Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, May 1, 1987 Opinion Of GPRs and the students’ right to choose Despite the University and Athletic Depart ment response to recent requests under the Free dom of Informa tion Act, freedom of the press has been maintained on this campus. When Aggies pick up l he Battalion, Karl Pallmeyer’s right to spout off about bowheads or evangelists. In our case, it means that students are allowed to pro duce a professional-caliber newspaper uninhibited by faculty and administra tion. Loren Steffy they are enjoying a press freedom that many more “prestigious” schools lack. It’s no accident that The Battalion, for example, is not under the direct con trol of the University hierarchy. Student Publications, of which our paper is a part, is overseen by the Student Publica tions Board, made up of a chairman, three faculty members, one staff mem ber and three students. It is this board that nominates the editor. the editor or a staff member simply be cause board members disagree with the paper’s content. In this way, the Univer sity has no direct control over Battalion policy and, for that matter, neither does the Publications Board. In this sense, ii is truly a student newspaper. (lie professional arena, ii is also a non- academic operation. Quality, not grade points, is the prior ity. lions. The board is entering into am area of control. Never before basil staff policy beyond the qualifications! editor. Currently all other rec|iiirenKi lot staff positions at e set by the editor Freedom of the press is far more than The board, however, cannot remove It is not a student organization. Working for The Battalion is a job. The application process resembles that at a professional paper, and most of the op erations and budget processes are car ried out in the same way. While the pa per is a proving ground for skills learned in journalism classes, an oppor tunity to hone abilities before entering But at its last meeting, the Student Publications Board was asked to con sider a bylaws change that would ex pand its influence over the paper. Cur rently, the Battalion editor has the authority to hire any student lie or she chooses to work on the staff. But if the proposed bylaw change, which was tem- porairly tabled, is approved, all staff members would be required to have at least a 2.0 grade-point ratio. If it were to override this authoii the I Kiard would be showing a lad confidence in its own nominees. Wor such an ac tion would raise thequesii “What nexu i pose to my time here t hat solidified tbe hoi Kl d half-hours of studying hil dd The purpose of a college education is to promote learning. A minimum re quirement for staff members would deny some students the opportunity to learn through hands-on experience sim ply because their grades fall below a predetermined level of excellence. My plary, wo Battalion vve | >rci equisite the priority the grades, leave Texas future student journalists may bed ied an invaluable learning experie» because they set the same priorinei ouldn't glide through! asilv. far from exi lave banned inch >i k. even with thepropo But for me the paper , and it was the paper, b that got me a job. 1 han A&M with the thought I did, but courses a; Motherhood: Quick easy, ready-mode Since coming to college, I’ve ven ture cl into the wonderful world of motherhood. Sort of. Kristin Theodorsen Guest Columnist I don’t have any kids of my own, I just inherited a kid pre-packaged in an adult body — my mother. She might as well call ME “Mom,” but luckily it hasn’t got ten to that extreme. Actually, I don’t think she even rec ognizes the turn our relationship has taken. That’s probably because my mom tends to be a “dingy blonde.” (I take af ter my dad, of course.) Her lack of com mon sense doesn’t make my job as mom any easier. My mother has a history of back problems, and she’s bad tw r o major sur geries within the past six years. The last left her in a brace that she w ill have to wear for at least another year. She has a great deal of mobility but has to take muscle relaxers every so of ten when she pushes herself too far. One night I called to see how she was doing. She sounded groggy and slurred her words as though she had been drinking. So I asked her about it. “I only had a glass of wine,” she said in childlike defense, “and a couple of muscle relaxers.” I couldn’t care less if she had been drinking, but I was not thrilled about her mixing alcohol with medication. So, being the concerned parent I am, I gave her a much-needed lecture. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to drink alcohol when you take medica tion?” I asked. “No, I didn’t know that,” she said. Sometimes I wonder how my dad, who reads two newspapers a day and watches about two hours worth of news every night, deals with her lack of grip on reality. But I guess after 30 years of marriage he’s become a professional at humoring her. As long as he’s around, she’ll never have to grow up. Because my father’s job as chief engineer on a ship takes him away for eight months at a time, my mom is alone quite a bit. That’s when l worry about her the most. When my dad goes off to sea, my mom swings into a social whirl. It’s almost as il she’s a college fresh man away from home for the first time. She often goes out with friends and comes home late. She is invited over to somebody’s house for dinner practically every night. And even though she lives about 50 miles away, she’ll always call to tell me where she’s going. Now how many “mothers” can say they get that kind of consideration from their children? I guess with as many friends as she has I really shouldn’t worry about her, but I can’t help it. Most mothers naturally worry about their kids. What makes me feel most like a mother, though, is when my mom calls to get permission to go out of town. Sometimes my dad will sail into a port nearby so my mom can see him every once in a while. One time he was going to be coming into one of the Louisiana ports and she called to tell me about it. “Can I drive to Louisiana to see your dad?” she asked. “He might be getting off the ship for vacation, so we could drive back together.” “No,” I told her. “I don’t want you to drive all that way by yourself. What if something should happen? What if your back started bothering you? Then what would you do? No, I’d really rather you fly.” “Please?” “Nope. Sorry. I know you want to see him, hut it would be better if you flew. What if he doesn’t get vacation? Then you’ll have to drive all the way back again.” So she gives in for the time being, fig uring since it’s the morning that I’m probably just grumpy. Later that afternoon, she called She conceded. “OK, OK.” At least she didn’t give me any lip or go ahead and drive anyway like some re bellious kids would. Besides what could 1 do if she did? I can’t exactly punish my mother — al though it is an interesting thought. . . In journalism, grades rarely are a cri teria for getting a job. In lour job inter views, I was never asked about grades. My future employers still have no idea of my academic standing, nor, foi that matter, do I. What it boils down to is that if you can’t write, you can’t get a job. And if you don’t work foi the pa per, you have little oppoi (unity to prove that you can write. livi first w< ry boy grade. Sin changes in sity. In fact, tl mained unchan is that Scott M “Warned." But rked lot when 1 v e then I the panel thi paper s in the 1 seen a me! the l ax d e only thing thatsu >ed over all those ya Cullar still is draw- staff members aim had skills, arena tin to ppoitunity to prove tli bine outside the acadei As Lve said, ability is the determining factor for Battalion employment, not grades. If that focus switches from abil ity to academic: standing, I he Battalion may continue unscathed, hut good join nalism will become a secondary concern to good grades. My experience and accoin at / he Battalion got me a job. Iwoi hate to see future staff members! pi ived of this chance, and for thatnuB ter, A&M forced to put up with a onct-rate papet because the publicaiin board decided to set students’priorin Kristin Theodorsen is a senior journa lism major and a copy editor for The Battalion. Perhaps even more disturbing than the immediate implications of the pro posal before the pubications board, however, are the long-term ratnifica- for them. Loren Steffy is now a business w: || for the Arlington Daily Newsandi Mid-Cities Daily News. again. “Pleeeease?’ she asked in a begging voice. “I haven’t changed my mind,” I said. “I don’t want you driving by yourself. Even if Dad does get his vacation, he probably won’t want to drive home any way.” The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Loren Steffy, Editor 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 Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper oper ated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Sta tion. Opinions expressed in 77ie Battalion are those of the editorial board or the author, and do not necessarily 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 Depart ment of Journalism. j'he Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holidav and examination periods. Mail subscriptions arc SI7.-44 per semester, $:J4.62 per school year and $36.44 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on re quest. -. Our address: The Battalion. 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4 111. Second c lass postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTF.R: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-4111. Mail Call Behind the times EDITOR: A response to allegations of insidious “pi ide” exhibited by NOW: One of the pleasing characteristics of t his count ry, Texas and Texas A&M itself, concerns the atmosphere created by a preponderance of unique individuals promoting pride in who they are and what they happen to believe. I find it refreshing that the A&M chapter of the National Organization of Women is willing to make a statement concerning their rights as women, and those of women across the United States. Darrell Dotson’s chauvinistic attitude exhibited in his April 29 letter is typical of die ult ra-conservative, holier-than-thou, misguided, as well as judgmental, attitude which has undermined die individualism and potential of women since the advent of male dominance over women. Have you ever considered people who are visiting A&M?Can vou imagine the impression they get from reading about Kvletht ? “supressed” Aggie, fighting his “innei conflicts” oi maybe promoting a him of two men having per vet ted sex? Is that the image vve want others to see? The (ESS and other homosexuals may have some court-given right to do what they do, hut I don’t care about their problems or activities and I 'm getting sick of reading about them. Chuck Docekal ’87 Don't just sit there EDITOR: This letter talks about big stuf f. Not about political,scandal. Not about “hovyheads.” Not about grainmer. The fact that these women have chosen a mode of expresson involving a “Christian man” and his anti-abortion sign is irrelevant. It is the fact that they are expressing themselves and enforcing their rights as individuals concerning a strictly personal, moral decision in a sea of those who would deny them their freedom of choice through the impositions of their personal morality. I’m sure that those “ladies” with whom Dotson surrounds himself live for his condescending pat on the head and not of approval for their appropriate “ladylike” thought s and actions. However, I am sure that a great majority of the women in this country and at A&M would prefer to live on their soap boxes and be accused of the heinous crime of exhibiting pride, rather than he limited by the “ladylike” constraints of an archaic ideology as exemplified by Dotson. Smile, Dotson,your ignorance is showing. Mark Bednar’88 Question — 1 f the world seems sordid and cynical to you, does it make much sense to let yourself become soi did and cynical? Are you somehow more realistic for doing so? People are good because they get upset by injustice, they warn to love, and they have ideals. But what about all the bad stuff Where does it all come from? Some see Satan behind all the hate, indifference, and badness. Others prefer to talk about man’s capacity for greed, pride and depravity. Still others say that where you grow up causes you to do certain things. 1 he pointis that all three groups can point the finger at something as the cause of evil, Satan in t he first case, human nature in the second and environmental determinism is the third. Put 'em back in the closet EDITOR: I would like to suggest that man is a decision-maker. That goes for both the mundane and sublime aspects of life (e.g. “Yes, I think the red bow will do for today” versus “Yes, I will marry you.”). We have the power of choice. Though our choices maybe limited, there is always that point at which the whole issue is reduced to a matter of personal integrity. On the front page of The Battalion Tuesday there was t he first of a two-part series on homosexuality at A&M. A few weeks back, an article publicized a film where homosexuals were engaged in sexual acts explaining the benefits of condom use. Not a week goes by where either the Gay Student Service organization or gays in general aren’t given some type of media attention by The Battalion. I remember reading an account of an individual who survived the horrors of the Nazi death ( amps. I lis remarkable conclusion from the experience was that even under ihe harsh extremes there, he and the others around him were still in possession of the capacity to make moral decisions. Small actsof kindness, petty acts of greed — it was still a matter of choice for the individual. Call them fags, queers, homos, whatever, hut they make me sick and I’m tired of reading about them and how they spend their leisure time. Some court somewhere may have forced us to recognize the GSS as a student organization, but does that mean we have to give them front-page publicity? Members of the GSS make up a very small percentage of the student body, and the rest of us would just assume forget that these perverts exist. You are a decision-maker. Exercise the gif t and accept the responsibility. Establish worthy ideals. If you see something that you know isn’t right or encounter a w rong attitude, do something about it. You might even write a letter to the editor. Glenn Streiff Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff it serves the right to edit letters foi style and length , but will make every effort maintain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the tk sification, address and telephone number of the writer. Of, For probh out pi a plac on the Ho Stude a stea gal qu tenan ers ol Th< throu; studei nal fei says , menf: viser. studei court Tin on cai dents only i consu savs. “YV. for th to a p can ac nal in matte them O' Bic lev careei from i Dr. A&M there sociati “Fii such heat," ist bef uatioi “Se probh about pei fo ing an Bei tion n succe? the te: So r elude Cc A The fied as tl Arne Arne The Ame A&IV tammatmtamm