Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, February 3, 1986
Power play
Gov. Mark White suggested Thursday that a possible solu
tion to the power cost discrepancies between the Texas and
Louisiana customers of Gulf States’ Utilities might be to rollback
the company’s rates in Texas. It’s about time White took some
action to limit the runaway rate increases East Texas has been
cursed with in recent months.
GSU rates in Louisiana are about 25 percent less than in
Texas because Louisiana’s utility commission prohibits the com
pany from charging interest costs on the Riverbend nuclear
power project near Baton Rouge, La.
But Texas, which won’t even benefit from the nuclear plant,
has no such restrictions. GSU already has the highest rates in the
state ($105.50 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours), and it now is proposing
a $110.2 million hike. It’s nearest price competitor in Texas is
Houston Lighting and Power, which charges $92.50.
Texans shouldn’t have to pay for Lousiana’s nuclear power
plant. It’s time to put a stop to GSU’s attempts capitalize on Tex
as’s lack of rate restrictions.
True, GSU did issue rebates to customers in the local area,
claiming it had overcharged them. But the rebates were minimal
compensation for the rate rape College Station residents have
lo
suffered since GSU took over local utilities in 1979.
Yes, utility rate regulation is a solution to the descrepancies
in power costs between Texas and Louisiana — an obvious one
that the Texas Public Utility Commission should have adopted
months ago.
The Battalion Editorial Board
No career is demeaning as long as it’s a challeng
Hey guys, when
was the last time
you peeked inside
the little girls
room?
I know, I know:
You were in the
third grade;
school was out for
the day, and the
femme fatalle la
vatory became
Cynthia
Gay
your ultimate quest when a certain fifth
grade bully dared you to go inside —
just once to check things out. You
donned your suit of knightly armor and
hoped unchivalrously that no “lady”
would you find.
Chances are that if you were to enter
these exclusive environs today, you
might be just as hard pressed to find a
true lady. It’s just not in style nowadays
among us gals, who incidentally are
members of what was once called the
“weaker sex.”
(that’s bureaucratese for secure same
ness), a society which teaches little girls
that if they play with dolls, they’ll grow
up to be a housewife, mother of four. A
stereotypical failure, for the term “hou
sewife” means she is plugged into soap
operas, pink sponge curlers, polyester
pants and Richard Simmons.
Today’s ladder of success for the as
piring female tolerates the teenie-bop-
per stage, but then follows it with a rung
for college, career and chairperson of
the board of the corporation. Half a
rung is allowed for marriage and moth
erhood, but these rh&m’s can be sweet,
dangerous distractions to fulfilling the
illusive dream of independence and
power over men. You remember, the
guys on the high school football team
who yearly received new uniforms while
the girls’ rugby team was repeatedly
overlooked.
Young women of the ’80s are prod
ucts, or victims of a society that prides it
self in nondiscriminatory equalization,
Discrimination. We’ve been taught it
was the American way of life and, as
open minded leaders for the 21st cen
tury, we’re instructed to stamp it out. As
women we are told to be on our guard,
ready to report the former football star
who opens a door for us. Under his veil
of courtesy he must think we’re helpless,
right? Maybe he’s afraid we’ll be pro
moted before him, and he’s trying to get
in his last licks of chauvinism.
Watch out guys, for “hell hath no
fury like a woman’s scorn.”
And as women we can scorn indis
criminately. We are sanctioned in sus
pecting every male of plotting to hinder
our inevitable advance. We must have
careers now or consider ourselves fail
ures. We must achieve all the dreams
Daddy had hoped for his son.
But what about Mom? Didn’t she en
courage us years ago to play house and
dress up in her ruffled calico dress?
(Note: Mom never suggested we put on
polyester pants). Maybe we experienced
a similar thrill dressing up for our se
nior prom, feeling really pretty for the
first time. And what about that formal
last fall, when we put aside our text
books to get all gussied up, and our
roommate fussed over us just like Mom
used to do. It was fun.
And didn’t Mom once say, “If you act
like a lady, he’ll treat you like a lady”?
All this seems incongruous with the
harsh reality of day-to-day living. “La
dy” is supposed to be passe, and “chair
person” is in. Femininity is old fash
ioned, and feminism is our formula.
The latest trends in journalism say,
however, that the “person” paranoia is
on its way out, followed by soon-to-be-
not-missed “Ms.”
So where does this leave us, girls?
Must we be supermom and superexecu
tive rolled into one?
The truth is we can be anything we
want today, but even this equal opportu
nity can’t give us everything. It can’t
make us ladies.
That’s a daily decision we women
have to make on our own. It requires
self discipline and poise. This poise isn’t
a facade left over from charm school,
but real life thinking under pressure.
Poise is uncorking that distinctive per
sonality with class. Poise is being your
self, and being a Lady. Alone or in a
crowd.
But the women of today won’t learn
how from each other. Ask your room
mate what to wear, and she’ll say sweats
and no make up is just fine. Aftei
who’s gonna see you anyway? An
simply can’t miss “All My Children,
cause Monday’s episode is sure ton
everything.
We have revert c<l to the “houstij
lifestyle, while we prepare for a da:
career. This is not independence!
the worst form of dependence.bliiJ|
America’s an from seeinghen®^,
the lady she can become.
A college education was never! P" 1
to be only utilized from 9 toSweekcW
but to teach us to think. We can bePe c
ter fuff-time wives and mothers
of our education if we want. Anil
gardless of what society says, norj
demeaning if America’s woment
lenge themselves. A lady never stops
proving.
ladies becoming an exn
Are
breed?
Restroom doors
merely women.
now tell us wf
Cynthia Gay is a junior journalism
jor and a columnist for The Battah
Mail Call
Thanks for the melodies
EDITOR:
I could not believe the paranoid ravings of Brian Sterling in
Wednesday’s Battalion (DON'T BE FOOLED BY LIBERAL
TUNES). He has shown that he has no idea about what he is talking
about. “New Age Music” is a label applied by marketing executives
to a style of music that does not fit into the standard music catego
ries, i.e. jazz, rock, classical, etc. There is even much controversy
over what music fits into this category. Many people believe that
Windham Hill belongs more in the jazz category.
One of the founders of New Age style music is Mark Halpern.
He has worked closely with doctors in creating a style of music that
promotes calmness and relieves tension. This music was originally
created to be played on sound systems in medical offices and other
high-tension areas. Hardly a conspriracy to promote one-world gov
ernment.
New Age music exists for enjoyment. No other message is im
plied. In fact, it would be hard for New Age music to propagandize
any message — it’s all instrumental (if only the same could be said
for other music).
I suppose there might be some who could read some subliminal
message in this music. After all, Windham Hill has some albums with
such tunes as “Carol of the Bells,” “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire,” and
“Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head.” Even Mannheim Steamroller has
come out with a Christmas Album containing “Silent Night” and
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” If this is a trend, then maybe we
can stop it before it continues.
In conclusion, I would like to thank KAMU-FM for New Age
Music on Friday at 7 p.m. It is one of the best programs on radio to
day.
Troyce Wilson
Senior History Major
Pay up or shut up
EDITOR:
I would like to comment on the anti-abortionists at Texas A&M~
University, especially those who criticized Glenn Murtha’s column in
the Jan. 23 issue of The Battilion.
Why don’t they put their money where their mouth is? They
constantly argue that poverty and the inability to financially provide
for a child is no excuse to have an abortion, but where are they when
the doctor’s bills arrive? Where are they when the child is born and
the hospital bills need to be paid? If they are so concerned with fe
tuses being carried to full term, why don’t they aid pregnant women
by helping them pay their bills?
Secondly, they are always defending the rights of the “un”-born,
but what about the rights of the BORN? No matter what a pregnant
woman’s circumstances are, they call her self-centered and weak if
she decides to have an abortion.
What about cases where the woman’s health is in danger?
Shouldn’t the woman be given seniority over a parasite (by Webster’s
definition) that has never experienced life on its own?
What about when amniocentesis shows that an unborn child will
be severely mentally retarded at birth? This child will certainly never
leave home — he will be a lifelong responsibility to his parents. Isn’t
it cruel to expect the parents to completely sacrifice their lives for
something that can rarely give in return?
Parents need to continue to expand their own lives even after
they have children. I wonder if the anti-abortionists care about those
who function OUTSIDE the womb, also?
The anti-abortionists should realize that abortion is not a black
and white issue. They need to think carefully about a woman’s situa
tion before they harass her about her difficult decision to have an
abortion.
Elizabeth A. Haley
In memoriam...
EDITOR:
Long ago, men gazed at the heavens with awe. Small glissening
lights in the night sky held wonder, and dread, for them. They rec
ognized patterns in these lights, watched their movements, studied
their phases, trying to understand what secrets they held and what
benefits they could bestow.
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger was not different from
those long-dead star-gazers. There also was a desire to know, to un
derstand, to unlock the dark secrets of things beyond our grasp.
These travelers never made it, but in a way they always will. They
reside now not in a pressurized cabin, but in the great hall of history;
proud members of a family that includes such as Magellan and da
Gamma, Gallelio and Kepler. Indeed the host includes all who, of
great personal risk, have sought to push back the boundarie
knowledge.
Forever may such as them be remembered, for, as James?!
ner once wrote “An age is not called Dark because thelighttf
shine, but because people refuse to see it.” The shuttles musH
tinue to fly.
There is another lesson to be learned from mission 51-Lln
world of advanced technology, we often forget the true natufl
the forces that must be bent, but not broken, to allow us to do*
do. Let us not become so vain as to think that nature doesoui
ding for free. The price we pay for safe success is eternal vigife
and painstaking care. Disorder from order — the second b*
thermodynamics — raised its ugly head again Tuesday. Wen#
with all we know, to keep it down forevermore.
Therefore onward we must push, ever mindful of natures'
gain; until in the paraphrased words of John Gillespie Magee
can slip the surly bonds of earth — reach out our hand and
the face of God.
rm
£
3
*
%
Christopher Efird
Class of’87
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorials
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tain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must include theadd^
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E
*
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The Battalion Editorial Board
Michelle Powe, Editor
Kay Mallett, Managing Editor
Loren fcteffy, Opinion Page Editor
Jerry Oslin, City Editor
Cathie Anderson, News Editor
Travis Tingle, Sports Editor
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