The Daily Gamecock 9/2/10

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dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

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Friday

Congressman visits campus to support College Republicans Josh Dawsey NEWS EDITOR

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VOL. 104, NO. 16

SINCE 1908

Wilson responds to ethics investigation

Thursday 93°

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010

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A congressional ethics investigation into his travel spending from a 2009 jaunt to Afghanistan is much ado about nothing, Rep. Joe Wilson told The Daily Gamecock Wednesday. Wilson said he spent a small amount of money, $12, to purchase small trinkets for veterans and their families, “knowing

they’ll likely never get to visit a gift shop like this while they’re fighting in Iraq.” “There’s question as to whether funds can be spent on gifts for constituents,” Wilson said, “but my thought is if I can buy a marble goblet for veterans, I should do it.” On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported Wilson was among a handful of congressmen under investigation for possible ethics violations. Wilson said the investigation stems from

Courtesy of USC College Republicans

Wilson visited the Organization Fair on Greene Street.

WILSON ● 2A

Pride festival brings color to campus

Reaching for Greatness

Student organization gets involved in LGBT cause

S o u th C a ro l i n a w i d e receiver Alshon Jeffery has his sights set on an SEC Championship this season.

Jocelyn Henline

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

See page 1B Chris Keohan

e/ THE DA ILY GA MECO

CK

The Mix Tape T he Mix Editors get pumped for the first football game of the season and obsess over USC’s top five game day traditions.

See page 5A

Church vs. strip club The protesting strippers of Warsaw, Ohio, fail to see both sides in the argument Chelsey Seidel for free speech and Third-year print journalism respect. student

See page 4A

(803) 777-3914 (803) 777-7726 (803) 777-7182 (803) 576-6172

Thursday classes still on despite game day Taylor Cheney STAFF WRITER

Hordes of st udents will pack the State Fairgrounds and other c a mpu s t a i lg at i ng a rea s ea rly today, preparing for the muchanticipated season opener against Southern Mississippi. But some w il l be st uck i n classrooms about t wo m i les away, learning about A rmenian g e n o c i d e a n d b i o c h e m i s t r y, among other things. In case you missed it, there’s a football game tonight. And in case you missed another message, University offi cials are happy to deliver it one more time: Game day is not an excuse to miss class. Thursday games pose sig n if ica nt problems for USC facult y and administrators. It’s d if f ic u lt to ex pla i n c a ncel i ng classes so students can prepare for an athletic event. But the reality is si mple — t hat ma ny cha i r s will be empty as students replace t hem wit h foldable chairs near the stadium come this afternoon. A nd for the thousands living in off-campus apartment complexes

near the stadium, traffic even five hours before kickoff can be near impossible. “School s l i ke Un iver sit y of G eorg ia have to shut dow n campuses because their stadium is cent rally located and t raf f ic b e c o m e s a n i s s u e ,” U S C spokeswoma n Ma rga ret La mb said. “It’s very different.” USC of f ic ia ls a lso note t he Un iver sit y of fer s a g a me d ay shuttle so students don’t have to worry about parking. Also, there’s a free tailgate with lots of food so students don’t have to bother with food preparation. Lamb also said that professors need to touch base wit h depar t ment heads before class cancellation. “ Ever yone i s e xc it e d ab out football season, and I know faculty would love to cancel class, but we need to think of the promise we made to the students and to the school.” But for many students, the logic rings hollow. After attending football games last year, second-year psychology st udent Jami Holloway doesn’t expect a full cancellation. “I think there is no reason for a 10 a.m. class to be canceled the

BACTERIA PLAGUES WATER NEAR STADIUM

mor n i ng of a T hu r sday n ight game. But I think later classes, like af ter t wo or t hree, should be con sidered for c a ncel i ng,” she said. “School spirit is a huge a spec t of col lege l ife. Not to mention, there is only this one Thursday night game this season. I wouldn’t be opposed to later classes being canceled so I can go to the game and support my school and other students.” W hile Provost Michael A miridis inst r ucted all facult y to not cancel class, t he stories of c a nc el l at io n s a r e r u n n i n g rampant. Some professors simply don’t take attendance on game day. Ot hers of fer ext ra credit. Jou r na l ism professor Ber t ra m Rantin still requires attendance for his classes today but believes in making it enjoyable. In years past, Rantin said that he has taken students to the State Fair where t hey were given an assignment and instructed class with a picnic on the Horseshoe. “It’s possible to learn and have f un at the same time,” he said. “Whenever I work that in, I try to.”

As you drove through tow n t his week , you may have noticed a color scheme that you are not used to seeing decorating the streets of Columbia: rainbow. For the first time ever, ra i nbow f lag s da ngle from the lamp posts on the streets of Main and Gervais, delineating the route that the SC Pride Parade will follow as it makes its way to Finlay Park Saturday. T he S out h Ca rol i n a Pride Movement is a nonprofit organization with a m ission to “Suppor t, Celebrate, Educate and Advocate t he LGBT c om mu n it y ” i n S out h Carolina, and these flags are a mark of its growing i n f lue nc e a nd s uc c e s s across the state. S C P r i d e P r e s i d e nt Ta m e r a Te d d e r i s encouraged by the community’s continuing acceptance as the organization increased its advertising and visibility this year. “We have received no opposit ion. We haven’t had anyone say no, they wouldn’t put the banners up, so we’ve been rea l plea sed,” Tedder sa id. “In our fi rst march down M a i n St r e e t , a l o t o f t he part icipants had to wear masks to hide their identity.” Now t he SC Pr ide O rg a n i z at ion re c ei ve s

Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@sc.edu

PRIDE ● 2A

SG members watch what they say Comments made by senator to The State results in warning Taylor Cheney

PEPSI REFRESH Help Dance Marathon win $25,000 by texting 10 13 47 t o 7 3 7 74 . The organization is competing in the Pepsi Refresh project.

STAFF WRITER

If you live on Bluff Road near I-77, don’t drink the water. Students who live in off-campus apartment complexes near the stadium, such as Copper Beech, the Woodlands or the Retreat, could have water contaminated with bacteria, according to Coordinator of OffCampus Student Services Jami Campbell. Before drinking water, boil it for at least one minute. Officials say they’ll alert residents when the notice is lifted. More testing is planned in upcoming days.

— Compiled by News Editor Josh Dawsey

Jeremy Aaron / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sen. Matt Ungar cautioned SG members to be careful of talking to media.

In last Friday’s issue of The State, Student Government Sen. Alex Waelde proposed that a cap should be put on incoming freshmen at USC. Stating that he was late to class due to the record numbers, Waelde said, “If the University is a business, we are its clients. The returning clients are suffering.” A s a r e s u lt , S G P r e s id e nt P r o Tempore Matt Ungar asked members of the Senate not to speak to local or University media outlets on behalf of Student Government. SG ● 2A


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