Opinion
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, October 31, 1984
Free speech finally
coming to Texas A&M
What began as a low mumble among students is turning into
a distinct voice. Freedom of speech seems to have finally found a
home at Texas A&M, at least for the moment.
Tuesday, Students Working Against Many Problems hosted
an open microphone at Rudder Fountain. It was just one of
many open forums held lately on the Texas A&M campus. At
the same time as the SWAMP open microphone, a religious
speaker preached near the library to interested students.
People from all facets of the University were on campus lis
tening while others chose to walk on.
That is what f reedom of speech is all about. The chance to
talk, to listen or to walk on.
Students at Rudder Fountain were thinking, speaking and
listening. It wasn’t a forum for student leaders who often get the
chance to be heard, but instead for anyone who wanted to speak
— about anything.
Topics ranged from the Gay Student Services recognition to
abortion to the execution of Barefoot Sanders. Differing view
points were brought out on many topics.
We applaud the students who provide the chance for others
to speak and be heard. We applaud the students who choose to
speak out on issues. And we applaud the students who take the
time to stop and listen.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
Living with the big chill
G
fli
Ever
The old group sat around the
kitchen table. They talked about their
friend who had died. The videotape
whirred. Our old group sat around on
the floor in front of the television. It
was the Big Chill; it was a big chill.
The phone had rung at 10:15
Thursday night.
“Did you hear about the bike wreck
on 2818?” Roy asked. “It was Borgeson.
Kevin. He’s dead. Sandra and I were
here watching the news and we just
heard it. I can’t believe it. Do you have
Dave’s number?”
Donn
Friedman
I slinked down the stairs, picked up the phone, and read
Dave’s number off the tv stand.
Dave flew in from New Jersey. Tracey and Tracy and
Kathy — Paul was in Arkansas, a victim of the working world,
he couldn’t get off of work — were all there. So was Mark and
Tom and Tex and Todd.
I had seen some of them a month earlier, at another
friend’s funeral.
“The cycle has begun,” Tracey had said, “weddings and
funerals — that’s the only time we’ll see each other.”
The videotape whirred. The movie scene had moved to
the living room. The characters made up of lines on the glass
tube talked about lost idealism and deserted friendships. The
characters in the movie had lost touch with their friend. They
had lost touch with the idealism they had in college. They
thought they had lost touch with themselves.
Kathy chirped up.
“Let’s call Paul,” she said.
The pulse of the telephone line traveled electronic
from College Station to some hillbilly town in Arkamas.fi;
groggily answered the phone. The phone tried desperatelt
bridge the distance. It brought the heart of the grouping
lege Station infinitesimally closer to Paul; the group wasstj
so far away.
Roy and Sandra arrived. More friends, both old and net
came and went.
The videotape whirred. On the television they waidiii
the Michigan football game on tv. In the living roonu;
watched the movie. From time to time someone broietiij
quiet of the movie watching crowd and the group brokeiii|
giggle or a sneer.
The cycle, the cycle, the cycle.
On it goes. Funerals and funerals and funerals, li
seems like an Igmar Bergman Film. Death, clothed in ahij
black sheet, constantly within striking distance.
Like in Bergman’s films we may dance with our In®
when we die, but we mustn’t f orget to dance with ourfri®
while we live.
A week ago I wondered what the old group was
wondered where Dave and Kathy and Paul and Traceyaii
Tracy were. I wondered where Kevin was.
I know where Dave and Kathy and Paul and Tracesai
I racy are. I don’t plan on letting them get too faraway l*
the best plans go astray. I’ll try. But 1 know thenexttii
see them. A wedding, a funeral.
I wish I could say the same about Kevin.
Donn Friedman is a weekly columnist for TheBiitak
His column appears on Wednesdays.
Deputy Dawg or Pinocchio ? It’s a tough choice
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Two of the leading contenders in this year’s
Stupidest Political Advertisement (broadcast divi
sion) race are opponents in a political fight who
are running campaigns geared especially for the
eight-year-old and younger crowd.
They’re running ads on local radio stations
and let me tell you, the ads are hotter than two-
day-old pizza. The fight hasn’t quite reached the
Bill
Hughes
mudslinging stage yet; it’s more like tapioca pudding-slinging at its
finest.
In addition to running stupid corrtmercials aimed at third-grad
ers, these candidates also get high marks because the radio stations
that they’re running their commercials on have formats designed to
reach an older crowd.
So, these guys not only run irritating ads, they also hedge their
bets by trying not to influence their usual target audience (i.e., vot
ers) because they’re running commercials that are custom-made to
influence people reading comic books. They’ve picked the wrong
message — and they’ve also picked the wrong medium!
Very clever, but I think the judges for the Whimpies (of which
the Stupidest Political Advertisement is but one division) may see
these commercials as being attempts to grandstand and may believe
that these ads are just too stupid to have any real merit.
One of the two candidates in this race is running an ad in which a
character, who sounds suspiciously like Deputy Dawg, claims that
he’s big business and he’s donating $1000 to the other candidate be
cause the other candidate has been real good to big business. I’d
want a lot more than $1000 (especially from big business) to buy my
vote, but I guess what the candidate is trying to say is that the office
he’s running for doesn’t carry that much weight.
Besides, everyone knows that Deputy Dawg is just a law enforce
ment officer in Coondog County.
The only way he could be big business would be to have a state
university located within his jurisdiction. That way, he could hand
out parking tickets and rake in the dough. He could also afford to
give the candidate a lot more than a measly $1000.
I’m not sure what this candidate’s name is or what office he’s
running for because that information is given by a regular an
nouncer and he just can’t compete with Deputy Dawg when it comes
to holding onto my attention.
Fair enough. The other candidate is running a commercial say
ing that he isn’t under the influence of Deputy Dawg (er, big busi
ness). He says his opponent isn’t telling the truth, which isn’t very
creative, but not very offensive either.
Then, in a blatant attempt to make this commercial as equally ob
noxious as his opponent’s, some airhead cuts in on the Deputy Dawg
candidate’s commercial and tells the opponent that his nose is grow
ing. Add one point for the obnoxious airhead, take away two for lack
of creativity and misuse of the Pinocchio story. f
This commercial would get points for the Pinocchio angle if it
was true, but the other candidate’s nose would be as big as the Good
year blimp by now because he’s still running his Deputy Dawg com-
jmpk
belts a
mercials. I haven’t seen anyone in town with a Goodyearblira|Hr.
nose, have you?
I don’t know what this guy’s name is either. He alsohasartpi
announcer give the information about who he is and whathesnt tapor
ning for. I only heard that part once because I usually turn the rat [history
off before they get to the obnoxious airhead (having the rai p re( l
turned off when one of your commercials is running isconsiderr. [ Revt
real plus by the judges and may help this commercial gain
points it lost on creativity and misuse of the Pinnochiostory.Hit [T eX a S
candidate loses the race, he’s a shoo-in for the VVhimpy). White,
Since it’s sometimes difficult to keep track of who is saying panyE
when it comes to politicians. 1 think it would be a good idea to fi IShe
pictures of Deputy Dawg and Pinocchio next to the catidfe ^ n ',’ nv
names in the voting b<H»tii. . P’ e>
That way, if any of the voters are confused (or if an errant eijiij
year-old should make his way into the lxx>th), they’ll know
candidate to choose.
Me? I’m voting for Mighty Mouse; he’ll keep our defenses
and make a valiant effort to bring the deficit down whilenotras
taxes or lowering the quality of life in the good of USA.
At least that’s what the righteous rodent says.
I hope he doesn’t turn out to be one of those left-wingte
after he’s elected.
Bill Hughes is the entertainment editor for The BatttlmM
a ninth year general studies major with degrees in biolog)' and to I
How
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HALLOWEEN JOKE
BY RON ABOUT USSR
"NUKE OR TREAT”
M0NM.E GAINS
GROUND IN POLL
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CHIP!
META* < SE3?/!C&
October* 30
October 31
Ear
®re Tteue
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Ban
PRESIDENT DECLARES
WAR ON mi
Moncfale Up Three fercertf
REAGAN SURRENDERS
TO HAWAII TODAY
MONDALE CLOSING GAP
REAGAN DOZES OFF
IN NEWS CONFERENCE
ANNOUNCING END OF
SOCIAL SECURITY,
MEDICAID, FARM AlD
prr-
3he Nemg
MONDALE ELECTED
AFTtR REAGAN
PULLS OUT OF RKT
AT LAST MINUTE
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conferenct
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Edilot
The Battalion Editorial Board
Stephanie Ross, Editor
Patrice Koranek, Managing Editor I
Shelley Hoekstra, City Editor I
B rigid Brockman, News Editor I
Donn Friedman, Editorial PageEditot I
Bonnie Langford, News Editor I
Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor
The Battalion Staff
Assistant City Editors -I
Melissa Adair, Michellel l t’ , |
Assistant News Editors.
Rhonda Snider,Kellie Dworaczyt, tfl
Assistant Sports Editor ■■■-•< 1
Travis Tui 1 !
Entertainment Editor
Bill Hof 'fj
Assistant Entertainment Editor -T
Angela [
Editorial Cartoonist Mike#!
Make-up Editor ,JohnHt/l
Copy Writers...Karen Bloch,CathyBti#!
Copy Editors
Kathy Breard, KayePalntf* |
Cyndy Davis, Palricialq
Editorial Policy .m
The li.tlf.ihan is a non-profit, scif-suppo^f ri ^\M
operated as a community service to Trot M> »-
liryan-Colfege Station.
Opinions expressed in The Baiulion ire ^ T
Editorial Hoard or the author, and do not nnnuT' K
resent the opinions of Texas A&M adniiirntniKa |
or the Board of Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratoryttoff^g
students in reporting, editing and pholop
within the Department of Conuntinicaimt