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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1982)
opinion Slouch By Jim Earle “At this point, there*s no need for you to write your name in the concrete. Since you*re stuck there, you can just tell people your name on a one-to-one basis. ** Graduating senior thanks Texas A&M Editor: As a graduating senior, — I would like to thank all those profs who put some energy into their lectures (especially the 8 a.m. ones) instead of treating them as just another day at the office. For those profs who were bored teaching us, believe me, we were more bored listening to you. — I would like to thank the University Drive McDonalds for supplying students Reader’s Forum (especially engineers) with countless semi-digestible meals. — I would not like to thank the Texas A&M football team. In four years you never beat Baylor. Why do we make such a big deal about beating a school of 50,000 when we cannot even beat a pri vate school of 10,000? They not only beat us, they drummed us. If you can beat them, Jackie, I am yours forever. — I would like to thank the Data Pro cessing Center for doing the best job that it can under limiting circumstances. Maybe some day Texas A&M will come out of the computer dark ages and offer real academic computing power — the power for students to learn as much as possible without monetary restraints. To do this, the University administration will have to wake up — did you hear that Frank Vandiver? Why don’t you stop cancelling visits to the Texas A&M com puter facilities? — I would not like to thank those profs who care more about research and publi cations and tenure than they do about their students. You need a reminder on your desk saying, “Twer it not for the students, I wouldst not be here.” — I would like to thank Jackie Sherrill Robert E. Green ’82 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 BernieFette 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 Jo 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. Nuclear war deserves conce 333 by David S. Broder WASHINGTON — Two paperbacks are on my desk. One is “Nuclear War. What’s In It For You?,” written by Roger C. Molander of Ground Zero, the organi zation running rallies against the threat of U.S.-Soviet atomic war. The other is “Freeze! How You Can Help Prevent Nuclear War,” written by Senate staff members Carey Parker and Robert Shrum for publication under the names of their employer, Sen. Edward M. Ken nedy (D-Mass.), and the co-sponsor of his nuclear freeze resolution, Sen. Mark O. Hatfield (R-Ore.). Together, the two books demonstrate why the nuclear weapons protest move ment is so vexing. The case for the movement is as ob vious as it is compelling. Nuclear war is the greatest threat to humanity, and re ducing the risk of its occurrence is there fore the single greatest responsibility of any nation that possesses these weapons. Every American president from the birth of the atomic age has recognized and acted on that responsibility. Presi dent Reagan signaled his recognition of that duty in his speech last November, calling for a series of negotiations on strategic and tactical nuclear arms. He has repeated the message several times in the last four months. The protesters have perceived, however, that the Reagan administration is of two minds about arms-control. Its internal debate has delayed the talks. The President asserts that “substance is more important than timing” but, having thrown his considerable weight against the Ford-Brezhnev Vladivostok agree ment and the Carter-Brezhnev SALT II treaty, Reagan bears a special responsi bility for the long hiatus in negotiated nuclear arms pacts. Beyond that, one encounters a greater mass of determined resistance to arms control and a greater cynicism about the negotiating process among key officials in this administration than in any other since the nuclear age began. So public pressure is probably needed to prod the administration toward the bargaining table. That much can be said on behalf of the movement — but no more than that. Its impact may be needed, but its approach is a far cry from the seriousness with which this survival issue needs to be dis cussed. If you want a model of an approach that is serious — and non-sensationalist — you need look no further than Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.). He is trying to nudge the United States and the Soviet Union into whether detect who launched it and to guarantee their ability to talk to each other under those threatening circumstances. There is no emotionalism in Nunn’s speeches and writing on this subject — even though he is dealing with a terribly dangerous eventuality. Contrast that with Molander’s hand book for the Ground Zero movement, which purports to be “the presentation of basic, factual information to answer tech nical questions and a balanced represen tation of both sides of policy questions subject to varying analysis and interpre tation.” The prologue to that book is the rumi nation of an Army widow who supposed ly survives a Soviet nuclear attack on the United States. “The letter she had re ceived shortly after her husband’s death (two years earlier) had said Bill had died so we would all be safe. She reineiL, improving their ability to determine ther a nuclear attack is under way, to politicians saying that we needed' weapons to be safe — because:: Bev ® sians had more weapons. GreatJ p our teen died and the government hadbiii:|lj t y f a cul weapons, and look at us nowhonored Thi “She recalled reading somewtieannual ret the United States had 10,000 r hosted by the weapons. Ten thousand BOMBSmer Student they made her feel safe — sale: 1 reUl s e couldn’t remember thinking abos 0 ^, 1 all. She’d left it up to the expcmB^Editor said 10,000 weren’t enough aim^j.^iy 55 wanted more — for national secur:^^ Steve course. She suddenly felt bitter. (benefits ma have done something? she wopcA&M, said. F Maybe if I had told them that Iment age wil nuclear weapons didn’t really maito the Age feel safe. Maybe if a lot of peopiP asst ' <1 ^ spoken up, had cared a little m::' ^ ie would have made a difference." ret 11 That is no balanced, factual prtWl^year, h tion. That is liberal sentimentalisti^jrjs Q f [he amok. And there is more of thatlif&e the age emotionalism and simple-mindednHAbout 35 the Kennedy-Hatfield opus. The Bred each tors (or their ghosts) ask a serieso[ years, Hasse tions: “Shoulan’t the public keepiiiH out of the experts’ business ol dely and arms control?” Answer: “This[| posed to be a democracy.” Qu “Won’t a nuclear weapons freeze^ Soviet Union an advantage, since, y have more conventional MfjK x Answer: “A freeze won’t stop thei 11C V\ Army, or start it.” It’s a crummy situation. A rek united sometimes cynical administrate AUSTIN prodded toward vital negotiations [Texas set a propaganda campaign that instet fifth year ii clarifying, distorts a major publicp the Depart! question. On both sides, we’re gt fP 0 ! [ t . e< ^ cheated of what we deserve: ^ e |, ite( | U f it negotiations and serious debate, ^sed 6 j vious year’: for realizing we need better pass block ing. Taking one step back, someone needs to thank the former students for procuring Jackie Sherrill. I would like to thank Bum Bright for knowing what he wants and then getting it. — I would not like to thank the indi vidual who, on a rainy day in 1980, stole my umbrella. — I would like to thank Goff, Woods, Smith, Wright and Britton for the glo rious 1979-1980 basketball season. As I watched this year’s team get destroyed by Houston at Reunion, I found myself longing for the days when: Goff supplied the floor leadership we now lack (and stole the game from Bradley); Woods could play a whole game instead of mere ly be present for it; we had bookend for wards that worked; and last, but “Great’est,” we had Britton, who we could give the ball to and know some thing good would happen. Not since Son ny Parker has Texas A&M had an excit ing player like Great. In conclusion, I would like to leave Texas A&M with a few parting remarks. With 35,000 plus students, the University is now so highly diversified that a single group can no longer rule the campus. Of course, the Corps wants to, but the non- regs don’t like that idea — while the Greeks laugh at it, and the Waggies just get walked on. The two-percenters have g rown to four, there are as many Greek ouses as there are Corps dorms, and our sacred Texas A&M has considered rec ognizing the GSSO. You can’t fight change and, conversly, you can’t change what has always been. As I leave Texas A&M for the slings and arrows of the real world, I will most likely be called upon to defend the honor of Texas A&M against those who do not understand our ways. Even with its many faults, the University is worth defending, though as long as employers continue to hold Texas A&M graduates in such high esteem, I really don’t care what the world says about us. ■j “A tota ■were reco Streets and DPS direct id. Acciden [ccounted ic 1981 ti Motorc totaled 442 ’the previo net t-lg, oes UES LIES UE? ^ <« UE5 U£S YELLOW RAIN. Letters: Corps needs to build pride Editor: This is an open letter to the Corps. This weekend marks the end of five memorable years of my life. Four of these years were spent in an organization that taught me much; the Fighting Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets. During my stay at Texas A&M, I’ve seen the Corps go through many changes. I’ve also seen the Corps’ reputation slowly deteriorate, and if something isn’t done, the problem will only get worse. I think part of the problem is that the Corps has lost some of its pride in itself. The men of the Corps are some of the finest in the world, yet our reputation suffers at the hands of a few. I have heard cadets degrade the Corps in public, rein forcing negative attitudes in their own minds as well as those listening. Only by changing the Corps attitude toward itself can we hope to improve our reputation with the civilian population. To the fish in F-2: let me assure you that physical hazing does not go on in every outfit in the Corps. It has never gone on in mine. I know because the out fit came into existence my fish year. There are people who still strive to up hold the highest standards and traditions of the Corps. Finally, I challenge Mike Holmes and his staff to set as a goal for the coming year, a revitalization of the Corps’ honor. Let’s show this campus what the Corps stands for and do away with some of the negative feelings that exist both in and out of the Corps. consider myself an Aggie first and f: most, and no amount of extracurr™ involvement will change my opinion Greg Hargis ’81 Terri L. Ganetr Greeks speak out against comment Geography students praised for meeting Editor: Editor: All year long, I have been hearing and reading derogatory comments and critic isms concerning the sororities and frater nities here at Texas A&M, and, until now, none of it has bothered me. But, when the commander of an organization, (the Corps of Cadets), that I highly re spect and admire condemned the Greek System, it really opened my eyes. I had no idea that I was less of an Aggie because I belonged to a sorority, and I’m sure neither did my sisters. I thought that attending Texas A&M and proudly shar ing and participating in its traditions and heritage made me unique; it made me an Aggie. But Woodall, if in your opinion belonging to a Greek sorority prevents me from belonging to the AGGIE Frater nity — so be it. But, believe me, I’ll still I would like to acknowledge theGfl raphy students at Texas A&M for tit work at the April 25-28 national meeu' of the Association of American Ge>' raphers in San Antonio. It was veryt dent that the smooth functioning ofllj meeting would not have been posst were it not for the efforts and timeconf buted by geography students. In adt tion, as many of my colleagues ha 1 noted, the Texas hospitality and caffl*’ aderie developed at this convention sc 1 standard for future AAG meetings, ft ; could not have occurred without thesuf |: portive involvement of geography st 1 1 dents. Thank you for your fine work- this excellent academic meeting. Dr. Paul Melee Assistant Professe Eastern Illinois Universf