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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1982)
opinion Battalion/Page 2 November 2, 1982 Slouch By Jim Earle “You mean he changed his name to ‘None of the Above’ just for the election?” Endorsements for public office by Art Buchwald It is now time for this column to en dorse certain political candidates for public office. We have studied all the issues and arrived at our conclusions by not only comparing who our choices are running against, but how they stack up to what we’ve got already. For U.S. Senator — Plato Syracuse. We support Plato because he was the only political candidate this year who did not have his picture taken with an unem ployed automobile worker. When this was pointed out by his opponent in their final debate, Syracuse defended himself by saying, “I couldn’t do anything to get the man his job back, and he knew it and I knew it, so why use up a lot of my time for a lousy two minutes on the evening news?” For Congress — Walter Rosebud. Our reason for choosing Rosebud over his opponent is that Rosebud, although a multimillionaire, refused to use a cent of his own money to finance his election. He was quoted on “Meet the Press” as saying, “I worked hard for my fortune, and I have no intention of blowing it on an election when I can get 13 percent on tax-exempt municipal bonds. If the spe cial interest political action committees don’t want to buy my vote, then I don’t think I want the job.” For Governor— Hayden Dunkerman. This was a tough choice because Dunker- man’s opponent has a much prettier wife. But Dunkerman has two more children than his rival. Dunkerman also was an all-state running back in college, while his opponent, because of a bad knee, wouldn’t go out for the team. Dunker- man’s other qualification for making a better governor is that, in his state, which has a 20 percent Hispanic population, his whole family professes to be crazy about Mexican food. For Lt. Governor — Ramsay Wilder gets our nod. Wilder disagrees with almost every stand Hayden Dunkerman, the man we support for governor, has taken. Therefore, since neither one of them could work together, it’s doubtful that Dunkerman would dare leave the state during his four years in office. 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 Gary Barker Assistant City Editor HopeE. Paasch Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Entertainment Editor Nancy Floeck Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors Rachel Bostwick, Cathy Capps, Johna Jo Maurer, Daniel Puckett, Jan Werner, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Susan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, David Johnson, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Carol Smith, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann Copyeditor Elaine Engstrom, Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers David Fisher, Jorge Casari, Ronald W. Emerson, Octavio Garcia, Michael D. Johnson, Irene Mees, John Ryan, Robert Snider pressed in The Battalion are those 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 matter 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 and 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. 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- 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. Water the government lawn Editor: Although Wilder has no executive ex perience, we still endorse him because a lieutenant governor doesn’t need any for this nothing job. For State Attorney General — Dallas Reisling would probably make a better attorney general than Arnie Burchett. He has been more forthright in answer ing the tough questions posed to him by the media. Last week in a televised debate with WTWIT’s hard-hitting Reg Smiley as moderator, Dallas was asked where he stood on the death penalty and he re plied, “It’s none of your damn business.” Smiley’s follow-up question on how Dal las would deal with white-collar crime brought this response: “I didn’t come here to discuss my personal life.” Smiley then tried to pin Dallas down on what stand he would take on prayer in public schools. Dallas replied, “I have made it a rule never to talk about the Constitution when appearing on television.” For making Smiley look like a fool, we have to endorse Reisling over Arnie Bur chett, whose make-up on the show made him look terrible. For Mayor — the incumbent, Charles Bledsoe, has done a good job and de serves another term. The fact that he gave the garbage contract for the city to his brother-in-law, and received a free trip to Tokyo from the company who sold the city 200 buses that have been recalled for faulty brakes, does not de tract from our opinion that Bledsoe is probably one of the most popular machine mayors the city has ever had. We endorse Bledsoe because he is behol den to no one, thanks to a blind trust fund in the Bahamas set up by his close friends in the school contracting busi ness. For City Council President — Sarah Evans gets our overwhelming endorse ment, because she’s a woman. As for the various propositions on the ballot: We favor all the odd-numbered ones and are against the even ones, with the exception of Proposition 82, which reads, “The people of this state believe that in the event of a nuclear attack no alternate parking will be permitted at ground zero.” The solutions are not easy nor are the answers clear. The problems are many, maybe more than any one person can realize. It is not the choice of “easy paths” that we are to choose from. But the path which will satisfy our intention from the beginning all the way to the end. We must set up guidelines and follow them. We must maintain a course that will lead us to rectitude. We must be more decisive. The prob lems of decades can not be solved in four years. Nor can those paths which we have chosen be judged at the “middle of the road.” Hard times are yet to come, but they can be resolved, and they will be resolved. A strong will, a solid backbone, and the willingness to endure will determine the fate of this country and these times. Quick solutions, the easy way out, and the illusion of a smooth ride will not prevail; not this time. No one man, no one administration can solve the problems of the American people. Only the American people can do this. But in the process we must not continue on the erratic path that we have been following. Let us stablize, become one, stay on course and let it be deter mined that we can solve our own prob lems. America has always stood fast in a state of crisis. But are we in a state of crisis? I should think not. Not yet, but if we don’t follow the straight and narrow and de cide what it is that we want, then we will be at a crisis. This, our government, can no longer feasibly give away to its people or to the people of the world. Our businesses are being undermined by a cheaper Euro- Reader’s Forum pean, Japanese market. The world is in debt to these United States, and it’s time that the world start paying back. Some governments do pay us back. An even exchange has been worked out. For example: Israel has pitted our finest military equipment against what has been assumed to be the finest military equipment in the world; produced by the Soviet Union. And Israel continues to make the Soviet machinery look silly in actual combat. If there is nothing for us to be happy about under these circumstances; then the least we can be happy about is the fact that our military money is being invested wisely in good/evil projects. We must put all of this aside for the time and direct our attention to the real problem which is indecisiveness. We elect people to office because of their policies (I hope). Then, after a year, we lose faith in those policies and we look for new or old policies to come back or to be formed, we put those policies into effect and after a year we are still not happy so we follow the same pattern. Chaos takes over. We live in the illusion that “the grass is or was always greener on the other side.” We should realize that the only way to have green grass is to spread fertilizer, water and seed, and then maintain those seeds which will then turn into our “lawn.” And then we realize that the only way to maintain our lawn is by constant care and determination; that no matter what the circumstances are, we will have the greenest lawn. However, we must first and foremost realize that we mustt| care of our lawn and that that willalwj demand hard work. When Franklin D. Roosevelt elected president, he spread the ferti er, watered and planted the seed to velop a lawn of economic recovery, first it took some time; but he caredfc his lawn, and the people gave him timei care for it. It wasn’t until after Worldl II that his seeds for a greener “law' began to grow. When the war ended his lawn« firmly planted into the American societi and way of life. For a while, his lawn gra green. But as time marched on his lain began to grow brown and “turn to weed It was not and is not the workofott man, one “tenant” of the house on lawn who can be blamed. It is and was ill work of many. And some of “many” are and were that man’s bors. Many have tried to “paint the fence’ that surrounds the house, but thislij been superficial. Many have tried to the lawn just grow, in hopes thatitwon at least appear to be green. Neither has worked. The lawn lias be cut down. The fertilizer and the seed all have to be replaced. Then we will to water and continue to plant new to make our lawn grow and be g again. This will take time and care. Butintfe meantime, we will have to till thesoilael work the land. We ruined our on “lawn”, our neighbors haven’t helpe either. But basically, it has beenourowi neglect. Now we must be patient and; again. I just hope and pray that when lawn does grow green again that we ituart Taj history ma better care of it. And that we hiregool “tenants” to do the same. Stephen Weiss by J ei Bat R.M. Logc “ i of stude Texas A&M , itarted a pr local I inore guaran The Soutl Education A tan notes cabling the tioney for bgan,whocl I Gnancial aid | pfore he ret ISNT THAT CUTE,PEAR?., JUNIOR SAYS HES QOI A JOB AS A DEIOREAN P5AIER,,, New book describes familiar quirks by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Wild-eyed and salivat ing, most people I know would rattle their cages in vehement negation at any suggestion they were lacking mental stability. Yet there is no gainsaying that many of the quirks mentioned in “The Neurotic’s Hand book” will seem hauntingly familiar. Who among us, for example, is not squeamish about touching the bottom of a lake with our bare feet? And who at one time or another has not become preoccupied with the welfare of pigeons, developed an irration al dislike of Brussels sprouts or had guilty feelings even on those rare occasions when we were doing things right? According to Charles Monagan, author of the handbook, all of the above are tell-tale signs of neuroses. The fact that they are com monplace manifestations of anxieties, pho bias and assorted hang-ups make them no less revealing in his view. Monagan’s book is subtitled “The Very Nervous Person’s Guide to Life in the Modern your eyes and be unable to uncross them again? Do you believe the messages you read on bumperstickers? Are you unable to breathe properly if you start thinking about breathing? Do you hum or whistle at inappropriate times or places? Five or more affirmative answers means you are beset by what Monagan calls “the basic building blocks of anxiety” — distrust, fan tasy, insecurity, persecution and guilt. I am as aware as you are of the old saying that ‘just because you’re neurotic doesn’t mean they really aren’t out to get out.” I likewise am well aware that anyone rash enough to touch a lake bottom feet-first almost 100 percent sure to step onto quid- sand, poisonous marine life or somethingdis- gustingly yucky that can only be removei through surgery. Nevertheless, as Monagan points out of us are indeed in need of professionalhttf in coping with the fads, foibles and populai delusions of life on this planet, or what part for life on this planet. If you can’t afford a shrink, the $5.59 hand book may be the answer. I don’t for a minute question Monagan* assertion that this is “the Era of the Neurotic. But right now I have to rush home and mah sure the telephone isn’t ringing. World,” and I certainly am no one to say it doesn’t fill a pressing need. Do you do crossword puzzles in ink, reject ing all offers of assistance? Do you collect swizzle sticks, convinced they will some day be valuable? Instead of saying “I love you,” do you say, “I haven’t felt this relaxed in months?” Do you take books along on blind dates? Do you regard gin as a security blanket? Do doctors lie to you? Do you think every headache is a brain tumor? Do you have snakebite remedies in your first-aid kit? Are you pretty sure things aren’t going to work out romantically if your date goes to the bathroom and doesn’t come out for 23 mi nutes? Do you lie in fear that one day you’ll cross Berry s World t? ©1982 byNEA,Hc “Ya know, I think I’m going to miss these Sun day walks when the football strike is settled. ” N F NA •Fii •IPI •Ca •Sti •Sh or3 •Lo •Sh •Wh •Sai •Mon a -m., •Tue: •Satu