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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, February 1, 1984 Why a separate black history? Black History month begins today. It’s really a shame that we have to have such a month. Why must we have both black and white history? Even though history is supposed to be an objective pursuit, history tex tbooks have been written by white Anglo-Saxons from white viewpoints. Blacks have been been excluded from American history except for minor roles — slaves and maids and such. Sure, a few token black heroes can be discovered if you search through an American history text, but that’s the problem — they’re tokens. That’s why we need a month to re member and honor blacks who have contributed to our nation. An entire month dedicated to those blacks who have been left out of the white history texts. The least we can do is to take note and learn. Opportunities to learn will be num erous. The MSC Black Awareness Committee is sponsoring events that will provide students with many chances to learn about black history and Black History Month. One idea that has great potential for a learning experi ence is a Black History Month class. At least one class is scheduled and others are being planned. These classes will be in the evening and open to anyone. Speakers also are planned in conjuc- tion with other MSC groups. Donald Woods will give his views on “Apar theid: The Controversy,” and Patricia Russell McCleod will speak on “The Price of Freedom in 1984.” Set aside some extra time. Go to the speeches. Go to the classes. Learn that history is, at best, subjec tive. And learn that blacks have contri buted in many ways to the development of the United States and the preserva tion of democracy. — The Battalion Editorial Board sraaG AdvaNceMSNts IN ENfiRgV... CPCOAL <§) STEAM CD GAS <S>EtECTRICITV <D NUCLEAR ©COAL Darwin's theory is valid Over the past several days many of the letters to the editor have concerned evo lution and creationism with misrepresen tations of the facts abounding. As an anthropology student I believe that most of the advantages and problems of Dar win’s theory (and its later modifications) have been presented to me and that it would be good to replace some of the biased information recently printed with some more objective material. The only answer that a person grounded in science can give to that is that our wide ly accepted concepts of gravity and ato mic structure are also “just” theories, yet they explain the events that happen around us every day. If you do see some one just fly out into space for no reason, give me a call and I’ll gladly propose a new system. that evolution describes does happen, whether or not you choose to believe it. What is ironic about this conflict is that the process of evolution in no way invali dates religious thought until it is viewed historically or developmentally. Appa rently it is too difficult for some theolo gians to integrate their beliefs with the The major difference between evolu tion and creationism is obviously their respective sources. Evolution is a scien tific theory, an explanation of the way the world works based on observations. Dar win simply stated that biological popula tions change over the generations, some thing readily accepted by his colleagues at that time and today (everyone realizes that children don’t look or act exactly like their parents). We have found no evidence in over a century to refute Darwin’s basic ideas ab out evolution. Instead, our new informa tion about the workings of DNA and hu- information gleaned from the scientific community. cary stegall Gertainly man is an amazingly sophis ticated creature, but he is not so “special” that the basic principles of biology are null and void for him alone. I do want to stress that this conflict rests with only some theologians. Most churches readily accept the findings of Darwin without disrupting their own beliefs. Greationism, however, is not a theory or a hypothesis or any other type of scien tific conjecture. It is a folk explanation. The term folk need not carry any nega 1 tive connotations. It simply means that it is (or was) the explanation known to the common citizenry, unsupported by scien tific learning. man-controlled genetic breeding have supported it. Darwin’s major contribution to science was not the observation that populations change, but how and why they do this. The most important factor is natural selection, often bastardized with the cliche, “survival of the fittest.” That phrase is not too far off as long as we define the “fittest” not as the strongest or the smartest, but as the creature that pro duces the most healthy offspring. The more children it has, the more it will affect the genetic material of the entire population. In general, theories developed in the liberal arts fields have taken far longer to be accepted than those developed by the chemist or physicist, but they are just as valid. One of the main reasons for this is the apparent lack of proof, the claim that “if I can’t see it, I don’t believe it exists.” If, after all this, you still choose to ignore one of the most important ele ments of the 19th (not the 20th) century’s learning, you have indirectly placed yourself in the muddled world of the ear ly 1800s. That environment lacked many things we couldn’t live without — electric ity, fast transportation and communica tion, to name a few. It also promised a life of drudgery or slavery for many minor ities, degradation for women and a lifes pan of about 40 years. Many of the changes since that time have come about through the advances of science and in the ways society has used them, not through the disregard of new concepts as “heretic knowledge.” Many of the letters have made light of the fact that evolution is “just a theory.” This point is actually moot concerning evolution. Even though evolution is an extremely slow process in most organ isms, it can be readily observed in only a few months in ones that regenerate quickly, such as insects and protozoa. The development of bacteria that pro duce many of our medicinal bases is a direct result of controlled selection in a corporate or university lab. The process Letters: Absentee voting The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Rebeca Zimmermann The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper Managing Editor John Wagner for students in reporting, editing and photography clas- City Editor Patrice Koranek S es within the Department of Communications. Assistant City Editors Kathleen Hart, Questions or comments concerning any editorial mat- Stephanie Ross ter should be directed to the editor. News Editor Tracey Taylor Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot, Wanda Winkler Editorial Page Editor Kathy _ Wiesepape Letters Policy Sports Editor Donn Friedman Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for Stokes style and length, but will make every effort to maintain . c-j;. the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and c •» u L- Jl | c d • • j show the address and telephone number of the writer. Staff Writers Robin Bkick, Bngid Columns and guest editorials also are welcome, and Brockman, Bo Caster, are not su bj e ct to the same length constraints as letters. Ronnie Crocker, Bonnie Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, Langford, Christine Mallon, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni- Kay Mallett, Sarah Oates, versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (409) 845- Michelle Powe, Lauri Reese, 2611. Dave Scott, Kelley Smith, Karen Wallace Photographers Michael Davis, Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt, Eric Lee, Dean Saito Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer, The Battalion is published Monday through Friday Scott McCullar 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 Editorial Policy full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. ' Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news- 77843. paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M United Press International is entitled exclusively to University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex- the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited pressed in 7 he Battalion are those of the editor or the to j t Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of reserved Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem- Second class postage paid at College Station, TX oers, or of the Board of Regents. 77843 Editor: I am writing this in response to the col umn written by Grant Swartzwelder, “Election unfairly scheduled.” I fail to see why there is so much commotion about the March 10 election date for a Brazos Gounty Representative. According to the Brazos Gounty Glerk’s office, absentee voting starts on Feb. 20 and ends on March 6. Anyone who will not be able to vote on March 10 for any reason can go to the Brazos Gounty Gourthouse, located at the corner of 26th and Texas Avenue, to vote absentee, or they can request a ballot by mail from the Gounty Glerk, Brazos Gounty Gourthouse, Bryan, TX 77803, if they are out of the county dur ing the absentee voting period. True, the March 10 election date does coincide with the Aggie spring break, but it does not have to keep anyone from voting. Furthermore, voter registration does not end on Friday as Mr. Swartzwelder indicated. Voter registration is open to anyone at any time who will be 18 or older on election day. Voter registration for the March 10 election ends on Feb. 8 for those not voting absentee. Remember, it is not necessary to register again if you are already registered in Brazos County. It will be somewhat of an inconveni ence for many to vote absentee, but it is possible for all registered voters to vote. Susie Shipley Ragland Staff Member Capital punishment Editor: In response to John Bruce’s “quick game of what if,” let’s play another game of “what if.” Gay jokes 'bad bull' jr i he lhalle by LENNY DEPALMA After 32 years of listening to racist, sexist, and queer jokes told in the name of “fun,” I was shocked to find the offi cial University newspaper joining in the “fun” with its “Bad Bull” awards to the local gay organizations for our educa tional event called Blue Jeans Day. reader’s forum der." (Either use the phrasesequi|j et ], not at all.) a y ai 3. The Battalion (again) —foripL; i sistently running stories which eqiien show the worst side of gay life w ill en ever running stories which shouhalle gains gays have made and are m ie throughout the country. 4. The bigots with “STEERS A| QUEERS” bumperstickers on as vehic les. Also, any establishment l t j u ! r( sells them. 5. The so-called “Christian” n«| ters who are allowed to speak oii||£J ian tl h< irst r Since turnabout is the essence of “fair play,” and to demonstrate that gays also have a sense of humor, I offer you our “Gay Bad Bull Awards of Merit.” We mean no harm to anyone but only ask that the awards he taken in good humor, since we have all learned through the letters to the editor column that prejudice is okay as long as it is meant as a joke. 1. The Battalion — for attempting to make a joke of a very successful and educational event from which many people benefited. Of course, The Batta lion would not know that, since they never bothered to do a follow-up story on the day. 2. The Battalion — for its continued use of phrases like “avowed homosex ual” or “homosexual murder” but com plete lack of phrases like “avowed heterosexual” or “heterosexual mur- c ampus (one assumes they have Uni sity approval) and then proceedtolp and bend the scriptures untiltheial* come a poisonous venom and anevjr ■ ini bigotrv. Pe rhaps you haveheaiU this before. Among gays it isknoul the “Anita Bryant” or “Kill a Queel Christ” syndrome. u ni 6. The people who get up and^ out of class after their professorf GE taken the time to invite memberso|ian gay organizations to speak to themMed class-related topic. un! 7. The person or persons whoPj 1 ^ down all the signs announcing Jeans Day and then claimed theyr not given advance notice. 8. The person or persons who: j 0 n ranged a local restaurant sign toi-mo “X is a fag” without ever facingtbti wit cused. Id 1 could go on and on, but the': 1 ' ' do for this year. Remember,lauglir^ the world laughs with you. Cryandff^ will call you names. Who knows? you can win one of our awards*|- year! ' Imagine that you havejust killed some one. You really can’t imagine wha* prop elled you to perform such a violent act. Maybe it had something to do with that last drink you had. Your alcoholic mother had plenty, also. Or better yet, maybe it had something to do with your father banging your head against the wall when you were two. No, I am not trying to justify this kil ler’s crime, but merely develop an under standing of what caused such an act. Nor am I suggesting throwing him back into a society which is, at the present time, an unfit place. Rather, I believe the “magic answer” lies in reform and rehabilitation. After all, since the beginning of history we have used the death penalty as a deterrent to crime, yet still we have murderers this, we must realize that the dealli ty is not an effective deterrent to Mr. Bruce, in the latter partofj letter you asked: 1) Is murder an acceptableci 2) What is the proper punishi a convicted killer? You have unknowingly helped answer the second question by ansi the first. If murder is notanao crime or act, then how isitanacct punishment? Regardless of theji don, there is but one end result And, finally, if you are a Chi isn’t the “eye for an eye” concept since Jesus in the New Testament to “turn the other cheek.” Kim-Lea Mail! ce ■< eth be n unt on -b\ .ei t! er, £ O' ■< s ice “You woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that Reagan was going to run again?”