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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1987)
Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, December 7,1987 ES The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Sue Krenek, Editor Daniel A. LaBry, Managing Editor Mark Nair, Opinion Page Editor Amy Couvillon, City Editor Robbyn L. Lister and Becky Weisenfels, News Editors Loyd Brumfield, Sports Editor Sam B. Myers, 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-CoUege Sta tion. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board ' «r the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas AfcM administrators, faculty or the Board of Regenu. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for studenu in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Depart ment of Journalism. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subecriptions are $17.44 per semester, $34.62 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 77843-4111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTtR: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-4111. Pay now or later Insurance companies in Texas now can require applicants to take an AIDS test, but the new rule poses serious ethical prob lems — and brings up the question of who will pay for AIDS vic tims’ health care. The State Board of Insurance last Wednesday decided to let insurance companies require the testing but barred them from discriminating against applicants by trying to discover their sex ual preference. The board also left undecided both how those who test positive will be notified and whether they’ll receive in formation on the virus. The insurance companies left no doubt that those who test positive for the HIV virus will be denied coverage. But people who have HIV don’t necessarily develop AIDS; at most, they should be included in a high-risk group and be forced to pay higher premiums, like those who have a high risk of developing cancer or heart disease. The cost of caring for AIDS patients is indeed high, and if insurance companies must face those costs alone, premiums will increase for everyone. But in the end, we all pay anyway: When AIDS victims can’t get insurance coverage, the cost of their care will be paid by the taxpayers in the form of government assis tance. That fact should make everyone look for a better solu tion. — The Battalion Editorial Board — Mail Call Poor A8dVI representatives EDITOR: As my boyfriend and I walked to our car after the t.u. game, we witnessed one of the biggest disappointments in our college career here at A&M. We noticed three freshman CT’s walking behind a non-student t.u. fan and his wife. After overhearing their plan to steal the man^s t.u. hat, we decided to stick around to see exaedy what was going to happen and maybe even prevent such a trivial, childish “military” manuver. When one of the “boys” raced up behind the couple, who were minding their own business, and ripped the hat away while running into the woman and alomost knocking her off her feet, my head bowed with embarrasment. Since the three boys ran off, we didn’t have a chance to find them and chase them down, but we did nodee that the man and woman just shook their heads and condnued toward their car. As seniors and with graduadon just around the corner, it disheartens us to see this type of action. Maybe next year when we play t.u. at Ausdn, you three “boys” will be walking along, minding your own business (which I doubt) and someone will return the favor. It just makes us wonder what type of image people have of our University. And with people like yourselves, who by being in the Corps are supposedly leading and representing our friendliness and comaraderie, I wouldn’t expect outsiders think highly of us at all! Susie Cook *88 Bill Uzelmeier *88 We are the champions EDITOR: The Texas A&M football team will make its third consecutive trip to the Cotton Bowl, and I think it is about time we received credit for having a championship team. Everytime our Aggie football team wins I find someone saying, “It was just luck.” Well, my words to them are, “Strike three and you’re out!” After three straight Southwest Conference titles, luck has been ruled out! Besides, luck does not run in twos and threes. So face it, you doubters, we are champions (WHOOP!!!) Damacia Inman *88 Principles, not pettiness EDITOR: It has come time for us to learn the difference between a right and a privilege. The refusal to afford Mr. Gorbachev the “right” to address a joint session of Congress was not a trampling of constitutional rights as The Battalion Editorial Board suggests, but in reality, the highest affirmation of the freedoms with which our Creator has graciously endowed us. Barring the Soviet General Secretary from the seat of our national legislature, a sanctuary of liberty, is not an act of “pettiness,” but an act of principle. The Editorial Board states that according to the First Amendment of the Constitution “everyone is entitled to have and express his opinion even if that opinion meets with the disfavor of the majority.” I agree wholeheartedly. Mr. Gorbachev must and will have ample time to share his view of the world with us — on our three major television networks and other primary media of information. It would be a tragedy to allow the heir and guardian of an ideology which has engendered so much misery, oppression, and carnage to speak in the same chamber where the greatest defenders of freedom have stood. Let us not forget Stalin, who executed millions in the name of that ideology. Let us not forget how the Soviets have repeatedly and brutally crushed Eastern European uprisings for freedom in East Germany (1953), Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), and Poland (1981). Let us not forget that one-third of the Afghan people are now refugees because of the barbarity of the Soviet occupation forces. We must NEVER forget. To address Congress is an honor reserved exclusively for leaders of nations that recognize those “certain unalienable rights” God has granted to all those born on this planet. Such an honor must not be accorded to a man who presides over an empire of subjugated peoples, no matter how charming and harmless he may seem. Cory Ortigoza *90 Letters to the editor should not exceed300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, address and telephone number of the writer. Opinion tHoMA5 (D tME batt JACKIE SHEftMU. PRESENT LATEST mascot: THE DIXIE , CHICKEN In s| asion; ureth Ihrist inint Hoiid: schedi jnlool Eve :loud) paracl >oloF if the Thf jearei airs, little 1; lirbal if the )rive Th< SDI: Say goodbye to the moon, hello to intelligent amoebas It is the future. Ron Reagan Jr. is in his 10th term as President of the United States. Ja pan owns 93.6 percent of the North American land mass; Taiwan owns Minnesota and New York City. The Strategic Defense Initiative is now a reality. Mark Nair “Purpose?” asks the Captain. The Captain knows much about Earth mili tary matters, except for SDL The historian adjusts his glasses. “Sir, SDI is meant to protect soverign territo ries from a nuclear missile attack from another soverign territory. It is com posed of a system of orbiting platforms and satellites that ‘shoot down’ missiles as said missiles enter the outer-atmo sphere on their way to said enemy terri tories.” rade, mr organ with and And an alien spaceship glides slowly toward Earth. Its mission is to decide whether or not the Earth should be ad mitted to the Society of Friendly Plan ets. Its mission is one of peace. Its mis sion is one of generosity. “Slow ahead, Mr. Zexo,” says the Cap tain. He looks carefully at the video image of Earth. “Yes, sir,” says Mr. Zexo, the naviga tor. T he ship slows. The Captain paces across the expan sive bridge. He is worried. Something bothers him. He looks at the screen again. “Mr. Piddly,” says the Captain, “get me the historian. Something bothers me. “Yes, sir,” says Mr. Piddly, the com munications officer. He gets the histo rian. The Captain looks very interested. The historian continues. “However, seeing SDI in an actual activated mode is quite interesting.” “It is interesting,” says the Captain. “Incredible how a planet of civilized inhabitants actually must resort to ef forts like this.” The historian coughs. “Each country has its own SDI system. Notice the soverign statements painted on each satellite. There must be at least a million orbiting protection devices out there. Amazing that we consider these humanoids advanced and intelligent.” “But surely, historian,” says the Cap tain, “these Earthlings have strived for a greater good. I know, from my history lessons, that they once constructed a permanent orbiting space station. Surely, this is indicative of a truly ad vanced civilization.” there must be some good qualities dial ^ ts these Earthlings possess. They can't bt^ completely stupid." “Sir,” says the historian, “do you ft P le as< member that Earth is supposed to a natural satellite, called the Moon, or biting the planet? “I remember that from my histon lessons. “It was destroyed by SDI,” says tht historian. “And, Captain, do you re member that the planet is supposed to contain seven continents? “I remember.” “Australia is no longer there. Dei toyed by the Vatican’s SDI system.” “Incredible,” says the Captain. “The; actually are that stupid.” There is silence on the bridge. Tht Captain paces again, his hands his back. The historian, old and sits on the floor. “Keep out of range of the satellite, Mr. Zexo,” says the Captain. “We doni want to be shot down.” “Yes, sir.” The bridge is silent once more. Ensign Palver rushes onto the bridge He waves a small piece of paper in tht Captain’s face. Captain,” says the Ensign, “thisjus! n mopei ine p; Texas trance Road panic ontot Alt paraci uled ■ excep “T1 lot ol have Th first e to m; spinn walke of thi toth< Mi was p convi lengt smilii ii The historian arrives on the bridge. He is an old officer, and he walks with a slight limp. “Yes?” asks the historian. “Historian,” says the Captain. “What are those huge metal objects orbiting Earth? They seem to be artifical satel lites of some kind.” The historian observes the satellites orbiting Earth. He looks interested. “Sir,” he says to the Captain. “Those or biting devices are what is commonly known to Earthlings as the Strategic De fense Initiative. SDI for short.” “The space station was destroyed by the SDI system, sir.” “Well, at least the leaders of each sov erign territory are concerned enough about their people to protect them from destruction. That, in itself, is commend able.” The Captain smiles. “Sir,” says the historian, “the SDI sys tem is archaic. It does not protect against missiles that stay within the at mosphere, and its protection against the other types of missiles is, to say the least, negligible. The governments spend bil lions on these orbiting devices, sacrific ing more immediate goods for their peoples to insure this purpose.” “Fascinating,” says the Captain. “But, in. We have determined that there is) group of quasi-emotional amoebas oi the surface of Neptune.” “Amoebas?” asks the Captain. “Won derful! That is who we will ask to join our Society of Friendly Planets. Finally we encounter intelligent creatures! Mr Zexo, take us out of here.” “Gladly, sir.” The alien spaceship turns and g away. Once again, mankind is left to fend for itself in the great, empty uni verse. And that is the future. Mark Nair is a senior political scieod major and a columnist for The Battal ion. 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