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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1988)
Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, March 24, 1988 Opinion Racism is alive and well with today’s hypocrites It’s too bad. Too bad that a country founded on the idea of freedom and equality can be in- tolerant and judgmental more than 200 years later. Too bad that the civil rights granted to mi- Tracy Staton nority groups just 24 years ago aren’t as secure as they had hoped. That new leg islation designed to increase the effec tiveness of civil rights mandates could be called “dangerous.” Although Congress overrode Presi dent Reagan’s veto of the Civil Rights Restoration Act, the necessity for an override illustrates the lack of real change in people’s attitudes toward mi norities. It reveals a current of racism that still underlies all the idealistic rhe toric about “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It may be a surprise to many shel tered white Americans, but racism still exists. And many of its perpetrators are the same upstanding citizens who claim they aren’t prejudiced. It’s certainly no surprise to the mi nority groups who are victims of its in sidious sneer or condescending words. They feel the subtle forms of racism ev ery day. They feel it when they overhear co workers telling ethnic jokes. Or when a classmate assumes that they’re an ath lete just because they’re black. Or when their boss says “you work just as hard as a white person” and smiles because he thinks it’s a compliment. Ethnic minority groups aren’t the only people who experience discrimina tion. Homosexuals have become even more susceptible to unfair treatment since acquired immune deficiency syn drome (AIDS) hit the media. Despite the advances in equal rights for women, sexual harrassment and unequal pay still plague the female sex. The recent civil rights bill was de signed to further protect all these groups. It allows real punishment for vi olations of civil rights: withholding fed eral funds from insitutions that discrim- to rectify an important. imbalanced situation^ inate. It gives a sharper bite to laws that “perverted law.” just barked loudly before. Perhaps a time warp has held this So people are upset. They're upset fundamentalist group to the thought But rules don . t c h an ge the wa, J because they can no longer just support processes of another century; otherwise, . think „ „ did A mericara«3 civil rights with lip service. 1 hey re this archaic belief is inexcusable. But not Co*,*. *11 F,~.rm« mf mritJ afraid they’ll have to practice the equal- only the Ku Klux Klan and the Moral n ity they advocate. They complain about this “extension of federal authority” on philosophical grounds instead of admit ting that they just don’t want to obey the rules. The uproar and debate about this legislation has exposed hypocrites and dragged closet bigots into the light. It has shown that many Americans are no more open-minded or tolerant now than they were before the Civil War. Rev. Jerry Falwell’s opposition to the bill was dramatic and deplorable. Granted, he’s never been accused of having an open mind. But his campaign to incense fundamentalists to action em ployed what many congressmen called “scare tactics.” Falwell said the legislation could force churches and religious schools to em ploy “a certain number of homosexuals, alcoholics, transvestites and drug ad dicts.” The Moral Majority called it a Majority are living in the past. Young, educated people who were raised in the post-Martin Luther King Jr. era are guilty of racism, too. Racially- motivated violence has mushroomed on college campuses since 1986. And subtle racism permeates universities, creating an atmosphere of alienation and isola tion for many minority students and faculty. Blacks, Mexican-Americans and Asian-Americans continue to be out numbered on campus. Their cultures are ignored by administrators when cur ricula are designed. The Scholastic Ap titude test, a test that has been called ra cially biased, continues to be the primary factor in selecting students to enroll in college. Steps have been taken to increase in volvement of minorities. Minority re cruitment measures are in vogue, as are multicultural programs. These attempts rrstK TXMoems *gnn, THE/SW UFVOUCAN HOLDOH JUST KTEHtf BIT WfcBV, THEY'VE PEAUY JUST ABOUT 5&TTU6P OK ONE— have abandoned all forms of racism: 1964. And people’s attitudes, notjJ their statements, must change befoj any real progress can be made. Perhaps the debate about the (. favorit Rights Restoration Act — and Presic4C"iinfi Reagan’s ineffective veto —will 1*1 learning experience for some peop Maybe the mask of hypocrisy will) a torn permanently from the ugly fact|; oimln racism. And Americans will realizeilJ® nTiec ] they need to make fundameni {Lmta changes in the way they think, noijjii With in the way they talk. Breat' Maybe. Maybe not. But if no to g ut as learns from these problems—camp busines violence, political sidestepping. hnwwM And discrimination manifests itself—ra® a lair si will continue to breed in Americans ciety. And that’s too bad. W" 111 N b' pro Tracy Staton is a senior journalisms back ai jor, a staff writer and a columnist In the bar The Battalion. 4( Mfflnst ai f'ecte Blass lie at sour Where is the racism in professional baseball! It’s that time of year again. Time to gambol in the spring-fresh fields. Time to swim in the warm waters of the Gulf. And time to ac cuse Major League hiring practices. Robert Dowdy Guest Columnist Baseball of racist I by 1 iersior Hard trouble Hme I Frank Robinson, and he was fairly sut jM>ce h cessful. He managed the San Franck > ( . Giants from 1981 to the middle of tkl 0 | t h e the 1984 season, compiling a 264-2"j Ames, record. ^Rad g Robinson was a good manager, buthtl A m( S suffered from the same factors tklm-oiild many managers have to deal with: imp Seems Tiearb' tient owners and lack of consistent pb ^ ^ benefitting froriL, b . “ Fool! The Giants are now the shrewd trades and excellent league teams that Robinson developed! producing such talent as Candy M * it,ted ' nado and Will Clark. sitrated One of the biggest obstacles for poi Ames tential black managers is the perenniaiji practice of teams hiring the samefacai — a sort of Good Of Boys Club—rt-1 Mail Call Get back to basics EDITOR: In Brian Frederick’s article on conditions in South Africa, he tried to describe the progress in South Africa’s political and social system. While Frederick was successful in arguing some of his points (I’m not saying I agree with him, only that he supported his views well), he made one idiotic statement about the country’s people: “In general, these groups (the various tribes and ethnic groups) are mutually distrustful and antagonistic. They speak different languages, possess varied cultures and practice different religions. It is doubtful that these groups would be able to cooperate peacefully in a western-style democracy were white rule to end now.” Frederick is a sen/or history major. Perhaps he should go back to his freshman Hist. 105 and 106 textbooks and read about the people who spoke “different languages, possessed varied cultures and practiced different religions” and settled our own democratic country rather successfully. Cheryl Clements ’88 become. This was a great comfort to us, knowing Sheba had the best care we could give her. The entire staff, all the way from the girls in admissions to the students, doctors, and everyone in between, all complemented one another. They could teach a lot to human hospitals and doctors on how to treat their clients. They were all concerned with the well-being and care that was given to Sheba. I would like to publicly thank them all for what they did for Sheba and us. The girls in admissions were always nice to us over the phone and when we came in. They were very good about getting messages to doctors. The students, Brian, Kevin and Kelly, called every day with progress reports and answered a million questions. Dr. Patricia Luttgen, the surgical staff, support staff and especially all in ICU cared the very best for Sheba. And last but not least, Dr. Lynn Turner. I admire the skill and knowledge she has. The many phone calls to us took a lot of time out of her busy day, but she always had all the time we needed. She was always available for us. Dr. Lurner will be in our thoughts and hearts for a very long time. We can rebuild her EDITOR: Again, thanks to all. I just hope the people in the Bryan-College Station area appreciate all these people. We are all very lucky to have them and Texas A&M. Bill, Ann, Briann and “WolF’ Wilson Post, Texas Recently we had our Siberian Husky, Sheba, in the hospital at the Small Animal Clinic at A&M. The quality of care she received while in the hospital was unbelievable. I did not realize how advanced animal medicine had Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff serves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the cl sification, address and telephone number of the writer. This time last year then L.A. Dodgers V.P. AI Campanis remarked that blacks lacked the “necessities” to manage a baseball team. This initiated a new wave of criticism against management hiring practices in baseball and professional ...spores general. Tlje Rev. Jesse Jackson came forward to threaten that if every major league gardless of their previous managerial! club didn’t have an affirmative action records. Perhaps that is one area when program by June 29th, he would call for Jackson’s pressure can be beneficial, a boycott of games by blacks, hispanics You may be thinking I’m goingloj and women. Jackson called off the suggest that, since baseball is technical'] threat before the deadline. a business, then neither Ueberroth But there’s a fundamental flaw in that anyone else has the authority to dictaitj approach; namely, his misreading of the its hiring practices. That’s a viablearguj reason why people attend sporting ment. But there is one aspect of basebii events. that nobody — not even Ueberroth Baseball is not thought of by most can affect: simple mathematics, fans as a business. It’s entertainment. So If you look at baseball history, you it’s ridiculous for Jackson to think that can see why there are very few blacks® he can change the attitudes of fans be- management. About forty years cause of what is going on in the front of- Jackie Robinson became the first bej flee. (By the way, the same argument came the first black to play in the can be made as to why there are very jors. few black actors in the movies. It’s a Now consider how long it takes to be travesty.) come a manager in the majors. A man Commissioner Peter Ueberroth — ager usually comes from the playinj whom I had admired in other programs ranks (but not always), manages foij he initiated — gave in to Jackson’s de- years at the minor league or collegf mands and is working to establish new level, and only by the incident of some hiring programs among the clubs. one retiring or getting fired does htl In addition to his threats, Jackson have the chance to move up. also drew up a list of former black play- Try to imagine an applicants’ pool; ers whom he believe could coach at the from which the owner can choose. Whl major league level. I can’t remember all percentage of these applicants — allot their names (one was Joe Morgan), but I whom have to meet the above criteria^ do remember that none of them had would be black or some other minority! coaching experience. They were all big Probably not more than five percent name ballplayers, and Jackson had Because, although Robinson broke thf made the illogical leap of assuming that color barrier in the forties, blacks and they would also be good coaches. hispanics didn’t make their mark unnl Recently, in pro basketball, Hall of the sixties. And if these players ended Earner Bill Russell was fired as coach of their careers in the mid-to-late seven the Sacramento Kings after only eight ties, then they wouldn’t be entering the months in that position. And I’m not applicant pool until about now. mentioning him because he’s black. So Jackson stumbled onto an issue Wasn’t it assumed that a certain actor that was going to solve itself in a couple would be a good politician because of of years. And he’ll probably get tlie his success in films? Look where that’s credit for it. gotten us. Robert Dowdy is a senior English mi' There has been a black manager, jor 15 The Battalion (UfcPS 045 380) Mehibfer 61" TtikaS FhAS Associatibh kbUdivVisSt: jbtirilaliiim GhttfereHce The Batialioft feditbrial Board Site Hrfehek, Edildf Daniel Ai LaBry, MbhagingEditdr Mafk IVair, Opihidfl Page Etiitdf Amy tlouVilldh, citv Editdf Rbbbyh Li LlStef arid B£cky Wteisettfels; NeW$ Editofs LHyd BhlHiheld; Sbdrts Editor Jriy Jartrifef; Phbtb Mldf Editorial Policy The Battalion is a hori-pj-ofit, Self-supporting newspa per dperated as J cohlthutiity Sfervice ttt Tfexas A&M ahd Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those bf the editorial bddt-d or the alithor, dhd do tii.it necessaHly rep resent the opinions of Texds AfeM adhriirilstrdtors, fat uity or the Board Bf Regehts. The Battalion also stt Vfes 8s a laboratory liev/spapet fdf StUdphtS in reporting, Editing and photdgraplty blUSSel tvitHin the DepJrtmerit bf Journalism. 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