e 16
Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Thursday
April 2, 1981
By RU1
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By Jim Earle
‘Now that’s what I call seniority!
By HELEN THOMAS
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The violence of
American society has once more touched
the highest reaches of power. And once
more there is the realization that it is almost
impossible to protect a president from a
would-be assassin.
The attempt on the life of President
Reagan probably will not deter him, his
aides say, from venturing forth again into
public. Exposure to people is necessary for
a politician and few doubt that Reagan will
choose to become isolated in the White
House.
As the days go on, there will be soul
searching. Could anything have been done
that was not done to keep harm from befall
ing the prsident?
But there are very few lawmakers who
are willing, despite the record of the past,
to support anti-gun legislation. The lobby is
too strong on Capitol Hill, and some hon
estly do not believe it would be effective.
“I’ve been giving it some thought,” Sen.
Paul Laxalt, R-Nev., told reporters, but he
did not indicate in what direction. Other
congressional leaders came to the White
House the day after the shooting and said
there should not be haste in considering
such matters.
There was speculation that Reagan him
self would not change his mind on the sub
ject of gun control. He believes a better
deterrent to the misuse of firearms would
be longer mandatory sentences for a person
convicted of committing a crime with a gun.
With the millions of guns extant in the
country, the subject may become moot.
But the subject of keeping a president, or
the nation’s political leaders from harm’s
way, is a subject of concern.
Senate Republican leader Howard Baker
told reporters this is a “free and rambunc
tious society” where the people feel free to
villify their leaders. He cannot foresee the
end of that kind of hostility or of Reagan
retreating behind the big black fences at the
White House.
Reagan obviously was conscious of the
potential for harm in the presidency. He
had been briefed on Secret Service proce
dures and the constant presence of his pro
tectors was reminder enough.
He once told Vice President George
Bush’s wife “if the awful, awful th ng hap
pens” he wants Bush to “know everything. ”
The exposure of the nation’s leaders and
the publicizing of their appearances add to
the risks. But they would not have it any
other way, apparently.
There are bound to be some recommen
dations for improving security in the days
ahead. Reagan may be asked to wear a bul
let-proof vest when he knows he will be in
public.
He also will probably be more sur
rounded by flying wedges of agents in his
public appearances. He may also be asked
to avoid open events where the audience
cannot be checked.
One of the two attempts on the life of
President Gerald Ford also occurred when
he was leaving a hotel.
The Secret Service is now conducting an
inquiry and White House aides expect
more recommendations to follow. For the
agency, the problem is that the president
has the last say in the matter and it is he who
will determine where he goes.
Reagan’s ordeal may win him a sympathy
vote, help his popularity, and may even
help him push his economic recovery prog
ram, some of his aides believe. Such was
the case following the assassination of John
F. Kennedy.
Johnson said “let us continue” and he
was able to get through many of the Ken
nedy “new frontier” measures while Con
gress was still stunned by the national
tragedy of Kennedy’s death.
Still, it won’t be that easy for Reagan.
Byrd has already served notice that while
the Democrats do not plan to “obstruct” the
economic package, they plan to consider it
“on its merits.”
the small society
by Brickman
Cfc? |[?£MTlFr
WITH /AHV Lost
\
©1961 King FMturet Syndicate. Inc World right* reserved
3'Z7
Warped
Foul-ups characterize electio
lead of onl
Bob Sath<
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iere will be <
ilty/staff and
Faculty <
d a list of
Protecting president
next to impossible
To some candidates and voters in the
spring election circus, those handling the
spring election are the clowns.
In a confounding and inexplicable dis
play of oversight, election officials have first
deprived some students of their voting
rights; then they have tried to justify this
foul-up by citing non-existent provisions in
the student body constitution and election
guide.
The rigmarole began when the Election
Commission failed to adequately abide by
Section (5100) of the 1981 General Election
Regulations. That provision says, “The
Election Commission shall submit to The
Battalion a sample ballot at least three (3)
class days prior to the opening day of
voting. ”
The Battalion got a ballot six days prior to
the election. That ballot was marked “Offi
cial Ballot.”
A different sample ballot — also marked
“Official Ballot” — was received late Mon
day night, not even one day before the elec
tion.
That was Broken Rule #1.
Student body president candidate Matt
Woodruff has every right to contest the
election and its results, since graduating
seniors nominally weren’t allowed to vote.
“Nominally,” because some graduating
seniors did vote, while others were denied
that right.
Sidebars
prohibiting graduating seniors from
they should do that. But until th
exists, they are bound by the legality
wording in their current rules, and
shouldn’t play Mickey Mouse wordi
to interpret some students out of v
The rules should be clear enough; whei
Bv Dillard Stone officials have to split hairs on somethii«| 0 ^ er ^
cimr^lo oc MTir»afin'n if c fimi /s i!
Woodruff has the case won either way: In
the one instance, the voting prohibition
arbitrarily discriminated against some
seniors, while it arbitrarily did not discri
minate against others.
In the other case, he’s absolutely sup
ported by election regulations and the con
stitution.
The former lists in Section (3400) only
two qualifications for students to vote: cur
rent enrollment at Texas A&M, and a valid
Texas A&M I.D. card.
The latter says the student body presi
dent will be “elected at-large by a majority
vote of the Student Body during the Spring
Semester.”
No one can point out a constitutional
roadblock which could prohibit graduating
seniors from voting. We at The Battalion
can’t find one either — probably because
one doesn’t exist.
If election officials want to add a rule
simple as voter qualification, it’s tii
revise and rewrite.
And even if such a rule did exist,
the student body president assumeso lephone nu
14 days after validation of the election
suits, and since graduating seniors
students at that time, they are infactpt
his constituency. Therefore, they sis
have the right to vote in his selection j
remember, they do have I.D. cards
they are enrolled.
True enough, neither document
specifically that graduating seniors
vote. But they also don’t say specific
that Corps juniors can vote, or liberal
graduate students, or any other
category for that matter. And,
seniors have been allowed to vote ii
spring elections.
All this is Broken Rule #2.
As I write this, I don’t know the J-boi ^ B on f ir ,
decision on the validity of the results,
gardless of what happens though, tlieli
spring election should point one thing
The circus needs a ringmaster.
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Disregard for human life is tragic
Editor:
Monday’s unsucessful attempt at taking
our president’s life will have far reaching
repercussions that must be dealt with by
the American people. Although we are
transplanted residents (of Canadian origin)
the assassination attempt deeply hurts us
and makes us question the direction of this
great nation. Are we going to one day live in
a nation where every person must fear for
his well-being? Or will the American judi
cial system be revised to deter potential
offenders and keep past criminals from re
peating crimes? It is a tragedy that such
incidents have come to epitomize our socie
ty as one in which human life has so little
value.
Our initial reactions of anger and outrage
quickly changed to inner regret that one
man’s action could so easily tarnish our na
tion’s worldwide image. Such a loss of
respect for human life is intolerable in a
land where human rights abound. Perhaps
we should adopt the policy of “an eye for
an eye and a tooth for a tooth” in our
dealings with criminals. Action must be
taken soon or the American society as we
know it will degenerate to a state of inher
ent fear where every person’s right to a
peaceful existence will be jeopardized.
David Petitpas ’82
Mike Petitpas ’84
Wi tch -h un ting
Editor:
Saturday, March 28, marked the second
anniversary of the accident at the Three
Mile Island nuclear power plant.
According to UPI, Barry Commoner,
Bella Abzug and hundreds of coal miners
led thousands of protesters on a march into
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The miners and
environmentalists chanted “Coal Power!
Coal Power!” and carried placards which
read “Keep TMI shut down.”
I couldn’t help but be amused when
these self-proclaimed environmentalists
supported the combustion of coal as the
answer to America’s current “energy shor
tage.” It seems contradictory to label one
self an environmentalist and advocate the
ent for the
ie council’s
Fred Seals
ition along v
i education
n " ate stuc * er
hazards of coal (acid rain, airborne poll ice presiden
tants) over the benefits of clean, cheap n# David Kee
lear power. >n were elec
I quote an advertisement which tl ^ from tl
Mobile Oil corporation placed in TheDi! bey will be
las Morning News on Sunday, March 2S le 1981-82
“There’s a problem all right, but it f 656 " 1 a
- psychological, not nuclear. That’s theopl
ion of psychiatrist Robert L. Dupont, wl )llnc j] jn ^
nails “nuclear phobia” as the main culpi i a j or j t y 0 y (
.... And Dr. Arthur M. Buech, lastyeai ),
winner of the American Institute of Chen
ists Gold Medal Award, sees a parallel h
tween today’s nuclear phobia and the “ft
century fear of witches.”
Nuclear power is an opportunity Amerii
can’t afford to pass up. If we continued'
velopment of nuclear power, America 0
look forward to a prosperous future indi
pendent of all foreign energy sources.
Murray Moore f
By Scott McCullar
HI, I'M SORRY TO HAVE
TO 3RIN6 THIS UP, BUT
THERE IS ONE ARGUMENT
ABOUT HANDGUNS THAT
IS RATHER overdone.
THEY SAY IF YOU REALLY
WANT TO RILL SOMEONE,
YOU WILL, GUN OR NOT.
PERFECTLY TRUE! BUT
HOW MANY PEOPLE WAWT
TO KILL? HOW MANY
MURDERS ARE PREMEDITATED?
WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE
spontaneous, heat-of-the
-MOMENT TYPE MURDERS?
HOW MANY OP THEM WOULD
HAVE HAPPENED IF THE
EASIEST, QUICKEST
MEANS op REMOTE
KILLING WEREN'T THERE?
a-ha!
AFTER ALL, MOST PEOPLE
ARE SO LAZY THAT IF
THEY HAD TO GO A
LITTLE OUT OF THE I R
WAY TO Kl LL, THEY
MIGHT NOT BOTHER.
AW, HELL, MY WI F£
I THINK I'LL KEEP HER.
The Battalion
MEMBER
ISPS <M.> .160
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Dillard Stone
Managing Editor . Angelique Copeland
Asst. Managing Editor Todd Woodard
City Editor Debbie Nelson
Asst. City Editor . Marcy Boyce
Photo Editor Greg Gammon
Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
Asst. Focus Editor Susan Hopkins
News Editors Venita McCellon,
Scot K. Meyer
StaflfWriters Carolyn Barnes,
Jane G. Brust, Terry Duran, Bernie Fette,
Cindy Gee, Phyllis Henderson,
Kathleen McElroy, Belinda McCoy,
Kathy O’Connell, Richard Oliver,
Denise Richter, Rick Stolle
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Photographers Chuck Chapman
Brian Tate
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Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, ^
Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Universifl
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