■ f- v
Viewpoint
j The Battalion
October 29,11
Slouch ^ ^By Jim Earle
“When is somebody going to do something about these bicyc
lers?”
‘Pumpkin’ ritual defies reason'
After a “secret ritual, one man, guarded
by torch-bearing comrades, runs through
the night as the enemy, armed with sticks,
closes in trying to bash in his head.
Another man who has survived this jour
ney describes it as something “like the mid
dle of a riot with arms and legs and people
everywhere — kind of frightening ... some
thing to look back on — like a war story. ”
At best, this sounds like the plot to a
B-grade horror flick; at worst is sounds like
a pseudo-sadistic fraternity stunt. In real
ity, it is a fine example of “Good Bull,” a
tradition that is planned, condoned and car
ried on each year by the Corps of Cadets at
Halloween.
Angelique
Copeland
No one knows how the tradition j
started. Who cares? I want to know why!
allowed to continue. Give me one j
reason it should continue. Don’t
about “Good Bull,” the joys of traditi
A&M "love it or leave it,” and thenbrinfj
that asinine statement about Highways
When this assault on reason takes place
tonight, it will be the twentieth run of the
“Great Pumpkin,” the October madness
that affects Company C-2 and the Aggie
Band.
James Hughes said they had not decided
what the freshmen will use to smash the
pumpkin, but that dangerous weapons such
as broomsticks will be avoided “as much as
possible. ” What does “as much as possible”
mean? At least axe handles have been ban
ned. Small comfort.
Just point out what possible fun'J
purpose is served by a group of men™
to bash a pumpkin-headed cadet whl||
torch-carring chums try and protect him,
for the honor of then smearing the puraplj
all over the opposition’s dorm (\vt»
sounds suspiciously like vai
anyway).
If it weren’t so disgusting, I’d laugh.
The explanation of the tradition defies
reason. But who said these things have to
be reasonable?
The object of the Great Pumpkin Run is
for freshmen Band members to try and
break a pumpkin head worn by a junior
cadet as he runs across the quad. In a story
about this “tradition,” Band Commander
Hughes admits that there have been
problems in the past with the “situation
getting out of hand,” but that no one has
ever been “seriously injured.” Yet.
Can you imagine what would happejj
any other group of students ran intoados
and smeared pumpkin all over the pi#
If this is their idea of the .spirit offers
fun and rivalry, might I suggest theytij
having a tug-of-war.
Are we waiting for someone to have his
head broken instead of the pumpkin, or to
have an eye poked out in a melee of waving
sticks, or to have someone set afire from the
torches or just be trampled during the night
dash across the quad before some sane per
son puts a stop to this mess?
If you feel that I’ve overblown or dr;
tized the Halloween ritual that willt*
place tonight, go and see it for \ ourselfM
be careful, Company C-2 Commander)j|
ry Smith has already said that whileotijf
vers are welcome, “they should stayoutl
the way for their own safety.”
I rest my case.
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor
Managing Editor .
City Editor
Asst. City Editor .
Photo Editor
Sports Editor ....
Focus Editor
Asst. Focus Editor
News Editors
Berni
. . Angelique Copeland
Marcy Boyce
JaneG. Brust
Kathy O’Connell
Dave Einsel
Ritchie Priddy
Cathy Saathofl
Debbie Nelson
. . . Phyllis Henderson
Fette, Belinda McCoy
Diana Sultenfuss
StaffWriters Gary Barker
Frank L. Christlieb, Randy Clements
Gaye Denley, Nancy Floeck, Tim Foarde, Colette
Hutchings
Daniel Puckett, Denise Richter, Mary jo Rummel,
■ Rick Stolle
Nancy Weatherley,' Barbie VVoelfel
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers Brian Tate
Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine
EDITORIAL POLICY
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i operated as a community service to Texas Adr.M University
\ and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat
talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not
^necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi-
", ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board ol
£ Regents.
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Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter
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Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The
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Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
It’s your turn
Debater s qualifications questioned
Editor:
While listening in frustration to the ERA
debate Tuesday evening I found myself
with one question: Why was Katherine
Brady there?
that organization’s services and do not like
being accused as so.
I would really just like to know where did
the Gay Student Service Organization get
its statistic of one lesbian and gay for every
10 Ags?
relentless search for new definitions of the
word Brotherhood.
Chris Caperton
1008 Habbington
Maybe all because they don’t knowi
truth. Why would they change their J
tudes after my telling them I’m gay?lw.J
“wear big pink buttons with I’M Gill
NOTHING will change on me at all. I
Josep
be se
costu
gradi
and :
As a proponent of ERA, I listened with
growing dismay to Ms. Brady as she attack
ed Ms. Schlafly on her motives, bringing up
such issues as child abuse,’ rape, incest, and
abortion where they had NO PLACE. She
failed to refute any of Ms. Schlafly’s state
ments or to counter her rebuttals. In read
ing the provided background material on
Ms. Brady, I saw no mention of research on
the ERA or of any expertise in the field. Ifl
did not have prior knowledge on the issue I
sincerely doubt I could have come out of
Rudder Theater with any conviction other
than that espoused by Phyllis Schlafly.
I believe what gays and lesbians do is
their business as long as they stay to them
selves. But isn’t this figure one in ten a little
high???
Roommates are ‘safe’
EdlJ
P.O. Box 6)1
Kathy Hartzheim ’85
Brotherly love
How was Katherine Brady chosen to
speak on this subject? Were her qualifica
tions examined before she was asked to de
bate Tuesday? Was she a replacement for
someone else or perhaps a poor second
choice? I was hoping to hear both sides of a
very important, emotional issue but instead
I saw a heavily weighted speech on what
problems the ERA might bring to our socie
ty. I hope that the MSC Political Forum
will reply to this letter and re-examine its
policies regarding speaker qualifications.
Holly Haines ‘82
Statistics high
Editor:
After reading the Gays plea for support
in The Batallion (Thursday, October22), I
felt totally ill. In fact, I was insulted by the
Gay Organization’s collective statement,
“You need us, we need you. ” I do not need
Editor:
I applaud Kenny Ray’s letter in Tues
day’s Battalion in which he spoke out
against Gays. It must take a great amount of
courage to bare your insecurities and per
sonal vendettas to an entire campus. Since
violence is such an American way to solve
personal problems, I hope Kenny gets to
“beat the hell outa” any and all of the Gays
he wants. Because he definitely has a prob
lem; and this appears to be the only way in
which he and his “Old Army” buds can deal
with folks who take stands that are incon
gruous to their “conservative rightwing”
beliefs. I’m not homosexual, so I know I’m
safe for awhile. I just hope that after Kenny,
et al are through “destroying” or “beating
the hell outa” GSSO and Gays, that they
don’t decide to start hating (if they haven’t
already), heterosexual males who like punk
rock, basketball and existentialist philoso
phy ... and who can’t relate to “Old Army
Tradition.” In the meantime, I wish Ken
and his friends the best of luck in their
Editor:
Some Aggies were alarmed with the sta
tistics presented by GSSO. I’ve read letters
in this section of people that said they
would be more careful about whom they
share their room with, other didn’t believe
the percentage of gay students on this cam
pus was as stated. In fact, GSSO probably
didn’t include professors, TA’s secretaries,
and so forth. They’re here, too.
However, I’d rather say something ab
out whom you share your room with instead
of adding more numbers (in favor of gays, of
course!). I, myself, have had problems find
ing a roommate. Most people seem to be
afraid of sharing a room with a gay. Let me
tell you something. I won’t sleep with a guy
unless we both want it. This is not a unila
teral decision. Also I won’t shout out loud
whom I slept with.
Right now I’ve been looking for a room
mate. Eventhough I’m a discreet graduate
student, when someone calls me and asks
about the place, I describe everything. I
also say that I’m gay or bisexual to be pre
cise. The reason for doing so is because I
don’t want any horrified face when I bring
someone home. All I want is respect and no
gossips. Let’s respect each other’s prefer
ences and lives.
This is pure discrimination. I’m sure. My
friends — including girls — love me. We
party together and we really get along well.
No sense of humor
Editor:
Fj
(h
Some
As one of five other people who signt
Doug Spence’s letter of Oct. 21
must reply to Mr. MacCarthy’s reply inti
Battalion of Oct. 28\ Mr. Spence is not wii
ing this because he is cringing undert na J T^, t
desk in mortification at MacCarthys so joodgrai
thing comments. I would like Jim to poi bank
out where, in our letter, we claimed “l
the university community as a wholeisoi
in which individuality is buried in a moil
tain of snobbery and that attempting
show any will be mercilessly put down
the style of any critics of the Soviet Union
(whew — what a sentence!). He certainii
has a flair for the dramatic. In point off)
our letter was intended as humor. That
HUMOR, Mr. MacCarthy. Spell jtoiitl
was not intended as an indictment of Aggit
land in general, but as a satire of then
treme opinions recently rampaging acW
the editorial page of The Battalion. Achl
ly, Mr. MacCarthy’s letter, not ourofl
did serve to illustrate a basic fact: CJ
Ags,” at least those like him, have
sense of humor.
bn
Rick Ols«
323 Zacho
Devotion to traditions not unique
the
small society
WHAT V& ^11
'CWT
X HAV^H'T
ANYTHIN Y^T-
X -
©1981 King Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved
Editor:
It has become increasingly popular, to
say the least, to be critical of Texas A&M
and the things that Texas A&M stands for.
The recent letters that have appeared in
The Battalion are a good example. It seems
that everyone has a gripes, and that Texas
A&M and Aggie traditions are being held
responsible for things that can and do hap
pen on campuses all across our country.
You say that several members of the
Corps were hazing younger Aggies working
on Bonfire, and that Aggie traditions are to
blame? I say you take a trip to any universi
ty with a strong Greek system, and go to any
fraternity house on any weekend. I suspect
Reader’s
Forum
Warped
By Scott McCullar
SPECIAL note: this week's strips were all written before, last
WEEKEND. THE TIDING IS ACC I DENTAL. THEY DO l^ff REFER TO A/VY SfECIFIC I Sc I PENT.
15 THAT A V/OrtAN DOWN
THERE IN THE A M 5AMD?
GET EVER/ CAMERA WE'VE
GOT ON HER FAST f
GO-O-OO-O ags!!!
r’ ^ec /)f? 9 9
ONE DAtAN FINE BAND?
G0 0-0 0H-0L-y....
Y,
/
/
DURING HALF-TIME AT
TODAY'S A$M FOOTBALL
GAME A FEMALE CADET
WAS DISCOVERED MARCHING
AND PERFORMING WITH THE
BAND...
m
THERE ARE NO MORE DETAILS
AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT,
BUT ALL OF KYLE FIELD'S
ASTRO-TURF WILL NOW
HAVE TO BE REPLACED
DOE TO THE RIOT.
that you will see hazings far worse than
quads and so-called “good bull.” Ask any
mom or dad who has had their son killed by
some stupid fraternity prank.
You say that students at Texas A&M have
no individuality, and that you cannot ex
press your opinion without fear of ridicule.
You want to say that you do not agree with
Texas A&M’s traditions concerning foot
ball, and that you are not into bonfire, yell
leaders and the like? I say you go to the
University of Arkansas and write into their
paper saying that those little hog hats are
stupid, and see how well you can express
your individuality there.
You say that girls at Texas A&M “sali
vate” over members of the Corps, and I say
go to Baylor and watch the sorority chicks
go crazy over the guys in their Izod swea
ters and khaki pants.
You say to me that your grades have suf
fered while working on Bonfire, and I say go
to any college in the U. S. and see thousands
of students giving of their time to hundreds
of school-related activities.
And lastly, you tell me that you do not
want to be an Aggie, because you do not
want to participate in the things that Aggies
do. You tell me that you want to stay lie#
and receive an education, however,
don’t want the rest of us to leave yoiu
or call you two-percenter because you don 1
participate. And yet you will stand up J
ridicule those of us who do with letterst’
the editor, all the time laughing at #
things that we love and cherish so mud
You tell me all this, and I ll tell you to get®
far away from me as possible.
I hope that the meaning of my
comes across. I am trying to show thattd
problems and complaints that have beet
aired here for the last two weeks are
unique to Texas A&M, nor are theyTetf*
A&M’s fault. Do not expect to be able
criticize Texas A&M openly without othed
taking offense. You are poking fun at insfr
tutions and traditions that many of us ha'#
grown up with and love very dearly. 1
not believe in the saying, “Highway 6run!
both ways, ” but I do think that criticizing
Texas A&M is not the way to solve yoi#
problems. I wish that I could understand
how someone could be exposed to tbt
magic that is Texas A&M, and still not fed
anything for the school, hut I can’t. I guess
that I will just have to pride myself on thf
fact that I do feel something, and leaveita 1
that. You may not understand, but I’ll keep
on saying “Howdy,” sawing Varsity’s horns
off, going to Silver Taps, and loving theol
Maroon and White. I wish that you woul
too.
John Wagner‘Df
Moore
Entri
Thomas I
test are
Texas At
Thee
in Englis
ing the
Mayo, w!
Texas At
in 1944,
dor of t!
He died
Dead'
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