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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1990)
I ' The Battalion OPINION Tuesday, January 23,1990 Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-: J PRO-LIFE LOGIC... t PLANNED PARENTHOOD PROVIDES SEA EDUCATION, C0HTRACEPT\OH AMD COUNSEUMG AT PR\CES TV4AT AHTONE CAN AFFORD/ \T |T WASN'T FOR THEM, THERE WOULD PRoevAg>L.-r EE MORE. UNWANTED PREGNANCIES AND ABORTIONS THAN EVER/ A&M’s important guy says what’s in, out for ’9( B Jl Of Tf' o Damon Arhos Assistant Opinion * Page Editor LA Law. No more MTV. Goodbye Ft Tom Brokaw, Dan RaiiP® 11 ^ ' As I JlClTTWa OOM /k-TVOK-SOW -><■■ AjZTMOfZK : I— <3uEK>tA ' Rally brings out ‘choice’ sentiments Monday I attended the pro-life rally held in the Memorial Student Center. I went with the idea that I would blast these people out of the water. I have a very negative attitude toward pro-life groups. I understand that abor tion is not a good thing — nobody wants to have an abortion, or for their friends to have abortions — but the pro-life del egation bothers me a lot. This summer The Battalion editorial board was targeted by a pro-life group or individual, and all women who were members of the editorial board or wrote columns received, not at The Battalion offices, but at their post office boxes or homes, a pro-life letter in an unmarked envelope with no signature or return address. No one took responsibility for sending the letter. Getting the letter said some things to me about the pro-life movement. It said to me that what I’d read about pro-lifers using scare tactics was true. It said to me that pro-lifers were sexist. It said to me, because of the letter’s overall tone and the way the many Biblical references in it were used, that if these pro-life people were Christians, they were the kind of Christians I wanted to separate as much as possible from my own Christianity. So I decided I wanted to go to this pro-life rally and watch these people rant and rave and then come back to The Batt and write a column that would really make them look ridiculous. This rally, though, was rather calm. It wasn’t like the ones you see on TV with protestors from both sides screaming at each other. There were a lot of students there, most from the Christian student groups that sponsored the rally. They didn’t chant or speak in toungues or fall to their knees in prayer. No one tried to cause any trouble. In fact, no pro-choice advocates were visible at the rally at all. There were also children. Members of the community who support the pro life movement brought their children with them to help bring home the point that fetuses are people too. Babies tod dled around the Flagroom, and older children wore buttons that said “Right to Life” and touted Kent Hance, a pro life candidate for governor. Not that any of those kids will be vot- in S\ The rally itself was not bad. Most of the speakers made their points without relying heavily on religion. Sure, some people sang songs with a rather Chris tian bent, but it was not an overwhelm ingly religious gathering. The speakers didn’t seem to be, well, insane, like I had thought they might be. One speaker said that the media is biased in their coverage of pro-life victo ries. Two others argued that the fetus is viable at conception. One young woman described her horrible experience of having an abortion and the emotional fallout from it. And Judy Bruegger, the director of the Brazos Valley Crisis Pregnancy Service, spoke about the service. I was shocked to see that she was speaking at a prodife rally. I have seen ads and flyers about BVCPS and as sumed, since its ads say only “free preg nancy tests — concerned counselors,” that it was not affiliated with any politi cal groups. Her speech made the organization seem at the most, helpful, and at the least, harmless. She said BVCPS shows young pregnant women alternatives to abortion, provides them with facts about abortion, and counsels them and helps them whether they choose to have the baby or have an abortion. Bruegger stressed that the service helped women make rational choices about their pregnancy. Wrong. No one can make rational choices when they are being fed biased information by their “caring counsel ors.” The pamphlets BVCPS brought to the rally ranged from being obviously slanted (cards with pictures of a fetus that read “If he is a living, human child, why is it legal to kill him?”) to propo- ganda that appears to be unbiased med ical information, but is actually distrib uted by the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund. If this is the type of information that is being given to young pregnant women to help them make rational choices, these women are being misled. The BVCPS’s approach to being a pro-choice organization is to hide it un til people are in need and ask them for help without knowing their affiliation. Like a poisonous snake hiding in the grass, it is dangerous. Just like the pro-life rally itself. Sure it was calm. Sure it was rational. But the people who sat and politely- watched the speakers and whooped in support of their cause are promoting the elimination of legal abortions while offering no information about birth control methods, except to say that most forms are bad for our reproductive health and should not be used. They are, by promoting the end of le gal abortions, supporting the reinstitu tion of illegal abortions. They are asking our government, both at the national and state level, to in tegrate the church and the state, a deadly combination. No prayers. No violence. No frenzy. Just danger. Ellen Hobbs is a junior journalism major. was looking through some old papers the other day, I found one of those “What’s in and what’s out for 1990” lists by some reporter from the Washington Post. The paper was dated Jan. 8, so, as far as I can figure it, I’ve been unstylish now for about 22 days. (That is, except for short hair. I have short hair, and it’s in. Big hair is out.) When I finished reading the list, I went back and tried to figure out who wrote it. Lo and behold, there was her name, right underneath the headline “What’s in, what’s out for 1990.” And you might think, as I did, that it would be someone who was pretty im portant— someone like President Bush, Lewis Grizzard or Elsa the style woman from CNN. (I guess they are all pretty important.) But it wasn’t. The name listed under the headline was some random Washington Post re porter! I had never heard of her before in my life. So I thought to myself, “Why is it that this lady who I have never even heard of in my entire 22 years gets to tell the rest of us what’s in, and what’s out?” I’m still wondering. And what an interesting list it is! Half of the stuff on it I have never heard of anyway — kind of like the reporter who wrote the list. (Like lemongrass. Ob viously it is some spice because basil is out. Nope, no more cooking with basil — only lemongrass. And I kind of liked basil too. Oh well.) I’ll have to admit too that there are a few more things on the list that I will miss. Like boots. And it’s not just boots, but ALL boots. Who knows what all of the seniors in the Corps will do. Get this! TV is out and books on tape are in! No more Cosby Show. No more Jennings, , t0 a Sam Donaldson, Diane Sawyer. SoloB exa Daffy, Bugs, Porky, Wile E. Cou? jac Adios Pat, Arsenio, Sally Jesse, Dal in ch; Oprah, Johnny and Gerafdo. (On * ond thought, good riddance Pat, ^ ; Jesse, Oprah, and Geraldo — I ' ( Johnny, Dave and Arsenio though.) 11^ Neneh Cherry, you’re in. Madorll As you’re out. ■unit Hello lace, goodbye leather. Nancy Reagan, it’s not your turn more. It’s (gulp) Jimmy Carter’s. Baths are in. Showers are out.f : Baths are in. Showers are out. Fake furs are in. Fur protests are out. Earthenware is in. au{ :nts und “1 missi Bi leak ions ind rog ecer ning furs are in. Fur protests are out. Ea®^ eal enware is in. Porcelain is out. Cool cabbage is in. Coleslaw is out. I could on and on (and on and on and on..,) But I have a belter idea. If this porter from the Washington Postcat an authority on what’s in and ufiatV vhei I think I can too. he So here it is! What’s in and what's in Aggieland for 1990 by Damon \f hos: IN 01 maroon wt REAL, bus names the Howdybii grass construct construction MSCt student demonstrations shan: open lots GoodwinF lunch College Station farmers fight oldarmyfij 5 year degrees 4 yeardegu student locator A&M director bonfire bonfirehaii in d overheads chalkboai f'l.gil whoop ooohrl ip 01 ™ Taco Cabana U'fiataburgy parki n g perm its.— parking piai dorm residence h| kinesiology physical educati And last, but not least: ??? Shelby Meta Damon Arhos is a senior journalis major. iver Tf .laginaj Saiui Bn 3 >'°g The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Scot Walker, Editor Monique Threadgill, Managing Editor Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor Melissa Naumann, City Editor Cindy McMillian, Lisa Robertson, News Editors Richard Tijerina, Sports Editor Fredrick D. Joe, Art Director Mary-Lynne Rice, Lifestyles Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $17.44 per semester, $34.62 per school year and $36.44 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed Mc Donald, Texas A&M University, College Sta tion, TX 77843-1111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843- 4111.