The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 10, 1998, Page 4, Image 4

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We're all taking a day off on Monday since the university is closed anyway. Page 4 Hit 031 Sening the Carolina Com EDITORIAI Adam Snyder, i Amy Shannon, V Kurt Johnson, Assista g. f A | ] I I 11 |1 5.L. race r r same as it Will it ever be r^^erTrTT possible for everyone to get along or Race relation at least for every. Carolina, one to stand each other? stagnant wa According to a last coupk new survey by The . State, if there is a possibility, then it might take some All it really time. The Palmet- little respect t to Project survey is one on race rela- JJ tions in South Car- ' olina. It showed little movement in the improvement 01 race relations, imrty-seven percent surveyed thought relations had improved in the last decade. That was up six percent since the last survey in 1995. But opinions on other issues concerning jobs and financial opportunities remained stagnant..Fortyfour percent of white people agreed that non-whites had just as good a chance to get a job as a white person, while 43 percent of blacks disagreed with that statement. The survey also showed that a majority of black people feel white children have a better opportunity Commam not for sc A proposal to allow public schools to display the Ten A member o Commandments Boardo/fi; was presented by J Dr. Henry Jordan wants to CIU at the S.C. Board of Ten Comma Education meeting in < Wednesday. The resolution KTtTTTT would allow stuHonta fr? vntp nn Tnr/Jsivi'c fi V*VMVU wv * vv^ J\s' vvwrit&js whether they wanted the school to post the Ten Command ments. Schools would not necessarily be forced to exhibit the Commandments. Jordan has already received support for his proposal from the S.C. House of Representatives. The House has passed a resolution that encourages the state board to endorse Jordan's suggestion. Because the board was inundated with several other items of business on its agenda, Jordan's proposal was tabled until May, when further discussion can be held. These actions are unbelievable. Jordan can't be serious. How he or any other board member could even consider such a proposal is unfathomable. Even worse is that the House voted in favor of Jordan's idea. Haven't any of our state representatives heard of the U.S. Constitution? Our country was founded on the separation of church and state. The key here is separation. That means we are forbidden from posting the Ten Commandments in the lobby of a public school. (Lneimi " ^S" Serving the Carolina Con The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The University Friday during the fall and spring semesters and five times during I periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those oftheect The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the p is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock Adam Snyder Editor in Chief Rosalind Harvi Amy Shannon Viewpoints Editor Sara Lodanhalm *urt Johnton Care PeHatt News Editors Carrie McCulli Jennifer Stanley Features Editor Kristin Freest Achlm Hunt Nathan Brown Bryan Johnston Sports Editors Saan Rayfonj Susan Meyers Photo Editor Tort Q Harg Brian Rlsh Online Editor ?fin Raed Chris Dixon Copy Desk Chief Connie Karlck Student Media Julie Baker Sherry F. Holr Susan Barrett Allele Dickson Carolyn OrlfHr Judson Drennan Creative Services Jim Green Ellen Parsons Director of Student Media Mlchele Dam* Leo Phlppa Advertising Manager ^ CeMna IlllUUV munity since 1908 . BOARD Editor in Chief 'iewpoints Editor \nt Viewpoints Editor elations ever was hmmm] for financial success, while only 20 percent <sin South1 of white people agreed lavehit with that. lavemi This could be imtevs in the proved. Augustus ? years. Rodgers, a use social work professor, said it best: "If we would have the same comtakes is a mitment to resolving ind a little racial matters as we ,runrt<i do to scientific ad^ vancement, I believe there is hope for us." This is so true. All we need to do as a society is put forth a little effort. Surely, things are better than years past, but hopefully, it will be a lot better in years to come. it s not liKe we an nave to iiKe each other, but respect is what is needed. People need to learn to respect other people's lives, what they believe, what they do and how they do certain things. When a majority of people start doing this, race relations will drastically and quickly start changing. It just takes a little effort to make things between the races a little more cozy. Iments hools And there is a good LatiHHI reason for not peri f thp S mitting religious dociucation u entati?n suc? as this in the public Splay the schools: freedom of indmentS religion, another -rhnnk founding principle upon which our great nation was built. Every U.S. citizen roposal is guaranteed the mm out. right to worship freely, and this m eludes students. Displaying the Ten Commandments in a public school infringes upon the rights of students who do not believe in a Judeo-Christian religion. Even if the majority of students vote in favor of hanging the Commandments in their school, it still impedes the rights of those in the minority who voted against it. If just one student votes not to exhibit the Commandments, then that student's beliefs are being discounted, and his or her rights are being jeopardized. If parents want their children to be in a school where one religion is specifically recognized and promoted, then they need to send their children to a private school. A public school is not the place for religious doctrine. Jordan's proposal is ridiculous, and the House is not thinking clearly. The Constitution promises separation of church and state. Neither Jordan nor the House has the authority to deny students their rights as set forth by the U.S. Constitution. mecock RSI imunity since /%W of Sputh Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and 'he summer with the exception or university nonaays ana exam tors or author and not those of The University of South Carolina, ublisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media All numbers area code 803 The Gamecock ay Public Relations Coordinator Editor 777-3914 Asst. Viewpoints Editor Viewpoints 777-7726 tugh Asst. News Editor ate Asst. Features Editor News 777-7726 Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Photo Editor Etc. 777-3913 Asst. Online Editor Sports 7777182 hoff Copy Editors Online 7772833 noa Classified Ad m.hi. Manager Stu<k,nt M#dl" . Business Manager Advertising 777-1184 Creative Director Classifieds 777-1184 " sasaa. Faculty Advisor office 7773888 A /iEWP The Gamec S0Nfc$J 10^ m I Wfc MUST it i ,,w ??pki ry msfe? Another kevin LANGSTON Columnist Hello once again. Pleased to meet you. My name is Kevin Foster Langston, and I am a nice guy. You may not recognize me because there are apparently a few of us left in the world. Yes, we are a dying breed. This is a sad fact. What is even sadder is the fact that we are being killed off. Fnr flhnnf 1Q vpars T havp sppn lnvp from a distance. I have seen couples holding hands and endlessly staring into each other's eyes. I have seen the miles of love letters, and I have heard the love songs. I know all the signs of love, as well. I must know because I have such a great vantage point. Everything is so clear from the outside. I can only guess that when it is being directed at you, you are just stupefied. I wouldn't really know. In case you are wondering what a "nice guy" is so you can look out for us, I will give you a description. Have you ever had one of those friends who you felt safe with? You could tell him anything. You knew that when you told him something, you could get an honest opinion, and he would be listening with a caring heart. This person would tell you jokes to make you Animals A friend invited me to go hunting recently. I declined, feeling no desire to kill a harmless animal. I did kill a harmless animal once, though, and ????===?i with that creature's death ?|s I ' >11 came the > x s J 1 r )- loss oi a certain ' amount of my inno, I cence. J J It was a 1 Jf warm ' " - J spring day, fred LEACH and I was Columnist on break from middle school. At a yard sale, I had purchased a BB gun that looked just like an M-16, complete with a scope, for only $3. Anxious to try it out, I made my way through the dense woods behind my house to the creek. It wasn't much lUALilkAUifc ZBT fraternity strives to be different To the editor: Though Zeta Beta Tau is appreciative of the coverage in the front page story of April 3, "New Additions Enhance USC Greek System," I must agree with Michelle Burke's letter to the editor differentiating which new Greek group was part of Greek Life and which was not. Despite the fact that we are not affiliated with the Office of Greek Life, the Interff aternity Council or have yet to receive recognition from the university, the Beta Tau Colony of ZBT is OINTS ock \CTioMS v^jiaA fiwL wSpJC ? carl ctnr U1AVL UI/VfJL laugh, and he would offer a shoulder on which to cry. He would be willing to do anything for you. He would stand beside your values. This is a person who would sacrifice himself to ensure that you were happy. He would do this because it made him happy. This is a person who acted in pure selflessness, and he never asked for anything in return. He is truly a great friend, and you can honest- y0 ly say that you are glad to know him. ra Now that you know what a "nice ful guy" is, let me tell you what they look like. They can look like anyone gu from the handsome athlete to the dis shy freshman. They can be tall, short, a 1 fat, thin, burly or feeble. The truth is ou they can look like anyone. Now that you know what a nice guy ^ is and what he looks like, here is what ^ you do with this knowledge. You go and break his heart. You wrap him ei around your finger. You let him think on he is loved, and then you slap him with | reality. C0] Why do I say these things? Because this is apparently how all "nice guys" ^ orn cnnnncorl fn Ko U1 V OU^/J/Vk7V\A W WV bl vuvvu. jg I All the hours of endless honesty m( and devotion are done with no angles, lo\ and they have no strings attached. We offer our all to you. We give you our re; love, and you give us pain. This is just ca the way it is supposed to be. Right? tic ' deaths < of a creek really, no crayfish or turtles in lived there, but small minnows did. le I picked the biggest fish, the easi- 11 est target, drew a beat on him and D fired. The fish rose to the surface, swam co helplessly for a moment, then float- cr ed gently to the sandy bottom. Guilt hit me like a swarm of hun- ex gry locust when I saw that fish die pe by my hand. I walked home slowly, dragging the gun through the dirt like ov a lost soldier. er I threw the gun over the fence in- a? to my back yard where it rusted un- m til it was unusable, never again to be w> an agent of death. th It may sound silly, but that little be C-L ~?-U 1 ??.? ? nan still uauiita my iiiciiiuijr ou muui ui that I am extremely careful to make as sure that no animal ever dies a senseless death while I am around. I take w it to extremes sometimes. ei While on the band field for exam- cc pie, if I ever saw a beetle or a cricket to hopping across the field, I would care- in fully pick it up and take it to the safe- ts ty of the bushes. If a moth ever flies di The 11 ||1] a student. Hand writ, dude the author's te held for any circumsi a social fraternity that operates under a authority of the National Office of pi Zeta Beta Tau Inc., a member of the of National Interfraternity Council. As Burke pointed out, as a non-IFC ar social fraternity, we will not be able to wi participate in the "formal membership so recruitment ('rush') process each se- fo mester." Since ZBT operates with a of "rolling rush" format, meaning we pf "rush" all year long, this isn't a prob- T( lem for us. No, we "are not eligible m for housing within the Greek residence A halls," but this was never one'of our th goals to begin with. While it's true that Delta Tau Delta is establishing a great p< foundation of "leadership, scholarship, bi service to campus and community, and to "Once out th Cbaro fcr^JiP MTOTfi! \(St& ^ * ]&&&f $v aw- m ' OUAGW* ? Toi y for ni "Did I choose this lifesty lifestyle because I would and not have that cei strive for, than be a c< Why? Do we ask for it? Do we tell st u in our caring voices that we would is ther you break our hearts than to Ifill fVinm? o LUU UlV/lil. M Do you want to know what a nice ai y"s heart sounds like? It is easy to h stinguish because it is the sound of ci leart that has been broken numers times. a: It is a heart that has lost sleep over al e one it loves. It is a heart that is lift- bi by doing kind acts for its loved ones. g< is a heart that has been told it is betr to "just be friends." cl It is a heart that hopes for the n e day someone will discover it. It is c< heart that is told that its day will c< me. Eventually. Eventually is not good enough. I b\ a take for granted the fact that there tv supposed to be this one out there for cc }. This one who is going to return my m re. or Who is to say that she hasn't al- g( ady rejected me? It is possible be- gt use I have had my share of rejec- hi ins. You may be wondering why I }uite ser my open door, I will catch it and re- ir ase it, rather than just swatting it. ie suppose I have watched too many w isney movies, but every little animal a uld be a talking, sensible, smiling eature such as Jiminy Cricket. ct My cousin recently told me of his p perience with an animal. His grand- tl irents live on the side of a mountain. d< Below their house is a grassy mead- tl v where they can view deer and oth- b woodland creatures. Not too long fl jo, a black bear began visiting the ir 3 ? TV ? -?*? eauuw. iviy cuusins giaiiupaiGiito ould put apples and bananas below d ieir deck in order to lure the young ti ;ar. My eight-year-old cousin said P tat it was not a cub but described it h ; being a teenager. i^ For a while, whenever my cousin ie ould visit, the bear would come and ci it below his grandparent's deck. My o tusin could throw apple slices down i it, and the bear would catch them n l its mouth. He became somewhat at- y tched to the bear the way young chil- c] ren can become attached to cute an- o will try to print allletters received. Letters should be 250-300 words a ten letters must be personally delivered by the author to The Gamecoc lephone number. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letter for 'ance. lifetime of friendship," these princi- G es are not limited only to members tl the IFC. s ZBT emphasizes scholarship first n id foremost and to the extent that s e have no mid-week social functions i as not to interfere with studies. As 1 r community service, ZBT was one ii only a handful of fraternities that > irticipated in the Kappa Delta 'Teeter ii itter" April 18, and we begin our bi- n onthly visit to Children's Hospital t pril 26, an effort we will continue n trough the summer months. s We require a minimum of 48 hours li ir semester of community service per t other. Compare ZBT's commitment i service to any fraternity on campus, \SSSSSSSMKM % we get communication iere, the understanding will come." Davis, Minority Affairs Friday, April 10,1998 wtSMTI % w Wl m pel THeC^fc lege press EXCHANGE ce guy le? Yes. I chose this rather be a nice guy rtain love we all omplete moron." >und bitter. A friend once said, "Love bitter-sweet....mostly bitter." This thing called love has burned hole in my heart. Within this hole re the countless times I have been urt and the countless times I have ied. Nice guys make great doormats. I m a doormat. I have been walked 11 over. I offer a welcome, and I am rushed off as my object of affection ies to the door of someone else. Did I choose this lifestyle? Yes. I lose this lifestyle because I would ither be a nice guy and not have that jrtain love we all strive for than be a jmplete moron. I am incapable of being anything it a genuine nice guy. It is my naire. What I am getting at is that the (untless acts of selflessness do not ^ ove me any closer to obtaining this le love we all are searching for. I am )ing to win love on my own terms. So ) ahead and walk over me. I wouldn't ave it any other way. 1 useless rials. My cousin named the bear PokPokie was never a nuisance. He ould just come and eat some fruit ad leave. One Friday evening when my rnsin arrived at the house, his grandarents sat him down and told him lat Pokie had been shot by the nextoor neighbor. As Pokie came through le meadow one afternoon, the neighir fired his high-powered hunting rie at the young bear who came seeklg apple slices and bananas. ^ He feared that Pokie might one ay lose his fear of humans and atick. A logical concern, I suppose, but okie had never showed any signs of ostility. The neighbor could have easr called animal control to take Pokout deeper into the mountains. My lusin failed to understand why anyne would kill the bear. The bear was unwanted by the eighbor, but it brought joy to my oung cousin who lost a part of his w hildhood that day in the grassy meadw. nd must include full name, professional title or year and major if k newsroom in Russell House room 333. E-mail letters must instyle. possible libel or space limitations. Names will not be withIreek Life or otherwise, and you'll see hat ZBT believes community service hould be more than a once-in-a-selester event for which you pat yourelf on the back. As the chapter advisor of the Beta 9 'au Colony (appointed by, and workig for, the executive president of ZBT Jational Fraternity), I also feel it is mportant for members of the CaroliLa community to understand the disinction between Greek-letter orgalizations that are part of the Greek ystem and Zeta Beta Tau, a Greekstter organization that not only claims o be different, but actually is. ^ R. Martin Streett Chapter Advisor, Zeta Beta Tau