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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, September 26,1983 opinion Aggie barbers source of grief by Red Earl Scheart In Nacogdoches, 1 went to the same barber for thirteen years; a nice old gentle man with a gentle hand and a soothing voice. I then came to A&M and promptly had my hair butchered by the barbers at the MSC. For the next year, I grew my hair long in between visits to my hometown, before I decided to try a second attempt to get a haircut in Aggieland. Except for a few details and a sex change of the barber, the two experiences could be the same. 1 walked into the shop and sat reading a copy of the Batt, while my future barber (barberess?) was cutting the head of a C.T.. The barber being a woman, I foolishly be lieved this experience would not be as harry (pardon the pun) as the previous one. What silly, romantic notions we men have about women. Approaching the barber’s chair, she asked me how I would like my hair cut. I said that I didn’t want to come out looking like a corps member. She asked, “Are you in the corps?’’ I said no. “You want it cut like the corps?’’ I should have left then, but some stupid notion of finishing what 1 started kept me there. Dumb, real dumb. Reader’s Forum She then started shearing my skull. I can honestly say that never in my life have I ever so acutely felt the act of my hair being separated from my head. In an attempt to salvage some part of my hair, I quickly told her that 1 didn’t think she was getting it right. This was equivalent to telling a mug ger that the knife at your throat wasn’t ex actly over your jugular. She started talking to the barber next to her, named Mabel (pronounced May-Baell), about some man, “He’s prob’ly chomp’in his jaws (ja-aws) waif in fur me. I did not doubt the veracity of this statement, for at the speed she was cutting my hair, you might think I had an appointment with the President in three minutes, and the way she was cutting it, you might think I was ging to a Punk Rock social. I looked up at my barber as she passed in front of me, a pleading look on my face, but she just attacked my hair even more. Some people like that, they have the instincts ofa wolf; show any weakness or that you are at their mercy, and they go in for the kill. My barber was a female wolf. With diabolical instincts for torture, she turned her attention to me (for the first time) and asked me what I thought of the Dallas Cowboys. I decided to try a policy of appeasement, “I think they’re America’s team! “I think that’s a crock of s—t,’ she replied. My hopes for a reprieve took a dive. “You probably have excellent reasons, I don’t doubt.’’ I didn’t want to crawl too much, perhaps that was another mistake. In my misery, I tried to think of reasons why she might be doing such a poor job. Maybe she was going through a divorce, her husband having run off with her best drinking partner. Perhaps her mother is still living with her, her teenage daughter might be pregnant, and she believes junior is doing hard drugs. That could account for almost anything. Sunk in my melancholy, I began to im agine that the barber shop had been de signed in a fiendishly clever way, when I noticed the mirror on the wall opposite me was set at such a level that I was only able to see the top of my head. The jackals had probably done this so we couldn’t see the look of horror in our eyes. When finally finished with me, she asked if there was anything else I wanted done. Maybe she thought my eyebrows were too bushy. I wanted to ask her to raise my side burns to match the hairline Letters Writer bemoans ‘censorship’ Editor: I don t know the whys and the where fores of the scene censored from “A Clock work Orange which was shown on Thurs day night in the Rudder Theatre, but some body messed up. Even at Texas A&M, cen sorship is a very dirty word. If Cepheid Variable was unaware that they had rented a censored copy of the movie, that can be forgiven. Having been a member of C. V., I seriously doubt that they would have purposely rented an edited copy unless forced to do so by outside pressure. The scene which was edited, for those that don’t know, was the fast (ultra-fast) mo tion sex scene performed to the William Tell Overture; it is shown at such an incre dible speed that no intimate views of the various acts performed can be discerned. The effect is quite hilarious and only by extreme standards can it be termed “vulgar". With this occurence, I can only dread to see what horrible censorship will be perpe trated against Andy Warhol’s “Franken stein’ to be shown later this semester (If it does in fact get shown). Scott Ranalli P. S. All week long you Cepheids ran a Batt ad for the movie with Beethoven mistaken ly spelled Beethoveen. Now we know who’s responsible for that. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Hope E. I’aasch Managing Editor Elaine Engstrom City Editor Beverly Hamilton Assistant City Editor Kelley Smith Sports Editor John Lopez Assistant Sports Editor JoeTmdel Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann Assistant Entertainment Editor.. Shelley Hoekstra News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard, Tracey Taylor, Kelly Miller Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee Stal l 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 McCuIlar Photographers Brenda Davidson, Michael Davis, Guy Hood, John Makely, Dean Saito 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 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 telephone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials also are 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 (409) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising 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. © i932> w Tit imiMV Fo ad by Ed A Battalion Ri Frank Muller, : te ofTexas A&I tudent body p arned to campus ne of the guest lanagement 481 ffered here this The course, t xecutives, is ope II majors. The on imed at creating: don from colleg rofessional envit Muller, forme levco Oversea: dvised students i ith overseas opt earthing for a jol as a great deal o hndlxh Pro: ( by Darla Bi ‘Dedicated Americans’ asked to give Reagan encouragement Battalion Rc Drinking is as n udent life at T< ooks, midnight nd pizza — a fac scaped the attent artment of Studt The departme andbook to helps rs avoid problem aok, “Let’s Party accessful Party by Art Buchwald The Republicans are using President Reagan’s reluctance to announce he will run again to their advantage. A friend. Bill Downey from Santa Barbara, just got a let ter from Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the Naitonal Republican Senatorial Com mittee. It said in part"... I just returned from the White House after meeting with the pres ident.... He told me how worried he was about the outcome of the 33 Senate races that will be gearing up soon. “He wondered aloud whether that Con gressional support would be there if he ran for a second term....It was then I realized that the president might decide not to run if he thought we were going to lose the only sure support he can count on — our Repub lican Senate Majority. Lugar wrote he desperately needed Bill’s help to make the president decide to run. “Send President Reagan the special ballot I’ve enclosed personally urging him to run — before the press, Tip O’Neill and with your contribution of $33. Why $33? Be cause that’s $1 for each Senate seat up for election next year. The senator from Indiana said he was only sending the ballot to truly dedicated Americans like Bill. “Patriots who’ll back up their commitment with their hard- earned dollars. Lugar ends the letter by saying, "It’s in your hands now William L. Downey. I ur gently need to hear from you. Tomorrow may be too late.’ Well, I wish I could report my friend Bill responded to Senator Lugar s passionate appeal affirmatively. But he feels if the president needs Downey’s blessing, plus $33, before he makes up his mind to run for re-election, maybe Reagan shouldn’t go for it. Bill felt very bad about it. But as he wrote me when he enclosed the Lugar letter, “Thirty-three dollars is exactly the amount of the tax cut the president gave me last year, and I don’t see why I have to give it back to him.” Meanwhile back at the White House, Senator Lugar walked into the president’s office with a grim look on his face. “Any word from Downey in Santa Bar bara?’ the president asked. Lugar shook his head. “It’s been two weeks and not a peep.” “Well, said the president, “that does it. I’m not going to run in 1984. ” shrill “Please reconsider, sir. The letter cm have gone astray, or maybe it wenttol wrong Downey. Why den t you i The president shook his head. "HiB United Press int use, Dick. I ’ve been talking to Tip 0»Western Gulf' i the press and the rest of my enemies,Mrs —suffering t they’ve conv inced me not to run blorest season in second term. II true patriots like Dowd they felt fn won’t send in a lousy $33 so I can nev Republican Senate, 1 might as vvellgoi atl , ons r, , ° 0 Bit detailed repor °‘‘i’n raiK * i II ix Ire and size of th I II go out and talk to DowneynijsB “yy e niai Maybe I wasn’t clear in my letter lion Ijidangry member portant his cheek was in makingyoun Eymard, preside sion. Binwnsville-Port I The president looked out the win(lf : Primpers Associal the Rose Garden. “It’s a waste oft 'fj ust another a When Downey makes up his mind,nol»| 1 j‘ ne f s 8 () ' n g U I- (tederal govern me ng up on the she The long-del: can change it. You’ve done all you Dick. J m not going to announce foraMl term if the people don’t want me. “Please, Mr. President, you hi think of the country first. There area of people out there who are praying you run again. We could still win theSei without Downey’s $33.” “I’ll write a letter to another anagement plan, h National Mari irvice and appro affect shrimpi (uthern tip of FI Jpasand Louisian Mere 70 percent o American.” jump are harvest “Do what you want, Dick. But I'm J n j^ting ^' to tell Nancy to start packing the cliimE te ^ | )ee |j on Legal solutions not the answer for Olympic internal squabbles by Maxwell Glen and Cody Shearer LOS ANGELES — Mary Decker, world champion, looks angry when she runs. It’s a visage of the determination that led the 25-year-old California native to two gold medals at this month’s track-and-field championships in Helsinki. Angry could also describe how Mary Decker, woman, feels about the Interna tional Olympic Committee (IOC) and its affiliates. With more than 50 other women athletes from around the world, Decker has filed suit here to add two running events — the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters — that Olympic organizers refuse to include in the 1984 Games. One defendant, the Los Angeles Olym pic Organizing Committee, says its rules make any additions impossible. Plaintiffs Decker and Co. contend the only obstacle is blatant sexism on the part of international committee members who wrongfully view women’s events as money losers. While Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Julius Title won’t decide who’s right for at least two months, the decision shouldn’t be his to make. For their part, American planners for the Los Angeles Games are puzzled by the suit fired by Susan McGreivy, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney, on behalf of the female athletes. They’re proud of the 12 new women’s events, including a marathon and a 3,000 meter race, they helped to place on the Los Angeles program. “(We) have been sympathetic to the goals of women in sports,” said a defensive Peter V. Ueberroth, LA organizing committee pres ident. Added an LAOCC aide: “(The suit) is like the ACLU suing Martin Luther King for not doing enough for civil rights.” Initially, at least, one gets an entirely different impression talking to McGreivy, who swam for the U.S. in the 1956 summer Games. In her mind, the Los Angeles orga nizers are part of a male-oriented “net work” that has discriminated against women athletes since a “very hostile Baron Pierre de Coubertin began reviving the modern Games in 1894. When Ueber roth touts the efforts made on behalf of women, McGreivy charges, “It’s like they’re saying, ‘We’ve stopped slavery’ and then saying how much they’ve done for blacks.” Numbers alone seem to justify the women’s case. Only about one-third of Los Angeles’ 220 events will involve women competitors. Of course, many competitions — the pole vault, hammer throw and stee ple chase, for example — may never break the sex barrier. Yet despite what one U.S. team official called the enormous number of new female track competitors, the IOC has honored women’s modest demands for “parity” with minimal enthusiasm. Although the deliberations of interna tional athletic organizations have tested even the best sports sleuths, McGrievy claims to have evidence of a subcommittee proposal made last year to the International Amateur Athletic Association to have the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter events in cluded in this year’s world championships. The IAAA leadership ignored the proposal, McGreivy suggests, because the IOC ex ecutive committee was reluctant to see either event sanctioned as world-class and, therefore, worthy of 1984 Olympic com petition. McGreivy insists that Decker and Co. don’t view their suit as a punitive jab at chauvinistic tradition. A mere two running events would do them very nicely, thank you, and could he added at virtually no extra cost and in time for official tryouts next April. But the likelihood that at least one of those events will be on the 1988 program in Seoul underscores a fact about this bit of Olympic litigiousness: 5,000-meter t l 10,000-meter races in 1984 wouldpriitil benefit Mary Decker and ace Nonve® marathoner Crete Waitz, each ofniw would likely add another gold medi their tally. 11 the all-male IOC exetf committee ignores a court order to add t races, the understandable interestsofi great athletes could throw the 19840| piad into a judicial quagmire. While such a prospect may do more' 1 ' Decker and Co.’s well-publicized Hels announcement to make IOC execuW 1 quiescent, it would mean an unsightly^ solution for an essentially internalpol problem. Athletic squabbles don’tW in the courts. Berry's World