F'age 2/The Battalion/Friday, February 27, 1987
Opinion
. . L.UB .'if!
The Battalion
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Marybeth Rohsner, Managing Editor
Mike Sullivan, Opinion Page Editor
Jens Koepke, City Editor
Jeanne Isenberg, Sue Krenek, News Editors
Homer Jacobs, Sports Editor
Tom Ownbey, Photo Editor
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Heed the warning
Though the NCAA’s decision to slap Southern Methodist Uni
versity with a one-year death penalty is justified, the Southwest Con
ference will miss the team’s presence. But of more concern to Texas
A&M should be the implications of such a penalty.
Attending a university caught up in allegations that somehow
have been temporarily sidelined should have Aggies considering the
effect of any NCAA penalty on A&M.
SMU students and faculty have expressed concern about the im
pact the decision will have on student morale, enrollment and the
university’s reputation. As one SMU student told the Houston
Chronicle, “Football is a big deal around here. It’s going to be termi
nal boredom next fall.”
Another SMU student commented, “College without football is
not going to be the same. It’s going to be hard to find things to do
because fall semester revolves around football.”
One can’t help but wonder what the effect of such a decision
would be on A&M — a University boasting unrivaled school spirit.
A&M’s now-controversial football team generates more school
spirit among today's Aggies than any other facet of this University.
Certainly, lesser attended sports events, Silver Taps, All-U Night
and other school events couldn’t possibly keep the blood of 98 per
cent of all Aggies running deep maroon.
Without a football program — winning or not — A&M could ex
pect the same consequences that SMU will be facing in years to come.
Aggies — especially those in control of the Athletic Department
— should consider SMU’s misfortune a warning. For there but for
the grace of the NCAA go we.
As history and truth collide
At a dinner one
night in Russia, a
diplomat pointed
to the ceiling and,
without looking
up, everyone at
the table nodded.
^His was the uni
versal reminder
that there could be
a listening device
in the ceiling and
tvc had better
"watch what we said. We did, and for a
moment the conversation went dead.
No one can kill a good discussion like
:Big Brother.
It is stretching things a bit to say there
is a kind of Big Brother watching Amer
ican presidents, but something like that
is happening. In the case of Ronald Rea
gan, various investigators looking into
the Iran/Contra affair are seeking his
personal notes, the ones he is said to
make at the end of the day. It is more or
less his diary.
At the same time, we are told that
Congress is considering subpoenaing
the notes made by Reagan’s biographer,
Edmund Morris, who has been granted
unparalleled access to both the White
House and the president. Once a
month, Morris meets with the president
for a long interview. The rest of the
time, hd»can sit in on most meetings of
his choosing.
There is not much that Reagan, or
any president, has done that meets with
universal approval, but the selection of
Morris did. He is as fine an historical bi
ographer as there is. His “The Rise of
Theodore Roosevelt” won the Pulitzer
Prize and many people await the second
volume of that work like kids anticipat
ing the circus. Reagan could not have
chosen better, but even so he offered
Morris the best of all deals: no con
straints. The man can write whatever he
wishes. Few public figures —few people
of any kind — would make such an of
fer. We all want to hold our own mirror.
But the exemplary arrangement Rea
gan made with Morris will come to
naught if Morris’ notes are subpoenaed.
Even the talk of a subpoena is bound to
have a chilling effect on the
relationship. In 1973, I was subpoenaed
by then Vice President Spiro Agnew
and ordered to turn over my notes
about his investigation for bribery. My
sources simply dried up. No matter how
many assurances I offered that I would
never reveal my sources, they chose to
do the prudent thing. They shut up.
Maybe Reagan will be undeterred by
the talk of subpoena and continue to
confide in Morris. Maybe he will also, at
day’s end, jot down perfectly candid
notes, complete with disparaging re
marks about some of the people who
crossed his path that day. I don’t know.
But it is fair to assume that with investi
gators seeking his notes and those of his
biographer, the president will react
much as 1 did in Moscow when a hand
pointed to the ceiling. There are some
things you don’t want Big Brother to
hear.
The demands of history and those of
law are on a collision course here. Law
should take precedence if it seems clear
that a crime has been committed. That
was the case with Richard Nixon’s tapes
and so they were subpoenaed. In the
course of reading those transcripts, we
not only learned quite a bit about both
the Watergate burglary and the subse
quent cover-up, but also how ugly Nixon
could be. His offhand remarks — bitter,
bigoted and mean — were shocking, but
they had little to do with whether or not
crimes were committed. He might well
have talked civilly, and still have di
rected a cover-up.
With Reagan, there is still no evi
dence that he broke the law in selling
arms to Iran or with subsequent diver
sion of some of those funds to the Nica
raguan contras. Absent that evidence.
Congress ought to respect the right of a
president to hold confidential meetings,
make confidential notes and confide in
a biographer without someone peering
over his shoulder.
There are indications the Nixon prec
edent has not gone unnoticed in the
White House. Notes and records for
certain meetings seem not to exist —
maybe for fear of demands that they
eventually be relinquished. That’s rep
rehensible. But the same fear of disclo
sure that chills the sneaky and deceptive
will have an effect on honest and forth
right people as well. No president would
be quite as candid if he thought that his
remarks could make the headlines a
year down the road — and out of con
text, at that.
History is not an abstraction. It has
real utility. It instructs, and the presi
dents of today are wiser for the histories
written by and about their predecessors.
What is true for them is true for us all.
Congress will embark down a danger
ous path if it subpoenas Morris’ notes.
In seeking the truth, it may ensure that
we never get it.
Copyright 1986, Washington Post Writers Group
Richard
Cohen
i
Texas’ Wbrst Litter Problem Is *.
(Choose One)
A. Longhecks
B. Longhecks
MAjRGM
Future of America should
be cared for as such
I went home
last week for a
dental appoint
ment, nothing ex
citing. What was
exciting was see
ing one of my best
friends from high
school, Stephanie.
I used to stand
next to Stephanie
during drill team
practice and we
would talk about school, guys and the
usual high school gossip. A lot of things
have changed in the past four years.
Stephanie and I started out in the
same direction after high school. We
both decided to go to college. I came
here and she went to Southwest Texas
State. As the saying goes, college isn’t
for everyone and Stephanie dropped
out after her freshman year. She moved
back home with her folks and attended
a travel academy. She graduated and
landed a job with an airline in Dallas.
She started dating her old high school
boyfriend again and last summer they
got married. Stephanie and her hus
band are expecting their first baby in a
few weeks. She wants to stay home with
the baby, but her financial situation
won’t allow it. After the baby is about
four months old Stephanie’s planning
to start working again. One of her big
gest concerns is who will care for her
child.
According to the U.S. Bureau of La
bor Statistics, more than half of all
mothers — married and unmarried —
with children under six years old are
working outside the home. According to
National Institute of Health data, the
proportion of children under age six
with employed mothers is expected to
reach two-thirds by 1995. In addition,
the recent census data show the number
of children in single-parent homes is
also on the rise.
As these figures continue to increase,
so does the demand for high-quality day
care. To compound the problem, only
an estimated 40 percent of working
women in this country are entitled to
paid maternity leave (generally lasting
four to eight weeks). Parents who can’t
afford private day care often find 18- to
24-month waiting lists for subsidized
child care programs.
The argument of whether women
with young children should work is ir
relevant because situations like Stepha
nie’s don’t allow the option. In some
cases the mother’s decision to return to
work is a matter of survival. The family
could not live without the second in
come. Like Elinor Guggenheimer, pres
ident for Child Care Action Campaign
said, “fewer than 15 percent of all fami
lies fit the Ozzie and Harriet model —
the male breadwinner with the stay-at-
home wife and kids.”
Although day care is most commonly
used by working parents, there are
other parents and children with special
needs who seek day care services. For
example, more than 500,000 babies are
born to teen-age girls every year. Many
of these young mothers depend on day
care so they can continue their educa
tion or find a job. Day care also can help
abused children by taking them out of
the home for at least part of the day.
This break can benefit both the child
and parents by reducing stress.
Of course, the real issue isn’t whem
day care should be available, but raths
how our country can promote andk
sure adequate day care for families4
want or need this service. Current
there are no federal regulationsregaic
ing the general health of children indi
care. Federal regulations were pr;
posed, but they were suspended:
1980. Recently, a number of bills bylt;
islators have been introduced in Cci;
gress to establish better day care. Hits
include:
• Public Housing Child Care Ad-
to appropriate grants for a progn:
that would provide child careservicesi
public housing projects. .
• Child Care Assistance Act - li
help states improve the quality m
coordination of child care servicesar:
to provide financial assistance to fat
lies.
• National Child Protection Act-io
promote safety for children in day®
These measures are essential toqail
ity day care. Although every state niaif
dates licensing for day care, almos
none of the states regulate these cenlffi
for fire, health and safety regulations
In supporting day care legislation,
are working for the rights of childrtt
who have no lobby group of their ow
But day care isn’t just for children.il!
for working mothers, fathers and e«i
the people who don’t have childrenif
cause providing a healthy environmen
for children to grow up in is vital I®
our future.
Jo Streit is a senior journalism nip
and a columnist for The Battalion.
Mail Call
Bunch of bownheads
EDITOR.
BOWTOWN, USA —This is a simple letter directed to
those students who are compelled to amble around this
University wearing a grossly obnoxious uniform. No.
Settle down, cadets. I’m not talking about the Corps.
I am, however, referring to the female students who so
frequently don those hideous bows — especially the silver
and/or gold lame ones. They are, with their unsightly glare
and far from inconspicuous size, the most ridiculous
fashion trend since parachute pants or even bell-bottom
jeans.
Seriously, some small bows, worn for the purpose of
holding one’s hair back are easily acceptable. However,
when these “fashionable” ornaments begin to rival the size
of many weekend kites, one begins to wonder about a girl’s
safety. For example, the past few days have been rather
windy; and yet, I still see these girls wearing their
mammoth headgear.
For your safety, and the fashion consciousness of
others, please use this substantial amount of material to
create something that is of worth. The possibilities are
endless. For example, a new dress, drapes for your room,
or a new satellite for NASA. Enough said, ladies?
Greg P. Zweiacker ’89
There's more to it!
EDITOR:
The At Ease staff requests that gripes, complaints or
sermons on “heavy-duty” issues be sent to The Battalion
Opinion Page. Please forward this “suggestion” to the
staff.
Please remember that a closer look at Greeks at A&M
should also include traditionally black Greek organizations
on campus.
There are four nationally recognized black fraternities
and sororities in College Station: Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa
Alpha Psi, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta.
Like most Greek organizations on campus, we are
dedicated to academic excellence and service to all
mankind, but our special feature is a tradition of
promoting sisterhood and brotherhood both on an
undergraduate and graduate level. Service and
community involvement is our theme and our actions
locally demonstrate this.
We work closely with the Bryan Boys’ Club, Bryan-
College Station Jaycees, College Station Girls’ Club and the
recently developed Adopt-A-School program in College
Station. Nationally, we contribute to the United Negro
College Fund, the NAACP, UNICEF, and United Way-
just to name a few. We can be seen on weekends washing
cars, escorting children to various enrichment programs
and hosting campus parties, open to all students.
Take a closer look; our bright sweatshirts, bumper
stickers and ball caps are scattered throughout campus
also.
In your effort to maintain objectivity in presenting
Greek organizations, you failed to recognize Greek
organizations, in particular black fraternities and
sororities, dedicated to service.
Delritta Hornbuckle ’87
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial stafl"
serves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to mi: '
tain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must inclvde the
tion, address and telephone number of the writer.
L