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
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