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
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Member of
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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
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