Opinion
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, November 13, 1984
LETTERS:
Traditions are living;
don’t force death
EDITOR:
One of the points brought out at the
recent SWAMP face-off was that “tradi
tions no longer reflect the views of the
majority of the student body.”
Traditions are much like livirtg
things: they are born and they die. If a
tradition no longer reflects the views of
those who carry it, they will stop hand
ing it down to the younger generations,
and it will slowly and quietly die — the
natural death for traditons.
Personally, we don’t believe that
SWAMP’s statement is accurate. If the
majority of the student body’s views
were not reflected in our traditions al
most everyone would be walking on the
grass around the MSC and wearing
their hats within.
Yell practices would be a lonely place
indeed. Tradition is knit into the very
The Battalion
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Member of
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Southwest Journalism Conference
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor
The Battalion Editorial Board
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Melissa Adair, Michelle Powe
Assistant News Editors
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Assistant Sports Editor
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Bill Hughes
Assistant Entertainment Editor
Angel Stokes
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Make-up Editor John Hallett
Copy Writers...Karen Bloch, Cathy Bennett
Copy Editors
Kathy Breard, Kaye Pahmeier
Cyndv Davis, Patricia Flint
Editorial Policy
l he Ihinulinn is ;/ nnn-pyotU. *cllnew spupcr
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Opinions exptessed in I he Battalion are those ol the
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resent the opinions ol Texas .Y&M administrators. fncult\
or the Hoard oI Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a lahoratorv newspaper Tor
students in repotting, editing and photograpltv classes
Letters Policy
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foundation of our university, and strip
ping our university of its tradition
would strip it of its pride; it would be
come the second-class university that
some people believe us to be.
We believe that SWAMP, though a
minority, does enjoy the right of free
speech. They can say anything they
want. If they want to speak for or
against an issue in a legal, orderly man
ner, we say let them.
SWAMP: don’t murder our traditions
— let them die a natural death.
Bryan A. Mau, ’88
Scott Alan Fossler, ’88
SWAMP has lost ideals
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to some ob
servations of SWAMP over the last few
weeks. I am adamantly in favor of free
speech; I am a feminist; I am loudly
pro-choice and pro-gay rights and all
that good stuff. No one can accuse me
of being conservative by any stretch of
the imagination.
But, somehow I have begun to feel in
adequate as a radical type person.
What’s a good liberal to do if sfie or he
doesn’t sit around naked, or give a
damn about walking on the grass?
Recently I was driving down Texas
Ave. near University and I noticed a
demonstration in front of the adult
bookstore. The mini-mob consisted of a
group of anti-porn, pro-“decency” peo
ple (whose motives 1 seriously question),
flanked by Hugh and Company from
SWAMP. Waving pornographic mag
azines and raised fists.
However much I resent legislated
moral and sexual attitudes, I don’t think
I could ever bring myself to support
pornography even in the interest of
freedom of sexual expression. I can’t
see how “Hustler” is helping people fos
ter good self esteem or healthy body
images — perhaps it may promote the
opposite.
There is a huge gulf between “pro
decency” (which often means “anti-sex-
for -any-other-reason-than-procrea
tion”) and pro-pornography. I think
this gulf extends to other questions as
well. (Eg. either you get nude in a radio
station or your are sexually repressed).
There is an ugly sense of elitism that
I’ve begun to feel that alarms me.
Is SWAMP genuinely trying to bridge
the gap so that “blind conservatives”
and liberals can meet comfortably in the
middle? If they are, why did they turn
down a suggestion to bring a speaker
from the Klan?
I mention this not so much because I
want to hear them particularly but be
cause SWAMP claims to be for open dis
cussion and for providing air for alter
native views on campus. I think they
draw suspicion when they won’t bring a
group that would certainly spark a great
deal of discussion simply because they
disagree with that group’s views.
I am disappointed because I feel that
SWAMP has succumbed to sensationa
lism and hypocrisy. They alienate mod
erates and lump them in with conserva
tives. They condemn those who don’t
agree with their rigid views. They stero-
type dissenters as “sheep” or “fascists”.
They divide the campus into “us”s and
“them”s. Under any other circum
stances these would lie thought of as the
crimes of bigots. Even groovy liberals
are not immune to close-mindedness.
Carol Ann Ross
Class of’86
It’s a privilege to stand
while children starve
EDITOR:
In regard to Shannon Talkington
and Stacy Hensley’s letter of criticism of
Scott Humphrey for speculating against
A&M. Your answer was typical and pre
dictable, “take Highway 6 the hell to
t.u.” Rationality at its finest — you ob
viously don’t travel. While we’re on the
subject of rationality and irrationality,
here are some mentionable points.
This school and its students make
practically any tradition in the name of
“good bull”. Aggies throw out the non
conformist in the name of “bad ag” and
communism. A&M has bonfire, the big
gest annual woodburn in the country,
except for some parched California val
leys. Maybe in a California bonfire they
omit the cut and stack nonsense and just
light the forest.
Either way the “take one napkin, save
a tree foundation” has a declining mem
bership. A&M has a world university
belltower, an $8()0,()()() juke box that
stands above the many condemnable
dorms on Northside. For our nationally
famous football team, we stand at every
game. It really is a prixilege, what with
all the poor kids in China who have
never even seen a football game.
All Aggies have only one thing in
common, we receixe a state sponsored
tuition price that makes A&M verx af
fordable. Perhaps Scott Humphrey, like
some of us, can afford nothing north of
A&M on Highway (i. We are here to go
to school and have found a lot more
“bull” than expected.
Well, we’ve said out part, pur bags
are packed, the good ags will be here
soon to put us on the trains bound lor
the relearnihg camps for bad ags. Oh,
speaking of trains . . .
Greg Muse, ’85
Brad Clark, ’86
Will the dome
be tarnished again?
EDITOR:
Will the dome of the Academic Build
ing ever be green again? I hope so.
Elaine Evetts
Class of’86
A new tradition:
discrimination
EDITOR:
Traditions, for the most part, are a
f ine thing. They serve to bring students,
races, even generations closer together.
Texas A&M University has a reputation
for tradition that is. in my opinion, un
paralleled in Texas. As a result, many
look at Texas A&M with a sense of pride
and admiration. They feel, as I do, that
traditions are sacred and good, as well
as being an integral part of the univer
sity.
However, I am becoming increasingly
concerned about a new “tradition” be
ing fostered at Texas A&M — a tradi
tion of prejudice and discrimination.
Once again. Aggies have shown their in
stitutional bigotry by discouraging
women from the band and refusing to
accept the Gay Student Services.
The fact is, whether, or not the Board
of Regents or the student body will ad
mit it, A&M is obviously very traditonal
but obviously very narrow-minded. Peo
ple should realize that traditons are im
portant, but when they show blatant dis
crimination against a person because of
sex or sexual preference, they should be
amended or abolished. It is not our
place to pass judgment on each other.
We are not perfect individuals and
should not expect others to be.
If Texas A&M can look at itselfObjec
tively, it will see a fine school, but it will
also see a school that could be much bet
ter if students can learn to coexist with
one another. 1 hope that you, as mem
bers of this institution, have the courage
to look at yourself, and to decide for
yourself if discrimination and prejudice
are the answers.
Remember, the Bible teaches toler
ance, and the Constitution teaches
equality. Think about it . . .
M. Brett Burns
Class of ’88
A&M India Association
urges end to violence
EDITOR:
This is to note that the India Associa
tion of Texas A&M University places on
record its grief at the death of Mrs. In
dira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India
and of many others that have followed.
The Association also urges that the
Goxernment of India takes all steps to
stop the mob violence that is causing the
death of innocent citizens of India.
Nazir Khalil
President, India Association
St
Eating your
way across
the USA
It’s 1 1 a.m.
and I’m al
ready hun
gry-
I wonder
what I’ll eat
for lunch to
day. Maybe
I’ll go get
one of those
generic
N o r t h g a t e
hamburgers.
Kevin Inda
Well, maybe not.
It’s too bad I don’t have the vari
ety of food to choose from that 1
did when fellow Aggie, Mark Ru
dolph, and 1 traveled across the
country — on the other hand,
maybe I’m better off .
During our adventure across
the country I took every opportu
nity to sample different and inter
esting types of food, served in
even more unusual places. Unfor
tunately this led to the downfall of
my once physically fit body.
But gaining 20 pounds was
worth having the opportunity to
tantalize my taste buds with culi
nary delights.
Let me share some of the more
interesting places with you:
— Bob Evan’s Restaurants—lo
cated all over the Eastern United
States. Uncle Bob’s we called it.
Best homemade biscuits and sau
sage gravy in the world — $2.25.
— Gyros- South Bend, Ind.
Have you ever had a gyro? A gyro
is the Greek solution to a fajita. In
stead of good old Bevo, they use
poor little Lambchop. Yuck.
— Sportsrnan’s-Lake Green
wood, S.G. This little hole-in-the-
wall is where all the seasoned h&
ermen go after a hard day in tk
boat. Their specialty? Try a T-
bone steak, fries and a Budweiser
—$4.50.
— Catfish Inn-Cocoa Beach,
Fla. “Catfish-All U Cun Ate —
$5.95,” the menu said. You can tell
by the spelling on the menu this
place obviously did not have valet
parking. But when our waitress
brought out the biggest plate of
catf ish f ilets and hush puppies I’d
ever seen, I didn’t care whether
she could spell. I ate so much I had
to flop back to the motel.
— The Playboy Club -Miami,
Fla. I had “Hefner’s Favorite”. It
was great, but I would have rather
had Miss December.
—Pat’s Restaurant-Henderson,
La. According to the locals, Hen
derson is the crawfish capitol of
the world. (Don’t ask for craw-
dads, or the Cajuns will make both
din out of you.)
— Eagle Cafe-San Francisco,
Cal. This wharf side dive is the
place to eat if you’re a salty sailor
or would like to meet one. For $3
to $4, you can eat well and hear
some interesting stories.
— Nepthenes-Big Sur, Cal. This
old and nostalgic restaurant sits
atop a hill overlooking the Pacific
Ocean. Nepthenes specializes in
California (health) food and their
wine list is thicker than the phone-
book. They say the movie stars
hangout here.
— The Pacific Princess (Love
Boat)- Los Angeles, Cal. The food
was terrific but after 16 days of
eating steak, lobster, prime rib,
caviar and baked Alaska, I was re
ady for a bologna sandwich. I can
still hear the head waiter ringing
his bells in the intercom: “Ladies
and gentlemen, dinner is now be
ing serxed in the Coral dining
room. I wish you till Bon Appeti-
to.”
Well, it’s noon, and after think
ing about all those places we ate
across the United States Tm even
hungrier than before.
I guess I’ll go down to the cor
ner for a steamed weenie and a
Coke.
Kevin S. Inda is a senior journa
lism major.
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