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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1982)
opinion Slouch Earle “It’s the ultimate in vending machines! First, it was bot tles, then paper cups; and now they’ve eliminated the cups!” Gum-in-cheek music at a “pop” concert by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Last March, accord ing to a letter that has fallen into my possession, a college student in Connecti cut wrote a leading bubble gum company asking it to supply percussion instru ments for a campus dance recital. Pertinent excerpts follow: “I am giving a dance performance in which the audience will participate in creating the music ... the music will be chewing noises. I plan to have the audi ence chewing gum ... I am writing to sev eral chewing gum corporations to see if any one is interested in supporting the arts by donating the necessary seven hun dred pieces of gum.” I hardly need add that the gum cor poration to whom this opportunity was tendered practically fell all over itself re sponding affirmatively. Its enthusiastic acceptance sprang both from a desire to uphold the tradi tion of corporate support of the arts and from the fact that it markets a brand of bubble gum trade named “Bazooka.” For younger readers, let me pause here to explain that the original bazooka was a musical instrument, or contraption, Fitted together by radio comedian Bob Burns from several odd lengths of pipe and a funnel. (Another bazooka namesake was a World War II portable rocket launcher, although I doubt the latter would be suit able for dance rhythms.) In my time, I have known several talented masticators who might qualify as bubble gum virtuosi. Never, however, despite a vast range of musical experi ence, have I heard an entire concert audi ence simultaneously popping the stuff. Such an event did, and does, arouse my cultural instincts. A dance choreog raphed for 700 pieces of bubble gum simply is not something you get a chance to see every day, I don’t care if you’re Baryshnikov, Balanchine or whoever. Alas, it was not to be. I also have in my possession a follow up letter, written in April, in which the dance student announced a change of format. Pertinent excerpts follow: “Having the audience chew Bazooka bubble gum has great potential for the accompaniment to a dance, but the dance, in such a situation, must fit the music perfectly. Otherwise, the meaning of the music and the dance may be lost... as the dance progressed, it has become so complicated in itself, that adding the Bazooka would be a cheapening gim mick.” Although the student promised to “try again to choreograph an appropriate piece” next year, by that time I fear it will be too late. An esthetic concept with the entertain ment potential of this one isn’t going to lie barren very long. You can bet on that. Within a few weeks, I’ll warrant, some Broadway musical producer will be using bubble gum to accompany such dance numbers as “Chattanooga Choo-Choo,” the theme from “Jaws” and “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.” All it takes is a lot of cheek. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Bernie Fette Assistant City Editor Gary Barker Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Focus Editor Nancy Floeck Assistant Focus Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors. . Tracey Buchanan, Cathy Capps, Daniel Puckett, Mary Jet Rummel, Staff Writers Cyndy Davis, Susan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, John Lopez, Hope E. Paasch, Bill Robinson, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Laura Williams, Rebeca Zimmermann Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers David Fisher, Jane Hollingsworth Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Colin Valentine Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, 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 thse of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial mat ter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and'phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Battalion/Page 2 May 3, 1982 Reagan sets diplomatic trip by Helen Thomas United Press Internationa) WASHINTON — President Reagan will make his debut on the world’s diplo matic stage when he travels to Europe in early June. Up to now Reagan’s other foreign travels — to Ottowa, Cancun and Jamaica — have been side skirmishes compared to the nine-day swing that includes two major summit meetings and visits with the Pope, a queen and other world leaders. To prepare himself, Reagan will read comprehensive briefing books and hold advance meetings with his chief advisers on all the major issues he is likely to con front. The CIA also prepares special films on the leaders he will meet so that none will be completely a stranger to Reagan on first encounter. In the world of summitry, the United States is often on the defense. But that is not Reagan’s style. In major speeches be fore the Parliament in the Royal Gallery in London, to the Bundestag in Bonn and at the Berlin Wall, he is expected to lay down in explicit terms the main goals of U.S. foreign policy. U.S. relations with allies are in some ways at the crossroads, and Reagan has a lot of fence mending to do. He will also have to contend with anti nuclear demonstrations in various capit als, having aroused fear from early state ments that he views a limited nuclear war in Europe as conceivable. He has since backed away from such positions, but the memory lingers on and his hardline poli cies in the nuclear field have added to the suspicion. He departs Washington June 2 and his first stop will be Paris, where he will rest from thejet lag beforejoining the leaders of six other Western industrialized na tions for a three-day economic summit in the magnificent Palace of Versailles, where he will have to contend with critic ism of high U.S. interest rales. From France, Reagan will fly to Rome for a six-hour stay. He will meet with Italian President Sandro Pertini. He also will pay his respects to other Italian lead ers, but the high point will be his visit to the Vatican to see Pope John Paul II. Then on to London for two days where he will be the guest of Queen Eli zabeth II at Windsor Castle. The British are planning grand doings for Reagan, including lunch at No. 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and a state dinner at the Castle at a long table that seats 160 guests. But the cameramen are waiting for the big moment when the queen invites Reagan to go horseback riding on the grounds of Windsor Castle. It’s Reagan’s favorite form of relaxation and it will be a from long sessions lennary a Texas respite affairs. From England, he will travel lol h Texas where he will attend the 15i NATO meeting with otherheadsoti The alliance is in disarray with the sion and mixed signals that have coming from various partners The nuclear issue has put heavy|L ure on some of the European leader West German Chancellor trician v being pi ery Fric! Dan Pos ’he two t in t 1th Cent releasee Officials luure'w Schmidt, in particular, is pushingh;|L.| ies i^, reaffirm the U.S. intention of placii;[ rec j termediate range advanced m weapons in Europe to counter Reagan says are 300 long range S| missiles targeted at Western Eurf capitals from the Soviet Union. As is traditional for any Amel’ :)(l,) T° l president who visits Germany, atP 1 se< ‘ Ut ‘ the Berlin Wall is essential to real once again the U.S. determination fend the West against any S) onslaught. The symbolic gesture established by John Kennedy whtiDr. Robe made his famous “Ich bin ein BerlBDepartn speech at the wall in 1961 with thoup 11 Anin of cheering Germans at the scene. P‘£ er y- Sal Much planning is going into the Reagan’s aides say it will be grui ed Iron ng table |mal Cli )ol, whe |e. They also know that Reagan’s leadel ability will be severely tested at a| when the Western world is look™ new directions and understanding. Less guns but more crimes vocation Set Int Editor: I knew it, I just knew it! It was bound to happen! We’ve cussed and discussed all the other “hot” items such as politics, education, abortion, nuclear war, etc. un til somebody (Mr. Barker) just had to bring up gun control. But since we’re on the subject, we might as well get the facts straight because somebody's been feed ing of Spot something other than dog- food. According to recent data compiled by the FBI America’s most violent major metropolitan areas, Boston, New York, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Cleve land have extremely rigid gun laws. Even more remarkable is that their crime rates have jumped alarmingly since those re spective cities passed their latest anti— gun laws. Among smaller cities (population 250,()()() 'to 500,000), Miami leads the country in violence. Miami requires a police permit in order to purchase a handgun, a handgun proficiency test for purchases and a waiting period on hand gun sales (to verify purchaser’s informa tion.) It has also banned the stile of so- called “Saturday Night Specials 1 '. Miami is now plagued by an overall violent crime rate of 3417.7 per 100,000 per sons, four times that of its neighhor, J;ic k- sonville. Jacksonville, whose murder rate is only one-fifth that of Miami’s, hits none of the restrictive gun laws that Miami hits enacted. Reader’s Forum se one-third of all violent crime. In 197(3, Decision Milking Information surveys showed that the crimes most feared In people were robbery, burglarv and mur der in the course of those ct imes. Hand guns were involved in only 4 percent of those crimes. T hus, any anti-handgun legislation would be aimed at only 4 per cent of the crimes most feared In the American public. Also, it federally funded study just re leased by the Justice Department had these comments: — There is “no persuasive evidence” to support the commonly expressed y iey\ that “much homicide yvould not occur yvhere firearms are generally less available"; — “Any action taken to deny firearms to yvould-be-criminals rvill necessarily deny them to vastly larger group of per sons who yvill never even contemplate, much less commit, a violent criminal act — T he proportion of American fami- llress . lies acknowledging gun oyvnershi|) I remained constant at about 50 p« j ; since 1959, but the percentage ow [ handguns has increased; — About three-fourths of privi oyvned guns are used for sport and creation — the remainder for defense; — Betyveen 1968 and 1978,there« large increase in sport shooting aiiI estimated 10 million long guns and3 lion handguns yvere purchased for purpose. T his led the researchers km elude that there yvas no validity to , common claim that handguns have legitimate sport or recreational tise l — “In point of fact, no credibleslj of sport and recreational handgun lines L. has even been conducted, and iIkT fragments of evidence that do el strongly suggest that handguns ad likely to be owned for sport and reei| tion as for any other reason.” Somebody please relay this inforil tion to Barker so that he might pass ill tool' Spot. By the wav Barker. Ivc « Geor^ snortin’, buckin’, bitin’, kickin’Coll ■ would enjoy meetin' with of Spot. ff mes L iellW. Brian Cheevers Graduate in agricultural econom lobert la H. Georg' obert E ell W. the small society by Brickmo Wesley Other FBI crime data reveals that be tween 1974 and 1930, overall violent crime rose 26 percent. During those years firearm involvement in violent crime fell 12 percent. While the per c api ta ownership of handguns increased 24 percent since 1974, their involvement in murder fell 7 percent during that period. Refuting the charge that guns are the factor in crimes of violence, data shows that firearms are involved in less than XF X MAP what we we££ -SAVIMS R3(Z IK • • • I V/etlLP HAV& w&ir&v- ©1981 King Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved. £>'2.0'&2icxUt George - I Bryan Ki Ellen Lyi Lynda D Lorenzo Kelley E! Phyllis T Mary Air Chris Cu Kevin A. William
