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122 State St. W Columbia SC 29169 803.791.4413 Editor-in-ChiEf Todd Morehead Contentsjune 24, 2010 VOLUME 5 issue 27 [email protected] the other victims of battlefield stress; defense contractors’ mental health neglected p. 6 ARTS EDITOR Judit Trunkos [email protected] ColAthEAtEr.Com News.Politics.Commentary. S.M. Baleem, Garrett Kellerhals letters to the reader dear jake knotts 2 dESign the mis-education of alvin greene woods sits down with alvin greene 3 Lindsey Downen election results runoffs: the russian roulette of politics 5 cover disposable army: contractors’ mental health neglected 6 muSiC music preview lauren lucas at the white mule 9 Kingsley Waring, Shelby Sachs photojournalism by sean rayford the get wets at the whig 12 pg. 10 PubliShEr Paul Blake [email protected] ACCount ExECutivES Arts.Entertainment.Etc. John Gibson, James Wallace soundboard punk/indie/emo/ska/hardcore/metal/rock 10 ContributorS review the karate kid 13 S.M. Baleem, Garrett Kellerhals, Ismail Lagardien, movie times at the nic and big mo drive-in 13 WR Marshall, Will Moredock, Ted Rall, savage love adult sex advice 14 Dan Savage, Kingsley Waring, Baynard Woods jonesin crosswords 14 cartoons derf & red meat 15 ColumbiA City PAPEr sudoku 15 2965 North Main Street pg. 12 Columbia, SC 29201 803.218.9455 (DIaL aRea CoDe) Advertisers in Columbia City Paper assume responsibility for the entire content of the advertisements. The first copy of Columbia City Paper is free. Additional copies are $1 and two-bits each. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of Columbia City Paper or its publisher. (C) Columbia City Paper, LLC Letters to the Reader Dear SC Democratic Party, attend it—devoid of the sounds of the ball has no shortage of politicians who make Now that Alvin Greene has been hitting the catcher’s mitt or the peanut depraved, awe-inspiring comments on confirmed, we’re asking you to forego vendor’s distant call; a place where the a fairly regular basis. If they were all any other roadblocks and let the rest of hallowed crack of a homerun shot was asked to resign along with you, American us enjoy him while we have him. No drowned out by the droning of 15,000 government would collapse. We get that. Democrat would beat DeMint anyway, plastic novelty horns. Let’s not open Here’s the problem: In your sense of so who cares who runs against him? Pandora’s box, America, we beg you. An the word, “redneck” means a working class At least this way it’ll be entertaining to occasional cowbell at football games, Joe, whose neck gets red from working in watch. DeMint is morbidly fascinating clappers, whatever. But, please not the the sun. Many white Americans, however, and cringe-worthy enough during live vuvuzela. Let’s nip this in the bud before consider it a pejorative term, similar to debates; imagine him paired with Alvin “free vuvuzela” night rears its ugly head “hayseed” or “cracker,” used to imply Greene! Put Glenn Beck and Ed Begley at Turner Field, or God forbid, Williams poverty, ignorance, uncouthness and Jr. on a panel to moderate it and the whole Brice. sometimes even bigotry. Some historians country will tune in. Columbia City Paper argue that the term was more officially Thank you, journalism gods! co-opted in the West Virginia coal wars in Columbia City Paper Dear Jake Knotts, the early part of the century, during which We don’t want to harp on your recent pro-union miners wore red bandanas to Dear sports fans, slip of the tongue. But, the whole mess signify their solidarity. In an anti-union Remember two weeks ago when the has kinda gone into phase two after state like ours, some folks might think word “vuvuzela” was virtually unknown you took your time at the State House you just proudly aligned yourself with to the Western world? It was a simpler podium during a crucial budget vote to pro-union commies. Thus, we urge you to time, an innocent time to which we call yourself a proud redneck instead call a televised press conference to clarify may never return. For those of you who of focusing that time on your actual job if you are using the term in a “white haven’t heard the tragic news, the Florida as a legislator. (What type of political trash” or “pro-union man” sense of the Marlins hosted a vuvuzela promo night handler, professional or otherwise, could word and then either apologize to your in the precious sanctity of a major league have possibly allowed you to pour that Caucasian constituents or our state’s anti- union corporate overlords, whichever the baseball park last weekend. It was a can of kerosene on the fire?) Sure, you case may be. game –for those unfortunate enough to were correct in asserting that the GOP Columbia City Paper 4 june 24,, 2010 Alvin Greene answered his home Greene a “plant.” Lindsey Graham echoed served in the air force and the army. He The TV man did not introduce him- phone when I called and we casually set Clyburn’s calls for an FBI investigation. claims that he was involuntarily, but hon- self and spoke in a gruff tone. up a time to meet. A few days later, the But, on the day before my visit, the orably, discharged from the military and “I was just wondering you know –I 32-year-old candidate regarded me from state party had decided not to overturn the refuses to say more about the issue. He see you’re eating lunch,” he said. “I know a puffy chair in the corner of his father’s results of the election, making Greene, earned a Political Science degree from you said that you didn’t really want to do home, which served as headquarters for Sen. Jim DeMint’s official opponent this USC. I was asking him about classes he TV interviews, but, uh, I was just down his Zen-like campaign for the U.S. Senate. fall. The state party still hopes Greene remembered when a knock sounded at here trying to get a feel of who you were. On the table by the chair sat toenail clip- will step down. When asked if Greene the door. And so many people have a preconceived pers, a disposable razor and a Sonic fast had a chance against DeMint, Kiana Page, Greene laid down his Sonic wrapper notion of who you are just because of the food bag. the party spokesperson said, “This race and got up. “Here’s the umm,” he fumbled charges and everything.” “Lately it’s been very busy,” Greene proves that anything can happen in poli- a moment and nodded toward the door. “... The charges are, of course, the felony said of his life as he took a bite from his tics. Especially in South Carolina.” Manning Times Reporter. Here’s someone charges pending against Greene for alleg- sandwich. “I didn’t expect so much so Greene knows that as well as anyone from the Manning Times.” edly showing pornography to a college soon.” and has a simple answer to the question “So you were just telling me about freshman and asking her if she wanted Greene is unemployed. He said that of who he is. “I’m the best candidate in your own education and about studying to go back to her room. It is something before the election he spent much of his the United States Senate race in South political science when he knocked on the else Greene refuses to talk about. But it time watching television. The news was Carolina,” he says. door,” I said. is clearly one of the main reasons why no on the whole time we talked. I asked him if his non-campaign As if on cue, there was another knock. prominent Democrats have reached out to Greene managed to pay the $10,000 campaign was an intentional strategy to “Who is it?” Greene hollered. help him. filing fee to the State Democratic party, attack the anti-government senator. He “It’s WIS.” “I’m really not interested in that now,” but no one noticed him until he inexpli- just smiled and took a bite of his sandwich “I told them not to come,” he said, Greene said to the TV man. “Maybe in a cably beat his opponent, Vic Rawl, by and looked at the TV. I asked what he was as if to himself. “OK! All right. Just open week or two you can check back.” a large margin in the Democratic pri- going to say to DeMint. the door.” The phone rang. mary. Now, everybody wants to figure out “Well, I’m planning for a September The Manning Times reporter got up to “Well you know it’s just kind of hard what happened and who the heck Alvin debate. One hour long on a major televi- open the door. for me to get to Manning from Columbia Greene actually is. As was widely report- sion channel.” “Seems like your life’s gone crazy,” I every day,” the TV man said, obviously ed, Rawl challenged the results, claiming “If he refuses to debate, what would said to Greene. annoyed. that the voting machines were faulty. that say about him?” I asked. “It has.” Greene ignored him and picked up the South Carolina bought them used from “It says that he doesn’t care about It was clear at that moment that phone. “Hello? ...OK.” He hung up. Louisiana when that state outlawed them. the people of South Carolina or their Greene had absolutely no control over “So I was just hoping we could go Rawl collected anecdotal evidence but concerns,” Greene answered.
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