opinion
Controversy isn’t on the agenda
Controversy — you bet.
That was Student Government’s mot
to last semester.
2 Controversy — who cares?
That could be their motto this semes
ter if last night’s meeting is any indica
tion.
Wednesday night the Student Senate
voted down a resolution that denounced
the “despicable, unethical procedure en
dorsed by the Board of Regents for the
search, selection and procurement” of
Texas A&M’s athletic director.
The issue isn’t whether denouncing
the leaders of the Texas A&M System is a
proper function of Student Government,
and the issue isn’t whether they have the
right to do that on behalf of the entire
student body — the issue is that they
voted down the resolution after less than
30 minutes of substantial debate.
Last semester’s debate about the
availability of sugar-free soft drinks in
Kyle Field lasted at least an hour.
During last night’s debate, I would
nancy
floeck
have been surprised if more than half of
the senators were paying serious atten
tion to what their colleagues had to say.
Most seemed restless; I suspect they had
made up their minds and lost interest in
the First few minutes after the resolution
was read.
I found the entire situation incredible.
Here was a resolution that took a decisive
stand on a campus issue that has caught
the attention of the entire state and most
of the nation. How could interest lag
when less than half a dozen opinions had
been given? The possibilities and poten
tial for debate and compromise were
endless.
Even with just a few people speaking,
the variety of viewpoints was fascinating
— some senators said they felt their mor
al code and the University’s integrity had
been stripped.
Others said, “That’s life ... football is
big business ... who’s going to remember
or care in a few years ... for that matter,
who’s going to remember after next sea
son’s first win?”
How can anyone not want to refute
such strong opinions?
I’ve seen the Senate debate about
whether to debate. I’ve seen them debate,
axe an issue, revive it and debate again. I
know they can do better than last night’s
performance.
I don’t know what people elsewhere
were saying about the Regents/Wilson/
Sherrill fiasco Wednesday night, but the
channels of communication and the mar
ketplace of ideas sure weren’t open for
business at the Senate meeting.
What about the basketball coach
Editor:
In light of the recent dealings involv
ing the football coaching situation here,
the insatiable thirst that the Bum Bright
Puppet Show exhibits for superior sports
programs has been made unmistakably
evident. I think. However, if results truly
mean as much to the Board as they seem
to, based upon the talent that has been
here recently, Shelby MetcalFs track re
cord is less than adequate.
Tuesday night’s Arkansas game illus
trated MetcalFs inadequacies well. De
spite horrendous free-throw shooting,
Texas A&M still led by five with over a
minute left. With eight seconds left and a
one-point Ag lead, Arkansas was allowed
to go downcourt unmolested and take a
high percentage shot to win, while the
defense sagged. Why didn’t Metcalf just
agree to play “horse” for the final shot?
It must be comforting for SWC
coaches like Sutton and Gerald Myers to
know that if the game goes to the wire
they have a good chance to win because
they won’t worry about being out-
coached. Responding to a question on
why the Ags couldn’t maintain their lead
Tuesday night, Shelby could only muster
the “basketballese” equivalent of “I dun-
no.” Well then, who does? The over
7,500 fans?
The Board may believe that basketball
is unworthy of attention because it
doesn’t net “megabucks.” Well, you
couldn’t prove that to the fans. Metcalf
once replied, in reference to Tech’s
Myers’ ability to influence referees by re
lentlessly berating them, “Well Dwayne,
the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets
the oil.” Well Coach, maybe it’s time to
squeak or change the wheel!
Jeff Henke ’82
Fritz Claydon ’82
<
Library clocks are timeless
Editor:
Tonight I made the horrible mistake
of not wearing my watch to the library.
When I left my dorm room it was 7:30
p.m. but when I got to the library it was
9:00! Well, okay, maybe I did make a few
detours along the way. However, when I
got to the fourth floor (via the elevator, of
course) I found that it was actually 5:00.
Could I have traveled through some sort
of time warp? Is this tomorrow and I’ve
missed all my classes or is this today? Is it
time for dinner again? Total confusion
sets in as I head down the hall and the
square clock hanging from the ceiling
reads 8:15. Ah, this sounds more reason
able. But wait, the other side says 11:20
and the third side says 2:30 and the last
side is minus an hour hand.
By this time the dazed expression on
my face was beginning to attract atten
tion. Since I obviously couldn’t study due
to my extreme addlepated state, I de
cided to pack it up and take it on home,
only to Find that I had been gone a total of
45 minutes.
Whew! What a harrowing experience.
Dede Gaddy
Keathley
Nobody cares about cookies
Editor:
I cannot express my disbelief at the
editorial letter you presented in the Mon
day issue of the Battalion. I almost burst
into tears as I read of your unfortunate
experience with consumer fraud, and the
obvious bursting of one of your child
hood fantasies about good and bad, boy
scout and girl scouts, and reality.
However, I find it hard to actually
sympathize with you. You are presum
ably an intelligent adult, as implied by
your position on the Battalion staff, and
here at Texas A&M. Anyone born in the
last 100 years has probably heard the
motto “Caveat Emptor,” and under
stands what it means. When it comes
down to the facts, anyone dumb enough
to pay for something he/she doesn’t have,
deserves what they get.
Regretably, you were bilked by a cou
ple of Girl Scouts. Another bubble burst.
I hope you do not believe everything
everyone tells you, if you do, you are in
serious trouble.
As for your use of limited editorial
space for a personal problem, I dissap-
prove. I could care less about how dumb
you are. I wouldn’t advertise a stunt like
yours to anyone! If you think that 36,000
Aggies are really concerned with your
personal folly, then I have some real
estate in the Everglades you might like.
Mark V. Lynch ’84
Utay Hall
Parity raider repents
Editor:
I have never written to a newspaper
before but after witnessing the despic
able and dowdnright disgusting act
which occurred the night of the 25th
here on this wonderful and previously
untarnished campus, I found enough
motivation to voice my opinion.
Never before have I seen such vile,
perverted, and contemptible young men
commit such horrendous acts. The
events of the night are now permanently
etched in my mind, the rememberance of
them sickens me to no end. I am, of
course, referring to the so-called “panty-
raid” committed by the hoodlums of
Hart Hall on various innocent female
dormitories this past Monday.
Oh, these poor Ags are sick all right.
Such animalistic behavior, although
perhaps tolerated in some of the less
sophisticated universities of this nation, is
most unbecoming to the great name of
Texas A&M.
Should a repeat of Monday night be
attempted by some other hall on this
campus, it is my opinion that punishment
of the most severe kind should swiftly be
enacted upon it.
But the next time Hart comes around,
girls, have ’em ready in advance. I only
got two pair this last time.
David B. Corry
Hart Hall
Battalion/Page 2
January 28,1982
Slouch
By Jim Eau u3
he;
Ba
Cindere
may not b
for Heart
cluled frc
Saturday i
Sleum, but
willing to
Heart Ass
“Junq
sponsored
cation Ch
for studer
education
health wl
Bel}) loc;
fight heat
A minimi
per minu
| “Jump
team evei
I take turn
i niaxitmiu
■
“i just had this TERRIBLE NIGHTMARE! I dreamed
that it was New Year’s Day and they were going to make
me watch all the football games AGAIN!”
People need a holida
The O
from all the holidays
approve<
to Jackie
aew athl
coach, vv
by DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — In case you felt
something was missing from your life last
Saturday, but were unable to pinpoint
the source of the void, National Hand
writing Day, which normally coincides
with the Jan. 23 celebration of John Han
cock’s birthday, was not observed this
year.
Does this mean that legibility has im
proved to the point where there is no
longer a need for a special day to prom
ote better penmanship?
Or, as seems more likely, has lack of
progress been so dismal as to cause the
promoters of better penmanship to aban
don the campaign?
&M E
jtion also
o him at
lent.
Sher:
if the l
replaced
A&M ht
News
laccompl
land listi
ing evei
[attend in
thousan
Neither, it turns out.
If queried about the omission of Na
tional Handwriting Day from the 1982
calendar of special events, the Writing
Instrument Manufacturers Association,
chief sponsor of the observance, will rep
ly that it simply decided to “give everyone
a year off.” '
I greatly admire the association’s atti
tude and would like to commend it to
others in charge of setting aside certain
days for specific purposes.
Nothing is more of a drag than being
obliged to celebrate the same old holi
days, year in, year out. February is a par
ticularly vicious offender.
What a boon it would be ifjustOK]
we could skip one or more of
observances, thus saving our ei
for, say. National Aardvark Wi
March. But no such luck
Promoters and other interested
ties tenaciously insist on going thi
the rituals each time they fall due.
Anyone wishing to take the yez
from honoring St. Valentine sureh
Find himself swimming upstream
out a paddle. Even such unroi
pressure groups as the American
mical Society help keep up
momentum.
The chemical society, in line wit
season, is circulating two press
on the history and chemistry of Valeif
candymaking. One of them clearsuf||
mystery of how confectioners
get liquid cherry juice inside certain^
bons without leaving a hole in the
late coating.
The secret — here’s the grabber' „,
o ivion
“a chemical reaction that actually®? f ,,
place after the candy is manuiactiiiM Schoku
In effect, the society confides, ; ii s } iec }
Bt
outer part of the cherry liquifies WSchool
Coming up next month is Valentine’s
Day, Washington’s and Lincoln’s birth
days and an assortment of other com
memorations.
own syrup, leaving a cherry centers' Texas
ming in liquid.” || Bay i
Aha! Imagine millions of sweetls 1 s h;p S ; r]
wolfing down Valentine gifts wilt Nance,
realizing they, are benefitting fromk Texas,
living through chemistry. from f
Still to be heard from is the Amers lisoffici
Dental Association. But it is plain that ;is an
effort to ignore a few holidays vvilll* U u sU
futile as the campaign to stamp
scrawling. ^
The Battalion
St<
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conf erence
Editor Angelique Copeland
Managing Editor JaneG. Brust
City Editor. . Denise Richter
Assistant City Editor Diana Sultenfuss
Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
Assistant Focus Editor Nancy Floeck
News Editors Gary Barker,
Phyllis Henderson, Mary Jo Rummel,
Nancy Weatherley
Staff Writers .... John Bramblett, Gaye Denley,
Tim Foarde, Sandra Gary,
Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer,
Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise S. Sechelski
Laura Williams, John Wagner
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal,
David Fisher, Peter Rocha,
Colin Valentine
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory nemm
for students in reporting, editing and photographs
scs within the Department of Communications
Questions or comments concerning any editorials
ter should be directed to the editor.
Letters Policy
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The editorial staff reserves the right to edit lelteri
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Columns and guest editorials are also we
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The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas
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