The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 17, 1999, Page Page 3, Image 3
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Wednesday, March 17, 1999
TIThrifc
^1^
Seniing llje Carolina Co,
EDITORIAI
Sara Ladenheim,
Rob Gioielli, Vie
Kevin Langston, Assist,
Emily Streyer, Assist a
Jennifer Stanley, Specie
Students'
tough to 1
All too often, we
till this space with MmI
criticisms of politi- The actions C
cians and other Echeverria
members of our Pain
community who are
supposed to help
others and make a ? r r
difference, but who Toofewofu
oftep have no idea back up 01
what service and (Mtd Opinn
sacrifice mean. actio
There are peo
pie at IJSC and in
the surrounding area who have a
real commitment to improving the
world around them, however. They
work on a different level from most
traditional "leaders."
Their activism doesn't come
from a desire for fame or fortune,
but from a genuine devotion to
bring about change in the world.
Sacrificing time or money isn't a
grave concern, just part of the
hardship that goes with the territory.
Some individuals are willing
to make the serious sacrifices, the
kinds of decisions that could affect
them far into the future.
These include people like Angeline
Echeverria and Matt
Painter who, after being arrested
last December as part of a group
of activists protesting the death
Female ca
platform (
Many candi- r*jjjjH*7Tl
dates are on the HRBUfl
campaign trail for Elizabeth
the 2000 presiden- potential car,
tial election. And fi- ^
nally, a woman . r
might be joining the
T81C0
Elizabeth Dole, Dotes Start
the wife of former issues is
presidential candi- important;
date Bob Dole and gend
former Red Cross ?
president and Bush
Cabinet member, has not yet announced
her candidacy, but she
has formed an exploratory committee
to decide whether to run
for office.
A woman is moving into what
has previously been a man's domain.
And what's exciting is that
voters are responding favorably
to Dole.
However, an even bigger step
in the women s movement would
take place when voters stop looking
at Dole's gender and start
treating her like a candidate with
all the doubt and questioning,reserved
for politics' most important
players. Although Americans
iMk Hit ?an
Sening llx' Carolina Comn
The Gamecock is the student new spaper of lite University <
Friday during lite fall and spring semesters and live times during iIh
periods Opinions expressed in 11k- Gamecock are those of the odito
lite board of Student PuNkalions and tiommunicalions is the publ
tlte newspaper s parent organization.
The Gamecock
Sara Ladenheim lidilor in (.bief Emily Streyer
Rob Glolelli l ieu/minis lulilor Kevin Langsto
Kenley Young Sens lulilor Rachel Ifelwig
Brad Walters A'cms lulilor Clayton Kale
Brock Vergakis S/xirts lulilor Michael Strick
Charlie Wallace Sfuuls lulilor Jared Kelowiu
Erin Reed H-alnn-s lulilor Katy Evan,
Rob Lindsey Ruimn-s lull,or
Scan Rayford lulilor
Matt Ryan (Inline lulilor Ashtonjune
Kristin Freestate fitfv Disk Chief Ann Mark Mi;
Todd Money (*>/n lulilor Jennifer Stanl
Rebecca Cronican Cojr\- lulilor jr
Student Media ^
Ellen Parsons Din-dor of Jason Curry
Student Media Kathy VanNos
Lee Pliipps Adiertisinf- Manager Sherry Holme:
Susan King Cn-aliie Din-dor Carolyn Griffi
Susan Barrett Cn-alire Semites Erik Collins
Daniel Brown Cn-alire Semite Jeff Stensland
1
IIMOClt
mmunity since 1908
. BOARD
Editor in Chief
nvpoints Editor
ant Viewpoints Editor
nt Viewpoints Editor
il Projects Coordinator
example
follow
penalty, took a step
iaflHH few of us would be
fAngeline willing to make.
and Matt How many stu"
fgy. dents of the '90s
' would be willing to
go to jail for their
. ? beliefs?
Although there
ir beliefs js a }ong tradition
ons with of college students
ns. being active in so
cial movements,
students seem to
focus all their attention on doing
well in school, hanging out with
friends and finding high-paying
jobs.
There are many problems with
our society; only the most extreme
optimist would deny this. But most
of us are content to just put on the
blinders and point fingers.
We'd like to congratulate
Echeverria, Painter and the others
like them who are going
against the norm, who realize the
only real way to bring about social
change is to make real sacrifices.
We hope people like these
can serve as an example to those
people, our elected campus "leaders,"
for example, who give lip service
to making change, but rarely
have the guts and conviction to
make real sacrifices.
ndidate's
ibscured
should be proud a
ISBH woman is running
i Dole's for the highest oftdidacyjor
flce> we also need
to think like canm
didates.
And once we get
. past the idea that
ceontbe a woman is run.
more ning for office (and
than her doing it well), we
er. should start to
think like voters.
Just because
Dole is a woman doesn't mean she
represents what America needs.
We aren't saying she won't do what
this country needs, either.
We're saying voters should educate
themselves about all candidates.
Gender isn't important
in the big scheme of things; what
thev believe and what thev7!! stand
up for once they sit in the Oval
Office are what really matter.
What The Gamecock and
American voters should do is research
the candidates. The issue
isn't whether a woman or man is
fit to do the job, but which candidate
is most capable to represent
our country.
met igagi
/908
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View
The G
Bailiff, pie
A Pennsylvania man sued God for
the wrongs of his life and, to
his surprise, lost. This column is
. being writ
LJtewN hope you
and He have
KEVIN LANGSTON a sense 0f
columnist humor.
Ladies
and gentlemen of the jury, Donald
Drusky has been wronged by this world.
Thirty years ago, my client was fired
from his job at the steelmaker company
once known as U.S. Steel, now known
as USX Corp.
These heartless heathens threw
this hardworking man onto the
street. He had no job and no reason to
carry on. For the past three decades,
Mr. Drusky has been waging war with
USX Corp and has gained little ground.
Now, Mr. Drusky has his sights set
on the person who is truly to blame for
this injustice... God. That's right. God
is surely to blame for all of this.
*w 1
Laoor issue
My roommate is proud of the new
yellow "Cocks" hat she bought
a few days ago at one of the
campus
S bookstores.
But should
she be proud
tag inside?
Our comrades
at the
schools
would say
ALI FREEMAN n?. Actually,
columnist they would
shout it.
Hundreds of Harvard students harancnipH
ramnnc hmlfc+nroc nnH nassprs
by in a protest of sweatshop labor last
Tuesday. They are one of a series of concerned
student groups to rally for sweatfree
educational merchandise. Successful
students, like those at Duke, have seen
results: "Made in the USA" tags.
Sounds pretty good. It's certainly
hard to feel cocky about a T-shirt made
by underpaid and overworked employees.
The problem is that collegiate protesters'
cries for sweatshirts to be made
by American standards ignore the perspective
of the foreign workers.
Their demands go against the
benefits of a system of international
Reader calls for
unity in society
To the Editor:
A 49-year-old father is dragged to
death along the rugged terrain of a
Texas road. A superintendent and Council
members of the Charleston County
School District feud constantly while
the students of South Carolina continue
to dwell at the bottom of nearly
every Educational statistic. As we ap
poinl
amecock
WiU-THe EFFECTS
OF Y?.K B fls
WIDESPREAD AS
SOME FEAR"?
SocsSmIIRI* S A? i
Cyil^^HQiV;: /Y"\
Wlw*^'':1 *i i I 1
>ocp t?cr?r\H
/(WV VJVV1 V
According to my client, "Defendant
God is the sovereign ruler of the universe
and took no corrective action
against the leaders of his Church and
his Nation for the extremely serious
wrongs, which ruined the life of Donald
S. Drusky." God could have stepped
in and put a stop to all of my client's
suffering. It wasn't like he was too busy
dealing with much more important
things. Where were you, God? You really
blew this one.
Not only did God abandon my client
in his most desperate hour, but He
denied him his most sincere wishes.
Mr. Drusky has never asked God for
much: only his youth, the guitar-playing
skills of Eddie Van Halen and the
resurrection of his mother and pet pigeon.
His supposed son, Jesus Christ,
gave sight back to a blind man and life
back to a dead man. These seem to be
pretty tall orders when compared with
my client s simple requests.
Now, people of the jury, I am certain
you're confused with my client's
intentions. He wants to assure you that
he still loves and believes in God, but
he cannot let these crimes toward his
humanity go unpunished. Also, he hopes
this entire incident doesn't spoil his
chances of getting into heaven. It would
be breach of covenant for God to punish
my client. After all, His supposed
s more con
trade. International trade works because
different countries have different
comparative advantages.
If every condition in every country
were the same, there would be very little
international trade. But some countries
have goods; others don't.
And companies are willing to endure
things like expensive shipping and
annoying governments and environ
ments ior cneaper laDor. cut wnen companies
are laden with laws and stipulations,
they just shift their
manufacturing to the good ol' U.S. of A.
But the consumers, the Ivies, the
government and Kathie Lee need to realize
the complexity of this issue. Acrossthe-board
demands or legislation are
inadequate.
It's not a given that the "Made in
the USA" tags with which the Blue Devils
are so enraptured are actually empowering
anything other than a false
sense of self-righteousness.
The working conditions in sweatshops
are often considered in relation
to American expectations, but not to
the conditions of those in foreign countries.
Instances of slave labor should be
abhorred, but they are quite rare. The
majority of "sweatshop labor" is voluntary.
American labor groups, largely
out of self-interest, have tried to organize
foreign sweatshop workers, thinking
small wages paid in other countries
a Letters to the editor or guest columns a
columns should lx' an opinion piece of
if a student. Handwritten submissions m
number for confirmation. The Gamectx'
required for guest columnist and can lx'
proach the beginning of a new era, we
must ask ourselves, why are these
things happening? Is the world becoming
an evil, corrupted place? Have we lost
our sense of humanity? To me, it is
something much simpler; we are being
presented with many signs that we need
to come together as a human race.
Recently, I reminisced about the
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
that was held last January. It was a
day where color rbarriers were broken
QU01
"If we
eating
? will
/
Clc
Mr. God to
"The defense might a
omnipresence, but th
hold no holy water."
son died for all our sins. Would God 1
be prepared to go against His word? i
To show the world that he isn't
only mad at God, ray client has included i
other violators to his hit list. My client !
has accused former U.S. presidents i
Ronald Reagan and George Bush, who 1
plead "no contest" and hope to score a :
plea bargain, of these travesties. In addition,
Mr. Drusky would like to file ]
charges against the television networks,
all 50 states, every single American, all i
federal judges and the 109th through 1
105th Congresses. No stone will be left i
unturned in this, our crusade. 1
My client was also considering fil- c
ing charges against Santa Claus, the '
Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the 1
Sandman and Yahoo Serious, but I told 1
him that by going for the rootv the \
tree will fall soon after. \
Now let me remind you that our fed- s
eral rules of civil procedure say that if i
God does not show to defend Himself, i
He must lose by default. I know God 1
can disappear and reappear as he pleas- i
es, but let the record show that there (
iplex than s<
keep the wages in U.S. garment facto- ]
ries down. But they've found that foreign
lands usually don't roll out the welcome
mats for union organizers.
True, their regimes are hostile to
the development of non-governmental <
power centers, but they also realize the
road to economic development is paved
with foreign investment. Further, workers
are often unwilling to antagonize
employers who generally pay them far
more than they can earn elsewhere.
Allegedly exploited workers are <
often far better off than their country- i
men who aren t working in factories of
U.S. companies. Most Nike and Levi's
workers make twice the minimum wage.
An entry-level Nike worker in Indonesia
makes five times that of a
farmer, and an assistant line supervisor
in China earns more than a surgeon
with 25 years experience. Workers in
a plastic coat hanger factory in China
make a meager $25 a month, but are
the richest people in their villages.
Now-prosperous Japan started as
a low-wage producer. Economic development
can't happen overnight. And it
won't happen if Americans make demands
that bring U.S. companies back
here. So-called sweatshops can lead
to the sustained economic development
of a country.
Still, sweatshops aren't veiled playgrounds.
Some are awful. And sometimes,
it's not happiness but fear that
re welcome Irom all members of the Carolina commi
about 600-700 words. Moth must include name, phone
ust be personally delivered to Russell House room 33
k reserves the right to edit for libel, style and spac<
provided by the submitter.Call 777-7726 for more infc
down and people were happy to help
each other. It was a day to be cherished;
however, how many other days have
we performed like the MLK Day since
January? Very few. Collectively, the
USC community can really make a big
difference in our society.
I am not trying to portray our community
as apathetic or racist, but there
are some issues that need to be addressed.
We have foreign leaders who
are threatening our future with bio
E, UNQUOTE
; solve the problem of edu;
African-American kids, we
solve the problem of educating
kids."
?rofessor Michele Foster,
iremont Graduate School
Page 3
: i , '
W
the clink
rgue for His
is theory seems to
has been no sign of Him in this courtroom.
The defense might argue for His omnipresence,
but this theory seems to
hold no holy water. Why hasn't He given
us a sign? I don't ask for burning
bushes, but the burning of the bailiffs
hair piece would be sufficient.
I implore you to use your best judgment
in this case. If God had an argument,
He would have shown up. He
can't possibly refute nfy client's case.
Do some soul searching, and you'll come
icross countless times in which God
las screwed you over. You know not all
if your prayers have been answered,
fou, too, have been abandoned by our
leavenly father in your time of need.
iVhat would you expect from a man
vhose supposed son turned pure wa;er
into wine? What example does that
set for our children? Do not ignore the
"acts. My client has no job, no mother,
10 pigeon, and he plays guitar like a
;wo-fingered man. Mr. Drusky looked
tor divine intervention, but instead got
iivinely screwed.
ime think
keeps workers from protesting. It's also
hard to feel good about a $50 shirt
for which the worker was paid 50 cents.
But making broad demands doesn't
work; it takes potentially helpful U.S.
companies away from developing countries.
So what are concerned shoppers
to do?
They should be out rallying for
things like fair trade organizations and
socially responsible investment communities.
Members of those investment
communities closely monitor working
conditions and have invested more than
$53 billion in companies with high working
standards abroad.
Companies in fair trade organizations
seek to benefit artisans, not maximize
profits. They make sure working
conditions are safe and dignified, allow
for educational programs, keep traditional
artistry alive in various ways,
and claim to reduce costs so that up to
40 percent of the retail price of an item
is returned to the producer.
So if any USC activists are ready to
stage a protest against the "Made in
China" label inside my roommate's hat,
consider your demands carefully. A
"Made in the USA" label doesn't do
much to aid the Chinese worker. But a
fair contract with Chinese workers or
a Columbia fair trade shop might. And
that would be something to feel cocky
about.
jnity. Letters should he 250-300 words. Guest
number, professional title or year and major.
3. E-mail submissions must include telephone
Names will never be withheld. Photos are
trmation.
logical weapons. We have people starving
while professional athletes are making
hundreds of millions of dollars. We
need to take heed of these signs before
it is too late. I challenge the USC
community to stand up and be a model
for the rest of society.
Walter L. Gordon Jr.
Business Administration Junior