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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, November 8, 1985 Opinion ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Education should be highest priority at A&M, not tradition T r a d i t i o n s . rhere is always a lot of talk about traditions at Texas A&M. A lot of the talk is about how Texas A&M was founded on tradi tions. A lot of the talk is about how traditions aren’t what the}' used to be. Traditions are handed down from generation to generation. But the condi tions under which those traditions are formed are not handed down from gen eration to generation. Sometimes tradi tions must change because times have changed. When the Aggie Band was formed there were no women at Texas A&M. Now there are women at Texas A&M and they have the right to participate in a7/ student activities. Texas A&M began as a military school and there was no need for fraternal organizations since every one belonged to a military outfit. For years, fear and ignorance have led many people to discriminate against homosexuals. Now more people are becoming tolerant of those who are “different.” This year we have witnessed the evo lution of several traditions. Tradition ally women could not plav in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. This year there are three women in the band. Tra ditionally fraternities and sororities were not recognized by the University. This year several fraternities and sorori ties have been recognized and several more are waiting for recognition. Tradi tionally Aggies would not tolerate ho mosexuals. This year the Gay Student Services organization has been recog nized by the University. These changes in traditions have not destroyed Texas A&M. People still stand at the football games and still do some of the things that Aggies have al ways done. This University has not crumbled and fallen into the bowels of the earth. In fact the University is be coming a better place because of the changes. With the addition of three women, the Aggie Band is still as good, if not better, than it used be. With the recogni tion of fraternities and sororities, stu dents have a greater opportunity to be involved in student activities. With the recognition of the G.S.S., students have an opportunity to become better edu cated, and therefore less fearful, about a different lifestyle. Ghange is important and necessary to Texas A&M. Those who mourn the death of “Old Army” should realize that this school could not have survived as the Agricultural and Mechanical Col lege of Texas. This school would have shriveled up and blown away if certain changes were not made. This school could not have survived as a military school. This school could not have sur vived without the admission of women. Currently there are 35,701 students enrolled at Texas A&M. Ten years ago there were 24,876 students enrolled. Twenty years ago there were 9,429 stu dents enrolled. Thirty years ago 6,837 students were enrolled. In thirty years a college of 6,837 students became a uni versity of 35,701 students. This growth could not have be achieved without the changes that were made. There are more changes that need to be made. To become a real university, Texas A&M should concentrate more on education. Multi-million dollar foot ball teams, bell towers, former student buildings, bonfires and traditions need to take a backseat to education. The meat of any school is its education. At Texas A&M the meat is often put off in favor of the side dishes. Some people oppose change and say that this school was founded on tradi tions. This school was not founded on traditions, this school was founded on education. Karl Pallmeyer is a senior journalism major and a columnist for The Battal ion. United Feature Syndicate MAR6UUES ©11*5 MOOSTOM Pt*T [ Discord over arms control disrupting summit planning The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Rhonda Snider, Editor Michelle Povve, Managing Editor Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor Karen Bloch, City Editor John Hallett, Kay Mallett, News Editors Travis Tingle, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors Kirsten Dietz, Jerrv Oslin .Assistant News Editors Cathie Anderson, Jan Perry Assistant Sports Editor ....Charean Williams Entertain men t Editors Cathy Riely, Walter Smith Staff Writers ....Tamara Bell, Meg Cadigan, Mary Cox, Cindy Gay, Doug Hall, Paul Herndon, Wendv Johnson, Tammy Kirk, Jens Koepke, June Pang, Tricia Parker, Brian Pearson, . Craig Renfro, Marybeth Rohsner, Frank Smith, Kenneth Sury, • Scott Sutherland Copy Editors Rebecca Adair, Mike Davis, Sarah Oates Brad Whitten Make-up Editor Ed Cassavoy Colunfnists Camille Brown, John Hallett Karl Pallmeyer Art Director .Wayne Grabein Photographers Greg Bailey, Jon P. Karp, Anthony Casper, Frank Hada, John Makely Michael Sanchez Editorial Policy I he B,ni.ilion is n non-profit, self-supporting newspaper (jpernted us u coinnnmitv sen ice to Texas A&M and Bn an-Collcge 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, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also screes as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications 1 . The Battalion is published Monday through Frida) dur ing Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are Si 6. 75 per se mester. $55.25 per school year and $55 per full year. Ad- yertising rates furnished on reauest. Our address: The Battalion. 21b Reed McDonald Building. 1 exas A&M L'nirersitc. College Station. IX 77845. Editorial staff phone number: (409) 845-5516. Ad- \ ertising: (400) 845-2611. Second class postage paid at College Station. I X 77845. TOSTMAS1ER: Send address changes to The Bat tab ion. 1 exas A&M L Diversity. College Station. 'Texas 77845 WASHINGTON ======= — President Reagan R. Gr©gOfy finds himself hams- Nokes trung by new discord AP News Analyst over his arms control " — ~ strategy as he heads into the Geneva summit conference with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He denies it, but experts both in and out of government say there is consider able disagreement on strategy, espe cially over “Star Wars,” and that it is complicating planning for the Nov. 19- 20 summit and beyond it to the Geneva arms control talks. According to a number of official sources, the State Department and the Pentagon have resumed their bu reaucratic warfare over arms control, with the Pentagon opting for an uncom promising stand while the State Depart ment argues for flexibility. The State Department has won seve ral key battles — including a decision by Reagan to announce a new arms control proposal in advance of the summit. A senior Pentagon official acknowledged on Wednesday that Secretary of De fense Gaspar Weinberger, who objected to the timing, had been overruled. Weinberger also had been overruled on his recommendation against extend ing the unratified SALT II treaty for another year and in pushing for a new interpretation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty that would permit testing and development of a Star Wars system. But the Pentagon is so far winning another key battle — a refusal by Rea gan to compromise on his Strategic De fense Initiative plan, commonly known as Star Wars. State Department and arms control officials say Secretary of State George P. Shultz and chief arms control adviser Paul Nitze favor finding a compromise on Star Wars to make possible an agreement with Moscow on sharp re ductions in offensive weapons. But Shultz apparently was unable to indicate any flexibility on the American side in his meeting with Gorbachev in Moscow this week, and the talks went badly, according to senior officials on the trip. President Reagan may have contrib uted to the image of disarray in last week’s interview' with Soviet journalists. On three occasions in the interview, he said a Star Wars anti-missile defense shield wouldn’t be deployed until after both sides had abolished all their mis siles. He said he would make this point to Gorbachev at the summit. But in an interview with news services Wednesday he said he hadn’t meant to say that at all. He said the United States “would go ahead with deployment” if it couldn’t get an agreement from the So viets to eliminate their nuclear weapons. Reagan may have cause to regret something else. He said in Wednesday’s interview that if the United States de ployed a missile defense while keeping its offensive weapons it would “open us up to the charge of achieving the capac ity for a first strike.” The Soviets have attacked the pro gram from the beginning on the grounds it could give the United States a first-strike capability — to attack the So viet Union with its offensive weapons while remaining protected from Soviet counterattack by its defensive system. Paul Warnke, the chief negotiator for the SALT II treaty, predicted to report ers Wednesday that Moscow would never reduce its offensive missiles as long as the United States was devel oping a comprehensive missile defense. R. Gregory Nokes writes on diplomatic issues tor The Associated Press and will be covering the Geneva summit. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the nf to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent hi letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone nu miser of the writer. Veterans’ Day to be observed Monday EDITOR: Armistice/Veterans’ Day observance will be Monday, Nov. 11 from II a.m. to 11:33 a.m. on Simpson Drill Field by the World War I monument. Please plan to attend this significant community-wide patriotic ob® vance. Bring your family, friends and neighbors. Tell vour classmatesabot it. For the second time since 1946. all of the veterans* organizations of om community are participating in this joint effort. We will commemorate id renei service of veterans and renew the celebration of patriotism in our comira nity. It is important to all of us to recognize our freedoms which are madep sible through the efforts of our brotners, sisters, fathers, mothers, granap rents who nave answered the call of service to our great country. Nlanyhai; paid the supreme sacrifice in our behalf, others nave distinguished theit selves on the field of battle and live in our community. It is a commuti which has a bright history in our state and nation. Ours is a community which we can be proud. Tne community is proud of its sons and daughters. Eight individuals, all Aggies, have had bestowed upon them the Medalo: Honor, our nation’s highest honor. Join us in paying tribute to themandit celebrate the individuals who are currently serving our country, as well those veterans who live and work in our community. Our program willoffe a view of the past with uniformed individuals in the Continental, Union, Cot federate, Spanish American, World War 1, World War 11 Armies and tk uniforms of our active duty personnel. The flag which has flown over the U.S. Capitol, Arlington NationalCeu etery, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Muese-Argonne, Pointe du Hoc, Man! American Cemetery and Memorial, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pj cific and is now in use for very special occasions at Texas A&M will be flow on the stage at our observance in memory of the contributions of those mem bers of our community who have served in the Armed Forces of the Unitd States. The recording of the Star-Spangled Banner by the Texas A&MSinj ing Cadets from last year’s ceremony will be played while the colors an raised. The traditional moment of silence will be observed at 11:11 a.m. (the mo ment when Armistice was signed to end World War I). Echo Taps will be played by the Corps of Cadets, and the Confederait Air Force will do a flyover in the “Missing Man” formation at 11:13 a m. The speaker for the day will be Herb Odell, Commander. Departmento: Texas, The American Legion. The Confederate Air Force Aggie Wing will provide a P51 Mustang,Ff Corsair, SNJ/AT6 Texan, P39 Aircobra, P63 King Cobra, T28 North Ameri can and a replica Japanese Zero. All planes will be on static display at Ea; terwood Field after tne ceremony until 2 p.m. Monday. i he Aggie Salute Cannon will be fired 11 times by members of the Corpi of Cadets as the concluding event in the observance. Come and help us celebrate Armistice/Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. II. Donald F. Simons Chairman, Veterans’ Day ’85 Ar jiani light l 4 feys inc! As lis i one mgii rt'erc he I hirt line! Braze Jins, Ivor tl Dii T tfi ?xchi [or a ho 5pain ubii Krag< ahy a ings ain’s 28. Tn ievv olo r na si “I ill b :e,” h or m Bu h as soun HUSK keys and Highway 6 runs both ways (but not to Aus I:: The ■cepti Banal i( i A PP connm; |}() Re ,aoil 5 i fit idl : tin) EDITOR: We are writing in response to Mr. Karl Pallmeyer’s column on tradition: in the November 6 issue of The Battalion. One question comes to mind: Wh| did you come to A&M? Genny Martin ’88 Leigh Anne Burrow ’88 Vara Fletcher ’88 Kathy Kane ’88 Bonfire cutting serves purpose EDITOR: Every year it’s the same thing. Somebody who doesn’t like the Fightin Texas Aggie bonfire writes a letter to The Bait and says it is a waste of wood. In Jim Nelson’s letter (Nov. 6), he complains of the waste of a natural re source and the insanity of throwing it away. Sorry, Jim — you are wrong. The wood we are using this year is clearing the way for possibly a more important resource — food. You see, the bonfire folks are clearing land for a ranching ; corporation to create grazing land. Otherwise, the trees would have been I bulldozed and burned in the fields. In years past, Aggie bonfire has cleared land for another important re 1 source : — energy. Land was cleared to make way for a mining company to| bring coal from the ground. Besides that, there are a lot of Ags who enjoy working on bonfire and be ing a part of one of our greatest traditions. So next time you jump to a con clusion, Jim, do a little research before you write that “letter to The Batt." Bruce Barcuch ’86 Everyone has right to own opinion EDITOR: Well, it’s that time of the year again. Football games, beautiful weather, and Ron is preaching the “good word” behind the Academic Building. Thisis my eighth semester at Texas A&M, and Ags, it seems like we’ve got another short-sighted evangelist using The Battalion editorial section as a preaching ground again. I say this because of a most entertaining piece of rubbish I had trie privilege to be insulted with on Nov. 5. I’m talking about a letter by Brian Frederick that reminded me of an earlier barrage of bickering that started over the parental notification law some three years ago in Tne Battalion, That too was ignited by a naive letter by Danette Heren. Let my first point be taken note of by all readers; I am not going to submit myself to bickering over moral issues because morality is subjective and is like politics: everyone’s eot an opinion and no one is totally correct. Also let me remind the readers tnai this is not an attack against Brian, but someone needs to wake this poor Ag up! Brian states that anyone supporting birth control supplied through A.R Beutel Health Genter is complaining and has “missed the point.” Brian, it’s guys like you that make men look chauvanistic. Brian, do you have to worry about unwanted pregnancy and abortion? Hell no, so it’s easy for you toaa- dress something you obviously know nothing about. S. Ruby, an anthropol- ogy graduate student, had written a letter bringing out a good point. “Tis eas ier to pay for birth control than pay for mother & child.” If Texas A&M ever wishes to be recognized as first class and its students as gifted individuals instead of “mere Aggies,” then someone needs to blow the lid off this conservative stance that, Af a problem exists we’ll just sweep under the rug and it’ll disappear.” This is hardly an appropriate response to a real problem. Brian, let me ask you a serious question. Have you ever known a woman who has had an abortion? Probably not. (Oh, I’m sorry, did I startle you with that word?) It’s a traumatic experience never to be forgotten and one that is a real threat to sexually active women. Brian, let’s also be rea listic. A 16-year-old virgin is becoming rare. I’m not saying I advocate it, but Brian, be realistic, college virgins are the exception, not the rule. Now, what about married students, Brian? Oh, I bet that slipped your mind, eh? Do you deny them, too? Or maybe ask women for a marriage license before examina tion. By neglecting a much needed service, Texas A&M is not solving any thing, but adding to the dilemma. As far as cost, I’m sure we can forego an other “monument to the alumni” behind the jogging track for additional health care. Planned Parenthood cannot be haven for 5000-10,000 Texas A&M women! Oh, by the way, Brian, I’ve been happily engaged for five months. Steve Patti ’86 &