The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 14, 1998, Page Page 7A, Image 7
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to Student Media. Russell
House room 333, or call
777-7726. I
"
Hit?
Serving tlye Carolina Con
EDITORIAL
Rosalind Harvey,
Kathleen McCormicl
Staingate,
embarrass
In theory, an r*5*nrtnji
extramarital affair
may not necessar- President Cli
ily impede a Commander-in-Chiefs
r
ability to perform smlis
presidential func- pTTIIlSSf]
tions. Presumably,
a president should ^ need a /
be smart enough | who doesn If e
to carry off an af- himself our
fair discreetly, so mmseih our
that the American
people are not subjected to the in- i
timate details of their elected 1
leader's foibles. i
In real life, President Clinton's i
affair with Monica Lewinsky ]
has made us all, from the First ]
Lady to the last voter, victims. <
We have been cheated upon by j
the president of the United States. 1
It's not too much to ask of the i
president that he not take time i
out from his job to fool around with
young girls. He solicited this po- 1
sition from the voters, and we allowed
him to have it, either by voting
for him or not doing enough
to oppose his election. We have
given him something he desperately
wanted, and he has repaid
us by spending hours of his time
in office diddling ditzes.
If he had pulled it off with some
semblance of panache, it wouldn't
be such a tragedy for the office he
holds. As it is, however, he has
made choices that have made
his presidency the joke of the cen
tury, and we have been laced with
the fact we are led by a buffoon.
Perhaps we would be less insulted
if we could begin to identify
with his choice of a mistress.
If he occasionally set aside a moment
for a sophisticated, brilliant,
irresistible woman, many of us
would still be upset on moral
grounds, and worry about the psyche
of his young daughter. We
would have to worry a little about
his judgement.
As it is though, he chose a silly
kid with diarrhea of the mouth
who saves dresses with, well, souvenirs
stuck to them. Now we have
to have serious concerns regarding
his judgement.
TIPS bad j
advertise!
Using TIPS has
always been frustrating
at best. TIPS is mc
The messages frustrat
are spoken slowly, solicits
there is much de- ^vrrTTT
lay, and there is an Hmm
unnecessary de- Wesboul
gree of caretaking. subjected to
(Your last name trying tOj
is spelled ... as
though we weren't
sure).
When we call TIPS, we set
aside a large block of time and
prepare to be inconvenienced.
We do not prepare to be bombarded
with solicitation.
When we try to pay our fees
via TIPS, we are required to
listen to a warning about the per?E(?i
Setting the Camlhia Com
The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The University
Friday during the fall and spring semesters and eight times dun
exam penods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of
Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications
Media is the newspaper's parent organization.
The Gamecock
Rosalind Harvey Editor in Chief Amy McCormi
Kikl McCormlck Viewpoints Editor Rebecca Whit
Jennifer Stanley News Editor Rob Undsey
Marcus Amaker Features Editors Jennifer Stanley
Bryan Johnston Sports Editor
Student Media
Blen Parsons Carolyn Grlffli
Director of Student Media Jim Green
Lee Phlpps Advertising Manager Erik Collins
Sherry F. HolmasClassified Manager
<
imecod!
nmunity since 1908
BOARD
Editor in Chief
t, Vieupoints Editor
Clinton
>country
mmmmmmmm Someone with
such poor decision
nton has making ability
l making should not be leading
the United
States of America.
[TlTTrTHHB We should not
have to be subjected
resident to daily analyses of
mbarrass Staingate. It is easy
country. *? "ame the press
J for dwelling on an issue
that, at best,
sickens us. The press, however,
though they may belabor the point,
sire simply reporting an actual situation
brought about by the
poor judgement of a man who happens
to be in a position that requires
excellent decision making
abilities. It is President Clinton's
fault that we are in a situation
where the bodily fluid on a
dress could drastically affect the
state of our nation. It is President
Clinton's fault that we must hear
about a subject so vile.
Of course, we will hear complaints
that we are condemning
him before we know all the facts,
as thoflgh we are declaring him
guilty when we should presume
innocence for the time being.
But Lewinsky has already admitted
an affair, and we know that
he has at least spent time with
the girl. Even if this was some
grand conspiracy, the president
chose to spend his time with this
floozie, opening himself up to a situation
like this. Surely he didn't
require Miss Lewinsky's counsel
on issues of foreign policy.
He was, at the very least,
squandering time he could have
been using finding ways to improve
our country. Even without
a sexual relationship, he has
wronged America.
Soon, our country may be
given a chance to rid itself of
this embarrassment of a president.
Let's take the opportunity if
it comes.
We don't have to worry about
A1 Gore leaving stains on his after-hours
buddies, the Buddhist
nuns. Anyway, they'd be smart
enough to go to the dry cleaners.
place to
services
jj==n ils ?f not having
iiflHHHI health insurance,
ide more or at least suffer
ing by through a list of opition.
tions until we turn
j J.-L :_i
rnrrrr^n aown me spiei.
We are even
d not be asked to press a
this when certain button if
Day fees. we already had in
surance, as though
that information is
the business of the university.
Of course health insurance is
important. However, personal
questions like this invade our privacy
for the purpose of trying
to get us to purchase a service.
Permission to pay our fees should
not be contingent upon dealing
with advertisements.
math nai
munity since l'MJH
of South Carolina and is published Monday. Wednesday and
ng the summer with the exception of university holidays and
the editors or author and not those of The University of South
is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student
All numbers area code 803
<ck Photo Editor Editor 777-3914
* On-line Editor Viewpoints "7-7726
News 777-7726
Copy Editors ?tc. 777-3913
Sports 777-7132
On-line 777-2833
Student Media
t Business Manager Advertising 777-3888
_ . . Classifieds 777-1184
Creative Director fax 777-6482
Faculty Advisor office 777-3888
Vew
W I 1 I
Two gene
I grew up hearing about World War
II from my grandfather. I heard about
how he met my grandmother, who
worked for
zn the navy,
during the
war and
how they
married
M grandfatherwason
leave. I've
Bff' in read
BL jmM telegrams
Jennifer STANLEY from that
young navy
guest columnist to ^
southern
girlfriend saying "I'm on leave. I can't
wait to see you." I heard about how most
of the "courting" took place through letters,
short weekends and even poems
on matchbook covers.
My idea of war has always been very
romantic-two people who manage to
love each other even when they're separated
by an ocean.
When my grandfather says "Yep, I
fought against the Nazi's and the Japanese,"
it's always with a big smile.
He has never said anything more,
but that proud smile has always said a
lot.
E-mail, tel
Is there a time when a Ford is not
on sale?
The commercials seem all the same
- for every
? holiday,
there's a
i brand new
sale, with
hundreds of
deals for
every budJHr|9|^K
get, even
the poor
college student.
"One C3.ll
Williesha Lakin that's all," a
guest columnist lawyer says
a bit too enthusiastically
with wide eyes and a
cheesy grin.
Will there be a limit to the number
of talk shows allotted on television?
The voices all sound alike. The pictures
and the commercials blend into
noise that seems to have a Dermanent
place in the background of my room.
Am I the only one out there without
a job? Without something to do over
the summer that's worthwhile? Basically,
I have had an uneventful summer.
For the first time in two years, I'm
unemployed during the summer. For
some reason, I just didn't feel it necessary
to get a job.
C
POINT
ropt^o
'TT^ Hi
rations, ta
It wasn't until I saw the film "Savinrr
Priwofn Piron" fl-iof T nn^nrcfnnrl
Ulg X iXVCAVVy 1VJ Ull M1UV X UMWVI UVUvVt
where that smile came from.
The movie focuses on the D-Day,
the invasion of Normandy. During
the invasion, a small group of fighters
are called on to find and save the life of
one man who is caught behind enemy
lines. "Saving Private Ryan" reminded '
me that World War II was not roman- <
tic. It was a war. People died. Guns 1
boomed. Ships sank. And men were
afraid. 1
Our generation has heard more
about Vietnam. We've seen films about 1
Kent State, San Francisco and other 1
famous protests. We've grown up thinking
we should hate war and sneeF at 1
those who fought. 1
But the smiles of my grandfather
and grandmother are the same smiles
the rest of the nation shared back then.
When my grandmother remembers rationing
or having to draw a line up the
back of her leg because all the nylon
went to the war effort, it isn't with a
grudge.
She remembers making those sacrifices
with pride. The whole country
was behind the war and rationing was
one way people could help out.
Our country, along with the rest
of the world, was united against Hitler's
regime. I wonder now if anyone would
evision fill 1
I felt like I needed a break, a time
to rest from my active first year of college.
Now I feel like if I get any more time
to rest, I will literally pull my hair out.
Doing ordinary chores tends to get
boring. Many days I would literally
sit around all day and not even bother
to load the dishwasher or straighten up
around me. My love for reading has all
but extinguished thanks to mounds of
class reading assignments I was handed
my second semester as a freshman.
I'm even (perish the thought) looking
forward to preparing for the
upcoming semester. I'm so idle even jotting
down notes for this column I wrote
in doctor's English, better known as
chicken scratch.
What's keeping me stuck in my pajamas
all day, never seeing the light of
a beautiful (even if drippingly hot) day?
All of these questions surround me as
I stare mindlessly at the television or
bang my keyboard in frustration with
my slow computer.
Computers - another way to waste
precious hours of summer.
In a moment of boredom recently I
picked up from on top of my hard drive
an editorial cartoon I had clipped out
of a Gamecock months ago: drawn is a
young woman, shaking helplessly,
her peers looking on nervously as she
passes a computer on a desk in the center
of a classroom. The teacher exclaims,
The Gamecoo
-j 11 | m 11 dent. Hand written
thor's telephone ni
H cumstance.
I
s. ;
VTttoT J|
AA U-ihA*JsJ p"\ I
a
o differei
"The Holocaust i
won that war. Bui
worldwide proble
De willing to give up their decaf lattes
dt put their life on the line to protect
the world from such an injustice,
rhat might be what my grandparents
mean with that smile.
They must De rememDenng tne good
aid days when people were willing to
give up life and limb for others. One
Vietnam veteran pointed out that soldiers
in any conflict are fighting for their
country, yes, but more for their buddy
who is fighting along side them.
Within a 20 year period, our country
went from backing war with countless
sacrifices to opposing war and those
who dared to protect those who couldn't
help themselves.
I wonder how our generation would
act. Would Generation X protest outside
the Russell House or would we drop
our cellular phones and laptops to help
out.
Our generation, most of whom don't
exercise the right to vote and probably
can't recite the national anthem, probably
wouldn't do anything. We would
boring sun
"You don't know
internet addictioi
up in the mornin
don't have a leeit
step outside the t
"Look at that everyone! Annette was
able to walk right past the computer
even though she knows there are 27
e-mails waiting for her!" Written on the
chalkboard in capital letters is "The 12Step
Program to Overcoming Addiction
to E-mail." Next to it is written "Our
Credo." My favorite of the three parts
of this credo Number 3: "I will not base
mir f nlf uta>4V* An fko nnmkov nf o_moilo
111J ocu vv U1 U1 UiX U1 It UlUllU^l ul t ixicuio
I receive."
You don't know the meaning of internet
addiction until you wake up in
the morning knowing you don't have
a legitimate reason to step outside the
entire day.
"What's this girl's problem?" you
might ask. "She must not have a life."
Maybe you're right. There has to be
something to do during the day other
than sitting around and watching the
ceiling fan spin. "Then you think, "Well
this is Columbia. Not exactly the entertainment
capital of the world.
k will try to print all letters received. Letters should be 250-300 words ,
letters must be personally delivered by the author to The Gamecock ne
imber The Gamecock reserves the nght to edit all letter for style, pot
"... the thing that I am
proudest of is obtaining
national accreditation."
1art Stokes, former direcor
Law Enforcement and
Saftey
ollege press EXCHANGE 1
tit worlds
is over. We
: there are still
:ms."
rather be entertained by war than
impassioned by it. Most of us don't volunteer
to help fight the war against
poverty, drugs, violent crime or illiteracy,
so why would we help fight a war
against something like extermination
of a group of people.
The Holocaust is over. We won that
war. But there are still world-wide problems.
Some might not be as wide spread
as the Holocaust, but they are worth
paying attention to.
Now I understand why my grandparents
smile when they remember
those days. My grandparents are proud
to part of a generation that took helping
others seriously.
At least back then people our age
weren't afraid to do something.
I think I might call my grandparents
and ask them to share some other
stories with me. Maybe my grandfather
will tell me about the blood he
saw and the men he fought with.
Then it won't take a movid to remind
me about being impassioned again.
tuner days
the meaning of
i until you wake
ig knowing you
imate reason to
intire day."
As the days whiz by, I can't forget
that every moment counts. I'm to appreciate
my days here on this earth
no matter if I'm active or not. No mat
wsi iiuw liiuLii i cuxiipiaui. nu iliattci
how many times I pick up my remote
and channel surf with nothing meaningful
in my mind and nothing meaningful
to fill it on the television.
Maybe there are others out there
like me, wondering if they are the only
ones with nothing exciting going on
in their lives. Who spend their days daydreaming
about having good times and
wearing a smile.
No matter how many times those
brainwashing commercials whisper to
you how so many out there have continuously
busy, always fulfilling lives,
just remember how much the television
executives pay those actors.
And remember you're not alone.
and must include full name, professional title or year and mayor if a stuwsroom
in Russell house room 333. E-mail letters must include the au
isible libel or space limitations. Names will not be withheld tor any err