Tuesday, April 17, 19847The Battalion/Page 3 --Forum to bring diverse political affiliates to A&M By KIMBERLEE D. NORRIS Reporter Political Awareness Day on Wednesday will bring to cam- js a range of politically active toups far beyond traditional tpublicans and Democrats. |MSC Political Forum, which msors the annual event, has ited 110 political groups as verse as the Communist Party the Moral Majority, icncan Atheists, Mothers rainst Drunk Driving, the Ku lux Klan, and four lesbian/gay jhtslobbyist groups. The event has dealt with con- sy before. Last year, for )le, transsexual Phylis Frye was among the guests. Frye is a former member of the Corps of Cadets who rep resented the Houston Gay Polit ical Caucus. Jay Simmons, 1984 Political Awareness Day chairman, said the controversial reaction to Frye was caused by a handful of people who didn’t feel comfort able with the fact that there was a transsexual on campus. “Those who actually talked with Frye learned a lot about political activity in the homosex ual commmunity and its effect on government,” he said. Simmons said the purpose of the program is not to present a side-show of freaks or bizarre people, but to allow students to see the workings of politics by talking with people who are clo sely involved. “Nobody learned diddly- squat just because they saw a transsexual,” he said. “Those who got something out of it did because they overcame their prejudices and spoke with a member of a powerful political organization.” he said. 1984-85 Political Forum chairman, Kevin Brannin, said he is concerned that students understand the Forum’s mo tives for sponsoring controver sial groups on campus. “We’re not bringing contro versy for controversy’s sake — just for open exchange of dif ferent viewpoints,” he said. Brannin said he feels the va lue of bringing a group such as the Ku Klux Klan is learning from people who have not learned from their mistakes. “Any group that denies peo ple their basic rights because of skin color has real problems,” he said. “We can learn from that.” Brannin said some students seem to feel that beliefs which are unlike their own are not worth hearing. He said Political Forum tries to challenge stu dents to evaluate why they be lieve the things they hold true. “If you never hear anything but what you already believe, you tend to get the idea that there are easy answers to hard questions,” he said. “That just isn’t true in the ‘real world’,’’ he said. Simmons said all of the nearly 110 groups invited to the program met criteria designed to insure a representative sam ple of political views. “A list of potential partici pants was sent to every profes sor in the political science de partment to be rated from ‘one’ to ‘ten’ in terms of political in fluence,” he said. “For every ‘one’ an organization received, at least three other professors gave the same group a ‘ten’. It’s hard for anyone to isolate who affects political policy.” Michaele Craddock, in com ing vice-chairman of Political Forum, said she does not sup port the philosophies of many of the invited groups. “Whether or not I agree with their political ideas doesn’t mat ter,” she said. “They have the right to express their opinions just as anyone else. This pro gram allows the expression of both minority and majority viewpoints.” Simmons said not all the groups invited attend the event because of money problems or time conflicts. “We can’t reimburse them, or pay speakers, so some organiza tions can’t accept,” he said. “Others have scheduling con flicts, but we feel we attract groups that really affect na tional as well as local and state- level politics.” bsentee voting begins today By THERESA CORNELL Reporter absentee voting for the May emocratic and Republican naries will begin today and ntinue through May 1. aunty clerk Frank Boriskie voters who will be out of county on the day of the ttions may vote absentee, hey will be asked at the absen- voting booth to sign a Jement testifying to their ex- :ted absence. Absentee voters may vote from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the county clerk office in the Brazos County Courthouse on West 26th Street in Bryan. Voters should come to the courthouse with their voter reg istration cards. If their card is lost or has not arrived in the mail, the voters’ names can be checked on an official voter list. To receive an absentee ballot from the voter’s hometown, the voter must write down his cer tificate and precinct number from his voter registration card and mail it to the county clerk’s office in his home county, asking for an absentee ballot. Local voters in the May pri maries will be choosing nomi nees for the positions of U. S. senator; 6th District U. S. Rep resentative; 14th District state representative; district attor ney; Brazos County sheriff;_ )ift 3d wards given for academic, extracurricular achievements peveral award winners were an- lounced Saturday during Par ous' Day ceremonies including the Buck Weirus Spirit Award ners and the Thomas S. ithright Academic Excellence A*ard winners, he gifto!,'i Winners of the Weirus award carillon W chosen on the basis of in- ilvement in “the other educa- 0,” said Association of For- ler Students President Charlie tly at the awards ceremony purday. The “other educa- )n" includes activities, accom- ishments and leadership posi- [ns. The Weirus award was f” Since* 1 st P ven * n 1982 in honor of "hard “Buck” Weirus, whom :ly said had given more to the liversity than he could ever :eive. Winners receive a wrist tchand a framed certificate. The Gathright Award is imed in honor of the first iesident of Texas A&M Col- [e, Thomas S. Gathright, and winners received framed ificates for having the high- grade-point ratios in their lege classifica tons. Winners of the Buck Weirus irit Award are: Freshmen: William B. Iiis canijffi editorial.! st of thei i only the guidelin alion Edi this unit 1 ' r the el! ild hate all the i sity shoi n, who a. Ijusi® iard has ell tower randenf Brian % Class of nel dictawl have a fj ie rica ns j t do thaij ,ho w° rt public dental eafcf .sonlb ton, Carolyn Brown, Mike Tinner, Joseph Lessard and cThode. • Sophomores: James Col- “P Sharon Gibson, Philip Golden, Shannon Harris, David Klosterboer, David Lawhorne, Marae Lehnert, James Marek, Matthew McKay and Mark Monroe. • Juniors: Philip Baker, Dena Brown, Zack Coapland, Jim Currie, Denis Davis, Paul Davis, Anne Marie Dixon, Gina Harlow, Jay Holland, Kevin Jones, Melissa Martin, Karen Pirtle, Tracey Quigley, Charles Hutson Rollins III and Ann West. • Seniors: Brent Burchard, Julie Caruthers, Patrick Choi, Stephen Cone, Eric Connor, Curtis Jefferson Crofton, Cyn thia Davis, Teddy Dela Cruz, Blaine Edwards, Kelly Graham, Beth Hendrix, Jerry Allan Hill, Philip Leopold, Joe Nussbaum, Robert Ogdee, Mary Polinard, Phil Rosenfeld, Thomas Salzer, Kelsel Thompson and Julie Walshak. • Graduate students: Ken neth Fredeen and Ramona Krailler. The Thomas S. Gathright Academic Excellence Award winners are: • College of Agriculture: Elaine K. Brown, senior; Mark J. Pirwitz, junior; Michael D. Mulcahy, sophomore. • College of Architecture and Environmental Design: James Eustace Carrillo, senior; Cheryl Renee Johnson, junior; Margaret Mary Alsup, sopho more. • College of Business Ad ministration: Walter Vance, se nior; Lynn M. Wilmot, junior; James M. Bailey, sophomore. • College of Education: Ka ren Anne Leach, senior; Sally Jean Kirby, junior; Beverly Su san Boyce, sophomore. • College of Engineering: James David Burnett, senior; Douglas William Grant, junior; Anne Marie Morillon, sopho more. • College of Geosciences: Ginger Anne Barth, senior; Robert Brent Boyd, junior; Ru dolf Harald Petrini, sophomore • College of Liberal Arts: Erica Lee Krennerich, senior; Daniel Craig Bitting, junior; Michele Anne Mobley, sopho more. • College of Medicine: Joel Jeffries,senior; Philip Scott Da vis, junior; John Strayhorn, sophomore. • College of Science: Wil liam Evan Secor, senior; Julie Joyce Gibson, junior; Eric Le roy Albers, sophomore. • College of Veterinary Medicine: Kathryn E. Kern, se nior; Karen C. Tucker, junior; Scott W. Brooks, sophomore. LIVE! ON STAGE! BROADWAY’S SMASH HIT MUSICAL! BEST MUSICAL 1982 TONY AWARD NOMINEE GALLONS OF FUNI JUNE HENRY GABLE GROSS starring in ' { JW J f,er« A FULL TANK OF ENTERTAINMENT. -WILLIAM RAIDY, NEWHOUSE NEWSPAPERS -je? Presented by MSC Town Hall Broadway, April 16 &: 17. Rudder Auditorium, Texas A&M University. For ticket info call MSC box office, 845-1234. Visa or Master Card. Original cast album on CBS Records and Tapes Brazos County commissioner. Precinct 3; county attorney; $>72th District judge; tax asses sor - collector; Brazos County commissioner, Precinct 1; Dem ocratic and Republican Party chairmen, Justice of the peace Precinct 4, Place 1 and Precinct 5, Place 1; and Constable, Pre cinct 4. Moving Yourself? Before you decide to move yourself, check out North American Van Lines' WE-DR/VE program. The concept is simple: you pack, you load, and a professional North American Van Lines' driver moves your belongings to your new home in a custom-designed "air ride" van. You can still save money by doing part of the work yourself, and leaving the hard part to us. It's the worry-free alternative to a rent-a-truck move. Nixon Transfer & Storage 779-6333 northAmerican . a special gift... for our Brazos Valley customers only! 3828 Texas Avenue, Bryan Reintroduce yourself to Half Price Books Texas Avenue location. If you haven ’t been in lately you’re in fora lot of pleasant surprises! MAGAZINES we buy and sell anything printed or recorded * * * * * * Bring this ad with you for a special discount on your next purcheise. $1 off any $2 to $14 purchase. $3 off any $15 to $24 purchase. $5 off any $25 to $39 purchase. $7 off any purchase of $40 & up Good at Bryan store only. * * * * * * * it- open Warn to 9pm Mon.-Sat, noon to 9pm Sunday TANGLEWOOD (411 Highway 30, College Station) Congratulates its May graduates, and extends appreciation for allowing us to share in your college years. Lorie Campbell John wood Melanie Monroe Nanette Campbell Janet Conquest Pam McDonald Shay Warden Mike Maxson Joe Schultz Laura Schleising Donna Patton Kevin Triplett Joyce Robinson Graduating Seniors Leslie Fisher Pat Fetzer Ronnie Glaesmann Keith Robinette Connie Williams Syndee Stiles Steve Crawford Joe Bohac David Curran Beatrice Souroujon Tim Herklotz Steve Bailey David Lee Wesley Jasek Mark Rister Karen Zern Lori Peace Scott Kilpatrick Scott Abel Mark Malin Kathy Schiflett Nancy Rohlack Master candidates Valerie Thomas "Best wishes for your success I f