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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
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