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
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JACKIE
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LATEST
mascot:
THE
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schedi
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paracl
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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
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spinn
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toth<
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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.
BLOOM COUNTY
by BerRe Breathed
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can wire THAT
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THOFe TAN FACES,
THANK YOU.
BLOOM COUNTY
by BerRe Breathed
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