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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 1986)
Page 2/Thursday, June 12, 1986/The Battalion Opinion Don't America's spies have better things to do? By C The FBI and the CIA have one of the hardest jobs in the country. These organiza tions have to pro tect Americans from a variety of villians including spies, terrorists, bankrobbers, counterfeiters, Karl Pallmeyer bootleggers, crooks, kidnappers, por- nographers, mother rapers, father slab bers and even father rapers. The FBI and the CIA have to protect us from such villains as John Dillinger, A1 Capone, Fidel Castro, Charles Man- son, Daniel Ortega, John Lennon and Rock Hudson. Last month the Dallas Times Herald reported that the FBI had a 34-page file on the late actor Rock Hudson. When the Times Herald requested Hudson’s File under the Freedom of Information Act, the FBI released 20 pages of the file but withheld the other 14 because they were considered classified “in the in terest of the national defense or foreign policy.” The limes Herald said the 20 pages it received were censored heavily. The FBI began its investigation into Hudson’s private affairs in 1960, when it was rumored that he would play an FBI agent in a movie. The FBI had disco vered that Hudson and several other prominent Hollywood figures were in volved in homosexual relations. The names of Hudson’s sexual partners were deleted from the Files that were released. The investigation ended when the FBI discovered that Hudson was going to play a New York City policeman instead of an FBI agent. In 1966, one of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s secretaries requested a check on Hudson through FBI Files. The FBI sent a report to the White House that didn’t mention the earlier investigation but did mention that in 1965 an infor mant admitted to having an “affair” with Hudson several years before in New York. The informant said that he knew that Hudson was a homosexual. When Hudson, one of Hollywood’s sexiest leading men, died of AIDS last October, many people were suprised to learn that he was homosexual. It’s nice to know that our country’s top law enforce ment agency knew about his private life THE PBl PIP A GREAT JOB CRACKING ISRAELI SPY ACTIVITY. ANP THEY PESERVE A BIG HATS OFF! United Feature Syndicate No age limit for freshmen This scene, or something like it, is being played all over the country right now. “Hi, Dad. The reason I came home is that I just • had a great idea.” “What’s that, son?” “I want to go to college this fall. I’ll Art Buchwald make a wonderful student.” “But your 35 years old. Why didn’t you go to school when I begged you 17 years ago?” “I was trying to Find myself.” “All those years?” “It took me longer than I thought it would. Aw c’mon. Dad. What can it cost you — a lousy five grand a year?” “Colleges don’t cost five grand a year anymore. They cost 15 grand. While you were out searching hither and yon for yourself the admissions people were mulitiplying everybody’s tuition by three.” “I always suspected you didn’t want me to have an education.” “It’s nothing personal, son, but after you left to work as a bartender, I decided to invest the money we set aside into something more meaningful, like my re tirement. The truth is both your mother and I decided you were on your way when you became night grillman at the Burger King.” “Boy, that is something — that is really something. I never thought you’d take my education money and squander it on your old age.” “I know it’s selfish, but how could we know after all these years that you would have the urge to learn? The offer I made to you when you were 18 years old was not open-ended.” “Look, if I go now I’ll graduate when I’m 39 years old.” “You’ll be the oldest student to matri culate.” “No, I won’t. I know a lot of guys who will be older. You remember Henry Landwirth, the guy who played in the band I managed after I gave up Burger King? He’s only a sophomore and he’s 45.” “Did he Find himself?” “He says he was never lost. He claims he just needed a break after high school before he started college.” The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Michelle Povve, Editor Loren Steffy. Opinion Page Editor Scott Sutherland, City Editor Kay Mallett, .Yen s Editor Ken Sury, Sports Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is ;i non-proiil. self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&.\1 and Brvan- C'ollege Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Edi torial Board or the author, and do not necessarih 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 Journalism. 1 he Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M tegular semesters, except for holiday and ex amination periods. Mail subscriptions are SIB. 75 per semes ter. $55.25 per school year and $55 per full year. Adver tis ing tales furnished on request. Out address: The Battalion. 2IB Reed McDonald Build ing. Texas A&M L’niversitw College Station. IX 77845. Second class postage paid at College Station. IX 77845. BOSTMAS’TER: Send address changes fo The Battalion, 21B Reed McDonald. Texas A&M University. College Sta tion 7 A 77845. and the names of those he shared it with. The CIA also has had an interest in Rock — not Hudson but music. After Watergate it was revealed that President Richard M. Nixon had ordered the CIA to keep close surveill ance on several people he believed were threats to national security. The CIA techniques included phone taps that had to be approved by the president. Yippie leaders Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Dr. Timothy Leary, Daniel Ellsberg and sev eral other government employees were tapped by the CIA. One of the most dan gerous phones the CIA listened to be longed to the late rock star John Lennon. The agency had every reason to keep tabs on Lennon. As a member of the Beatles, he led the British Invasion into America. Because of Lennon, American radio was Filled with a new style of music and American children started wearing new styles of clothes. Because of Lennon, young American boys started iok : . du-n h.m long. the API Nixon had good reason to trytole on . ca ll ph Lennon out of the country. WhileNM discom was sending thousands of America:. outpatieni their deaths in Vietnam — andwas|* 0 ?, w ‘ c * c .’ 1 sponsible for the deaths of thousandi; os ^ 'j, Vietnamese, Cambodians and Lao: q osw j c — Lennon was singing “Give Peatijpaid local Chance” and “War Is Over (Iflinight an Want).” wouldn’t ( Lennon expressed himself best v . ^he sn he released tapes of his music. expressed himself best when hetriti ’often p stop the release of tapes of his in: call positii Our country has problems:' business v problems that the FBI shouldst® security problems that the CIA shift solve. Don’t the FBI and ClAhavey Hoi things to do than to follow around pi and rock stars like crazed, teeiw; fans? Karl Pallmeyer is a senior jouni: major and a columnist for Thek lion. “Why is he going to school now?” “He decided without a college diplo ma you are nobody. With a sheepskin he feels he can charge twice as much to play gigs on New Year’s Eve.” “What do you want to study?” “I don’t know. Dad. I Figure I’ll go to college and something will turn me on.” “You’re telling me you want to go back to school and you don’t know what you want to be?” “I’m not one to go to collegejust to get a job. It must be a more meaningful ex perience to cherish forever.” “Good point. But you’d be so far ahead of the game if, at age 35, you knew what you wanted to do.” “If you won’t give me money, I’ll work my way through college.” “What a wonderful idea. It will give you moral fiber.” “But if I have to work I’ll be cheated out of what everyone says should be the happiest days 6f my life.” “If you could just give me some hint of your goals I might reconsider your re quest.” “Give me a break, Dad. Just because I found myself doesn’t mean I have any idea of what I want to do.” CONGRESSMAN, p»fr WORRY ABOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL,, JUST THINK OF ME A$ ANOTHER POLITICAL ACTON COMMITTEE.,, Mail Call The devil and Mr. Ed fou In l NEW EDITOR: The furor continues in Hollywood over recent allegations linking 1 sitcom star Mr. Ed The Talking Horse to Satan-worship. Last monthtw Ohio evangalists went public with accusations that Mr. Ed was sendir.; satanic messages backwards in the theme song of his television show, now; syndication. So far the illusive equine, who can sometimes be seen trottingr the neighborhood of his palatial Bel-Air stable, has not spoken outonthesc charges. businessi death Wi night roo hotel and had left t 1 The2 was shot head, pol slaving w motive. Polic* identify tl til his fan said he \ Corp., a ] velopmer pany. But a spokeshorse and long-time friend of the herd recently hadthisit say: “It’s true that in the series Ed played a somewhat devilish character,bin there isn’t an ounce of truth in these charges. At First Ed was upset, buiyot have remember that he is an old warperson. He rode out the dark daysoftk Hollywood blacklist, and I have no doubt that he will be able to hooftte latest problem.” Indeed, controversy has plagued Mr. Ed since it was announced lastyer that he had been admitted to the Betty Ford Center in Palm Springs!' receive treatment for the abuse of grain alcohol and horse pain killers. The current rumor is that Ed is considering appearing on Pat Robertsoni: “700 Club” television show to publicly refute the satanic message allegatioii! Robertson, a popular “televangelist” and presidential hopeful, is leadingtb Fight to ban the current widespread sales of backward-playing record playen to college and high school students. Gene Scott ’74 Don't miss the chance ii $ EDITOR: June has arrived and Father’s Day is fast approaching. Many dadsifl receive the obligatory tie or cologne. Some may be taken to dinner ortotb lake, but will they receive what they truly deserve? 6 M My dad wasn’t incredibly handsome or highly athletic. He was just so® one who could make anyone feel at ease around him. I can truthfully say thf there wasn’t single person who didn’t like my dad after they met him Perhaps no greater tribute can be said about anyone. As I was growing up, I realized that this man was not just my father, he also was my best friend. A weekend didn’t seem complete unless we had gone hunting or Fishing or been to a football game. My mother always knew that given half a chance, we would leave the grass unmowed to see if we could catch our limit of bass that day. When I went to college, my dad and I didn’t have much time to spend, together. However, he used to call me from work with the latestjokehehad! heard or just to talk for a while. Unfortunately, I always seemed to be bus': when he called. My trips home were few, so we had less time to hunt and fisll together. Finally, about two years ago, I came home for Thanksgiving. We spenttb day stuffing ourselves with turkey and watching football on TV. Then"! took off for the weekend to hunt deer. We had the best time, considerini that we had done so little together in the past year. As I was leaving to return to College Station, I got the strangest feelint that I might never see my dad again. I wanted to hug him and tell him hot 1 much he meant to me, but instead I just dismissed my feeling as irration) 1 and left for school. The next Saturday, my mom called and told me that my dad had suffered a heart attack and died. My best friend had left me without a prop< : goodbye. Now when I go hunting, Fishing or watch a football game, the enjoyment considerably lessened by the absence of my dad. I miss his calls and hii teasing me about spending Saturday nights at home. 4 here have been times, especially this past year, when I have wished had taken me with my best friend. But I know that my dad would ratherha'i me Finish my education and take care of my mom and sister. My deeptf regret is that I didn’t tell my dad that day how much I loved him. So I urge everyone to use this Father’s Day to tell their dads how mud they mean to them. Don’t just assume they know. I know they would en/ such a gift many times more than anything that can be bought in a store know I would give anything to be able to say this Sunday: “Happy Father Day, Dad! I love you!” Steve Lovelace Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves^ to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author's intfl 11 letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer. r,