THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1981
Page 3
iewpoint
cadet, a sword and a football game
SMU student
mt admires devotion
To Dr. Frank Vandiver:
idualsi^
^ghl I am writing to you for I do not know how
ls quo to get in touch with the Officer to the Day
lerstoj wtwas involved in the SMU cheerleader
lid icident and was hoping you would forward
lis to “The Battalion.
Although I don’t agree with the Officer of
ie Day unsheathing his sword, I would
(ehim to know that I was impressed and
oved by his devotion to his school, its
editions and his duty. (The ability to stand
up for what one believes in is a quality that I
idly find lacking in today’s society.) I wish
to exrli at ^e student body at SMU would show
iefsist W half the spirit that he showed. 1 would
,i le to thank him for restoring some of my
lilt',’'Hi,. . 1 • 1
h m mankind.
1 would also like to apologize to the
oleofTAMU for the rudeness shown to
iu by our cheerleaders. Lastly, I would
predate the chance to say “Gig Em Ags.
at the ever-livin’, ever-lovin’ h— out of
Cathy Koeltzon
Junior Biology Major
Southern Methodist University
Actions do not
reflect true spirit
In response to the letter of Mr. lines
mcerningthe saber incident in Saturday’s
ime, I feel there are a few points to be
ade. First, I am the first to agree with Mr.
ues that there is an intangible bond among
1 Aggies. I cannot, however, accept the
intention that Cadet Hood’s behavior per-
nifies this special spirit. The only thing 1
n think of that Hood’s behavior personi-
j;s is the hair-brain mentality that will
iep Texas A&M from being viewed as a
ogressive institution of higher education.
W* Second, the traditions of this school are
Hep-rooted and respected, but we must
lam to discern between tradition and irra-
since
, ' e !y ri onal actic ns. If upholding tradition meant
nous PI noting an y one who stepped on Kvle
ield, I doubt if the tradition would be
ry respected.
Third, I feel that Mr. Imes is incorrect in
|j$f is assumption that those who do not con-
one Hood’s actions are two-percenters. If
survey was taken, we would most likely
nd Mr. Imes and Cadet Hood among an
lite group dedicated to the preservation of
eanderthal behavior.
Lastly, I just want to remind all who
upport Hood’s cause that our sacred tradi-
lonsare intended to serve a purpose. They
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The Battalion
USPS 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Editor Angelique Copeland
Managing Editor Marcy Boyce
City Editor JaneG. Brust
Isst. City Editor Kathy O’Connell
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Hutchings
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Rick Stolle
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Cartoonist Scott McCullar
GraphicArtist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers Brian Tate
Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine
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talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not
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Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The
lattalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843.
ling 1 *
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should promote that intangible bond, unify
us as a student body, and build character in
us as individuals. They should not bring our
school unneeded ridicule or embarrass
ment. If we cannot gain from the observa
tion of Texas A&M’s traditions, maybe we
should re-evaluate them.
Brent Taber ‘83
Hood was just
‘doing his job'
Editor:
In regard to Pete Glover’s letter and
Ritchie Priddy’s article in the Nov. 2 Batta
lion, we don’t see what all the fuss is about.
These people seem to believe that Greg
Hood drew his saber with intent to kill,
which is surely not true. Hood was just
doing his job.
It is obvious that in this case “please
leave the field” would not have worked.
After all, the SMU cheerleaders knocked
the cadet to the ground, TWICE. Cheer
leaders have not been allowed on the field
in the past, and they knew they shouldn’t
have been there Saturday. Also, the danger
was not the unsheathing of the sword in his
hand. (This is evident in the picture on the
front page of Monday’s Battalion.) The
cheerleader did tackle him so aggressively
as to tear his uniform.
As for the megaphone incident, this was
a harmless act similar to activities taking
place at colleges and universities every
where.
I commend the Corps of Cadets and
Greg Hood for showing other schools just
how important traditions are at Texas
A&M.
Jim Tate ‘85
Davis-Gary
Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied
by 59 other signatures.
Hood s last stand
Editor:
This is an open letter to Mr. Hood.
As I read the account of “Hood’s last
stand” in the Eagle this weekend, a few
questions were raised in my mind that
perhaps you can answer.
Do you instinctively clear cafeteria lines
that, in your opinion, don’t move fast
enough?” Do you charge through crowded
bookstores and classes with saber drawn?
I had always presumed that education
was designed to raise people above the
brutish, unthinking “instinct” stage. But,
then again, looking at your expression in
the Eagle photographs as you kicked the
cheerleader, maybe not.
Cadet acted as an individual
On behalf of the Corps of Cadets, I
would like to explain our feelings about
the SMU incident and to correct a few
errors made by Professor Dunning in his
letter Tuesday.
I would like to offer an apology for
Cadet Hood’s actions and the embarass-
ment that Texas A&M has suffered be
cause of the incident.
We are embarrassed and want every
one to realize that Greg acted as an indi
vidual and in no way do his actions re
flect the attitudes of the Corps nor
should the Corps be included in the
sweeping generalizations of condemna
tion.
Greg acted rashly and realizes that his
action will result in some form of Univer
sity discipline. I hope that we all remem
ber however, that Greg is still an Aggie
and should be treated as such. I do not
condone his actions, but neither do I
wish to see him treated like some blood
thirsty killer who wants to turn Texas
A&M into a Kent State.
Professor Dunning is a very gifted wri
ter and there is a lot of merit to his letter
that I accept with an open mind. It is
true that we spend a lot of time and effort
building the bonfire and that grades suf-
Kelly Castleberry
Corps Commander
fer as a result of it. We are actively doing
our best to solve this problem by limiting
workers on the stack to mostly juniors
and seniors.
There are, however, a few errors in his
letter that I would like to correct with my
comparitively feeble pen. The bonfire
may seem meaningless at a first glance if
one only considers the time and mate
rials used to construct it. The bonfire has
many intangible benefits that wouldn’t
be realized if it were not built.
Professor Dunning suggests that only
the Corps participants in the building of
the bonfire. The bonfire is a massive task
that requires the cooperation of all
Aggies, as the Corps is too small to build
it alone. It is very common to see c.t.’s
alongside guys from Puryear, Dunn,
Davis-Gary, Moses, etc. and OCA, wir
ing, hauling logs and building the bon
fire together as an Aggie team. Through
teamwork, we succeed in a task that
neither group could accomplish on its
own.
With regard to our mistakes, I admit
that we are human and are sometimes
going to slip and fall. But it was the rainy
day Saturday that makes us appreciate
today’s sunshine, the flat plains of Texas
that contrast the mountains of Colorado
and the apathy of most school’s students
that makes me grateful for the spirit here
at Texas A&M.
Our mistakes point out what is right,
and cause us to appreciate a job well
done. As you are well aware through
your study of history, it is not the critic
sitting in his lofty chair of judgement
above the masses who counts. It is the
man in the arena who struggles, sweats
and knows both the bitter taste of defeat
and the satisfaction of success that makes
your history books worthy of attention.
As Aggies and members of the Corps
of Cadets we strive to represent the best
Texas A&M has to offer, realizing that
we must continue to improve those areas
in which we fall short.
M.
McLaughlin
Bryan
Cheerleaders
started violence
Editor:
First of all, I want to say we support Greg
Hood not because he drew his saber, but
because he is an Aggie. It may have been
wrong for him to draw his saber, but we do
not believe it was his intention to stab an
SMU cheerleader. He appeared to be using
it just as a cop would use a billy club to prod
people out of the way. Also, it was not Greg
Hood who started the violence, it was the
SMU cheerleader! The lame excuse of one
of the SMU cheerleaders, saying he looked
up and saw boots and a sword coming at
him, is a pretty weak reason to jump up off
the field and attack Mr. Hood. If he is so
easily frightened, then maybe he should
not be a cheerleader standing in front of
60,000 people. He also did not seem to be
too scared when he pushed Greg Hood
down.
As to the remarks of Marcy Boyce and
Ritchie Priddy, we only assumed that they
know absolutely nothing of the fierce pride
and honor the cadets have for Texas A&M
traditions. We did not see Marcy or Ritchie
try to remove the SMU cheerleaders from
Kyle Field. Also, Ritchie stated that he did
not want people to think of him that way.
What way is that? As a bald, military, fight-
in Texas Aggie cadet? Well that’s tough
because the school came from the Corps of
Cadets. Most of the students were in the
Corps for the first 80 years of the school’s
existence.
In the advice given to the students by
Governor Coke, he stated to “stand by the
right even to the sacrifice of life itself and
learn that deth is preierable to dishonor.”
Don’t you think it was a dishonor to be
pushed to the ground twice in trout of all
the Aggies? It does not matter if he is a c.t.
or not. If SMU cheerleaders or anybody
else think they can shove down and push
around a Fightin’ Texas Aggie in Kyle
Field, then what they will get is a fight!
Thomas Burns ‘84
. if' . . . . • ..
Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied
by 16 other signatures.
Actions sign
of imma turity
Editor:
Well Ags, what are we going to do? The
eyes of the entire state and some of the
nation will be closely watching Texas A&M
to see just how we handle the situation that
occurred on Saturday afternoon.
Texas A&M is an excellent university
that is envied by many. This explains the
great attention we get every time we screw
up, and screw up we did on Saturday. I
don’t blame Mr. Hood for his intentions to
uphold tradition, however, the manner he
chose to do so was totally uncalled for and a
gross exhibition of immaturity. All I ever
hear about is Aggie traditions and how they
should be upheld and respected by all.
That’s fine Ags, but what about other
schools, like SMU, and their traditions?
Flow can we expect other schools to respect
our traditions when we don’t respect
theirs? How many of you have tried to run
onto the field of Memorial Stadium in Au
stin during a t.u. halftime performance?
Come on Ags, it’s 1981, let’s not be hypoc
rites.
. • •fiB.ijp.ii
I hope that the Corps of Cadets does not
condone Mr. Hood’s behavior. I hope that
this is not an example of the type of leader
ship the Corps instills in it’s membership.
This entire incident was unfortunate for
A&M and Aggies everywhere. I feel Mr.
Hood should he punished for his actions. If
he is not, the entire Corps, as well as the
rest of the University, will lose the respect
we all have worked so hard to obtain. A
military officer is supposed to be disci
plined and his or her actions should be gov
erned by appropriate military discipline.
Don’t be shocked by SMU’s reactions,
rather be shocked by Mr. Hood’s reaction.
Try wearing the shoe on the other foot Ags,
and see how you would feel.
Thomas J. Byrd ’82
Saber editorials provoke criticism
What about the
98 percenters?
Editor:
I feel that the Battalion has poorly repre
sented the 98 percenters here at Texas
A&M in its coverage of the “saber incident”
of Oct. 31. Cadet Greg Hood was berated
by his hypercritical opposition, but we Hit
ler Youth who wholeheartedly support
blind military action have received no room
in the paper’s columns for our stance.
I personally congratulate Greg. Not
often in the career of a c.t. does he face the
challenge of warding off savage cheerlead
ers armed only with a harmless sword. He
responded honorably, drawing his Freu
dian symbol, waving it franticallv, and let
ting the barbarians know who was boss. A
triumph for the Corps of Cadets and all
that for which they stand. Whatever that
is.Furthermore, 1 believe that tbe adminis
tration should use the incident as a para
digm for future actions. Let’s get back to the
basics of yesteryear that made this college
what it is today. Arm every c.t. with a
blade. Hell, give ‘em an M-16! Can you
imagine the respect we’d gain from that?
Then maybe we could annihilate those bas
tard two percenters and faggots!
Dave Spence
Sophomore English Major
Add compassion
to vocabulary
Editor:
Concerning the article written by Marcy
Boyce:
To begin with, we believe the cadet’s
actions last Saturday were wrong and that
he deserves any and all disiplinary actions
that result from them.
Your column however was totally out of
line. The last thing he needs right now is for
you or any one else to get up on their soap
box and chastise him for his mistakes. He
knows now that his actions were wrong and
that he will have to take full responsibility
for them.
What he does need is a little compassion
from his fellow Aggies. For he is not the first
one of us to make a stupid mistake, nor will
he be the last.
Miss Boyce, in case the word compassion
is not in your vocabulary, might we suggest
that you look it up in a dictionary. We are
sure that it will improve your vocabulary
greatly.
Janies J. O’Connor ‘79
Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied
by seven signatures.
Article is sword
in Hood's back
Editor:
I wish to state that the column written by
Marcy Boyce and printed last Monday was,
in my opinion, extremely tacky to say the
least. Her column showed all the tact and
grace of the cadet that she so cruelly cruci
fied.
I am not saying that I support Hood’s
actions wholeheartedly, but I don’t believe
he deserved the vicious treatment that he
received. It has come to my attention that
whenever an author really plans to inflict
damage upon an idea that he dislikes, the
most brutal way that he can treat it is with
sarcasm. The late James Thurber even cal
led sarcasm the saber of literature. So
Boyce appears to have thought the best way
to show her disapproval of Hood’s saber-
wielding incident was to take her pen in
hand and, literally, cut him down in his
tracks. Her “holier than thou” attitude and
total disregard for Hood’s personal feelings
made me want to dump my dinner all over
her article. She showed her obviously su
perior maturity by not only making a
laughing stock of Hood, but the Corps of
Cadets (the repeated “Mr. Cadet” and “his
flawlessly polished boots” - please!) and all
of the respect and dignity deserved by a
memorial like Kyle Field. So now that
Boyce has shown everyone how mature and
tactful she is, how much she cares for our
Corps of Cadets and in fact, many of the
traditions that this University is based
upon, we, the ignorant peasants, may again
rest at ease in the fact that another great
wrong has been righted and another sinner
repressed. And think Ags, while Hood is
already facing so much adversity, it is a
fellow Aggie who has twisted the saber in
his back.
J. Norman Naylor
Lacy Hall
Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied
by 85 signatures.
Editorials should
not generalize
Editor:
I have just read the two editorials and
one letter to the editor concerning the “sa
ber incident” at the SMU game. And
whereas I fully agree that the actions of the
student in question were reprehensible, I
would like to take exception with some of
the implications made in those editorials.
Time and again words like “soldier” and
“Sir Cadet” were used in reference to the
offending student. No mention was made of
the fact he was from Dallas. (We all know
Dallasites are hot-headed.) One reference
even mentioned his “flawlessly polished
boots. ”
It seemed as if they were rebuking the
Cadet Corps and its traditions as much as
the offending student. No credence was
given to the fact that all his actions were
contrary to his military training — instead it
was made to appear as if his actions were all
the result of his Corps membership. Broad
generalizations and sweeping stereotypes
of this kind are not very becoming of bud
ding journalists.
The real tragedy here is that most of the
people who read these editorials will now
think that all journalism students are quick
to generalize and ready to stereotype the
members of a large group due to the actions
of a few. The truth of it is that I know several
journalism students who never generalize
or stereotype. But, due to the hasty words
of a few, the reputation of the Battalion and
the entire Department of Communications
will have to suffer.
Next time they should think before they
pull their pens from their scabbards.
Pete Normand ‘71