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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1981)
The Battalion Viewpoint October 1, 1981 Slouch By Jim Earle 0(5 # • “Now that you've perfected a flour bomb, would you promise me that you won't use this room for future tests?” Moderates beginning to make their point WASHINGTON — Of all the animals in our political zoo, none have been more scorned than the creatures that call them selves “moderate Republicans.” In the days of Democratic dominance, true conserva tives derided them as “me-tooers.” Since 1964, they have been predictable losers in Republican conventions. In Detroit last summer, they were bystanders at the Reagan coronation, so impotent they were not even good targets for conservative jibes. One highly credentialed moderate, Sen. Howard H. Baker, Jr., of Tennessee, saw his presidential bid collapse early in the year. Another, Rep. John B. Anderson of Illinois, was routed so thoroughly that he left the GOP for a foredoomed independent candidacy. Having undergone so many humilia tions, these creatures became masters of self-deprecation. When they chose a label for themselves in this Congress, it was “gypsy moths.” “Us moderates,” said Sen. John C. Danforth of Missouri, “are such vanilla characters, we put you to sleep.” But as they say, what goes around, comes around. And the moderate Republicans are sensing accurately these days — and assert ing plainly — that they have a vital role to play in the future of the Reagan administra tion and the Republican Party. The frantic negotiations that led to for mulation of the latest round of budget cuts were different in one respect from those of last spring. This time, the goal of the White House operatives — a goal they did not reach — was to satisfy the gypsy moths, not the Southern Democratic boll weevils, on the equity of the President’s proposals. They understood that Democratic resist ance to Reagan’s austerity measures was increasing, and their only hope of success lay in holding Republican ranks intact — including the two dozen House members and the handful of Senators who consider themselves political moderates. By coincidence, the week that ended with Ronald Reagan’s speech to the nation began with a massively less publicized “moderate manifesto” by Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa, a 38-year old third-termer who is characteristic of the breed in his combina tion of brains, good manners and in nocuousness. The occasion of Leach’s address was his acceptance of the chairmanship of the Ripon Society, an academically oriented group of moderate Republicans formed back in the Kennedy years and now boast ing a national membership of 2,500 hardy souls. The best recommendations for the mod erate Republicans have always been the quality of their ideas and the quality of their people. Leach embodies that tradition. A foreign service offiicer who resigned on principle to protest Richard Nixon’s “Satur day Night Massacre,” he made his manifes to an exceptionally clear statement of the moderates’ principles and policies. In barest outline, he called on the Reagan administration to: balance the arms buildup with an equally serious bid for arms control; recognize that military intervention cannot be our basic approach to Third World dis putes; reassert American concern for hu man rights; limit further tax benefits to the energy industry and prevent further cuts in education and basic research; fight mono poly distortions of free enterprise with vigorous anti-trust enforcement; protect the historic Republican commitment ot en vironmentalism against the “aberrations” of James Watt; reassert Republicans’ commit ment to civil rights and equal justice; and reject the social-issue conservatism of the New Right. If all this sounds to some people like asking Ronald Reagan to stop being him self, Leach can not only invoke a pre- Reagan Republican tradition but explain why he supports the main goals of the Reagan administration and hopes for its success. “We have a major stake,” he said, “in making the Reagan administration the best possible administration, because he has set such a positive direction for conser vatism that if he can avoid the extremes, he can establish a generation of Republican opportunity. ” Of all the elements of Reagan Republi canism, moderates probably feel most com fortable with the emphasis on decentraliza tion of government. As Leach pointed out, “The real divisions today in the Republican Party are not between liberals, moderates and conservatives; they are between prag matists and ideologues ... It is local govern ment where pragmatists have always dominated. ” In a quiet way, Leach’s speech was a timely reminder that the moderates are still around — not just in Congress but in state capitols from Iowa to Pennsylvania and Ver mont, where they will play a major role in determining the GOP’s fate in the 1982 and 1984 elections. Leach got invitiations to discuss his views on CBS, public television and the Cable News Network — and a request to stop by the ofifice of Vice President Bush. Just want to be sure there are open channels of com munication to the administration. Bush said. The moderates are making their point. RV selection disillusions cadet Last week was a very tense time for many Juniors in the Corps. It was the time for the Ross Volunteer applicants to find out if they were accepted. Now this is some thing that many of them have looked for ward to since their fish year. Their first exposure was the ghostly men in white mar ching in for Silver Taps. Later you find out that they are the cadets wearing the white and yellow cord and you gain a respect for them. They are the “Cream of the Crop” as a well-used cliche’ puts it. The Honor Guard of the Governor of Texas, true Aggies. Yet their actions of last week not only shook my confidence in the Corps, but des troyed my whole view of those members of the Ross Volunteer Company. The words ring in my ear of the man who is their namesake, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, “sol dier, statesman, and knightly gentleman,” this is what makes up true Aggies. But the senior members of the Ross Volunteer Company, through their actions, forgot all these traits. They have lowered themselves so low as to be down on a Frat level, if not lower. I’m talking about the selection process they used to “select” the new members. It wasn’t fair at all, when they are chosen by friendship alone and not the true ideals be hind the Ross Volunteer Company. But not just that, their one main action which brought this to light was that of refusing two Readers Forum applicants based solely on the outfit they are in, not on their true qualifications. They simply refused to review any applicants from that outfit. The question I ask myself is how they, and this is directed towards each and every senior member of the Ross Volunteer Company, could belittle their own organization and lower their own stan dards as to refuse someone based only on what company they are in and not even look at their qualifications? Now I’m not writing this on my own behalf, but the two individuals that I am writing this for are both in my outfit and one is the First Sergeant. Both of them are ideal cadets and set a high standard for not only themselves, but those who follow them. They live the Aggie code in all they do and in short, are true Aggies. It hurt when I found out the reason they were passed over. All because of what outfit they were in, not anything to do with qualifications, just their outfit. Thisisn way Aggies are! They don’t hold gnu against someone for something others fore them have done! Do they? I sinctKj’ hope not! Jet Now I’m not living in a dream land wMw all Aggies arc* perfect and good. I kn aint< reality that’s impossible, but I at hoped I could find some semblei “Good Ags” here who call themselves^ and Cadets in the Corps, who opposePj and Sororities because of their seh processes and such, just lowered selves even further than that. Gonem the respect I had for those men who once rated so high, gone are the ideals standards they once stood tor. Thei who have put a stain on the name ofli ence Sullivan Ross, the Class of ‘82 Volunteers. I wish your "Frat” the bes upholding A&M traditions, but Silver! or Aggie muster will not be the same.wi I know that men of your caliber are | s t a volved. I only hope those in the class of |Ar will see the mistakes of those before v and change. I ol in Name with!* Editor’s note: This letter was submitted a junior on the Corps who asked that name be withheld because of possible criminations. CDUJM0U5 p: i-i a i 1! It’s your turn Student gives view on Greek issue Editor: Please consider this viewpoint concern ing the infamous “Greek Question.” Attending Baylor for one year, I saw how the presence of Greek organizations can affect a student body: they promote stratifi cation into status levels and create stereotypes to immulate for acceptance. To me, the single most attractive aspect about Texas A&M four years ago was the general absence of classification in a diverse student body and the acceptance of individuals. Inherent in the Greek system is the emphasis on the superficial aspects of one’s character and the principle of exlusion/re- jection. Was the “Quota Victim’s” quality of personhood really projected or analyzed at those few rush parties? Is that what the judgement was based on? Who was the judge? their members a large campus. a credited. They give “place,” an identity, on (Note: “their members” ... It seems that one’s identity should be formed from with in, rather that externally. Certainly, one’s “place” should not be acquired at the ex pense/exclusion of others.) One should ask what services the Greeks would perform for the Aggies. It’s true: all campus-recognized organizations don’t serve the entire student body, but they do have open membership (with the exception of Honor Societies). No one is hurt by these clubs’ existence, and they don’t impose sta tus levels. (Exception: The Corps ... Although the Corps’ status system shoul not be condoned, it is a “given” at Texi A&M; it is the basis of our tradition and not the subject here.) With the recognition of the Gree orgainization on campus, the Aggie Spir would deteriorate. We would be condonin the principles of their system: elitism an exclusion, which Texas A&M does need. We are not the Greeks and GDI’s, nor Theta’s rather than Chi O’s. W are the Aggies. All inclusive. Ellen Pendergrass ’! 700 Domini As with almost everything, Greek organi zations have good points. Their community service projects, if effective, cannot be dis- Warped By Scott McCullar LOOK fAUL, CONTROLLED A RAD/0 AIRPLANE. I DON'T THINK SO.. v The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for Editor Angelique Copeland students in reporting, editing and photography classes . . within the Department of Communications. „ 1 OF T ar< E Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter Ctty Editor • • ■ Jane G. Brus ,^ U W be directed to the editor. Asst. 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