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ay* • , Quote, Unquote / i y\-ry 7T^\ ■ Ol 'We’re here to show that there are simple things that,we can / Iff—®%/\/ I Iff I || do that are inexpensive, easy and will [prevent] air pollution ..." _ff_V_' T ▼ __1_ Paul Hutter, National Environmental Trust member E : UDlC 0aiTl£COCfe W^nesday, November 10,1999 t fflie 0amcock Serving the Carolina Community since 1Q08 Editorial Board Sara Ladenheim • Editor in Chief' Kenley Young • Managing Editor Emily Streyer • Viewpoints Editor Corey Ford • Assistant Viewpoints Editor Brad Walters • Editorial Contributor Kiki McCormick • Editorial Contributor Impeachment saga offers lessons for all The impeachment saga of 1999 ended last night with the Stu dent Government court of impeachment voting almost unan imously to drop all impeachment chaiges against Student Body Treasurer Elizabeth Fordham. This move came as a surprise to many counting on a senate tri al, including members of the Senate Finance Committee, who im mediately left the room after the impeachment court made its an nouncement. The vote might not have been agreeable to some committee members, but we think that that it served as a worthy teacher for Fordham, the senate and students alike. Although Fordham was acquitted on all chaiges, we hope that she has learned a valuable lesson from this experience. From now on, her office hours should be Filled, phone calls should be Fe tilrnA/\ nnrl kAr nrAPAnAA rViAiilr) Ua fnlt mArA tlian AiiAr V <«vw H*iw iiw* vtfVKVV * v» i/v »v»v m\/i v vtiwi v • vi> The lesson that should be reflected in the senate, particularly in the Finance Committee, is one of reform. These impeachment charges subsequently reformed the codes and the overall system for conducting matters involving removing elected officials from office. This responsible act came to show the student body that it was possible to change a system that had been rotting since it first came into existence. While their ideas weren’t realized in remov ing the treasurer from office, perhaps this experience will bridge the gap between the executive and legislative branches of Student Government. In the past, a situation like this one didn’t yield any thing, and for something positive to emeige from the scandal and animosity involved in an impeachment process would be taking a step in the right direction. Throughout this entire process, The Gamecock has tried to in form the public of the role their representatives play in day-to-day campus administration. We hope that this situation teaches stu dents that discussing campus issues with their senators should be easier. Hunger Week has positive local impact Oxfam Carolina and the Office of Community Service Pro grams are holding their annual Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week Monday through Friday. As one of the laigest campus-sponsored service opportunities this year, this is a golden opportunity for students to learn about the problems associated with homelessness, not only in Columbia, but also in poverty-stricken countries. The best part about this week is that the service opportunities are both fun and education al. For instance, Tuesday’s hunger banquet will give many students the chance to eat rice from banana leafs, something that people in many countries around the world do every day without a second thought. If you’re part of an oiganization that’s already involved with Hunger and Homeless Awareness week, do your part and partici pate in the week’s activities. And if you’re not a member of a ser vice club, call the Office of Community Service Programs at 777 5780 to find out how you can get involved. The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday dtxing the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed m The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of The University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock is supported in part by student activities fees. Adores* The Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia, SC 29208 Offices on third floor of the Russell House. 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The Gamecock Sara Laden he im Edita in Chief Ken ley Young Managing Edita Emily Streyer Viewpoints Edita Kevin Langston Brock Vergakis News Editors Clayton Kale Associate News Edita Rachel Helwig Etcetera Edita Todd Money Jared Kelowitz Sports Edita Kristin Freestate Copy Desk Chief Sean Rayford Photo Edita Rob Lindsey Encae Edita Snjosrr Mcdu Ellen Parsons Directa of Student Media Susan King Creative Directa Kris Black Julia Burnett Betsy Martin Kathy Van Nostrand Creative Services Will Gillaspy Online Editor Corey Ford Asst. Viewpoints Editor John Huiett Asst. News Editor Ann Marie Miani Asst. Etcetera Editor David Cloninger Asst. Sports Editor Greg Farley Asst. Photo Editor Casey Williams Asst. Online Editor Brad Walters Graphics Editor, Copy Editor, Editorial Contributor MacKenzie Craven Charlie Wallace Philip Burt Senior Writers Lee Phipps Advertising Manager Sherry Holmes Classified Manager Carolyn Griffin Business Manager Erik Collins Faculty[Adviser Jonathan Dunagin Graduate Assistant \ College Press Exchange I US. TOST T OFFICE Ecological Issues Society must preserve nature Ever so beautiful, ever so breathtaking, nature beck ons us to behold its endless splendor. Have you ever stood upon a moun- vwmmmmm tain's peak— /©wn*jf|^*nl covered, insu- ;is a political sci lated by snow f«mce sophomore. — and viewed He writes a col a vast valley be- ujftm every low as the set- sday ting sun burns f*aabtih the horizon *„*'*. along a jutted wmimmlmim. ridge miles .G™***W away? Have g<*Vtews«$c. you ever wit- w prsscef nessed birds frolic and play as a slow, creeping tide re-emerges in a coastal wetland? Or have you seen the glo ry of autumn's colors followed by the re turn of green in the spring? Since the dawn of civilization, the sim ple act of observing a landscape not cre ated by man — increasingly difficult to do these days because of our society's urban expansion —does wonders for humans. By discovering nature, people under stand that the natural environment does not parallel their idea ofgreatness, mone tary affluence and material abundance; it exceeds it This planet and its physical prop erties were not created in the name of eco nomic development, but by something greater, even divine. Throughout the existence of our na tion, the magnificence of the environment has not gone unnoticed. Ralph Waldo Emer son, one of America's prominent literary innovators and philosophical thinkers, re minds us of the effects the outside world has upon people. In his Nature essay, Emerson writes: “The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjust ed to each other, who has retained the spir it of infancy even into the era of manhood .... In the woods, we return to reason and faith.” Emerson held the belief that “Nature is the symbol of the spirit” and some mys tic, spiritual event occurred every time somebody steps within the realm of na ture's grasp. Henry David Thoreau, Emerson’s col league who shared similar principles per taining to individualism, also shared the state of awe provoked by nature and the environment. Thoreau dove into the midst of nature — a location known as Whlden Pond near Concord, Mass. — in order to search for and find social truth. “The mass of men,” Thoreau writes in Whlden, “lead lives of quiet desperation.” A multitude of people endlessly labor to find happiness and believe securing financial wealth is a miracle. They overlook the pure miracles that appear in our natural world every day. Thoreau, on the other hand, relished nature's daily miracles: “I go and walk along a strange liberty in Nature, a part of her self. As I walk along the stony shore of the pond... I see nothing to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to me.” Finding my own Whlden, I discovered, was not a complex task, but nothing could prepare me for the passionate sentiment I felt when I knew I had found a holy wilderness. That original glance across the Blue Ridge Mountains, my personal Gar den of Eden, robbed me of my breath. Standing on that ridge in the Pisgah Na tional Forest, where the only sound was that of a stiff breeze, refreshed my soul; the sacredness of that moment initiated a spiritual renaissance within me. And the brilliance of those mountains can be seen elsewhere. Spectacular views greet hikers and backpackers across the gentle, jagged ridges flanked by continu ous valleys. Especially in the autumn - the peak of the fall foliage was this past week in the mountains - when a wind swept chill invades these highlands, the reds, yel lows and oranges overtake the forest and await the grip of winter. In the winter, the freeze possesses a beauty — the motion less streams, the ice-covered eveigreens, the powdered peaks — that many miss be cause of the brutal cold. In the spring, the warmth resurrects the deciduous forests of maple, oak, rhododendron. Still, nothing can prepare me for view ing the crisp scenes from the valley below Sam's Knob or hearing the Linville Falls cascade along the river and through the gorge that share the same name. Natural beauty is not restricted to Wfest em North Carolina; we can find it nearly anywhere if we look hard enough. For these reasons, for the refreshing serenity it brings, society has a duty to en sure nature's preservation. Over the course of this century, ex pansion — with the aid of exponential technological advances — has overtaken our forests and wetlands. While the federal government has set aside a portion of these lands to pro tect from economic development, the gov ernment must strive to keep more lands, especially in the Western United States, from the hands of corporate America. This column will not address specific solutions to environmental problems, such as Barnwell, the greenhouse effect, the erosion of wildlife preserves. Some times, however, we just have to step back from these particular issues and take a look at the overall picture. Refocusing our efforts on preserving nature's paradises allows us to fulfill the obligation we owe to future generations so that they might behold the divine glo ry of nature's beauty. ■ C T T P O C X •••■ X X Xm* X\ Team should observe Walter Payton example To the Editor The passing of football legend Whiter Payton has inspired me to give the USC football players some words of advice. First, I must stress that this message is not intended for all the players —just those who will be offended reading this. Why? Because those who won’t be aren’t doing what you are about to read. I cannot promise wins against Florida or Clemson, but if you heed these words, I can guarantee your performance will im prove. 1) Dress professionally. Your practice clothing is made for just that — practice. There is no need to advertise your roster spot with your Carolina Football clothes. If you make your name by playing foot ball, trust me, we know who you are al ready without your displaying that you play football. This is the reason why some schools (Ohio State, for example) prohib it practice wear around campus. 2) Act professionally. It amazes me that the football team is 0-9, but students are hearing some players still saying, “I’m the s— because I play football,” and worse, acting like it. Email for Keeping your heads up through a tough season and having pride, but behaving as if you are God’s gift to the university is not only ignomant, but it will cloud your dim-witted brain into thinking you don’t have to improve, paving the way for yet another lackluster season. For those players already acting in a Rayton-like manner, hats off— this letter wasn’t meant for you. For those who aren’t, maybe you should start trying to conduct yourselves like a great football player buried all the way in Illinois; your role models might be suiting up right next to you, many of whom have been following in iter’s elusive footsteps all season long. Jimmy Huff Sociology Junior Gamecock, SG praised for safety attention To the Editor I enjoyed reading about the Student Government in your special "News Ex tra Edition" on Nov. 3. It prompted me, upon returning from a trip with Carolina Alive, to write this letter thanking SG and other pro-active students and The Game cock for their efforts and advocacy for in creased safety measures for the campus. I believe [Student Body President] Malik [Husser] and other student leaders have done an excellent job in this area. Wfe have had the best student attendance at Safety Committee meetings since the com mittee was started through the efforts of past Student Body President Mary Louise Ramsdale. The students have been superbly organized and very articulate in express ing their concerns and ideas. The Gamecock has supplied excellent coverage of the various safety issues and of the positive steps that have been - or are being - taken to improve safety on the campus. And, I believe all have displayed an awareness that our excellent Division of Law Enforcement and Safety cannot make the campus safe all by itself; rather, that educating our community to take prop er precautions is the key element. Thus, I'd like to encourage all parties concerned to keep speaking out and at tending to these matters. And please feel free to continue to call those of us that might be able to help! Again, my con gratulations to all who have enhanced these safety efforts! Richard Coomt School of Music Prefer sor Campus Issues use has room to improve Even though I attend USC, I haven’t al ways been a Cock. My freshman year I was a (gasp!) Clemson Tiger. Clemson isn’t re ally that bad, but it certainly has its drawbacks. tJwwny Touzol As an 18-year- m it math wmtor. old, 1 was not old enough to enter ei- biweekly column, ther of Clemson’s ^ “diverse” night life mached via The establishments. Be cause 1 did not have a car, I was ||||g| unable to venture to the ever-exciting neighBOREhood of Seneca, one of the many suburbs of Clem son’s bustling metropolis. Alas, if there were any social life for me to have, it en tailed joining a fraternity. And because 1 wanted to maintain some semblance of in dividuality, I decided that Greek life was not for me. Despite its drawbacks, Clemson is not a horrible school. However, 1 never really had great pride in the university, and 1 cer tainly wouldn’t recommend it to just anyone. USC is very different for me. You see, I can say with great conviction that I am proud to be a Cock. Both the university and the city of Columbia have a lot to of fer, and I am very glad I transferred here. Despite this, I still think a few little things need to be changed to make the school even better. The Mission Statement in the Undeigraduale Studies Bulletin claims that the university is “designed to enhance the intellectual, cultural, physical, and so cial development” of its students and also, “to encourage students to seek their full potential in a broad array of endeavors." The university supposedly encourages development in a “broad array of endeav ors,” but math and science students like me are not allowed to take skill-based music or physical education classes and have them count toward our degrees. This seems rather contradictory. I understand that the college doesn’t want its students’ elective hours to be filled with music and physical education classes, but why not just put a limit on the number of hours that can be obtained this way? Even then, is the university really “en couraging” the developments in the Mis sion Statement? What about physical de velopment? It seems absurd that there is no physical education requirement at a school that is so in touch with the prob lems facing the American people. I’m sure the University is aware of the millions of overweight and unfit Americans. Be cause the university does so much to en courage mental advancement, why not do something to encourage physical ad vancement? This brings me to another qualm 1 have with USC. Many millennia ago, when my parents attended the University of Ten nessee, students were required to take a swimming proficiency exam. Anyone who failed the exam had to take and pass a ba sic swimming course. Why doesn’t our uni versity require its students to demonstrate swimming proficiency? In 1995, there were 4,300 drowning deaths in the United States. Among the states, South Carolina ranked 10th in drown ing deaths. Is the university aware of this statistic?; Probably. Are they going to do something about it? Probably not. Does the univer sity feel that the benefits of such a pro-' ject would outweigh the added time, mon ey and paperwork that would result from it? I don’t know. My best friend was not able to swim when she came to college, but she is now taking PEDU 140, Beginning Swimming. How many students will show that much initiative? Most nonswimmers are embarrassed about not being able to swim and are, con sequently, reserved about signing up for the course. Even though many might think this is unrealistic, I believe the university should take responsibility. As I said before, these are just minor things that would improve our fine insti tution. In my three years here, the uni versity has impressed me greatly — cer tainly more so than Clempson did.