Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, September 16, 1983
Letters: Falwell solidifies basic belief
Editor:
Concerning the Jerry Falwell forum
sponsored by the MSC Political Forum; we
are in a sad state if we alienate ourselves
from the issues at hand. During the Sept.
13 forum, many students were too blood
thirsty to taste the real flavor of what Rev.
Falwell was speaking about.
He visited our campus to solidify the
basic beliefs of the “American Way. He
tried to instill in us a feeling of unity, pride,
respect, dignity and honor for this blessed
country of America. However, Rev. Fal
well was attacked by over-bearing and mali
cious statements^that slandered the Repub
lic of America.
killing of innocent people, whether by one
group or another, whether past or present.
I simply wanted to know why he accepted
the killing of innocent people (would any
one call “infants and sucklings’ guilty?)
under his own beliefs, while thinking it in
credible that communists would do the
same for theirs. I still do not know. Fal-
well’s speech, and especially his handling of
my question, did little for my faith in his
“Judeo-Christian ethic” or in his position.
Michael Strickland ’86
Falwell’s bad egg
A strong national defense, a friendly and
helpful foriegn policy, as well as a strong
belief in God and in life (the right to do it)
are essential to the United States.
Editor:
Falwell stated that America is on the rise
to conservatism. This is a wonderful thing
to hear. The sad fact remains that Texas
A&M has gone just the opposite way. Texas
A&M has grown more liberal while Amer
ica is getting more conservative. Let’s hope
we stop our down-hill slide and get back on
the “Right (wing) Track.”
Tom Tagliabue ’86
Question defended
Editor:
I was one of the questioners of Jerry
Falwell at his speech here Tuesday. I asked
him why he would denounce the “godless
communists” for the murder of thousands
in Cambodia (certainly a barbaric action,
though not claiming a majority of the popu
lation), while finding no fault with the
Israelites of the Old Testament to destroy
“both woman, infant and sucking, ox and
sheep, camel and ass.” (quoted from I
Samuel: 15.) That’s 100 percent plus of the
population.
Falwell was completely avoiding my
question, so I restated it to the effect that if
we reserve to ourselves the right to kill for
our beliefs, why should we not expect the
Soviets to so the same. He responded to
this by insinuating that I supported the
shooting down of the Korean airliner!
Please allow me to set the record
straight. I am very much appalled at the
I had the misfortune of attending the
Reverend Jerry Falwell’s lecture Tuesday
night. In my innocence I did not recognize
the smell of a bad egg, for that it was. It is
embarrassing to think we had paid money
to hear a speaker merely ramble before an
audience. He made no progress politically,
spiritually or intellectually.
I must give Mr. Falwell credit where
credit is due, however. He has a brilliant
grasp for psychological play. Like the gen
tle stroke of reassurance from Mother, he
tells us that we Americans are entering a
“third stage of spiritual enlightenment.”
The future for “young Americans looks
bright he said. Born again, we will survive
the sinful sixties to make a peaceful civilized
world. (Of course according to the Re
verend this can only be done by building
our defenses, by increasing our forces in
Nicaragua and by sending troops to Leba
non if necessary).
Relaxed and safe in the mother Re
verend’s arms, most all those present nod
ded approvingly to his banal (yet cunning)
monologue. After the lecture I came away
feeling sick — as if I had just eaten imitation
cake frosting from a can.
referring to the picture of “Brother Who”
mocking the coming of Jerry Falwell to the
Texas A&M campus.
Why is it that everytime some person
who makes some sort of display of unright
eousness or mocks unrighteousness gets a
huge picture on the front of The Battalion,
while Mr. Falwell, who came to speak ab
out morality, gets a small picture at the
bottom of the page? What does this indicate
about the values of those who put together
our university newspaper?
Surely the editors of The Battalion real
ize by giving “Brother Who” front page
coverage they only serve to encourage him
and others to put on displays of immorality
and unrighteousness. Mr. Falwell com
mented to a reporter from the newspaper
Today’s Student that it was a relief to come
to Texas A&M because of the quality of the
people here compared to other college
campuses.
Isn’t it time that The Battalion kept up
with many of the students here who are
taking a stand against unrighteousness?
Perhaps The Battalion could adopt the poli
cy of many other news agencies, such as
ABC sports, who refuse to grant coverage to
those individuals who are displaying gross
acts merely to get news coverage. Mr. Fal-
well’s appearance here attracted more than
1,400 people where as “Brother Who” only
a handfull. I ask you, don’t you think that
Mr. Falwell’s appearance was a little more
newsworthy?
deaf ears. We do acknowledge that we are
the smallest dorm on campus (with 114 resi
dents), but we are an active and integral
part of campus life at Texas A&M. We don’t
expect much, just the credit and recogni
tion that is due.
Daniel Vitale ’86
of this organization to beoutstandiM
people with their priorities in thej
order and with a tremendous respi
Aggie traditions and the well being of ^
fellow students. It is for this reason I
feel the attack on these students’ rea
tions and character printed in yourS
edition ("Party Mars Silver Taps "(wait
warranted and incorrect.
(Editor ’s note: This letter was accompanied
by 113 other signatures, the entire resident
population of Hotard Hall.)
New I.D. expensive
It is true that the Marketing Soci#
annual “get acquainted partywasl
same evening as Silver Taps. However,«
suggestion that this was done tounderai
a sacred tradition or that society mei
are any less “good Aggies’ as a res
totallv without basis in fact.
Editor:
I would like to bring to your attention yet
another bureaucratic rip-off scheme insti
tuted by this University. As most students
realize, not very much can be done around
campus without a student I.D. card. You
also may remember that your original I.D.
cost $5. However, did you know that de
spite theft, fire, rain damage or accidental
loss, a replacement I.D. costs $8? I would
like to know what excuse can be given for
asking $3 more for the same paper, plastic,
picture and time that goes into an I.D. re
placement or original.
What is fact is that several ai
ments encouraging those present to alts
the ceremony were made at the social)
that a large number of members i
ers, accompanied by their facultyadvj|
did attend Silver Taps.
Members of the Texas A&M Maiiei
Society have always been, and wi
to be, proud and honorable representi
of this great university.
Dr. Larry G. Gresla
Faculty Adiij
Texas A&M Marketing Sot
Mike Foarde ’85
Hilton’ neglected
Editor:
Tara Lee ’84
Unrighteous photo
Editor:
On behalf of A&M Christian Fellowship,
and many other Christians on this campus
we would like to protest the layout of the
front page of The Battalion on Sept. 14. I am
In the Sept. 12 edition of The Battalion
there was an article on the reassignment of
tripled students. In this article there was a
list of dorms which helped to accommodate
these overassignments. Only one dorm
which had students living as triples was
neglected, Hotard Hall.
In an earlier edition ofThe Battalion, the
cartoon R.I. spent time mentioning every
men’s dorm on the north side of campus.
Every one except Hotard Hall.
In the Intramurals booklet for 1983-84
there is no mention of what dorm won the
All-University AA Championship Title.
The dorm that won was, you guessed it,
Hotard Hall.
Sadly enough, such events are quite
common, and our repeated reminders that
“The Hilton” does exist fall on seemingly
I would think that paying a mere $1,500 a
semester would entitle a student to, at the
very least, fair treatment by the administra
tion. I feel the University has forgotten that
students are why this University is. If being
a world class university means we have to
pay more for the “privileges’ due us as hard
working students, tuition payers and tax
pax ers, then I do not think there will be any
one left to enjoy Texas A&M’s world status.
Graffiti garbage
Editor:
It would be appreciated if someone (any
one) could explain why a replacement I.D.
costs $3 more than an original (despite the
use of the exact same materials).
Arlene G. Nutt
Society answers letter
Editor:
For the past two years it has been my
privilege to serve as faculty adviser to the
Texas A&M Marketing Society. During this
time I have found the officers and members
I just got through reading the bath
graffiti, which is all garbage. lainaseti
now, and in three years here, noneofl
graffiti has gotten any more originalari
ligent. What does it matter if you ared
lian or Corps, frat or non-frat, etc.,elt
What do our visitors think of tliis!
recently was unfortunate enough to havj
visit that dirt-ball school in Austin. His
saw a beautiful (probably expensive)stu
patio and fountain. Its beauty was man
by numerous mindless sayings that a —
been scratched into the stone. Wet*
need this at Texas A&M. If you peopled#
want to express your views verbally in pi
lie (you don’t have the guts), them
write it on the bathroom wall likesoi
mindless 3-year-old.
Roger C. Darirs
Ibis unit
oblivious t
This seen
Heaton Hall
Not every senior
gives up on school
Foreign policy troops running thin
Police
by Art Buchwald
The last phrase I want to hear during
my final year at this University is “You’re
a senior and you don’t care. All you’re
interested in is getting a job. ”
I had a neighbor — a professor, in fact
— say this to me one Saturday afternoon
and he really made me angry. I guess
what made me so mad was that he didn’t
know me and he didn’t have any basis for
the statement. He was judging my atti
tude by my classification as a student.
I had been sitting next to the swim
ming pool at my apartment complex and
was approached by this unfamiliar
neighbor. He started talking with me —
asking me my major, classification and
hometown — and I asked him if he was a
professor at the University. (The mana
ger had said one professor lived in the
complex; I thought this guy must be the
one.)
beverly
hamilton
for what he said, especially since he had
just met me. The level of enthusiasm I
express for a subject does not necessarily
gauge whether I care or not.
He said he was and told me what types
of courses he taught. Out of curiosity, I
began asking him about recent develop
ments within his department. (Some
thing a reporter can’t resist.)
And just because I am completing my
last year of college doesn’t mean I am
dead to the world.
While he was talking I was thinking of
potential story ideas for The Battalion
(something a city editor is always doing).
Evidently my expression or depth of in
terest was not as intense as he expected,
because he blurted out that blasted
phrase about how much I didn’t care and
that because I was graduating, changes
at the University aren’t important to me.
As.a senior, I have many responsibili
ties and I am dedicated to doing the best
job I can. In other words, I care.
I don’t know if it is the fault of seniors
or the people they communicate with
that can result in this type of apathetic
image. There will be some seniors who
do feel that nothing matters. In that
case, I can understand professors and
administrators becoming upset.
I didn’t say anything to him about the
remark because I’m not too friendly
when I am angered. I didn’t want to be
rude to someone I had just met,
although he had been rude to me.
But for those of us who do care, give us
a break. Don’t generalize and judge me
like the rest of the pack. It’s not fair to me
and you aren’t presenting a very good
image for yourself, either.
If I didn’t care I would not have asked
him about the goings-on of his depart
ment. Secondly, he had no justification
It’s true that I’m considered a “dead
elephant this year. But try to remem
ber that this is just a term.
The Pentagon is getting nervous. With a
White House foreign policy based on a
military response to every situation, there
is a growing gap between the number of
worldwide commitments we’ve decided to
make, and the armed services’ ability to
meet them.
Just last week the Pentagon’s Joint Chief
of the Day received a call from National
Security Adviser Clark’s office at the White
House.
“The president wants you to send two
carriers, three missile cruisers, and six B-
52’s as a warning to Mozambique.”
“We re plumb out of aircraft carriers,
cruisers and B-52’s.
“How can you be out of them? We’ve
given you the biggest military budget in
history.”
“We have the money, but most of the
stuff isn’t built yet. You people have asked
us to send aircraft carriers to Lebanon,
Central America, Libya and Southeast
Asia. We don’t even have one in dry dock I
wish the White House would check with us
before you do any more saber rattling. ”
“We re not saber rattling. Our national
security is at stake in every part of the
globe, and if we don’t show the flag, our
credibility will be zilch. ”
“Well, we can’t send any carriers to
Mozambique. ”
“What about nuclear submarines?”
“They’re all spoken for. We have to keep
them on station as our main deterrent to the
Soviets until we can put the MX missiles in
place.”
“What can you send to Mozambique?”
“How about a World War II destroyer?
We got a bunch of them in mothballs. ”
“What kind of message is that to the Rus
sians?”
“With all due respect, one of the prob
lems is that you keep sending messages to
the Soviets with U.S. naval ships. Why
can’t you people use the diplomatic pouch
like every other country does?”
“The only thing the Soviets understand is
strength. If we don’t produce a task force for
Mozambique they’ll interpret it as a sign
that we are unable to police the world.”
“There is just so much we can do. The
Pentagon is always happy to further Amer
ican Foreign policy, but if you would con
sult with us first, we could let you know
whether we can support it militarily.”
“Well, if we can’t send the fleet, what
about flying in the Rapid Deployment Bri
gade to Kenya?”
“You already requested them for Hon
duras.
“Okay, then ferry over some A WAGS.”
“All our AWACS are spoken for.”
“Then dispatch the 82nd Airborne.”
“We don’t have the planes to transport
the 82nd Airborne. Do you want us to pull a
division out of Germany?”
“No, that would be the wrong signal to
the Kremlin, particularly at the moment
were putting Pershing missiles into
Europe.”
“Do yo ; people really have to send a
* message to Mozambique at this time!
Couldn’t we at least wait until the diistid)
ties over Chad?”
“The president and Mr. Clark are veitj
concerned that if we don’t show werest-
rious about Mozambique, they’ll
laughing at us in Angola. ”
“So let them laugh.”
“Watch yourself, General. I’m spea
for your commander in chief. What 1
you got in our military arsenal to wan
Mozambique?”
“If you want the truth — two jeeps,)
WAC, and the U.S. Marine Corps
Once we ship them overseas you people®
on your own.
ff'e following incji
to the Unive
apartment throudi V
THEFTS:
*■) maroon Schwin
"['tele from the MeF;
™«' rack.
,T ; v ' 1 light fixture
,Wln(1 dock of Kvle F
•H vapor lights fro
,llk ,)f Kyle Field.
, * A Paper sack that
"K oquipment
'Mia from 449 F
I'l’fPorty was left i
U™ 11 the second sunn..
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member ot
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
4, nf r was toporti
■ I 'thoowner retun
MI1 Dniester
thrown 1979 Che\
Editor HopeE. Paasch
Managing Editor Elaine Engstrom
City Editor Beverly Hamilton
Assistant City Editor Kelley Smith
Sports Editor J°hn Lopez
Assistant Sports Editor JoeTindel
Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann
Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley
Hoekstra
News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy BrPard,
Tracey Taylor, Kelly Miller
Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee
Staff Writers Brigid Brockman, Ronnie
Crocker, Scott Griffin,
Christine Mallon, Michelle
Powe, Ann Ramsbottom,
Stephanie Ross, Karen
Schrimsher, Carol Smith,
Angel Stokes, John Wagner,
Kathy Wiesepape, Wanda
Winkler
Cartoonist Paul Dirmeyer,
Scott McCullar
Photographers Brenda Davidson,
Michael Davis, Guy Hood,
John Makely, Dean Saito
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspipti
for students in reporting, editing and photograph)'cli'-
ses within the Department of Communications.
Questions or comments concerning any edited
matter should be directed to the editor.
Letters Policy
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words!#
length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer
The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letlers for
style and length, but will make every effort to maintti#
the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed a#!
show the address and telephone number of the writer
Columns and guest editorials also are welcome, a##
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 Un
versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (409)811
2611.
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 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 is published Monday through Frida)
during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holt
day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions art
$ 16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 ptr
full year. Advertising rates furnished on request.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald
Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, Di
77843.
(CLIP A
assof
6 f
United Press International is entitled exclusively
the use for reproduction of all news dispatches crcditd
to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter here!#
reserved.
Second class postage paid at College Station, Tl
77843.
| Culp,
Offer
e Pper P| a2