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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, March 19, 1984 Americans look for political 'beef It had to happen. Americans are so acutely attuned to advertising slogans and television that it was unavoidable. “Where’s the beef?” asks the elderly woman in the Wendy’s hamburger commercial. “Where’s the beef?” asks David Lee Roth, singer for the rock group Van Halen. “Where’s the beef?” echo college stu dents, children and rival hamburger places. * The advertising phrase has cap tured the fancy of America, taking on a Variety of meanings. ; The latest to pick up the battle cry is Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale. In the March 11 Democratic pres idential candidates’ debate, he chal lenged fellow candidate Gary Hart’s new ideas platform, demanding, ‘•‘Where’s the beef?” His supporters cheered, but the tac tic backfired on him at a political rally a few days later. Mondale told the audience that there was only one question that needed to be answered in the Novem ber election. But before he could state that question, the audience finished his thought for him. The chants of “Where’s the beef?” went on for five minutes. Catchy advertising slogans can back fire just as often as they work. But the role of personalities, camera presence and media manipulation in campaigns continues to be a controversial area. Mondale’s jump on the “Where’s the beef?” bandwagon tends to support the idea that candidates will do anything for media attention. The tactic is as old as American poli tics. It’s not a big step from “Tippeca noe and Tyler, too” to “Where’s the beef?” It seems the American public is still just as gullible as ever. Until we learn to take a close look at the policies the can didates support and where they stand on the issues, instead of falling for just another pretty face spouting meaning less phrases, we’ll elect politically shal low leaders. — The Battalion Editorial Board BEAUTIFUL, GARY BABY/ ^ NOW HOLD THAT ROSE UNTIL NOVEMBER... Candyman should die Halloween just hasn’t been the same since 1974. That was the year I learned that trick-or-treat could be deadly. Sure, we had all been warned about accepting candy from strangers, but on Halloween it was different. Wandering door-to-door in my southwest Houston neighborhood, I lost my fear of stran gers and their treats. Mom and Dad always warned us to bring our candy home so they could check and toss out any funny-looking pieces. We always heard stories about people getting pins in candy or razor blades in apples. But it never happened to me. It was trick-or-treat. I was a goblin or a ghost or a dog — and nothing could hurt me. Ronald Clark O’Bryan’s son wasn’t that lucky. A pixie stick laced with cyanide ended his life on that 1974 Halloween night. He was eight years old. No, it wasn’t a stranger with an evil sneer who handed him the poison can dy. Nor was it the family who sucked on octopus heads and talked with the Transylvanian drawls who lived in the dark house on the corner that really needed to be painted and the lawn that needed to be mowed. It was Ronald Clark O’Bryan — the hoy’s own father. O’Bryan was scheduled to be ex ecuted on Halloween 1983; he was granted a stay of execution. After James “Cowboy” Autry was executed By Ci donn friedman O’Bryan is on death row in Huntoj le counting the days until his lethal it jection is administered. A dateb been set. But why should 0’Bryan|t off so easy? Let’s make his punishment- reunion with death — fit his crime First, give O’Bryan the torment] living a while longer. How doesOc 31, 1984, sound? On that Halloween, let’s passarouiy a bag of candy to all the prisoners® death row, and allow O’Bryan todrei up in a costume. How about asapris oner, or better yet, as a loving father! Then send him from cell to ce| asking, “Trick or treat?” and never knowing which. by lethal injection last week, O’Bryan spoke to reporters. “Dying is a part of living,” the candy man said. “I don’t want to die any more than anybody else. But if the execution does happen, I have the advantage of know ing when my death will take place.” Cruel and unusual punishment? He made his son play the same game, but the boy didn’t know tht rules. O’Bryan’s execution is scheduled for March 31. O’Bryan’s son didn’t know when his death would take place — or that the reason for it would be to collect on his life insurance policy. Donn Friedman is a senior joumi ism major and sports editor for Rattalion. As bon roots grov soil- Wha casual bin has becon: Aggie spii Now a i formed tc not the 1 rooted for its history Malon lant vice j services, i advisor ar die ad h formed. “I thinl prudent 1 consider there are natives,” 1 The b from the Duncan fi problems he isunav with the than the j night of i ried by th nearby i funds cov the physk Stu< Consulting the economic guru ma |By HELE by ART BUCHWALD I climbed to the top of the Washington Monument to speak to the Great Eco nomic Oracle. I placed a bowl of jelly beans at his feet. “What brings you all this distance, my son?” he asked. “I am confused,” I told him. “I came to find the secret of budget deficits.” The Master stroked his bald head. “There is no secret to budget deficits. If one spends more than one earns, then one must borrow what one owes.” “I know 1 that. But the question I came to ask is what does one do about a deficit that is so large that all the wise men of the land cannot agree how to cut it?” “When the highest type of men see deficits they recoil at them. When the average type of men see deficits they half believe them. When the lowest type of men see deficits they laugh heartily at them.” “But how does one get the lowest type of men to become the highest?” “It can’t be done during an election year,” the Master said, popping another jellybean into his mouth. “Why not, oh wise one?” “Because those who are responsible for the deficits will not admit they are bad, and those who take no responsibil ity need them to attack those who made the deficits. It is written in the ‘Book of Politics’ that in an election year one talks about deficits, but one does not do anything about them.” “Why is that, Master?” “Because to do something about de ficits is to cause pain. And if one wants to rule one must promise not to cause anyone pain.” “If one does not do anything about deficits will there not be greater pain later on?” I asked. thing more to tax the people. Who is right?” “It is this simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular au diences during an election year.” “So it is your opinion that nothing can be done about deficits when a country is contesting for a new ruler?” “Nothing of substance. One must think of the budget as a lovely river. The deficits are like the snow in the Input frc dents and mountains that no one sees. 0n« spring comes, the snow melts and bt comes a torrent of water and the rive! becomes a flood washing away even Ions with ot thing that man has built, and therei! ofiheTexa nothing left but a depression in thtf land.” L “You sound like Martin Feldsteen.| tor Hr ^ . . , Bices, said i I said. “It’s Feldstein, not Feldsteen," the Master said angrily. “And don’t you forget it.” Slouch by Jim Earle (emester al ere servec ions Dinir Sbisa Dinii tween 2,00( an Dining “Dining equired to of Five stud< he the stud iervice qu aid. “The ompletec lanuwritin eekly foot Ings and m; reply.” Each faci menu boat dents who ; the stud to i by i :bh “The me: e for put ff facility 'ote, Smitl 'ogurt and >y menu b heir prefei “A wise ruler never mentions future pain when his throne is at stake.” “How long can one live with deficits before they cause pain?” ‘Was that your can of shaving lather that exploded?’ “Depending on the size of them, one year, maybe two, perhaps forever.” “Doesn’t the ruler know that?” “Yes, he does. But true words are not beautiful. And beautiful words are not true.” “Master, there are those who say in order to reduce them, one must raise taxes and cut back on military spend ing. There are others who say one must cut out domestic spending and do no- .etters: Basketball team deserves more support Editor: As a Class Of ’81 member of the Fight- i’ Texas Aggie Band, I attended every ome basketball game for four years, aearheaded numerous road trips for way games, and saw every SWC tourna- icnt game and NCAA tournament ame the Aggies played. Since graduation, I have been a season cket holder and have traveled from as ir away as Alabama for games. This sea- m, I missed only two home games. I did not miss the March 6 game with u. It was the smallest crowd of students I ave ever seen at a home game. The band ime close to outnumbering the rest of ie students. What’s going on? Two percenter has taken on a new_ meaning since my graduation. It must now mean that only 2 percent of the stu dents care enough to support the school at athletic functions. It must mean that only 2 percent know that being an Aggie means more than just attending class and wearing an Aggie ring. If so, it is a sad state of affairs, and must surely bve a symptom of a much deeper probvlem. Does it mean that “Old Army” really has died? Have traditions been replaced with the selfish pride of petty individuality? Have college students become so wrapped up in their desire to be different from the masses that they are unable to give two measly hours of their existence to help support a team that deserves much more than that? I know the players and coaches, and they are an exceptional group of people. They deserve much more support than they have gotten this year. Tuesday night I was embarrassed for every person who could have come to the game, but elected not to. You missed a good game. You missed Winston Grite’s best game of the year. You missed seeing Texas A&M win and advance to the second round of the SWC tournament, and you missed seeing t.u. lose. Will this apathy carry over to football season? Prove to me it won’t. See you at the alumni game...or not. Wesley Pate Class of ’81 The Battalion (ISPS 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, Michelle Powe, Kelley Smith Editorial Page Editor Kathy Wiesepape Sports Editor Donn Friedman Assistant Sports Editor ......Bill Robinson Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel Stokes Photo Editor /... John Makely Staff writers Ed Alanis, Robin Black, Dainah Bullard, Bob Caster, Bonnie Langford, Christine Mallon, Sarah Oates, Tricia Parker, Lauri Reese, Dave Scott, Travis Tingle, Karen Wallace Photographers Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt, John Ryan, Dean Saito The Battalion also serves as a laboratory news paper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes whin the Department oi Comm unica dons. Letter Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed SOD words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length but wil make every effort to maintain the author’s in tent. Each letter must be signed and must in clude the address and telephone number of the writer. Reader’s Forum columns and guest editorials also are welcome. Address all inquiries to the Ed itorial Page Editor. Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-support ing newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Editorial Board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Re gents. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular se mesters, except for holiday and examination pe riods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed Mc Donald Building, Texas A&M University, Col lege Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclu sively to the use for reproduction of all news dis patches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. But SOITK tfen’t happ ^ne cadet J "Mb Re Tues M M c El / ms