Opinion
p; ■ ; ■: : ;K
Mudslinging’s gone
overboard m ’88
The current presidential campaign has been equally deplorable
on both candidates’ parts. Mudslinging has become as much a tradi
tion as flag-waving, true, but that’s hardly an excuse for two men
who have both publicly committed themselves to clean and honest
administrations.
It may be a bit idealistic, but it seems the point of conducting a
campaign is to give the candidates time and opportunity to inform
the people of their views on issues that will affect the country over
the next four years.
Instead Vice President George Bush and Gov. Michael Dukakis
each seems bound and determined to prove, not that he is qualified
for the presidency, but that the other is not.
They are perilously close to succeeding — both of them.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Disciplinary policy
unfair to everyone
The commandant of the Gorps of Cadets was recently given the
authority to discipline cadets by the Department of Student Affairs,
which had previously handled that responsibility as it does with non-
Corps students.
The Commandant of Cadets, Gen. Thomas G. Darling, will now
discipline cadets in all but the most serious of offenses, which can re
sult in suspension or expulsion. The reasons given for the change
were to make the disciplinary process for cadets more consistent and
efficient.
However, the disciplinary policies and punishments for members
of the Corps cannot be consistent with those of non-Corps students
for the simple fact that the same body will not be interpreting viola
tions or invoking penalties.
For instance, last year some freshman cadets “kidnapped” a se-
drove him to Austin and chained the underwear-clad man to a
mor.
light pole on the University of Texas campus. Student Affairs was
upset about the incident, while the commandant was quoted as say
ing the freshmen were simply trying to show a little spirit.
Because members of the Corps are students first and cadets sec
ond, they should not be held to any higher or lower standard than
any other student in the University. To do so is an injustice to cadets
who may be too severely reprimanded by the commandant or to ci
vilian students who may face stiffer penalties from Student Affairs
So clearly, one body should discipline all students.
The Battalion Editorial Boarc
The gif ts presented touch upon all aspects of student life within the classroom,
as well as outside the classroom. The lettering for Kyle Field exemplifies Aggie
hospitality and student support for their team. The gift to the Sterling C. Evans
Library represents the important role the library provides for the academic
setting. The lights for the memorial plaque in the MSC will help ensure the
memory of those men who made the supreme sacrifice for their friends and their
country during World War II. The gifts to the class councils of’89, ’90, ’91 and ’92
and the gift to the Student Loan Fund will provide monetary assistance to current
and future Aggie students.
Mail Call
Class of ’88 congratulated
EDITOR:
The Class of’88 is to be congratulated for their senior class gifts presented to
Texas A&M University. Your class most certainly achieved its original goal — “to
giveback to Texas A&M gifts which would affect the school. University-wide.”
We salute you, your class officers, the Gift Selection Committee and the entire
Class of ’88 for raising the funds to make the gifts a reality. We commend your
class for its gift selections.
John and Peggy Erickson
Aggie Parents of the Year, 1988-89
Texans should learn hospitality
EDITOR:
I must agree with Suna Purser’s column on Texan egos. I moved to Texas in
1981 from (gasp!) New York—New York STATE, mind you. Many Texans
assumed that New York was some sprawling metropolis and not a state as well. I
was assaulted with slogans like “I hate New York” and “Yankee Go Home.” — real
Texas hospitality.
Certainly, over the years, that has faded and I am now considered a Texan.
However, I think that the Texan (and Rebel) ego could stand for a little dose of
reality.
Jeff Frank ’91
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 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.
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
The Battalion Monday, Oct. 17, 1988 Page
AT THE VEEP DEBATE :
Senator quayle, if in tragic circumstances
YOU HAD TO ASSUNAE THE RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE PRESIDENCY, (aJHAT IS THE FIRST
action you uould take?
say a PRAYER.. Yeah, RIGHT.
O-K., BUT VJHAT UOULD You DO NEXT?
fY\ SORRY, SENAT0R ? R>UT t\W
ANSUER |S JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
UHAT UOUH} YOU DO AFTER. THPsT?
mull
WOUDSflY
A PRfW.
UOULO CALL
A tfEETINM
THE cabinet. ma
15 MIN.LATER...
. . . AND UHAT LUOULD
.YOU DO THEM?
AND THEM?
AND THEN.
_And then?
.,,....11 >, in u .. i* nil
FIMD A CURE FOR CANCEL 06
Send out for Pizza
HANG ALU THE LAWYERS,
Jlhi
luild
START
BOMB INC IN
5 MINUTER...
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©/<»88 KAKl. srejace
Joe f
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Kyle Field lettering a silly gif
Last week I received the letter which
appears at the top of today’s Mail Call
from John and Peggy Erickson, the
1988-89 Aggie Parents of the Year. It
congratulates the Class of ’88 on their
selection of class gifts. And for the most
part, I agree with them. The majority of
the gifts the Class of ’88 donated to the
University do succeed in fulfilling the
purpose of the class gift —“to give back
to Texas A&M gifts which would affect
the school, University-wide.”
£
p.m< 1 dll' M 'lull irs III I rlcicim'jjp a t
and periodicals.
his su
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ilk
Anthony
Wilson
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Re
Opinion Page
Editor
But notice I said the majority
not every one of them.
The gift which has received the most
attention and publicity, the letters
mounted on the student side of Kyle
Field which read “Welcome to Aggie-
land, Home of the 12th Man,” is just an
other example in a long line of inane
class gifts. Others class gifts which be
long in this infamous category are the
eternal flame (which should be more
aptly named the sporadic flame), va
rious ugly statues dotting the campus
and a seemingly endless number of
plaqued trees and rocks.
thing about the choice of that particular
gift is that students are always com
plaining about how athletics, and partic
ularly football, is overemphasized at
A&M. So when some of those students
get the opportunity to make a differ
ence and do something special for tlie-
school, what do they do? Naturally, they
spend a wad of money glorifying the
football season.
1 he Student Loan Fund
probably the best gift the Classf
gave. If their gift can help atbi
student remain in school andpursi l an
education, then they have givenas
cial a gift as a senior class is
giving. Or, better yet, ifthesenicj
could’ve sponsored a deserving
mg freshman, who wouldn’thavtit
able to otherwise finance an AIK
cation, that certainly wouldhavllqR
much classier gilt than the Kyle
letters. And besides,which leaves
get mark on (he L’niversitv—asii
ful former student of some scrili
on the football stadium?
I will commend the Class of '88 on
their decision to make cash donations to
the Sterling C. Evans Library, the Stu
dent Loan Fund and the other class
councils. My only question is “Why
didn’t the Class of ‘88 donate all of that
money to those causes?” I suspect that
egos got in the way.
1 he donations to the other
councils is also a good idea.IhatgL
sines that the class gift tradition,*:
is an excellent and generous ida
continue.
The existence of these useless class
gifts points to a disturbing attitude
among many past classes here at A&M.
Many of those classes seemed to care
less about donating gifts which “would
affect the school, University-wide” than
they did having something to gawk at
when they come back to Aggieland
years later.
The class council just couldn’t resist
the temptation to leave something tan
gible on campus, rather than putting
that money to good use in less visible
ways.
I don’t know how much money the
Kyle Field message cost, but I’d guess
those heavy-duty letters must have set
back the Class of’88 at least a couple of
thousand dollars. The amusingly ironic
The Evans Library definitely can use
all the funding it can get. Students at
one of the largest universities in the na
tion shouldn’t have to travel to another
school in the same state (the University
of Texas) to do some serious research.
The money used on those letters could
easily have been appropriated to ex-
But those f uture classes should;
from the Class of ’88’s ridiculousl
barrassing blunder and not leu
egos blind the purpose of the class
Let’s use the class gift to enhanc;
improve the University in waystb
only make lasting marks on thesd I
but leaves marks that are signifies
not sillv. I f those are the kindoful
that senior classes want to leaves!
years later they can come backandi
the kids what a legacy MomandDii
at A&M, might I suggest the) s
their initials in a table at theS
Chicken?
Anthony Wilson is a senior I j
lism major and opinion paged}
The Battalion.
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breath
SCAMS €^4
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