Opinion Northga te s becom e hazardous to health Three of the most popular hangouts for Texas A&M students, The Dixie Chicken, Duddley’s Draw and The Flying Tomato, also are three of the most potentially hazardous nightspots in town, par ticularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. On each of those nights, crowds gather at the entrances of those establishments and spill out onto a heavily travelled University Drive. At the same time, motorists are haphazardly speeding by those Northgate hot spots. Northgate’s nightly clientele has been lucky so far that no one has been killed by a passing vehicle. However, if they continue to play the odds, eventually someone is going to lose. The owners of these businesses and the College Station Police Department should take steps to prevent a tragic death from occur ring on University Drive. The Chicken, Duddley’s and The Tomato should not allow its customers to leave the premises with alcoholic beverages. And the CSPD should continue to monitor the activity at those businesses to ensure those customers’ safety. The Battalion Editorial Board EDITOR: A letter in Friday’s Mail Call was calling for a “grand apology” from Michael Deaver for speaking on a topic other than “Presidential Image-making,” as was planned. Instead, Deaver gave a presentation about ethics in government, but he did not intentionally change the topic. MSC Great Issues arranged his visit through a speaker bureau that offers the services of many well-known speakers. Unfortuantely, the agent we worked with did not inform Mr. Deaver that we wanted him to make a presentation on campaign image-making — his area of expertise. Because he had planned on speaking about ethics in government, Mr. Deaver did not have the materials necessary to present “Presidential Image-making.” We quickly contacted the agency to inform them of their blunder, and we will dela with more professional agencies in the future. Upon learning of this mix-up, Mr. Deaver agreed to cut his presentation to 45 minutes and focus on presidential image-making with an extended question- answer session. I would like to thank the audience for their understanding and their interest in this program. Fortunately, they were well-informed and asked pertinent questions. James Cecil Chairman, MSC Great Issues Mail Call Deaver should be excused Gifts what A&M all about EDITOR: I am displeased with the comments made by Anthony Wilson concerning the lettering at Kyle Field. This gift is not something to “gawk at.” It is a symbol and constant reminder of all Aggies’ readiness to play in case they are needed to go into the game like the original 12th Man, E. King Gill. Mr. Wilson’s references to the Eternal Flame, statues and plaques on trees and stones are revolting. The Eternal Flame symbolizes “the undying spirit that all Ag gies have for Texas A&M.” The plaques on trees or stones are memorials to fellov\ Aggies who gave their lives in time of war. The remainder of statues or plaques recognize other individuals who helped to further Texas A&M in some way shape, or form. These gifts are not “marks that senior classes want to leave so that years later they can come back and tell the kids what a legacy Mom and Dad left at A&M.” Instead, these gifts are each classes way to show their pride for Texas A&M and symbolize what Texas A&M really is. Bryan D. Dierlam ’92 Somebody get Joe Bob a rope EDITOR: I am writing in response to Ms. Purser’s editorial concerning the “good-ol’- boy” syndrome of native Texans. It was apparent she was as anti-Texan as her “good-ol-boys” were pro-Texan, except for her “wimp-out” paragraph where she tried to pacify every other native Texan already frothing at the mouth by saying, “And 1, myself, like Texas well enough, or I wouldn’t still be here.” Oh, well, that makes me feel MUCH better. I have never visited New Mexico, so I would never begin to criticize or belittle the state or its people. The argument of Texas’ secession from the Union, while theoretically leasable, is unlikely and unrealistic. The argument that many “good of boy” Texans have never traveled outside the state is ridiculous. I used to have this same argument with a friend. She was going to college in London for a year to broaden her horizons, and then she was going to live in New York so she could be where the action was. She could not understand, much less respect, my decision to attend school in Texas and move back to my hometown to start a business. “You just don’t have ambition,” was her constant response. Ms. Purser, can’t you understand that many of us “good-of boys” are content and happy here? I know that I was angry after reading your editorial. H I was angry, I know some of those “hard-core Texas zealots,” as you call them, are furious. Ms. Purser, be careful because some of those good-ol’-boys might introduce you to another Texas tradition —lynching. Wade Sales ’90 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 even' 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 AJensen, Denise Thompson, News Editors Hal Hammons, Sports Editor Jay Janner, Art Director Leslie Guy, Entertainment Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspa per operated as a comnninity service to Texas A&M and 11 r\ an-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion arc those of the editorial board or the author, and do not nccessarilv rep resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fac ulty or the Board of Regents. „■ 7he Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Journalism. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holidav and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are SI7.44 pet semester, $34.62 pet school tear and $36.44 per full vear. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion. 230 Reed McDonald. Texas A&M University. College Station. TX 77843-1111. Second class postage paid at College Station. TX 77843. ROSTMASTF.R: Send address changes to The Battal ion. 216 Reed McDonald. Texas A&M Universitv, Col lege Station 1 X 77843-4 111. The Battalion Friday, Oct. 21, 1988 Pa [)f pc 'THE TREE OF LIBERTY MUST BE REFRESHED FROtt TIME TO TIME WITH THE BLOOD OF PATRIOTS AND TYRANTS/ — JEFFERSOM Housewife or professional: Women have right to choos By I’m not a women’s libber, but 1 do be lieve that women are the equal of men. I have the same right to happiness as men, and I certainly expect that right to be respected. So why am I getting on my soapbox and singing the battle hymn of Women’s rights activists? Lydia Berzsenyi Columnist What il a particularly briglii ented young woman plans toi die engineering world andisoBf entr\ level position with a pi engineering firm. Let’s say h.is done research inihepasu been recognized for outstanding but ions to the engineering society Because my rights are being threat ened. The threats are not being made by organized groups of conservative bigots. They’re being made by my own fellow students. least, a decision made by her and her husband — not by the husband alone. And what if, at the same voting woman isofferedap marriage by a young man ofwte A friend of mine was told the other day that because she wanted to use her talents and abilities in the professional world in a full-time capacity, she could never hope to have a successful mar riage. Few people will deny that women have a right to an education, but main will not hesitate to deny women the* right to use the knowledge gained in a professional capacity when working would interfere with raising a family . is fond. I lovvever, the* youngmante c lear that he does not want work while the children are y It’s hard to believe that in this day and age there are still people who hold such archaic opinions. Is it possible there are members of today’s world who slept through the sexual revolution? (For the purpose of this column, “professional capacity” means working outside of the home.) Actually, I don’t think so. If there were a random poll taken of a cross sec tion of today’s society. I’m sure the per centage of those who are not aware of the women’s rights movement would be small. But how many of those people ac tually believe in women’s rights? How many men do you know who are planning on having a family set-up which involves their staying home with the children as much as their wives? I n- less the children will be kc-pt in daycare or by a babysitter, the women are usually the ones expected to abandon their careers and stay home with the* children. Few men will openly admit planning to abandon their careers to raise a family. I'm not going to say what lilt woman should c hoose. She may* raise her own children fronidiij dates. She* may want to havetu dren and then hire a babvsiueic of them. But that should be herdedat anvone else s. How many believe women they know are being denied their rights? Now, in all honesty, not all women want a marital arrangement in which both parties would stay home an equal amount. I know people are readingi umn and thinking that I’mjusi| on men and that fm saying this whole situation lies wit half of the human population"! not. Women are to be blamed* as men because so many womenlf choices he made for them. If won* not stand on their own two feel il cide what they want out of life,di cisions will be made for them. Women’s rights go beyond the right to vote, the right to certain jobs and the right to compete against men. Women’s rights include the right to choose how to spend their own lives. Whether a woman wants to work while her children are growing up or whether she wants to stay home with them should be her own decision, or, at the Many women still like a home in which the men bring home the bacon and the women cook it. They would rather raise the children and run the house instead of working in a profes sional capacity. Women's rights have been a to for centuries, and dial issue is $ fat from being resolved, pie stop accepting old-fa and start thinking for themselvft is no hope for advancement That’s fine. But it should be the wom an’s choice. Lydia Berzsenyi /s a senior® for and editor of The Battalion The de s an alte as been lent of d niversit Dr. G: edical ith eye < als and e eye di He sail ie partic suffer hyj Hypog |evel, re: oor diet M T< BLOOM COUNTY T consume, miow-ur on -me coNouem eesvers of ■ vrt OLIVER'S CAT-Smm SCALE TONIC MPHFtK RESTORER": by Berke Brea# KSI 12. 2.0 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 -4t2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 —4-r9 H-6 -4-^ 1.0 -t-e -4-6 -4tQ -he -he