opinion
Battalion/Page 2
April 23,1982
Slouch
By Jim Earle
“We don’t mind you keeping count of the hours left until
graduation if you would forego announcing the latest
count on the hour. ”
Gun editorial gets reaction
Editor:
Well, I was waiting for it to happen.
Waiting for one of the staff writers,
driven by the boredom of rainy days, to
revert back to rule number one in the
journalism handbook. It states, “If there
is nothing else to write about, pick at the
National Rifle Association and the gun
owners of America.”
Well, Gary Barker really went all out
for this assignment. With help from his
imaginary dog, they proceeded with
their “save America” article. It reminded
me of Jimmy Carter asking Amy about
nuclear proliferation. Gary, your conver
sation with your dog Spot brought back
memories of reading Tip and Mitten in
first grade.
Just for the record, murders will not
stop if gun control was instituted. The
only way to put an end to ruthless killing,
would be to put an end to the person
convicted of the murder, whether it be by
capital punishment or life in prison with
out parole. You seem to be wrapped up
in the liberal thinking that has plagued
journalists for ages.
Take Spot for a walk, both of you
could use some fresh air.
(I’m not even sure the word exists) but
should be factual or enjoyable. Gary Bar
ker’s article in Thursday's Battalion was
neither. I immediately recognized the
weakness of Barker’s article and I refuse
to be quiet on such a volatile issue.
thing else” is a lie.
Bert Mcjimsey ’82
Editor:
The two-faced article written hy Bar
ker amazes me. Barker supports pro
handgun control law — usually associ
ated with a liberal political atmosphere.
Liberals usually support freedom, what
about my freedom guaranteed by the
2nd Ammendment “The right to keep
and bear arms.”
Barker attempts to blame increasing
murder on handguns. An excellent point
used by many pro-gun control advocates.
All of which have no factual data to sup
port it. I challenge Barker or anyone else
to present such data. Do you really think
a handgun control law would help? DW1
laws don’t stop, Mr. Barker, how many
people are killed by drunk drivers each
year. I believe the issue should not be
attacked at the gun-control level, but at
the judicial level of prosecuting gun re
lated crimes.
Grant Harpold ’85
Editor:
Journalism cannot be sensationalism.
Finally, Mr. Barker, you attacked the
NRA. Surely you must realize the NR A is
protecting my rights that you would so
carelessly throw away, with no regard to
my personal beliefs. By the way, the state
ment “a handgun is a weapon designed to
kill people — and is ineffective for any-
1 would like to take the timrj
ment about Gary Barker
Spot’s enlightening revelationt
lion to the crime problem intlitj
States.
Yes, I agree wholeluartedM
about the number of sensebj
committed today around
Gun control must betheanswtij
thing there are too many
wreckless drivers. Maybe it istiral
fist ate automobiles also. Therel
doubtedly too many cases ofil
slander today where people's
i r put .ii< u .ii c (lc\ cstated. 1 favotj
right moratorium on all leportiij
journalism of any kind. Sure,s
pie do use their cars and typewritJ
responsibilit\. but I believetheffl
willing to give them up forjusiKtl
served. I mean this is justice,i
ter all, it would be too hardto|
only those who use them wrong!
In closing, I would like testate!
Barker actually believes what he»!
our sc hool newspaper, I'm comi patty
with a new Aggie Joke Book. Wome
Scott Kiri
Universitil •
mrie
Readers give two sides of book censorship deba
Editor:
I have some comments on Sandra
Gary’s editorial on book censorship
(April 21). I applaud your anti
censorship stance, but I choose to take
your arguments one step further.
As I understand you, you say that
since no absolute set of moral standards
exists (among other absolutes), young
people should be prepared for the
mucky reality of the outside world. I’m
afraid with that sort of statement, you
arm those modern censors with lethal
weapons in your defeat. Gensorship is
usually based on trying to achieve a moral
goal of some sort in education, or indoc
trination. Merely saying “There are no ab
solutes, so it can’t be done” is not an ade
quate defense of the world’s literature.
I hold as a moral imperative one basic
premise: “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit
of Happiness.” I assert that my life is
mine to live in individual liberty in my
pursuit of happiness. This assertion im
plies that I recognize the same premise
for my neighbor, because I do consider it
an absolute. This is what my country was
based upon, and this is what I choose to
defend from enemies of free thought,
wherever they arise.
Frank Knickerbocker
Dorm 4
Editor:
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Angelique Copeland
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 McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal,
David Fisher, Eileen Manton,
Eric Mitchell, Peter Rocha,
John Ryan, Colin Valentine
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77843.
Sandra Gary’s story on book censor
ship (Editorial, April 20) has got to be the
most biased article I have ever read. I am
not going to argue that books she men
tioned should be kept out of school lib
raries. I believe the school library should
be a place where the student has access to
a wide variety of materials, but students
should not have to be subjected to offen
sive material in the classroom.
Gary has done a great injustice to the
people who are sincerely trying to up
grade the quality of education in the pub
lic classroom. All of the cases of censor
ship that she mentioned or alluded to are
obviously the doings of fanatics.
Why didn’t she mention the work of
concerned parents and citizens? People
seldom hear about the biology books
based on evolution as fact that were used
in Texas classrooms for years before con
cerned parents had it rejected. They sel
dom hear of the fifth grade history book
that contained six and one-half pages on
Marilyn Monroe, a sex symbol, and men
tioned George Washington only five
times and never told about his life or
what he did. They seldom hear about the
textbooks that portray Communism as
benefit to the peoples who live in Com
munist societies and only present the
evils of America’s free enterprise system.
And have they heard about the sociol
ogy books that teach that homosexuality
is only abnormal because of outdated
laws against it? That same book also goes
into great detail about the different types
of gay bars and how homosexuals decide
who will be male or female (Who needs to
know that?). It goes on to teach that to be
initiated into Hells Angels, the other
member may urinate on the potential
member, his gang, and/or his girl. How
repulsive!
I must stress that these books were
used in Texas public school classrooms —
not libraries. Thanks to the work of con
cerned parents and citizens these and
many other books like them have been
taken out of Texas schools. The exam
ples I have given are some of the more
extreme ones, but there are many other
less severe examples that elementary and
secondary students are subjected to.
Gary doesn’t mention the “offensive
language” in the five dictionaries that
were banned and I doubt the editor
would have allowed the words to be
printed. Why would it be necessary for
students to learn these words?
According to Gary, the “censors seem
completely unaware of the sophistication
of contemporary youngsters.” Sophisti
cated? How? If these youngsters are as
sophisticated as you say then why is
suicide so high among teenagers? Why
are the number of pregnant girls each
ant
school libraries.” Fortunately,
heard of any cases such as this,all
am sure it may have happened^
pie of isolated instances —no
work of athiests.
year so high? Why is alcoholism and drug
abuse such a problem amony our young
people? What makes you so sure that ex
posure to violence, crime and indecency
in the classroom will help prepare the
student for the real world? Is that all the
real'world is — violence, crime and inde
cency? Do you and your family live that
kind of life? Of course not. Why is it then
that more and more violence and immor
ality are put into textbooks while the
good aspects of life in the real world are
being shoved out? The concerned people
who have a sincere commitment to stu
dents want textboooks to present a realis
tic view of life — more stories about peo
ple living together in harmony, love,
understanding and helpfulness and less
cruelty, crudity, hate, rebellion and vio
lence.
Students get enough violence and im
morality from the television which,
according to recent surveys, the student
watches an average of 20 hours a week.
So why must they be constantly bom
barded with it in the classroom?
And yes, Miss Gary, 1 would be afraid
“when groups and individuals have suc
ceeded in banning the Bible from high
But if they were banned,skil
be attacking the school board foil
ing such ridiculousness insteado Chorus w
one who has been labeled a "cer Amn ican
I am not frightened of censorcW^
I am frightened by articles su(m rt
dra Gary’s that do not lairly li[§§Admis
subject and attempt to bias tliqcertin Ru
Yes, there are a few fanatics nil mfrhe fi
almost everything banned from W 'H leatu
hut there are also many niorecoikf 16 setor
parents and citizens who want far P 111,10
education. 1 was at first frightene
censorship activity when 1 firstb
it, hut I learned more and becal 1C113
more frighted about what was mi ida Fleit
taken out of the classroom. I suggs B'We
Gary and others read “Censor: M be fle
Classroom” and “Are Textbookslf vm, one
|ects t
men’s
ing Your Children?” which artl
available in the Texas A&M Librar]
book is anti-censorship and tlif
book is a call for people to spe|
against objectionable material in
schools. Then decide for yoursdl
you stand on this subject and besii to
Each
ol
have treated both sides fairly.
Teresa Hen: 4 j Local
Souths fullyasse
ter- heat
Letter: Looking back to learn for the futuf
Editor:
In the flicker of candlelight at the All
Faith’s Chapel, a small group gathered
on April 20 to commemorate the Holo
caust. Christian and Jews sat side by side
and listened to the roll call of the camps,
and the impossible-to-comprehend num
bers of souls who were exterminated sys
tematically during the 12 agonizing years
from 1933 to 1945. Hillel, The Latter
Day Saints, Lutheran Student Move
ment, Wesley and the United Campus
Ministries student organizations are to be
commended for their sponsorship of this
remembrance.
The genocide committed in a period
when the world reeled under the atroci
ties of a madman, cries out of the pages of
history to be remembered. The death of
millions of men, women and children can
never be explained or justified by any
cause for which they stood, any battle
which they waged, or any act which they
perpetrated. They were murdered simp
ly because they WERE. This reality must
be passed from generation to generation
so that never again can such a nightmare
be turned into reality.
In the three years I have been a part of
the Texas A&M community, I have never
been more touched by a campus prog
ram. In a world filled with inhumanity,
there must be more effort to unite us all
by our common bond — the higher qual
ities of the nature of man.
staff overlooked the importance of April
21. Let me remind them and the people
who are interested.
Bad ending to a good night
Editor:
On April 21, 1836, several hundred
Texans led by General Sam Houston
routed a much larger Mexican force at
the Battle of San Jacinto. This victory
gave T exas her independence from Mex
ico. It was also the beginning of the
greatest state in the union. This is why we
are supposed to celebrate April 21, San
Jacinto Day.
I know it’s hard for a big-time news
paper to remember such a trivial event,
but there is always next year. Please have
the respect to remember San Jacinto, the
Alamo, Goliad and other important dates
in our Texas heritage. Thank you.
Grant Harpold ’85
Editor’s note: There was a front-page
story giving the history of Muster and
San Jacinto day in Tuesday’s Battalion.
There was a front-page reminder about
Muster in Wednesday’s Battalion.
There was a front-page story about Mus
ter activities in Thursday’s Battalion.
The real Spirit
I’m sorry you Ags have to open your
papers and read another depressing
story. It didn’t start out all bad, and it
doesn’t have to end this way either. All it
takes is a little honesty on the part of one
or two people.
Wednesday night, April 21, myself
and some friends attended Aggie Mus
ter, but between 6:30 and 8:00 that night,
someone entered a room in Keathley and
took two wallets and a purse. If it was
money you were after, I will gladly pay
you a reward for the return of the mer
chandise. There were so many sentimen
tal items that mean so much to these girls.
I don’t want to say the purses were stolen,
because I pray they were just temporarily
taken and will be returned in time.
We were so full of Aggie Spirit and so
glad to be a part of his great tradition to
take such a hard fall. Maybe I’m optimis
tic but 1 do believe in this great school and
all it stands for. Thanks so much for your
time.
Greg Simmons
Moses Hall
hr wat
urday
High Scl
R The
11 a.m. i
that they weren’t Jewish and s
would upset the homogenityoft*jf xas
“Jewish State.” ell ,,
Peace, while they ring their|^ n U j
merits with barbed wire, settlemetfl*
were built on land which once bdi Rev -«
to the very people they are borf//
Lebanon. I
Peace, while thousands of Palef I
youth rot away in Israeli prisons u
Peace, while their gun-totingreju
fanatics beat up on unarmed I ^
civilians, hoping that some dayito P
Jews will just give up and leave. V
Peace, peace, peace, they cry. L
Peace, see them pray for it, will 1 1
lament the loss of six million of I
brethren to Hitler’s Nazis. I
Peace, while they pay the won J
for neglecting them in the
Palestinian Arab blood. K/
Today the world mourns and rf/j
hers six million human beings wl^H
Jewish. Tomorrow, and with Israeli I
lear potential, who knows, the i
Editor:
Request for peace
Carole Ancelin
Secretary to the MSG Director
April 21st important
Editor:
Wednesday Sandra Gary and Phyllis
Henderson and the rest of The Battalion
I am writing this letter of thanks to a
fellow Aggie, one who has reaffirmed my
pride in the true Aggie Spirit. This per
son, name unknown, gave up his tickets
to the Singing Cadets concert so that my
mother and I could attend the perform
ance. We thoroughly enjoyed the show
(as did the entire audience). And I am
personally indebted to you for saving our
weekend. Your action truly exemplifies
the real Spirit of Aggieland. Thank you
again.
Heidi Freeborn
Hughes
Editor:
So Israel is at it again, bombing and
strafing Lebanese towns and villages, kill
ing or wounding in the process over 100
people; that is people like in human
beings, like in men, women and children.
Meanwhile it asks, no begs, for peace.
Peace, peace, peace, all we want is
peace. So say the Israelis.
Peace, while they farm the land still
wet with the blood of Arabs who had
lived on that land centuries before the
Zionist Jews ever came. They’re only
crimes, be they Moslem or Christian was
ICclI Icli, WI1U KI1UW5, Uic
could be mourning six million
beings who are Arab. h
Wouldn’t it be better if the ft I
gave up the idea of a pure Jewish I
and elected to live with thenon-J 1 !
inhabitants of Palestine in a trulyI
cratic state, where all people had v
rights before the. law regardlessof ■
color, or creed. H
Lest we forget the Nazi Germans n
to create a purely Arian state just# 1 1|
ago, need I continue.
Nabil Al-Khowail 1
Correction
In the “Girl Scout camp needs volu^P
for one weekend” story in Thuiv
Battalion the dates of the camptvf'
correctly listed as May 3TJunel
camp will be held May 31-Jund
Battalion regrets the error.