Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The BattaliorvTuesday, February 14, 1984 No miracle cure for racial problems Is Texas A&M a racist institution? It has one of the lowest percentages of minority students and faculty among major state universities in the United States. Now, over a year after the Presi dent’s Committee on Minority Condi tions released its report, President Frank E. Vandiver has proposed a new $1 million starter program to increase recruitment of minority students and faculty. But there is something inherently wrong in having to recruit minorities. Ideally, integration could be accom plished by merely opening a school’s doors to qualified students of all colors. But because of our nation’s past, and the symptoms of deep social problems that still persist, it has never been that easy. Inner-city schools don’t offer the quality of education available in subur ban schools. Many blacks attend inner- city schools, so many black students are not adequately prepared for a college education and do not score well on col lege entrance exams. Offering scholarships earmarked to-- attract minority students to Texas A&M is not going to solve this prob lem. There is only a limited pool of qual ified minority students in the U.S., and universities trying to increase their mi nority percentages are all fighting over this pool. They’re missing the point. The ulti mate aim should be to increase the size of the pool. And that can’t be done at the university level. When the minority problems in our public school systems show im provement, then the percentages in the universities will even themselves out. Americans tend to think that throw ing money at a problem will make it go away, but social inequalities in our school system will not disappear that easily. Short-term remedies such as Van diver’s proposal definitely are needed, but correcting the inequalities brought about by dual school systems will take more than $1 million worth of schol arships. — The Battalion Editorial Board Put competition in perspective If only more parents would tell their children, when they’re still young and believe everything they hear, that win ning isn’t everything. If only they would tell them that win ners shouldn’t be considered heroes just because they’re winners and losers shouldn’t be considered second-class cit izens. I’ve seen many little leaguers go home in tears after a loss and many small children give up completely — be cause they’re “losers.” Unfortunately, a lot of parents not only let their children believe this, they encourage them to. They themselves be lieve that the primary goal of any sport or any game is not to play your best, to improve or to have fun, but to win, to be first, to be the best. At least, it looked that way when tele- vison ratings showed that watchers abandoned the Olympic Games for the A-Team and Remington Steele — after the United States’ hockey losses. Some athletes have been able to rec ognize the rightful place competition should play in their lives — but not enough. guess many people are disappointed that we didn’t win a medal, but I’m pleased. I made my best time under these near blizzard conditions.” In an interview taped before the race, Koch said, “If 100 people enter a race, that means there have to be 99 losers. The worst thing you can teach a child is that so many of them will be losers, be cause then they won’t even try. And it’s the striving, the attempting, the fight, that’s the important thing.” lauri reese Olympic skier Bill Koch was a major contender in his cross-country event. He came in 21st, but in an interview with an ABC sportscaster shortly after the race, the happy competitor said, “I Think how much strife and ill-feeling between individuals, teams and even countries could be avoided if we were able to get rid of our obsession with win- ning. Think how much could be accom plished and how self-satisfied we could be if we put competition in its proper perspective. Competition enables us to hone our skills and measure our achievements. We can use it — as a tool. Slouch by Jim Earle “When you hate to get up and go to class, does that mean you Ve got the flu?” By MI In a loi Monday, approver amendnn declared sion to pi sity poke; ulty mem The S voted to test com pointmei Presideni and Pro\ dent for Gordon 1 Each f bers reo them if ll Universit academic United ^ SUCCESS m I JUST WISH WE HAP PUT1 IN A UTILE HIGHER ORBIT, „ LGltSTS... Death penalty lowers value of life Editor: We commend The Battalion Editorial Board for its stand against capital pun ishment (Feb. 10). As members of Amnesty Interna tional, a human rights organization that opposes all forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including the death penalty, we are familiar with the common justifications for its use. Retri bution and “justice” are euphemisms for vengeance, and unacceptable basis for a penal system in a civilized society. The death penalty has not been shown to be an effective deterrant to murder. It is even possible that the use of the death sentence actually promotes an attitude of violence and a disregard for the value of life in our society. Some people claim that it is cheaper to execute a murderer than to maintain him in prison for the rest of his life. This rationale degrades human life by giving it a monetary value. It has also been said that executing a criminal will prevent him from commit ting further crimes. While this is ob viously true, our judicial system is, or could be equipped to keep dangerous criminals from returning to society and from committing further crimes while in prison, without killing them. Capital punishment involves a great deal more than the question of what a criminal does or does not “deserve.” We must realize that how we deal with our criminals is a measure of our maturity and advancement as a people and a nation. Juanita Heimann Margaret Lasater-Smith TAMU Amnestylnternational Campus Network constantly bombarded by such drivel would beg for the death penalty. Anyone who pays lip service to the victims, and then slaps them in their faces by begging for murderer’s life, has surely lost all contact with reality and common decency. If The Battalion Edi torial Board was a food, Sbisa would use is as an emetic. Steve Lovelace CLass of 84 would like to see corrected would just like to find out whatwei >illionpro please call us. We would appreciate input. ^ Carol Elf Joelessi Jaimie Hort ClayBil Kevin DEARB hree strai aling $3 A report ion profi md the bi ngs turrit locate hist The 19* ligher tha $69 mi layout foi ind salarie :ach recei' nillion wa idve born; Ford’s ] Jveek Ger or iff mnouncei By KA1 _ . A cor Lance Leant hreatene Goosed in the park Chip Pail Freshmen Senai Editor: I was distressed by Friday’s front-page photo caption titled “Goosed in the Park.” I don’t understand why The Battal ion feels it is necessary to use off-color statements to attract readers. If I’m not mistaken, the purpose of The Battalion is to allow aspiring journalists a chance to write and to acquire a sense of profes sionalism. As I mentally tick off some our lead ing newspapers, I can’t recall any of them resorting to such tactics to draw readers. Come on, if we desire profes sionalism, let’s emulate The New York Times, not UT’s Daily Texan. Michael Larkin ’84 Journalism Major Rules and Regulati Editor: I am a member of the Rules andRq tions Committee. A few days ago,H ^ Battalion published the deadline f recommending policy changes-fi he voted 15. Now is the time for you to thinkal* changes that may be needed inour|H cies. Write a letter to the Rules andRf ulations Committee — for anyth! Tell us why you feel something shot or shouldn’t be changed. The com® tee members are here to voice theid f of the students. Senators need input Death penalty a humane procedure Editor: The freshmen senators would like to tell the Class of ’87 that we are working hard to represent you in the best way we can. All eight of us have the ability to im prove Texas A&M in the ways that you see fit. However, our job is to represent you, not ourselves. We want to take only the kinds of action that you agree with. If there are any problems that you Now is the time to do somei about matters such as the recent sen finals controversy. Don’t let thing! blindly past — do something alx them. Remember, you spend your here under the policies of Texas These policies can be determined you. GaryLLe* Student Represent Rules and Regulations ComiT Editor: I would like to correct an error in your editorial of Feb. 10. Death by injection does not involve the use of “poison,” as you so melodramatically stated in your fatuous editorial. Instead, it involves a mix of compounds which acts as an anesthetic overdose. Death is caused by a depression of the cardiac and respiratory centers of te brain. The procedure is almost identical to the procedure of euthanasia for ani mals. It is physically painless, relatively quick, and much less horrible than you have attempted to portray it. It is also a far better fate than these individuals de serve. You refer to the “plight of the mur derer,” and you ask that he be allowed to live out his life in prison. Why should the citizens of his state pay for the wel fare and comfort of a being who has demonstrated such bestiality? Lucas, Moreno, and others of their ilk are worse than rabid animals, and ev eryone knows that rabid animals are killed to protect the community. However, I think I have devised an alternative to the death penalty. Mur derers should be sentenced to listen to the inanities and absurdities uttered by The Battalion Editorial Board. Anyone 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, Brigid Brockman, Kelley Smith Editorial Page Editor Kathy Wiesepape Sports Editor Donn Friedman At Ease Editor Shelley Hoekstra Assistant At Ease Editor Angel Stokes Photo Editor John Makely Staff writers Ed Alanis, Robin Black, Bob Caster, Bonnie Langford, Christine Mallon, Kay Mallet, Sarah Oates, Michelle Powe, Lauri Reese, Dave Scott, Karen Wallace Photographers Michael Davis, Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt, Eric Lee, Dean Saito Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opin ions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Editorial Board or the author, and do not nec essarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory ne*' paper for students in reporting, editing a photography classes within the Department Communications. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed ^ words in length. The editorial staff reserves^ right to edit letters for style and length buf* make every effort to maintain the author's 1 ' tent. Each letter must be signed and must 1 elude the address and telephone numberof^ writer. Reader’s Forum columns and guest editor^ also are welcome. Address all inquiries to thc^ itorial page editor. The Battalion is published Monday through^ day during Texas A&M regular semesters. cept for holiday and examination periods. ^ -P 1 subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, t per school year and $35 per full year. Advttf ing rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed ! Donald Building, Texas A&M University, lege Station, TX 77843. ^ United Press International is entitled ew 1 sively to the use for reproduction of all news® 1 patches credited to it. Rights of reproduction' all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Stai TX 77843. College I iommerc ame to a he memt he chain oved to The re be am •in. todai Parties reatenii orm thei Bryan