In the summer of 1980, a group of
f rustrated athletes from across the Un
ited States gathered in Washington,
D.C. After years of training for the
Olympic Games, the hopeful conten
ders were not allowed to compete — the
United States was boycotting the Sum
mer Games in Moscow in response to
the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Now, in 1984, it’s time for the inter
national games again. Winter events be
gin today in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and
the Americans will host the Summer
Games in Los Angeles.
The Olympic Games bring back
memories: Mark Spitz, with his seven
gold medals in swimming; Bruce Jen-
ner in the decathlon; Dorothy Hamill,
starting a new trend in hairstyles; a tiny
Olga Korbut, drawing ohs and ahs with
her graceful moves; then another little
gymnast, Nadia Gomaneci, drawing
perfect scores and holding a doll on the
sidelines; Eric Heiden, with wings on
his skates.
And who could forget the plucky
U.S. hockey team that defeated the
Russians in 1980 against all the odds?
But the Olympics bring back other
memories, too.
Like the Israeli athletes, kidnapped
and shot by terrorists at the 1972 Olym
pics in Munich. Or the athletes from the
African nations who arrived in Mon
treal to find that their nations would not
allow them to participate in the games
because South Africa was allowed to
compete. Or the disappointed faces of
the American athletes in 1980, when
the United States pulled out of the
games to protest the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan.
It seems that the Olympic Games,
originally intended to promote a sense
of fellowship and friendly competition
among nations, are no longer immune
to the political snarls of the internation
al scene. Athletes have been used as
pawns in world-wide power struggles.
It is our hope that, this year, peace
will prevail at the Olympic Games, and
athletes from all nations will be able to
test their skills against each other in a
spirit of fair competition.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
Do we need a sixties revival?
Age not an issue
in 1984 campaign
Remember the Sixties?
Sure, maybe vaguely, but most Texas
A&M students were too young to know
what was really going on then.
Mention the sixties and the images
that come to mind range from anti-war
protests to Bob Dylan to society’s chang
ing values.
leges and universities provided made
them a breeding ground for introspec
tion.
That, combined with the curiosity that
comes naturally to a person striking out
on his own for the first time, made a lot of
How many people keep up with
tional events? How many peoples
tell you what happened yesterday in
world, other than whatever happened'
Texas
4b. 2
enni.R
beeaiR
ftions.
campus? How many people turnona An
Few things are as useless as a dead
issue. You can throw it at an opponent
or kick it around as much as you like,
but it still just lies there like a stinking
corpse.
One issue that deserves to rest in
peace this year is Ronald Reagan’s age.
It was killed early in the campaigns for
the 1980 election, but the dead body is
still being dragged out and put on dis
play, as if it could make a difference in
the public’s opinion this time around.
Yes, Reagan is the oldest man to have
held the office of president. And yes,
the health of a presidfential candidate is,
and should be, an important factor in
considering his suitability for office.
But there is no basis for concern
about Reagan’s health. All of his doc
tors keep insisting, over and over again,
that he is in excellent physical condi
tion.
His only health problems have been
allergies and a slight loss of hearing.
Weekly shots and a small hearing aid
have countered both ailments.
The most dramatic proof that the
president is in good health was his quick
recovery from the bullet wound he re
ceived in 1981. The treatment was suc
cessful and there were no medical com
plications.
So what’s the big deal? The presi
dent’s medical record make his oppo
nents’ claims of approaching senility
sound absurd.
It’s time to bury the age discussion
and concentrate on the real issue:
Reagan’s record in office.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
And the place where the effects of all
of these influences could be found were
on college campuses across the country.
One of the most introspective periods
this nation has gone through, the sixties
were a time when people began to ques
tion values and purposes. Americans
were forced to struggle with moral issues
that had not faced them at any other time
in the country’s history.
The country had just recovered from a
major world war, was deeply embroiled
in a cold war with the U.S.S.R. and was
just becoming accustomed to the effects
of national wealth. More people were re
ceiving higher-quality educations, and
Americans were becoming aware of the
possibility of nuclear war and its horrible
consequences.
But why was social unrest so prevalent
on college campuses? Simple. The expo
sure to new ideas and concepts that col-
robin
black
people — a lot of students — sit up and
ask “why?”
Gompared to most college campuses
during that time, however, Texas A&M
was a wasteland of apathy. In the sixties,
students and faculty at Texas A&M iso
lated themselves from the national chaos.
Today, not much has changed. Aggies
have forgotten how important it is to
and l
think and to question.
I suppose this is true because life is so
much simpler when you just sit back and
let the events of the day wash over you,
either not caring or not daring to “get
involved.”
news once a day or once a weekoren P in - ‘
pick up a newspaper? Not enough |T un! ’
The world today is not muchdiffa & ^
than it was 20 years ago. Nuclear*! j bn s .
still a controversial issue. Civil ri^l
although in a dif ferent form,arestii(« B VF
fronting society. 'The governmentiiij cpiditi
in society is still being debated,;
Lebanon situation is frighteninglysim
to that of Vietnam.
The difference, however, is i
one seems to care enough to wanij
know why all of this is going on.
I’m not advocating the rebirthofii)
lent protests or deviation fromanvoi
morals. I’m just baffled atwhyi
cares enough to try and changes
thing they don’t agree with. Doesn't! 1
one want to challenge their beliefs,eil
to define a new concept of thosebeliefl
to simply reaffirm them?
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, wheref
you when we need you?
(Robin Black is a staff writer fori
Battalion and a sophomorejoun
major.)
c
to
Letters
A second term
Editor:
I’m writing concerning the article on
the renomination of President Reagan
that was on the front page of The Batta
lion on Jan. 26.
“The world knows once more what
America stands for: the freedom of man
kind,” Reagan said in his third State of
the Union speech.
I would like to see Reagan be re
elected for a second term. Reagan has a
lot going for him. He has brought down
inflation, rebuilt America’s Armed
Forces and given approval to develop a
space program.
Within the next decade, NASA will
build a space program which will hold
men and women in a livable atmosphere.
The cost was estimated at $8 billion in all,
but the project will get $150 million more
in the new budget.
hope.” I believe this very much because I
am an American and think he has done
more for our nation than the past couple
of presidents. Therefore, he should be in
the White House for another term and
make America stronger.
Mr. Reagan said his four goals to be
re-elected for the next term are “steady
economic growth, development in space,
strong moral fiber and a meaningful
peace.” I feel he will fulfill these goals and
many more as he has done in the past.
Once President Reagan sets his goals, he
tries to carry them out through the power
we invest in him.
Jim Branum
Business Management
Beat” that used to be printed?
Steve Mueller
Class of ’84
Editor’s note: “Police Beat” began run
ning again Friday as a regular feature of
The Battalion.
Fix our roads
And while it be far from us to dispute,
or even question, the enlightening re
velations scholar McDougal has pre
sented, we do not feel that The Battalion
editorial page is the proper discussion
place for Bible semantics. Particularly on
such an ambiguous topic.
M.A. Roberts
Crime awareness
When the 72-year-old President
addressed the nation, he said, “America
is back — standing tall, looking to the
eighties with courage, confidence and
Editor:
I commend The Battalion for printing
the article by Sarah Oates on a recent
rape and a harrassment. Such informa
tion needs to be printed to keep the com
munity aware of criminal activity and of
the types of such activity that is occurring.
By the way, what happened to the “Police
Slouch
by Jim Earle
Tve often wondered what would happen at the gate if
a book wasn't properly checked out."
Editor:
To Mayor Halter and City Planner
Mayo:
Haven’t we bitten off a little more than
we can chew? It seems that the College
Station City Council is always anxious to
begin a new project without finishing the
last one.
What ever happened to Holleman
Street? Are those roadblock lights and
the orange and white woodwork to be
College Staton’s modern art exhibit? And
what of the newly destroyed Southwest
Parkway? Do your construction crew’s
contracts call for 70 degree temperatures
and sunny skies to be able to work?
By the time they finish one side of
Southwest Parkway, the other side will
need to be repaired! Why not employ
three more construction workers instead
of those police officers? Why not desig
nate February as “Road Month”? Let’s
digest what we’ve already bitten off.
Karl Gromelski
Parkway Circle
B. Berry
Evolution gives
greater faith
Editor:
Three cheers to Richard Barnett, class
of’85! I deeply appreciate his letter in the
Jan. 30 issue of The Battalion which
voiced his belief in both God and evolu
tion. The dual belief is notasoutlai
as it may seem to extremists who pi
either theory.
T here is simply too much eviG
(yes, evidence) to support evolution*
to entirely discount its validity.Thesl
and base f ragments from Aust/alopil
cus and Homo genera (among (A
cannot be ignored; such fossilevidti
must be taken into consideration'?
one forms his beliefs.
My belief in evolution does
promise my Christianity; in faci,R
win’s discoveries did not only tniii
some of nature’s great secrets, but
also served to increase my amaze* 1
and awe and faith in God who made*
possible.
Amy Vi
Out of context
Editor:
In response to Randy McDougal’s let
ter citing scriptures “condemning
homosexuality,” we would like to cite a
couple of our own.
“They shall not make baldness upon
this head, neither shall they shave off the
corner of their beard, nor make any cut
tings in their flesh.” (Lev. 21:5).
“And whatsoever hath fins and scales
ye may not eat, it is unclean to you.”
(Deut. 14:10).
We therefore declare the Corps of
Cadets, the Army, the Navy, the Air
Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard, and
all National Guard and reserve units as
“sinful” and “abominable.” The same
holds true for patrons of Red Lobster,
Long John Silver’s, and any other ini
quitous seafood establishment. In a
world in which some scriptures are taken
so literally out of context, all scriptures
should be taken the same way.
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Rebeca Zimmermann
Managing Editor John Wagner
City Editor Patrice Koranek
Assistant City Editors Kathleen Hart,
Stephanie Ross
News Editor Tracey Taylor
Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot
The Bultalion also serves as a laboratorynMf 1 *
for students in reporting, editing and photograph
scs within the Department of Communications
Questions or comments conccrninganyediiotii 1
ter should be directed to the editor.
Editorial Page Editor Kathy
Wiese pa pe
Sports Editor Donn Friedman
Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson
Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra
Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel
Stokes
Photo Editor J°h n Makely
Staff Writers Robin Black, Brigid
Brockman, Bob Caster,
Ronnie Crocker, Bonnie
Langford, Christine Mallon,
Kay Mallett, Sarah Oates,
Michelle Powe, Lauri Reese,
Dave Scott, Kelley Smith,
Karen Wallace
Photographers Michael Davis,
Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt,
Eric Lee, Dean Saito
Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer,
Scott McCullar
Letters Policy
Letters to the Editor should not exceed300
length, and arc subject to being cut if theyaffto 1 ?
The editorial staff reserves the right to edit W'
style and length, but will make every effort to
the author's intent. Each letter must also besignd
show the address and telephone number of ibtd
Columns and guest editorials also arc welcome
arc not subject to the same length constraintsasW 1
Address all inquiries and correspondence to W
The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas AiM-
versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (4®
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-Collcge Station. Opinions ex
pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the
author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of
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bers, or of the Board of Regents.
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