T
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, March 21,1985
i
Literary censorship
is unconstitutional
Litmus, a new literary arts magazine at Texas A&M, won ap
proval Monday from the Memorial Student Center Council to
publish a poem with the adjective “fucking” in it.
After a lengthy debate — including charges that the poem is
in poor taste and doesn’t represent what A&M stands for — the
MSC Council approved the poem by a narrow 6-5 vote, with one
member abstaining.
The Battalion Editorial Board is relieved the council had
enough sense — barely — not to censor the poem. But the real
question is what was the council doing voting on the issue in the
first place?
The council was trying to act as Litmus’ publisher. That
would be fine if Litmus was a private business, but it’s not. It is a
student magazine in a state institution, and no governmental
body has any business deciding what poems we can and cannot
read.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids gov
ernmental intrusion into peoples’ constitutionally protected
rights of freedom of expression.
Every individual has the right to decide what he wants to
read, what he wants to think.
When a handful of people think they can take it upon them
selves to decide what’s in the best interests of others, that’s
censorship. And that is unconstitutional.
The Battalion Editorial Board
OPINION
Student candidate
responds
Concerning the
recent articles on
Student Govern
ment expendi-
tures and our role
in the questioning Reader’s Forum
of Sean Royall’s Reader’s Forum
campaign budget, Reader’s Forum
we would like to
clarify several
gross misrepre
sentations and in
accuracies.
1) As concerned candidates, we felt
very justified in obtaining prices on Mr.
Royall’s campaign literature. The multi
colored flyers and high quality bro
chures certainly gave us reason to be
lieve that Mr. Royall had spent much
more than the other candidates.
2) If it is indeed unethical to have re
ported and investigated what we feel is
an infraction of the rules, then why have
rules at all?
3) It seems that the major issue of
controversy is the sponsorship of the
complaint. We did indeed ask Mr.
Brock to present the complaint for two
LETTERS:
Cook endorsed
for presidency
EDITOR:
During this year’s presidential cam
paign, students have been deluged with
flashy literature and grand promises.
One candidate, however, has stood out
from the crowd. Mike Cook has run a
positive campaign based on straight talk
and past performance, as well as a
sound plan for the future. Mike’s record
is exemplary — he has been a vice-presi
dent of the Senate for the past two
years. He was elected VP of Finance his
sophomore year, and in this capacity he
was named outstanding vice president
of the year. This year, Mike has served
both as Vice President of Rules and
Regulations and as MSC Director of
Budgets and Planning. He was the only
person to serve on both MSC Council
and as an officer of the Senate.
With the budget crisis facing A&M,
many of the responsibilities of student
government will involve coordinating
student input into financial areas. These
areas are precisely where Mike’s
strength ana experience lie. As officers
of the Senate, we have both had the op
portunity to work with Mike and we are
proud to join The Battalion in offering
our unreserved support and endorse
ment to Mike Cook for Student Body
President.
Michael Kelley ’85
V.P. Finance
Tom Urban ’85
V.P. Academic Affairs
A&M pedestrians
don’t obey laws
EDITOR:
Although TAMU is a school noted
for its fine traditions, there is one “tradi
to article
reasons:
a. We had to spend a great deal of
time on our own campaign.
b. We felt that issues should dominate
the presidential campaigns. We agreed
that a candidate who tiled an official
complaint would distract the main focus
of the campaign — the candidates’ plans
and ideas.
We would further like to clarify that
many of Mr. Brock’s statements were in
correct and misleading. Neither Mr.
Brock nor Mr. Centilla were offered po
sitions in our administration in ex
change for sponsorship of the com
plaint. Secondly, we established the fact
that we had indeed obtained the bids on
Mr. Royall’s campaign literature and we
did not need to be identified by photo
graphs to verify this fact. Thirdly, we
would like to make it clear that we har
bor no malice toward Mr. Royall. He is a
fine gentleman and a fine candidate.
However, there are rules to which we
must adhere and ethics by which we
must abide. Fourth, Mr. Shine never
stated that the purpose of his visit to
The Battalion was “to raise hell and get
tion” that is anything but fine — that of
the constant jaywalking on and around
campus by inconsiderate pedestrians.
Just drive by the Blocker Bldg, where
University Drive and Ireland intersect
to see what I mean. To the pedestrians
there. “DON’T WALK” means “DON’T
DWADLE.” One block down Univer
sity, by Zachry, crazed engineering stu
dents, showing all the wisdom of their
profession, play “Frogger” for real.
This situation doesn’t surprise me,
though, for two reasons. First, the pe
destrian has nothing to lose by jaywalk
ing: if he isn’t run over, he saves time; if
he is, and lives (and chances are he will),
then it’s on to civil court and big money,
while the bewildered motorist wonders
how someone can legally wipe him out
by blatantly disregarding the law! In
other words, the motorist is in a no-win
situation, and the jaywalkers are well
aware of it.
The second reason is that mockery of
law enforcement called the University
Police Department. These guys are
cops?! Right — and I’m Eleanor Roose
velt. The incident which prompted this
letter occured last week. I was on Ire
land, approaching the light at Univer
sity, when I noticed a UPD cruiser wait
ing at the light ahead of me. At the
intersection, it was business as usual. In
plain view were jaywalkers holding up
right-turn traffic. I pulled up beside the
officer and drew his attention to the
matter. He just shrugged and rolled up
his window. I should nave know better
— the UPD has its hands full with much
more dangerous, heinous crimes — like
illegal parking. Why enforce jaywalking
laws? No one could ever get hurt.
C’mon Ags! The rules were made for
everybody — let’s all play by them!
Mike Eastburn, ’85
Student election comical
I usually don’t
laugh or chuckle
much on Monday.
But this Monday
was different. An
article in The Bat
talion deserved a
chuckle. And
then, on Tuesday,
another article ap-
peared. The
chuckle grew into
spending because his materials were
printed with “exceptional” quality.
Kevin Inda
a guffaw. The articles reaffirmed my
belief that politics is for ego-builders
who will do, say, or claim anything to
win. But, I did find it reassuring to find
out that eVen in this fairyland of nicety,
our so-called student leaders and junior
politicians can be nasty when they want
to be.
Well, I’ve seen Sean’s brochure and it
is printed with exceptional quality. But,
evidently that’s not the real reason
Brock filed the complaint. On Tuesday,
Brock told The Battalion that Brett
Shine, another candidate for student
body president, had asked Jeff Centilla
and Brock to sign the complaint and
give it to the election commission. Cen
tilla, a Texas A&M student not asso
ciated with Shine’s campaign, and Brock
said they were both promised positions
in Student Government if Shine won the
election. Centilla never did get to sign
the complaint because he overslept, so
Brock got Terry Deeper to sign it.
The controversy began Thursday
when Karl Brock and Terry Deeper
filled a complaint with the Student Gov
ernment’s election commission accusing
Sean Royall, a candidate for student
body president, of “exceeding the limit
for campaign expenditures.” Royall was
accused of going over the $300 spend
ing limit set by the election commission.
Brock said he suspected Royall of over-
In addition to Shine, Brock, Centilla,
and Deeper looking like bozos, Jeff Dan-
zinger apparently had the urge to join
the circus. Danzinger, a former candi
date for student body president and
now a Shine supporter, was also behind
the apparent plot to get Royall disqual
ified from the election.
caught with his hand in the cookiej;|
again, he’ll be forced to quit the
Scouts — he’ll be disqualified fromi
race.
Enough of the facts. Now for some
the hearsay. No, just kidding. I would:
attempt to elaborate on any of thetn:
I’ve heard — and I’ve heard phi
There have been so many candidaii
for student body president in andouii
the newsroom we’ve had to install n
volving doors.
Student Government elections, scat
dal. I’m sick of hearing about somet!®
so miniscule. The only time I everhea
about our pseudo-student leaders
during election time or when theyspea
at Sully’s Symposium, and no one cow
to listen. Who cares!
By MICH
As for those involved in this littlecot
troversy, how do you think your moll
ers would feel if they found out them
you guys have acted. If I was theml
take you guys home, paddle yourasse
ground you for a week, and send you!
your rooms without dinner!
Thursday
City Council
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Shine is now on campaign probation
for passing out flyers in the Corps
dorms at an unauthorized time. If he’s
Kevin S. Inda is a senior journalist
major and a weekly columnist for Tk
Battalion.
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them off their butts to do something.”
Unfortunately we were not at home
when The Battalion’s reporter Jerry Os-
lin tried to contact us so we could give
our side of the story. Had we had this
opportunity, we feel that the article
would not be so negative and biased.
Again, we feel that we were correct in
attempting to protect an “issue-orien
ted” campaign and also in adhering very
strictly to the election regulations. We
certainly hope that these recent articles
will not taint your view of the election
process, the Election Commission and
the candidacy of a student who wishes to
represent and work for you.
Brett Shine is a candidate for student
body president. Jeffrey Danzinger is a
former candidate and now a supporter
of Shine.
Vet school attempting
to keep high standards
Rex Medford
accompanied by 5 signatures
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to the article
of Wednesday, March 20, 1985 con
cerning ex-veterinary student Bonny Jo
Eason. We feel, as health professionals,
that one must realize the rigors of such a
program before entering into it.
High expectations are set for health
professionals, be they M.D.’s or
D.V.M.’s and this is as it snould be. We
are to care for living beings, and gross
mistakes cannot be and are not tolerated
in these fields.
This person failed to meet the re
quirements set and was obviously given
more than a fair chance to rectify the
f >roblem. We know of no individual pro-
essional student who doesn’t have at
some time extraordinarily stressful situ
ations while in school. However, the
ability to deal with this stress and still
perform satisfactorily is indicative of fu
ture ability to cope in practice when
stressful situations are certain to arise.
Can one offer the excuse “I lost the pa
tient because I am having trouble at no-
me?”
There is no excuse for incompetence,
and we feel that the School of Veteri
nary Medicine acted fairly to Betty Jo
Eason and in the best interest of the rest
of the veterinary students by eliminat
ing a potentially incompetent peer.
In conclusion, the public view of
health care has steadily declined over
the past few years. One of the reasons
for this decline is the inability of the
health care fields to sufficiently ensure
the competence of its members. The
Veterinary school should be com
mended for its attempt to maintain the
high standard necessary to guarantee a
high quality of health care delivery.
‘SBs’ not happy
with columnist’s views
EDITOR:
We, as “SBs” would like to respond to
Trent Leopold’s article entitled, “What
Does ‘S.B.’ Mean?”
According to Leopold an SB is a
member of a sorority, which “is a clique
of girls who tell each other their secrets,
know each other’s innermost feelings,
maintain confidential test files and
share big mansions.” How is this differ
ent from any other group of close
friends, with the exception of the com
forts of a “big mansion.”
As far as sorority girls associating ex
clusively with one another, Leopold is
wrong. Many sorority girls have friends
outside of her sorority, and date guys
outside of a fraternity.
Leopold thinks the typical sorority
girl wears the latest fashions, carries a
Gucci purse, and proudly wears her so
rority drop. Let us add that the typical
sorority girl contributes greatly to her
community. We would like to know
when Leopold last painted curbs for the
community, conducted a major fund
raiser for a specific philanthropy, visited
neighborhood nursing homes and par
ticipated in a telethon —just to name a
few.
We as “SBs” spend our time on these
projects for the community and with
university activities.
P.S. If you haven’t noticed, bowling
hasn’t been considered the ideal date
since “Happy Days.”
Katy Lindsay, Delta Zeta
Caroline Worth, Delta Zeta
Eleanor Key, Zeta Tau Alpha
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Brigid 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
Catni Brown, John Hallett, Kay Mailed
Assistant Sports Editor
Charean Williams
Entertainment Editors
Shawn Behlen, Leigh-Ellen Clark
Staff Writers Rebecca Adair,
Cathie Anderson, Marcy Basile,
Tamara Bell, Brandon Berry,
Jeff Brady, Dainah Bullard,
Ann Cervenka, Michael Crawford,
Mary Cox, Kirsten Dietz,
Cindy Gay, Pete Herndon,
Trent Leopold, Sarah Oates,
Jerry Oslin, June Pang,
Tricia Parker, Cathy Riely,
Marybeth Rohsner, Walter Smith
Copy Editors .Jan Perry, Kelley Smith
Make-up Editors Karen Bloch,
Karla Martin
Columnists Ed Cassavoy, Kevin Inda,
Loren Steffy
Editorial Cartoonist Mike Lane
Sports Cartoonist Dale Smith
Copy Writer Cathy Bennett
Photo Editor Katherine Hurt
Photographers Anthony Casper,
Wayne Grabein, Bill Hughes, Frank Irwin,
John Makely, Peter Rocha, Dean Saito
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supfx)rting newspaper
operated as a community service to Texas A&M and
Bryan-College Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the
\rd <
a nly rep
resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, facult}'
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 stafTreserves the right to edit letters
for style and length but will make every effort to ma/nuin
the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must
include the address and telephone number of the writer.
The Battalion is published Monday through Frida)’
during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holida)
and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16,7}
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. Ad
vertising: (409) 845-2611.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
POSTMAS TER: Send address changes to The Battal
ion, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843
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