University of South Carolina Libraries
Quote, Unquote “Columbia is begging for blood.” -Magdelena DuSaint, Red Cross Nurse PAGE 4 WEDNESDAY, JUIY 19, 2000 Wat (Samcock Serving the Carolina Community since 1Q08 Editorial Board Miranda LaLonde • Editor in Chief Ann Marie Miani • Managing Editor Pete Johnson • Viewpoints Editor John Huiett • News Editor SC marriage law exposes weakness in the system nee again, South Carolina is in the national spotlight as a 38-year old man and a 15-year-old girl came to our fair state from Michigan to get married over the 4th of July weekend. The mar riage, which would be illegal in 48 states (South Carolina and Alabama excluded), was held in Anderson. The man had to serve three months in a Michigan jail for statu tory rape and register as a sex offender for consumating his marriage. South Carolina state law says the marriage is totally legal, as long as the underage party (who must be at least 14 years old) has one parent pre sent at the ceremony. How could this girl’s parents possibly be all right with marry ing away their 15-year-old daughter to a 38-year-old man? This leaves one to not only question the morality of her husband, but also her par ents. At 15, there are still many lessons that need to be learned about growing up and finding yourself. Chances are, this girl will come to regret her decision. Sure, Elvis Presley married Priscilla when she was Is, and Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin. But that was nearly 50 years ago in a much more backwards Southern society than ours is today, and is wasn’t even acceptible then. What makes it alright for something sim ilar today? This incident is simply reaffirming to the rest of the nation that South Carolina is far behind in America’s standards of morality. It might have been alright to marry a 15 year old 300 years ago, but in today’s society, this kind of action is completely outlandish. South Carolina needs to reexamine itself and catch up with the times, as it did with the Confederate flag situation. About Us Adoress The Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia.SC 29208 Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Student Media Area code 803 Advertising and Classified 777-3888 Fax 777-6482 Office 777-3888 Newsroom 777-7726 E-majl Editor gcked@sc edu News . gamecocknews@hotmail.com Viewpoints gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Etc. gamecocketcetera@hotmail.com Sports gamecocksports@hotmail com Submission Policy Letters to the editor or guest columns are wei. 'me from all members of the Carolina community, letters should be ?b0-300 words. Guest columns should be an opinion piece of about 600 700 words Both must include name, phone number, professional ’■tie or year and maior. if a student Handwritten submissions must be personally delivered to Russell House room 333. E-mail submissions must include telephone number for confirmation.The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space Anonymous letters will not be published. Photos are requ*ed for guest columnist and can be provided by the submitter. Call 777 7726 for more information. The Gamecock s the student newspaper of The University of South Carokna and s pubkshed Monday. Wednesday and Fnday during the tal and sprng semesters and mne times durmg the summer with the exception o( university hohdays and exam periods. Opinions expressed n The Gamecock are those o< the editors or author and not those of The University of South Carokna The Board of Student Publications and Communcatons s the publisher of The Gamecock The Department of Student Meda is the newspaper s parent organization The Gamecock is supported r part by student activtesiees The Gamecock Miranda LaLonde Bditor in Chief Ann Marie Miam Managing Editor Features Editor John Huiett News Editor Pete Johnson Viewpoints Bditor Student Media Ellen Parsons Director Susan King Creative Director Kenton Watt Advertising Manager Carolyn Griffin Business Manager Sherry Holmes Classified Erik Collins Jeff Romig t~S t-HitTr Jacquelyn Poston CCpy Desk Chief flioto Editor Sean Rayford Ehoto Editor Faculty Adviser Jonathan Dunagin Graduate Assistant Todd Hooks Creative Services Brantley Roper Gina McKelvey Robyn Gombar Melissa Millen Advertising Staff Washington Post "OR IF YOU WAMT TO 60 WITH CLASS WE CAtf 6ET YOU A BUS TICKET" 'weu explain that we poht mmist to m -WE WANT THEM TO l/NDEKSTANP THAT SMOKtNO IS REALLY A 6P0WN-UP WHO “ rf t * t * Social Issues Larry King s got nothing on me Yes, it has been a long time since my mug graced the Viewpoints pages. I consider it a va cation from think ing about the issues that shape my world. The truth is that so many as pects of so many different issues af fect me every day, and it is nearly im possible for me to think of one issue Pete Johnson is a journalism senior and viewpoints editor, Ha can I be reached at gamecock viewpoints® homail.com M in particular that has had a more proround effect on me than another. So, I figured I would treat you all to a Larry King rant-style column today. Granted, many of these rantings will make little-to-no sense to many of you, but does Lany really make any sense to begin with? I don’t think so. Well, here goes. *Tums swivel chair and glares at camera with one eye closed.* What is up with the white-trash laced honky rap metal craze in music today? Do that many people in our society real ly look up to Kid Rock? Come on, the guy says “my name is Kid Rock" about 30 times in each song. And how many of you went to go see Vanilla Ice at the El bow Room last week? You should all be ashamed of yourselves. *Violently turns and stares at other camera. * Why must people walk around in wife beaters? No matter how clean or built you are, shouldn’t you be discouraged to wear something nicknamed a ‘wife beat er?’ Is it that important for people to show their muscular physique? *Tums and glares at camera left* ine vast improvement ai 01 late have really not shown much im proving. Granted, the green space does look nice enough for me to almost forget about the horrendous parking situation, but you can’t even sit on the grass with out getting a wet brown ass (from the mud, you sickos). *Swiveling and near ly falling out of chair. * Why does Sam Walton all of a sud den rule the world, and what happened to Mi-Mart’s “falling prices?” Once cor porate monsters like Mi-Mart and Sam’s Club put the competition out of business, there won’t be such a thing as falling prices anymore. *Tums and adjusts glasses. * When are the Muppets coming out with another movie? Am I the only one eagerly anticipating a new Muppet ad venture? (Ok, so, 1 made this one up.) *Takesasipof‘water’(yeah, right) from coffee mug.* What is with the eBay craze? It’s the only place you can buy anything from a vibrator to a glow-in-the-dark Jesus Christ figurine. Isn’t it a little disturbing to see someone auctioning their soul online? *Pounds fist emphatically and turns to other camera.* Am I the only man left in America who thinks Miller High Life is a thick, crisp, full-bodied tasting alcoholic bev erage worthy of praise? Why else would it be called “the champagne of beers?” (Made this one up, too.) *Swiveling vio lently and breaking chair, standing up. * Just what are women thinking? I sometimes wish I could be inside the mind of a woman for five minutes, just to find out the age-old mysteries that men are dying to discover. * Jumping over desk and placing face an inch from the cam era.* Why is everything made out or hemp all of a sudden? Who had the genius idea to make items like teddy bears, shoes and lip gloss out of it? It’s not just for smokin’ anymore, kids! *breaks pencil, sprints to camera on other side of stage* If there’s one movie to see this decade, it's Bruce Willis’ The Kid. It’s fun for the whole family, and it’s a real tear jerker! (sike) *Pointing to armpit. * I just can’t seem to find a deodorant that protects me in this heat the way a good deodorant should. How does one go about raising their hand if they aren’t sure? *Taking off glasses. * I’m Pete Johnson. Thank you, and goodnight.