University of South Carolina Libraries
SOUND OFF ONLINE POLL „ , , How should tickets be allotted Create message boards at for the USC-Clemson game? www.dailygamecock.com or FAVOR UPPERCLASSMEN 55% send letters to the editor to FAVOR AVID FANS 19% gamecockopinions@hotmail. com ANARCHY25% IN OUR OPINION Do-not-call list is needed A second federal judge blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s “Do Not Call” program Thursday, just after Congress had moved it closer to becoming official. The judge took issue with the list’s exclusion of charity and political organizations. But charities are in business to fix problems, not make money. Adding them to the do-not-call list could hurt our society more than it helps. And in a country where voter turnout is a joke, restricting political candidates from getting their message out seems counterproductive. According to The New York Times, the list would prohibit commercial telemarketers from calling as many as 50 million individuals. The Congressional ruling had been set to go into effect Wednesday. we live in a democracy ana People have the the American people have right to Choose spoken. The scenario is an whether they want example of the private right to receive over the corporate right, unsolicited calls But no matter how from telemarketers, unwelcome, telemarketing is a thriving million-dollar industry. In an already struggling economy, many could lose their jobs should the legislation go through. But the business of telemarketing is essentially an invasion of privacy — a whole industry based on circulating people’s personal information on the basis of selling products to them. So, the issue has become free speech versus the right to privacy, and one person or group’s free speech shouldn’t be at another’s expense. Gamecock Quotables “Their little signs were as big as they were. That’s when I decided, ‘OK, I’m going to help save their school.’” JERRY ODOM REFERRING TO THE PRE-SCHOOLERS FROM THE USC CHILDRENS CENTER IN 1997 “This might make it even harder to get tickets to games which aren’t as popular as Clemson.” JENNIFER BIRD USC STUDENT, EXPLAINING THE POSSIBLE DOWNSIDE TO A NEW CAROLINA-CLEMSON TICKET SYSTEM “He was like, ‘Flex! Flex this!’ and I was like, ‘Gosh, dude.’ At first I was nervous, but then I just went with it.” RYAN DOUGLAS BROWN use STUDENT AND MODEL, TALKING ABOUT HIS FIRST PHOTO SHOOT “Demetris Summers really makes a different. I thought he had a tremendous game.” LOU HOLTZ USC FOOTBALL HEAD COACH ON THE RUNNING BACK’S PERFORMANCE DURING THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM GAME SATURDAY . GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS In Monday’s Viewpoints section, Ryan Holt should have been listed as a political science student. The Gamecock regrets the error. If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Editor in Chief CONTACT INFORMATION Charles Tomlinson Offices on third floor of the Russell House. m 0\ Friit Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com AdmB m °f News: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Viewpoints: gamecockopinions@hotmail.com The Mix: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com News Editor Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Michael LaForgia Public Affairs: gckpublicaffairs@hotmail.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Asst. News Editor Newsroom: 777-7726 Alexis Stratton Editor’s Office: 777-3914 Viewpoints Editor STUDENT MEDIA The Ganrecock is the Gabnelle Sinclair nl , editorially independent Director student newspaper of tu c-ji* Scott Lindenberg the University of South The Mix Editor _ .. . Carolina. It is Meg Moore Faculty Adviser published Monday, Erik Collins Wednesday and Friday Sports Editor during the fall and Brad Senkiw Creative Director spring semesters and Susan King nine times during the Asst. Sports Editor summer, with the Wes Wolfe Business Manager exception of university Carolyn Griffin holidays and exam Photo Editor periods. Opinions • . Morgan Ford expressed in The Advertising Manager Gamecock are those of Sarah Scarborough the editors or author T* T gne’ and not those of the b n Classified Manager University of South Sherry F. Holmes Carolina. The Board of Page Designers Student Publications Justin Bajan, Samantha D . . and Communications Hall. Staci Jordan, Philip ® is the publisher of The Whitehead Amber Justice Gamecock. The Department of Student Slot Copy Editors Creative Services Media is the Amy Genoble, Alyson Whitney Bridges, newspaper’s parent Goff, Tricia Ridgway Robbie Burkett, organization. The Sean O'Meara Gamecock is Copy Editors supported in part by Mary Waters, Steven Van Advertising Staff student-activity fees. Haren, Jessica Foster. John 8iackshlre, One free copy per Alicia Osborne Adam Bourgoin, Ben reader. Additional Sinclair Jesira copies may be Online Editor Johnson, Ryan purchased 1°' ^ James Tolbert Gorman, Laytoya *rom the DePartment Hjnes of Student Media. KlmbeHy^Dressler TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 j 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 Columbia, S.C. 29208 Fax: 777-6482 w&eQ5 vev&op^c? ResvsT/M^ce to roundup, \tJo^v's WOST Popular H6R$lCtC>£ STa^W r\ f i ^ ^ -mas* CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Chirac should stick to France JUSTIN SIMMONS GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM European nation needs to leave America alone. I have found it is not an easy task to come up with a topic uni versally appealing to everyone. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s impossible. As I discussed my struggles with a friend over lunch, he said something that would prove my answer: “Justin, there are two things all people in this country agree on: Republican or Democrat, we all love football, and we all love to laugh at the French.” The French it is. My latest source of indignation toward the French comes cour tesy of President Jacques Chirac. As if being the French presi dent isn’t enough of a job, Chirac feels compelled to also dispense his diplomatic, military and po litical wisdom to countries he deems in need of a little advice. Chirac believes the United States is making a big mistake by not granting Iraq its sovereignty within the next few months. In essence, Chirac is suggest ing that we hand over power, and a $20 billion dollar budget, to an oligarchy. As one of Bush’s ad visers said, “The American peo ple are not prepared to transfer power to 25 unelected people, not going to transfer $20 billion in re construction aid to an unelected body.” I’m not surprised that France would take such a stance. The idea that the United States is the only world superpower is hard to swallow for all of Europe. It’s a natural response for European countries to try to counterbalance our global hege mony. And it’s not that I am op posed to hearing advice and sug gestions from our allies; I just re quest that they be somewhat qualified to give it. Waiting to grant sovereignty to Iraq until free elections are held just makes sense. President Bush is showing the ability to think long-term, proving this isn’t a po litical decision. If this war and oc cupation were politically moti vated, would he be risking his popularity by asking for billions of dollars and endangering our troops? The obvious answer is no. President Bush is following the long-standing American policy of nation building. If Chirac wants evidence of our abilities, he need look no fur ther than his neighbor, Germany. After World War II, the United States played a key role in trans forming Germany from France’s bully into a viable democratic state with ever-increasing eco nomic strength. The same pat tern holds true for Japan (al though distance prevented it from being a previous bully of the French). France is attempting to lecture the United States on a topic about which it has no idea. France has been through five republics in the time since we wrote our Constitution. I won’t even go into the mili tary ineptitude of a country whose two greatest military heroes are a teenage girl and a midget. (Both of whom would meet their end at the hands of the hated British, I might add.) France should only be allowed to speak if the topic involves wine, cheese and maybe crois sants. Oh, yeah; of course they are welcome to come running for help the next time Germany’s troops decide to vacation in Paris. Simmons is a third-year political science student. IN YOUR OPINION There are better ways to help buses I am writing in response to the recent article describing ef forts that Student Government groupies claim will alleviate the parking problem on campus (“SG lobbying for GPS system on shuttle service,” Sept. 22). I think I know what SG President Katie Dreiling is try ing to say. She thinks that adding GPS tracking devices to buses will somehow magically make parking spaces appear at points convenient to the buses and use mind-control tactics to get everyone to use them. This is ludicrous. USC has been facing an on going budget crisis since I was a freshman, and tuition just keeps on increasing. How do we have $12,000 a semester to spend on what Dreiling and SG are trying to convince us is an active attempt “to remedy park ing problems?” This doesn’t even begin to solve USC’s hor ribly run shuttle system, let alone anything remotely close to the parking situation — which, no matter what they say or do, is still the debacle it was when I attended USC. Instead of flushing $12,000 a semester down NextBus’ toilet, why doesn’t SG take steps to ward making the shuttle sys tem more efficient? How about making a realistic timetable for the buses and then having the drivers stick to it? Somehow, every other bus system on the face of the planet manages to do this — why can’t USC’s? As for seeing the routes, is putting a map up right next to the new timetable at each stop too easy? I have a hunch that a few maps and a little research would come to just a little less than $12,000 a semester. However, if Dreiling and the rest of SG find that this makes a little too much sense, why don’t they just cut each student a check for $1 at the end of the year — at least that would ac complish something. JAMES WHITTINGHAM USC ALUMNUS, CLASS OF 2003 Ticket system needs compromise I commend Student Gov ernment for taking time to re evaluate the lottery system for Carolina-Clemson tickets. I must disagree, however, with The Gamecock about whether seniors should have priority in receiving the Clemson game tickets. Giving upperclassmen pri ority in the lottery does not solve the problem of nonfans re ceiving their tickets just so they can scalp them. Under a class priority system, the number of upperclassmen who get tickets to actually go to the game will only increase at the same rate the number of upperclassmen who get tickets just to scalp them increases. I agree that the other pro posed system (where priority is given to students who pick up tickets to the most games) is also flawed and doesn’t guar antee that every student would have the opportunity to attend the Carolina-Clemson game at some point during his or her tenure at USC. Most, I assume, agree that every student should get to go at least once. I propose a modified solution that would benefit avid football fans while still giving advan tage to upperclassmen who have missed out on the Carolina-Clemson game. SG should consider a plan that gives priority based on two criteria: a) the percentage of games the said student has picked up tickets for during his or her time at Carolina and b) the amount of times the said student has been denied a Carolina-Clemson ticket during his or her time at USC. A provision should be includ ed to create a rule that any stu dent who entered the lottery and didn’t receive a ticket during his freshman, sophomore and junior years will automatically receive a Clemson ticket upon request during his senior year. By giving ample weight to the second criterion — whether the student has received a ticket in the past if it was requested—this eliminates the problem of upper classmen missing out all four years. More importantly, this system also rewards Gamecock football fans for their support and dedication throughout the season. JONATHAN HARDIN FIRST-YEAH BUSINESS STUDENT 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 gamecockopinions@hotmail.com. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777-7726 for more information^ Let’s drop the dead weight i JULIE COOK GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM Al, Carol and Dennis, it’s time to say goodbye. Here’s a bit of advice for the Rev. Al Sharpton, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun and Rep. Dennis Kucinich—take your pri vate plane, fly up to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., cruise your limo over to South Capitol Street, waltz into the Democratic National Committee’s office and shoot Chairman Terry McAuliffe in the foot. Better yet, stop by the homes of all registered Democrats in the United States and do them a favor by shooting them in the foot. By remaining in the race for the Democratic presidential nomina tion, these three are doing more harm than good for their party. They are wasting literally millions of dollars worth of campaign con tributions when they must know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they stand no chance in the primaries. No offense is meant to the three, who have all had very dis tinguished careers and have made, j their own political contributions. It’s simply a matter of honesty and rationality. They all know they have no real possibility be cause of public opinion or, in Kucinich’s case, lack of opinion. They should rationally follow through to realize that the mon ey they’re collecting could be bet ter spent on a more probable can didate. All the millions spent on their staffs, advertising, speaking engagements, signs and rallies could go instead to the top three increasing the likelihood of their success as a nominee and the eventual defeat of George W. Bush in the national election. ’ By taking a step back, Al, Carol J} and Dennis would see that endors ing a more viable candidate would lead to the ultimate goal of the par ty —a successful presidential can didate, which is significantly less likely when 10 contenders fight for every Democratic dollar. Freedom of choice allows people who enjoy doing so to throw their money at whatever candidate they so desire, at least up to $2,000 any way. Maybe if these candidates weren’t running, their supporters wouldn’t pick another Democrat. Maybe they’d pick a third-party candidate, like a Green or Libertarian. Or maybe even the great arch nemesis—Bush himself. I hardly think Sharpton’s', J biggest campaign contributors are ready to start signing checks over to the Bush administration. In the end, by stepping down from a battle that they have no chance of winning, the three sharing the lowest popularity ratings give the true competitors a better chance for success in the primaries and the party as a whole in November. pack up your headquarters; tell CNN you all support Clark, Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Gephardt, Graham or Dean; and stop cash ing the checks leading to your par ty’s imminent defeat. Explain to your followers that, while as a politician, you enjoy your fair share of wasting money, you can not sit around and allow your cof fers to expand while knowing that the hopes attached to those dollaJ . T bills will never come to fruition. If you can’t stop yourself from being a losing cause, why not band together and form another party? At least then you’re not damaging your own party; instead you’re merely stifling your competitors. Might I suggest “When Hell Freezes Over” as a party name? Invite Gary Coleman to join you — he’d make a great future secretary of state. Cook is a third-year political >> science and art history student