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MAY ?-80
Opinion
Ridiculousness plagues
Moore-Caperton race
I don’t think anything disgusts me more than seeing
grown people act like three-year-olds. I suppose that’s why
the Bill Moore-Kent Caperton race for the Democratic
nomination to a Texas House seat turns my stomach.
The childish name calling, insinuations, distortions and
other political pranks used by Caperton are almost, but not
quite, equalled in ridiculousness by the split personality
toward reporters and chronic foot-in-mouth disease that
plague Moore.
The ploy about union affiliation Caperton tried to use to
discredit Moore was ludicrous. Simply because the com
pany Moore hired to print his campaign material yesteryear
subcontracted the work to a union shop elsewhere means
nothing. How many people, even the most anti-union radic
al, check a dry-cleaner’s to see if it’s a union shop before they
have their underwear cleaned?
Associations like that are known as non sequiturs — p
does not imply q. Simply because the shop that finally
printed the bumper stickers and campaign pins was union
doesn’t mean that Moore favors unionization.
Moore’s statement about withdrawing from the race was
worse than uncalculated. I thought, perhaps, that for once
we could get rid of one politician. But, alas, I was dis
appointed — but not surprised — to learn that he reneged.
Moore has been less than consistent with the press. When
asked about something he doesn’t want to talk about, he
simply gets snide, nasty or otherwise “down-right unfriend
ly” about it. On the other hand, when things aren’t looking
good for him in the press, he’s all smiles, handshakes and
apologies for not being available for press questions. Shades
of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Luckily, there may be an alternative to this mud slinging
and other political ridiculousness. The other day, my public
relations class was talking about the campaign, and the
professor asked, “Well, who are you going to vote for: Bill
Moore or Kent Caperton?’’
A voice from the back of the room said, “The other guy. ”
— Becky Swanson
the small society by Brickman
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
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Managing Editor Rhonda Watters
Asst. Managing Editor .... Becky Swanson
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News Editor Lynn Blanco
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Opinions expressed in The Battalion are
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Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Friday
May 2, 1980
Jo
iai
Reader’s Forum
Homosexuals treated unfairly, gay group says
We at Alternative would like to express
our shock and repulsion at the recent CBS
special “Gay Power, Gay Politics,” aired
April 26. Although the disclaimer at the
beginning of a program stated that it was
not the intent of CBS to discuss gay lifes
tyles, they proceeded to imply that vio
lence, kinky sex, public sex, indeed, homi
cide is synonymous with homosexuality.
This is a totally incorrect and damaging
generalization, implied though it was.
We have been indebted to The Eagle
and to the TAMU Battalion for opportuni
ties not often given to just plain folks like us
(see The Eagle, Aug. 2, 1979; see The Bat
talion, April, 1977). For it is unfortunate
that the major news media choose not to
cover the activities of such average, uncol
orful gay people as those in Bryan-College
Station.
A case in point was the Oct. 14, 1979
March on Washington in which over 75,000
gay people from all over the country mar
ched quietly and peacefully past the White
House. Media coverage of this expression
of gay power, solidarity and concern was
nil. The reason: there were no funny cos
tumes, no shouting, violence or inflamma
tory slogans. Who wants to read about
75,000 average, boring Americans?
But when it comes to people hurting,
degrading or even killing one another, the
media are there with bells on. It has been
said among members of the gay community
that if the “sexual obsessives” are the only
people willing to become visible enough to
gain us our civil rights, we have no right to
complain. However, those of us who live
more universally acceptable lifestyles can
not become visible for fear of losing (among
other things) our jobs, and those of us who
dare to risk that are given no media time (as
in the March on Washington). It’s a no-win
situation.
What do the gay people of Bryan-College
Station want?
We want an end to all human degrada
tion. We want safe parks and playgrounds
for our children.
We want to live in mutual friendship and
cooperation with our straight friends and
relatives. We want an end to all pornogra
phy and dehumanizing commercial activi
ties.
We want the same things you do.
Must we leave our civil rights work in the
hands of the “anonymous-sex seekers” —
or will the media coverage become equit
able enough to allow the rest of us to plead
our own case?
The laws will be changed. They must be
Letters
Northerner: Yanks get cold shoulder from Ags
Editor:
The problem that I am writing to you
about will probably rankle my fellow
Aggies but I feel it needs to be addressed.
Since your meteoric rise to the editor
ship, one senses that “regional” partisan
ship will not be a deciding factor in what
gets printed. This has given me the forti
tude to broach a topic that I thought or at
least, hoped was dormant but much to my
consternation is still very much alive. The
topic I am making reference to is that of
being a “northerner” or a “Yankee.” I hope
you will forgive my graphic theatrics but
this issue has been brooding within me for a
long time.
55 is An ti-Iran
First and foremost I am a denizen of the
United States of America. Yes, my accent is
different and the words that emanate from
my mouth are pronounced with a “strange”
inflection. Yes, I was not born in Texas and
will probably not stay in Texas after I gradu
ate. But, my feelings and emotions don’t
understand the term “regionalisms.”
In adjudicating graduate schools, I was
determined to find a school that would en
able me to pursue the following goals: a
quality education in academics in addition
to a quality education in life, so the net
result would be a well-rounded and in
formed citizen.
The academic education that I am receiv
ing at A&M is superb but because I am a
“Yankee,” my other goal remains tar
nished. I can understand occasional refer
ences, even derogatory in nature, to my
“brash” style and “foreign” accent but after
being the recipient of such “humor” for
almost two years, I see no amelioration in
sight, whicb grieves me deeply.
Editor:
You can’t get into any kind of discussion
about world politics these days without
bringing up the situation in Iran or the
latest price hike in oil by OPEC. These
discussions usually end up with how each
individual thinks the government should
handle the situation.
Hey Ags, I’m here to say that we as indi
viduals and as a group can do something
about it! The only reason the OPEC nations
wield so much power is because they can
cut off their flow of oil to us. And why is our
economic situation in such a mess right
now? Well, one rather substantial cause is
our enormous trade deficit, with oil head
ing the list as its cause. We will eventually
develop alternate energy sources to replace
oil, but what can we do today? Well, in
about a week 30,000 Aggies will ecstatically
climb into their cars which are loaded to the
hilt and head out of College Station in all
directions. Can you imagine how many
thousands of gallons of gasoline that could
be conserved if we all drive 55? You don’t
have to be a statistician to figure out that
the savings would be enormous, and so
what if you get home 30 minutes or even an
hour later? What is that compared to the
whole summer ahead of you? Come on Ags,
won’t you join me in helping to tell those oil
sheiks where they can put their oil!
David Cardwell ’80
Preacher over-zealous
It is a shame that such a great university
limits its warmth and vitality to Texans
only. We “Yankees” desire to come under
your evolving umbrella, if you will only
give us a chance.
Marc Rogers
Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to
Mark Mullin s letter in Wednesday’s Batta
lion.
The message I wish most to convey to
Mr. Mullin is stated in Matthew 7:1.
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. ” Excuse
me, Mark, but who are you to be so know
ledgeable about other people’s relation
ships with God? Did the Almighty inform
you of who is and is not a true Christian? I
won’t go into the details of my own relation
ship with the Lord, but for the sake of an
example, let me say that I do have one, and
I find it very fulfilling. But as far as I am
concerned it is between me and God. He
will judge whether it is worthwhile or not
when the time comes. And I would rather
you left that to Him instead of stepping in
where you’re not wanted.
Referring to the point of your letter, I am
very happy for you in your joy of Christian
ity, and for anyone else who has found the
Lord. But I am one of those Christians who
doesn’t like to have someone else’s private
relationships spouted all over them. I am
embarrassed by public displays of emotion,
and I would appreciate it if those who feel
compelled to speak out on their private
feelings would restrict their orations to
those who solicit them.
It seems to me that these “street corner
preachers” are much like the Pharisee in
Luke 18:10-14. Remember, “...everyone
that exalteth himself shall be abased, and
he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. ”
You may not agree, but I think that these
people reap their rewards on earth when
they receive the praise and publicity they
so avidly seek.
Now, I ask you, wouldn t it be better to
simply live as a Christian instead of spout
ing off about it? After all, isn’t that what
Christ really wanted us to do? Personally,
seeing someone who is consistently kind
and loving, not eager to judge, but to
accept people as they are, would be much
more of an inspiration to me than some
over-zealous elocutionist who embarrassed
me in front of my own student center.
Kelly Kyle
Sbisa computer
Editor:
It’s my turn to sound off about the De
partment of Food Services, but I am not
going to complain about the food. It’s their
darn computer that irks me. I was charged
for eating twice during the same meal
period, but 1 actually only ate once.
I went to Sbisa for lunch around
after my 11:00 class, handed my ID a
the cashier and was wanded in. Tkt
light came on and the cashier wolel
my name and the bar code numbern
back of my ID card and then let me?
The next day at Sbisa I was presented*
bill for $2.75 because, according totk
partment of Food Services’ records,!
only wanded in at 12:06 p.m., but a
10:26 a.m. which is what theyreferl
“multiple dining.”
I was not in Sbisa at 10:26 a.m,,
room and my suitemate will attest toi
did not loan my ID card to anyone,*
have a duplicate ID card which
might have borrowed. I can under:
Food Services’ reason for charging
meal someone else had stolen from#
illegally using my card, but such is it'
case. They are charging me for
which was not eaten by me noranyonfi
Either the computer invented
entry or, more likely, mistook anotlei
dent’s ID number, who wanded ink
me, for mine. Whatever the case,
Services did not lose any money,
were no physical duplications. Surejj
Services thinks it lost $2.75 because
records indicate a student ate twice
their records are wrong and 1
have had to pay the money.
I am a computing science
the four years I have worked with#
ters I have never experienced greater:
culties with the machines until I c# :
Texas A&M. I can tolerate having* 1
dropped which I did not request#
dropped from, of being scheduled 1
class which contains 432 students ii#
the intended size of 42, or havingconf
jobs spooled to devices which
request, but when I lose money be#
a computer’s mistake — that is more
can tolerate. I only hope this sclw
prevent any other computer errors)
might cost students their hardpj
money.
C
Nathan R.
Thotz
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