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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1985)
: •' f .■:^- : ■."-'■it r'i'•'■i 1 ''• , ; 1 . , *:'*r'.' !t'i ; Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, June 6 1985 OPINION Riots turn soccer into fatal game The phrase “it’s only a game” is frequently used to comfort distraught Little Leaguers and other youth, but in professional sports, the phrase seems inappropriate. Thirty-eight people were killed at a riot started by British fans at the European Cup soccer final between Liverpool and Italy’s Juventus in Brussels last Wednesday. British Prime Min ister Margaret Thatcher announced Monday measures to pro hibit alcohol and extend police powers at stadiums. Since the riot, the European Football Union has banned En glish soccer clubs indefinitely from European games. Thatcher’s actions address the real problem — the fans— while the union’s ban attacks the teams. The players should not be penalized for the destructive and senseless behavior of the fans. If necessary, the games could be played without fans, even though this might detract from the atmosphere of the event. Five years ago, Scotland banned alcohol at soccer games and fan violence decreased significantly. We hope Thatcher’s actions will remedy this blight on Europe’s most popular sport and the union will recognize the importance of allowing British players to compete. In professional sports, it’s never “just a game,” but when people die, it’s not game at all. The Battalion Editorial Board Summer marked by turtle recall In order for my body clock to change to the next season, I must encounter what I call a seasonal tran sitional period. Cheryl Clark Let me explain. Before I consider spring to be spring, I must smell the blooms of honeysuckle in the air. The fact that my allergies act up as I sniff ev ery honeysuckle bush on campus does not faze me. Harry is also a bit confused, like most of the other pets in our household. Since the cats rule the front yard, Harry thinks of himself as a cat. When Harry was a younger turtle in his prime, he would play chase and hide-and-seek with whatever kittens were around. Harry would usually win at hide-and- seek since the kittens weren’t exception ally bright. Before I consider fall to be fall, I must attend a football game in which there is a slight chill to the air. At Texas A&M that’s hard to do. In my home town of Dallas it isn’t. In the morning, he insists on eating smelly, nasty cat food that comes from a can. The kind that starts off smelling bad when it’s opened and smells worse after a night in the refrigerator Harry meows—yes, meows—impatiently until he gets it. Before I consider winter to be winter, I must be past the Christmas season, have broken at least two of my New Year’s resolutions and Easter decora tions must be displayed in the grocery stores. I have a short winter season ob viously. I don’t like the cold much, just the snuggling. Whoever is feeding him usually drops a about a tablespoon in the flower bush and Harry rushes over to get to it before a cat does. For some reason, the cats don’t fight too hard for the food since Harry looks grumpy in the morning. And before I consider summer to be summer, I must see Harry. Harry, our family’s watch turtle, who also thinks he is a cat. A few summers ago, Dallas suffered a severe heat wave. Harry disappeared about halfway through the summer and we wondered if he would return. After all, he was probably nine or so years old and the summer was hot. Every year for the past 13 years, Harry has made a home for himself in the flower bed on the left side of the porch. The left side mind you, not the right. Harry did come back the next sum mer. And the next summer after that. And this summer. Harry is a snapping turtle living in a khaki-green shell with tan accents. His nose is pointed and when I was younger, I wouldn’t touch him since he looked as if he would bite me. The fact he is only about 8 inches in diameter was ignored. Harry always looked grumpy in the morning. He showed up in late April as my fa ther was working in his flower bed. Har ry’s flower bed, not my dad’s. Harry was a little slower and a little grayer than usual, but still demanded his breakfast like he has always done for the past 13 years. You see, Harry is a fierce attack tur tle. Sort of like an attack dog, but more on a creeping, ground-attack sort of ba sis. He protects our front yard, without a thought for his own safety, from the beginning of May to September. Our house has never been attacked from the front, thanks to Harry. He was meowing impatiently, making rustling noises with his little feet in the bushes, just in case Dad didnt’ hear him meowing. The cats ignored Harry be cause they have their own food in the kitchen and besides Harry doesn’t play chase or hide-and-seek too much with them anymore. Summertime is here. Cheryl Clark is a senior journalism ma jor and a columnist for The Battalion. AL Clenr shoal Welcome to ‘Texans A&M can {; Clem Cle I was talking to a friend the other day. |^Qf| Despite the fact he is from Chicago and I Pallmeyer am from a very small town here in Texas, we have been good friends since we were both freshman. We were talking about the raise in tuition for out-of-state students. He said with the raise they ought to change the name of the school to “Texans A&M University.” College is a learning experience. You take classes in a variety of different sub jects to learn a little bit about the world — the way it works and the people in* it. But there is a better way to learn about the world — by meeting people from other places. Texas A&M is fortunate to have a large number of students from other places. In 1984 there were a total of 36,827 students enrolled in the Univer sity. Of that number 3,902 students were from other states and 1,613 were from other countries. These people come to Texas A&M for a variety of rea sons. They feel they can learn some thing by going to school here. We can learn something by their going to school here too. If you are studying computer science wouldn’t it be interesting to talk to someone who is from California’s Sili con Valley? If you are studying Ameri can government wouldn’t it be interest ing to talk to someone from Washington D.C.? If you are studying business wouldn’t it be interesting to talk to someone who lived on Wall Street? If you are studying a foreign language wouldn’t it be great to talk to someone who was brought up speaking that lan guage? If you are studying history wouldn’t it be great to talk to someone who has lived in those places where his tory has been made? You learn a lot about the world by meeting people from other places. How is Texas different from Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Maine, Canada, Germany, In dia, Africa, China, or Russia? How is Texas the same as Alaska, Hawaii, Flor ida, Maine, Canada, Germany, India, Africa, China or Russia? There are over 5,500 people from all over the world who go to school here. Next fall it’s going to cost them much more to go to school here. Currently non-residents pay $40 a semester hour in Texas. Next fall it will cost them $120 a semester hour. Non-residents will have to pay $80 more for a semester hour. With an average of 16 hours a se mester, building uses fees, housing, books, food, transporataion and other costs, these people will have to pay quite a bit of money. j that ( Hanc rial a state i I “ A! son, s Some people may argue thatitissii self w cheaper to go to school in Texas than! | s div is in other states. That may be true,bi«| if a person can’t afford the price i ..j' t home they certainly can’t afford l«j and i travel to Texas and spend that monel and « Most importantly the value of educaW is intangible, it is not something that cat be bought and sold like used cars of a mayb used If “Texans A&M” is to become‘I Party World Class University” it must read' out across the world, not just acrosstktj 0ve ^' state. Worse Karl Pallmeyer is a senior journalist major and a columnist for the Ba(taM\ GOP Cl< ‘that bette: date.' Ch poter who help In search of. . . guest columnists The Battalion newsroom is a lonely place these days. Sure, the summer staff is settled in, and the usual rythum of fingers tapping on computer keyboards echoes through the halls. But what makes the newsroom seem de serted is the lack of correspondence from our readers. Of course, the semester is only a few days old, and most returning and new students simply haven’t had time to write us. How ever, our concern is not merely for lack of letters to the editor — they will undoubtedly begin to trickle in as school gets into full swing. Our concern is for the type of forum we provide for our readers. In the past, the LETTERS column was the only place where readers could express their opinions in The Batt. So, we would like to officially extend an invitation to all students, faculty, staff and other members of the community to write guest columns. A guest column is exactly that — a column written by someone not associated with The Battalion. What we are looking for in our guest col umns is more than simply a long letter. A let ter responds to issues that have already been raised. A column, however, presents new view points on new issues. It could discuss the merits of a campus organization, provide in sight into local or national events, or react to a new art form or dance craze. So, if you have a new idea you would like to get off your chest, drop off your column at 216 Reed McDonald or send it to: Opin ion Page Editor, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, 77843. We reserve the right to edit your column for style and length, but every effort will be made to maintain the author’s intent. And if you want to respond to issues that infuriate or enlighten you, please send us a letter to the editor. All we ask is that you keep our Letters Policy in mind (it’s printed in the staff box at the right of the page). We’d love to hear from you. Loren Steffy Opinion Page Editor The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Kellie Dworaczyk, Editor Kay Mallett.John Hallett, News Editors Loren Steffy, Editorial Page Editor Sarah Oates, City Editor Travis Tingle, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editor.... Assistant News Editor.. Katherine Hurt Cathie Anderson Entertainment Editors Cathy Riely, Walter Smith Copy Editor Trent Leopold Make-up Editors Ed Cassavoyt Karla Martin 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 rep resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, facullf or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography dasses 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 intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer. The Battalion is published Tuesday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holidaf and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are f 16.71 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 77845. TOS'TMASTER: Send address changes to The Battal ion, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845 c 16 H< child this s ciala M; only the'b tion. “It borei At four story itabli In also! Si: sexu; been Sh four in se: T1 cloth amu: “It V