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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 1987)
Page 4BAThe Battalion/Wednesday, August 26, 1987 welcome bach... A&M students and faculty! PRICE BOO¥§ RECORDS MAGAZINES we buy and sell anything printed or recorded open 7 days a week 10am~9pm Mon.-Sat noon~9pm Sun. Whether you enjoy reading or listening to music — Half Price Books has it all... you’ll be amazed at the wide array of hardbacks, paperbacks, magazines, records and cassettes for every taste and in every category. And, for those who have explored before, we have new arrivals every day. 5 times the selection of the average bookstore at half the publisher's price... or less. 3828 TEXAS AVENUE Bryan, Texas 846-2738 $1 off on any S2 to S10 purchase. $2 off on any SIO to S20 purchase. $3 off on any purchase $20 up. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. May not be used with any other discount or coupon. Expires Oct 15,1987 -_J GUYS AND GALS New merc handise arriving daily for bac k to school shopping gk Converse (hi.'SS zj/o V \ \ C 'oca-Cola Gotcha Tv ^ < 'o n vc‘rse liddies Jr Lawman POS T ( >A K M ALL 1500 II ARYLY colli-ci; srxrioN ——OtMfc, The Freedom Checking Account “The best things in life are free... Money Beatles 1963 Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal." FblKics Aristotle 384-322 B.C “Only the educated are ftee." Discourses Epictetus A.D. 50-120 / “God is not willing to do every thing, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.” The Prince MachiaveUi 1469-1527 “The United States is a land of free speech. Nowhere is speech freer... not even here where we sedulously cultivate it even in its most repulsive form.” Speech to the Houst of Commons Sir Winston Spencer Churchill 1944 “...Oh say, does that star- spangled banner yet wave. O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" The Star-Spangled Banner Francis Scott Key 1814 “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...” First Amendment to the Constitu tion of the CInited States — 1791 “Commerce National Bank once again offers free checking with unlimited free check writing with a $100 monthly min imum balance. We call it the Freedom Checking Account .. .you’ll call it free!” Commerce national Bank Commitment Alan Hansen — President, Commerce National Bank 1987 We said there wamt no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain 1884 Any government is free to the people under it where the laws rule and the people are a party to the laws.” Frame of Government William Penn 1682 A hungry man is not a free man.” Speech, Kasson, Minnesota Adlai Stevenson 1952 The principle of free thought is not free thought for those who agree with us, but freedom of the thought that we hate." CInited States vs. Schwimmer Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. 1928 For Your Convenience; complete the coupon below and mail a check for $100 plus $8.05 for your personalized checks to Commerce National Bank P.O. Box AM College Station, Texas 77840. You may pick up your personal ized checks at commerce National Bank within 10 working days. NAME ADDRESS. TELEPHONE SOCIAL SECURITY DRIVERS LICENSE State & Number ^PCommerce National Bank 2405 Texas Avenue South • (409) 693-6930 • College Station, Texas 77840 DATE OF BIRTH JOINT NAME SOCIAL SECURITY. DRIVERS LICENSE. DATE OF BIRTH Liberal groups growing, gaining ground at A&N By Susan C. Akin Reporter Walking across the Texas A&M campus can be a beautiful experi- can be ence for a newcomer. Lavish lawns engulf large brick institutions hous ing researchers delving the depths of sciences, Students striving for A’s and University officials delegating tasks for unknown projects becom ing reality. With closer observation, a new person will find many “Vote Repub lican” stickers, dedicated plaques and statues of the deceased, and countless clean-cut men’s haircuts. This conservatism continues by seeping through doors and windows into the classroom. Students listen intently to copy down every holy word their profes sor speaks. Question not, for you may be questioned next, someone said somewhere. It was probably said around here. New students — and even some old ones — may not realize the wealth of original expression, pro gressive ideas and philanthropic ac tivity scattered throughout the cam pus. Whole organizations exist solely to promote such principles. “Liberal organizations are nec essary for this University to func tion,” says Student Activities director Dr. Carolyn Adair. “They provide a balance for the campus, alternative activity and an outlet for people who have different ideas.” There are quite a few organiza tions supporting liberal attitudes at A&M, such as the National Organi zation for Women; Gay Student Services; Athiests, Agnostics and Freethinker’s Society; Lesbian Rap Group; Young Democrats and the Civil Liberties Union. But they make up a small percentage of the several hundred organizations on campus. Dr. Wendy Stock, assistant profes sor in psychology and adviser for the National Organization for Women, says she believes organizations like these are growing at A&M. “Liberal organizations tend to represent the students’ rights and the students’ concerns,” Stock says. “So the University must adapt to changing student needs as the liberal organizations increase in size.” The increasing growth of Texas A&M has an effect on the attitudes of the student body. Dave Ellis, leader of the former organization Students Working Against Many Problems, says, “It was inevitable that more liberal minded people would arrive here at A&M and speak out. The University has grown so large so quickly that it can’t keep the same small-town con servative attitude.” Liberal organizations are nec essary for a university to progress, he says. “A campus is a university, a uni versal experience,” he says. “If the campus is very conservative it needs some liberal instigators to at least provide a forum for discussion. It’s the same with a very liberal campus needing some conservative organiza tions. “If the campus is stuck with only liberals or conservatives it will stag nate, One is not better than the other, but it needs a little of both to progress. And if you have people with other views around more things will happen. “A wide variety of attitudes will at tract more people. It will help give the campus a larger mixture of peo ple and a wider cross section of the population, which is healthy for a university.” Students Working Against Many Problems was a recognized Univer sity organization that actively de bated social and political problems. SWAMP, existing from 1982-85, had about 20 active members partici pating in several campus demonstra tions, community food drives, clothes drives and park cleanups. “This campus was very conserva tive and sterile,”' Ellis says. “You came here and they presented you “Liberal organizations are necessary for this Univer sity to function. They pro vide a balance for the campus, alternative activ ity and an outlet for peo ple who have different ideas. ” — Dr. Carolyn Adair, Stu dent Activities director The NOW adviser says she A&M is getting more liberal. “Liberals here are having dure a period of adversity as tit] demies did during the Dari when learning was forced tty ground,” Stock says. “I think can keep the fire burning enough and offer opportum people willing to open theirei more liberal concepts, thing [ eventually become more easir4 enLS at cepted around here. ilPJ 01 . a B The mi with a mold and no one seemed to argue against it. Campus life should be a total tree-thinking experience and we saw contradictions. “We wanted to add a little levity to the campus. We thought people were taking things way too seriously. They weren’t having any fun with classwork and campus issues. People would walk around and say ‘howdy,’ but no one was smiling. “And through this levity we hoped to provoke a little thought. We wanted people to question their values. Not neccessarily change them, but at least reinforce them. “So we did things like having a pro-nuclear war day on campus the same day some country moved their missiles into Germany about three years ago. A pro-nuclear war day is ludicrous. We didn’t take a pro or con stance. It was just a little humor to make people think about what’s going on outside this campus.” Ellis says SWAMP also tried to promote more free speech on cam pus. “The problem was there were al ways all of these preachers preach ing on campus every day everywhe re,” he says. “It was just this regular group of people and there wasn’t any variety in the speech or oppos ing views heard.” SWAMP allowed students to come to the organization and utilize its privilege to use campus facilities for free speech. “We gave all the students, no mat ter who they were, access to campus resources,” Ellis says. “Because we thought you shouldn’t have to be part of a recognized group to use rooms or get to speak at Rudder Fountain. So we said anyone who wants to do anything come to us and we’ll let you use our organization’s name.” SWAMP also conducted commu nity services to get more students in volved in the community. “We tried to create more interac tion between the University and the surrounding community by sponsor ing food and clothes drives and a cleanup project in Hensel Park,” El lis says. Although SWAMP supposedly is disbanded, Ellis says he hopes some one with a little courage will con tinue to promote similar philoso phies and bring Texas A&M up-to- date with the rest of the nation’s schools concerning students’ social liberties. Stock says, “It has been said to me that Texas A&M is 15 years behind the times. And I feel that is a gener ous estimate.” abroad, s “People here are being fottj adviser I i accept what the rest of Amen® l * le * experiencing. Women are lief tional stuc the Gorps of Gadets and intheliH' om ^ at '' And Gay Student Services vJ Wt ' a ^ en 'ih eight-year lawsuit to gain apprj g ie * r nunl as a T e xas A&M Universitv-M %‘ n £ rt T nized organization.” number ol Emily Sarnfield, president o:B VVhen National Organization for if years ago, says, “I don’t understandsomtlH 111 ^ 5 pie’s fears that women area*!. 3 ere rGI take over. I In v .ire so scan: § out * 1 women in 11u■ Corps of Cade:.* school\eu women on the bonfire Field. “ 1C inlel 1 “They’re so hung upontheii ditions that its more importaiM education. When you talk aboil erals, that’s what they’reafnidi just leave us with our tradition! ; '® as ditions are OK until they beJ discriminatory and outdated, p T he National Organizatic: Women, which has been recoa at A&M lor two years, provicj formation and support tor mcl women concerning various if and political issues. It has regularly scheduledJ ings, which are posted in Then ion and at bootlis in the MSCil days ahead of time. Its Slo-ptii membership fee includes cd state and national fees. Stock says, "We plantocoi to provide A&M with infomJ ana educational presentation!::: rape, date rape, sexual haras: and sex counseling.” Slock says she became theliiB' 0V ^ m£ " Kyo Sai the tion. Watkins |iany stud cause ol been I|ebanese ■tending she said. ■ The lay ||onal stuc ■is year a ■a had tl ■fty-eight ■hina, 5S fmm Indi; ■ Usually applicants Watkins sc apply to t Watkins sa 1,700 ini A&M, but ■crease ol R This inc adviser for NOW because then some political things cone- women here that needed i:| changed. “There are a lot of youngs and women here who don't h what feminism is," Stock sapA.T men don’t burn bras forsoiw:; terious reason. They don't u| ! stand that feminism is a po- movement to give women (| rights and equal powers as me:; to allow both men and wonw ability to live up to their fullM tial.” Sarnfield says many studene:t understand NOW’s principle! “There’s been a lot of objet:: NOW,” she says. “Somepeoplej we don’t belong here. Theydii liberals. And some people: we’re manhaters, which we'r and some people think wet we’re better than men, whitij don’t.” She says there is a lot of dill ^ ^ this campus as tp® ed. _ HOUS1 lists are w< cholesterc Who are t crave a trt potatoes n Researc of raising meat higl which has candy red nation women are concerned. W “jf t p 1 p s “We have encountered prfi. available, i with deserving women pro! anc i saus ’ a j t getting tenure,” Sarnfield| i nt no t not “A mg your c the reasons we got forlh Scoit Grur ter for H University Grundy new pork \ ficial bee fessor not getting tenure weni tremely poor.” NOW currently is working University policy on sexuil rassment. “People aren’t aware here ' field says. “We are trying toed lower chc people on what sexual harass® tream and and what they can do aboutit disease. “There are cases of pro® Pork ah withholding grades or refi est levels o that f emale students leave then all meats because it’s not an appropri# nasty imag for a woman.” Aggies Welcome To Casa Ole Mexican Restaurant & Cantina jures up in pie, notes researcher ments on A&M. J “We’re good and t better,” he Researcl ratory anir of their ow of unsatur raise the itturated SUNDAY SPECIAL $2 00 off any dinner $4.95 value or above with current faculty, staff or student I.D. he says. (] The me; 1 however. Smith sa research ai • cent of tot; contains al rated fat. ■ The me; ] the same 99$ MARGARITAS Get your camptoon calendars at the MSC for buy 1, ge* 1 free coupons 30,000 available Post Oak Mall Sun-Thur 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri-Sat11 a.m.-10 p.m. restaurant & CANTINA cientist: ductivity h; gemstones’ The paa cries in th scientific jc retary Johr In May, the creatio database t< search int materials tc ut losing a ;Reid Te: at the pre; Letters, say has never i pers on a