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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, October 4, 1983 t MSC speaker approval significance exaggerated .ROGER, CONTINENTAL. NLNER ZERO, YOU'RE CLEAR VXM BANKRUPTCY EAS1ERN TW) N1NER, CLEAR FOR BANKRUPTCY, VECTOR ONE, OVER PARK IN BRANIFF HANGAR. by Tad. C. Pruitt Although I am not a member of the Memorial Student Center Council, or the MSC Endowed Lecture Series, I am a member of another MCS Committee. I am actively involved in MSC OPAS and therefore, take the time to find out how things work at the MSC. With this back ground, I wish to make three statements concerning the editorial, by Hope E. Paasch, regarding the Endowed Lecture Series speakers. First, Ms. Paasch erroneously implies readers forum that in granting speaker approval (for former Presidents Carter and Nixon, and Yale law professor Eugene Rostow) the MSC Council gave its final approval to the entire project. In reality, a speaker approval only gives permission to extend an invitation and begin discussions with the speakers. It does not grant permis sion to pay whatever fees are requested, regardless of the circumstances. I would also add that because of this tentative ness, speaker approval is a rather insigni ficant, preliminary event, and thus, hard ly deserves a front page story. Secondly, Ms. Paasch implies, again erroneously, that the Endowed Lecture Series would bring former President Carter even if he refused to discuss Salt II (the tentative subject for the series being “Arms Negotiations from SALT to START). This is simply not true. The Endowed Lecture Series would not bring Carter, just because he’s a “big name,” if he would not speak on the designated subject. Finally, Ms. Paasch agreed with facul ty and Council member Bob Stalcup’s opinion that because Nixon disgraced the country, the MSC should not invite him and pay him $20,000 for his appear ance. Nixon is being invited not because he disgraced the country, but rather be cause he is an expert on arms negotia tions. He remains this, regardless of his other actions. And, it would be no diffe rent than paying a top Soviet expert to come speak on the topic. Although we might not like him, or agree with his com- mmunist views, he would still be an ex pert in the field. Students’ whining won’t change things (Editor’s note: Donn Friedman is a fourth-year journalism student from Alief) by Donn Friedman Bombs falling in Beirut, Russians blowing commercial jet liners out of the friendly skies, but the Texas A&M foot ball team still loses to Texas Tech and students still go to class — and the Twelfth Man still stands ready. Texas A&M life isn’t important — not football, not studies, not even the bonfire — when compared with recent events in the world. People here don’t realize how unimportant they really are. They are so inactive, so blase, that they don’t even notice. But they seem to be happy enough even though incompetence is every- readers forum where. Nobody notices or reacts except by whining. The sign at the front of the Texas A&M campus should read, “Home of the whining Aggies.” Aggies whine about parking. Aggies whine about the regents. Aggies whine about the football team. But they do nothing. Or get slapped down when they do. It’s time for the Twelfth Man to get out of its ready stance. It’s time for the Twelf th Man to get in the real ball game. The regents know the real ball game here — they play it alone. They listen to the cheering of the Twelfth Man — but don’t hear when the Twelfth cries out a suggestion or a complaint. Look what happened last Tuesday when three students requested to talk to the regents about a professor they thought was being forced out of the Uni versity. Chairman of the Board Bum Bright denied the three permission. But when former regent Ford Albritton came in with a $500,000 gift — Bright did not deny him the right to address the board. The $500,000 for the bell tower which Albritton is donating to the University could be better used by providing an en dowed teaching chair or an endowed scholarship fund. Instead Albriton’s gift will be used to chime away a “teensy weency flower bed” which lightens up the former main entrance to the campus. The Regents had time to listen to him, but not to the students ... they were told to go through proper channels. The Regents should be servants of the University System, and the system exists for the benefit of the students. The Re gents should be serving the students, and the only way to serve a group is to listen to what the group’s members have to say. But they don’t listen. So most students sit back and don’t say. And if an individual student keeps talking, the Regents will keep not listen ing. But if the students begin to talk, the Regents will have to listen. The administration wants this to be a World University. The world needs a world university, especially if people sit back ready, but not willing to act. Man kind is run by an oligarchy. And a world university would be a perfect place to base such an oligarchy. Most people sit back and live day to day, whining but not ever fighting for their wants and needs. So either look and see the world — And think, then act. Or else someone else will run the world for you. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Hope E. Paasch Managing Editor Beverly Hamilton City Editor. Kelley Smith Assistant City Editor Karen Schrimsher Sports Editor Melissa Adair Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard, Tracey Taylor, Chris Thayer, Kathy Wiesepape Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee Staff Writers Brigid Brockman, Ronnie Crocker, John Lopez, Christine Mallon, Michelle Powe, Ann Ramsbottom, Stephanie Ross, Angel Stokes, John Wagner, Wanda Winkler Copy Editors Kathleen Hart, Kristal Mills, Susan Talbot Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer, Scott McCullar Photographers Brenda Davidson, Michael Davis, Guy Hood, John Makely, Dean Saito The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper lor 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 lor 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 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 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 new* dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Letters: 92K listener responsiv note: The following letters are the last ones The Battalion will run concerning 92 KTAW-FM. Anyone who still wishes to address the issue may contact the radio station management.) Editor: Peggy C. McCullen Schlain ’79 Copywriter/Production Manager 92 KTAW-FM Hiney ads getting old Editor: The following is a response to a letter printed in your editorial column on Sep tember 28, 1983. In response to D.K. Petty’s letter printed September 28 in The Battalion let me just say...I couldn’t agree with him (her?) more about the poor quality of radio station 92, KTAW. On top of the fact that their commercials are played on a seemingly endless basis, I ask: how many more Hiney beer advertisements can we stand? Those ads are supposed to be cute and risque, whereas they end up as nothing more than tacky. Give me Moby in the morning on 97 Rock any day. At least he comes right out and says what he means without making plays on words such as “hiney“. Jean Hendrick ’85 Enough Top 40 music Editor: In response to “B-CS in need of a listener responsive rock radio station,” I am responding to Mr. Petty, an unsatis fied listener. First of all 92K is supported by local, regional and national advertisers, not by you the listener. We play commercial material because it is our livelihood. Af ter all, we are a business. But Mr. Petty, we are not in the business just to make another dollar, we air quite a bit of mate rial that is non-paid for advertising in the form of public service announcements. We are a public service entity in that we keep our listeners informed concerning items of interest, like local rock concerts, local university and high school func tions, sports scores, ticket exchange and availability, social functions, weather, and highly important civil defense in structions in the event of an emergency. Those are to name a few. Granted, we play more commercial material than the stations you compared us to. But those are major market stations Mr. Petty, who charge from eight to ten times the amount we charge local spon sors to air commericial material. We are not a major market station, we are medium market, and we push 3,000 watts, not 100,000. It takes more paid for commercial material to keep our station on the air than one with higher rates. Concerning UPI WORLD NEWS, we have not aired UPI WORLD NEWS since June 13, 1983. We took it off the air and replaced it with a 92 second news break hourly because we are listener responsive and our listeners indicated a need for less news. Although you do not prefer to lis ten to news on the radio, some of our listeners do. And we do cater to more than one type of listener. We have such a versatile listening audience that we try to please more than one category. Most ma jor market stations can target one specific listening audience. We cannot do that. We do respond to our listeners, espe cially if they show concern in the form of writing to us personally with a telephone number or an address that we can re spond to. Our doors are always open if .you come in person, and we welcome your phone calls. Glen Johnson ’78 What happened to team? Editor: WARNING-Reading this letter with out a sense of humor could be hazardous to my health. Here are a few disturbing observa tions from the 13th man (a confirmed Sunday morning quarterback): 1. Something is wrong. 2. We aren’t winning. 3. We want to win. 4. It’s not that funny, is it? 5. The players can’t be that bad. 6. The coaches can’t be that bad. 7. The 12th man can’t be that bad. 8. The former s .udents’ money can’t be that bad. 9. Some one must be that bad. 10. If we can figure out who is that bad we can get rid of the bum (no pun in tended). 11. I wonder how Emory Bellard is doing? 12. I wonder how Tom Wilson is doing? 13.1 wonder how Pitt/USC are doing? Lost my shirt in Aggieland, John Sweeney ’82 P.S. Jackie, could you lend me some money? —I want to build a bell tower! Athletic attitudes shameful I wish to express my opinion about the letter directed toward 92 KTAW-FM last week. I whole-heartedly agree with ev erything that was said. In fact I can’t say enough about how much I dislike our local rock station. And I love rock and roll music. Like the author of the letter which ran Wednesday, I exist on Hous ton’s KLOL and Austin’s KLBJ. If it we ren’t for cable in this town, I’m sure there would be more tape players and turnt ables sold. To avoid redundancy, I’ll only voice my dislikes about 92K in areas that we ren’t mentioned. First, I hope I never hear another remote broadcast on this station. It’s sick ening to hear the cheap banter between DJs and store owners. Not to mention the fact that they keep repeating the same dialogue everytime they go on the air. Second, 92’s DJs just don’t have any class'. Why must they yell into the mic rophone all the time? Must they always be so dim witted? Please, just play your music. They definately need real profes sional DJs and not these young ego man iacs who insist on exercising their ton gues. Finally, feel like I have to re-hash a previous point. 92K simply plays too many commercials. And the low quality of those commer cials turns me off. As a local merchant, I can assure you that I would never buy air time on this station. From the opinions I’ve heard, everyone else that I know feels the same way. P.S. What is the point of taking re quests if you are going to be rude to the caller and make sarcastic remarks about their choice? I know of more than one instance where this has happened. We’ve heard enough top 40. Albums have more than one song on them if you haven’t noticed. Editor: Congratulations to the newlycroi National Champions Women's Sol Team. You are truly an outstandiii flection of Texas A&M University sure everyone would agree with me appreciation for you efforts andac 1 ments. ick ris Staton, f: ! eye on i game of Pc However, this letter concernsarel , topic. My first impression of the aw f ,° ^’"ginc ceremony at the beginning of a re ; rtment thro , football game was of greatadmiratioiljjEFTS' and of the team. But, after the appBtblue Mijata 10- and standing ovation, I realized wfomtheZachryE athletic department viewed the fi t(1 Why did our athletic director notretff 1 maroon Nishi a representative of the NCAA to ally present the national award! Tki my estimation, represents whattheai tic department really feels aboul athletic event other than football, ball or baseball. e from the fro Evans Library navy blue wan wallet from ! peering Center, amed a Texa e, Texas A&M cash, Texas A& f book and sev I am appalled and ashamed oh#wallet from the attitudes. T hese ladies and otheraW st %le. The i (men or women) deserve better re™ ^ U1 cas h and lion for their achievements. ■ Property. I he fmg basketball at RGLARY: Tancredi ster< Two final comments. CoachShenp recommend that until the teami gets on the winning track to remortl large fans that placed on the sidel The team is cold enough withoutn to cool them down further. Secol please allow the kick-off team (12ti| an opportunity to make a playt kick-off rather than kicking into™ zone each time. Believe it or not, tkij Man team sparked our team indielj fornia game to a respectful conclusw the game. Larry A.1 Slouch Sa by Jim Earl “The laundry is impartial.?'' only do they take from t and give to the small, butf take from the small andgitf 1 the big.”