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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1988)
The Battalion Friday, Oct. 9. 1988 Page; Opinion Halting immigration wrong solution to overpopulation Whenever I read the newspaper, any newspaper, 1 like to read the advertise ments as well as the editorial content. I can usually find at least one ad to laugh at, one to inform me and one to make me sick. The other day, I found one which did all three. But instead of leav ing me feeling pleased with my new knowledge, I was left with an empty feeling. It was one of those times when I wondered what was becoming of the United States and the freedom available to its citizens. The advertisement, sponsored by Population-Environment Balance Inc., was a call for more responsible thought on the subject of population control. The group states that by the year 2020, the United States will add enough pop ulation to create at least 100 new cities the size of the 100 largest cities in pre sent-day America. The ad reminds readers of their frus trations with overpopulation and its ter rible side effects (such as traffic jams, pollution, deterioration of the environ ment, overcrowded recreation areas and scarce, expensive housing). And it says that immigration is the “most im portant single cause” of the excessive population growth in the U.S. The organization’s solution to this problem of the future is that immigra tion must be severly retarded, starting today. Population-Environment Bal ance advocates setting an all-inclusive immigration ceiling of 200,000 immi grants per year. Currently, the United States admits more that 600,000 legal immigrants each year. If we mandated the proposed 200,000 ceiling, we would be depriving 400,000 people from the American ex perience. But even this Figure does not take into account those people who want to enter the United States legally but are not admitted. Enforcing such an “all-inclusive im migration ceiling” would simply cause more illegal immigration and create a bad image for the United States. I understand the need for immigra tion requirements. It’s hard to imagine, but I do realize that there could be a se rious problem with overpopulation sometime in the future. But for some people, immigrating to America is the goal of a lifetime. And for some, immi gration to the United States is the only solution to the problem of oppression. Anyone advocating such preposter ous limits is essentially shutting the door of opportunity in thousands of hopef ul faces. It’s an open admission of saying, “You can knock, but we won’t answer.” Why would we want to promote such an image? And why would America want to sel fishly hoard the freedoms we enjoy? I had the opportunity to live in Hungary, a Communist country, for six months, during which time I gained a true ap preciation for the freedoms which are inherent to American citizens, and un heard of to many non-American citi zens. It is unfortunate that not everyone is allowed the same freedoms, so we should be working toward freedom for all, rather than trying to deny it to oth ers. I feel sorry for those people who hon estly feel that they won’t be happy until tin immigration ceiling is set. They feel that American liberties are reserved for a few lucky ones. I wonder if, as chil dren, they hid the cookies so that their brothers or sisters couldn’t have any, or if they hog the sheets at night. I wonder if they simply suffer from xenophobia, or a true sense of selfishness, or possibly just a severe case of bigotry. Perhaps I’m too altruistic. I could have a warped sense of patriotism. But, you know, I was always taught to share with those less fortunate than myself. And that includes sharing some of the freedoms I’m privileged to enjoy. Besides, immigrants are the ones who make America the diverse nation that it is. This country was built on a mixture of cultures, and it is the blend of nation alities which make our country unique, ever-changing and desirable. The ever present immigrant population keeps our country fresh and young. I wouldn’t ever want to stem the flow of immigra tion, no matter how much it will help the problem of overpopulation. Lydia Berzsenyi is a senior math ma jor and editor of The Battalion. Culture visits Aggieland and we refuse to accommodate it While the publicity about the shanty continues, we urge the conservative majority on this campus to let this monument to American self-righteousness stand. Every day this eyesore calls attention to those who put it up — Students.^* 111 Apartheid. Who are these people? They are the self-appointed experts and moral policemen for the world have ignored the major violators of human rights in order to single out at one. Despite the cries from such South Af rican blacks as Zulu Chief Mangosoill Buthelezi, they call for starving South Africa into submission knowingthainot morsel of food will be taken from their own mouths. They care no more what effect their shanty has on the appearance of our campus than they cared about the appearance of Texas roads last year whenij dumped their shanty in a bar ditch. Most importantly, they are not a single®: group moved by compassion but, as evidenced by their tables at the MSC.arei left-wing fringe group who have found an issue to keep themselves occupied they missed out on the flag-burning days of Vietnam. Conservatives, leave the shanty alone for it shows there is a far-leftpresen here at A&M and angers students who wonder who would build sucha monstrosity on our beautiful campus. This encourages them to get activein opposition. Aggie GOP, Young Conservatives and other conservative groupsl should be most appreciative. Scot Kibbe ’90 Accompanied by 11 signatures Justice should be served swiftly EDITOR: “You shall not steal.” This single sentence that came from God toMosesstj itself up as a command whose enforcement is given to man and whose ultiniait enforcement is God’s. b< However, when the government lets such a code slip or treats lightlyitsrolt! tc protector of those who obey the law, the government has set itself as the crimEi ta protector and as aider in crime. D When an 11-year-old boy alone in his family’s house shot a man who was breaking in and looking for valuables, the boy was serving justice on a levelhidi than most state governments. If criminals knew that breaking the law meaniM justice, they would hesitate to break the laws. There is a time in a criminal’s head when he weighs the cost of getting cans with the success of his law-breaking plans. 1 le is responsible for his choices. Responsibility goes along with rights. Criminals forfeit their rights once the' elevate themselves as the supreme judge of people’s rights to take or give. Audi you ask where the government gets its right to take away a criminal’s rights,® source is the Constitution — but God is ultimately the giver ofjustice. P' T So where were you? Last Friday night, MSC Town Hall brought Wazobia to Texas A&M. The band, voted Best Reggae Band in Hous ton, played in DeWare Fieldhouse. About 400 people attended the perfor mance, which only filled half of the fieldhouse. Unfortunately, the chairman said those attendance numbers are about av erage when Town Hall brings groups without big name recognition to A&M for a performance. But hang around A&M for any short period of time and you will hear the complaints about how r Bryan-College Station is a black hole, how nothing ever happens here and there is nothing to do. Sure. These people obviously did not think a reggae band would be good entertain ment. By lack of entertainment, they were obviously talking about the fact that ‘Amazon Women on the Moon’ never made it to College Station theaters. Or that there aren’t any top-rated cockfight pits in the area. Sorry, I guess you will have to visit a cultural mecca (such as Dimebox) to get that kind of fun. Meanwhile, at A&M, student groups put in hours of hard work to bring in the best entertainers they can afford and their efforts are rewarded with small attendance. With so many people griping about the lack of events around here, I was amazed that so few people attended the performance. It can’t be price, because most people could save their beer money from one night and easily cover the $4 cost of a ticket. And as for convenience, the per formance was in DeWare Fieldhouse — on campus — next to Kyle Field — where thousands gathered for midnight yell practice half an hour after the per formance ended. There really w^as no reason for more people not to have been there. Of course, I am pretty sure I know where everyone was — at one of the events that w’as so much more interest ing. Buffy and Kip were at a dance club. Lots o’ culture there. If you don’t hear the Pel Shop Boys at least once every weekend, your brain could turn to mush. Kip was probably wearing a crisp white t-shirt under his button-down Ralph Lauren. Just sw ell. Duke and Snake were at Northgate, guzzling some brew and checking out the hot, hot babes with Anthony. Hubba, hubba. Bobbv and Annie-Lou were doing the two-step at Graham's and chawin' on some tobaccy. Bill and Beth were playing putt-putt — sport of kings and a few dweebs, too. And then there’s Maynard. He didn’t do anything. He stayed at home, watch ing the Fall Guy and eating cheese puffs. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with going to a dance club, to Northgate or to Graham’s. I even go to those places (Buff and I are great buds). But I don’t think people should gripe about a lack of things to do here if they won’t even make an attempt to attend the events that do come. Who could benefit f rom knowing such a thing? The AGLU, Amnesty International, the Democrats and anyone who still thinks Marxism works. Richard D. Hill ’89 The year was 1968 EDITOR: I do have to give credit where credit is due, though. Aggies usually do turn out for the big-scale, big-name perfor mances. The OPAS-sponsored performance of Verdi Requiem last Friday night drew 2,038 people to Rudder Auditorium. That’s great, and I will excuse those who were there for not attending the Wazo bia concert. Of course, students proba bly made up only about half, if that much, of the OPAS audience. OPAS usually fares well with ticket sales, almost Filling the 2,500 seats in Rudder Auditorium with their perfor mances, OPAS adviser Eric Trekell said. But even with a crowd of more than 2,000, you have to consider that at least 40,000 students and faculty members missed out. Those are probably the same people who complain about noth ing to do. The point is, many groups plan and sponsor entertainment, both educatio nal and recreational, for the A&M com munity. There are big-time concerts and less-known performers, but they are all brought to A&M specifically for the benefit of the students. It’s a shame that more people do not take advantage of the opportunity. The dollar movie is not the best thing going .down in College Station. Look around. You might learn something. Becky Weisenfels is a senior journa lism major, managing editor and a col umnist for The Battalion. The year, 1968, twenty years ago was Filled with memories. TheTetoffens decisively altered the course of a far-off war. NASA was on the verge of senfc man to the moon. Race riots, the Beatles, flower children, drugs and morew changing the face of America. 1 was three years old. What was so specialaboui 1968? I’ll tell you. On the desk beside my typewriter is a copy of the Oct. 3 Battalion. IkH story is about a speech by Henry Cisneros, one of the Democratic party’srisin; stars. The article said, “Cisneros stressed the importance of this year's election noting that this is the First presidential race in 28 years where no incumbentis running for reelection.” This quote, if correct, is a warning to our generation I suspect that the political training of Cisneros exceeds mine by a rather substantial amount. Further, he is old enough to remember the assasination l President Kennedy. Despite this he fails to recall President Johnson’s addreti I the nation in 1968 where the president announced that he would notseeknfl would he accept the nomination of his party for a reelection bid. Twenty years ago, the Presidential race was contested by two non-incunittl Nixon won that race. Since then, Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan havemail incumbents in their respective elections. What concerns me and what should serve as a warning to our generation' simple. When the political leaders of our nation, Democrat and Republican^ have such a slim grasp of history, who should we select to lead us? For at lead decades, everyone has blamed everyone else. I have a simple suggestion. Individuals should, based on their personal convictions, align themselvM an appropriate party. However, I implore you all to think for yourselves.No[j has all the answers despite the rhetoric. Select each candidate for his comped experience, ideology, motivation and integrity. We Americans havenearlv forgotten our sacred mission. We are not here to save the world for capitalistI democracy. We are here to give the world liberty. To do this we mustundeisl where we have been, where we are and where we intend to go. Robert Jarrett ’87 Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to editl/W and length, but will wake even effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and mis classification, address and telephone number of the writer. The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Lydia Berzsenyi, Editor Becky Weisenfels, Managing Editor Anthony Wilson, Opinion Page Editor Richard Williams, City Editor D A Jensen, Denise Thompson, News Editors Hal Hammons, Sports Editor Jay Janner, Art Director Leslie Guy, Entertainment Editor Editorial Policy I'hc li.ui.dion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspa per operated as a community service to Texas A&M and Brvan-C Allege Station. Opinions expressed in The Butluhon are those of the editorial board or the author, and do not necessarilv rep resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fac- ult\ or the Board of Regents. I'hc li.ui.dion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photograph', classes w ithin die Department of Journalism. /Vie li.ui.dion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are SI7.44 per semester. S34.(I2 pet school tear and S.4(5.44 per full vear. Advertising rates f urnished on request. Our address: The Bullnlion. 240 Reed McDonald. Texas A&M l niversitv. College Station. TX 77X44-1 111. Second (lass postage paid at College Station. TX 77X44. I’OSTM ASTKR: Send address changes to The Bnllid- ion. 2 Hi Reed McDonald. Texas A&M Cniversitv. Col lege Station TX 77844-4 111. BLOOM COUNTY