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j Want to get ready for the big game? Don’t miss the first installment of The Gamecock Sports’ eight-page special ^ I pregame section Wednesday. In Iraq, student looks terror straight in eye Fellowship included visits with imprisoned terrorists fTlelissa Rhodes FOR THE GAMECOCK For Eryn Hutchison, the first step toward defending democracy was confronting those who were fighting to oppress it. Hutchison, a second-year political science student, was one of 42 students selected by the Foundation ^ for the Defense of Democracies to V participate in an undergraduate fellowship program devoted to defending democracy and defeating terrorism. The year-long fellowship began with a two-week graduate-level seminar throughout Israel. “Israel has been fighting terrorism longer than any democracy in the world,” Hutchison said. “By going to Israel, we went straight to the source. “We were given the opportunity to see what they were doing and how we can bring those goals home to prevent future attacks.” The fellows learned three basic ^ principles regarding terrorism: It’s never justifiable, democracy is under attack throughout the world and must be protected and one man’s terrorist is never another man’s freedom fighter. “We definitely learned the difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist,” Hutchison said. “ Freedom fighters, she said, fight for liberty and justice. They don’t kill innocent bystanders to prove a political point. “The two can never be intertwined, they don’t coexist,” she said. In Northern Israel, Hutchison was given the opportunity to visit a maximum-security terrorist prison and speak with imprisoned terrorists and suicide bombers. “I spoke to them face to face and asked them their motivations. Why were they participating in terrorism?” Hutchison asked. They responded: “In war, every action has a reaction.” The most common reaction was bombing and killing innocent bystanders to prove their political philosophies. “Actually seeing the mindset of the terrorists, what they were thinking shed a new light on the dangers that these terrorists bring,” Hutchison said. “They’re completely brainwashed. They believe the attacks DCF£[)SC« 3 Sjpmtlm THE GAMECOCK Second-year political science student Eryn Hutchison traveled to the Middle East as part of a fellowship with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Housing explores music downloading options Katy Blalock/im GAMECOCK First-year arts and sciences student Berklee Connelly uses iTunes in her dorm room. USC is exploring options for students to download music legally. Vendors under consideration include iTunes, Napster Jason Reynolds FOR THE GAMECOCK University Housing and Technology Services is exploring whether a campus wide downloading system should be instituted — and which media downloading service to use if it is. Led by USC Housing, the search for a campus-wide media downloading system began in the spring. Presentations by potential downloading companies were given to members of University Technology Services, University Instructional Services, the Residence Hall Association and Student Government. After research and the latest news from vendors were collected during summer, Kimberly South, public information coordinator for University Technology Services, said USC is considering four vendors: iTunes, Napster, Cdigix and Ruckus Network. “We are in a wait-and-see approach,” South said. “There are so many options that we as a community need to evaluate. All these different groups are going to have to work together to find a good solution.” Deputy Chief Information Officer Lorie Edwards said the process is ongoing. DOUiniORD • 3 INSIDE Viewpoints ^ Chase Stoudenmire apologizes for his misidentification of Trinity Episcopal in last Fridays column; Andrew Bentz provides his perspective on the history of USC’s parking crisis. 4 The Mix Get chatting Google joins the instant messag ing craze with GoogleTalk, an element of their e-mailing provider, GMail. 5 Sports Spurrier previews opener USC coach Steve Spurrier said Sunday that the team is ready to kick off the 2005 season. 8 S. C. cigarette tax debate likely to continue The Associated Press North Carolina’s move to raise its cigarette tax will leave the Palmetto State with the lowest tobacco tax in the nation and once again light up debate when South Carolina lawmakers return to the State House in January. North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley has signed into law a plan to increase that state’s 5-cents-a-pack tax to 30 cents starting Sept. 1. The tax will increase to 35 cents in July 2006. That makes South Carolina’s 7 cents-a-pack tax the nation’s lowest, and 25 cents below the Southeastern average of 32 cents a pack. Rep. Rex Rice, R-Easley, who has led the effort in the South Carolina House to increase the tax, said North Carolina’s decision gives political cover to other lawmakers concerned about raising the tax. With South Carolina’s tax so low, comparatively, an adjustment is possible, he said. Proposals have ranged from raising the per-pack tax from 25 cents to 93 cents. Rice has tried unsuccessfully for several years to get a cigarette tax increase approved. In 2002 and 2003, when the state was facing a budget shortfall of several hundred million dollars, lawmakers considered using new taxes on tobacco to help pay for the state’s Medicaid program. Now, with the state looking forward to budget surpluses, Rice and others said finding support for a tax increase could be more difficult. TAX #3 Class discussion led to civil rights monument Him Breaux DAHV MISSISSIPPI (U. MISSISSIPPI) OXFORD, MISS. — For 10 years, the construction of the University of Mississippi’s civil rights monument has weighed on people’s minds, and one man has watched the effort evolve. What started as a classroom full of university students in a Southern folklore class has manifested into many students, faculty and community members all working toward a common goal: the preservation of the civil rights movements ideals through the creation of a memorial. In 1995, a group of students in Bill Ferris’ Southern studies class began discussing the implications of symbols in the South, while differentiating between those belonging in the inclusive category and those more exclusive. After evaluating the campus and its memorials, the group concluded there www. dailygamecock. com was a need for more inclusiveness on the University of Mississippi campus, a place long remembered as the scene of one of Mississippi’s watershed events during the civil rights movement. Little did the small group of about 20 or 30 graduate and senior undergraduate students know that their discussion would lead to the conception of the idea for the civil rights monument. nioucmcnT • 3 EX-USC PLAYERS STAND TRIAL FOR LARCENY Brownlee, Telfort face charges today stemming fom November incident Stephen Pastenau NEWS EDITOR Brian Brownlee and Woodly Telfort, two ex-Gamecock football players charged with felony grand larceny in January, are scheduled to face trial this morning at Richland County Courthouse. Brownlee and Telfort were charged after the theft of more than $18,000 worth of computer and video equipment and framed photographs from Williams-Brice Stadium in November. According to arrest warrants, Telfort confessed to taking a laptop valued at $4,000, and Brownlee confessed to stealing two computer projectors and two laptops valued at $4,000 each. Various news outlets reported that Hemphill Pride, Telfort and Brownlee’s lawyer, requested the charges be dropped because Pride said Spurrier promised the players they would not be charged if the items were returned. Spurrier would not comment on the trial, but said he does not use the words “I promise.” Six players were implicated in the thefts, including wide receiver Syvelle Newton and former quarterback Dondrial Pinkins. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm. sc. edu Parking questions force another look at stadium plans But Columbia Mayor Bob Coble called Carolina's plan ‘very good' Jess Dauis FOR THE GAMECOCK Progress in developing the plans for USC’s proposed new baseball stadium continues after the Columbia City Council refused to vote on whether to rezone the land in the Vista. Concerns about the availability of parking prompted city council members to ask USC to make a proposal again when they had a better plan. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said he felt USC’s proposal at the Aug. 17 meeting was “very good,” but other council members still had reservations. Coble said other council members are “not necessarily opposed to the stadium, but they want more information before voting.” The stadium, which would go on an 8.5-acre tract of land owned by USC, would seat 6,800. Plans for a new stadium have been in the works for several years, but previous ideas, such as building a joint stadium with the Capital City Bombers, fell through because of lack of funding. oecause or me large numoer or J attractions already in the Vista or nearby, such as the Koger Center, j Colonial Center and the Carolina Coliseum, parking is already a challenge. City council members asked USC for a detailed plan to allow fans to use public transportation to get to games. The council also wanted to ensure a pedestrian bridge can be built over a j nearby railroad so fans can safely park on Huger and Pulaski streets, The STflOIUm«3