The Battalion
Viewpoint
Thursday
Texas A&M University
April 6, 1978
Keep the politics out of yells
“BEAT . . . THE . . . HELL . . . OUT . . .
OF . . . DOLPH . . . BRISCOE!”
A Republican war yell? Maybe. A local pizza
parlor resounded with that cry Wednesday.
But the willing Aggies who did the yelling,
prompted by free beer Republican gubernatorial
candidate Bill Clements had provided, were led
by three of Texas A&M’s student yell leaders.
Yell leaders Joe Wright, Jeff Hancock and Rick
Bowen — in full “yell- leading” uniform — led
the two hundred or so students at the Clements
rally in several yells, including the “beat the hell
out of Briscoe” version.
There is something inherently foul about
student-elected leaders of a state university yel
ling for a political candidate to “beat the hell out
of’ the state’s governor.
Texas A&M students elected those yell leaders
to represent the students at athletic events and
anywhere else where a symbol of student spirit is
needed. A political rally — for any candidate — is
not such a place.
Yell leaders have as much right to express their
own opinions as anyone else. That includes the
right to endorse any candidate, for any office.
But not as official representatives of Texas A&M
and the University’s students, in the official uni
form of that office.
This is not to condemn candidate Clements or
to support any other candidate. But it is a con
demnation of those yell leaders who took their
responsibility as student representatives so
lightly, who jumped on Clements’ bandwagon so
quickly, who took the act of yelling more se
riously than the meaning of that yell.
Joe Wright and Jeff Hancock are now junior
yell leaders and are running for re-election as
senior yell leaders. Student voters might consider
their “performance” Wednesday when deciding
how to vote for next year’s yell leaders.
Student leaders often ask for more respect from
their constituency. It is incidents like this that
make giving that respect so difficult.
—L.R.L.
Th e isolated middle-class black
By WILLIAM RASPBERRY
WASHINGTON — Was white oppres
sion always the glue that held blacks to
gether across lines of income and social
status, or was it some deeper, cultural link?
What happens to relations between well-off
and poor blacks as racism becomes a less-
onerous fact of American life? What should
happen?
C ommentary
While journalists, sociologists and others
are busy assessing the state of black-white
relations ten years after the murder of Mar
tin Luther King Jr., it seems worthwhile to
take a small look at the relations between
have and have-not blacks.
Many of us see — and are saddened by —
a rift between the two groups, a sort of
Kerner Commission conclusion applied to
blacks: that blacks are becoming two sepa
rate societies, one middle class, one poor
— alienated and estranged from each
other.
But is it the terrible thing we make it out
to be? Or is it the natural, inevitable cout-
come of black progress?
When no black of any income or status
could live west of Washington s Rock Greek
park, eat in downtown restaurants or sleep
in wayside motels, it was clear what blacks
had in common: oppression. The march
lines, from Selma to Cicero, comprised
doctors and domestics, college professors
and illiterates, the comfortably-off and the
penniless. If whites brooked no distinctions
between blacks, blacks clearly could not
afford to.
In fact, the refusal of whites to make
distinctions among blacks was one of the
rallying themes of the 1960s , Now,that-the
distinctions are, at least in some cases,
being made by whites, how should blacks
respond?
The question will become tougher as
outright racism decreases. For the time be
ing, even the most fortunate of blacks ex
perience enough racism to sense the need
to “stick together.”
At least in terms of rhetoric. But sticking
together is more difficult when there is no
“movement,” no concerted program
against racism. An upwardly mobile black
may feel that racism keeps him from being
offered a vice presidency in the firm in
which he, nevertheless, holds a high-level
executive position. But he still has little to
talk about with the guy who blames racism
for the fact that he has no prospect of any
job at all.
Theisnccessful hlaclumay feel some spe
cial sympathy for his jobless, ill-prepared
brother. He may understand that racism
has a good deal to do with that joblessness
and lack of preparation. But if he sits in the
personnel office of a major white firm, he is
likely to make the same sort of judgment
that his white predecessor might have
made, and the jobless black remains job
less.
The same mixed emotions color the rest
of his existence. He is as likely as his white
counterpart to resist the establishment of
low-income housing in his neighborhood,
to object to the importation of ghetto blacks
into his children’s schools, to lock his car
doors when he drives through the black
slums.
But he can’t bring himself to take what
would appear to be the pext logical step: to
ally himself,- professionally, socially, and
Letters to the editor
Put up or shut up” by voting
Editor:
Today is the first day for elections held
annually here at A&M and as usual there
will be a low voter turn-out. After voting, I
went to my class held in Zachry. I saw the
voting booth clearly out in the open, but I
noticed very short lines. When I got to class
I asked a few of the students if they had
voted yet. Their answer was “NO” with the
usual excuse of it takes too much time and
they don’t have enough or they don’t know
who is running. I expect between eight and
nine thousand voters to turn out this year,
most being on-campus with a great per
centage being CTs. Off-campus voters
share the same rights everybody else does
and they too should take time and vote.
What disappoints me is the customary
“Block Voting” done each year by the CT’s.
This applies especially to the yell leader
elections. Qualification for yell leaders is
highly spirited FIGHT N AGGIE, not a
“burr head ”. Non-regs can make just as
good yell leaders as Corps. Representa
tion of the student body, as well as qualifi
cation should determine who holds office.
I think tradition comes second in the case
of choosing yell leaders. Why have all
CTs?
The number of voter turn-outs, as in all
elections will always be low because many
people just don’t care. So you people who
don’t vote shut up and don t complain
about the people who do get the positions.
— Joe H. Hickman, ’79
Angry Con II
Editor:
Upon reading Monday’s article on Ag-
gieCon and Becky Matthew’s much-
needed critique, we must say that we
wholeheartedly support the attitude of Ms.
Matthews.
We, like her, feel that it is an inherent
right of every Aggie to openly criticize
those things which are cluttered with im
perfections. (Besides, this is an excellent
chance to boost your own ego at expense of
others.) For example, the article stated that
$27 was paid for three tables when in fact
they cost $28. Heaven forbid! Errors of this
magnitude are the kind which have befell
many a great nation. One can never be too
exacting when dealing with organizations of
such global significance as the Cepheid
Variable.
We, like Ms. Matthews, feel that such
“constructive” criticism is wholesome and
should not be offered anonymously. Fur
ther, true recognition calls for publicizing
not only yourself, but also personal accom
plishments (i.e. clubs, organizations and
positions held therein). We salute you Ms.
Matthews — we found your thoughts re
freshing. Obviously you feel, as we do, that
criticism is a power to be used freely and,
by all means, for personal satisfaction.
— Doug Black
Kerry McFee
Angry Con III
Editor:
This is in reply to Becky Matthew’s let
ter:
Slouch
by Jim Earle
Becky:
Congratulations! You are not the only
one to feel that mistakes should not be left
uncorrected.
Item #1: CRAB Nebula’s members
supplied most (not some) of the books in the
display cases in the MSG, so CRAB Nebula
had something to do with AggieCon.
Item #5: I’m going to assume that you
didn’t misspell Alan Dean Foster’s name. I
hope it was a typo in the Batt. Anyway,
Alan Dean Foster is the author of the Star
Trek Log series. “Star Log” is a magazine
about science fiction in television and the
Yeah'. Let’s hear some racket out there^
Strike home? I had the “privilege” of sitting
in the first row of the horseshoe; one can’t
see much standing, much less sitting. If the
disabled whether veteran or pregnant or
otherwise, must sit here to see the games,
tnen it shows where the Aggie Spirit really
lies; right in the middle of the freezer. Be
proud to be an Aggie, they say!
If a pregnant woman or an elderly person
or a disabled Vet can find the gumption to
pull themselves to Kyle Field, then they
have as much Twelfth Man spirit as anyone;
they don’t have to stand up to prove it! So
why make them have to stand to see the
game? Maybe the senators (Joe Young &
Linda Sandstet) would oblige the rest of the
faculty, staff, students, and alumni of A&M
by sacrificing their lives for a year in war or
be confined by only one good leg, or no legs
at all, or by carrying a life in them. Fat
chance! If just because a person is disabled
his (her) feelings can be deemed of such low
consequence that he (she) can be shuffled
around then I think it is time for some
people to grow up.
Let the disabled keep their seats, and
make room for more in that area if neces
sary and let some of us Ags with stronger
legs, and bodies put up with having to stand
to be able to see...FOR THOSE WHO
CAN’T! — Tony Raimondo, ’79
Tom Brown, ’79
cinema.
These may seem picky, but I feel that
journalism majors should be responsible
enough to get their facts right before they
report a story. By the way, Becky, you are
the Chairman-select of Cepheid Variable,
not Chairman-elect. The latter implies that
you were democratically chosen, which
was not the case as the MSC Council ap
points committee chairmen rather than
putting the chairmen up for election.
One final note: giving credit where
credit is due, Hospitality Committee
provided people to take tickets at the Ag
gieCon movies. You should have at least
mentioned that, Becky.
— Sven Knudson
Elected President, CRAB Nebula
Clarifying stand
Give up seats
“IT’S MY DEFENSE AGAINST BICYCLERS! LAST WEEK I WAS
AWARDED A REAR FENDER!”
Editor:
In reference to the letter by Jessie W.
Cowan, Graduate Student-Entomology,
concerning the positioning of the consid
ered section seats from the upper deck to
the horseshoe area:
We think it is pretty sorry for a group of
“well-spirited Aggie students” to feel it is
their duty to decide that the physically
handicapped or physically limited persons
attending A&M as students, staff or
spouses there of may be moved around
the stadiums (or any where else) like dis
eased cattle.
If the student senators “think that the
first five rows of the horseshoe area are so
good then perhaps these seats should be
made mandatory first-choice seats for all
seniors, VIP guests, and the student gov
ernment.
Editor’s note: The Battalion regrets
the errors.
emotionally with whites of similar educa
tion and income. He won’t let himself be
come “white. ”
Why? Quite probably because he (or his
predecessors) tried that once. Blacks can
not forget the old days when they were led
to believe that if they acquired enough
“culture, ” if they eschewed loud dress and
raucous music and kept their lawns mani
cured, they would be accepted by whites as
equals.
It didn’t work in the old days, and they
are afraid to risk the humiliation of trying it
now.
But if they cannot bring themselves to
embrace the whites who act like them, they
also find themselves without much basis for
contact with non-affluent blacks who look
like them. In many cases, where local hous
ing and social patterns permit, they may
find themselves socializing with whites,
though with unspoken misgivings.
Middle-class blacks are, in some ways,
the most torn of Americans. They get no
sympathy from whites, who assume that
everything is fine, or from less-well-off,
who feel abandoned.
Nor are they at all sure where the trend
will take them. Sometimes they agree with
William Julius Wilson (“The Declining
Significance of Race,” University of
Chicago Press) that their blackness finally
will matter less than their middle
classness. Sometimes they agree with
Kenneth Clark, that their progress “re
mains dependent on benevolence of whites
who can give or withhold — that race is
still the key.
Middle-class blacks, ten years after King
and Kerner, are better off than they have
ever been. And substantially more con
fused.
© 1978, The Washington Post
Editor:
Concerning the story which appeared
Thurs., March 30, on the appearance of
myself and my opponents before the
Brazos County A&M Club (Candidates
Speak at County Meeting”), there were
statements on my positions which were in
accurate and which I cannot allow to go
unanswered.
The first inaccuracy was in the state
ment that all candidates favored regulation
of natural gas. I am and always have been
opposed to the regulation of natural gas
and I so stated during that meeting. I fully
intend to actively work toward the DE-
regulation of natural gas when elected to
Congress.
The second inaccuracy stated that all
candidates except Kay Jones favored the
Humphrey-Hawkins hill. I am opposed to
that bill and I so stated in that meeting.
This bill works against the free market
forces where permanent jobs should be,
and further contributes to the problems of
the unemployed among tpxw income.
I have great respect for reporters and
the good job they do. However, when a
mistake is made which misrepresents my
positions on the issues, I feel I must ask
that the facts be presented accurately.
Thank you.
— Wes Mowery
Candidate for U.S. Representative
Sixth District
Top of the News
Campus
I
Biomedical students to register
Preregistration for biomedical science majors for the fall semester
1978 will be conducted during the week of April 24-28. Fall Semester
Schdule of Classes will be available about April 17. When you have
obtained an approved course request form from your adviser, deliver
it to the biomedical science office, Veterinary Medical Administration
Building. During preregistration week, you should complete your
preregistration by returning to the biomedical science office to pick
up your registration packet.
Math contest scheduled
A math contest will be held Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., in
room 201 Milner for freshmen, and in room 216 Milner for sopho
mores. Only freshmen and sophomores who weren’t classified above
their current standing last September are eligible to participating
Prizes will be $50 for first place, $30 for second place and $20 for
third place.
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A helicopter circling to land on a petroleum drilling ship flipped
into the Gulf of Mexico, trapping and kdling three passengers includ
ing the ship’s captain, the Coast Guard at Galveston said Wednesday.
The helicopter pilot and co-pilot and a drilling superintendent sur
vived the 11:52 p.m. Tuesday crash. The dead were identified as John
S. Hinds, 54, Metairie, La., who was captain of the “Java C”; Michael
L. McKinney, 27, Houston, and Dwane M. Rivers, 26, Pasadena,
Texas. Survivors were identified as Webster C. Manuel of Mamou,
La.; Rick Ferguson of Pearland, Texas; and Tom Malloy, 39, of
Lafayette, La.
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State property tax challenged
An East Texas legislator Wednesday filed suit in Austin contending
a state property tax is unconstitutional and asking a court to block
further assessment and collection of the tax used to finance construc
tion on state college campuses. Rep. Wayne Peveto, D-Orange, who
has lost repeated legislative attempts to require uniform property
tax assessment and collection procedures in the state, said the state
E roperty tax is collected in a discriminatory manner because it is
ased on collection procedures in each of the state’s 254 counties.
His suit challenges the validity of the tax because there is no uniform
statewide tax base, no uniform appraisal standards and techniques,
and because assessment ratios vary from county to county.
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Hughes’ assistant testifies
The multimillion dollar sale of TWA launched a feverish buying
spree in late 1967 which required daily contact between Howard
Hughes and business associates at a time proponents of the Mormon
Will say the industrialist was lost in the central Nevada desert.
Robert Maheu, former head of Nevada operations for Hughes, tes
tified Wednesday in Las Vegas that he received 10 to 15 telephone
calls from Hughes daily in late December of 1967 because of the late
industrialists’s orders to generate “active income” before the end of
the tax year. Sale of TWA for $574 million meant Hughes’ income
from interest was elevated to such a high level that he needed prop
erties which generated active income for tax-saving purposes, Maheu
said.
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Drug master plan suggested
A master plan to reduce drug smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico
border was suggested Wednesday in Albuquerque by New Mexico
Attorney General Toney Anaya at a regional conference on drug traf
ficking. Anaya, speaking the Third Southwestern States Conference
on Crime and the Border, also said drug enforcement agencies need
to strengthen their border detecting capabilities. “This master plan
should include continued eradication of all sources of illegal narcotics,
identification and prosecution of smugglers on both sides of the bor
der, an intelligence network, an end to jealousies among law
enforcement agencies and increased coordinated and communica
tion,’ he said.
Weather
Considerable early morning cloudiness turning partly cloudy
this afternoon and evening. High today mid-BOs, low tonight
mid-60s. High tomorrow mid-80s. Winds from the south-
southeast at 15-20 mph. 20% chance of rain during the day
on Friday.
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 Regents. The
Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise oper
ated by students as a university and community newspaper.
Editorial policy is determined by the editor.
LETTERS POUCY
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are
subject to Ifeing 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.
McDonald Building, College Station, Texas nWi
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Editor Jaittie
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News Editors Marie Honicyer. CanM
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Student Publications Board: Bob C. Roprs. (
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