Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, December 5, 1984
Opinion
Freedom to stand
or not to stand
Patriotism and freedom of expression sometimes conflict. It
happens at Texas A&M. And it’s happening in a small commu
nity in Massachusetts.
Every morning all of the students at Randolph High School
stand during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner and the
reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. All, that is, except Susan
Shapiro.
Shapiro, 17, has enraged Randolph townspeople by refusing
to stand during the ceremony. She says she loves being an
American but that the American flag is just a symbol — a symbol
that doesn’t mean anything to her.
Since her refusal to stand, Shapiro and her family have re
ceived a rash of threatening phone calls and hate mail. Shapiro
has been to school only four times in the past three weeks be
cause she says she fears for her safety.
But hidden under the guise of patriotism is prejudice and
intolerance.
Constitutionally, Shapiro has just as much right not to stand
as her classmates have to stand during the national anthem. And
groups at A&M, such as Gay Student Services and Students
Working Against Many Problems (SWAMP), have constitution
ally protected rights of freedom of speech.
In recent weeks at A&M, people who have spoken in sup
port of such groups as GSS and SWAMP have been threatened,
nave had their houses and cars vandalized and, in one case, have
been physically attacked.
Our national anthem says this is the land of free. And
whether we like it or not, that freedom includes freedom of
speech, freedom of expression for everyone. Tolerance of oth
ers is what this country was founded on, what its constitution is
based on.
Anyone who threatens or harms another person in the name
of being a good American, a good Aggie, a good anything is kid
ding himself. That kind of American, Aggie, or whatever, we
don’t need.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
Winning really does
make fans obnoxious
Two friends of
mine talked me in
to going to Austin
last weekend for
the game, I really
didn t want to go.
I had just planned
on watching the
game at home. Be
sides, the Aggie
football team was
Kevin Inda
going to get killed
anyway.
Though I had never attended a foot
ball game at Memorial Stadium, I’ve
heard numerous stories about how
ruthless Texas fans could be.
Walking around Sixth Street, listen
ing to obnoxious Texas fans teasing all
the Aggies after a massacre of our foot
ball team was not exactly my idea of fun.
My friends kept encouraging me to go,
so I did. Besides, after attending Olda-
homa State University for two years,
and enduring remarks from Sooner
fans (including my Sooner mother and
sister), I felt I could withstand any jokes
directed at the school I was attending or
its football team.
The Battalion
C1SPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
In memoriam
Bill Robinson, 1962-1984, Editor
The Battalion Editorial Board
lirigid Brockman, Editor
Shelley Hoekstra, Managing Editor
Ed Cassavoy, City Editor
Kellie Dworaczyk, News Editor
Michelle Powe, Editorial Page Editor
Travis Tingle, Sports Editor
The Battalion Staff
Assistant City Editors
Kari Fluegel, Rhonda Snider
Assistant News Editors
Tammy Bell, Cami Brown, John Hallett
Columnists Kevin Inda, Loren Steffy
Sports Cartoonist... Dale Smith
Copy Writer Cathy Bennett
Photo Editor Katherine Hurt
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It didn’t take long for me to realize
what Texas fans were really like. The
stories I’d heard about Texas fans were
true.
As my friends and I walked toward
the staaium, I heard numerous rude
comments directed at people dressed in
maroon as well as tnose uniformed,
short-haired fellows. For once, I actually
felt sorry for those guys.
Once inside the stadium with all the
other Ageies, I felt safe from the perse
cution of being an Aggie. Safety in num
bers I thought.
And then something unexpected
happened — the Aggies scored, and
kept scoring. The once ruthless Texas
fans became somewhat quiet and well-
mannered, barring an occasional cup of
ice being tossed at the yell leaders.
Then I noticed something rather
funny. The friends of mine who told me
Texas fans were ruthless, had them
selves become ruthless. I was just as
guilty as anyone. I enjoyed seeing the
Aggies destroy the Longhorns, and I let
the people who wore burnt orange
know it.
As the game progressed, the Aggie
football team built up a bigger and big
ger lead, and the Aggie fans felt more
confident. This confidence led to more
and more attacks directed toward the
Longhorn team and fans, (obscenities
and ice-throwing included).
The final score read Texas 12-A&M
37. It was now time for Aggie fans to
launch their assault on Austin — pri
marily Sixth Street.
As I left the stadium I couldn’t help
notice the frenzy the Aggie fans were in.
They were like wild animals at feeding
time, waiting for the right moment to
pounce on their prey —Longhorn fans.
The litte old men and women dressed
from head-to-toe in maroon that I was
so used to seeing leave Kyle Field quiet
and reserved, were glowing with vigor
and ribbing the Longhorn fans about
their defeat and trip to the Freedom
Bowl.
Once in the Sixth Street area, it
seemed as if Aggies had captured Aus
tin and were refusing to give it up.
During one of my numerous trips to
the bar in a downtown beer garden, a
person with an Aggie jacket gave me a
go-to-hell look and said, “Texas sucks!”
After I gave that person a close-up look
at my senior ring, I replied, “They sure
do!”
All the ruthless things I heard and
saw Texas fans do, applied equally as
well to the Aggie fans.
So, next year when the Aggie football
team plays Texas for the Southwest
Conference Championship and a trip to
the Cotton Bowl, and gets waxed, don’t
complain about how obnoxious Texas
fans are — I know I won’t.
Athletic excellence leads to obnox
iousness — at least for fans in the state
of Texas.
Kevin Inda is a weekly columnist for
The Battalion.
Ifs not easy being a man toda
At a
[of the
By ART BUCHWALD
Columnist for The Los Angeles Times Syndicate
I LOVE YOU BUT —
Whether we want to admit it or not
there are serious emotional problems in
the new man-woman relationships.
Peter GaStonernough, a young
friend, asked me a very strange question
the other day. “Do you think I’m a
wimp?”
“I don’t believe so. Why do you ask?”
“My girlfriend thinks I am.”
“Why does she think that?”
“Because she says I’m indecisive and I
don’t know what she wants.”
“Did you ask her what she wanted?”
“Yes, and she said if I didn’t know
what she wanted then I must be a
wimp.”
“You have a problem. Do you have
any idea of the way she wants you to be
have?”
“I think she wants me to be strong
and assertive and masculine.”
“Have you told her you do?”
“Yes, and then she calls me a wimp.”
“Are you sure this is the girl for you?”
“We’re very much in love, but there is
going on than I bargained
easy beii
a lot more
for. It’s not easy
said.
)eing a man today,” he
“We’re all aware of that. Perhaps you
should tell her your feelings and the
problems you have satisfying her.”
“If I told her my feelings, she would
think I was a weak person.”
“Well, she already thinks you’re a
wimp, so you really don’t have too much
to lose.”
“I could lose her respect.”
“How did you get in this mess in the
first place?”
“Have you tried it?”
“Every time I do, she says I don’t treat
her as an equal. She maintains the days
of pushing women around are over. She
wants me to respect her feelings.”
“I think it had something to do with
consciousness raising. When we first
met she said I was nothing but a macho
jock, and if I didn’t change my attitude
she’d never see me again. So 1 made an
effort to change. When she wanted to
do something, we did it. When I wanted
to do something, 1 left the decision to
her. At first she liked the role 1 was play
ing, but pretty soon she got ticked off
and asked why she had to make all the
decisions for both of us.”
Women may pretend they
they’re much happier when soi
makes a decision for them.”
“I’m aware of that. But I spoiled!
Now when I make a decision, ski
mad and says it’s only fair that t
we’re partners she should haveasi
of a say as I do.”
“Maybe she said it but didn’t meat;
“I asked her if she really meann
she was saying, and she told mesb
tired of always being questioned."
“On the basis of our conversatioa
seems to enjoy making life miserable
you.”
“I don’t think so. 1 believe
confused as I am. It’s not easy
woman these days.”
“We all know that. Why di
take the bull by the horns and gobat
being the macho jock you were
"I don’t think she’d stand foriti sa f ‘^
very much into being a liberated!
man. j on
“Which means?”
Mei
■ ferred
“Even if she accepted it, her;: | pureb,
riends would never forgive her.’’
istory
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imosity
E-2
more
and ot
to repl
“We
“That could have been a signal.
“There has to be sopiething b
macho and wimp,” I said. “What
pened to the new liberated man?"
“We cry a lot.”
By
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LETTERS:
Move Vandiver
closer to belltower
EDITOR:
If President Vandiver wants to ring
the belltower on a Monday night/Tues
day morning of dead week in cele
bration of the Aggie victory, why
doesn’t he move into the Northside
dorms so he can hear it better? Is he try
ing to keep people from sleeping so that
they will miss class on Tuesday? Why
doesn’t he just declare a holiday, any
way? I’m very happy that the Ags won;
you don’t know the ribbing I’ve been
taking from my Dad. But really, is can
non fire truly necessary during dead
week? We all anticipate the possibility of
being blown away - without having omi
nous foreshadowings invading our
dreams.
Wendy Motooka
Class of’86
Takes less than
luck to beat A&M
EDITOR:
To all you dumb Aggies:
Why are you so excited about finally
winning one game? We beat TCU, and
worse than you did. Yeah, we lost to
Baylor, but so did you. We’ve had some
bad luck was all, but that always changes
when we play you farmers. It doesn’t
take luck to beat A&M. You guys always
beat yourselves and we just clean up the
mess you leave behind.
It doesn’t take much effort to beat a
bunch of pansies. At least we’re going to
a bowl game, AGAIN. You guys are
stuck in the TOILET BOWL, again.
What an Aggie joke your million-dollar
coach is!!! I’ll bet there won’t be 100 of
you guys in Austin Saturday night.
Chickens!
Hook ’em. Horns!
Ray Western
Chicago, Ill.
EDITOR 'S NOTE: This letter was post
marked before the A&M-Texas game.
For those who missed it: A&M heat
Texas 37-12.
Phalangists not fighting
for peace in Lebanon
EDITOR.
An article, “Lebanese still fighting for
democracy”, appeared in the Nov. 21 is
sue of Battalion signed by three people
claiming to represent the Lebanese peo
ple. Not only do they not represent the
suffering people of Lebanon, the group
they owe allegiance to is responsible for
much misery and bloodshed in Leb
anon. They are the infamous, dreaded
Phalangists. Yes, the same forces who
committed the massacre of Sabra and
Shatila refugee camps in 1982, the same
forces who cooperated with Israeli in
vaders to dismantle and devastate Leb
anon. And now they talk about democ
racy for that shattered country under
brutal Israeli occupation (which we
don’t hear much about in the media
anymore). The Phalangists are a mi
nority who have ruled Lebanon for long
enough. How can a ruling minority talk
about democracy? It’s like the South Af
rican regime - with its racist Apai thied
system - lecturing about the virtues of
democracy and justice! They are the
very obstacle to the realization of these
1
goals. Peace and democracy willco«
Lebanon only when the aggressorsW
and the people, who for longhavekt
oppressed and deprived, take coniml
the affairs of their own country.
Iftekhar Hussain, ’85
accompanied by 3 signatures
Other vocal groups
have talent, too
EDITOR:
I n response to Katherine P. Hurts!
view of the Vocal Music Progra'
Christmas concert, the fact is painf 1
clear that Hurt does not have the®
cal background to efficiently
chorale performance. She is
ignorant of the fact that there are
types of music besides the trad#
Christmas carols. The VMP success!
succeeded in expanding the repern’
to include not only the traditionalfa (
ites but also selections for more van
tastes in music. Simply because
preferred the Aggienizors’cute rei*
tion of “The Twelve Days of Christ® ?
does not mean that the rest of the f
gram was lacking in talent. To $
orize a masterpiece of thecaliberof! 1
cini’s “Gloria from Messa di Gloria ,l
a magnificent accomplishment
Century Singers. In a similar mat! 1
the Women’s Chorus did an
job on the lullaby, “The Coventn
ol.” We love the Singing Cadets ast®
as anyone else; however, we don 1
this opinion prevent us from ack®
edging the talent of the other ^
groups at T exas A&M.
Lynn Allen, ’87
Ruth Ann Looper, ’87