Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Quote, Unquote ‘It’s a vicious cycle, and I apologize on behalf of us all.’ Kenley Young, editor in chief, on the daily grind at a newspaper fflie (Bamecoct: Serving the Carolina Community since 1Q08 * Editorial Board Kenley Young • Editor in Chief Brad Walters • Managing Editor Brock Vergakis • Viewpoints Editor Peter Johnson • Assistant Viewpoints Editor Ohio motto doesn't endorse Christianity A U.S. federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Ohio’s state motto, “With God, all things are possible,” was unconstitutional because it implies a governmental endorsement of the Christian faith. The court based its decision on rather flimsy grounds, claiming that because the motto was taken from a passage in the Bible that quotes Jesus directly, it is “a uniquely Christian thought” that many other religions do not share. But this is a reversal from an earlier U.S. district court ruling in 1998 that allowed Ohio to keep the motto so long as the state did n't mention where the saying originated. Furthermore, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft has explained that his state doesn't promote any religion over another. Unfortunately, the American Civil Liberties Union didn't see it that way when it Challenged the motto, claiming that the quote can't be taken out of context from its biblical message of salvation. But if the courts believe Ohio’s motto to be an endorsement of Christianity, why haven't they ruled against other more obvious traces of the creed in prominent realms of government? For exam ple, “In God We Trust” is still printed on U.S. coins. “One nation, under God” is still recited in our pledge of allegiance. Those testi fying in court are still required to say, “so help me God.” Are these not more serious issues that threaten the separation of church and state? It seems suspect and almost comical that the appeals court would consider a case concerning a state motto when the Christian religion continues to figure prominently in our country's currency, schools and even judicial systems. Relatively speaking, a state mot to is a rather trivial matter, and the court should not have wasted its time hearing such nonsense. % Don't raise tuition while we're gone This summer, the board of trustees will meet and decide on whether our tuition will be raised. Barring an unexpected move by the state government, state funding will not be ad equate enough to freeze tuition. The decision on whether our tuition will be increased will take place while no students are here to voice their concerns, and this is completely unacceptable. Increasing tuition, no matter how small, will undoubtedly pre vent some families from sending their children here. Every time tuition is increased, the board of trustees makes a college educa tion less accessible for many in this state. Students simply cannot afford an increase in tuition, and we uige all USC students to petition every member on the board of trustees, as well as SG President Jotaka Eaddy, the student repre sentative on the board, to freeze the rise in tuition. If our tuition is going to be raised - and in the absence of stu dent protest, it undoubtedly will be - we need to see an increase in the quality of our education. We wouldn’t pay more for the same quality service anywhere else, and we should demand no less here. The Gamecock is the student newspaper of The University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in 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. Address The Gamecock The Gamecock Kenley Young Amy Goulding 1400 Greene Street ~h'e' Travis Lynn Columbia. SC 29208 Brad Wal,ers Photo Editors 0,trees on third floor o, the Russel, House. £££? STUDENT Media Area code 803 Viewpoints Editor Peter Johnson Advertising 77,7-3888 Clayton Kale Asst. Viewpoints Editor Classified 777-1184 News Editor Kelly Haggerty Fax 777-6482 Brandon Larrabee Patrick Rathbun Office 777-3888 Associate News Editor Asst. News Editors Rebecca Cronican MacKenzie Craven Gamecock Area code 803 Ann Marie Miani Asst. Etcetera Editor Editor gcked@sc.edu 777-3914 EtCetera Editors Elizabeth Rod News gamecocknews@hotmail.com 777-7726 David Cloninger Asst. Sports Editor Viewpoints gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Shannon Rooke Bob Fleming Etc. gcketc@sc.edu 777-3913 Sports Editors Asst. Encore Editor Encore! gamecockencore@hotmail.com 777-3913 Kristin Freestate Charles Prashaw Sports gamecocksports@hotmail.com 777-7182 Copy Desk Chief Shawn Singleton Online www.gamecock.sc.edu 777-2833 Renee Oligny Charlie Wallace Submission Policy CcW Editor Senior Writers Letters tothe editor or guest columns are welcome 'idTcZhtributor from all members of the Carolina community. Letters Student Mftm should be 250-300 words. Guest columns should be an opinion piece of 600-700 words. Both must include name, phone number, profes- Susan King Classified Manager sional title or year and major, if a student. Handwritten Creative Director Erik Collins submissions must be personally delivered to Russell Kris Black Faculty Adviser House room 333. E-mail submissions must include -M*® Burnett Jonathan Dunagin telephone number for confirmation. Tod<1 Hooks Graduate Assistant The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, VaTfLtrnnU RobvnGombar style and space. Anonymous letters will not be pub- Creative Services Melissa'lVIilten lished. Photos are required for guest columnist and can Kenton Watt Brantley Roper be provided by the submitter. Advertising Manager Nicole Russell Call 777-7726 for more information. Carolyn Griffin Advertising Stall The Gamecock £oli'S€Mnr\ -t'unneW Vc^oVti-UonS rv>ef V&nda I iSrri kj^mppirvcj <X\iemp-K feptrie A iv\ U^C area. Social Issues Challenge yourself; read us As the se mester comes to a rapid close, I am filled with a sense of sadness and loss. It has been four years since I began my college career. Don’t jump to conclusions. Be ing a slacker, of course, I am on the four-and-a half year plan and I will not be graduated with the rest of my class next Friday. I will still be roaming arnnnH ramnus until December. But many of my friends are not quite so lucky. The real world beck ons them, and with it comes all of the re sponsibilities that it brings. This is the last edition of The Game cock for spring 2000. There is a lot to be thankful for. I will miss every one of my friends who will be graduated and leave town in the next few weeks. If I have my way, we will all keep in touch, but some times reality can be harsh, and distance tears friends apart. If I somehow lose track of each of you and what you are doing in life, then I will remember you through memories, places, songs and in everything that I do. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has written a letter, pulled me aside on cam pus or gotten in touch with me somehow to give me a reaction or some feedback on any of my columns. The explicit purpose of a columnist is to write about issues that are relevant to life on this campus or in general. Besides that, the GOAL of a colum nist is to be read. By writing, you are let ting me know that you are reading. I have received complaints that 1 don’t write about anything positive. My point is that columns about sunshine and rainbows and happiness in general don’t usually get read. The column that I am proudest of, “Happiness not so hard to find,” was generally overlooked by most of The Game cock's reading public. I got so little posi tive feedback and so many reactions like, “I didn’t read it.” I have to say that it was rather disconcerting. The feedback 1 did get was amazing and inspiring. I’ve since rolled down grassy hills near where I live and had a few deep conversations with some very close friends. These events were directly spawned from the thoughts that went into that col umn. As wrong of a philosophy as it is, the fact remains that people would rather re act in outrage to something negative than support something positive. At most large universities, letters pour into the campus newspaper by the hun dreds. The Viewpoints section is lucky to get five letters on most publication days. That is pathetic, people. Brock and I have tried, sometimes successfully and some times not, to make you think about what we write to encourage debate and discus sion. For the most part, we have met our goal. My columns tend to be on the mofe sarcastic and cynical side, but most jour nalists are like that. If you want someone to tell you how wonderful life is, go and talk to a public relations major (fexample: sarcasm, cynicism - see last comment). News flash ... life isn’t always grand. I am usually a positive thinker if you know me, but my columns are a channel for that which is unjust, and, to put it blunt ly, things that piss me off. It is my chance to make a statement, and you, too, can do the same. If you are so dissatisfied with the job that any Gamecock columnist is doing, you can come up to the news room and work until you can get this gig (shameless recruitment tactic No. 1). A lot of the time, the voice of the column is overlooked and the reader gets offended because of the misrepresentation of facts, which are, in reality, an opinion. The thing about being a columnist is that the only source you need is you. Everything you write is quoted to your name. Granted, some of the things I have writ ten about have seemed out of line. Way out of line, to be exact. But if taken the right way, witli a sense of humor, then they aren’t so bad, are they? Most of what I write gets under the skin of all of you up tight readers out there, just like I intend it to. You are not used to someone challenging What you have been taught and told for your entire lives. These days, it seems that society thinks too much within the lines. If we would just break down everything that we think we know and re-evaluate it all, we might find that we don’t always know it very well at all. Pete Johnson is a journalism senior and Asst. Viewpoints editor. The Viewpoints editor can be reached at Game cockviewpoints ©hotmail.com National Issues Dear Attorney General Thank you for helping me to see the light. You, see, there was a time when I was tom about the fate of young Elian. Should he go or stay, I wondered. Of course, that was before feder al agents baiged in to the home of his Miami relatives and pointed a sub machine at a 6 year-old boy. Now, you’ve con vinced me. You cut the cnua in nan, janei. u s so goou you were wiser than Solomon. After all, if you had n’t been willing to do what you did, the child certainly would have suffered that “irreparable harm” you so ominously re ferred to all the time. You did it to prove a point. The rela tives couldn’t “get away with it.” I un derstand completely. After all, when the free world’s top law enforcement official and the last remaining communist dicta tor in the Western Hemisphere agree, it’s unprecedented enough to assure us you’re right. Right? So, now, I want you to know that I am convinced. I’m convinced that it’s bet ter to send Elian back to his father, who says he wants to go back to Cuba. Don’t mind that Juan Miguel’s mother will prob ably end up somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico if he doesn’t say so. After all, that’s just the conspiracy theories that are mur mured by right-wing agents bent on de stroying this child. Don’t mind all that garbage about free dom and “offer up your wounded,” etc. That’s just the propaganda the founding fathers put out a long time ago. Doesn’t matter anymore. Yes, Janet, you were right all along. We don’t need that boy to stay here in America If only I’d seen the light before. I wouldn’t have been tom for so long. Of course. I’m assuming you checked with the boy's father, since there haven’t been any complaints. And just like any loving, normal father, he said: “Yes, send in the men with submachine guns and combat gear on. It might traumatize my son, but he’ll be back here, back home, and that’s all that matters. Reno SEE PAGE A14 Brandon Larrabee is a journalism sophomore. The viewpoints editor can be reached at gamecock viewpoints@hot maii.com »■ Social Issues Editor bows out before embarrassing himself As The Game cock ’ s lame-duck editor in chief, I might be well advised to use the last col umn I’ll ever write for this newspaper to blather on for 600 to 800 words about how much I’ve enjoyed my tenure here. And while that would be true, no one wants to read that kind of trite, sen t i m e n t a 1 schmaltz. Rather, I’d ***"■' uui icauuis wuii MJiiieiiuiiy a bit more pragmatic. Here are the three most important things I’ve learned as edi tor in chief of The Gamecock. Maybe they’ll afford you some managerial insight as you get set to take on your respective careers. No. 1 - Maintain a healthy dissociation from your work. When my bylines were first getting published in The Gamecock during my sec ond freshman semester, I remember set ting my alarm for some ungodly hour of the morning so I could run downstairs to the Maxcy lobby and grab a copy of the pa per the minute it hit the stands. w I’d use all my laundry quarters at the library Xerox macltine so I could send home 3,000 copies of my work to my family. I’d pore over all my articles about Student Government proceedings with the kind of puffed up self-importance seen only in Hon ors College students and varsity athletes. I was quite secure in the knowledge that I had the entire Carolina Communi ty white-knuckled and on the edge of its seat as it anxiously awaited the next change in student senate financial code 301.35 E, page 4,427; Section I, subsection ZZ, TK 4-100, R2D2,90210. That was my freshman year. Now, though, after three years of seeing copies of The Gamecock newspaper used for everything from an umbrella hat to toilet paper to parakeet cage lining, I’ve learned not to take it personally. I’ve learned that out of a 27,000-plus readership, only about 12.3 people (aside from my copy editors and my mother) ever read that article on financial code changes, and Mom was re ally the only person who even cared that 1 wrote it. This is how media types come to be stoic, thick-skinned, shit-stirring bastards. They get burned initially for not separat ing diemselves front their work, and so they start taking everything (including them selves) entirely too seriously in order to prevent that from ever happening again. It’s a vicious cycle, and I apologize on be half of us all. No. 2 - It’s all about efficiency (so get used to explaining the difference be tween MLA and AP style). Yes, English majors and prescriptive grammarians, 1 know - we know - it’s not traditionally appropriate to begin sentences with conjunctions, to end them with prepo sitions, to speak in passive voice or to omit the comma before the final item in a series (watch as I commit all four of these car dinal sins in my next sentence). But journalists, you see, are governed by a completely different set of mechani cal rules that English majors, textbook authors and grammar police simply aren’t accustomed to. Most of those rules fall un der what is known in the industry as As sociated Press style. Generally speaking, journalists are sup posed to write at a fifth-grade level, avoid ing superfluous, mellifluous, polysyllabic terms and instead getting to the core of the story using as few words as possible. As you can imagine, this doesn’t real ly go over too well in the intellectual (Hon ors) community of campus, for I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard pre tentious little snots complaining about “all the grammatical errors” in The Gamecock. That’s not to say we don’t ever make mistakes. God knows we make plenty. But that’s what Student Media is all about. Bet ter to screw up here than to screw up in the (I loathe this phrase) “real world.” Be sides, no newspaper can possibly cover a city’s worth of news from all comers of the globe and expect to get everything per fectly accurate, no matter how many copy editors are on the payroll. In the end, AP style saves us much needed editorial space, buys us much-cov eted time and lets everyone in on what’s going down, no matter what their reading level happens to be. I think everyone could stand to learn from that kind of efficien cy. No. 3 - Tell people what they want to hear, and you can get pretty much anything you want It sounds so Machiavellian, but make no mistake about it - it is a fact of life. And when you start dealing with duplicitous politicians, suspect sources and shady ad vertisers on a daily basis, you leant with the quickness that, in this career, it’s either eat or be eaten ...just kidding. I just want ed to see how you guys would respond to such hackneyed melodrama. Indeed, not much in life these days is that black and white, so you mustn’t mis- ■« VW understand me. I’m not advocating insin-1 cerity or two-facedness. What I am say ing is that it’s not always necessary to dash headlong into the fray, teeth bared in un relenting anger. With nothing more than patience and tolerance, which are unaiguably the best ' two virtues a person can have, a leader is virtually guaranteed to be open to com promise and slow to anger. It is the levelheaded leaders who will invariably win the respect and love of their peers. And what more can we reasonably * ask of them? I leave this newspaper with the knowl edge that I strove to make The Gamecock working environment as pleasant as pos sible for my staff and to instill in them a piece of the Hippocratic oath: First, do no harm. That is, I want them to adopt a form of reportage in which naked truth and 'simple compassion are equals. I think (and think I think rightly) that justice demands it to be so. Thank you, USC, forgiving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Goodbye. $ £ Kenley Young is a journalism junior and editor in chief. The Viewpoints editor can be reached at Gamecock viewpoints@hot maii.com. Get a haircut, man.