Page 2A"he Battalion/Friday, December 6,1985
The effects of
too much TV
The Palestine Liberation Organization has conjured an ab
surd fairy tale to shift the blame for their terrorist acts to the in
nocent victims of PLO crimes.
Farouk Kaddoumi, a top aide to PLO chief Yassir Arafat,
said Wednesday that no evidence was produced that proved
Leon Klinghoffer was murdered during the hijacking of the
cruise ship Achille Lauro. Kaddoumi proposed that Klinghof-
fer’s wife might have “pushed him over into the sea to have the
insurance.”
Apparently the PLO has been watching too many Columbo
reruns. The bullet hole in Klinghoffer’s head and the blood-cov
ered terrorists on board the snip reveal the idiocy of Kaddou-
mi’s story. .
If the PLO is going to disguise its terrorist activities in fan
tasy, it's going to have to fabricate better stories than late night
cop-show rip-offs.
The Battalion Editorial Board
United FutureS^nkilt
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By CR A
Sa
$3.6 millit
Hllbouty Geo:
scheduled to be
year, said We:
cellor for facilit
struction.
Rvhen conif
will house the
physics, the ge<
mis try researcl
and the geolog
office, said Chi
director of th
neering Geostr
■'Currently tl
adequate layoi
lege of geos<
said.
■I he principl
ovation are in;
healing, leaks
and i usty wind
A&M-UT game rekindles burnt-out Aggie Spiffs
I've often been
accused of being a
two-pet center.
I’ve often been
told that Highway
6 runs both ways.
I ve also been told
s e v e r a 1 o t h e r
things that < an’t be
pinned in a larnily
new spa pei.
My impression of Fish Camp was the
same as the impression I had from the
tent revivals I’ve attended — I never
could figure out what the all the yelling
was about.
Karl
Palimeyer
I’ve never con
sidered myself to be lull of the "Aggie
Spirit.” It all started when I went to Fish
Camp. It was similar to the Viet Cong
brainwashing camps in “The Deer
Hunter.” They took me and about 500
other kids out in the middle of nowhere
where we were exposed, over-exposed,
over-over-exposed and over-over-over
exposed to*more than a hundred years
of traditions in just three days.
My freshman year I did all of the tra
ditional things. I went to midnight yell
practice, I went to all of the games and 1
went to the yell practice at the YMCA
Building if we won or stayed lor yell
practice if we lost. After four years of
medicore games from a medicore foot
ball team I got tired of yelling. 1 lost
whatever spirit I might have had. I
found it easier to sit at home and watch
the game on television w r ith a beer or
three instead of standing in uncomfort
able weather with over-expensive, wa
tered-down soft drinks being the only
form of refreshment. I also found it’s
easier to study when everyone else is at
the game.
At the beginning of this semester I
went to only a few games. If I went to a
game 1 would leave early to avoid the
crowd. I didn t have much laith in
Jackie Sherrill, the highest paid coach in
the Southwest Conference, or his team
Jackie and f came here the same year.
My grades and his team have been simi
lar — nothing spectacular, just enough
to get by.
By now things have changed. Jackie
and the team did a good job. Last wet k i
went to the game knowing that the Cot
ton Bowl and the Southwest Conference
Title depended on our “beating the hell
outta t.u.”
It was cold. My roommates and 1 got
in the car and drove to the stadium. We
had to park in Southeast Asia and walk
an incredible distance to get to our seats
— third deck seats (I hadn’t been up to
the third deck Mtice I was a freshman).
When we got to our seats some other
students got in ate and claimed we were
in their seats. I hey went and found an
ushei who told them f/iev were in the
wrong place.
With these events in my mind, 1
wasn't too tireii up for the game. When
the guy standing m front of me started
waving his '.2th Mm l ow . 1 reali/cd i
wouldn’t be long before 1 was hit in the
face with it. I hree minutes lutei attc: a
good plav, it happened. When l lapped
him on the shoulder to ask him to be a
little more careful with the towel he
gave me a high five. It was the first high
five of my college career. We got the
towel problem worked out without any
argument.
As the game progressed, things got
interesting. The Aggies made some ex
cellent plays that even got a whoop out
-.1 H, I,Mr. 1 IfWi.nv Clll vo.
vc-lliuu 1 won i go in to am (leiail!% a [ ) | l ,
the game is common knowledge, a better leader
ll was the U ni gaiiic I've miBaket'-T he .
in,dedal Irvis \\M Weplafdf® m ‘ m .
leiil tooiball the i lowd wasWOtllUlB , rM>r\
hv pri uuhoiii bung ii'oolfenjive,l^ff tcl 1
even goi to like die guv withthete Bj-ocated in t
del ! 111 When I wentte Ce,,u ' 1 ^r !
a . HP establishe
1 MUf “^Meniial m m
w that im tcaiu ' e wiii, ,’zen. MSC Cm
Colton Bowl deni developer
Now 1 hav e a little close of ”
Spirit. Now 1 am proud of jack IRC is a reso
Ins team. Now we are the bestteiii;students to be
the Southwest Conference if noi their roles ass
world. Now v\e get to b<> UitlitQJnAffhough i
Bowl Now il ihev wouldonlyletiisiR > ,..‘ l . nt/en
some tickets.
center was noi
^^^j’The idea i
Karl Palimeyer is a
major and a columnist for TJr
ion.
Mail Call
Meaningful traditions
EDITOR.
In Ken Ankele’s letter (Dec, 3) he made the statement that Silver
Taps was probably the second most meaningful tradition at Texas
A&M. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t honoring a departed Aggie
infinitely more meaningful than a ritual before a football game? In
terms of being meaningful, I would rate Silver Taps over bonflicker,
er, uh, bonfire ’85 any day of the week.
Randy Trosper
Sincere thanks
have well over 100 chapters and colonies across the United States
and Canada.
Finally, fraternities are active in the school as well as the commu
nity through service projects. We, as a fraternity, are currently try
ing to set up our own push date for next year’s bonfire. Also, we are
throwing a Christmas party for the children in St. Joseph’s hospital
as well as actively participating in the Student Y-sponsored Youth
Fun Day.
Ken, I’m not asking you to join a fraternity just that you be
open-minded about them.
Brian M. Webb
Delta Chi
never said) was that the NSBE probably preferred a black
bership and that the title is what gave me that impression,If
did not prejudge then a good first impression at a job ini
would not be important.
If the NSBE wants non-blacks and non-engirteers to
society they should adopt a name that is more represcntativeol
membership.
EDITOR:
We spent Thanksgiving Day on carhpus with our Aggie “fish”
and were on our way to the game when my younger daughter
tw isted her ankle.
11 il had not been foi the help of one extremely fine young ca
det. we never would have made it. He helped carry her a while then
flagged down a fellow Aggie on a motorcycle who gave her a ride to
the gate where more help arrived.
1 he gentlemen there provided a wheelchair. We wheeled her to
the first aid station where she was checked over, iced down, wrapped
up and sent on her way to our (luckily) front row seats from which
w e watched our Aggies become the Southwest Conference Champs.
Since we failed to get names, I do hope everyone who helped will
accept this letter as our sincere thanks.
Mr. and Mrs. Garvis White
What is truth?
Understanding fraternities
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to Ken Ankele’s letter. It seems you and
1 have much in common, Ankele. Like you, I am a first generation
Aggie. Like you, I entered Texas A&M blindly. We both are sopho
mores who have come to love this institution and the traditions
which follow.
It is here that we go our separate ways, however. You say frater
nities serve no purpose? I can tell a lot of thought went into that
statement. Fraternities are social organizations designed to bring
people together in a brotherhood that transcends the everyday bore
dom of school life. The preamble to our constitution outlines a very
definite purpose, in short, “We . . . (believe) that great advantages
are to be derived from a brotherhood of college and university men,
(appreciate) that close association may promote friendship, develop
character, advance justice, and assist in the acquisition of a sound ed
ucation ...” .
I would like to hear how a fraternity is detrimental to the unity
of A&M. Fraternities bring people closer and the IFC (Inter-Frater
nity Council) brings fraternities closer (i.e. activities such as Greek
Fest).
Our dues pay for social relations such as rush parties (yes, we
pick up the tab when you want to go to a party and drink “free”
beer), utilities on our house, and other things; much like activity fees
in dorms (we pay more because our parties are bigger, better and
more frequent). I’m sorry that some fraternities were so callous as to
party during Silver Taps, rest assured we will do no such thing.
Not only does a fraternity bring one closer to his school, but it
also serves as a common bond to people at other schools as well — we
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to Marco Roberts (Nov. 25) quote con
cerning homosexuality stating “1 had faith that truth, though it may
struggle and stumble along the way, will prevail in the end.
1 agree with the statement that truth will prevail. My question,
however, is what is truth? Is it simply the convictions of a particular
lifestyle, religion or culture? It is obvious that we do need a founda
tion of ultimate truth. I believe that the Holy Bible — God’s word —
is that truth.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible is not the ultimate kill
joy. It does not simply try to forbid everything that is “fun." It is the
basis of truth upon which to build a full and meaningful life.
The Bible has proved itself for literally thousands of years. We
owe it to ourselves to see what it has to say. On our campus, attention
seems to often be focused on the “rightness or wrongness” of “gays.”
I feel, however, that there are some additional problems in our Uni
versity that need addressing. My concern is for those whose lives
are being ruined by ignoring God’s truth.
In I Corinthians 6:9, the Bible says that, “Neither the sexually
immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor ho
mosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor dr unkards nor
slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God.” As we
see, drunkards and sexually immoral people are included with ho
mosexuals in the same verse. It is obvious to us that these problems
are more common than homosexuality, yet society considers these
problems “minor” to homosexuality.
I think it is necessary that people straighten out their own lives
before they start pointing the finger at others. As in Matthew 7
says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged .... Why do you look
at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye?” You don’t have to agree with me,
but I encourage you to seek answers on your own by reading the
Holy Bible. May God bless you.
Eric Kleinhenz ’85
On the other hand, I can imagine a set of circumstanctil
would give rise to such a misleading title. When the grouprti
organized they held a meeting to decide the name. A Chinese™
ist made a suggestion and the name w as so well-received byiltj
of the group (consisting of whites, Mexicans, Italians, etc.)
agreed on and the new society was called “National Sotietyolfl
Engineers.”
Since I live in a free society I have the t ight to criticize(it'iH
freedom of speech). 1 was not directly criticizing any ol thegH
mentioned. 1 was criticizing the racial double standard il
try. If a white man tells a racial joke and the storv gets out hell
criticized (and forced to resign f rom public office if he happtnlj
a politician). If a black man tells racial jokes he will be gi
and record contracts.
All 1 was saying is that if we want to solve the racial pi^
this country we will have to fight it everywhere, not just onl
side of the fence.
Michael A. Davis
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 301) words in length. The editorialslilfl 1 !
the right to edit letters lor style and length but will make every effort tottiM
author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the address ini $
number of the writer.
Solving racism
EDITOR:
This letter is to Stanley Goodridge and all the others that re
sponded to my letter on racist groups.
Prejudging is a natural reaction for anyone with the ability to
associate one idea or object with another idea or object. Your letter
is a good example. I never said the NSBE (National Society of
Black Engineers) restricted its membership. What I implied (and
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