The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, December 11, 1980, Image 2
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday December 11,1980 Dat< Slouch By Jim Earle ‘This is my way of keeping the graduating seniors on their toes. Mourn Lennon, for we ha ve lost a voice By RUSTY CAWLEY He was the illegitimate son of a British mer chant seaman. His mother died during his childhood and he was raised by his Aunt Mimi in working-class Liverpool. He fought his way into leadership of a five-man skiffle band called “The Quarrymen. ” Soon they became “Johnny and the Moondogs,” later “The Silvaer Bea tles.” They played for 11 hours straight, 7 days each week, in Hamburg night clubs. They re turned to England, and became the best-selling recording act in the history of music. If Paul McCartney was the heart of the Bea tles, George Harrison the body, and Bingo Starr the soul, then John Lennon was the mind. Without him, the Beatles would have been just another rock act, and would have faded into obscurity with Gerry and the Pacemakers. He provided the drive for their rise to fame, and the inspiration for their musical experiments. He virtually conceived and created studio re cording as an art form. News programs since his death have eulo gized Lennon again and again as being as im portant as Bach, Beethoven, or Brahms. That’s inaccurate, for Lennon was much more a poet than a composer. He should be remembered instead as being in realm of Shelley, Keats and Rimbaud. His influence on his times, however, He was the classic figure of a man that was either loved or hated. Youth loved him for his honesty and his individualism. The “Establish ment” hated him for these same qualities, though they viewed them as rudeness and eccentricity. Lennon could not understand how nations could buy arms when their citi zens were starving. He could not see how one person could hate another because of the color of his skin. He could not come to grips with the violence and misery man perpetuates upon fellow man. And he screamed. So the dogs turned on him. The dogs got their first chance in 1966 when newspapers across the nation misquoted Len non as saying that the Beatles “are bigger than Jesus Christ. ” What Lennon really said was that their fans treated the Beatles as if they were greater than Christ. He didn’t say that to boast. He said it in disgust. People actually brought cripples for the Beatles to heal. They erected temples to worship “The Fab Four.” Lennon never asked to be worshiped, or even adored. He just asked to be heard. Reader s forum Warped Concert motives questione Co-sponsoring arrangement opens door for abuse ec. 15, -#:• is* 15, 1. 15, Who is Mary K. Miller and why is she com ing to Texas A&M University? She’s a former Las Vegas entertainer and wife of a wealthy Houston builder and develop er. She’s coming to our campus to sing tonight — and I wish she weren’t. The MSG Town Hall and Opera and Per forming Arts Society Committees are present ing the free concert in Rudder Auditorium. College Station Bank is paying for it. Two months ago, Miller’s millionaire hus band, Vincent Kickerillo, proposed the idea to have the concert at Texas A&M. He is College Station Bank’s majority stock holder. That bank opened here last year and moved to a new building on Texas Avenue in Novem ber. Tonight’s concert is the grand finale of College Station Bank’s grand opening week. Kickerillo’s bank is giving the Texas A&M community a free concert — and a trip for two to Las Vegas for a “lucky” ticketholder — in exchange for some publicity. To that businessman, this may be good PR. To the Town Hall and OPAS committees, this may be a good deal. But to this Aggie, this is NOT good bull. The Town Hall and OPAS committee mem bers approved the program since it is entertain ment during Dead Week with no financial risk involved. Volunteers from those committees have handled the publicity and will serve as ushers tonight. Coffee breaks 16, By Jane Brust 'ages The Singing Cadets agreed to open Miller’s variety act and also do the finale with her. It seems that the parties involved decided to present this program based on its entertain ment merits alone without consideration for the promotion of College Station Bank. True, the publicity posters read, “MSC Town Hall & OPAS Student Committee pre sents Mary K. Miller” instead of “Town Hall and OPAS and College Station Bank present Mary K. Miller,” but the bank still gets the credit at the bottom of each poster. The concert has also been advertised in The Battalion. And, yes, the ads read the same as the posters. specific program are legitimate, Bui get out of hand. The MSC committees often reo from commercial organizationsthatm or partially fund particular programs! names attached. The committeesdtJ ram by program which ones to pr&l Some groups perform exclusivell commercial groups sponsoring tkf ample, when the Pepsi-ColaskatetetJ do a program on skating safety, t with all the publicity. That groupi Pepsi-Cola — that’s what they do. But the Mary K. Miller concertiitj She is a professional entertainei ® ere was thing is not singing for College Stat»Hk ere v , that’s just what she’s doing tonight,iMut the doing it on this campus, as partoliwica Lot week’s worth of promotion. Sheo leSouthwe come to this campus without Cnlk iThe walk Bank. It’s exploitation. This programisa the Town Hall and OPAS committee:! Kickerillo is paying for the show through donations to the University’s Enrichment Fund. Those donations will completely pay for the Town Hall and OPAS presentation; those committees will pay nothing. The Enrichment Fund Committee approves specific expenditures for programs approved by MSC committees, and donations made for a ed GT1 100 worke Krs we i who are promoting it, the Singing0:L"’ issuew are participating in it and the UniveiJk new ( putting up with it. Kandb Mary K. Miller might be good iThe effeci ment, and College Station Bank iB in te good one. But no one should havei,«d in the present tonight’s concert. IfsabigriW cra ^ t ' v Let’s hope this program does noise®™ 111 ’ dent for other programs to come to!®^ in other promotional schemes. p »ay. have you guys e\tr given any thought to being represented by* union? 6 He warned us about Nixon’s police-state long before Watergate. He vehemently opposed the Vietnam War when such a position was still dangerous stand for a celebrity to take. He spoke of the dangers of bureaucratic govern ment years ahead of the Libertarian Party. So the dogs attacked again, viciously. The courts ruled him unfit to serve as a step father for Yoko Ono Lennon’s daughter from her first marriage. The U.S. Immigration Ser vice sought to deport him to England based on his misdemeanor conviction on possesion of marijuana. The conviction was later proved to be a frame. Lennon’s immigration case was dropped suddenly in 1976, just before the Nix- on-Ford Administration left office. After almost 12 years of this, Lennon finally declared his retirement in 1975. He and Yoko went to Japan, had a son, and became a family. For five years, Lennon didn’t touch his guitar. Then, earlier this year, he decided to record again. He’d found his peace, within himself. He had a family and an identity separate from that of the other Beatles. He was about to let us all into what he had found. But Monday night, Mark David Chap man and his scrambled-egg of a brain ended John Lennon’s life. For anyone who has decided to treat Len non’s death lightly, I ask only that you pull out your history book. Look at Western culture before 1964 and after 1964. That’s the year the Beatles first arrived in America. Sample the music, examine the fashions, analyze the entire sociological trends of that era. If you look close ly, you will see Lennon’s influence in all of it. He was not a savior, nor a prophet, but simply a voice. An original. A fountain of ideas that was far from dry. Now he is dead, and there is no one to re place him. No one. Mourn his death, and your loss as well. Rusty Cawley is a senior journalism major from Bryan. He has served as a staff reporter, city editor and news editor for The Battalion. One area lue defau Striking w Sell a loc; pber’s di But in the K were ph will s ! Mary Win JTE as a ike coordi “It was ve now she ked as a I store. ” barton ( on the 1 by the Barton i 1 when pd for ( 5 and be guess I hi barton ees who “A strike i Jted,” s pou hav< iarton : I aeaked ping to It’s your turn Traditions criticism belongs elsewhen Editor: To all those, past and present, who have written The Battalion complaining about our traditions here at A&M; hear me out! I am growing weary of picking up the Batt and hav ing to read your selfish remarks criticizing most of the traditions that make A&M unique. The Batt is the University paper, we (I speak for many) don't want to hear from those of you who don’t care for some special part of A&M. The list of complaints is almost endless, but the one that gets to me the most is the criticism of bonfire. Why do I have to read letters from those of you who claim it’s a waste or a fire hazard, or the one who thought we should use the resources to feed the starving; these are quite sympathetic guys, but who cares what you think. If you don’t like our blazing fire, then don’t go; we won’t miss you. Bonfire is a great part of spirit at A&M and it’s here to stay. One last appeal, don’t cry on the shoulders of those who probably outnumber you 100 to 1. If you want to get something off your mind, there are more appropriate places to write. How long has it been since you wrote to mom? The Batt is an above average University newspaper with one exception, change the name of “It’s Your Turn ” to “Negative Feedback. ” Come on Ags, if you want to write in, take a few cheap shots at t. u. or your professors, but I see no need for you to stab yourself in the back. Gerry Albanese ’83 most members of the Corps, withtheil dent exception of Mr. Paul Stanislav. Although most Corps members feelid Stanislav receives praise is directly related to brawn, muscle,] a biting tongue, it’s nice to knows® the Corps has real courage. So Mr. Stanislav, you receive my and pride for speaking your mind wfc evident the walls may tumble downt'| head. Editor: Courage, in true form seems to have escaped Let’s just hope the Trigon and upstanding Corps members won’t let[ be a response to truth. Jean T. Longs The Battalion ISPS 045 }60 By Scott McCuttar 'h GoJ, »■ LJ itK J, a.r. T lack cl«.ss, J it'* Orja-nie. 1 tK- for ,« Wta-ry? Welt, jooii »o*r r'i fo /OV f*e? It o I ° — <j? \r/ I/S ^=4 It tul As Soon o-s' ■finish tk«4 mouthful I htve. «.n imfoiTa.nt' announce ment fo Make... MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congres Questions or comments concerning any editoritl^ should be directed to the editor Editor Dillard Stone Managing Editor Rhonda Watters Asst. Managing Editor Scott Haring City Editor Becky Swanson Asst. City Editor Angelique Copeland Sports Editor Richard Oliver Asst. Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Scot K. Meyer Asst. Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff News Editors Lynn Blanco, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Afflerbach, Kurt Allen, Nancy Andersen, Marcy Boyce, Jane G. Brust Mike Burrichter, Pat Davidson, Cindy Gee Jon Heidtke, Uschi Michel-Howell, Debbie Nelson Liz Newlin, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photo Editor Pat O’Malley Photographers George Dolan, Greg Gammon, Jeff Kerber EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper op erated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily repre sent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Regents. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should not exceed300 and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Theedil^ reserves the right to edit letters for style wd length 1 make every effort to maintain the author's intent. £*** m ust also be signed, show the address and phone writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome,! 1 ]? subject to the same length constraints as letters. ” inquiries and correspondence to: Editor. The Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, CollegeP 77843. The Battalion is published daily duringTexasAit'l !, ‘ spring semesters, except for holiday and examinali^P Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $3325p<| year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furniw*" 1 quest. m Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed MeDomW Texas A&M University, College Station, TXLSfl United Press International is entitled exclusivel) ^ for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it 1 reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. ; Second class postage paid at College Station, ft 1