Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, October 25,1983
.
opinion
j
p
o
Telephone sex services a touchy issue
by
by Maxwell Glen
and Cody Shearer
WASHINGTON — Official Washing
ton has recently devoted many hours to a
matter of untold significance, and resolu
tion may be imminent. Unfortunately,
likely action by congress may only com
plicate a needed, if unseemly, debate on
the issue.
That issue is best known as “phone
sex.” An entertainment form once fa
vored mostly by readers of Hustler, the
Village Voice and other “progressive”
publications, listening to sexually-
suggestive telephonic cooings has be
come something of a national pastime in
the last year, drawing more customers in
one day than the Cleveland Indians do in
a season.
Secretaries do it. White House Aides
do it. Not surprisingly, kids do it, too.
And that’s why an assortment of federal,
state and local officials say they want to
curb the skin magazine publishers, inde
pendent services and telephone com-
anies that are panting all the way to the
ank.
Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr., of Virginia,
is the main force behind congressional
efforts to end America’s affair with what
he calls “dial-a-porn.” A former funeral
home owner and Richmond mayor who
came to Washington on Ronald Reagan’s
coattails, Bliley first sensed trouble last
winter when a constituent complained
that her 10-yaer-old daughter had dialed
into an orgy, in this case courtesy of High
Society magazine.
After some inquiries around town, the
pipe-smoking Bliley says, he was in
censed to find that neither the Federal
communications Commission nor Justice
Department had the courage to throw
cold water on the hot new commodity.
Later, he even wrote the president about
his concern.
Bliley’s remedy would subject phone
sex services to federal obsenity prohibi
tions. Like similar legislation introduced
in the Senate, it would assess phone sex
purveyors with a $50,000 fine for every
day of operation.
Yet the FCC has only begun its inquiry
into the merits of phone sex. Its findings
An assortment of federal, state
and local officials say they want to
curb the skin magazine pub
lishers, independent services and
telephone companies that are
panting all the way to the bank.
will be ready no earlier than next Febru
ary. If the hear-no-evils in Congress can’t
abide by the delay, even time may not
overcome the conflict between personal
disgust with dirty talk and Supreme
Court mandates on obscenity questions.
Phone sex has few antidotes in the
Constitution. It’s voluntary, for one, and
therefore may deserve protection under
rights of privacy and free speech. If peo
ple gladly subject themselves to groans a
a phone, they don’t merit federal protec
tions designed for those who are sub
jected to abusive phone calls involun
tarily.
Another hang-up lies in Supreme
Court standards for obscenity. The
court’s Miller decision (1973) recognizes
that what plays in New York may not play
in Peoria, and therefore should be
judged according to local standards. But
neither justices nor lawmakers foresaw
the case in which a compulsive 13-year-
old in Salt Lake City might make 160 calls
a month to a New York City number, as
Bliley discovered last spring. On the
other hand, as FCC lawyer Diane Silber-
stein points out, nor have they said clearly
whether an adult’s access to pornography
can be reduced under restrictions aimed
at children.
■ Api
accept-
t et common sense maybem DSV( h
struct ive here. The televisionifigexas
stal led a season of programstk year. S
resemble “Father Knowsfallsei
Tf
magazines traditionally suitable!
mists’ of fices herald thesexuale appro
celebrities. Our is an oversexed® 0 ' 1 ",
ment that, though perhapsnoti; 11011 "
servative’s liking, makes thetti;
turn-on sound par for ihecos IL) nli
attend to one while ignoringib
seems kind of silly. a net
Piogr
Ill
()f course, for those who’vegii j nto tv
f rom "Dial-a-Joke” to “Diali! r iai o
there could be reward in theeit |
crackdown by Washington,Forj e
and collect-call charges, a largti
of services will gladly talkagoti!
anyone with a credit cardmiute
But in a country that champc
enterprise, the best remedy
control, or none at all.
-»nV6TV3£U^ '!>**+*/
FREE W LAST, FREE AT LA*®!
THANK. 600 ALMIGUTV, l'N\
Marines full of questions
by Art Buchwald
The most important thing to do be
fore you send men into combat is explain
to them why you want them there.
I would hate to be the briefing officer
on a Marine amphibious ship explaining
to the troops why they are being send into
Beirut.
“All right, men, let’s knock it off. I am
here to explain your mission for the next
few months. You are being sent into
Beirut as a peacekeeping mission. Any
questions?”
“Yes, sir. Whafs a peacekeeping mis
sion?”
“It is a mission by which a neutral pow
er stations troops in a volatile area to keep
the various factions from killing each
other until a government can become
strong enough to defend itself . Now you
people will take up positions around
Beirut airport down here on the low
ground. Up here in the hills overlooking
the airport are members of the Druze sect
armed with heavy artillery, mortars and
snipers. Over here are the Christian Pha-
langist militia, also heavily armed. The
Christians are also in this part of Beirut
next to the ariport, and Moslem forces,
not to be confused with the Druze, have
control of this part of Beirut here. Intelli
gence also indicates there are 1,000 PLO
troops who returned to the area since
Israel pulled out of the city to this posi
tion down here. Is that clear?”
“Sir, are we supposed to keep the
peace between all of them?”
“That’s you mission. But you can only
do this by remaining in the Beirut airport
area.”
“If they all have the high ground and
we have t ne low ground, how do we keep
the peace?”
“You will not be alone. We have a large
naval task force off the beaches that will
cover you.”
“Cover us from what?”
“Artillery and mortar fire from the
hills, as well as snipers in the city. We now
have the authority to use air power when
you become a target of one of the dissi
dent factions.”
“You mean we’re sitting ducks?”
“It means you will dig in as deep as you
can until President Reagan, your Com-
mander-in-Chief, can arrange a cease
fire between the Druze, the Christian
Phalangists, the present Cemayel gov
ernment army and the Syrians. Once this
cease-fire is arranged and holds and a
new government coalition of the various
antagonists can be formed, you will be
permitted to leave.”
“Why are we called a peacekeeping
force if we can’t use our guns to keep the
peace?”
“Because, since you are designated as
such, the president has the authority to
keep you there as long as he deems neces
sary. If you are sent in as a combat force,
the War Powers Act has to be put into
effect, and then Congress may dictate
foreign policy. Technically, the U.S.
Marines nave been engaged in ‘hostili
ties.’ but the White House cannot admit
that without giving up the president’s ex
ecutive powers. Is that clear?”
“No, sir.”
“Good. We will continue. As a
peacekeeping force your mission is not to
take sides in a family dispute. What is
going on now is that the Druze, Moslems
and Christians are settling old scores that
go back hundreds of years. They have
committed atrocities against a table and
forgot the past, we can bring peace to the
Middle East.”
“And if Washington can’t, we get our
butts shot off.”
“I can assure you Washington has no
intention of your getting your butts shot
off. If we wanted to we could waste Leba
non in 10 minutes. Okay, you know all
you need to as to what you mission is.
Now remember, men, hold you tire. As a
peacekeeping force you can’t afford to
get mad at anybody.”
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member ot
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,
Kevin Inda,
Tracey Taylor,
Chris Thayer,
Kathy Wiesepape
Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee
Staff Writers Robin Black,
Brigid Brockman,
Bob Caster, Ronnie Crocker,
Kari Fluegel, Tracie Holub,
Bonnie Langford,
John Lopez,
Kay Denise Mallett,
Christine Mallon,
Michelle Powe,
Ann Ramsbottom,
Stephanie Ross, Angel Stokes,
Steve T homas, John Wagner,
Karen Wallace,
Wanda Winkler
Copy Editors Kathleen Hart, Kristal Mills,
Susan Talbot
Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer,
Scott McCullar
Photographers 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.
Noteboard defiled
by Mad Scribbler
Hum
ARM
and a
ha\e i
I am convinced someone on campus is
out to get me.
1 don’t mean the maniacal bicyclists
that try to impale me on their handle bars
or the crazy pedestrians which I get
bounced off of in a crowd. I don’t even
mean the insane motorists that take de
light in trying to put lire tracks on my
knee caps.
The person who is trying to wreck my
peace of mind is the one and only Mad
Scribbler.
The Mad Scribbler is the unidentified
assailant who mysteriously attacks the
noteboards on the doors in the dorms
and scribbles all over them. Almost every
morning I wake up to find my noteboard
covered with strange sayings.
It all started one day when I came back
from a football game.
Earlier I had written the usual “Beat
the Hell outa Houston” on the board, but
when I returned to my room the Mad
Scribbler had added, “Beat the Hell outa
me too...S&M. Hurt me. Hurt me.”
What frightens me is that the Mad
Scribbler attacks late at night and seem
ingly only on my door.
The reason the Mad Scribbler attacks
my door can’t be because it is an easy
mark. I live in the middle of the hall on
the fourth floor, and if he thinks climbing
four floors is easy, he is crazy.
Besides being crazy, the Mad Scribbler
must be desperate also. Late one night he
wrote the same message on several doors
in the hall.
“Hi (Fill in the name of one of the occu
pants of the room). How ya doing? Give
us a call. Mike and Chris, 260-XXXX.
The Scribbler does have some imagi-
1 he worst thing that has been
my noteboard is “gravy suckindoijgan
But that woundsmedeeplv.l 3 ^’ w
slurp my gravy. I" ^
It that isn’t bad enough, in pain
ait.u k. the Mad ribbler outdid Bp 111
1 le turned over my door marker # eei (
ingol ()pus, the penguinfromikBI™^
Country comic strip), retapedi| C0l|| ^
door and wrote “you always K |a|cl ii
wards." Rstu
I also think the Mad Scribblerl^V
t ided to branch out into mysterjU.,, v
now. Last time he visited,hefclhuina
“Well, well. It's about time 1 dent
for what? cours
fc De
Every door in the dorm ltff lnvo *
board, but the Mad Scribbler!*' 01 * 0
have decided to harass only me
noteboard continues tobevio ^ ^
I feel so used. ■
Campfire programs
broaden their scope
by Children’s Express
United Press International
Children’s Express, a privately funded
news service, is real world journalism re
ported entirely by children 13 years of
age or under whose tape-recorded inter
views, discussions, reports and commen
tary are edited by teenagers and adults.
NEW YORK — By the time they’re 16,
one out of three kids today will be missing
one parent because of divorce, separa
tion or death. Or maybe both parents
work. They’re latchkey kids, which
means they come home by themselves,
take care of themselves and take care of
their little sister or brother if they have
them.
“The American family is changing, the
needs of young people are changing and
we have to change with them if we’re
going to be meaningful and relevant,”
Arnold Sherman said to Children’s Ex
press reporters. He is the National Ex
ecutive Director for Campfire, Inc. Hear
ing the name, Campfire, we think of girls
sitting around the camp roasting mar
shmallows. But times have changed.
Campfire has gone co-ed and they
have expanded their programs. Not only .
is Campfire a club and camping organiza
tion, now they have “response” programs
teaching kids about child and sexual
abuse, youth employment, juvenile jus
tice and other important issues.
“Kids home alone are vulnerable to
lots of things that they don’t know how to
deal with,” Sherman said. “Like some
body knocks on the door and it’s a stran
ger — Campfire gives kids information
about what to do. We teach them about
what a good touch is and what a bad
touch is.
We think it’s a good idea. A lot of kids
need a place to talk. In Campfire, like six
to eight children and a r _.
together in someone’shouse.l’i' 1
a family-type setting. Thekidslf I
fortable and they can learn A
on, have a say in it and takep'
Five- or six-year-old Blueft
hers, boys and girls, dothingstof
a team — like all the traditio*
rams. Let’s say they’re going®
cake for their parents' anni« !
something. Let’s say they wai ! .
how to fix a car. Boys will leant®
will learn.
“Almost all of our progra®*!-
so that handicapped kidscaniu 1 ®
too,” Sherman added.
J
Slouch by]*!
“Think of all the
that taller
rninate.”