The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 19, 2000, Page 4, Image 4
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.
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Adoress
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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 “
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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.