Slouch
by Jim Earle
“Can you tell me the source of this policy that prohibits
after-dark studying as an energy-saving precaution?”
Opinion
Bill of Rights covers
cartoonists, too
This editorial is about free speech, and what happens
when someone who tried to exercise that right in this paper
got in trouble.
Last week, a cartoon appeared on the editorial page of The
Battalion. The cartoon, by John Winchester, was parodying
Greek letter organizations — fraternities and sororities. The
cartoon showed some students consoling a friend who had
just learned that his sister had joined a sorority. In addition,
each succeeding panel of the cartoon showed a different
word of a phrase that many Greeks felt was derogatory.
We expected them to laugh, because it was a joke, and
that is all we meant by it.
Since thW carbon fan, The Battalion has received many
phone calls and letters criticizing the cartoon, our decision
to run it and the cartoonist himself. We have printed as
many of the letters as possible. We hoped the whole thing
would end.
Since the controversy began, however, Winchester has
received several threatening phone calls and letters at
home. His bicycle tires were slashed last weekend. There is
no way to tell if the tire slashing and the phone calls are
related, but it is a curious coincidence.
The Battalion feels it has the right to print differing opin
ions in the paper and not fear violent reprisal. We hope our
readers are mature and intelligent enough to realize the
Viewpoint page is a page for everyone’s opinion.
Anyone who disagrees with editorials or news printed in
The Battalion is welcome to write a letter or Reader’s Forum
article explaining his stand. We’ll listen. The fact that we
have printed so many critical letters would seem to show we
are receptive to any opinions. We hope our readers will take
advantage of the offer.
the small society
by Brickman
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
Viewpoint
lo'
LETTERS POLICY
Lt’ttrrs to the editor should not exceed 3(X) words and are
subject to being cut to that length or less if longer The
editorial staff reserves the right to edit such lettirs and does
not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be
signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone
number f(tr 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.
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Roy Bragg
Associate Editor . .
News Editor
Asst. News Editor . .
Copy Editor
Sports Editor
Focus Editor
Senior City Reporter
Senior Campus Reporter.
Keith Taylor
.. . Rusty Cawley
Karen Cornelison
... Dillard Stone
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. Rhonda Watters
. . . . Louie Arthur
. Diane Blake
The Battalion is published Monday through Fridas from
ieptember through May except during exam and holiday
x*riods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday
hrough Thursday.
General Assignment Reporters . . .
Richard Oliver and Andy Williams
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester. $33.25 per
school year. $35.00 per hill year. Advertising rates furnished
on request. Address: The Battalion. Room 216. Reed
McDonald Building, College Station. Texas 77843.
United Press International is entitled exclusively to the
use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it.
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station. TX 77843.
Staff Writers Nancy Andersen,
Tricia Brunhart, Mike Burrichter,
Angelique Copeland, Laura Cortez,
Meril Edwards, Carol Hancock,
Kathleen McElroy, Debbie Nelson,
Steve Sisney
I Chief Photographer Lynn Blanco
Photographers Lee Roy Leschper
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 operated by students
as a university and community newspaper.
Editorial policy is determined by the editor.
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Tuesday
January 29, 1980
p
n
Letters
Dana Bible story
needed more space
Editor:
I am writing in reference to the small
article (the very small article) on the pas
sing away of a significant figure in Aggie
history and tradition.
When former A&M coach Dana X. Bible
died on Saturday, January 19, The Batta
lion used 11 inches of newspaper space to
encompass 88 years of a life and career at
A&M on page 10 of a 12 page issue. A San
Antonio paper printed a much larger and
better story about Coach Bible, who had
nothing at all to do with San Antonio.
As a double-barreled Southwest Confer
ence title winner (five times for football and
three times for basketball), Bible received
very little recognition from The Battalion
and A&M students. During his career, the
Twelfth Man originated and continues to
be the dominating spirit of this campus.
land have all those who would let their
friends fight alone.
On the other hand, I would like to thank
Col. Woodall for his character analysis of
Aggies. It obviously shows that it takes a
man who deals in lives to speculate on how
people feel about risking them.
Mr. Kapavik, your statement to the
Chronicle on this proposal, one which
could prove to be the single most important
one in our futures, is a masterpiece. You’ve
succeeded in saying absolutely nothing de
cisive about how the student body feels on a
decisive issue. You’ve whitewashed the
questions asked of you expertly. You have a
great career ahead of you — in California!
Ron Bucchi ’81
interests, investigate the MSC Commit-
ties.
If you’re here to share in the marvelous
intangibility called, "Being an Aggie,’’ you
don’t need to join a frat for fellowship.
However, if you’re here to get a B.S. in
General Studies with a 2.0 GPR, leave Kyle
Field before the game’s over, go watch the
Bonfire burn (but not help build it), and do
nothing else but party, give yourself a big
fat TWO PERCENT and go to Austin —
you’re taking up space here.
Corrie J. Bergeron, Jr.
Greeks need love
Why a Greek?
A fitting tribute was made in his honor
during the halftime of the A&M-t.u. bas
ketball game. It’s a shame that we couldn’t
have done as well or better.
Glenda Erp ’82
No cowards at A&M
Editor:
I would like to express my dissappoint-
ment with Ronnie Kapavik’s statements to
the Houston Chronicle concerning student
reactions to President Carter’s proposal on
draft registration. Thanks for selling us out,
Mr. Kapavik. Your comment, implying
that Aggies are opposed to voluntarily en
tering the service because we believe the
government makes mistakes, not only
skirts the issue of draft registration, but is
totally out of line in its logic. I’m interested
in knowing how many Ags you polled be
fore you reached this momentous conclu
sion. I find it disturbing that the student
body president can’t see a change in the
students such as the growth of patriotism in
them. We don’t have cowards here, we
have patriots. Just remember the classes of
1918, 1941 and 1942. They, all of them,
volunteered to fight. Stanford, Berkley and
those other schools in Jerry Brown’s fantasy
Editor:
On Jan. 21, John Winchester expressed
his opinion in a cartoon in the Batt. On Jan.
23, Mary Ann Robinson expressed hers in a
letter. Allow me to express mine. Agreed,
the cartoon WAS in bad taste, but it raises a
valid question: What are fraternities (and
sororities) doing at Texas A&M? Before I
get the wrong people mad at me, let me
clarify something — I have absolutely no
thing against greek-letter honor or service
organizations. These groups serve a useful
purpose in the University community.
However, I do have questions about the
myriad frats that seem to be invading
Aggieland.
Personally, I cna’t understand WHY any
Aggie would want to join a frat, when there
are so many (less expensive!) alternatives.
What do frat “brothers” have in common,
anyway? Do you live together? Eat toget
her? Go to yell practice together? Study
together? Or just party together?
Do you know what your $100 + dues go
for? Most of it goes to the national chapter
— to pay for the fancy literature and the
salaries of the professional “brothers”. If
you want to drink, you’d get drunker faster
if you took that money to Lakeview.
Finally, why are you here at A&M?
If you’re here to get the finest technical
education possible, join your major’s pro
fessional technical society.
If you want to meet people with similar
Editor:
Concerning the January 21 comic strip,
“Goofoffs,” we would like to express our
disgust and surprise that a newspaper of
your caliber would print such a stereotyped
viewpoint. Although not known by all
Aggies, the Greek system is the largest
organization of Texas A&M students, sur
passing even the Corps of Cadets in
number.
As members of the Greek system we
have encountered many prejudices at this
university, all of them unwarranted. Soror
ities and fraternities are not only social
oriented but service minded as shown in
recent United Way Drive. Also, each
sorority and fraternity supports its own in
dividual charity.
We truly regret that some students on
this campus can not respect our organiza
tion. We are bonded by a spirit of love
between our brothers and sisters, yet as all
Aggies we cherish the Spirit of Aggieland
and all its traditions.
Christie Chapman
Aggie, I have no reason or desiret
spend to the ad myself. I see no re
however, that any other female Agsl
be discouraged from checking it out. 1(
know what Playboy’s long term intenl
are with the girls they choose bulD ,^
Chan, playboy photographer, madeiti “ ew
clear that the girls don’t have to poser |nce
unless they want to. Besides, itisaont l 1 ' ^
million chance that a girl chosen \vill()! 10 e!tl
as a Playmate and end up as themainal ^ oc
tion of the magazine. No one is tw w ™ 3
your arm to flip past the literary value)
magazine to the photos. Pornograplui e ' u
going to fade away in the future. Youm )ero ’
well accept that fact and respect theri ™
of others who will take advantage o(i
you were really concerned about your ,
low Aggies who are female you would: ? st ™
us your support in opportunities we if lese
choose to take advantage of.
Garnett Worl
Carter is naive
loubl
The
said, I
"A
sellinj
Story explained all
Editor:
I am writing this in response to Alan Ray
and friends’ letter opposing the Playboy
Magazine’s ad in the Battalion for the “soli
citation of Aggie women for possible
appearance in Playboy.” Evidently y’all
didn’t read the article by Doug Graham in
last Wednesday’s Batt that explained Play
boy’s intentions at A&M. Being a female
Editor:
President Carter has finally realizedl
naive he was regarding the Soviet W '
For years the Russian commieshavecu ' ■
world domination, and they will util e ;
whatever means to secure that end. ,
But Carter has not desired tostrengtl . Te ‘
our military program the last threeyer ^
and it will take years to build upouro . , n
ventional forces. J! 1
In addition, Carter’s foreign policy" 1
regards to Iran and Afghanistan has
disgrace. Carter should have sent in u™,
to secure the release of the hostages; i(tl ^'
were killed, then we should retalialt .
bombing Teheran. Furthermore, Cu _
should have sent supplies to Pakistanis ^
weeks ago, and now we must sendtn
to Pakistan to prevent further!
aggression.
In addition, we should not bovcotl
Olympics because it makes us look
stupid spoiled brats. Rather, weshoul
to Moscow and beat the hell out of
Russians. I am hoping for Election Di
come soon so that we can electanewp
dent of action and not of words
A final word — I do support Presi
Carter’s registration for the draft
Richard Leom
two A
lack.
THOTZ