University of South Carolina Libraries
Che(E Serving Editc Adam Snyder, I Nikki LaRocqi Stephanie Sonnenfeld, I Movie didi praying te The Kentucky 7TT3 teen who fired on HUU a school prayer Cnm group, killing three of his classmates rruiuui /( and wounding five others, is a sensational tragedy D . . that's left three 1 sets of parents where i\ grieving for their directl' children. But, if the PeCtS murders weren't outrageous enouvh. the nrosecutor in the case says the film "Basketball Diaries" may have been a factor that caused the teen to commit the act In the movie, there's a dream sequence in which Leonardo DiCapprio takes a gun into his Catholic all-boys school and fires on his classmates. And supposedly, seeing this movie just pushed the 14-year-old over the edge. Watching this piece of Hollywood production just made him kill other teens in prayer. When will society get it into their heads that music, TV and film are not little red devils that sit cm teens'shoulders and say "Do it! Do it!" whatever the illegal "it" is. TTT - ? . i we re not saying young children should be exposed to the Use cauti clearing. South Carolina did a good thing when it purchased S.C.'s $21 million worth 7 * \ of land from Duke cLear 1? Energy Corp. last fTflTYt month.This acreage, which is u'Q :r home to the Jo- 11 bW cassee Gorge, was that can slated to become a to not pel natural preserve. farm fa ;t*. XlUVTCVCi , lib was announced this week that the state hopes to cut some timber in the area. The wood will be sold and proceeds may go to aid in managing the 32,000 acres, The State newspaper said. No, South Carolina isn't going into the lumber business. They're clearing some of the timber to supposedly "enhance" the wildlife habitat for animals, a common practice. But, experts say that while this practice can help control the environment, it can also help comStudant Madia Rvsaall Houa Adam Snyder Susan Interim Editor in Chief Photo Nikki LaRocque Donnir Viewpoint* Editor Graphic RoeaHnd Harvey StephanieI New* Editor Aid. Vtewp Sara Ladenheim Kristin HI New* Editor, Detign Cars 1 Marcus Amaker Ntu Amy Shannon Tori C Feature* Editor* Aid Pho Achim Hunt Brian Bryan Johnston On-line Sport* Editor* Julle Ben Pillow Chris Copy Detk Chief Casey 1 Chris Dixon Jessan Copy Editor Cnatlve The Gamecock is the itudent cock are thoee of thi nswepapw of The University of South and not those of 1 Carolina and is pu bushed Monday, South Carolina. Wednesday and Friday dunng the fall and spring semester! and five times 50* ?f during the summer with the excep- uons ana Cotnmuni tion of university holiday* and exam liahar of The Game ^5e^oc', The Departme Opinions expressed m The Game- dia ii ita parent or| The Gamecock will try to print The Gamecock nei all letter* received. Letter* should be House room 333. 200-260 words and must include full TheGamecock name, professional title or year and to edit all letter foi major if a student Letters must be bel or space limit* personally delivered by the author to not be withheld for \ Samccock use Since 1908 trial Board nterim Editor in Chief ie, Viewpoints Editor Assistant Viewpoints Editor siar^-n n't murder enagers likes of "NYPD Blue" or middle7omn in a schoolers should be jemning taken tQ R.rated )r murder movies. Children TCTTrmM grow at different UkOJi emotional stages, r ? 17 ? and there's a prophe blame er time for everyt belongs, thing. y in SUS- But to blame hands. "Basketball Diaries" for the mad fluke made by an obviously mentally ill teen is ludicrous. For every teen who does something that shocks society and then hides un der "evil" TV, movie or music influences, there are thousands of teenagers and college students who watch the same television show, have seen the same movie or have listened to the^same album and not gone on a mad killing spree. In fact, many young adults have experienced controversial entertainment, like Marlvn Man son and Nine Inch Nails, "Beavis and Butt-Head," "Cop Killer" by Ice-T and the video game "Mortal Kombat" and still lead normal lives, or are even exceptional student or community leaders. Put the blame where it belongs ? in the hands of the assailant. ton when Jocassee [TTTTQH mercial timber companies garner . choice to a influence , , j over the governrest land ment ECTCTHni Other problems (as seen in the case operative ?f the Sumter Na?betaken ti"?1Fcffest,show cuttmg can somen7ldH6ntly times benefit pope Upstate. ular hunting game "at the expense of non-game species, such as migrating birds that need heavy forests to survive," according to The State. Sure, the cutting has the chance of posing no problems at all. But, it also could senously damage a realm of the environment that could never repair the mistakes. It would be a shame to see this beautiful portion of land end up damaged from environmental mismanagement thanks to the same government that purchased the land to save it. use Columbia, SC 29208 Meyer* Ellen Parsons Editor Interim Director Baker of Student Media > Editor Lee Phipp* Sonnenfeld Advertising Manager oints Editor Sherry F. Holmes Ichardaon Classified Ad Manager Pellatt Carolyn Griffin is Editors Business Manager KHara Jim Green to Editor Creative Director i Riah Michele Dames Editor Creative Services BA<r Graduate Assistant Gulp Erik Collins Decker Faculty Advisor Hager ______________ Services The Gamecock Editor (803) 777-3914 eeditors or author News (803) 777-7726 lie University of ETC. (803) 777-3913 Viewpoints (803) 777-7726 eock- Sports (803) 777-7182 ait of Student MeOnline (803) 777-3913 Student Medta rsroom in Russell A<*ertls,n? (803)777-1184 Classifieds (803) 777-1184 : reserve* the right ' style, possible li- Fa* (803)777-6482 tions. Names will any circumstance. Office (803) 777-3888 VIEWF " _k-L. THflCTS Rl?*H "We are also concerned Cliff Resident Councilm L.1I313 Ul | Columnist | This column is not being written from the alcove of Student Media, but the warm recesses of my home in Birmingham, Ala. Tm writing this last column of the semester here partly because it will be easier than writing it mid-last week of classes. The even bigger reason is because I want to trap the feelings I have right now, post-crisis. Post-crisis means 12 hours after tne bound-to-be-infamous "crash of Thanksgiving *97." To make a long story short, my mom, sister and I thought it would be safe to brave the mall the day after the day after Thanksgiving, but our trip was (nearly) cut short by an unfortunate accident, entailing wet roads, Mom's skidding Maxima and the rear end of an Aerostar minivan. No one was hurt. There was no damage done to Mom's bumper, and Letters p: | Viewpoints Editor | If you're actually reading this, it will amaze me. But, if you understand precisely what the hell Fm saying, that will be nothing short of divine intervention. I enjoy journalism and writing for this paper, but if there's one thing I absolutely cannot stand, it's being misunderstood. And somehow, that goes along with being an editor for The Gamecock, unless you're a sports ed ltor. it s nard to misunderstand articles that rehash the latest game's score. But, in writing for Viewpoints, well, I haven't been this misunderstood since I was a toddler trying to tell my grandma I wanted vitamins, which came out as "bitowens." For some reason, she couldn't understand me. And for some reason, no matter what I write, there are those who can't fathom my English. \v T O "Which r exam has you the (J most worr, ried?" E S T 'PINTS id Jh/Ki Deiore 1 couia even ascertain tnis, out came my soon-to-be symbol of lack of faith in human civility. I thought she was going to attack my mother. And in a way, she did with words. She called Mom just about every name in the book, using the vocabulary of all the words not fit to print. The least of these included "stupid" and "hick," both of which prompted me to become the defensive speech and debater riled to the cause. It made me especially angry when I saw her license plate was from Hillsborough, where we moved from just two years ago. If Vtn nnlxr IraAnr oUa nroa OllU U1UJ IU1CTT OllC WOO iiauuilg IICIOCU and her own discourteous ways. I told her there was no need to call my mother anything. It was an accident. She hydroplaned, her brakes locked and she was barely at crawl speed. It hurt me to hear this woman's ignorance. I tried not to stoop to her rove ami Fm not talking about the students who intelligently argue a point, with fact and logic backing up their argument. That's intellectually stimulating and interesting to me. But, I just want to laugh in the law; ui uiuse wiiu lage, sputtering uver their riled-up emotions and tripping over their own words. And the insults have been classic. We know we've done a good job up here when some guy leaves a message on our machines that simply and eloquently says, "Fags!" It amuses me to no end to know there's at least one male out there who thinks calling us homosexuals is somehow derogatory. Letters to the editor are always a source of amusement. Some of my favorites are the ones that tell us what crappy, pathetic spellers we are and can't we get some decent copy editors when their own pieces are filled with horrors an English teacher would take delight in slashing with a red marker. I "All of them Cedric D'Costa Graduate Student Computer Engineering A about the board's willingne see this project c< ember Brian Gambrell, in a slated to be built >esn'tru only minimal done to the blue travesty of 1980s design in front of us. We were safe, just a little shaken-up. But i r T 11 i .1 (r,>^ur w twep iss to destroy our way of life j )mpleted immediately." letter to USC President Dr. Johr near Cliff Apartments. in shorn JT I level, trying to blame it on the shock of the collision. After all, I've been in several accidents, and I know how it feels to be jolted unexpectedly. Not pleasant. But, the woman would not cease spouting her insulting words into our car. She proceeded to scream at us, saying she was transporting her pregnant daughter to her baby shower and everything was Mom's fault. Anything was our fault. Mom sat there quietly, absorbing all of this woman's pent-up anger and misdirected guilt. My sister sat in the back of the car crying. In the back of my head I thought the pain this woman was ininrf urn a inof mil nf i rrn awom /tn iiivuug *vao just uub ui iguui aiiic, and I needed to take charge of the situation. I called the police and Dad. And I gave the woman the look of, "You're being ugly and nasty and hurting my mother!" The pregnant girl was whisked away smiling by a passing relative. She was fine. Ironically, another pasisine, act I've had my intelligence not only questioned, but outright denied. My parents have been encouraged to slap me for my "impertinence" (my family, however, has this idea that if you disagree with one another, we sit down and talk it over). The staff has been ridiculed for editorials they chose not to have a say in because they thought them "too controversial." For the same editorial, we'll get a letter saying we went too far, and then one screaming at us for not going far enough. Anrl a Am ok Anr A anam f A ruiu ouuiuau w , pcupic occui bu think a 250-word limit for letters to the editor means they can write as much as they want and expect to be published as is. Others apparently have the belief that when I answer the phone, that means they have unlimited access to my time, and that I'm personally here to listen to their tirade and cluck my tongue in sympathy. It starts getting annoying toward the end of the semester, particularly if a letter comes in from a student who "disagrees" with me passionately about J # I "All of them." Sky Ryu pre-Graduate Student Computer Science 1j y&\*\ I ust to satisfy their desire to i Palms about the Greek village ring day senger was taken to the hospital, complaining of a pain in her "kidney." The police didn't issue Mom a ticket. They said she couldn't have been going over five miles per hour. The paramedics said not to let this ruin our shopping day. Mom and Dad insisted we go to 4.V. ? r?1 J XT i. ;j j. mi tiic v-fiu utivjr pusi-acciueiiu inejr put on their best "that skirt is too short" faces despite the accident. But, I could tell Mom walked away with aches and pains from the accident, and not the kind the insurance policy covers. We're not defined by how we handle Sunday drives in the countryside. Sure, they're deserved and meant to be enjoyed. But, I think true character is established in how we handle the accidents along the way, the unexpected jolts, nicks and hurts. I'm going to try to remember this when someone bumps into me. It will happen. It happens to everybody. That's why we call them "accidents." jravating whatever it was I wrote, when in actuality they're making the same point I did. They were evidently too stupid to see that. I've truly enjoyed raising the occasional ire of most of the mqjor student organizations and administrations on campus. But, ifs so outrageous to me when students get angry at some article or editorial and part of their argument against us is, "The Gamecock is a student paper. It should be for the students." Oh please, whatever. Just because students are writing for The Gamecock doesn't mean we have absolute loyalty to other undergraduates and we should ignore other students or organizations when something less than nice occurs concerning them. If we just wrote happy little stories about how much money the Greeks are raising for charity we wouldn't be doing our job. We wouldn't be learning how to be journalists. Try to understand that. "Modern contemporary American literature" Claire Bourel English junior