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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, November 14,1985 Opinion Out of sight but not out of mind South Africa is expecting the world to follow the old ex pression, “If you just ignore it, it will go away.” But hiding the government-endorsed policies of racial discrimination in South Africa will make the country’s problems worse. On Nov. 2 the South African government placed sweeping restrictions on media coverage of violence in that country’s 38 districts under state-of-emergency decree. Louis LeGrange, minister of law and order, said the government was “concerned with the presence of television and other camera crews in unrest situations, which proved to be a catalyst to further violence.” LeGrange’s statements are absvrd. It is not the presence of the media that leads to riots in South Africa, it is the continual presence of troops and police, enforcing policies that deprive the majority of the population its basic human rights. A media blackout of South Africa will enable the minority government to continue its gestapo tactics without worrying about what the rest of the world thinks. South Africa must think the world will forget about the strife of blacks if no news is al lowed to be reported. But the world knows what is happening in South Africa. The violence is not as easily put out of mind as it is out of sight. The Battalion Editorial Board Mail Call 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. Helping not hindering others EDITOR: This letter is in response to Michael Davis’ article on other racist groups. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is not a rac ist group, nor is the National Sdciety of Black Engineers or the Latin American En gineering Society, All of these organizations and others like these are just trying to help with the “advancement” of the particular group — to watch out for “their own.” Does it not make sense for a group of people (of the same race) to get together to help each other progress more? For if you show no concern and don’t care about your own, how can you expect others to care? And who says that whites or others can’t help with the advancement of colored people? These groups aren’t hurting any other group of people, as the Ku Klux Klan and STORM have been doing and are trying to do, they are just trying to help themselves as much as possible. Think about it, Michael, this is not a question of whether or not they are racist groups, but a question of members of the same race to wanting to help each other while hindering no one else in the process. Michelle Denise Caver ’88 Try it, you’ll like it EDITOR: Jim Nelson, this is in response to your recent letter concerning the Aggie bon fire. Your letter, as it did to many other Aggies, infuriated me, but rather than tak ing time to insult or threaten you, let me explain something to you and anyone else who might have misconceptions about the bonfire. Every year someone comes up with the argument you had, that we build bon fire at the sacrifice of a forest of trees that would live for centuries had they not been used for bonfire. Did you realize, Nelson, that the lumber that goes into bon fire comes from areas such as strip mining sites and other locations where the trees would have been destroyed anyway? The cutting site this year is Granada Ranch, where the dense forest is being cleared to make room for a field where horses and other livestock can be raised. Instead of bulldozers and flamethrowers being brought in to clear the land, it is left to be cleared by the Aggies. The wood is not going to waste, it’s going to go to help raise Aggie Spirit — something you don’t seem to understand. If you see the Aggie bonfire as just a pile of defenseless trees burning, you’re missing the whole point. It’s symbolic of pride in our University. I’m a part of this year’s bonfire and I take pride in it, as do all those who participate in it. But it’s a feeling that you can’t read in a paper, you have to be a part of it. Look at both views, Nelson, experience before you make any conclusions, go out and cut this weekend, help at stack or at least help encourage or support your friends that do. You just might be surprised. Robert Herrejon ’88 A vision of better cable EDITOR: I have many things to say about McCaw Cablevision. I have become tired of their threats of prosecution, and it seems that anything related to cable must be purchased from them or it is considered illegal. It now seems that even adding an outlet for a second TV on the line must be done by McCaw and, of course, is charged for. I guess everything stems from the fact- that McCaw is losing money to people receiving cable signals free. I agree that McCaw is entitled to these funds. At tnat point, our paths separate. McCaw is providing a service, a cable signal, and that is all! Most stores sell ca ble accessories, and for those like me who wish to do it themselves, I feel I have been deprived of this privilege. There is no law requiring me to take my car to the dealer for parts. Nor is there a law that I must use the telephone company’s phone. I can fix my own car and buy my own phone. If McCaw wishes to charge for instal lation of outlets, that’s fine. However, I should have the choice of installing outlets in my own home, and that’s all! Also, 1 am interested in knowing if the money McCaw has spent advertising this law to consumers has contributed to the high price of cable service. The last I heard TV commercials were not cheap. I would think that since its revenues are so low from cable theft, that it would want to prosecute those guilty and make up some of their loss. I don’t buy the fact that McCaw is being nice and awaiting the guilty ones to claim amnesty. I was taught that a business does what it needs to do to make money. And then again, perhaps McCaw can afford to be lenient considering the prices they charge the rest of us! If anyone out there knows of a way to block McCaw’s legal challenges or a way to open a new cable company, I would be sincerely interested! Contact me at 845- 1023. Steven H. Hummert Moscow baffled by WASHING TON — President Reagan upped the ante Wednesday — just two weeks before his summit with Soviet leader ! Mikhail Gorba chev — by sug gesting it is time to “stop futzing around.” — From Art Buchwald front page of USA Today, Nov. 7, 1985. When Soviet leader Mikhail Gorba chev read the quote he called in his Kremlin advisers. “What does f utzing mean?” he asked them. “I don’t know,” his foreign minister said. “We’ve asked the White House to clarify it. Here is theirreply: ‘Don’t play dumb. You do it all thetime.’” Gorbachev was furious. “The presi dent knows we don’t know. Why would he send us a message we don’t under stand? Can’t anyone in our embassy in Washington find out what it means?” “Our ambassador advises us futzing has to do with putting our medium- range missiles along the Czech border.” A Soviet marshal said, “He’s mis taken. It refers to the buildup of con ventional forces in Poland. The Ameri cans are saying they want us to pull them out or they will futz us.” “You’re both wrong,” the KGB direc tor said. “Futzing is another word for defecting, turned around and rede fected to us. We futzed the CIA and the president didn’t like it.” Gorbachev said, “You all have the ories but you don’t have facts. How can I face Reagan in Geneva when 1 have no idea what he is talking about?” The General Secretary’s scientific ad viser said, “My people have studied the message and conclude it has to do with ‘Star Wars.’ Reagan was talking about the shield the U.S. plans to build to pre vent our missiles from hitting them.” Gorbachev declared, “What is my re sponse if he tells me in Geneva to stop f utzing around?” “You tell him you’ll be glad to when he stops futzing around with ‘Star Wars,’ and not a minute sooner.” “He won’t go for it.” Gorbachev said. “Why don’t I offer to cut back on futz ing by 50 percent, provided Reagan does the same?” The Soviet marshal said, “They will cheat.” “Then we’ll cheat too. We will match them futz for futz,” Gorbachev told them. “But 1 still have the feeling the president was talking about something else.” The foreign minister said, “Did you do any futzing in your private life that Reagan may have been referring to?” Gorbachev shouted. “They’re lies, all lies.” The KGB director said, “I tann test to that.” The press chief said, "PerhapsIk president misspoke and didn’t rata: to use the word futzing at all. He been known to say something am then take it back three hours later Gorbachev was getting impatient “We can’t speculate. We have to out exactly what his message mean or cancel the summit.” A secretary came into the nw and handed a cable to the KG: rector whose ev es almost poppedom of his head. “Our language experts have in eked down the word. It’s Yi and means ‘fooling around, or na being serious.”’ “You’re crazy. What is F Reagan doing speaking Yid the foreign minister said. “It makes you wonder,” Cork chev mused. “Find out wh name was before he changed itt Reagan.” “Yes, sir," the KGB director said “And," Gorbachev continuei “also get me a Yiddish dictionarysoi can answer him in kind.” “We can’t, sir. They’ve all bee burned.” By MAR * Art Buchwald is a columnist forth Los Angeles Times Syndicate. : F&>VfPEKC£ ■XVQHM. -PUi 'uurrtN Who wears Members fi organizations dence Hall As of Cadets, th< Off-Campus short shorts Memorial Sti legs contest United Way. The contes $25 entry fee Student Gove first of its kin ment Unitei Katherine Go will become ai “We like tf kind of thin | out,” she sai< enter,” This year werejudged f their legs ar sponse. Each question by tl ley and Keitf dent Govern! lions chairma The judge ernment met dent Body Pr Maritza Pen; Kelly Harvey award to a m winner and legs in Aggiel The mal< player Marsl audience wh such great lej “1 eat plen A sopnom A-l said, “I t won, and b< tell him he di Stacey Sh winner, was apartment cc was very imp test. “It was all taste,” she s; fun.” While mo fund-raiser ■ By CY s ‘Princess Dave’ latest victim of Reagan’s silver tongue MSC Opera ociety treate quent Zachry an unexpecte phursday in tl As students were caught b ichool girls, d ards, dancing Rjy’s center. Minutes la and both bale Ivith about 50 professors as l Cheryl’s Schc through their I Twas shod que, a senior major, descril ?sion of the tr President Reagan sometimes has trou ble with names and places. Michael Putzel AP News Analyst When he met fighter Sugar Ray Leonard and the box er’s family, he introduced them to re porters and photographers as “Sugar Ray and Mrs. Ray.” At a dinner in his honor in Brazil, Reagan toasted “the people of Bo livia,” then hastily tried to correct himself by explaining that was where he was going. But it wasn’t. He was on his way to Bogota, Colombia. Bolivia wasn’t on the itinerary. pore. Of course, those weren’t household words, and the president must meet so many people he doesn’t know. Last weekend’s household name was on the lips of millions, however, but not on Ronald Reagan’s. The president toasted her as “Prin cess David,” then quickly attempted to recover, calling her “Princess Diane instead. Almost, but not quite. He was toast ing Diana, princess of Wales, wilt and mother of the heirs to Britain! throne. Michael Putzel is the White Houst correspondent for The Assochtd Press. / More recently, as he welcomed the prime minister of Singapore to the White House, Reagan said, “Well, it gives me great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Mrs. Yew toSingapore — Mrs. Lee to Singapore.” He caught the name, al though not f he place, and the official Presidential Documents will reflect that. But although it purports to be a verbatim record of Reagan’s words, the transcript was edited to quote Reagan as saying he took great plea sure in welcoming “Prime Minister Lee Kuan Y6w and Mrs. Lee to Singa- The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest lournalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Rhonda Snider, Editor Michelle Powe, Managing Editor Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor Karen Bloch, City Editor John Hallett, Kay Mai let t. News Editors Travis Tingle, Sports Editor Editorial Policy 'I'he Buttalion is .1 non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to I exas A&M and Bryan-Collent Station. y Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Editorial Board or the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&:M administrators, faculty 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. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday aiu ^ ^ don periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $55.25 per school year and $55 per full year. Advertising m nished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, 7 exas A&M University, College Station, IX 77845. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77845. I