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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1986)
Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, February 10,1986 An amateur job A new organization is trying to unionize college athletes, claiming that the players are exploited by their schools. To help draw attention to this “problem,” the Revenue Producing Major College Player’s Association is calling for a strike of next year’s bowl games. The RPMCPA’s goals are a good idea for profes sional athletes, but on a collegiate level they are absurd. The RPMCPA is proposing medical plans, legal representa tion, career advice, travel allowances and money for emergen cies for college athletes. The organization also wants college ath letes to be able to receive benefits which are currently prohibited by NCAA regulations. While the RPMCPA’s ideas would appeal to any athlete, am ateur or professional, they could not be instigated unless the NCAA rules — which deFine the amateur status of college ath letes — were revamped. In essence, college players would no longer be amateurs. The benefits the RPMCPA is hoping to procure for college play ers exceed those received by many full-time professionals. If the RPMCPA had its way, college athletes would turn pro fessional. But until the NCAA decides to alter its regulations, they will — and should — remain amateurs. The Battalion Editorial Board Don’t be afraid to set off some verbal firewor We’re losing, Ags. Time out. What? Just when we tucked the Cotton Bowl in our back pocket and the Southwest Conference bas- k e t b a 1 1 championship is within our grasp? Cynthia Gay But those aren’t the only games in town. Instead of Sports Illustrated, my professors have informed me that the results of this game can be better understood in Cer vantes’ Don Quixote and a philosophy book titled Applying Moral Theories, to name a few. I’m talking about the game of life, academically speaking. I can see my prof now, one arm grab bing the front edge of the podium, his eyes flashing behind those transluscent glasses — transluscent because I never completely comprehend where he’s coming from, or what he’s driving at. He makes a point. He hesitates half a breath for a response. He gets none. He continues . . . I’m still back on that point of his that I’m not quite sure- about. He might mean something I totally disagree with. But what do I know? I’m just a student. Just a student! We students are “the best,” “the brightest,” “the hopes for America,” “the leaders of tomorrow.” It sounds like a con man’s introduc tion at a circus side show. “Step right up and take a gander at the students who’ll shape the world someday!” I know that’s ridiculous, but it seems a lot of “grown-up people” are waiting for us to clue them in on our motives, our ideals, our dreams. Their dreams washed away years ago, and their ideals were swept along with them. They want to see someone whose face still flushes and eyes still burn; to hear someone who will run down the dorm hall shout ing in ecstacy because the inscrutable physics problem has just been solved; to know someone who can down a pizza at midnight, type a paper until 3 a.m., sleep until 6 a.m., read two chapters be fore class and then doze off for 45 min utes of a 50-minute lecture. Yes, this is your life! But you’re won dering what my point is in all this. I’m simply trying to wake you up for the last five minutes of that lecture class, and if you hear one thing from that prof that leaves you a bit confused, let him know — then and there if possible. Especially if the class is a species of liberal arts — these classes are to teach us to use our minds, not simply to learn what some one else thinks. They are most fun when you disagree, when you argue, when you so personally involve yourself with the subject matter that you’re willing to risk your subjective dignity to stir things up a bit. Professors like controversy them selves, and the college class room is the world’s sanctuary for verbal fireworks. So why not ignite a few? We all inher ited some pearls of wisdom from home, and we did have to reel in a few bits of savvy to get to the Big U. in the first place, so we all have something to con tribute — even to that class you’ve walked into 10 times and walked out later without saying a word for the past fuzzy 50 minutes. So what if the other students think you’re a bit off-beat, or your “ignorant” statements reveal that, heaven forbid, you have not read the ubiquitous “mate rial?” I love to tell my friends some of the crazy things my profs said in a class. (I’m a liberal arts major, so I receive a large daily dosage of proverbial wonders). They’d usually ask me what I replied to the profs questionable remark. Nothing. Nothing? They’d give me a look of disappointment, especially friends from other colleges. Invariably, a professor in one of their classes had made a similar statement, and it had provoked a heated discussion that kept students thinking long after class was over. Whereas, in that stagnant room in the Blocker Building there was only silence. Then I’d say the professor could tell from the look on my face that he wasn’t slipping one by me. All the while I was kicking myself for cowardice, or even worse, apathy. At the time it just didn’t seem to matter whether I agreed or not. But WHEN does it start toil Maybe we’re so busy avoiding (I with other human beings weail ning scared and don’t even knoul Then there’s that last, attracl cuse for not raising the verbalierl t m r < >f .i ( l.iss: W h.tl it 11i.i' , t transluscent glasses starts to kl \ in I wh.u it he gi ades mv ess I with exceptionally bloody relish: I le probably will secretly lovc« put. Besides, a grade is a mom standard that we as students caul glorif y into the be-all, end-allofoi] lege existence. And just as died momentary, so are we. Ween little each day, improving or regra Who and what we are can’t be mined by some grade. We ma'I made some Cs, but no one is“aitj And we’ve all failed a lot moretli have Fs to show for it. If we try to avoid conflicts: game of life, we’ll he playing« bounds. Time in. Cynthia Gay is a junior jourmfcl jor and a columnist for TheBm Mail Call Consider the source EDITOR: Why not get the facts from the source? This week SCONA will have a conference entitled “The Myriad Challenge of Middle East,” a significant part of which will be dealing with Islam. Ironically, no Moslem scholars have been invited to speak at the conference, even though Moslem student organizations here submitted a list of recommendations to SCONA in 1985. To become familiar with Islam, Moslems, and the issues con cerning them, we invite the public to hear a Moslem scholar rather than the western “experts”. Dr. Kalim Siddiqui, director of the Lon don-based Moslem Institute will give a talk concerning the Middle East on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in room 701 Rudder Tower. Siddiqui is the author of numerous books and is a frequent con tributor to the Crescent International Weekly published in Canada. For 17 years he was a journalist on British newspapers including the prestigious Guardian. Saeid Minaei Selected Bible readings EDITOR: I am a senior who has never responded to a letter in The Battal ion because I have never seen a letter worse than plain stupid — un til Wednesday. That was the day I read the ugliest and most disgusting cheap- shot ever printed in our paper. My letter is to the Foardes’, who lashed out at Karl Pallmeyer by implying that he is unprofessional, wicked, sinful, immoral and an atheist. My first question is, how dare you? Where do you get off? Who do you think you are? God’s right hand on this earth? You know, some of us like Karl Pallmeyer and his articles even if we don’t al ways agree with him. He stimulates my mind. He might have stimu lated yours if you had one. Nevertheless, your letter was a low-down, uncalled for piece of slander. Maybe you ought to open up your Bible and read the por tions that concern the judging of others (this part of the Bible is most commonly and conveniently overlooked by people of your type). If you don’t like Pallmeyer’s articles, then just shut your eyes when you get to Page 2. You would have us believe that no one wants to read his viewpoint. Well I do! Mark A. Mendlovitz Give the man a job EDITOR: I’m glad that someone still considers homemaking and child rearing to be a significant career. I and my wife (whoever she will be) will certainly welcome someone with Hal Hammons’ zeal to take care of our children during the workday. He claims that in his perspec tive, I hope he meant perspective, no career is more significant. Good for him. I hope he enjoys it. Richard de Castongrene Class of’88 An awesome human EDITOR: How about that Karl Pallmeyer. Isn’t he an awesome human. We were extremely impressed by his ability to comment on the desires of the Filipino people. We are sure he knows exactly what type of free dom of Filipino people want, but it’s not his fault. The Batt just doesn’t give him enough room to express a complete thought. We are in need of his vast knowledge of world affairs, after all he is a journalist and a darn insightful one at that. His vast wealth of in formation on various topics that touch our everday lives is simply awesome. We would like to take this opportunity to express some views of our own. In regard to the science of orthopedics, we feel that the en tire population of Southeast Asia want to wear Dr. Schols arch sup port slip-ins. In regard to physics, we believe that the people of New Guinea no longer want to obey the laws of physics This is displayed obviously in the people of New Guinea’s protests. We would, however, like Pallmeyer to confirm our opinions. Doug Driskell Greg Van Horn Not for women only EDITOR: In Hal Hammons’ Thursday letter, he stated that the most sig nificant career for a woman would be to stay at home and rear her children to become responsible, mature citizens. Well of course rais ing children to that goal is important. But if it is so important, then why doesn’t he stay home and help out? Gee guys, all this infinite trust in the character-formation abilities of us women is quite flatter ing, but somewhat inaccurate (like all stereotypes). Do you really think that ovaries and breasts should be the qualificiationfij rearing? Does every woman you know have the exact samef ity and is nurturance the dominant trait? A lot of women may not enjoy applying their intellectfj stimulation problems as: What is the correct temperature foil bottle? Should I potty train little Joey this week or next!; thought-provoking situations with a screaming child that(te| ALL of your attention (Don’t tell me this is incorrect-li j ever been around a two-year-old? Of course, a lot of women find child-raising a very enjopl perience. Well, good for them! They have found themselvT cupation that they really enjoy. A lot of men enjoy raising also. Since Hammons holds child-raising in such high ref I LOVE for him to be my nanny!!! He should give me a call, IJ book. Georgette Nicolaides Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The edilo* j serves the right to edit letters for style and length but will make everyeflM I tain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the rid telephone number of the writer. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Editor Michelf] Managing Editor Ka'" j Opinion Page Editor Lore® J City Editor .........4 j£ rI r/ News Editor CathieAnq Sports Editor Travis q Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a communitf steV' A&M and Bryan-Collegc Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion ate those of the Editorial Board or the author 3ittl^ I essarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fat uity or the Board oiReftw 1 The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, phy classes within the Department of Communications. The Battalion is published Monday through Triday during Texas A&M regular smtsttn 1 ' holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester. $33.25penh' $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, '/'exas A&M University Colti 1 A TX 77843. Second class postage paid at College Station, 'TX 77843.