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4 ' THE GAMECOCK ♦ Friday, April 4,2003 SOUND OFF ONLINE POLL Create message boards at Do SG elections make a difference? www.dailygamecock.com or YES, OF COURSE 22% send letters to the editor to NO, NO ONE CARES 67% gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com HUH? 11% IN OUR OPINION Law school needs leader For the second year in a row, the USC Law School has come up short in its search for a dean. This time, it was lucrative positions at premier universities that caught the eyes of the four top prospects. USC Provost Jerry Odom says that is an indication of tlje quality of people being sought. But after two years of no solid leadership in the law school, different steps need to be taken. The university is in the middle of a major _ i__• _ ___11_X It’s time to start broadening the search for the law school dean. l uuui mg pi utcaa tiiau includes a fury of technical overhaul and mounds of breaucratic paperwork. It is not the time for any department of the university to be “rudderless,” as law professor Eldon Wedlock described it. The administration’s decision to hire an interim dean is a needed move, but still disappointing. The fact that two years of searching has not yielded a new dean is cause for concern in the quality of our law program. Nevertheless, we commend the university for realizing the need for a replacement, while temporary, of the law school leadership. It’s time to start broadening the search for the law school dean. There are several university faculty members who are capable of running the law school. There is nothing wrong with setting high expectations, but there is something wrong with not realizing reality. The law school needs a leader, and the university might find one right under its nose. Gamecock Quotables “The sign on the door says, ‘No nudity or profanity.’ F—k that! Who wants to see my ass?” BRET MCCRACKEN THE USED'S LEAD SINGER AT A CONCERT WEDNESDAY "We are, at this point, rudderless, essentially. We don’t have a leader.” ELDON WEDLOCK LAW SCHOOL PROFESSOR ON THE LAW SCHOOL'S DEAN SEARCH “It’s no time to be feeling sorry about yourself. We’ve got to get ready to play, and we’ve got to play good.” RAY TANNER use HEAD COACH ON THE BASEBALL TEAM’S LOSS TO CLEMSON TUESDAY “When people can’t get jobs, they have to get money somehow.” KATIE MCCLENDON STUDENT GOVERNMENT SAFETY DIRECTOR ON THE INCREASE IN AUTOMOBILE BREAK-INS. GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS Louisa Eyler’s name was misspelled in Wednesday’s USC safety column. Denver progressive-hardcore band Vaux’s name was misspelled in an article Wednesday about the Used’s concert. The Gamecock regrets the errors. If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Editor in Chief Jill Martin Managing Editor Charles Tomlinson News Editor Adam Beam Asst. News Editor Wendy Jeffcoat Viewpoints Editor Erin O’Neal The Mix Editor Corey Garriott Asst. The Mix Editor Meg Moore Sports Editor Matt Rothenberg Asst. Sports Editor Brad Senkiw Photo Editor Johnny Haynes Asst. Photo Editor Morgan Ford Head Page Designers Sarah McLaulin, Katie Smith, David Stagg Page Designers Justin Bajan, Samantha Hall, Staci Jordan, Julia Knetzer, Shawn Rourk Slot Copy Editors Crystal Boyles, Tricia Ridgway, Emma Ritch Copy Editors Jessica Foster, Alyson Goff, Mary Waters Online Editor Sessam Khadraoui Community Affairs Kiran Shah CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com News: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com View points: gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com The Mix: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Public Affairs: gckpublicaffairs@hotmail.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 STUDENT MEDIA Faculty Adviser Erik Collins Director of Student Media Ellen Parsons Creative Director Susan King Business Manager Carolyn Griffin Advertising Manager Sarah Scarborough Classified Manager Sherry F. Holmes Production Manager Patrick Bergen Creative Services Derek Goode, Earl Jones, Sean O'Meara, Anastasia Oppert Advertising Staff John Blackshire, Adam Bourgoin, Bianca Knowles, Denise Levereaux, Jacqueline Rice, Stacey Todd The Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It 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-activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media. TO PI ACE AN AO i he bamecocK 1400 Greene St. Columbia. S.C. 29208 Advertising: 777-3888 Classified: 777-1184 Fax: 777-6482 5EELK&? KRT Campus m BETTERTON, FEAR FACIDR? / The yellow dust of reproduction DAVID STAGG GAMECOCKVIEWPOINTS@HOTMAIL.COM Students don’t stand a chance against pollen. The invasion has begun. No, I’m not talking about Iraq. I’m not talking about the “American Idol” domination of America. I’m not talking about the anti-war protests that have almost become a sport. I’m talking about that stupid yellow dust that is covering ev erything I touch. I know you know it because I bet if you look down at your feet right now, there’s either some on your shoes, some within your imme diate vicinity or some planning to attack you after U.N. inspec tors leave the area. In order to further your and my knowledge of this dust that seems to show up overnight, I did some research. ME: So, can you tell me a lit tle about this yellow stuff that is covering my car? REAL BOTANIST: Well, what you’re referring to is pollen. As encyclopedia.com describes it, they are “minute grains bom in the anther sac at the tip of the slender filament of the stamen of a flowering plant or in the male cone.” ME: Whoa, whoa, buddy. There might be little kids read ing this article. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? REAL BOTANIST: That’s re ally what pollen is. ME: Let’s talk on terms every one can understand. What you’re trying to tell me is that pollen is the means of reproduction for certain trees? REAL BOTANIST: Correct. Each pollen grain contains two sperm and a tube nucleus to transfer the pollen after success ful pollination. ME: Honestly, I don’t think these trees are playing by the rifles. It’s impregnating my car. It didn’t even ask to buy it a drink first. You don’t see me walking around sperming ev erything I see, hoping to repro duce. The trees would attempt to impregnate ME if I stood around long enough, for crying out loud. It’s worse than the contestants on ElimiDate. REAL BOTANIST: Elimi what? ME: Let’s get back to the sub ject at hand. There seems to be a lot of this “pollen” lying around this campus. REAL BOTANIST: Well, in ac tuality, the life span of the pollen is only about two hours. ME: I can still see it though. It’s about the only thing I can see. I took my dog for a walk yes terday and by the time I was through, someone asked me why I was walking a yellow Nerf bah. REAL BOTANIST: Even though you can see it, it doesn’t mean that it is still active. ME: What if I happen in to an active pollen grain? REAL BOTANIST: Nothing. ME: What if I happen into an aroused mob of pollen grains that think I’m a sexy tree? REAL BOTANIST: I don’t think that’s possible. ME: Don’t play coy with me. If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a hundred times. They don’t know when to stop. You have to pour cold water on them to stop them from coming on to you. Sta 'gg is a second-year media arts student. N IN YOUR OPINION College life doesn’t involve only alcohol Talent shows, fashion shows and step shows, oh my! How is it that whenever there is one of these taking place on campus, everyone and their “momma” are there? But when there is an event sponsored by Afro-American students with the Afro-American student body in mind—that does not in volve some level of sex—there is not much of a turnout? I have the privilege of being a part of a wonderful organiza tion called Savvy that spon sored a great event this past weekend: “Back that Thang Up: Black Women Speak Truth to iruwtJi. ouiiic vji me auuiciu/c can attest to the quality of this event and how thought pro voking and entertaining it was to the Afro-American students at a predominantly white uni versity. Yet, sadly, I also have expe rienced what many others do when bringing an educational event to the African-American students at USC: the diminu tive amount of participation and response from those whom we need the most support. Our event was a discussion forum of four extremely influential women of color who are affili ated with USC. We discussed several topics, including inter racial dating, black men em powering black women and vice versa, connecting with our elders, and becoming our own individuals. All of these issues have or are affecting us in some way or another, but that alone did not draw a resounding re sponse from my peers. Don’t g%t me wrong; a good step show or frat party can be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to getting our minds off school. But isn’t there more to the college experience than just feeding the social as pect of the African-American student’s life? How about enjoy ing the free intellectual stimula tion brought to you by our own peers and professors? TIFFANY STEWART THIRD-YEAR SPANISH AND PRK HEADTH STUDENT Candidate thinks he’s above the rest I am the first to admit that I have failed to keep myself in formed with USC’s politics. I am disinterested because it seems that a number of our politicians are overly con cerned with matters that ulti mately are issues pertaining to Student Government alone. The latest example of this comes from runoff candidate Tyler Odom. Prior to results be ing released, candidates were required to remove their signs and other bandwagon material by 7 p.m. as a part of the “Clean Sweep” program. Obviously, Odom feels he is too good for this rule because he refused to remove his signs. His claim was that it was unfair to runoff candidates. Unfair? According to Wednesday’s issue of The Gamecock, Kate Dreiling, his sole opponent for Thursday and Friday’s run off, had her signs removed from campus by the deadline. It’s unfair that you held up the results of your elec tion. Has your political success already gone to your head so much that you feel you are above university policies? I hope all that have been elected into SG use this as an ex ample of what not to do. I expect our SG president to be an exam ple to other students, not one who feels that they are better than the guidelines that have been set for the University of South Carolina. ROD DOOLEY FIRST-YEAH ACCOUNTING STUDENT Ludacris’ music isn’t real entertainment Tyler Jones clearly represents a popular opinion of today’s youth. He is young and wants to have a good time, jumping around drinking persimmon juice. I think that’s great and would never deny such simple pleasures. He misses one point, however, and it’s really not his fault; he speaks from no experience. There is a crucial difference between music as entertainment and as obscenity. Speaking as someone who has experimented with countless pleasures and excesses of the Studio 54 era, I can say “been there, done that.” The only difference is that we kept it to the confines of the walls of the club and had a great time doing it. My point is that everyone has to have a vice, an outlet. Screaming it from a stage in a public forum is not the place to do that. That’s not music, and we’re not humored by it. It’s just plain arrogance, and, be honest, isn’t that what Ludacris is really selling? RAY MURRAY COLUMBIA Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. E-mail letters to gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Submissions aie limited to two per person per semester. Call the newsroom at 777-7726 for more information. People like to show off stupidity ALLYSON BIRD GAMECOCKVIEWPOINTS@HOTMAIL.COM Ignorance is advertised on American sleeves. It’s rare that I ever go to sport ing events, but the destiny of last Saturday night found me glowing with fresh, red sunburn and star ing down at the bright white ice of a Charleston Stingrays hockey game. I sat with my three friends to my right. Two servicemen were seated to our left, and a little girl sat in front of us, wearing a shirt with a delicate pink flower that read, “Peace starts with me.” I just wanted to tell her how much of an idiot her mother is for dressing her in that on military night at the hockey game. It’s so easy for detached civil ians to push the peace flower but then complain when the pollen gets bad. It’s easy for those of us holed up in the Southern American springtime to say just about any thing about the war. Just ask the Dixie Chicks, though they even waited until they were off American soil to rant, making their band’s name all the more appropriate. I’ve bought every one of their CD’s, 4-/\ lnpl t/Miv. om J pir\ cerely pity that their lead singer didn’t use more discretion in pumping up the audience. But I will not go to this year’s tour. And as much as I would like to see “Bowling for Columbine,” I’ll wait until it comes out on video. After Michael Moore’s Oscar stunt, I’d rather support my local video store than an embarrass ment to American movie awards. And that’s quite an embarrass ment. I told my parents that I hope I have the opportunity to become an embedded reporter before I die. They weren’t too excited about the prospect, but I assured them that unless The Gamecock sends someone to Iraq, they won’t have to worry for at least a few years. I hope that by the time I’ve worked my way up enough in the professional world to become a foreign correspondent, the Iraq conflict is a closed case. Yet I still think, if we face another war, re porting would be a service to the country, if not a personal re assessment of life in the most pro found sense. I think Geraldo would agree. But as the days go by and more journalists are treated like troops in Iraq—missing, tortured, killed — I wonder. As more of the live news reports are interrupted be cause of missiles overhead, I re consider. And I can do that because I’m a student, I’m a female and I’m only writing for a newspaper that can’t afford to send its reporters past county lines much less to war zones in the Gulf. I can change my plans and I can stay holed up in the Southern American springtime, listening to the Dixie Chicks every year if that’s what I want to do. But those two boys to our left on Saturday night can’t. They go where they’re called when they’re called. And some of their fellow men who have been called to Iraq now are younger than I am. As Saturday’s game drew to a close and the hockey players sat isfied the hopes of fans by grow ing considerably more violent, I looked back at the little girl’s shirt. “Peace starts with me.” And hoped those boys to my left never noticed it. Bird is a first-year print journalism student.