Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ONLINE POLL Do you like the new football uniforms? Go to www.dailygamecock.com to vote.Results posted on Friday. AMECOCK EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR Adam Beam DESIGN DIRECTOR COPY DESK CHIEF David Stagg Gabrielle Sinclair NEWS EDITOR VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Michael LaForgia Wes Wolfe THE MIX EDITOR SENIOR WRITER Meg Moore Kevin Fellner IN OUR OPINION Wireless USC? It’s about time Before we pat ourselves on the back for the campus becoming wireless (we hope) in 2005, we should con sider that we are one of the last major universities to do this. When you think about it, it’s fitting that South Carolina is one of the last states to do anything. For example, we’re one of the last states to legalize tattoo ing and we have just become the . advent of jast state jn terms Qf scores, wireless access , , ., , , , . . . . so why shouldn t we be one of shows just how , . far behind USC .. . has actually umverS,ty “PS™1'1* to wireless been. sta,us? Don’t misinterpret this editori al. We are overjoyed that the campus will be wireless and excited about the possibility of Columbia following suit so the school and the city can enter the 21st centu ry hand in hand. We are not advocating using the same Ethernet approach to Internet connection that students have developed a love/hate relationship with. We are simply stating that before we start congratulating our selves for how progressive we are, we should consider for a moment how far behind we are. Anderson College has a wireless campus, and it isn’t even the size of some high schools. To the USC administrators who made this decision: Don’t get us wrong, we are grateful for this upgraded technology. We appreciate your hard work in getting this project rolling. USC officials, such as William Hogue, USC’s chief information officer, say the wireless network will allow students better access to information and help them stay connected to their professors. That, and it’s also just plain cool. But while it is better late than never, this project should have happened years ago. IT’S YOUR RIGHT Exercise your right to voice your opi Create message boards at www.dailygamecock.com or send letters to the editor to gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu 1 GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK EDITOR Adam Beam CONTACT INFORMATION nccirw niucrmo Offices on third floor of the Russell House. David Staee The Ed,tor ,n Chief s office hours are Monday .and Wednesday from 3-5 p.m. copy desk chief Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@gwm.sc.edu Gabrielle Sinclair News: gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu news editor Viewpoints: gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu Michael LaForgia The MiX: gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Sports: gamecocksports@gwm .sc.edu asst, news editor Public Affairs: gamecockPR@yahoo.com Jon Turner Online: www.dailygamecock.com viewpoints editor Newsroom: 777-7726; Sports: 777-7182 Wes Wolfe Editor’s Office: 777-3914 THE MIX EDITOR STUDfNT MEDIA The Gamecock is the Meg Moore editorially independent SPORTS EDITOR director u student newspaper of Jonathan Hillyard Scott Lindenberg the Unjversjty of south asst, sports editor faculty adviser Carolina. It is Daniel Kerr Erik Collins published Monday, Wednesday and Friday SENIOR WRITER CREATIVE DIRECTOR rlurinp the fall and Kevin Fellner Susan Kine during the tal and ausan wng spring semesters and PHOTO EDITOR business manager nine times during the Jason Steelman Carolyn Griffin summer, with the sports photo editor exception of university Katie Kirkland advertising manager holidays and exam PAGE designers Sarah Scarborou8h periods. Opinions Erin Cline, classified manager expressed in The Chas McCarthy, Sherry F. Holmes Gamecock are those of Heather Johnson, the editors or author Staci Jordan, production manager and not those of the Chris Williams Patrick Bergen University of South copyeditors creative services Carolina. TheBoard of Jennifer Freeman, Burke Lauderdale, Student Publications Anna Huntley, Jennifer Chelsea Felder, Laura ancl Communications is Sitowski, Steven Van Gough, Joseph Dannelly, t^ie publisher of The Haren, Joey Wallace Kristen Williams Gamecock. The online editor Department of Student Brian Cope advertising staff Media is the Robert Carli, Breanna newspaper’s parent PUBLIC affairs Evans, Ryan Gorman, organization. The Katie Miles, Jane Caroline Love, Jesica Gamecock is Johnson, Katie Stephens, supported- in part by McKenzie Welsh student-activity fees. ' One free copy per TO PLACE AN AD reader. Additional The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 copies may be 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 purchased for $1 each : Columbia, S.C. 29208 Fax:777-6482 from the Department of i_1___ Student Media. I DON’T SUPPORT A MARRIAGE AMENDMENT. MY DAUGHTER IS GAY, SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. V IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? YOU'RE INDIFFERENT TO PEOPLE'S HARDSHIPS UNTIL THEY AFFECT YOUR OWN FAMILY? MAYBE IF YOUR DAUGHTER WAS UNEMPLOYED, OR UNINSURED, OR ON A FIXED INCOME AND NEEDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, YOU'D "KNOW SOMETHING" ABOUT THOSE PROBLEMS, TOO. i irr i_—— WE DID BURDEN HER GENERATION WITH CRUSHING DEBT! DOES THAT COUNT? CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Real GOP wasn’t on the podium ■ The Republican Party isn’t the tolerant group portrayed in New York As I write this, there is one more horrific night of the Republican National Convention to go, so I’m not able to go over what foolish things fell out of President Bush’s mouth. However, I am able to address the denial, misinformation and outright lies that have characterized the modern Republican Party and this convention in particular. The GOP has sent to the podium so-called party moderates, only to make them speak on anything but trying to make the Republican Party a “big tent” party like it used to be in the ‘50s and ‘60s before the conservatives hijacked it. The Republican social conservatives certainly didn’t want Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaking on gay rights or a woman’s right to choose. Yet, these are two of the most popular Republicans in America, but they still can’t speak their own minds on two of today’s most controversial issues. The Republican platform showcases the GOP’s total backwardness on social issues and is a telling sign on who really controls the party. For instance, one of South Carolina’s platform committee members was S.C. State Sen. Mike Fair of that bastion of loony social conservatism, Greenville. I’m sure Sen. Fair was all too happy to sign off on planks WES that included Wm FF phrases like, Lrt “We support FIFTH-YEAR the doubling RELATIONS of abstinence STUDENT education funding.” Because backward conservatism has really helped in keeping the conservative state of South Carolina from being at the top of the nation in STDs and teenage pregnancies. Knowledge is power, I guess, except when it comes to what’s happening down in your nether regions. One must have a real hang up with their own sexuality to think that it’s possible that teaching kids about condoms and safe sex wouldn’t work in bringing down teen pregnancies and STD rates. This would make sense, though, since the GOP is the party that says gay marriages would somehow harm heterosexual marriages. P.J. O’Rourke, a conservative political humorist, said something to the effect that he supported gay marriage because gay couples will get married, get a mortgage, settle down, start paying taxes and become Republicans. It’s funny because it’s true. You’d think that a party that talks so much hot air about family wouldn’t support a constitutional amendment to ban one type of family. Sen. Fair’s gone one step further by introducing a bill last year to ban adoption in South Carolina by same sex couples. Not even science can stop a stubborn Republican, as the American Academy of Pediatrics has said that, “children with parents who are homosexual can have the same advantages and the same expectations for health, adjustment, and development as can children whose parents are heterosexual.” Women are the real losers in the GOP’s social crusade, being told they can’t have an abortion, and if they’re lesbians, shouldn’t marry their partner or have a child or work benefits equal to straight couples. And then there’s equal pay. Under Bush, women’s pay as compared to men’s pay in the same jobs has fallen, along with the fact that Bush’s Department of Labor has ended a program that identified federal contractors that practiced wage discrimination. There’s also the issue of 1.3 million more uninsured women under the Bush administration, plus the attack .on Title IX, which mandates support for women’s athletics in schools. That’s the real face of the GOP, in its own words and deeds. All you need is someone to love ■ Being in a committed relationship is one of life’s essential tasks Growing up I had the fairy tale notion of romance. I imagined meeting some handsome prince who would whisk me off to Neverland on his valiant white stallion. There we would live out the rest of our lives in this paradise, happily ever after. I M Of course, as I matured, my SARAH unrealistic view t ROGERS of romance eroded, but I FOURTH-YEAR stin hoDed r ADVERTISING Stl“ P 1 STUDENT would at least find someone to love. Shortly after my 17th birthday I met him. We began dating about a month after meeting, but it took me a while to admit to myself that I actually loved him. The expression “falling in love” is accurate because when 1 realized what was happening to me I fell — hard. My whole world was turned upside down. I’m sure I walked around with a stupid grin on my face, but 1 could care less. I was in love and ' someone loved me back. As our relationship progressed, so did our annoyance with each other. I couldn’t stand his messiness, and he couldn’t stand my cleanliness. I hated his driving habits while he detested my emotional outbursts. Despite the fact that we were beginning to see each other’s true nature, I fell in love with him even more. Sadly for me though, it seemed as if he was starting to love me a little bit less. I won’t say what ultimately happened with my first love, but I will tell you that I learned a lot of valuable things from him and still do to this very day. I’ve learned that love is a two-way process. If you want to be loved then you’ve got to love back. Expect to work hard — really hard. Relationships involve a lot of time, dedication, commitment and patience. Be open to new people. All of us have our quirks, some weird, some annoying and others just downright scary, but we all have something special to offer. Realize that the pathway to love can sometimes veer off in many directions. Recently, 1 had a friend who was engaged. Everyone saw she and her fiance as the perfect couple. That is, until she called the wedding off a week before it was supposed to occur. She is now dating another guy, but still cares deeply about her ex. While my friend is not sure what her future holds, she is certain she made the right decision. Love can move in a lot of surprising ways, and although you may not like it or understand why it is happening, the best thing to do is to let it flow naturally. Like my friend did, follow your heart. Or as you non-romantics like to call it, your gut. Finally, know that love is still alive. When my parents met, my mother was engaged to another man. She and my father carried on a friendship for about a year when my mother realized that my dad was the one for her. She called off her engagement and my dad proposed the next day. Twenty-six years later, they’re still together. So remember, love hurts, love stings, but love also rocks. With that said, I’ll close with the immortal words of John Lennon: “All you need is love.” IN YOUR OPINION NextBus system waste of money The money Student Government spent on the NextBus system was a waste. The buses do not arrive when they are expected. It is a major inconvenience. The lateness of these buses are responsible for me missing classes. I believe it is irresponsible for that money to have been spent without any incentives for the bus drivers to keep to the schedule. I believe that bus drivers who make a habit of being late to their stops should face consequences, dock in pay or even being let go. Consequences, not an expensive tracking system, will make bus drivers be on time. JARRETT BLAKE EDWARDS Third-year political science student Bush-bashers are just as sickening While Roger Keane (“Iraqi citizens living in terror after war,” Wednesday) is sickened by the Bush-loving Ryan Holt, I find myself sickened in the same manner by his Bush bashing. While I do disagree with how this war started, it doesn’t matter since it is in the past. I also think people fail to realize that Bush relies on a cabinet of trusted experts and professionals who guide him in his decisions. Also, the Iraqis live in nowhere near the level of terror they did when Saddam ruled. Husbands, wives and all other self-exiled people who were forced into hiding out of pure fear were free to go home for the first time in years, if not decades. I am glad Saddam is gone and no longer committing mass genocide. And wLat did people expect about the new government? That we would go in there, topple a dictator and a flawless government would appear? Think about our own government after fighting for our independence. We were in no better shape. As far as the loss of American life, 1 hate that we lost one life let alone a thousand, but this is their job. Soldiers know the possibilities they face when entering the military. My fiance is a U.S. marine who just left for Fallujah. 1 loathe that he is there, but this is his job and I am damn proud of him. And what if Saddam wasn’t removed and weapons were made and used against the United States? What would be said about Bush? They would say, “Why didn’t he do anything when he had the chance?” So, Roger, if this is what you say about Bush, then I shudder to think of what you would say about Abraham Lincoln and the purposes behind the Civil War. EMILY GOLLNICK Graduate student in the College of Liberal Arts U.S. wrong to force beliefs on Iraq My letter is in response to Ryan Holt (“President’s war time legislation is justified,” Monday) saying the war in Iraq is justified. It is not right for a country to try to force its politics and beliefs onto another nation. It is a new form of colonization. As Bush said himself, it was very similar to the Crusades of the 1500s. A little FYI, most nations do not forget things from 500 years ago or 12 years ago, for that matter. During Desert Storm there actually were some supporters of the U.S. campaign. These supporters were left high and dry and were eliminated once we pulled our troops out. So if there were any Iraqis who actually believed the first President Bush’s agenda, they were either killed off or pretty hesitant to fall for his cokehead of a son’s plan. Also, ask any mother or father of anyone killed if losing their son is worth anything in the world. How have we helped them, exactly? I mean besides the obvious civil war we’re causing, the abuse and sexual humiliation of prisoners through the breaking of the Geneva Convention, the blatant defying of the United Nations and basing the war on false information that was politically motivated. I would bet money that we’ll send crusading missionaries and our democratic processes that worked so well in the 2000 election while we’re at it. JEFF BOYCE Fourth-year chemical engineering 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. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777 7726 for more information. r ONLINE POLL Should USC build a new baseball stadium? Yes 62% No 38% FROM vnVW.DAiLYG.VMECOCK.COM