The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 26, 2005, Page 4, Image 4
VIEWPOINTS
TH#%AMECOCK
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor Sports Editor
MICHAEL LaFORGIA JONATHAN HILLYARD
News Editor Viewpoints Editor
STEPHEN FASTENAU BRINDY McNAIR
Asst. News Editor Copy Desk Chief
JUSTIN CHAPURA STEVEN VAN HAREN
The Mix Editor Design Director
ALEXIS ARNONE CHAS MCCARTHY
IN OUR OPINION
Facebook group fuels
Southern stereotypes
If students are going to create a presence on the popular Web
site thefacebook.com, we suggest that they do so with a little
taste and discretion.
“‘2001’ is the Best Intro in College Football” is a fine name
for a Facebook group. So are “People Who Love the Boom Box
Man” and “4-runners at Carolina.”
A group declaring “Northerners Dress Like the Negroes Do,”
however, doesn’t just push the bounds of good taste. It’s offen
sive. Does that make the guy who came up with the title a
racist? No, not necessarily. He just used poor judgment in nam
ing a space in an online public forum.
Regardless of intent, the group’s creators should have thought
twice when people started getting angry over it.
It would be one thing if the title were a free-speech stand, or
If yOU ask US rePresented some type of social
Students spend too commentary.
much time on But> ^ far as we can teii,its
thefacebook.com to just a misguided shot at humor
begin with. that’s left more people upset than j
laughing.
If you ask us, students spend too much time on
thefacebook.com to begin with, without perpetuating racial ten
sions.
It has been argued that the group in question has more to do
with Southern pride than race relations. But Southern pride has
nothing to do with racial epithets. Why even use them, especial
ly in a context in which they might prove incendiary?
Be proud of Southern hospitality, gentility and kindness —
not that the South has a longstanding history of bigotry and
deep-rooted racial tensions.
South Carolina — and USC, in particular — already has
enough problems stemming from race issues. We don’t need
folks running around on the Internet, creating groups with
inflammatory titles, stirring up more trouble.
So take up a sport, instead. Preferably one pjayed outside.
Power down the computer, open the shades and go out on the
Horseshoe.
IT’S YOUR RIGHT
Exercise your right to voice your opinion.
Create message boards at
www. dailygamecock. com
or send letters to the editor to
gamecockopinions@gwm.sc.edu
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
MICHAEL LaFORGIA contact information
. Offices on third floor of the Russell House. •
Sgjg MCCARTHY ^it0r 1 °ff*ce ^ours art Monday and Wednesday
from 1-3 p.m.
Copy Desk Chief Editor: gamecockeditor@gwm.sc.edu
STEVEN VAN HAREN News: gamecocknews @gwm. sc. edu
News Editor Viewpoints: ga m e cock op in ions @gwm. sc. edu
STEPHEN FASTENAU V” M,x: &amecockftaturetQgiom.sc.edu
Sports: gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
Asst. News Editor Public Affairs: gamecockPR@yahoo. com
JUSTIN CHAPURA Online: www.dailygamecock.com
Viewpoints Editor Newsroom: 777-7726; Sports: 777-7182
BRINDY McNAIR Editor’s Office: 777-3914__
ALEXIS ARNONE STUDENT MEDIA i THE GAMECOCK is the
Sports Ed.,or Director edttor,ally independent
JONATHAN HILLYARD SCOTT LINDENBERG student newspaper of tht
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Photo Editor : Monday. Wednesday and
NICK ESARES Creative Director Friday during the fall and
c SUSAN KING spring semetters and nine
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i *
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Welcome to Innovista Amusement Park
Before anybody else,
I’ve got the skinny on
USC's research utopia
Innovista, Columbia’s new
USC theme park, is set to open
in a few years, and I personally
can’t wait for its gates to swing
open.
I’m already dreaming about
the roller-coasters, the
elephant ears, the music, the
fun — it’s almost too much to
handle.
The new name for the park
is just too clever. Combining
the “inno” of innovation with
the Vista was designed to get
people talking. And it has.
People are wondering what sort
of rides are planned.
Will there be a “Dunk
Spurrier” booth? After the
announcement of Innovista, I
did some research.
On condition of
anonymity, USC
administrators agreed to give
me some classified details.
My, what a park they have in
mind!.“This is going to rival the
greats,” said a source close to the
president. “Forget about Disney
and Universal. People are going
to be coming to Columbia for
their entertainment from now
on.” You might be skeptical
right now — I was too, at first
— but listen to what they have
planned.
Before entering the venue,
you will park your car in one
of the spacious lots Parking
Services plans to build. With
their long record of providing
□ parking, I’m
sure they’ll do
a great job
with a theme
park.
After
M1DHEIU passing under
BEI1TZ the 8lant’ polka
dotted, bow-tie
Fourth-year
international entrance, you
studies and will soon spot
music student Cocky. Be sure
to stop by to get
his autograph and maybe a
hug or two.
Then comes the tough part
where you have to choose
which of Innovista’s four lands
you’re going to visit first:
Housing, Dining, Classes or
Five Points.
In Housing Land you’ll
delight in such rides as
“Towers Terror” where you
brave the hallways of the
ominous bee hive-inspired
Towers to find your way out
— if there is one. The center
of Housing Land will be the
awe-inspiring “Capstone
Castle.” Enter the 15-story
castle to journey through
USC’s history.
From the quaintness of the
Horseshoe to the modernness
of West Quad, you will
experience it all in this multi
sensory adventure.
In Dining Land, it’s always
“Chicken Finger Wednesday.”
While you are there, don’t
miss the “Food Service
Employee-of-the-Day Show.”
Every hour it’s an amalgam of
all your favorite food workers
from Chick-fil-A to Bates
Cafeteria in a show which
rivals Broadway.
The revue will feature songs
such as “Don’t Tell Anyone
the Pizza’s from Last Night”
and “We Ain’t Got No More
Lettuce for Your Salad.” You’ll
be humming long after you
leave.
Classes Land is the place for
a break. Desks are scattered
through dark, cool rooms and
animatronics deliver
monotone lectures. It will
offer that much-needed
chance to relax.
Last but not least is Five
Points Land, offering some
great traditions such as
SpeakEasy and Rafters. But it
will also integrate new
“experiences” inspired by the
real Five Points.
“Traffic Dodge” is an
exciting new race around
construction workers and
orange cones as you strive to
be the first one to the bar.
“The Stumble and Stutter
Show” is where you convince
your friends to join the
performers on stage to see who
can get wasted the quickest.
I know waiting for
Innovista’s gates to open, the
fireworks to explode and the
rides to start up is nerve
racking, but I hope you will
join me on opening day to
shake Sorensen’s hand and
hug Cocky.
Until then, I guess we’ll
have to setde for The State
Fair.
IN YOUR OPINION
Uespite group name,
founder not racist
It is not always wise to
admit it, but I am good
friends with Kevin Ekman,
the founder of the criticized
Facebook group,
“Northerners Dress Like the
Negroes Do,” discussed in
Friday’s issue of The
Gamecock.
I can understand why
many people are offended by
the title of the group, but I
can’t understand why this
automatically makes Mr.
Ekman a racist. As a
“Northerner” who transferred
here two years ago, I became
friends with Mr. Ekman
quickly here in Columbia.
In the two years I have
known Kevin, he has never
used a racial slur that made
me question his integrity.
When hanging out with
him, making fun of people is
a way of life. It’s just how we
operate.
Why else would I start a
group on Facebook making
fun of Southern people when
all my good friends at this
school are, in fact, Southern?
Whether we arg at the gym
making fun of the steroid
using frat guys or at Good
Times commenting on the
massive amounts of popped
collars and croakies, we
always poke fun at those who
amuse us. It isn’t about their
race, religion, etc.
I have hours of stories I
could tell about Kevin’s odd
behavior, but not one of them
involves anything hurtful or
racist.
So please don’t crucify Mr.
Ekman for his words. Just do
what I always do — shake
your head, take a sip of your
beer and apologize for him
before things get ugly.
Because deep down you know
he didn’t mean anything by
it.
PHIL GENTILE
Third-year sport and
entertainment 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. Anonymous letters will
not be published. Call the newsroom at
777-7726 for more information.
Online Do you think Facebook
groups using racial slurs.
www.dailygamecock.com ^ ,
Students might suffer
weight change without
home-cooked dinners
“If I cut the mold off of
this, can I still eat it?” These
words came out of the mouth
>-v of my
roommate a
few days ago.
I know you
are all
thinking “ew,”
... but I am
UflLCIIC willing to bet
SimS that you’ve
Third-year done it before
and if not, you
will before your
college career is
over. We are college students,
too poor to waste food
because of a little bit of
mold.
Mothers would be appalled.
If you were at home, the
moldy food would be gone
and re-stocked before you ever
noticed. This is just an
example of how much changes
when you get to college.
Freshmen will more than
likely gain weight. There is
just no getting around it. You
can’t cook in the dorms,
except for things you can cook
in the microwave. Believe me,
that gets old fast.
So, it gets too tempting to
eat Chik-fil-A everyday for
lunch and Taco Bell for
dinner. No one is around to
make sure you are eating
right, and once you get to
college there is so much going
on that the last thing on your
mind is how many vegetables
you are eating. Of course
there are exceptions to that
dreaded “freshman 15” but
not many.
Flowever, those older
students with apartments will
probably lose weight. The
meal plan is gone, and your
very own kitchen is staring
you right in the face. The
problem is you have no
r
money mi gruLCiics.
Ramen Noodles become an
everyday dinner. It’s not the
meat and side items you
would have if you were at
home. Because of college and
by default, I am a vegetarian.
Along with just about
everyone else, I don’t have the
money to buy meat.
There is also no time to
cook a full-fledged meal.
Wouldn’t it be nice if mom
was here and had dinner ready
when you got home?
One thing all college
students have in common is
how much they miss mom’s
cooking. Being away really
makes you appreciate mom’s
ability (or inability) to cook.
There is nothing like home
cooked food.
It makes me sad, and a little
hungry, to think of how we go
from eating steak and
potatoes to Ramen Noodles.
And it grosses me out to think
of how we go from eating
fresh food to cutting off the
mold first.
T wich T r-rmlri wive evervone
advice about how to eat better
or how to avoid the weight
gain and loss. I wish I could
give advice on managing
money to buy proper groceries
or at least provide some quick,
easy recipes, but I can’t.
I’m still searching for that
balance myself, but maybe
some of us will have it
figured out by the time we
graduate.
But for now if you excuse
me, all this talk about food has
made me hungry.
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