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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1974)
The Aggie forum Page 2 BATTALION OCTOBER 30, 1974 THE WEDNESDAY, Forced respect not real The Aggie forum is open to all members of the TAMU community who wish to express ideas which cannot be developed in the Listen up letters column. Choice of columns to be pub lished and editing of those columns are at the discretion of the editor. By WM. SHEEN Concerning the hats-off policy of the Memorial Student Center I have met with an almost universal attitude: “If my father were an Aggie who died in the Second World War and someone refused to remove his hat in the MSC I would pxobably shove his teeth down his throat.” I believe this to be an overly reac tionary statement. Before the reader becomes en raged beyond intellectual objectiv ity let us look the question in the face rationally. I am not suggesting that the hats-off policy is totally ridiculous and should not be ob served but I don’t think that it should be regarded as sacreligious to wear a hat in the MSC. I do believe that those who died in World War II should be re spected. However, I do not believe that their deaths should be raised to the level of reverential adoration. I recognize that the dead should be mourned by those who have borne the loss. But I do not think I should be forced to follow in a pre scribed manner a policy which I may regard as arbitrary. Of course, the first argument which might be expected to come against me could be : “Look, buddy, if these men had not given their lives you would not be allowed to write what you’re writing today. ” I can only say, “The forcible re striction of my actions, in the ab sence of law within the MSC is tan tamount to censoring what I write. And to censor what I write is to take away a natural human liberty. For that is in essence of the issue. Do I not have the right to honor the dead of World War II in my own way without fear of personal humili ation or injury? And don’t my rights exist even in the hallowed MSC? There is another point. Is en forced respect true respect? Would not the dead rest easier in their graves if they felt that what they had fought for was being upheld? Would they want to be revered because of a policy which sets limits on human freedom? Or would they rather be remem bered with true love and respect that comes from the heart rather than the fist? The reasoning I have outlined shows an interesting paradox. The hats-off policy is enforced as a re minder of the democratic ideals for which the soldiers of World War II died. But in reality the policy itself is undemocratic and can only serve as a negative force on this campus. The idea may be rooted in fine patriotic tradition, but the forced act is unnecessarily restricting. Such things reflect a lack of spon taneity which leads inevitably to a loss of individualism. Listen up W-1 never earn respect Beverley Braley Tours, Travel Traveling 6HR£STMftS Holiday Group Space NEW YORK departures December 20 & 21 MIAMI „ departure December 20 [ncludes round trip air fare from Houston. PLAN NOW!! All Group Airfares Subject to Fare Rules on each Departure Editor: Comment on Katherine Beadling’s letter. You were wondering why the women in the R.O.T.C. program do not “exhibit the pride and spirit as sociated with the Corps. ” This is at tributed to the possibility that the women are not accepted by both Corps and civilian students. Well, you are right. Those women are not accepted, especially by the Corps, because they do not possess the Corps’ pride and spirit. This is due to the fact that the women are not treated as Corps fish. The women do not, can not, and will never go through the same experiences that a male fish MUST go through in order to gain that pride and spirit, that “esprit de corps, called the “Fightin Texas Aggie Spirit.” Why not? The reason is that the members of the Corps have been instructed to have a lenient policy toward the R.O.T.C. women. This is nothing more than lowering the Corps’ standards so that the women won’t quit. Otherwise, they would quit because they could not stand up to the physical and emotional pres sures associated with being a male fish. This is the underlying reason why the waggies do not have the Corps’ pride and spirit. For what pride and spirit can be gained from a low standard oriented organization? And may I add, with women en tering the Aggie Band with that kind of low spirit would ruin the “Pulse of Aggieland” thereby further destroy ing the morale of the Corps. It would not be long after that event that our Yell Leaders would be wearing skirts and shaking pom poms making Texas A&M just another stereo-typed university. Philip Bertholf ’75 Girls’ right Editor: In reference to the Oct. 24 letter from Schwab and Hampton, I would like to say that the four young women mentioned have all the right in the world to say anything they wish for or against draft dodgers. As citizens of the U. S. they are guaran teed this right. Also, being eligible for the draft or physically involved in a war is not a requirement for opinions on draft dodgers. John Gilbert ’76 Column praised Editor: Mike Perrin’s columns on the Memorial Student Center and its highly inefficient methods of opera tion were superb! It’s too bad, as he pointed out, that the existing politi cal structure will prevent any changes for the better. As to the MSC wanting free pub- [Your Man at Batt I By WILL ANDERSON Last week this column covered a number of the problems following the Sept. 13 flooding of the Monaco Apts. A suit to be filed against the city of College Station by Monaco’s owners was mentioned. This suit is exp lained below. A notice of intent to sue the City of College Station was filed Oct. 11 by Charles Gandy, attorney for owners of the Monaco Apartments. The notice, filed in City Manager North Bardell’s office, came as a result of flooding of the apartment complex in September. Gandy said the suit will be filed due to inadequate culverts installed by the city under Redmond and Milliff Streets. He said notice must be filed with the city 60 days before the suit can be filed in court. A joint study by the city and the apartment owners three years ago showed the culvert system to be inade quate, Gandy said. “I have a letter in my possession from the city stating that the problem would be fixed,” he said. Che Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the university administration or the Board of Directors. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and community newspaper. Editor ial policy is determined by a majority of the editorial board. on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College I Station, Texas 77843. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Right of reproduction of all other matter herein are also reserved Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. LETTERS POUCY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guaran tee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verifica tion. Editor . . . Greg Moses Assistant Editor Will Anderson Managing Editor LaTonya Perrin Sports Editor: Mark Weaver Photo Editor Alan Killingsworth Copy Editors Cynthia Maciel, Carson Campbell. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Boom 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim Lindsey, chairman; Dr. Tom Adair, Dr. R. A. Albanese, Dr. H. E. Hierth, W. C. Harrison, Steve Eberhard, Don Hegi, and John Nash, Jr. Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. News Editor T.C. Gallucci, Steve Bales City Editor Rod Speer Special Assignment Reporters Teresa Coslett, Mary Russo, Jim Crawley, Paul McGrath, Tony Gallucci, Gerald Olivier, Joe Matthews, Steve Gray, Jack Hodges, Judy Baggett, Barbara West, Wendy Wetzel MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods, September through May, and once a week during summer school. General Assignment Reporters Dave Johnson, Kanaya Mahendra, Jim Peters, Chirra Reddi, David White, Cindy Taber, LeAnn Roby, Roxie Hearn, Debi Holliday, Rose Mary Traverse, Ron Amsler, Robert Cessna, Richard Henderson, Daralyn Greene, Scott Reynolds, Sandra Chan dler Mail subscriptions are $5.00 per semester; $9.50 per school year; $10.50 per lull year. All subscriptions subject to 5*# sales tax. Advertising rate furnished Photographers Douglas Winship, David Kimmel, Jack Holm, Glen Johnson, Chris Svatek, Gary Baldasari, Rodger Mallison, Steve Krauss ROBERT HALSELL TRAVEL SERVICE AIRLINE SCHEDULE INFORMATION FARES AND TICKETS DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL Hi CALL 822-3737 1016 Texas Avenue — Bryan ZIPPER LOUNGE 846-3450 HVW 6 SOUTH, FRONT OF TEXAS WORLD SPEEDY Presents Nightly EXOTIC Dancing, Pool & Games AMATEUR Night Fri & Sat 8-12 - 1st-2nd Prizes Happy Hour Mon-Fri 5-8 Draft and Coolers 1 /2 price Fri & Sat Special $4.00 8:30-12 All draft beer you can drink WELCOME AGGIES & MAGGIES Dancers Wanted Start Pay $3.00 Hour Call before 5:00 823-7804 After 5:00 846-3450 licity disguised as news stories in the Battalion, the entire MSC committee and Student Senate should look up the definition and function of a newspaper. If MSC activities are newswor thy, they will receive adequate coverage, as they have in the past. Why does the C think it is so holy as to require special treatment? They also said at a meeting that they should have priority over other campus groups in facility scheduling of the new MSC buildings. Since when? ALL students pay equal MSC building fees, so why can’t ALL campus groups have equal ac cess to them? Hank Wahrmund ’74 CALL OH US FOt UNIVERSITY CENTER Your own personal travel agency on campus 846-3773 TOWNSHIRE SHOPPING CENTER 1907 Texas Ave., Bryan 823-0961 BEVERLEY BRALEY UNIVERSITY TRAVEL Hunting fees “Back- which Editor: I question your column, lashes and Blown Patterns, ran Oct. 24. Is this an editorial column or an outdoor sports section? Please explain your “right” to game animals which feed on land another has purchased, pays taxes on, builds fences on, maintains roads on and on which the owner plants and fertilizes grass or crops for consumption by livestock or humans, not by deer, rabbits, etc. Has a free or low cost privilege been an incentive for respect to pay telephones, restrooms, roadside parks, public lakes, etc. ? I will agree that high leases don’t prevent disre spect for land and facilities, but lease fees do pay for damage. I seriously doubt that Houston sportsmen have that large an impact in this area of small deer. Most if not all public land foi hunting in Western States is Fed eral land. When Texas entered the Union, it kept all public land, which then became State land which was sold to pay the Republic’s depts and to give settlers a place to live. Face this fact: man has an unli mited appetite for limited re sources. There are more people wil ling to pay for the privilege, not right, to hunt on private property than there are suitable hunting areas; this not even counting others unwilling to pay. Thus, the fees increase and as much as I dislike paying them, I violently oppose the alternative al luded to by you, that of taking con trol of the property away from land owners. D. W. Prescott ’75 All columns are open to editorial comment and all editorial comment is open to disagreements—Ed. The iviromi SC. A st cations st-food id othe The umber: Hoi SOUDD CenTER n-camp era tor 3806-A Old College Rd. (Next to Triangle Bowl) 846-3517 SPECIAL OFFER f t 0 <***- C I KENWOOD 2400 lug g'fj 4 Channel convertabili, V Dual Speaker system capability. List CUSTOM II SPEAKERS 8” woofer with tweeter and horn. List 168.50. BUY THIS SYSTEM FOR ONLY $368 AND RECEIVE A SANYO 818 8-TRACK AUTO TAR eir35t PLAYER FREE OR A CHANNEL MASTER 8-TRACK HOME UNIT FREE. Both List for $49.95! Also Available with this system; For $25 For $40 BSR 310 Turntable BSR 510 Turntable List 91.80 List 106.80 FOR BEST RESULTS TRY BATTALION CLASSIFIED fupTnamba hi SEMPERIT ASK ABOOTOUR MTENGUARANTEE Me: The produ orton ( J- I roup th art. 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