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An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
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MONDAY, MARCH 8. 1993 • ATHENS. GEORGIA • VOLUME 100. ISSUE 91
No worries, mate. Students
aren’t worried about cellular
phones causing cancer, and
experts back ’em up. Page 2.
*2 Hello?...Hello?
Threatening and harassing phone
calls are on the increase.
© G~Day
Annual scrimmage leaves second-
string positions undecided.
Flag vote ‘dead on arrival’
Clarke County senator predicts
referendum won’t pass House
By DAVID TWIDDY
Staff Writer
A measure that would allow
Georgians to vote on a change of the
state flag is doomed in the state House
of Representatives, said Clarke County
Sen. Paul Broun.
“I think it’s dead on arrival,” Broun
said Saturday. “I don’t think it’ll go any
where.”
The bill, which would put the
removal of the Confederate battle flag
from the state flag to a statewide refer
endum in November, was passed Friday
by the Senate, 38-18.
Broun said the idea to change the flag
to its pre-1956 version is even less pop
ular in the House than it was in the
Senate, where the original bill was pre
dicted to die because it lacked the
required 29 votes to pass
The referendum came from an
amendment added to the bill Friday
before the vote.
Broun said he did not support the
measure or the amendment because of
the great debate over the issue that is
polarizing parts of the state.
“The passing of a referendum would
create great passions between now and
November,” he said. "It would be further
divisive to the people of Georgia.”
A greater problem for the bill lies in
its legality.
State Attorney General Michael
Bowers has ruled that a referendum on
the flag change would be unconstitu
tional, because such votes are not pro
vided for in the state constitution.
Edwin Jackson, senior public service
associate for the University’s Carl
Vinson Institute of Government, said
the constitution does not allow the leg
islature to pass its normal law-making
responsibility to another branch of gov
ernment or to the people.
“The attorney general is saying that
if you want to place (the flag change)
before the people for a vote, you need to
make it a constitutional amendment,”
Jackson said. “There has never been a
state bill that has had a general refer
endum attached to it.”
Gov. Zell Miller acknowledged the
probability of court challenges of the ref
erendum, but he said he appreciated
that the senators had considered the
issue at al 1 .
“I think it was a healthy debate,”
Miller said Friday. “I was particularly
impressed at the soul-searching I heard
from those senators as they made this
hard decision.”
However, the governor also said he
believed the senate’s choice of putting
the issue to a referendum ignored sev
eral other options, including voting on
the flag change itself, voting to change
the flag to its pre-1879 version or setting
up a commission to let school children
and other citizens design a new flag.
“All of those things were up there
ready to be voted on, but once the refer
endum got on (the bill), it kind of dis
torted the other votes,” Miller said.
Broun agreed that many senators
ducked the issue with a referendum.
“I think it’s an escape route on the
part of many legislators,” he said.
The bill will now go to a House rules
committee, which will decide the form of
the bill and when it is delivered to the
floor for a vote.
With only eight days left in this
year’s legislative session, the House
may not have time to consider the bill.
If no action is taken, a decision will be
delayed until next year’s session begin
ning next January.
Some representatives don’t think the
issue should be important.
Rep. Keith Heard, D-Athens, said he
hasn’t spent a lot of time considering the
flag change.
“Even if the flag is changed, that’s
not going to feed the homeless, give jobs
to the jobless or improve infant mortali
ty or teen pregnancy,” Heard said.
“When you see all the other problems in
this state, you can’t have this issue over
shadowing the entire General
Assembly.”
Lady Dogs head for SEC finals
By CHIP SIECZKO
Staff Writer
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - This week
end’s SEC Women’s Tournament has been
like a fairy tale for the Lady Bulldogs - a
cross between Cinderella and Jack and the
Bean Stalk - as they have fought their way
into tonight’s Championship game against
No. 3 Vanderbilt.
Afler chopping down the No. 1
Tennessee Volunteers (27-2,11-1 SEC) 73-
72 on Saturday, the Bulldogs beat Alabama
(21-8, 6-7 SEC) 76-72 to perhaps get their
foot into the door of the “Big Dance” NCAA
tournament.
“Why worry about (getting a bid)?” asked
Landers. “We’ve got a chance to win the
SEC tournament.
By getting to the SEC championship
game, Georgia (20-11, 7-7 SEC) has become
only the second team in the tournament’s
history to go from the first round, where
they beat Arkansas 84-73 Friday, to the
final game.
The Lady Bulldogs got off to a quick
start against Alabama, paced by the play of
seniors Camille and Miriam Lowe, who
helped the Bulldogs jump out to an 27-19.
However, the Tide rose and climbed back
into the game to take a 39-34 lead at the
half.
Tfie second half was a roller-coaster ride
all the way, with the Tide lead never get
ting bigger than six points. The Lady Dogs
tied the game at 58-58 with 5:01 left, cour
tesy of two free throws by Deborah Reese,
who played the game of her life.
'Hie junior finished with a game and
career high 24 points and 40 minutes
played. She also tied her career high in
rebounds with 14.
Georgia took a 67-60 lead with 2:52 left,
but watched as that lead evaporated to 67-
65 only 21 seconds later. Alabama again cut
the lead to two with 44 seconds left at 72-
70. However, Camille Lowe, who finished
with 11 points, five rebounds and four
assists, hit two free throws that increased
the Lady Dogs’ lead to 74-70 with eight sec
onds remaining in the game.
On the ensuing in-bounds play, sopho
more Kelly Robbins, who finished with 15
points and five assists, fouled Bama’s Betsy
Harris on a trick screen play that was
designed to draw the foul.
Harris hit both free throws, cutting the
lead to 74-72, without taking any time off
the clock.
Once again Camille Lowe was fouled
and hit both shots from the charity stripe,
giving Georgia its final margin of victory,
76-72, with six seconds left.
After the game Alabama coach Rick
Moody accepted defeat gracefully.
“Give Georgia credit," said Moody, “they
went out there and played like a NCAA
tournament team.”
If the Bulldogs win the tournament, they
should be a lock to get an NCAA invitation.
The Dogs missed last year’s tournament
with a 19-11 season record.
The Championship game against the
Commodores, 25 point winners over No. 5
Auburn, will be televised live on
SportSouth at 7:30 tonight.
Point Guard Kelly Robbins battling
in the SEC tournament.
It was the best of times, it was the best of times
Gym Dogs score NCAA record 197.55
Heather Stepp, Sandy Rowlette-Dil! (arms raised) and Jennifer Carbone
(I) at the Senior Ceremony before Saturday’s record breaking meet.
By JOSH KENDALL
Staff Writer
While the University of Georgia’s
“Perfect 10” gymnastics team may not actu
ally be perfect, on Saturday night in the
Coliseum they came closer to that magical
mark than any gymnastics team ever has.
In front of 6,013 fans, the Lady Bulldogs
shattered the University of Utah’s NCAA
all-around record of 197.15 with an unheard
of 197.55.
Saturday’s meet was the annual Bulldog
invitational. The Gym Dogs beat
Pennsylvania State, University of
Massachusetts, and West Virginia.
“1 love it,” head coach Suzanne Yoculan
said.
After tying a team record of 49.20 on the
balance beam, the team began to sense they
were on a record pace. The team either tied
or set season highs on all four events.
“I knew we were on an NCAA pace, but I
didn’t even think about (breaking it) until
after beam,” Yoculan said. “We’ve been
there before and blew it."
Far from “blowing it," the team followed
their balance beam effort with another team
record of 49.50 on the floor exercise.
“It was an incredible feeling," freshman
Lori Strong said.
Winning the all-around competition with
a 39.50, Strong had the best meet of her col
legiate career and was an integral part of
the record setting performance.
“I felt really good in the first three
events," Strong said. “I wasn’t even going to
compete floor.
Strong replaced Heather Stepp in the
floor rotation. Stepp had two falls on the
uneven bars and the balance beam.
“1 felt that Heather didn’t have her nor
mal concentration level," Yoculan said. “I
thought after the beam ‘It’s too bad (Strong)
is not doing all-around,’ but I didn’t put her
in because of that.”
The elation of the record almost over
shadowed the fact that Hope Spivey-Sheeley
scored the 14th and 15th perfect 10’s of her
career and two Lady Bulldogs, Sandy
Rowlette-Dill and Nneka Logan, each
recorded the first perfect marks of their
careers.
Spivey-Sheeley scored one each on the
floor exercise and the vault. Rowlette-Dill
recorded her perfect mark on the uneven
bars and Logan scored her 10 on the floor.
“It was great," Logan said. “I was really
excited."
“It felt really good," Rowlette-Dill said.
“It was nice doing it twice in a row."
Rowlette-Dill also had an impressive 9.95
bars routine on February 27 in Alabama.
The record is even more impressive con
sidering that Heather Stepp, who is the
team’s most solid performer, had a sub-par
meet.
“I think that is a reflection of our depth,"
said Doug McAvinn, assistant coach. “It
took those people who aren’t always in the
spotlight and put them in the spotlight."
“I don’t mean to sound discontent, but we
can do better," said assistant coach Jay
Clark. “'Hiere are still spots where we can
improve."
With Stepp performing at her usual pace,
the sky, indeed, seems to be the limit for this
talented team.
“Anybody who can score a 197.55 at
Nationals will come home with the gold tro
phy," Yoculan said.
Branch Davidians raise issue:
Just how prevalent are cults?
By BEVERLY COX
Staff Writer
While the nation watched with fas
cination last week as federal agents
laid siege to the religious cult Branch
Davidian in Waco Texas, many began
to wonder how many cults exist in the
United States and how deeply these
cults are rooted in society.
Though the numbers of cults and
the people involved in them may vary,
the dangers remain the same.
“All cults abuse and exploit their
members in some way, either finan
cially, sexually or physically, although
not all will generate into violence in
front of the public eye,” said Cynthia
Kisser, the national executive director
of the Cult Awareness Network.
The network estimates there are
approximately 2,500 cults in operation
around the country with about 5 mil
lion members.
But Craig Branch, the Southeast
director for the Watchman Fellowship,
a Christian organization, estimates the
number of cult members to be much
higher.
“The most conservative estimate of
the number of people involved in cults
is about 30 million,” Branch said.
Kisser said cults use unethical,
deceptive or coercive ways to recruit
and indoctrinate members. All use
behavior modification techniques
(mind control) to some degree without
their recruits’ consent or knowledge.
Peggy Cleveland, professor of social
work, said cults are most dangerous
when individuals lose their ability to
make decisions.
“The biggest danger of a cult is giv
ing up the ability to think for oneself,”
Cleveland said. “It is fraught with dan
ger. In many situations, a person
becomes dependent on the cult for their
thinking and decision making and for
their physical, material welfare.”
Kisser also said the cult leader is
central to the organization, much like
the Branch Davidians’ David Koresh,
who had claimed he was the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ.
“You have to have a cult leader to
have a cult," Kisser said. “Oftentimes
the cult leader will identify a need and
exploit it. For example, a cult leader
may offer a Bible study or a conference
on how to have good relationships. It is
the carrot to bring members in.
Oftentimes, you don’t know what
you’re getting into or what being a part
of the organization entails.
“While you may not be susceptible
to Cult A, you might be susceptible to
Cult B," she said. “Becoming involved
in a cult doesn’t depend so much on
what type of person you are, because
there are vulnerabilities we are all
exposed to as we go through life, and
that is what cults are out to exploit."
Paul Cardozo, a local psychiatrist,
said another danger of being involved
in a cult is a loss of identity.
“My understanding is, people don’t
go into cults knowing they’re a cult,” he
said. “Some people who are perhaps
confused about their life or their iden
tity are more vulnerable to a cult.
Basically, the cult becomes a substitu
tion for an identity.
“Cults and their leaders often iso
late themselves from the rest of society
where ethics and morals get twisted,
and they don’t have any outside refer
ence point, and members can’t think
for themselves."
‘...there are vulnerabili
ties we are all exposed
to as we go through life,
and that is what cults
are out to exploit.’
-Cynthia Kisser
Cult Awareness Network
Both Kisser and Branch said the
organizations they receive the most
complaints about are Scientology, the
Boston Church of Christ Movement,
the Forum, the Way International and
CARP (Collegiate Association of
Research Principles), the campus arm
of the Moonies.
Branch said his estimate of the
number of those involved in cults
includes groups such as the Jehovah’s
Witnesses and Mormons.
“They are considered to be cults
from a historical, doctrinal definition
because, although they claim to be
Christian, they deny many of the his
torical doctrines of Christianity,” he
said. “If a person leaves the group, they
will be ostracized and denied any kind
of salvation by the church."
However Cleveland said many orga
nizations we think to be cults are not.
“Some things we define as cults
really aren’t, like earth religions or
Native American religions,” she said.
“People tend to get frightened of any
thing outside the mainstream.
Something like Mormonism may
demonstrate cult-like behavior, but it
really isn’t a cult."
vf Gull; hi'/olraiirani
Questions to ask about organizations you’re involved in
• What commitments of
time, money, and other
resources wHI they
expect from me?
• Would I be assigned
recruiting or financial
quotas?
• Would they discourage
me from associating
with family and friends?
•What wilt I gain from
being a member of this
group?
m
• Encourage you to
continue your studies, or
proclaim its activities to
be more Important?
’Discourage discussion of
its beliefs with members
or family?
■Want Its members to
give up traditions and
beliefs.
• Require absolute
obedience and
devotion to its
leader?
• Predict tragedy
will befall anyone
who leaves the
group?
• Allow members
to have quiet time
alone, or outside
the group?
TIMOTHY MOODY/ Th« DM a no Black