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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, September 21,1984 U.S. government ignoring acid rain President Ronald Reagan has the power within his reach to destroy the earth. The quick way is to start an atomic war. Acid rain is a much slower process, but already it is altering the environment. And the situation will only get worse. Hundreds of lakes in Minnesota have such a high acidic level that no life can be supported. Southern Canada is monitoring hundreds of lakes that have died or have critically high acidic counts. As far away as Maine the same high acidic levels are showing up. The beautiful Black Forest in Germany has had up to 30 percent of its trees destroyed by the ravages of acid rain. Enviromental alarm bells are going off. A major cause of acid rain is the sulfur emmissions spewed from the industrial smokestacks of the Ohio Valley. Canada has agreed to cut their sulfur emmissions by 50 per cent in the next four years. The United States, led by the Reagan administration which prefers to ignore the whole question, still is arguing over where acid rain comes from. The problem is acid rain damage is mounting. Reagan doesn’t want to spend the money, estimated in the billions of dollars, to reduce sulfur emmissions in a number of ways includ ing the installation of scrubbers on smokestacks. The monetary damage alone is staggering, and promises to hurt the entire economy. More importantly, we are killing our own future. After Ronald Reagan is just another face staring out of a his tory book, our generation will have to deal with the horrors he chose to sweep under the rug. The Battalion Editorial Board LETTERS: Unfairness part of life, politics EDITOR: Fairness. A simple, noble concept, but one that has somehow become an issue in this year’s presidential campaign. The Democratic presidential ticket has con sistently used the concept of “fairness” in comparing their economic plans to present policies. Present policies, they 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 Bonnie Langford, News Editor Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors Melissa Adair, Michelle Powe Assistant News Editors Rhonda Snider, Kellie Dworaczyk, Lauri Reese Assistant Sports Editor Travis Tingle Entertainment Editor Bill Hughes Assistant Entertainment Editor .Angel Stokes Senior Reporter Robin Black Staff Writers : Tammy Bell, Shawn Behlen, Cami Brown, Dena Brown, Dainah Bullard, Leigh-Ellen Clark, Tony Cornett, Suzy Fisk, Patricia Flint, Kari Fluegel, Kathy Wiesepape, Karla Martin, Sarah Oates, Jan Perry, Lynn Rae Povec, James R. Walker Editorial Cartoonist Mike Lane Make-up Editor John Hallett Copy Writer Karen Bloch Copy Editors...Kathy Breard, Kaye Pahmeier Cyndy Davis Photographers Frank Irwin, David Leyendecker, Peter Rocha, Mike Sanchez, Dean Saito Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper op erated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan- College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Edi torial Board or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the au thor's intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday dur ing Texas A£cM regular semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per se mester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build ing, Texas A&rM University, College Station, TX 77843. Edi torial staff phone number: (409) 845-2630. Advertising: (409)845-2611. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Scott Hentschel College Station GSS should move to Austin EDITOR: I recently attended the A&M Forum de bating the issue of having a GSSO on campus and was appalled to hear that higher authorities are actually consid ering such an organization taking place on campus, one that promotes homo sexuality. At the debate, people kept re- g eating “let’s forget the moral issue of,” ut what other issue is there? Texas A&M is a school with high and re spected morals and should have no part in sponsoring a gay organization. The way I see it, school organizations should enhance the school. The gays have no concerning attitude on how to benifit the school, but are only concerned with their own needs, unlike the Corn, who was degraded at the forum, and who, despite the gay’s opinion, have a very important and respectable role on cam pus. As far as organizing groups accord ing to sexual preference, why don’t we form a prostitution group, oring in a few animals and form a bestiality group, uhat akf you TAKING? \ I Wny ipo muc-h? u \J0KLV HltTotzy, f>lOLo$V, GFOGgATHY, r^VCHOLOGY, Hl^fORY OF FILM, AM? \( -TRIVIAL You C2 weekday • apron se drinks on Ross stree Sharon some as t ployed by Departme ; snacks to are on the “The I Services I the best se James An dergroum the studei to eatduri Turner about 8: O' tries, coH drinks. T1 50 cents £ cents to 6C Sandwi ' to t Galloping groupism an epidemic Candidates court voters I read in News week the other day that both Democrat Walter Mondale and Republican Ronald Reagan are courting me; that is, they are courting the young, independent voters with no clear party f| loyalty. They are also, it Robert McGlohon say are “unfair” to certain members of society, and they are determined to re instate policies that will, once again, bring about “fairness.” They cite one study showing an increase in the num ber of households in the poverty level. Yet another shows the upper tax brack ets contributing a greater percentage of the overall tax revenue. Which shows fairness or unfairness? Can Mr. Mon dale lay claim to all the wonderous vir tues of “fairness.” Certainly not. Fairness is a purely subjective concept, conditioned upon individual interpreta tion and dependent on one’s particular situation. Your interpretation of fairness, defined within your situation, is most certainly different from mine. Your fairness could be my injustice. Is it fair to pay farmers not to produce when some people go hungry? Is it fair to take from those who produce in society’s in terest and give to those who don’t? Closer to Mr. Mondale’s heart, are 22 percent interest rates and double-digit inflation fair? Mr. Mondale’s message is that, be cause his policies might benefit a differ ent sub-set of society than present pol icy, his policies are “fairer.” But, of course, they are only fairer to those that might benefit from them, not fairer in some enlightened overall sense. The no tion that a certain political party has a monopoly on the concept of “fairness” is as ridiculous as the notion that another has a monopoly on “patriotism.” As a catch-all phrase in an election year, “fairness” has been turned into an effec tive emotional tool for the Mondale campaign. But as an issue it is vague, ill- defineef and ultimately meaningless. Let’s talk about the real issues. seems, courting Hispanics, women, mi norities and left-handed albino frater nity presidents. I wish they’d make up their minds. The problem, for me at least, lies in assigning everyone and his second- cousin to a group. This galloping grou- pism is a national epidemic, one that de mands a quick and lasting cure. I don’t know about everyone and his second-cousin, but I’m me, dammit. I’m not a student or a Batt columnist or a Texan or a journalist or a white male. I’m me. And if you think about it for a while, you’re you, too. I guess you could say this is a hang up with me, and I guess you’d probably be right. But it’s a hang up I’m comfortable with. I call my condition a profound re spect for the integrity of the individual. My folks say I’m hard-headed. I wasn’t born hard-headed, of course; I had a soft gooey spot on the top of my skull like all the other babies on the block. But 18 years in the military can change anything. (And if you don’t think being a military brat qualifies as time served, think again.) Anyhow, when I left Germany and the military for Texas A&M, I was fed up to here (picture hand held over head) with groupism, standing in line, being referred to as “Oh, you’re Col. McGlohon’s son,” etc. To prove it, I stayed drunk for a semester. I thought I had kissed that sort of thing goodbye. Boy, did I have some learning to do. One incident in particular comes to mind. I was taking my first biology exam, and they bearded us into this big room in Heldenfels Hall. “Get in line. Leave your backpacks on the floor. Don’t sit there, sit here. Don’t turn youraij over yet! Hey, dummy!” Da de dah de dah. But the worst part came when! exam was over. After having suffi indignities by the handful, I wasinsiz need of a swift shot. I made my wa; the front of the room to give myeH to the head Piled-higher-and-Deeper a lady teasip, no less — and sheasli for my I.D. I couldn’t believe it. wanted me to prove I was me. While I was fumbling for said prw this biologist — trying, I’m sure,just be pleasant — took note of my scniii appearance and said, “Oh, our wep ing a beard.” “No,” I replied. “We just don’tlil shave.” A few weeks later, after finishingi second biology exam and now wise the ways of the world, 1 reached for I.D. It was the same professor. “That’s all right,” she said. “I rente! ber you.” added I and sell fo “We’re sandwiche Na Unii WASH tional prt 3.6 percei past quar the prevr the gover officials b improve tl The “fl ment ecor effects of strike aga could red if it lasts u The ur mained ai the past fi as when I fice. But Co economist pace is stil unemplov the month The de value of a Bob McGlohon is a weekly Battik | columnist. His column will appear! I Fridays. Lifesaver needed; apply within To whom it may concern: This is a message in a bottle launched from the highest Leigh-Ellen point in my flooded p, , apartment — the CiarK P barstool. Here I sit, snorkle and fins within reach, waiting. Waiting for the Coast Guard or the apartment manager or a watery grave if the others don’t show up. The way I look at it, I have two choices — cm drown. as not to leak into the tub or the toilet but right into the floor. Joy. Don’t worry though. Being ever-re- sourceful I’ve balanced the trash can on the edge of the toilet tank to catch about every other drip. It’s teetering there now and threatening to dump into the floor. But at this point it would be a spit in the ocean. My feet are pruny. And I won’t swear pruny. to it, but I think something just slithered under the stove. mown my sorrows, or just I returned home from my practically permanent address, The Battalion newsroom, and opened the door into my dark, lonely apartment. Greeted by the sound of rushing water, I left the door wide open and waded through to find the light switch. It’s been raining, sure, but I never expected to be greeted by high tide when I came home. I’ve found the source — the rain is pouring through a hole in the roof and through the fan in the bathroom. Of course the fan is strategically placed so Now whomever, don’t think I’m get ting hysterical but my stuffed monkey, Joe Rilla is doing the back stroke. He’s not a very good swimmer and the other stuffed tnings in my apartment aren’t faring very well either. Take the giant stuffed cloth tomato for instance. It’s big and red and was a gift — lord knows I wouldn’t buy it for myself. But even so, I’m kind of attached to it and I would hate for it to become stewed just because of a little rain. I paddled over to the telephone a while ago to call the “24 Hour Mainte nance Service” — courtesy of my apart ment — well, turns out it’s a “24 Hour Answering Service.” The girl whoaf swered the phone is very sorry, she) also very comfortable and dry; there 1 ) nothing really that can be done. I u!| derstand that, but try telling my water| logged monkey!! I’ve got plenty of food rations aboie sea level in my pantry, if you count (lie raw popcorn and General Foods Inter national Coffee. I don’t foresee an;! problem with being thirsty. Butsleepinj is going to be tricky. I know, float to re lax! Well, Whomever, when you find nr 1 message in the bottle, if you could teat yourself away from the warmth of yotii| cozy dry apartment, please come so# ana bring a water-vac. Meanwhile, I’ll be alright, I’m bus) keeping my senses by contemplating the advantages to such a situation. Catfish; farm? Rice paddy? Marine world? Tht options are coming to me in waves. ; Blub, blub, gurgle, gurlgle, drip, splash, squish, squash. Please send help Ove mat] Leigh-Ellen Clark is a staff writer lot At Ease, The Battalion’s entertainml supplement. ... more letters and fight to get these “service organiza tions” funded and recognized by the school. I don’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of faggots, whores and other immoral perverts, so why don’t we, the majority, stick together to stop these in- do ‘ People claim that something is wrong with Texas A&M because this sort of thing doesn’t happen at other colleges. The simple fact is A&M is not any other Things are done a little bit dif- A tar ggie Traditions. Quadding, fish dC’ fls, and motivational exercises are all '£ : > decencies. If we don’t, where will it end? If these liberal, nonmoral homosex uals want a organization, why don’t they organize it off campus, or go to Austin. They have already established a GSSO at T.U. Heaven forbid if A&M acquire one, too! Jamie Menton Class of ’88 Corps of Cadets shouldn’t be condemned EDITOR: The death of Cadet Bruce Goodrich is a tragedy to be remembered by all Ag gies for a long time. However, to con demn the entire Corps of Cadets and University in general, is not only wrong, it is incredibly shortsighted. college. Things are done a little ferently here. We oelieve things are worth a great deal more when one works and makes sacrifices for them. That’s why hun dreds of Ags each year spend countless hours building Aggie Bonfire. That’s why students cut trees for Bonfire with axes rather than chainsaws. That’s why dorms carry their dorm log to a loading site, rather than having a tractor pull it. Bonfire isn’t built this way because it is easier or because people enjoy the pain of blisters and sore muscles. Bonfire is built this way because of the feeling that sweeps through the heart and soul of everyone who contributed when that first torch catches and Bonfire burns. It is a feeling of pride and accomplish ment greater than most people wilt ever know. For those who experience this feeling it is irreplaceable. The same principle applies to many designed to strengthen character increase the value of one’s experienceal A&M._ Senior boots do not merely represent senior academic status. They serve no tice of the endless hours or work and sacrifice devoted by each senior. Surel)' there were times, early in their careen, when these seniors doubted the valueof some Aggie Traditons. Just as surel), these seniors wouldn’t trade their expe rience in the corps for anything. Many people take Aggie Traditions lightly. They say that to become a world class university, we must bury some of our traditions. These people are forget ting that these traditions have made Texas A&M the truly great school thatil is. What happened to Bruce Goodricli was a tragedy. To destroy a system that has produced so many fine individuals for so long would only be worse. Eric Wittenmyer Class of’87 f 3 A