Opinion
Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, September 7, 1984
Te
No biking inside
Student Center
It’s been a long summer. Granted. But it hasn’t been so
long that we should forget the code of honor that all Aggies
live by.
What we’re referring to, in particular, is the status of the
Memorial Student Center. Lest we forget, it is just what it
says it is — a MEMORIAL — and there are certain patterns
of behavior that a memorial is entitled to.
For example, it would take a pathetically dishonorable
person to ride a bike over a soldier’s grave. Soldiers who
gave their lives so America could be what it is today deserve
a certain amount of respect.
We owe the Aggies that died for our country the same
respect. The Memorial Student Center honors those former
students.
That is why it was so shocking to see someone ride a bike
through the MSC Thursday.
Not one person, though there were quite a few around,
stopped her or told her that that sort of action just isn’t toler
ated in the MSC.
Why? Doesn’t anyone care?
Though the Rudder roofing renovation has made some
of the sidewalks around the MSC inaccessible, that is no ex
cuse for walking on the grass — a living memorial to Aggies
who have died fighting for freedom. Yet everyday people
are doingjust that.
After all, you wouldn’t walk over the Unknown Soldier’s
grave, would you?
— The Battalion Editorial Board
The Battalion
CISPS 045 360
Member of'
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor
The Battalion Editorial Board
Stephanie Ross, Acting Editor
Patrice Koranek, Managing Editor
Shelley Hoekstra, City Editor
Brigid Brockman, News Editor
Donn Friedman. Editorial Page Editor
Kelley Smith, News Editor
Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor
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icy
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IT
Texas
phone
Drop-add horrors
linger on for weeks
“You are such a
snot,” she screams,
waving a drop/add
form in one hand
and brandishing a Gucci purse in the
shawn behlen
other. “I have been in four lines already
and I am not standing in another.”
“Look, honey,” the reply snaps back.
“I don’t care how many lines you have
been in. If you really want this class, you
will just have to stand in another. Oh,
and thanks for calling me a snot. Yester
day, someone told me I was a bitch.”
looks in control of the world. She
doesn’t rush or raise her voice, despite
the fact that the line now stretches
across the Pavilion lobby. About forty
people are staring restlessly ar her, but
she works methodically and efficiently
— stamping cards, giving directions and
signing dotted lines.
The saucy, young brunette behind
the counter then gives the Gucci-wield-
ing girl covered in Deltas a patented if-
you-think-you’re-going-to-get-any-mor-
e-help-from-me-then-you’re-really-full-
of-it smile and turns to the next person
with a forced, but still friendly, “May I
help you?”.
It’s the counter of last resort —where
a wandering Aggie ends up when the
procedure of dropping and/or adding a
class goes terminally haywire.
From behind the counter, however,
the situation is reversed. She is so small.
The cheap wood stool she is sitting on is
almost as tall as she is — barely over five
feet — and she can’t weigh more than
100 pounds. Trash cans sit on each side
overflowing with ripped pieces of paper
and crumpled carbons. The floor is lit
tered with a Coke can and a shredded
wrapper that once housed a Snickers
bar.
From her point of view, the line looks
endless and the afternoon even longer.
The brunette looks tired. She could
be attractive, but this is not one of her
better days. The clothes look thrown on,
the hair is snarled, her brown eyes are
bloodshot and the make-up is absent.
But still she plods on — answering ques
tion after question and receiving angry
looks and comments as she explains
what each person needs to do.
Another confrontation arises and she
sighs. The senior cadet in his impec
cably polished and presumeably new
boots is at least three times as large and
five times as loud. She patiently explains
for the fourth time why he didn’t get
into the section he wanted and he finally
seems to understand. Slamming his fist
onto the counter, he jerks back and
stomps off.
She faces the fretting mob alone with
nothing but several square feet of for
mica and some cheap wood paneling be
tween her and them.
From in front of the counter, she
With a bemused smile, she drums her
fingers and looks up at the next one.
She’s only doing her job.
Shawn Behlen is a Battalion staff
writer and movie critic.
By
Chickens threaten freedom
Cherri J
itry grad
Jniversit
l&M's fir
ler the 1
iraduate
The subject of my column is some
thing that has haunted me for
many months now, and only now
do I think I have the necessary for
titude to broach the subject with
the general public.
Though I have been subjected
to ridicule and snide remarks from
my fellow journalists at The Bat
talion, I feel it is my responsibility
to tell it like it is.
I am talking about a subject that
threatens the security of the entire
North American continent and ul
timately, the world.
Chickens.
First these Russian chickens will assimilate wiihfy^ 1 ^
live Canadian chickens, giving the Red fowls theirfin 0 rj)oratic
hold. )int venti
Once integrated into the food chain, it willonsges and
matter of time before they sweep into the Unitedlaborat
America. 1 "
The Russians knew that gt>od relations betwwJ^^^'.T^
ada and Russia would help them in their scheme. Th< pi
llow right those crumbs in the Kremlin were, jet prac t u
The chickens will immediately start laying egp
consumed by the general population. Talk abouttb-—
that destroyed an entire society.
ed cassavoy
Not just the ordinary USDA approved chicken but a
much more fowler creature. A chicken that can swim.
That’s right, a chicken that can survive in the water of
our world.
But this is just one element in a gigantic Russian plot to
succeed in the ultimate goal of world domination.
The Russians have developed the first aquatic chicken
in a laboratory somewhere in Siberia. Why, may you ask
did they create such a genetic freak?
Simple. Now they have the vehicle to communicate
their Red message to all Americans. I will explain their
Plan.
It is devious in its very simplicity.
First produce millions of these poultry fifth columnists
in converted Gulags somewhere in Russia.
Next release them into the Arctic Sea to enable them to
swim directly under the polar ice cap to Canada.
There in sparsely populated northern Canada they will
regroup, rest, adjust to culture shock, and slowly start their
southward march.
Any roving American spy satellite would mistake this
Red Chicken Squad for a rather large band of Eskimos or
caribou.
Because within this harmless egg will be mind-b
drugs produced by the chicken’s metabolism.
I already can see another window of vulntra
opening up. You see the Russian political system isc
constructed to develop a superior poultry race.
The Russians can collect all chickens and seleti:
superior specimens that can lx* cross-bred. The pur
weak become “un-chickens."
The U.S. is a victim of the free enterprise systen;
the best of American chickenhood goes to theColond
Just remember as you chuckle nervously toyx
that fact has always been stranger than fiction. If your
to ignore the early warning signs, then we are doas
repeat the mistakes of the past.
What these drugs will do to Americans is stillj
answerable question. I don’t want another Red Scan
forewarned is forearmed.
No one can lx? an isolationist on this matter. Looit
happened in WWI.
So next time you are in the supermarket take a:
look at those, ha, harmless eggs. The Russian Beat
only be a mouthful away.
Battalion Sports Editor Ed Cassavoy
spent the summer observing fowl in the
Canadian wilderness. Cassavoy is a rov
ing political analyst for The Battalion.
Election '84: ifs all rhetorical
We’ve been
getting a lot of
guff lately
about the “rhe
torical” excesses
in this season’s
presidential fol
lies. Right-wing
columnists are
rallying against
the demagogu
ery of Walter
Mondale, and
the “liberal me
dia” are be
moaning the
robert
mcglohon
harsh words of Ronald Reagan.
Did you notice, though, that it’s never
the other vyay around?
Wise up, folks. Rhetoric is what it’s all
about, what it’s always been about, and
probably what it will always be about. I
am, of course, making here a distinction
between the fine art of rhetoric, per
suasion, and the usual use of rhetoric,
deception.
Good of Rhet has had an up-and-
down career. He reached the height of
his powers in the 5th Century B.C. in
the form of the Grecian sophists. But
then came Plato and his gang of merry
men, who pooh-poohed the art of per
suasion and embraced the search for
Pure Knowledege, whatever that is.
Rhet has had his little group of de
fenders, of course, but they’ve been few
and far between. One of the latest and
eloquent is Robert M. Pirsig in
more
“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mainte
nance.” On the whole, however, our so
ciety has an ingrained prejudice against
“form without content.”
But why? Let’s take a look at the two.
Which is stronger? Which can stand
alone?
Form can. We see it everyday, and
some might argue you’re seeing it now.
But what of content?
Albert Einstein, in composing his fa
mous Theory of Relativity, seemingly
had to go off into a world all his own;
we’re told he walked on beams of light.
Had he stayed in that other-world when
relating his theory, what then his recep
tion?
Or look to Karl Marx. Had he not
employed a hired pen, where then the
world today?
But back to Reagan, Mondale et al.
You’ve heard this year’s race is a classic
Liberal-Conservative clash. Well it is
and it isn’t.
To begin with, if you have a meaning
ful definition of liberal or convservative
... well, keep it to yourself. I’ve one that
serves me, but it’s one of the many possi
ble and is therefore fairly useless.
And let’s lay to rest another myth.
President Reagan is not a conservative,
just as President Mondale would not be
a liberal. That is, a U.S. president, once
he is the President, seldom strays far
from moderation.
The whole of American politics is for
ever swinging from left to right and
LETTERS
Cassavoy truly
a 'bad Ag'
EDITOR:
This letter is in regard to the Septem
ber 5 article written by our beloved
Sports Editor Ed Cassavoy. Where do I
begin Mr. Cassavoy? Your article
(UTEP burn still has not healed) was
worse than the Ags performance but
let’s not dwell on the past. Last Satur
day, the Ags won . . . case closed . . . let’s
prepare for our next opponents.
check out a yell practice or Bonfire.
I could go on forever but why labor
the point? You need to wake up or let
someone else who knows what they’re
doing be our Fightin’ Texas Aggie
Sports editor.
Gary Slinkard
Class of’86
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ed Cassavoy says
his mother did teach him manners but
Canadian manners are different than
Aggie manners.
You, Mr. Cassavoy, seem to have
nothing better to write about and, quite
posssibly, you are a pessimist at
heart.“Black Saturday” is a little too ex
treme, don’t you think? How about the
part where you “ached to boo the bums
for dropping the ball!” I think your
mother didn’t teach you any manners.
Reorganization
of F-1 unfair
What is this bit about triple figures in
our scores? Your knowledge of football
seems to be slight to practically nil. To
top it all off, you wrote: “Apathy seems
a way of life here at Texas A&M.” I
think you need to climb out of your hole
and see Texas A&M. Maybe you should
EDITOR:
We, as students of A&M, have heard
of the break-up of the “Finest First.”
The grief these cadets are experiencing
is punishment enough! They should not
be forced to disband from their Com
pany, as this will not only affect the Ju
niors and Seniors, but the Freshman
and Sophomores as well. This act seems
as though it is doing more harm than
good. People need to stick together and
Ik
sc
n<
Uni
right to left about a very definde
This is not to say these swings are
cial. They are. In many waysiht
sion we reach in November wilh
of the most far-reaching of theca
Nevertheless, every U.S. presto:
modern times has been a centre
deed if not in word. RegardlesH-
outcome in November, this trr!
will continue.
It’s from that “in word"thanht
battle has come about, and:
MAN
death i
soared t
day as i
help fre
supplie:
ippines’
this cen
Four
into th<
winds o
the extc
An esti
lef t hon
ical Stoi
I ke,
across i
ward Vi
A coi
the gov
Red Cn
agency
two-da)
300 oth
people
Ike v
sic name nas come
whence come the complaints—u
from the opposite camp — of rhttt
excess. But that’s as it should be.
If you think about it a hit. a deb;
tween a liberal and conservative
than to pass the time of day, is in
Not because one or the other bi
minded, but because they work:
different basic assumptions. Thcs
sumptions can lx* argued — altb
not very well — but they usuallyi*
Few people, for that matter, havee
ined the assumptions from whidi
beliefs spring.
That leaves us only with rhf-
And rhetoric has a way of hauntinf
Class it for a minute with lying
more complicated the lie, theeasie:
to get tripped up.
The same could be said of sopte
excess is almost always self-correct®
Bob McGlohon is a weekly B»tu
columnist. His column will appd
Fridays.
not be torn apart in this timeofntf
anguish. We are SURE that thesec#
feel extremely remorseful and guilt
this further assessment necessary?
K.K. Smith ’87
accompanied by six signatures.
ippines
sing thi
people
1 The
ippines
H(*.e, w
country
The obvious answer is NO!
Why don’t you as a faculty meruit
as a student, put yourself in theirsht
Have you ever been involved inanJ
dent? The death of Cadet Good’
seems as though it was a freak acrid
No punishment, sentence, or rem«
fulness will bring him back. Ifhe»
ableto speak to us now, he would pro
bly want the cadets and the stud
body to learn from this unfortunatt
cident and not to be punished fd
from this day forward; those beingp
ished are not solely the corps meniti
but Texas A&M University in its 1
tirety!
At this time, we need to pull togei
and not let this tragedy pull us apart
“The Twelfth Man” states,’. . . sti
united! That’s the Aggie theme...’
“. . . We are the Aggies, the Agf
are we,
True to each other as Aggies canb
Let the punishment end for all oh
r