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Kurt Johnson pokes fun ; those lazy and impatient stair climbers. Page 2 Sirip Serving the Caroline EDFFOB Adam Snydc Amy Shannor Kurt Johnson, Ass M [i *1III: ?V/i Pro-lifers everyone The 24th annual Stand Up for Life March and Rally at- Local pT traded around 1,000 nttomn South Carolinians w><*mp Saturday as they pa- certain 171 raded from the Capi- onto e tol building to Finlay ^ Park. The demonstration included an- Tho infoa ti-abortion speeches, ? music, performances person, and even some words choose rv-i floirAwn A? ix uin vjuvciiiui nrPQ Beasley supporting " the pro-life prerogative. There is absolutely nothing wrong with pro-life advocates organizing a rally, carrying signs, and making speeches. In our country, our constitution guarantees our people the right to peaceably assemble for whichever reasons they see fit. However, the people of the United States also deserve the right to choose. Opponents of abortion are working hard to take this fundamental right away from citizens by campaigning to make abortion illegal. If abortion were illegal, no one would have any choice and the people's right to choose would no longer exist. The State recently quoted Kate Michelman of the National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League as saying, "Today, there are more obstacles to women seeking to exercise their constitutional right to Cltxvr ?n VJ*+j iimii represen Once again, re- ~~ pression is rearing mjjjQ its ugly visage. RMicoppi James Hormel has , an ambassadorial U)hen gay < nomination to the an amba small country of Luxembourg, but Conservatives are PeODle TU mounting an ag- m a gressive campaign to block his ap- and al pointment just be- appointee cause Hormel is openly gay. Hormel has been endorsed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and would be the nation's first openly gay ambassador, but his fate is being held up by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who's still decided on bringing the endorsement to a full vote in the Senate. To show their opposition, some conservative Republicans have put a "hold" on their vote to Hormel's nomination. However, the Family Research Council, a conservative interest group, doesn't want there to be a vote at all. Why? Are these people creating all this ruckus just because Hormel Wc? Serving the Carolina C The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The Univer Friday during the fall and spring semesters and the times durii periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the The Board of Student Publications and Communications is th is the newspaper's parent organization. Th* Gamecock Adam Snyder Editor in Chief Rosalind Hi Amy Shannon Viewpoints Editor Kurt Johnat Sara Ladenhafm Carrie McC Cera PeUatt News Editors Kristin Fret Jennifer Stanley Features Editor sathan Bro Achlm Hunt rr l fjt Bryan Johnston Sports Editors "aym Susan Meyers Photo Editor T?n O'Hars Brian Rlsh Online Editor Connie^tar Chris Dixon Copy Desk Chief Student Media Julie Baker Sherry F. H Susan Barrett Alicia Dickson Carolyn Grt Jud Dtennan Creative Services Jim Orson Ellen Parsons Interim Director of Student Media Mlchele Da Lee Phlpps Advertising Manager ^ Collins . * 1 iamecock > Community since 1908 HAL BOARD m\ Editor in Chief Viewpoints Editor ' iet/TYit \Zit>uri\r\4*itc TJsi4 trw IINIl iMdHHiliHlH take away 's choice choose than at any other time since Roe." O-life rally Who or what do protc tn fnrro lifers ^irik. &*ves them 7 l t r the right to take other Wral beliefs people's rights away? VeryOTie. Every person should be allowed to make his lyQyll or her own decision on . * r whether abortion is Tlty of each morally right or wrong. S right to No one is forcing must be * those people who are prvprl anti-abortionists to have an abortion. Yet those same pro-life advocates are haranguing and indeed forcing people who do want an abortion not to have one. In this manner, abortion foes are foisting their moral beliefs onto everybody else, including the people who do not agree with the pro-life stance. Strangely enough, the same sort of difference in opinion over moral or religious beliefs occurred at least once before in the history of the United States. In fact, wasn't that why the earliest dissenters left England in the first place, so that every person was allowed his or her own moral belief? It is only fair and just to afford every American the right to choose his or her own perspective on abortion. The pro-life stance denies everyone this basic right. No one is coercing prolifers to do something they don't want to do. So why are they menacing everybody else? should t country ???is gay? Obviously, yes, but that's just -JSition arises The mania. , dentially competent appointed to that's as far as it ssadorship. should go. If he's able to do the job, let him do it. Luxembourg zed to lose &ye its approval four . months ago; they ' prejudices seem to have no probllow the lem with it. to have the Why should this i man be repressed be' cause of his sexual preference? Is he not a person, like any other person? Some people need to open the narrow corridors they call their minds and realize, as well as experience, humanity. Hormel needs support. It's great that this man is trying to improve his life, while knocking down some walls. He should get this job, if not for anything else, just to rub it in to those who opposed him. Hopefully, he will get this job and represent our country to his greatest potential. And hopefully, people will lose their petty and immature prejudices and comprehend the meaning of equality. imirrnrh BMWtllM CUIIUUUV Pp^aVH Community since 1908 MiMBMilMKaBiijiiiM sity of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and tg the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam editors or author and not those of The University of South Carolina, e publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media All numbers area code 803 TVm Gamecock rvey Public Relations Intern ' Editor 777-3914 m A sst.Vew points Editor ullough Asst. News Editor viewpoints 777-7726 wtate 4ssf. Features Editor wn 4ssf. Siports Editor News 777-7726 rd 4sst. Photo Editor Asst. On,ine Editor EtC' 7773913 ickhoff Copy Editors 777 7182 Online 777-2833 olmea Classified Ad . Ui.,. Manager Student Media ffln Business Manager Advertising 777-1184 Creative Director Classifieds 777-1184 dm Creative Services _ 777fi,M Graduate Asst. Fax 777-6482 Faculty Advisor office 777-3888 1 VIEWP The Game ? $ Life SIGNE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NE Religiov CCl T 7 e live in the Bible Belt!" b 1fXl rejoices the preacher, o ? celebrating the growth of 1 his congregation. t "We live in the Bible Belt," bemoans t Bubba, facing the closing of his favorite c video poker y - purveyor. to think j] My own r ktkki MCCORMICK J Columnist en^. from ^ those 8 Protestant, and even fundamentalist, views that define the Bible Belt. Yet ( I admire people who will defer to a 0 higher law in matter of public policy. ^ It shows, in theory, a measure of hu- j mility; it is saying that we humans ^ don't always know what is best. In p practice, though, I fear that Bible teachings are sometimes appealed to in hopes ^ of gaining support for truly lame ideas. f( Notice, these arguments only "some- a times make me uncomlortable. You ^ see, Fm betting (at least, I would be if j Corporal I tanvi DHERE I v o Columnist jj Recently, I have come across some ? editorials discussing corporal c punishment in newspapers and a magazines. Many of the writers sympathize with the use of such discipli- g nary measures. t; According to them, court cases that n ultimately punish parents and/or oth- g ers for spanking children are helping ^ to lead to the demise of the tradition- ^ al American family. Parents are scared c of touching their kids. The kids then grow up to be the Ted Kaczynskis and g Amy Fischers of society. So they claim. With these writers and others who feel as such, I have to disagree. I have t never felt, nor will ever feel, that cor- ^ poral punishment is a necessary tool v with which to instill discipline in a child. It is a sign of improper parent- ^ mgIt seems like a simple resort to pun- ^ ishment when adults are frustrated j and tired of handling children. To in- ^ still discipline requires patience. Spanking is a result of impatience, which is undoubtedly wrong. ^ I also see paddling as a sign of disrespect. There is something that is lost wrft-r tm Come to the n I OINT cock ws is persj etting was acceptable in South Carilina) that religions can show us truths, he world's religions are such an inegral part of our lives, I can't imagine hat they have managed to escape the lutches of wisdom for thousands of ears. Philosophical ramblings aside, hough, I think there is practical eviience to suggest that the peculiar reigion with which we are faced in the louth can offer valuable insights. This semester, I'd like to use this olumn to discuss the issues we face a the Bible Belt, and to look at outide issues from the sometimes surrising perspectives that Bible Belt esidents have to offer. I'll propose a opic for the next week at the end of ach column, in the hopes that you, he readers, will offer ideas on the isues. Whether you are a native South Carolinian who helps buckle the Belt, r a transplant who is bewildered by hese natives, I want to hear from you. <et this column be an outlet of sorts, o express frustration or defend your osition. Maybe, like me, you have encounered professors who have little respect ar your religious convictions. I've ctually seen professors smirk as stuents express their cherished beliefs. think there is a serious disparity bepunishr rhen a parent physically touches his r her child in a wrong way. Respect a a family is a two-way street. It does iot merely transfer from child to parnt. Parents, too, must respect their hildren. After all, kids learn from exmple. I often hear the use of whippings quated with words of love and affecion. I would not hit you unless I did tot love you, some parents might ay. If s fanny that I never heard Mike tyson telling Evander Holyfield that te would not hit him unless he did not are for him. Okay, some of you might see that s an extreme comparison. But the flint I am trying to make is that physical punishment is not a sign of affecion. Affection is something that is ransferred through emotions and rords, not spankings. And when I see a parent spanking lis kid in a grocery store, I cannot truthally say that I admire and respect him ar taking such control over his child, lather, his action is a sign of his own mmaturity from not being able to take ontrol in other ways. Spanking in itelf, in my opinion, is improper betavior. r intin wmd tew writers meeting ton The Gar J | ] ill]* a student. elude the aut held for any c "It's s I >ectives "This semester, I'd like to u issues we face in the Bible issues from the sometimes i Bible Belt reside] tween the beliefs of many of our professors, and the generally Christian views of most of our students. That's something we could talk about in this column. Also, we could discuss conflicts that arise in South Carolina from the fact that one general religious view predominates. If you aren't Christian, and sometimes even if vou are. vou ? J J J might be offended that you have to obey blue laws right along with everyone else. Maybe we can discover, and then discuss, the reasoning behind these laws. I see all sorts of conflicts among people of different religious persuasions. Maybe, by addressing these, we can make some small step towards solving them. For next Monday, I hope to hear from you on an issue we've been hearing a lot about lately: cloning. While this isn't a particularly Southern isaent not "I would not hit you unless I might say. It's funny that I n< Evander Holyfield that he w< not care I have also come to realize that words seem to hit harder than whippings. In my house, my mother never once resorted to corporal punishment when disciplining me or my younger brother. That is not to say she never disciplined us. She did. But she used (and still uses) lectures and the occasional (or perhaps sometimes frequent) yells. And of course there was the grounding. No television, no playing outside for a whole week. The fact that she and others have been able to raise moral and properlybehaving individuals without the use of physical punishment suggests that others can do the same. Spanking is not necessary to discipline kids. I have known kids who still continue to act unruly even when parents use the occasional whipping as a form ight at 7 p.m. iri Russell I necock will try to print all letters received. Letters should be 250-300 * ind written letters must be personally delivered by the author to The G< hor's telephone number. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all let ircumstance. ussmmnm^m always good to beat a rival." Keith Switzer ?C men's swimming coach, on beating Clemson Monday, January 19,1998 n iMIW8!' 0 > 1 j # il ! . k > P?WN Mowi \ I V lATKeU. .. J S Ida \ i^ricettw | 4 college press EXCHANGE needed se this column to discuss the Rolf and fn lnnlr af nnfoida surprising perspectives that nts have to offer." sue, it will still be a point of interest Mk to survey Southern reactions to it. It flft is especially relevant to this column in light of something Richard Seed, the scientist who plans to clone humans, told NPR: "We are going to have almost as much knowledge and almost as much power as God." Surely, a mostly Christian community will have serious problems with that statement. Help me answer some questions: Why is it that people are condemning Richard Seed's plans to clone human 9 beings? Does it raise spiritual questions, i.e., Do clones have souls? Or is all the hullabaloo over nothing? Get you opinion to me by e-mail, at k.warthen@sc.edu, preferably by Thursday. Please include your name and phone number, and tell me whether or not you'd agree to a telephone interview to delve into your ideas a little further. for kids 1 did not love you, some parents ever heard Mike Tyson telling ould not hit him unless he did for him." of discipline. If this is the case, then there must be other factors involved in teaching children right from wrong. And it is such factors that a good parent is able to discern and utilize. Rut T am not poinv to artma that the courts should ban parents from using whatever disciplinary measures they want. Family affairs are private affairs. And the government does not have a right in interfering with those things (unless there is a threat of extreme physical harm). But I hope adults who have children know how to raise them properly. They should make the right decisions when dealing with their kids. And the use of corporal punishment should not be one of those decisions. rck I louse 333. See you there. tords and must include full name, professional title or year and major It imecock newsroom in Russell House room 333. E-mail letters must in ter for style, possible libel or space limitations. Names will not be withV