Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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4 Online Pn 11 % “Fora Southern college, USC UllllllC.su is ahead of the game. I think that Should there be a USC is a pretty open campus." Constitutional amendment SKYLER nimmONS banning gay marriage? second-year public relations student on 4 ;s. www.dailygamecock.com. acceptance of gay and lesbian sflans Results published on Friday. In.Our.Opinion TV viewers f need respect The Super Bowl halftime show controversy underlines the fact that certain time slots and occasions should not be used to push the envelope of what is considered acceptable on television. Whether Justin Timberlake intentionally or unintentionally uncovered Janet Jackson’s breast, his move exposed an audience to a quality of programming they were not expecting. Unlike a normal Sunday NFL game, the Super Bowl attracts a large audience that includes children and those not in the NFL’s usual interest group, males age 18-50. Netw°rks hare 8 MTV,S producers certainly responsibility to . ... , ... think of more than kn™*ls’ and even *1*7 just ratings when and CBS were unaware of they consider what the Planned imcit act, they is appropriate on should havelmilt family television, safeguards into the system to prevent such a lapse. Commercial radio uses a delay for the very same purpose, and it was negligent not to do so. However, hindsight is always 20/20, and similar oversights will not occur again because of the scrutiny the networks are receiving following the incident. TV has expanded the boundaries of what is acceptable in the public sphere, and there is no need or reason to turn back the clock to an era of Victorian sensibilities. Networks, though, do have a responsibility to think of more than just ratings and advertising revenues when they consider what is appropriate. The halftime show was not obscene merely because it exposed human flesh, but because of its overall sexual context. Networks should ensure that primetime TV is free from groundbreaking changes in decency. In a way, advertising will self-check this process, as companies will not want to be linked with obscenity. Networks must not be shackled from competing with cable stations, which have used profanity and nudity to draw ratings for years, and they must be cautious in considering the audience. i-'-—-----—--—--:-1 SOUND OFF Create message boards at www.dallygamecock.com or send letters to the editor to gamecockoplnlons@gwm.sc.edu Gamecock.Corrections In Wednesday’s paper, staff writer Candyce Jefferson was misidentified. The Gamecock regrets the error. If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. AboutThe.Gamecock Editor in Chief Adam Beam Copy Desk Chief Gabrielle Sinclair Design Director Shawn Rourk News Editor Michael LaForgia Asst. News Editor Alexis Stratton Viewpoints Editor Patrick Augustine The Mix Editor Meg Moore Asst. Mix Editor Jennifer Sitowski Sports Editor Wes Wolfe Asst. Sports Editor Jonathan Hillyard Photo Editor Morgan Ford Asst. Photo Editor Johnny Haynes Page Designers Erin Cline. Staci Jordan, Brian Ray, Brad Senkiw, Mary Pinckney Waters, Chas McCarthy Copy Editors Allyson Bird, Jennifer Freeman, Jessica Foster. Steven Van Haren Wire Editor Z'Anne Coveil Online Editor James Tolbert Senior Writer Kevir Fellner’ CONTACT INFORMATION. Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@gwm.sc.edu News: gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu Viewpoints: gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu The Mix: gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Sports: gamecocksports@.gwm.sc.edu Public Affairs: gamecockpr@yahoo.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Editor's Office: 777-3914 STUDENT MEDIA The Gamecock is the editorially independent Director student newspaper of Scott Lindenberg the University of South Carolina. It is Faculty Adviser published Monday, Erik Collins Wednesday and Friday during the fall and Creative Director spring semesters and Susan King nine times during the summer, with the Business Manager exception of university Carolyn Griffin holidays and exam periods. Opinions Advertising Manager expressed in The Sarah Scarborough . Gamecock are those of the editors or author Classified Manager ^nd not those of the Sherry F. Holmes University of South Carolina. The Board of Production Manager Student Publications Amber Justice and Communications is the publisher of The Creative Services Gamecock. The Whitney Bridges, Department of Student Robbie Burkett Med.a ,s the newspaper s parent Advertising Staff organization. The Robert Carli, Kate Gamecock is r supported in part by Femim, Latoya Hines ..7JT ♦ [I, ** _ , , student-activity fees. Carolina Love Jesica 0ne free Johnson. David reader. Additional Weatherford copies may be purchased for $1 each Public Affairs from the Department Kimberly Dressier of student Media TO PUCE AN AD The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 Columbia, S.C. 29208 fax: 777-6482 ■pw^"~ ^ ^ctiQPly/ W HOMOSEXUALS SITIN' --v ■ HITCHED? ITU ERODE I our MORAL FIBER, IT WILL' EVEN m THREE I 0C-WIVE5 WOULD ^^LftSREE ON THAT/ Tupperwarefor Valentine’s I like to pride myself on bril liant ideas. I was the one who . thought it was a good idea to eat an entire carton of ice cream be fore running a 5K. I was the one who went out on a limb and lobbied for more nudity on live televi sion. Yes, I was the one who thought it would be a good idea to give John Kerry Botox injections in the middle of his race to earn a presidential nomination. I will admit, however, that I’ve been outdone a few times. This one time, Janet Jackson went nude on live television and, before the hype had died down, unveiled the cover to her new CD: her naked. There was also this woman in Tennessee who — true story — gave the job of designated driver to her 10-year-old daughter. These are the people who de serve the Nobel Prize. And just for you, oh savvy reader, I endure hardship and tor ture, racking my brain, to bring to you brilliant ideas such as these so that you don’t have to do actual work, such as think. I have been known to seclude myself in a water tight container that you could then put underwa ter for roughly seven days before I remembered watching a really weird video tape before I got in the container and that I received an ambiguous phone call just af ter watching the movie to a tele phone that WASN’T EVEN HOOKED TO THE WALL that said I was supposed to die in sev en days searching every dark cor ner of my brain to find the most timely and brilliant idea to bring to you along with a clever, yet thoroughly pointless, run-on sen tence. Well, just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’ve got more bril liant ideas. Allow me to give you the Top Two Best Things to Say to Your Date on Valentine’s Day. ♦Let’s say it’s your first date. Valentine’s Day is as good a time as any to take a female out to get to know her. The date is going well, with lots of stimulating con versation. You ask her to come back to your place, and she agrees. You put on a movie, it’s dark, you lean in, she leans in, you can hear her heart racing, you lock lips, pull back, and when it’s over, say, “Wow, you’re not nearly as good as my ex-girl friend.” That’s money. ♦The scene: Dinnertime. Nice restaurant. You’ve spent the af ternoon together. You’ve been schmoopy the whole time. Things are looking good for lat er. You’re trying to make the date go as best as possible, just as the waiter comes over. “Excuse me, are you two ready to order?” he politely asks. “Why yes, we are,” you reply. “I’ll have a sirloin steak, 14 ounces, rare, please.” “And for you, ma’am?” he asks. You interrupt. “I’ll be ordering for her,” you say. She’s taken aback. “She’ll have a green salad — no dressing — and a water.” She gives you a stern look. “What?” you say to her. “You’re starting to get a little overweight. I didn’t want you to be all fatty for later tonight.” Freaking brilliant. Feel free to use both lines at your own disposal. It’s actually better if you could get them both in on the same night. And if you need any help, look for me. I’ll be underwater in Tupperware — and I’ll be very single. In Your Opinion treasurer nopeuus should know better Each year, candidates for SG elections showcase their platforms: some extreme, some cliche, some containing sensi ble solutions and some con taining far-fetched schemes that make no sense at all. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to tell which ideas make sense and which ideas do not because the majority of the stu dent body, understandably, is not familiar with SG codes and standards of operation. What is unforgivable, however, is can didates who demonstrate the same ignorance. For example, according to Monday’s article, “Treasurer candidate works from experience,” Kenyatta Frazier wants to make SG trea surer the chairperson of the fi nance committee so that the senator who leads the finance committee will have a vote in tne senate. A couple of things are wrong with this idea. First, the chair person of the finance commit tee does have a vote concerning finance legislation. Typically, the chairperson sponsors the fi nance legislation on behalf of the finance committee. However, senators have a vote on each piece of legislation, whether they author it or not. The finance chairperson has al ways voted on issues pertain ing to finance codes. Secondly, making the treasurer the chair person of the finance commit tee represents a violation to the principle of separation of pow ers. The treasurer serves as an executive officer and, in accor dance with the Constitution, prepares the SG budget with the help of the SG president. The treasurer has authority over SG spending, and there fore, the finance committee should have authority over or ganizational spending. It is a simple matter of insuring that no one person has too much power within SG’s organization. Furthermore, the treasurer already has too many duties to do an effective job leading the finance committee. This is not meant to be a personal attack on Mr. Frazier. I simply feel that candidates should get their facts straight before tack ling issues. GINNY WRIGHT FOURTH-YEAR ENGLISH STUDENT Tolerance ignores Christian religion This year USC has made the Monday afterEaster no longer a holiday. Some people praise the change, such as the Gamecock editorial board, whereas a majority has seen this as another example of how USC is moving yet again to ward a secular stance. One cannot discredit the fact that both race and religion rep resent the core of who we are and what we believe as humans, and therefore, we celebrate both by canceling classes at certain times of the year. Let’s look at race first. They preach “toler ance” of race, and we have Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, and rightfully so. Then the Gamecock editorial board wrote in Friday’s paper that when it comes to having the Monday af ter Easter off, they wrote, “Those of a particular religion shouldn’t receive special recognition.” Now, substitute the word reli gion with race if you agree with the first sentence of this para graph and since both are pro tected in this country. Then what do you think having MLK Jr. Day off and not the day after Easter off is doing? So if you re ally stand up for "tolerance” then show it by reinstating the Easter holiday. It is just* as important to represent and give special recog nition to religion as it is race, no matter what, because both are imnortant to all neoDle. CHAD JOINES FOURTH-YEAR- TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AND TRAINING MANAGEMENT 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@gwm.sc.edu. Letters will be edited for space, possible libel and style. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777 7726 for more information. France falls flat again on religion I knew on Saturday morning that Adam Sandler’s dog, Meatball, had sadly met his demise. But I had no idea that France’s proposed ban on religious symbols in public schools and workplaces had gone to parliamentary debate. And I just wonder why we aren’t paying more attention. The target religious group in this measure, supported by French President Jacques Chirac, is Muslims. While our country is try ing to rebuild New York City, reeling under low airline travel and call ing to arms ev ery time the ALLYSON Middle East o.pn burps, we are Second-year justifiably f print scared of journalism Muslim ex student tremists. But we would never try to hinder American Muslims from practicing their religion. The French ban could poten tially curb distinctive clothing like turbans, veils and Jewish skullcaps, headscarves, beards and large crosses. Looks like thugs, people with bad hair days and post-2000 A1 Gore would be out of luck in France. There is a fine line between being politically correct and socially cohesive and being blatantly restrictive of reli gious freedom; and France is com ing close to crossing it. I uun i ueueve in pi ay ci m school in the United States, but I like the moment of silence we’ve adopted, because what you do with it is your prerogative. A person’s outward appearance is also a choice, because it is the basis for our images of each other. If people want to appear spiritual on first glance, then that is their decision. We all know that half the people wearing crucifixes have had pretty shady “walks with God.” We can only assume that there are some turban-wearers out there with se cret passions for bacon and less en thusiasm for Islam. I’m not sure if France’s aim in this bill is the result of paranoia about extremists or merely a way to perpetuate the myth of the po litically correct, elitist France that disappears every time the country backs down from war. In the earlier days of the proposal, the motion was deemed an out reach to women to protect them from the oppressive nature of the headscarf, but this slant has since been pushed aside. If it is a response to fear, France should realize that religion does not die when the headscarf comes off but that instead the extremists will be hidden — and angry. Just go through any American airport to realize that that’s exactly what we’re afraid of. Sikhs, who wear turbans and headscarves, have been looking to the United Nations for support of I their freedom. Sikhs in the United States, Canada and Britain have been allowed to wear turbans in the workplace as military person nel and policemen. The French bill has divided government on what should be prohibited and religious groups on the very concept itself. A symbol of democracy and freedom given to the United States in a show of friendship by France, the Statue of Liberty sits unvisited by the public since September 11. Folgers coffee, American Express, country singer Naomi Judd and director Martin Scorsese are some of the influences trying to reopen the na tional monument. The times have changed, and we are scared, but we don’t change our ideals. If I might say it, God bless America. / Online.Poll Did you vote in last week’s Democratic presidential primary? Yes 32% No 54% “Yes, we need a “No, because I President who will didn’t register.” create more Jobs.” zachary davis NATHAN FREEMAN student^ PS¥CH0l0GY THIRD-YEAR BIOLOGY STUDENT There was an elect ion? 14% “No, I didn’t know there was an election.” WHITNEY HOWARD FIRST-YEAR LIBERAL ARTS STUDENT f RESULTS FROM WWW.d1a.YGAMECOCK.COM i