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Viewpoint The Battalion Tuesday Texas A&M University November 29, 1977 The other Aggie bonfire There was more than one bonfire in Aggieland last week. It was 150 miles away and only half as tall as the stack in College Station, but the spirit there was the spirit of Aggieland. The place was Moody College of Marine Sci ences and Maritime Resources on Pelican Island. The Aggies at Moody College worked around the clock for almost a week, gathering railroad ties and wood from the island docks to construct a 30-foot bonfire in a field near campus. On Tuesday, Nov. 22, Yell Leaders Joe Reagan and Rick Bowen went to Galveston to light Moody College’s first “beat the hell out of t.u.” bonfire. From the dock of the Texas Clipper, some 200 students marched through Moody campus to the tune of the Aggie War Hymn, and gathered at the stack for yell practice before whooping to the torches. It’s easy for those of us here at the main campus to be caught up in the spirit of supporting the fightin’ Texas Aggies. After all, almost everything that constitutes the body of A&M is here. Almost. The dedication and loyalty of those Aggies at Moody College show that wherever there are Aggies there is an Aggieland. The support of the students at Moody, as demonstrated by their numerous travels between Galveston and College Station to attend the games and yell practices, is worthy of considerable praise. It says a lot about A&M’s marine college and the students attending it, so far from the mainstream of central campus activities and yet so much a part of them. In the spirit of Moody College there is the definition of Aggieland. y ^ The secret to offending nobody By WILLIAM RASPBERRY WASHINGTON — Rayna Green, di rector of the Project on Native Americans in Science, poses an interesting question. I had written about a group of Reston, Va., residents who object to the proposed opening of a Sambo’s restaurant there, on the ground that the name is a racial insult. Green, who is Cherokee, agrees. But she puts the question: “Several years ago, when the American Indian Movement sued the Atlanta Braves, the Washington Redskins and several other teams for dis missal of the names so abhorrent to American Indians, where was Mr. Raspberry on the issue?” Well, I can tell her where I was. I was sitting here, reading everything I saw on the controversy and being just as confused and ambivalent as some readers are with regard to my Sambo remarks. Until AIM raised the issue, I had thought that it was a complimentary thing to have an athletic team named for you. Team names, whether from animals or humans, are chosen, I thought, because they represent what are thought to be pos itive qualities, usually speed, cunning and ferocity. Thus we have tigers, bears, lions, wildcats and wolfpacks. In my mind, Indians, braves, warriors and chiefs were in the same non-insulting category as Vikings, Trojans, cowboys and the fightin’ Irish. I never understood what the noise was about, and in fact, most of it didn’t last long. Stanford University changed its team name from Indians to Cardinals (after giv ing serious consideration to Thunderchic- kens), but mostly nothing came of it. Which struck me as just about right. I did have some problems with some of the goofy caricatures of Indians used by some of the teams (the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves come to mind) and by the name of the local pro football team. “Redskins, ” which the Random House dic tionary defines as a “usually offensive ap pellation for North American Indians, isn’t quite the same thing as braves, warriors, chiefs or raiders. And so I was prepared to do a piece presenting Green’s point of view — her offense at the team name, her disgust at the sight of white and black “Redskinet- tes” doing their phony Indian dances and her resentment that blacks seem not to notice anything amiss about any of these things. Then came Sunday’s game, with the Redskins hosting the archrival Dallas Cowboys. This time, instead of the Red- skinettes, the halftime was: a marching band made up of 150 high school and junior college students who are Indians representing 80 tribes from 30 states; a group of Indians from New Mexico doing a buffalo dance; a 50-girl drill team from the Institute of American Indian Arts...and on and on. So now what is a non-Indian supposed to think? Maybe we ought to work out a set of rules about these things. For instance: 1. Develop a sense of humor. 2. Try to distinguish between the im portant and the trivial. 3. Avoid the use of any reference that is intrinsically offensive. 4. Forgo the arrogance of deciding what should or should not be offensive to a group of which you are not a member. 5. (a) Discontinue the use of racial or ethnic characterizations and trademarks upon notice that the subject group finds them offensive, (b) When in doubt, wait for a consensus. A word of caution: Rule No. 1 should never be used except in conjunction with Rule No. 4. That was the mistake some people made a few years back with the “Frito Bandito,” the Mexican thief whose consuming passions were sleeping and stealing corn chips. If Mexican-Americans found that car toon character offensive, the feet that you and I found him “cute” is beside the point. Similarly, if Native Americans find insult in the use of Indian-origin names for ath letic teams, the fact that we mean no harm —- and in fact intended a compliment — is of little importance. I still don’t know where that leaves me with the Washington Redskins. Maybe Rayna Green will forgive me if I invoke Rule No. 5 (b). (c) 1977, The Washington Post Com pany Losing By DICK WEST United Press International WASHINGTON — Congress is striving these days to rescue the Social Security System from financial quicksand. Somewhat in the manner of an old dog worrying a bone, the House and Senate have been pawing around and sniffing at all sorts of actuarial formulas, benefit-tax ratios and the like. On paper, it looks simple. Merely make the system take in as much as it pays out. The Lighter side But the bottom line in this case appears a bit zigzaggy. The House, for example, has voted to remove all limits on the outside earnings of persons receiving social security pay ments. Big deal! If you can look at Social Security projections without doddering, look at these: Ten years from now the maximum bene fit for a 65-year-old worker will be almost double the current ceiling. Meanwhile, the maximum tax will be increasing to nearly triple the current rate. I’m no actuary but it seems evident that if this trend continues persons who keep Letters to the editor Now’s Editor: After seeing the complete lack of wait ing lines for football tickets this Monday morning, I feel compelled to follow through with the much-heard oath, “I’m gonna write a letter to the Batt!, for the first time in my 3 1/2 years here at A&M. The Texas Aggies played the Texas Uni versity Longhorns in front of 8,000 more spectators than we have permanent places for. It was a hard-fought contest the entire sixty minutes, and at the final gun, the Aggies had been outscored 57-28. That’s right, outscored. Not beaten, because beaten means hanging your head, putting your tail between your legs, and “going to the house.” The Aggie football team not only did none of these things, but played proudly the entire game. With a couple of breaks when we were behind by 12 points in the third quarter, we could have beaten t.u., a team with (1) the number one ranking in the country, (2) everyone’s Heisman Trophy candidate, Earl Campbell, (3) a gold-medal sprinter for a wide-receiver, and (4) a first team defense that for ten games had allowed one rushing touchdown. However, we didn’t. Texas is in the Cot ton Bowl and we are in the Bluebonnet Bowl, but our regular season is not over. This Saturday we face the University of Houston, a grudge match where we have the chance to get back at Cougar High for our game last year. This game will (1) be on television in 90 percent of the United States, (2) be a chance to see two backs gain over 1,000 yards a season for the Ag gies, the eight time in NCAA history, but working after 65 will wind up paying more in Social Security taxes than they receive 'in benefits. Even if that projection is misguided, uncertainies about the system’s soundness remain. One large question mark is the human factor. You might think the money you have been paying into the Social Security fund was being put aside for your retirement. Wrong, Charlie. , Social Secuirty taxes now being col lected are used to support workers who have already retired. And that situation will continue as long as anyone can foresee. Thus it is that when you and I become eligible for Social Security it will be up to the young people just now coming into the work force to provide the funds from which we draw our retirement benefits. And that is where I fear the system may be on shaky ground. When I look around at some of the young workers today, it does not necessar ily inspire my confidence in the system’s future solvency. In fact, I find myself feeling a trifle inse cure. Nearly all the young people I am in con tact with are not what you might call balls of fire, work-wise. Putting it another way, they are not exactly burning up the league with the intensity of their toil. There is, if one may speak frankly, a cer tain lack of fervor in their labor. In others words, they manifest a minimal fondness for exertion. The thought that I might be dependent on the sweat of their brows for my retire ment income leaves me with visions of golden years unburnished. In theory, the figure-juggling by Con gress may keep the system in the black. But I fear the biggest old-age worry is youth. the time for real 12th Man support most of all, (3) it’s the Fightin’ Texas Ag gies playing. After playing a tough game and facing a week of remembering its sting, the team will need some real Twelfth Man support, I don’t know how much support can be shown in front of a T.V. screen, but this Twelfth man will be on his feet in Kyle Field, hollering for his team that he’s damn proud off! Beat the Hell outta Cougar High! Warren Neeley, '78 ‘Cutthroat business’ Editor: This Thanksgiving season, the All- American Sport has become the All- American rip-off on the Texas A&M cam pus. I had the misfortune of experiencing, first-hand, a truly cutthroat business when my roommate tried to obtain a date ticket to the t.u. game. In the beginning, she was promised a ticket but when it became increasingly apparent that people would pay for those tickets, the favor was revised to an offer of “the highest bidder ”. This is understandable if one is having financial difficulties; however, between friends and fellow-students this departure from the traditional enthusiasm directed toward a football game, to a lust for money is a gross affrontery to the spirit of friend ship and of Aggieland. Unfortunately, I offer no solution to this type of back-stabbing—only a suggestion. Perhaps if everyone will take time to think about the reasons behind their actions we won’t see such a mass recurrence in the fight for football tickets next year. Then we can take the time next Thanksgiving to be thankful that we have the opportunity to help a fellow Ag! —Lyn Hunter, '80 Prayer ‘fantastic Editor: I struggled into an early breakfast last Wednesday morning just in time for the C.T.s to have their invocation before their meal. We non-regs that eat at Duncan have to slip in the back way. Just as I was to have my I.D. card “beeped, everyone stopped eating and socializing to take part in this prayer. Before bowing my own head I scanned the room with a secure feeling. Since then I have been wondering why some people look down upon prayer in public places. When I was in elementary school I can remember praying everyday, until one day we just could not do it any more. I was told they had passed some kind of law. A person either believes in God or he does not. If he believes in God and doesn’t approve of public prayer, then that is his choice. It seems like a funny choice. If someone does not believe in God then why does he disapprove of a bunch of people closing their eyes and talking to the floor. What is he afraid of? I want to be able to talk to anyone I want, visible or invisible. The more that participate the merrier. The public prayer that I have witnessed at Texas A&M is fantastic. An illustration of this is when 50,000 Aggies pray before a football game. I feel that this is another aspect of Aggie Spirit. Who knows, maybe God is an Aggie! —Jeffrey W. Clark Turkeys have rights Editor: A beautiful warm day, gentle sky, the world in harmony and not too much traffic on the road made the drive for tea-sipper and Aggie alike a pleasant prelude to the biggest sport event of the year, the U.T.- A&M football game. Good health, sportsmanship, clean living are the ruling passions of the day. Crowds at the gates were jovial and friendly as they thronged through the gates to find their way to seats reserved long in advance. It was the day many at both schools had anticipated for a long time, the day of the big game where right would prevail. But few had envisioned the added attractions. The Corps display of love towards God’s creatures. Tossing an orange-painted turkey high in the sky as a sacrifice, and a painted ar madillo into the midst of the U.T. band reassures us all that the A&M Corps of Cadets are a humane group of fine young men of whom Lt. Galley would be proud. Gentlemen off the Corps - the spectators were enthralled. Nathan Berk Editor’s note: Things did seem to be getting out of hand; however, don’t im mediately decide the entire Corps is a group of blood-thirsty sadists because of those incidents. Top of the News Campus i Admissions Office relocated Texas A&M University’s Admissions and Records Office is moving from the Coke Building to Heaton Hall, formerly known as the old Exchange Store and as Registration Headquarters. The office will open for business at the new location Monday. The offices will be closed Thursday and Friday for the move. The only external business to be conducted during that two-day period will be the acceptance of senior grades in the Coke Building lobby. The telephone numbei for Admissions and Records, 845-1031, remains the same. State Hill rejects land tax based on yield Attorney General John Hill Monday indicated he will rule taring agencies in Texas cannot base agricultural land taxes on productive values unless the state constitution is amended to permit such tax breaks. Hill said he will formally announce his opinion Tuesday at the state convention of the Texas Farm Bureau in Houston. He said the decision is consistent with past opinions requiring a constitutional amendment for agricultural productivity taxes. The Farm Bureau, along with House Speaker Bill Clayton and Comptroller Boh Bullock, contend the agricultural taxes can be implemented without changing the state constitution. Nation Import $ — export $ = trade deficit The United States registered a $3.1 billion foreign trade deficit in October, the highest in history, the government said Monday. Oc tober was the 17th consecutive month that the U.S. trade ledger has been in deficit, a situation where the value of imports exceeds the value of exports. Americans exported $9.2 billion goods to foreign nations last month, the lowest since March 1976. Government offi cials said the main reason for the deficit record was the longshore men’s strike on East Coast and Gulf Coast docks. Imports totaled $12.3 billion in October. Sen. John McClellan, D-Ark, dies Sen. John L. McClellan, D-Ark,. the poor country Ixxy who be came one of the most powerful senators in American history, died in his sleep Sunday night. He had served in the Senate and the House of Representatives for 43 years. McClellan, 81, had been in ill health in recent months and had a pacemaker implanted in his heart earlier this year. He had announced one week ago Monday that he would retire at the end of his present term. Carter considers Cairo meeting White House press secretary Jody Powell says President Carter is “trying to be in the position of being supportive” of a Cairo meeting proposed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Sadat said Saturday he would invite all those involved in the Middle East conflict, including the United States and the Soviet Union, to Cairo to prepare for a Geneva peace conference. Powell said the administration is discuss- ing the proposal with the other invited nations. Boycott the Catholic Church? Atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and abortion advocate Bill Baird Monday called for an economic boycott of the Roman Catholic Church to protest religious leaders lobbying against federally fi nanced abortions for welfare recipients. “We are declaring economic war against the Roman Catholic Church,’ said Baird, director of abortion clinics in Boston and Hempstead, N. Y., and a key figure in court fights about women’s right to abortion. Mrs. O’Hair urged Roman Catholics to turn in blank collection envelopes during Christmas holidays marked “No money until women have freedom of choice”. World I Israel accepts Cairo invitation Israel today formally accepted Egypt’s invitation to attend the Cairo conference on Middle East peace. Prime Minister Menahem Begin told the Knesset parliament the invitation from Egypt was conveyed through the Egyptian and Israeli ambassadors to the United Nations, a move that eliminated the United States as an in termediary. “The voice of Aster on” A male voice that identified itself as “the voice of Asteron,” a galactic visitor, interrupted the normal program on hundreds of tele visions Saturday night in southern England and upset plenty of viewers. Police said they had no idea who, or what, pre-empted the airwaves to give viewers a warning message for peace on planet Earth, but said the person behind the voice could wind up in court if traced. “We can’t imagine how it was done but it appears someone must have managed to transmit a signal over ours,” a spokesman said. “The equipment used would need to be fairly sophisticated and ex pensive.” Police telephones were flooded with calls from panicky viewers. Weather Cloudy and cool today and tomorrow with NNE winds 20 mph. 70 percent chance of rain today decreasing to 40 percent tonight. High both days upper 50s. Low tonight mid-40s. The 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 Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and com munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letter s 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 guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room- Reed McDonald Building, College Station.. Texas 7^ United Press International is entitled exclusively^ use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited!' Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein resen^ | Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77!*' I MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Jamie# ; Managing Editor Mary Alice WoodhC I Editorial Director Lee Roy Leschp^J Sports Editor PaulA^ News Editors Marie Homeyer, Carol City Editor Rusty C# Campus Editor KimT)** Copy Editor Beth CaD' LT Reporters Clenna W# Liz Newlin, David Boggan, Mark Patted Photographer Ken Cartoonist Doug Gr# Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, Chai^' 6 Joe Arredondo; Dr. Gary Halter, Dr. John W. //<** Robert Harvey; Dr. Charles McCandless; Dr. Clinic 1 ■ Phillips; Rebel Rice. Director of Student Publicd^ Donald C. Johnson. I