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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1982)
opinion Battalion/Page 2 March 10, 1982 F Freedom is everyone’s right Freedom is not something to be taken lightly — especially when there is a dan ger of losing that freedom. Americans have both a right and a responsibility to know what is going on in their government. The Freedom of In formation Act is the way citizens can ex ercise that right. But proposed admendments to the FOI Act could limit that essential freedom. The Freedom of Information Act guarantees the public access to all records of federal agencies except those with spe cial exemptions. But the $64,000 question is: How much longer will the records be open? The Senate Judiciary Committee is now reviewing a bill that will drastically restrict the FOI Act. It will go before the Senate soon. Every day Americans react to some governmental agency. Look where stu dents spend their days. The University itself is a governmental agency. The Texas A&M chapter of the Socie ty of Professional Journalists, Sigma De lta Chi today is observing Freedom of Information Day. But the FOI Act is a freedom for all Americans — not just that of the media. Without free information, the public loses twice. Not only is the media re stricted from sifting through gov ernmental records for the public edifica tion, but also is every American denied mary jo rummel access to such records. Some people claim that our generation was gypped — we missed out on the causes of the ’60s we missed out on the indignation and embarrassment of the Watergate situation, the Cold War seems too far away and revolution is something that happens to other countries. Supposedly college student aren’t re sponsible for what happens to the coun try until they graduate and become re sponsible adults in the community and the country. Then if they don’t like the way the government is run, they can change it. Not true. Without freedom of information, no one will know how the government is working. Supported by President Reagan and introduced by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, the FOI-restricting bill would paralyze the flow of information about the government. The bill’s proponents contend that re strictions are needed to protect national security. Security is important. Many of the activi ties of the CIA, FBI and Defense Depart ment depend on security. But is it sacred? The Act already allows exemptions for national security, personnel records, per sonal privacy, law enforcement investiga tions, federally regulated banks and oil and gas wells. But the current administration feels that the I'estrictions aren’t strong enough. The proposed bill would with hold law enforcement records, end ac cess to government legal settlements and limit the authority of courts to determine whether national records are properly classified. The bill also would broaden restric tions on memos and notes of government officials and company trade secrets. Another part of proposed bill would in crease the cost of using the FOI Act and in some cases, the agency’s response time from six days to one year. All these restrictions would allow the government to tell citizens only what the government wants them to hear. People should not have to depend on what the government tells them to make decisions about the country’s future — their future. Information is vital to maintain our freedom. Americans should protect the information they have by supporting the present Freedom of Information Act. F Ra] becau the i choos A&M said 1 Muef meml titled Depa Affaii “1 ists w “Doggone it! I always forget what I was supposed to do until I get in bed.” Amplified speaker issu deserves more debate .C0U>*^ A lot of people have complained about the use of public address systems around Rudder Complex — except the one time it really mattered. Some said the amplified groups and individuals around Rudder were “impos ing their views on others.” Others said: “I don’t like the noise while I’m trying to eat lunch,” or “Why don’t they keep their opinions to them selves.” But when a Student Government com mittee addressed the situation, none of these people who complained so ardently during their lunch hour showed up. Last night,, the student services com mittee of Student Government held an open* meeting to discuss a bill that would ban the usfe of public address systems from parts of the Texas A&M campus, including around Rudder fountain. Even though the turn-out was the largest the committee had ever had, everyone presented basically the same opinion. Seventy-seven students attended, 19 were committee members. The other 58 were mostly representatives from the re ligious organizations on campus. Jolie Mailhos, author of the bill, ex plained that the sole purpose of the bill was to get public opinion. She said that someone had formally complained to her committee and requested a bill bannftig the use of PAs. Visitors called the bill “contradictory” because it stressed freedom of speech yet wanted to ban usage of the tools “neces sary” to implement that freedom. One student said the bill specifically opposed religious speakers, yet silently condoned usage of loudspeakers by MSC Town Hall and other “less controversBwvn groups. From the discussion, it seemed l^£dl 1 every student in the whole University in love with getting lectured to oi bologna and Calculus. That everyone on campus arden approves the use of public address terns is a misconception, but there wai one at the meeting to say so. Helpless to do otherwise, the co tee killed the bill. What else could they do? They hadi student support. Yet people will still complain daily out speakers telling them they aregi to “go to hell” if they don’t stop andli: Several “Letters to the Editor” pi that some people oppose amplil speakers ^t the fountain. Whether a of publicity about the meeting or a kept that viewpoint from being expn ed at the meeting is hard to say. It’s hard to have a debate on an when only one viewpoint is express There must be a solution that can be* satisfy both opinions. The senate should re-address topic of public address system usage misusage and work with groups who the system to try to find a solution to problem that will be agreeable to all Reader’s Forum: Nights at the Student Senate Follie Editor: Tonight I have the honor, once again as a student senator, to attend a student senate meeting. Composed of, officially, 83 students that gather together repre senting the viewpoints of all 33,000 stu dents attending this great University. Yet it would really be nice to see 50, let alone all 83, senators present. Why don’t we get the total representation that we have seen Student Government striving for? It’s very simple, the student senators are tired of wasting their time. Going to senate meeetings every two weeks, then staying past midnight repeatedly and walking out at the end with nothing really accomplished discourages the most ac tive of senators. What do they do for over five hours? Here is a small excerpt I re corded from the last senate meeting: (Ten minute break over, about to call the role.) Speaker: “Will all senators remove any food from the tops of the tables?” A Senator: “Mr. Speaker, by what right do you have the authority to do this?” (Small debate over this matter, finally the Speaker decides to vote on the matter to settle it.) The vote: 28 for the policy to ban food during the senate meetings, 23 against. (One senator was holding was holding her hand up for the policy while she was drinking a coke at the same time!) (New debate whether there is even a quorum present.) Roll call is taken. Speaker declares there is a quorum present and the policy has passed. Senator: “Is this policy a rule?" Speaker: “Yes it is.” Senator: “What is the punishment for breaking a policy rule?” Speaker: “Undefined, but I would say the maximum would be dismissal from the senate at the speaker’s discretion.” (New business continues.) Not only was this a waste of time, but pointless and useless! The majority of those senators are concerned with repre senting those students that elected them to their position. But they are students too, with their valuble time divided up with studies, sleep, and the variety of other activities Texas A&M students en gage. Along with these activities, they have chosen to give some time to Student Government, hence to all other students. The problem is not with the senators, but within the hierarchy of Student Gov ernment. The “Candy Caper” would never have occurred if there had been some effective leadership in the senate. Yet it did occur! I raise one question, what type of entertainment will we enjoy tonight? Already they want to change the name of Student Government to Student Association. Will the upper echelon of Student Government (Association) re fuse us the privilege to satisfy the call of nature? asked “What is wrong with being a proud Aggie?” he replied, “Everything!” I admit A&M has its share of faults and of embarrassments. But look around Aggieland; there are admirable tradi tions like yell practice. Silver Taps, and bonfire along with the reputations achieved by the College of Engineering and by the Aggie Band. These and other things give A&M its unique brand of re spectability. Texas A&M is definitely not for everyone, especially the apathetic would-be tea-sippers. And we all know about “Highway 6...” Isn’t it great that we have freedom in choosing colleges, not high school stuff is it? Constructive critic ism is good but insulting your chosen school is just plain bad bull. doubt seriously, if Mr. Rudder would have approved the use of a facility in his own name for this purpose. The question of right or wrong in this instance cannot be attributed to the rights of speech, press, or assembly; or w'hether any war fought, was just or not. It is very simply a matter of tact and re spect for those who did die, and more over those living who’s loved ones na r adorn the walls and bronze plaque of very sacred memorial. It is for thesep 1 pie and for all who really care, which due a most humble apology for atrocity. C.G. Darnell Jr College St* 1 JohnnyJeng Moses Hall Apology needed from group Editor: Ron Palomares Student Senator Be true to your school Editor: Last Tuesday, I heard another stu dent talking about Texas A&M. What he said bothered me very much. When It is with great chagrin that I write this letter in order to bring to the attention of one seemingly responsible campus orga nization a grave wrong for which they are guilty. It is an absolute disgrace that the Poli tical Forum would advertise a lecture by the American Communist Party in a building that memorializes thousands who lost their lives fighting the oppres sion caused by similar political beliefs. I cannot judge the activity as wrong, however, its promotion has no place in the Memorial Student Center. I further The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference 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 Jennifer Carr, Cyndy Davis, Gaye Denley, Sandra Gary, Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer, Hope E. Paasch Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise Sechelski, John Wagner, Laura Williams, Rebeca Zimmermann Cartoonist Scott McCu liar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal, David Fisher, Eileen Manton, Eric Mitchell, Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Colin Valentine Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-proBt. self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Univetyity administrators or faculty in* 1 bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newjfV-' 1 for students in reporting, editing and photography^ ses within the Department of Communications. 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