown by the question, but quickly my answer was decided. No, Florida is not a Southern state. Why? Well, look at it this way. Do Floridians possess a "Southern" demeanor? Do they even have a Southern drawl? Yes, they're located in the Southeast United States, but as far as culture and mannerisms, I don't think they"re qualified. I would quickly consider Texas a Southern state compared to Florida. Maybe it's because their population is, to a large percentage, made up of Northern people. Florida is the retirement capital of the country. Also, there is an disproportionate percentage of elderly people in Florida compared to the Southern states. So, what do I consider Southern states? Well, for starters, South Carolina, of course. Popularity | Columnist | I was an insecure kid back in high school. I wasn't very good at making friends, and I kept to myself for the moat nart. hanmnp around mv pIosp circle of friends I had known since kindergarten. I suppose everyone has trouble in the teenage years with low self-esteem and insecurity, but if s hard to see it while it's happening. Every now and then, someone comes along who makes us break out of our shells. Rebecca Simpson was the most popular girl at our high school, at least in the 10th grade. She was the head I cheerleader, on the volleyball team and sophomore class president. I found myself in her English class, which was the last class of the day. I envied her popularity, her friendliness and her outgoing nature. I wanted to be like that, but I was GmoWa To the editor, I agree with your editorial about Lino Graglia's blatant bigotry. You may be interested in knowing that Graglia also has appeared on CNN and the Today show, still propounding his tactless, anti-affirmative action stance. My friends and I are still baffled that Graglia, a master of rhetoric, did not even attempt to hide his racist agenda on national television. Let me add to your editorial that the University of Texas administrators should have publicly confronted Graglia about the basis of his remarks. * 'PINTS r/cxfe "TJ/e ?$$? *A'T uisTiL- AFn ss To E/WPry -tUe t[ r ?u'fc O^E- cf oui 'XiNWiy SlUPEMT VA "We were all >C volleyball setter junior As hie; lot part After us there are Georgia and No Carolina just next door. Followi them, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississ pi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisia and Virginia. As far as Texas, sor times I consider it and then sometin I don't. It's just so different as far climate and its cultural make-up. B I would definitely put it before Flc da. Northerners, i.e. Yankees, do usually understand this idea of wl makes a state, or to be more preci a culture Southern. It consists of ma things. The primary thing would ha to be the character of the people. Sou erners are brought up with certi mannerisms or types of etiquette ( ferent from other cultures. Fm not a ing that others don't have manne but it just isn't displayed in the sai way or to the same degree that it here in the South. Manners like opening the door a lady and allowing her to walk before you. Smiling when you me someone even if you have had a b day is another characteristic of t South ("Smiling Faces, Beautii queen cr too shy to even speak to most peop. Early on in the school year, I wi moved to the front of the room in th English class, right next to Rebecc uTTi PVo/l " cVtn aais? arr?ilinrr at sat down next to her. I was able make some sort of response, but mos ly I was shocked that the head chee leader would even speak to me. She told me flat out that she w; going to get me to start talking to pe pie. She did just that over the cour of the year, and we became goc friends. We talked on the phone for hou some nights, and we even went out couple of times. She was a cheerleader, and I w; in the band, but she would come i and visit me in the stands at footbs games Friday nights. She even a tended a couple of band contests th; year. We talked so much in clas instead of listening to our teacher ta about Beowulf and Grendel, that ever one assumed she liked me. Whenevi old present While I do not believe Gragli should be censored, much less fired fc his opinion, I personally have writte to the University of Texas chancellc to have Graglia present data (shoul it exist) that allows his public derogi tion of other ethnic groups. Alexander E. Olvido Ph.D. Candidate Department of Biological Science Graduation on wrong day To the Editor: I am writing to announce that I believ the Graduating Committee of this Un ? 1 y -ji (DO 0 1v 77f^ saying, 'never say die."' Y Edlund, on having to overtake of Solid rth Places"). The South also has its i ing cuisine. Anything from shrim lip- grits and Frogmore stew on the na to hog pick'ins and fried chick ae- land, we know how to eat. It ma ies be the healthiest food, but it sure as good going down. u^' Another distinguishing cl teristic of the Southern culture obsessions with tradition, histoi n * the old ways of life. Whether ia^ sweetgrass basket or the Confec se' flag, we're always trying preser ^ past. And, though it may be mei lised, paved over and invaded b er cultures, it has successfully rel its relaxed Southern pace we ( ay_ Together, this combines to rs the Southern way of life. It's not me ty, but rather an honor to be p js this demeanor, and that's how Southerners feel about it. We're; for to be Southern. We recogniz n history and try to live accordi ;et Maybe that's Florida's pre ad ? it's never been part of the Sou he culture in the first place. It was a i 'ul ish colony up until it was given i acks insee le. anyone in the class would ask hei as would just turn away and not say at thing. For a short while, even I dai 3 * believe that she might have a s to crush. I know I certainly did. jt" !r_ I started to look forward to [ to school for the first time in mj ^ She used to say this about herse 0_ day without Rebecca is like a day ge out sunshine." >d I began to believe this as my ness for her grew. rs I never asked her out. For tc a rejection from her would have much too painful. I'm not much 18 gambler, and I wanted to keep h lP a friend for as long as I could. Ill I'll never know what she w at have said if I had asked her out. V Sj I played it safe and never riske Ik jection, I also never gave myself a y- portunity to see what might have jr pened. t data supp a versity deserves a fine round o >r plause for their outstanding cho: n day for commencement exercises "jj After finding out it has bee " cided that Monday, Dec. 15 is th< for graduation, I was delighted h cover that my sister and her hus in Georgia can't afford to take off that day to come celebrate with was even further enamored by th( that my niece and her mother in 1 8 da cannot miss school and will re fully not be able to make it. Above all, I was happiest wl learned that my parents will ha make a six-hour journey back c .e to Florida that night after the cer i 5 |P^ J* leading UGA i's culture inique United States. Thus, it never experip and enced the same history. It wasn't a coast, massive part oftheCivilWar.lt didn't en in- get carpet-bagged, or reconstructed ay not like the Southern states. Its history is tastes different. Because of this difference, it nevlarac er derived the same styles that the true ! is its Southern states possess. Without those y and experiences to shape its culture, it's it's a lacking the most important Southlerate ern characteristic ? an enduring spirye the '^ie strength demonstrated by surtropo viving a horrible time and putting itself y back together again. Part of that strength is born into each individual miov *n South. I do recognize all Americans have a tremendous amount of 1 *orm strength, but the strength possessed a du" by Southerners is different. How is art of hard to explain, but it is. most That's why Florida will never be P a Southern state in my mind. Put it e our up there with New York or New Jern? y- sey. The Yanks will like that. Florida iblem is just out of luck. Maybe California thern will adopt it. Hey, you never know. Span- But, as far a being Southern, it's got a to the long way to go. xirity shell r, she A few months before school endany ed that year, she started dating a football player. I would never have a class e(j ^ with her again for the remaining two vears in high school. mall ' Ifs been six years since I sat across from Rebecca Simpson, but I heard her >omS name just this past summer. She got r life, married to the football player who is If: "A now in law school. I saw her in-laws in the store where I worked this summer shortly fond- after her and her husband returned from their honeymoon. i face They said that the newly-weds been were doing fine and that they had just [ a gotten back from taking Becky out to eat for her birthday. I had forgotten 8 her birthday. I am not jealous of her husband at all, and I wish them both the best vhile 0f juck However, I would like to see ^ re" her sometime and thank her for helpn ?P" ing me break out of my shell in 10th hap- grade and discovering that I actually have a personality. orting claims f ap- ny because they have to work the folice of lowing Tuesday. I believe that the ladies and genn de- tlemen of the Graduating Committee 3 day should get a strong bravo for choosing 3 dis- a weekday for graduation, when countband less loved ones from across the nation work will not be able to be in Columbia heme. I cause of work, school, etc. s fact Thank you for making the most ^ori" important day of my life sharable with my entire family. len, ^ Tim Durkin veto lown Marine Science Senior emot > *