Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

[ IN OUR OPINION USC officials act callously There’s something different about USC. On Wednesday, many colleges, including Clemson, didn’t hold classes. Many also decided early that they wouldn’t play football this weekend, thinking it inappropriate to play a mere four days after the deadly terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. But not USC. Indeed, USC decided that classes must go on, that football must go on, that students must carry on as though nothing had happened. (The .. . . football game was canceled USC’s statements . * only after opponent Bowling would be. Green refused t0 come ) ridiculous if they piaying football as scheduled "Weren * so became a wonderful way to embarrassing, show we had returned to normalcy and life would go on. That, and it would give people an escape. Such statements would be ridiculous if they weren’t so embarrassing. The motives for holding class on Wednesday— especially considering how many students are from New England — is baffling. It is cold and heartless to force students to choose between missing class and trying to find out what happened to relatives who. worked in the buildings destroyed in the attack. It is callous to carry on with a football game, to try to make money off of sports, as a nation mourns the loss of perhaps more than 10,000 people. The university’s excuses don’t wash, and neither do the actions of USC officials. It is shameful, it is cruel and it is a sign that USC still is not ready to enter the ranks of the prestigious colleges who chose to mourn the dead rather than pretend that September 11 was just another day. Winners and Sinners AMERICA Assault on the Pentagon, World Trade Center hurts emotions and pride, but not spirit. We shall overcome. GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. Write us at gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK “Tor™* CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Mary Hartney Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com University Editor University Desk: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com City Desk: gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com Glnny Thornton Viewpoints: gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Asst. Univ. Editor Spotlight: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Victoria Bennett Online: www.dailygamecock.com The Mix Editor Newsroom: 777-7726 Justin Bajan Dl APC AM AH The Gamecock is the Asst. The Mix Editor “LACE AN AD student newspaper of the The Gamecock University of South Chris Foy 1400 Greene Street Carolina and is published Sports Editor Columbia. SC 29208 Monday. Wednesday and Advertising: 777-3888 FridaY durinS ,he faM and Preston Baines Classified: 777-1184 spring semesters and nine Asst. Sports Editor Fax-777-6482 times during the summer with the exception of Elizabeth Swartz CTIinPMT MPfllA university holidays and Online Editor oiUi/blil IVlbLIlA exam periods. Opinions Erik Collins, Faculty Adviser 1 expressed in The Aaron Hark E||en Parsons, Director of Gamecock are those of Photo Editor Student Media the editors or author and Susan King, Creative not those of the University Greg Hambrick Director of South Carolina. The City & State Editor Carolyn Griffin, Business Board of Student Manager Publications and Brandon Larrabee Sarah Sims, Advertising Communications is the Viewpoints Editor Manager publisher of The Sherry F. Holmes, Classified Gamecock. The Page Designers Manager Department of Student Crystal Dukes, Media is the newspaper's Mackenzie Creative Services parent organization. The Clements, Katie Todd Hooks, Martin Gamecock is supported in Smith, David Stagg Salisbury, Beju Shah part by student activities fees. One free copy per Community Affairs Advertising Staff reader. Additional copies Betsy Baugh, Karen Betsy Baugh, Caryn may be purchased for one Yip Barowsky, Denise Levereaux, dollar each from the Jackie Rice. Stacey Todd Department of Student Copy Editors Media. Crystal Boyles, Corey Garriott, Jason Harmon, Jill Martin, Carolyn Rowe BEELER'02 ^TV. E^e I COLLEGE PRESS EXCHANGE ‘Today, we are all Americans ’ COREY FORD STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT I urge the student body not to prejudge any student on campus. Ford spoke to student senate Wednesday about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Excerpts follow: Tuesday was a day of immense tragedy. Wednesday was a day of national mourning. And Thursday and the days to come will be ones of searching and eventually retribution. The United States of America has suffered quite possibly the most horrific, the most devastating, the most cowardly attack in its 225-year history. And while the physical massacre may only lie in the city blocks of New York, at the steps of the Pentagon, or the countryside of Pennsylvania, the mental carnage rips at the very psyche of our nation. Every single American is affected by this attack. Our beliefs, our freedom, our very way of life are what they want us to change. The University of South Carolina and all other institutions of higher learning come into play now. We must not give in now or change our lifestyle; in essence, that would were all victims. Whether or not you have embraced this country and everything she stands for, she has embraced you with freedoms no other peoples in history have even dared to dream. The more important question, however, is what are you willing to do for her people in their time of need? Will you care? Will you give blood, donate to the relief fund, or will you enter her service if she needs you? Student Government has contacted the Red Cross to inquire about the possibility of having an on-campus blood drive. However, because of the overwhelming crowds at local banks, they do not have the time, staff or resources to have one at Carolina. Yet, APO will be running shuttles to the local Red Cross shelters. As your president, I call on every student, if physically possible, to donate blood. We have a duty to help those who would have certainly helped us if we had been attacked instead. In the next few days, Student Government will be selling ribbons to show our support and the proceeds will go to the relief fund coordinated by the Red Cross. So be on the lookout for this outside the Russell House.... We lost thousands of our citizens yesterday. If you do one thing — donate blood or donate money—then you have done something. As president, that’s all I can ask. Thank you. Language used is ‘disappointing’ As an alumni and a College of Journalism and Mass Communications grad, I have to express my concern and disappointment regarding the language used in The Gamecock. I logged on today for the first time and was shocked at the headline “The jackass in USC Parking”(Sept. 10). Come on — couldn't he think of a better word to use that would have the same effect? It brings to mind a saying I heard when I was growing up: “People who have to cuss to get their point across have a limited vocabulary.” I also found several four letter words in an opinion column — granted, it was the writer’s own thoughts, but don’t YOU, as the “editor”, have the right to clean it up? I wrote for The Gamecock for a time and worked in the advertising department the remaining years of my college career. The people I worked under were talented writers and editors who reported the news and authored columns without compromising the reader's respect. These people are now writing for 'small' media like The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Associated Press and The Portland Press Herald. The “real world” still holds on to old-fashioned vocabulary, and I think for the sake of the alumni who donate to the university (therefore, sending funds your way), you should as well! DEBBIE ROGERO GLASS OF '82, COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS Submission Policy Letters to the editor or guest columns are welcome from the Carolina community. Letters should be 250-300 words. Guest columns should be about 600 words. Both must include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. Deliver handwritten submissions to Russell House room 333, or send e-mail to gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Anonymous letters will not be published. Photos are required for guest columnists and can be provided by the submitter. Call 777-7726 for more information. For letters about and reactions to the attacks on America, look in Monday’s edition of The Gamecock. To have your letter included, e-mail gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. And look for more letters and another way to submit your opinion at www.dailygamecock.com. Palms offers words of comfort JOHN PALMS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Each of us will mourn, reflect and rebuild our lives in individual ways. The following is a letterfrom John Palms to the USC community. Over the next few weeks, our country and our university will witness events and experience feelings to which we are totally unaccustomed. Our nation and our university community will seek opportunities to join together to express our collective grief over yesterday’s injuries and loss of life and our collective resolve to extend our sympathy to the victims and their families, and I offer our assistance to members of our university family who were directly and personally affected Kit tVincft Irnnio aimrito While many of us were not personally and directly connected, we may also experience anger, grief and uncertainty in response to yesterday’s events and the suffering we witnessed. We must strive to support each other spiritually and emotionally in the most appropriate manner. Bach of us will mourn, reflect and rebuild our lives in individual ways. For those who need some assistance, ministers and counselors from area churches, campus chaplains and professionals from the USC counseling centers are available. I deeply appreciate the initiative demonstrated by our student leadership, faculty, staff and religious community in providing individual and public services so that our entire community can express its shock at the events, grief at the devastating human loss and solidarity in supporting our nation during this critical time. I encourage all of you to attend and/or participate in these services. By its nature, a university is an international community of scholars and students. Because we were chartered to help reduce the tensions between citizens and our state, USC has a particular mission to discover shared interests and cultivate mutual respect among individuals from different backgrounds. Our Carolinian Creed and the university motto signify our commitment to such civility and sensitivity. We have many concerns as we react to this horror. Some of our faculty, staff and students who are members of the U.S. Armed Forces and the National Guard may be called upon to serve our nation as it responds to this crisis, and we must endeavor to support these people as best we can. Some South Carolinians on their way home via airplane travel were rerouted to Canada; many USC students are currently studying abroad; and alumni groups are traveling outside our nation. We pray for their well-being and safety. I trust all of us will offer the international students and scholars studying and teaching on our campuses the same respect and generosity as Carolinians have received from people throughout the world. Thank you. signify a total victory for these terrorists. At Carolina, we must continue our classes, our activities, our meetings and our athletic events. We must never give any indication that we will bow down to their desires for a chaotic and obstructive society. Yet, yesterday was without a doubt a watershed in American history. Students were stunned and shocked by the events, and more importantly, many students had relatives in Manhattan or were working at the Pentagon. This was not a time for class. I therefore respectfully request that President Palms, Provost Odom and Associate Provost Greiner instruct all faculty members to discount yesterday’s classes for attendance purposes. I believe that tliis is a fair measure, especially for students with loved ones in these war zones. Multicultural Affairs Director Brandon Ray has already discussed potential situations with some international and Muslim students. I urge the student body not to prejudge any student any student on this campus. All Americans have developed a sense of rage toward this incident. Muslim Americans are Americans, too, just as citizens of English, Scottish or Irish descent are citizens. On days like today, however, it is imperative that we abandon the distinction of Italian, Scotch-Irish, African American, Asian-American or any other label. Today, we are all Americans. Tuesday, we IN YOUR OPINION