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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, January 23, 1985 OPINION Freedom to choose must not be denied There were rallies held Tuesday both supporting and pro testing the 1973 Supreme Court ruling which legalized abortion in this country. In Washington, D.C., President Reagan spoke at a pro-life rally. On the Texas A&M campus, pro-life supporters marched to Rudder Tower carrying a small casket in protest of the Roe vs. Wade decision. In the 12 years since that monumental decision was handed clown, the issue of abortion has not become any less emotional or explosive. There is no middle ground with abortion, no gray area. Anyone with an opinion — and there are many — stands firmly, with the highest of convictions, on one side or the other. It is a personal, moral issue and trying to change someone else’ mind about it is like trying to part the Red Sea. But as emotional as the issue is, personal feelings about abor tion must be put aside. It is important to remember that the decision legalizing abortion was not a pro-abortion decision, but a pro-choice deci sion. Many pro-choice advocates are personally opposed to abortion, but they are firmly committed to keeping the govern ment from intruding in its citizens’ personal lives. The Supreme Court justices who made the controversial de cision recognized that allowing the government to interfere in such intimate decisions as whether or not to have an abortion would set a dangerous precedent. In their majority opinion, they stated: “We recognize the right of the individual, married or single, to be free from unwarranted government intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting a person as the decision whether to bear or beget a child. That right necessarily includes the right of a woman to decide whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” — The U.S. Supreme Court. January 22, 1973. It is interesting that the Reagan administration, which claims to be trying to get the federal government out of our private lives, is attempting to impose governmental restrictions on such personal issues as religion and abortion. No matter what any of our personal feelings about abortion are, it is essential that as Americans we fight to protect such fun damental rights as controlling our own bodies. When the federal government can dictate our private lives, then the United States will no longer be a democratic, free na tion. The Battalion Editorial Board LETTERS: Spirit of Houston discriminatory EDITOR: “A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a major ity of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of govern ment itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker the party . . .” From James Mad ison’s The Federalist No. 10. Fhe failure of the Houston sex dis crimination resolution Saturday (Jan. 19) bodes badly for gays and non-gays alike. For gays it means the continued legality of discrimination against adults for practicing in acts of consent or more exactly for simply being different. For non-gays the damage is more complex. It is quite clear that the progress made for racial minorities and women has come about only because of our pro gressive system, excluding of course such deviations as the municipal refer endum, and not because of our progres sive people. It’s morning again in Amer ica and suddenly discrimination is no longer taboo. And so today I am grate ful for our forefathers, Madison espe cially, for recognizing the necessity for representative democracy, representa tion for the greater good, no just the greater. If the spirit of Houston were al lowed to rule this country, Jesse Jackson could not have run for president and Eddie Murphy would be displaying his talents among only his own race. By to day’s Houston spirit, the future Miche langelos and Tennessee Williams’, both homosexuals, will not be wanted. As much as we change we stay the same. Garry Young Class of ’83 Campus two-car policy unfair EDITOR: For those of you who do not know what a duplicate parking sticker is, the TAMU police department will give an extra sticker and put a “D” on both stickers. This is for students who for some reason or another may at times drive different cars to school. The stu dent also receives with the extra sticker, a rectangular piece of cardboard with a big “D” on it. The “D” is to be displayed on the dashboard of the car driven to school; otherwise, a ticket will be issued. In order to receive a duplicate sticker one must pay $12.00 per semester. What is the $12.00 for? Surely the com bined cost of the additional sticker and the piece of cardboard is not more than one dollar. The student service charge has already been paid with the rest of the fees. If the extra money is for park ing improvements, I do not believe it is fair to those who may drive two differ ent cars to school, when only one car, occupying only one parking space can be on campus at any one time. Joe Brown Class of ’86 Corps membership can twist people EDITOR: After reading so much nonsense in The Battalion in recent months about the very small fraction of Texas A&M’s population called the Corps, I have Fi nally gotten annoyed enough to write a letter. The “last straw” was Don Powell’s warped opinion as expressed in Friday’s Battalion. Attributing the success of for mer students to being “treated like dirt when they were freshman” and experi encing “adverse conditions, poor condi tions where you’ve been treated badly” is absolute crap. The clear result of such misguided behavior is a desire by those who have experienced it to “get even” by treating lower classmen just as badly. Strong character is the product of such positive influences as a caring and sup portive family. Fine teachers, coaches, leaders, etc. as examples and good friends. As has been demonstrated countless times throughout history, the sickest and most malicious human be ings almost invariably have had negative experiences in their early years which have twisted their lives. Stephen P. Berkowitz Oceanography — — Inauguration Items from Rons Catalog AW* PlA^ideutiai MX Missile Ffen & Banal Desk Set. sno/v 'your ^AJtvoRr for GiRonrb nauowvl K Goto SILOS, *995.99 WdKe upf TUis _ a cmm Meeuwa.. WaKS UP/ we jusi 5HOTDOWU TWO LIBYAN ueis/ Commemorative 'MphuhP u\ Moituno Amoitaf Coffee Wiffi CuteJAiiuy SET OF TWO * <075 OO Presidential News About the Deficit NoivUevn-mpAid. <W) % 'THERE WE WEGIN VOUGO gOMUING AGAIN.’ i IN FIVE I MINUTES." I .U..tC \\*u*** -A FILTERS OUT CRITICISM. STATIC. AMD BEU-VACHING FROM NERVOUS NELUES. IOQ - /. REDOSTTON IN AUCngcT COMPUMNING. 24-KGOLD $599.00 Framed Quotations of'the Resident. FAMOUS OUIVS t QUOTES FROM TTIfc GR1 AX COf^MUNOCTOR SET OF S. OOU> LEAF ON Vf*CHMCNT \ 795.00 Enforcing campus rules could be a problem at th< foi Fee ne To ab< cai sm Do campus police need guns? tea bei Ur Ini tioi Ha “Go ahead, make my day.” Toward the end of a Texas A&M Faculty Senate meeting January 15, during a meet ing of the commit tee of the whole (a time for open fo rum), faculty sen ator Phanindra- mohan Das read a resolution that stated it is inappropriate for University police to carry guns on campus. If the Faculty Senate does decide to consider Das’ resolution, serious reper cussions might develop. A police officer without a weapon is like eating a hot dog without a bun — it’s just not the same. According to Das, a university and an open display of guns don’t mix because of conflicting ideals. Students are sup posed to do a “certain amount of self- policing.” General supervision is still a must but guns are not needed in all as pects of police work. Stripping these of ficers of their weap ons would be a terrible mistake, result ing in an increased on-campus crime rate. Since A&M is already one of the most dangerous schools for students to attend, the resolution could only worsen things. It’s tough enough now to walk across campus with out being beaten and robbed, just think how the situation will be if the faculty senate actually con siders and passes the resolution. In addition to keeping the crime rate down, how will University police deal with the everyday task of keeping stu dents in check with the limitations of the law? Just think what might happen. Those two-wheeled assassins who ride scooters and bicycles would he able to cruise freely around campus, not hav ing to worry about University police threatening their mobility with heavy weaponry. Students now must traverse crosswalks carefully and reluctantly, only to proceed if it is clear in both di rections. If a simple misjudgement or miscalculation has been made, one might Find that one of these road war riors has Fixed them in his sights and is rapidly approaching for the kill. Undesirables wanting to nap or picnic on the MSG grass and sit down at foot ball games would be able to do so with out the fear of a police sharpshooter picking them off. •WANTED* —AS A VIGILANTE — j BY" THE PEOPLE OF NEV7 YORK 1 JUDGE ROY 'GOETZ' ■THE ONCf LAW WEST OF THE HUDSOH Students with unpaid fees and pi ing tickets would no longer face® wrath of the police Firing squad iftliH don’t settle their monetary obligations The resolution also forbids individl als from carrying guns on campuseE cept for these three exceptions: force® emonial purposes such as Silver Taps® Aggie Muster, for use during dassroa I instruction, and for display in museur | on campus. F ■ I < s These three exceptions also proui troublesome students with more (re dom and security. If the “no guns” resolution is imp! 1 mented. professors will no longer ha' ' control of their lectures. Students will able to talk, c heat, sleep or eat indi j without the worry of being selected I target practice. Probationary studen can no longer toe used for professo^ij between-c lavs games of Russian n lette. How will the University police coni these problems? Das is right. University police dot need weapons — they’re dangera enough with a pen and citation book. Kevin S. Inda is a senior journalist major and a weekly columnist for H Battalion. The Battalion CJSPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board ITrigicl 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 1 Tammy Bell, Cami Brown, John Hallett Assistant Sports Editor Charean Williams Entertainment Editors , Shawn Behlen, Leigh-EllenClad Staff Writers Cathie Anderson. Brandon Berry, Dainah Bullard, Tony Cornett, Michael Crawford, Kirsten Dietz, Patti Flint, Patrice Koranek, Trent Leopold, Karla Martin, Sarah Oates, Tricia Parker, Lynn RaePovee Copy Editor KayMalleti Make-up Editor Karen Blocli Columnists Kevin Inda, LorenSteff) Editorial Cartoonist Mike Lane Sports Cartoonist Dale Smith Copy Writer., Cathy Bennett Photo Editor Katherine Hurl Photographers Anthony Casper, Wayne Crabein, Frank Irwin, John Makely, Peter Rocha. DeanSaito Editorial Policy I he B;iunlit>n is n non-profit, self-supporting nempaptf operated as a community service to Texas A&M l/x) Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion arc those of ibt Editorial Board or the author. and do not necessarily rep resent the opinions of Texas A&Af administrators, faiult' or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper foi students in reporting, editing and photography classei within the Department of Communications. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 uonk it length. The editorial stuff reserves the tight to idit lentil lor style and length but will make every effort totmimit the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and mitt include the address and telephone number of the miter. The Battalion is published Monday through Iriibi during Texas AKr.M regular semesters, except torhnlid)} and examination periods. Mail subscriptions arc (IS.Ii per semester, $33 2a per school year and $35 per lei year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion. 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, ITi 77H43. Editorial staff phone number: (409) H45-2(iM ,U vertising: (40!)) 845-2611. Second class postage paid at College Station, i'X 77WJ POS I MAS I l.K Send address changes to The Batul- ion, Texas A&M University, College Station, Text 77843 tbs 4