Opinion
Page 2AThe Battalion/Wednesday, November 7,1984
Campaign '84:
ifs finally over
One year, nine months and five days
ago Campaign ’84 officially started.
Alan Cranston, a Democratic senator
from California, announced his candi
dacy for the presidency of the United
States. Cranston is long gone, having
dropped from the running early in the
primaries. The rubble has been cleared.
Today is Nov. 7, Campaign ’84 now
should be officially over.
The media blitz from the Republi
cans and the Democrats is over. News
papers will no longer be filled with po
litical advertisements espousing the
merits of this candidate and the demer
its of that. Your favorite TV program
will no longer be interupted by a bar
rage of political rhetoric; nor will you be
able to make a quick run to the refriger-
th<
ator whenever the commercials begin.
The huge lakes of mud will be al
lowed to crust over, and the sore arms
of the mud-slingers will have time to
heal.
Reflecting on this long, long, long
campaign brings two thoughts to mind:
Thank God, Campaign ’84 is finally
over. And hopefully, the media blitz for
Campaign ’88 won’t start tomorrow. Re
member, there’re only 41 shopping
days left till Christmas.
The Battalion Editorial Board
The Battalion
(ISPS 045 360
Member of
\ Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor
The Battalion Editorial Board
Stephanie Ross, Editor
Patrice Koranek, Managing Editor
Shelley Hoekstra, City Editor
Brigid Brockman, News Editor
Bonn Friedman, Editorial Page Editor
Bonnie Langford, News Editor
Ed Cassavoy, Sports Editor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sUpporting 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
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 author’s in
tent. Each letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the
writer.
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters,
except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25
per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request.
Our address: The Battalion. 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College
Station, TX 77843. Editorial staff phone number: (409) 845-2630. Advertising: (409) 845-2611.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
POSTMAS'l ER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843
Racial awareness
promoted at MSC
Festive balloons decorate the stairwells
and walkways, the strains of a black gospel
choir weave through the hallways, murmurs
in the back row of a lecture discuss a small
point made by the speaker, a display along
the concourse tells the stories of the races of
man.
There is something going on this week
in the Memorial Student Center: it is Racial
Awareness Week. Three MSC committees
— Black Awareness, Awareness of Mexican
American Culture and International Pro
grams — as well as the Puerto Rican Student
Reader’s Forum
Reader’s Forum
Reader’s Forum
Being “racially aware” doesn’t mean you have to be leading ral
lies, staging sti-ins or passing legislation. That, certainly, is one way
ot spread the message. But, I rather like the way it is being done this
week: a thoughtful student to student discussion. Isn’t that the way
it’s really supposedd to be ata university anyway?
Pat Wood, III
President, Memorial Student Center
Critical Issues
of
UH 0?..-..
U%>m.>... All..
.THE
..AH
..UMM
Ww FHtz Momfetes ejie makeup
discjoalifies him fhom the freskfepcj...
WERE
GONNA
KICK A
UTILE.
DONKEY/
W.T A MIUON
JT RHYMES WITH
ROC..
< At the
tion, Re{
t ion nigh
tional an
Reaga
kicked o
into the t
Amid
|and a
Gramm,
ate pre<
lotes to
Shortly 2
apprecia
vidual cc
and over
phone a
Flanki
and his
not a vie
1'ictory c
of philos
“I wei
go to c
ountry.
orking
one it,”
As Gr
applaust
he fina
How loig the President
Stammered in the debates...
What the Boshes say on the campaign trail..
First ascent: a climb to the top
:ampaig
:rat Llo;
nary thi
senator.
Appei
Gramm
him (Do
Though Friday’s the last day of the work
week, last Friday was not a total waste, as my Fri
days tend to be.
I went through the clippings of my work
found the 15 stories that the New York Times
requires for an interview and travely began an
ascent of Rudder Tower. I climbed onto the el
evator and was quickly joined by a dress-for-suc-
cess business type who seemed prepared to de
cline any job offer of less than $22 grand.
I stood staring at the two rows of elevator
buttons trying to decide my destination. As I
raised my hand to push the button marking the
altitude of my choice, it glowed on; the business
Donn
Friedman
type had already activated the elevator from the other side.
My stomach sat on the First floor as my body and story clips zipped
upward. When the doors opened on the tenth floor I hestitated; a
group of hostile career climbers swarmed like ants around a queen
bee, trading places and bidding for interview slots.
I timidly joined the queue on the left where the sign said some
thing about turning in packets. The shorter line on the right looked
menacing; it was the line for signing in for interviews.
I waited bravely. In five minutes only two people cut in line in
front of me — trading future assets for current positions, I assume.
The line on the right cleared. I deserted my post in the left queue and
charged the right flank.
“Where’s Ann McDonald’s office?” I asked as I had been as I had
been instructed to do.
back.
‘Do you have an appointment?” the wrinkled woman woofed
“A Donn Friedman to see you,” she mouthed into the telephone. Tli
send him right back.”
I walked past a pin-striped engineering major quibiling with a khaki
clad cadet over whether $28 grand was a living wage and remembered in'
coherts — starting journalists trying to live $230/week lives. Let set
$28,000 divided by 54 weeks, $518/week.
Rows and rows and rows of clipboards announced interview sched
ules. With each step I took, the hallway seemed to grow tighter, the side
walls moved in closer. My shoulders squeaked through a door and intoan
office.
Ann McDonald was there, sitting, working.
“I’m here about the New York Times interview,” I said. “Whatdol
have to do?”
“Do I have to fill out those blue forms? And leave 1000 copies of nn
resume, and a picture, and my birth certificate, and my transcripts?"!
asked with my eyes while my mouth hung frozen like it does when givena
dose of novocane in the dentists’s chair.
I handed her the manila folder containing my clips — the bestofmv
life for the last three years.
“No, that’s it,” she said. “Pick a time and sign up.”
I looked down at the piece of paper. N.Y. Times interview sign-upii
said. I scanned the page.
Among the many blank spaces were blots of ink. 1 moved in closer and
focused. Fellow staffers Robin and Steve had trod the same paththatl
had. I felt like a British mountain climber who had just reached the
28,250 foot peak of K2 — thinking himself the first — only to find a Swiss
Hag fluttering there.
I placed my American flag back into my pack and began the descent
to base camp — back to the newsroom. It was a feeling of triumph. I had
made it. It was a feeling of sorrow. I had not been the first journalist to
brave the horrors of the university job placement center. And I knewjna
few weeks, I would have to return.
ntend I
iupport
Startii
Senator
pressed
to assur
represei
pects.”
Look:
new Ser
right tn
out ther
He ci
lems in
Middle
areas ne
In th
race, De
publicai
back an
the eve
cinct 20
advanta
vote fn
precinct
include
Fearing that I’d be turned away if I didn’t answer affirmitavely, I
said in an E.F. Hutton voice, “Yes.”
Donn Friedman is a weekly columnist for The Battalion. His column
appears on Wednesdays.
LETTERS:
Cheers for Sparks;
Ags lack initative
Let’s abolish
A&M Student Senate
Aggies do care
EDITOR:
Association are joining efforts to broach a topic that, in my years
here, has seldom come up except in the context of University com
pliance with legal guidelines. These four groups are taking it in thier
own hands to show us a glimpse of the world outside Aggieland.
EDITOR:
Three cheers for Bill Sparks’ October 30 “Read
er’s Forum” for putting into words what I have been
feeling all semester. But, why stop where you did,
Bill? You mentioned people in Brazos County going
cold all winter, while the Aggies build the world’s
largest bonfire, but what about all those woods that
are slaughtered for that same ritual? Why isn’t there
just as big a tradition for going out and replanting all
those trees?
The lack of initiative on behalf of the students is
found in the classroom, too. Too many times this se
mester, I have heard my classmates complain about
everything from classroom lectures, to tests, to pro
fessors; yet when it is suggested that they join me in
DOING something about it, virtually every voice is
quiet.
I would like to see more Aggies, like myself, not
just taking a stand on what they believe, but DOING
something about it as well.
EDITOR:
There is at this time a very popular movement
among the students to have a decision of the school
Senate overturned. The issue in question is the rec
ognition by the Senate of the Gay Student Services. I
have personally been approached on five seperate
occasions to sign this petition and always, might I
add, by rather large burly males (large burliness
must be a pre-requisite for the job) who seemed to
question my sexual preference when I declined to
give my signature.
I write in response to Bill Sparks’ letter of Oct. 38
in which he tried to inform us all how and why A&M
has managed to “maintain a mighty hickish air.’“
Sparks, you stated that there is an apathy problem
I’ve heard enough about A&M students’apathy. Itii
obvious from discussions heard every day around]
campus that Aggies do care about issues concerning
them and in fact have very strong opinions on those
issues.
Deborah Platt
Class of ’85
That world is teeming with diversity: a generous mixture of the
three major races and a multitude of various ethnic groups within
those races. That is the same world where you and I are going to be
working, living, and raising families. That is a word in need of some
thing often found lacking: understanding.
Sparks hot for
the wrong'reasons
Sexual preference falls into the background here
— there seems to be a widely held opinion that the
whims of the majority should override the decisions
of the elected representatives. I find this attitude to
be potentially dangerous, and historically I can sup
port this opinion. Few could argue that fifteen to
twenty years ago there would have been few dissent
ers among the students if a petition were passed
around declaring it against the wishes of the stu
dents to allow minorities, specifically blacks, to this
school. Nor would there have been much resistance
among the student body to barring females from ad
mittance.
I read with amazement as you claimed that im
portant issues (i.e Cadet Goodrich) “aren’t being
published or even discussed.” Wait a minute. Ian
remember week after week when most of the letters
to the editor and a good number of the Bait’s other
articles concerned Goodrich’s death, the Universi
ty’s investigations, and the reactions of students
Where have you been this semester, Sparks?
You wonder about the lack of freedom of speed
and “the threat of swift retaliation by the campus
police and . . . Corps against breakers of tradition ot
school rules.” Yes, it’s true that liberal Aggies indud
ing myself encounter a good amount of resistanct
from the conservative majority, but I’ve yet to s#
headlines declaring “Student arrested for not at- |
tending yell practice” or “c.t. strangles date for not -
kissing after a touchdown.” Retaliation? Come on. |
Bill.
Aggies, this week is a good opportunity for us to spend a few
minutes in thought about some fundamental questions: How do I
treat someone who looks different from me? What do I know about
the backgrounds of other students here at Texas A&M? Am I fully
preparing myself for my own future?
Racial Awareness Week won’t answer those questions; only you
can. But the various speakers, particularly Alex Haley tonight at 8
p.m. and the exhibits can at least give you the nudge to think. Don’t
let the chance or the spirit of the moment pass you by.
EDITOR:
I would like to address this letter as a reply to Bill
Sparks’ article of Oct. 30.
Sparks obviously hasn’t been an Aggie for very
long or else he would understand why the students
don’t talk much about the death of Bruce Goodrich.
You see, Sparks, being an Aggie is like being part of
a large family and when there is a death in a family
everyone feels the pain. (Where else in the world
would people go to a memorial service for someone
who may have been a total stranger.)
No, Sparks, the relative lack of debate over the
death of Bruce Goodrich has not been due to apathy
but due to a feeling of loss and sorrow. A feeling of
loss in the death of Goodrich and a feeling of sorrow
for Goodrich’s family, those involved in the accident
and the entire Aggie family.
With the wisdom of hindsight we can see the ridic
ulousness of these once widely held biases and insti
tutional bigotries. Yet few among us seem to be able
to find the courage not only to refuse our signatures,
but to openly oppose this narrow-tninded view. If
this resolution is passed, and there is every reason to
believe that it will pass, we will indeed be sending out
the message that the students of this school are op
posed to the recognition of homosexuals.
Maybe the students don’t decide among then
selves who is best fit to run the newspaper because
most of us don’t have the qualifications to make tM
judgement. I would assume that those students cho
sen are the ones capable of doing the best job. Mottl
ing is stopping you from taking a few journalism
courses and then asking to be considered for a posi
tion on the Battalion staff.
I think that it is a bad enough statement that our
own Board of Regents are so backward as to attempt
to take this issue to court. But we will also be sending
out the message that we consider our student gov
ernment and the decisions of our representatives as
little more than a farce. So I would like to propose
that we just go ahead and abolish the Senate so as to
obliterate any obstacles to our will. It would be so
much more honest.
Why do we have Bonfire when there are so man'
people all over Brazos Gounty who go cold in thf
winter? Sparks, I guess you haven’t heard about(H
The Big Event, (2) A&M’s enormous contributions
to the county-wide United Way Drive, (3) United
Campus Ministry’s canned food drive and (4) the
numerous other community service projects here at
A&M? Please, keep you bleeding heart for some
thing worthwhile.
Ricky Dobbs
Bill Sparks
David Rowell
Class of’87
*