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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 1988)
Opinion The Battalion Thursday, Nov. 3, 1988 Page St; Voters should also consder the environmental issues Mail Call Changing finals now ‘crap’ Many people do not consider the en vironment to be an important issue in the upcoming presidential election. These people are inclined to think more about the economy, defense and civil rights. But they don’t realize that if we can’t breathe the air or drink the water, or if we die of cancer from various chemicals that inundate our environ ment, it won’t really matter if we have good jobs or a strong military. A hundred years ago the environ ment would not have been an important issue, mainly because we had not done enough damage to it at that time to war rant concern. A century later, however, we face a different situation. Toxic wastes pollute our rivers, air pollution fills our skies, and garbage dots our landscapes. People who do not believe these problems are serious are either naive or they simply do not care about the future of our planet. Sadly, most people probably do not realize what George Bush’s and Michael Dukakis’ environmental stances and re cords are. Rest assured, however, that both have stances on the environment, and they are considerably different from each other. Dean Sueltenfuss Columnist weakening of testing and safety stan dards for pesticides. Dukakis supports increased standards for the testing of pesticides. As governor of Massachus- setts, his administration imposed a state wide ban on a number of toxic pesti cides. Bush, for instance, fought the Envi ronmental Protection Agency on its ef forts to reduce the amount of lead in gasoline, and he currently favors “realis tic targets on air quality without sacrific ing growth and prosperity.” As gover nor of Massachussetts, Dukakis set over 100 toxic air pollution standards. Be cause of air quality concerns he also dis couraged practices such as garbage in cineration. Bush played a major role in suspend ing an EPA requirement that forced in dustries to treat their effluent before they released it into sewage systems. Du kakis delayed in cleaning up Boston Harb or, but eventually helped to strengthen laws that make it easier to bring action against polluters. Bush favors a balance between health and cost considerations concerning pes ticide use. In the past he has favored the Bush, a former oil company exec utive, favors opening up the Arctic Na tional Wildlife Refuge so oil companies can drill there. He believes drilling for oil in the refuge will not harm wildlife. Dukakis wants to help obtain wilderness status for the refuge and is against pro posals to drill for oil there. Bush supports the continued use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. He also helped to lower the energy efficiency standards for new buildings and he aided in lessening fuel efficiency stan dards for automobiles. While Dukakis is not opposed to nuclear energy in gen eral, he played a key role in trying to stop the opening of the Seabrook Nu clear Power Plant — a plant which was considered unsafe by many people. He has also promoted solar energy in his state and has emphasized the conserva tion of all types of energy. Clearly, there is quite a difference in the attitudes Bush and Dukakis have taken toward the environment. Neither candidate is perfect. Both have taken ac tion in the past that has clearly been de structive to the environment, and at times they have both neglected environ mental considerations in favor of big business. Only Bush, however, seems to be con sistent in this area. In almost every in stance where there has been a conflict between the environmeiand business interests he has sided w big business (oil companies, land tfelopers and chemical companies). Wn one consid ers that Bush was exteively involved in the oil industry and inded Zapata Petroleum, it is not surising that he thinks large corporatioiare more im portant than a clean envmment. This philosophy is eoed in Bush’s view that the health andfety concerns of our citizens must boalanced with the economic interests che companies that produce pesticidesfid other haz ardous substances. In cer words, if a few people die as a resmf exposure to pesticides or other toxicaterials, this is the price we must pay f the continued expansion of corpora 1 interests and profits. Issues such as jobs, artion, and na tional defense are imptant, but let’s keep them in perspecti. By voting for a man who emphases economic growth and prosperity er the physical safety of his constituer and our envi ronment, we could be iking a serious mistake — one that a children and grandchildren will suiy have to pay for. Although Dukakis hhad a few envi ronmental blunders, mely his reluc tance to clean up BostcHarbor, he has generally supportednvironmental causes when faced wi a choice be tween the environmennd business in terests. He seems to tieve the safety and health of individu; outweighs cor porate concerns. And although corpations donate massive amounts of »ney to people such as George Bush efforts to per suade them on one Lie or another, there is one thing tit corporations can’t do — they can’t ve. Only the Americaneople have the power to vote. And evethough we only have a few choices, wstill have those choices. So let’s make them -Wisely. Dean Sueltenfuss is junior journa lism major and colunist for The Bat talion. oy By Set Sta Texas A&M $200,000 last ye acturers to sign s around the co ensing agreemei EDITOR: It was reported in The Battalion that the administration and the FacultyS $- are still wrestling with the problem of finals and graduation. It was also reportec u '< that any schedule approved by the Faculty Senate and President Mobley would before distributin take the place of the one already published. The decision on the schedule shouk fF' 0US A&M logc be made sometime this week. il a ^ I have one thing to say about the idea of changing the finals schedule thelasiBf ’ [ S J | ‘| |fci ^1301° week in October: This is crap. Texas A&M University has published a finalexaitj ll 1 L ' 11 schedule and it sould stick to it. It is not just that people who need to fly homem to make reservations now to insure a flight and to get discount fares. It is not 33,000 other students are being kept up in the air because of about 5,()()() senior! And it is not that the rush to come up witfi a schedule this late in the term prohil rational discussion of the matter. It is the principle that A&M, an institution that aspires to be “world-class,”hJ published a schedule and it should honor it. The idea of keeping to published schedules may seem like a small principle, but if A&M cannot keep small ones, it will not uphold larger principles. Jim DeGraffenreid Graduate student “Every major cc ic country has a li d has had one fc said. Tom Hardin, lanager for the Ui m, said UT-Ai here between $2 lis year. Lousi Religion not sacred EDITOR: Chauna Baum’s “sweeping generalizations” about people in mental institute were almost charming in their naivete and I wish her a safe and sheltered life. For those of you not satisfied with her diagnosis, let us debate. Can (iod drive you bonkers or is that a bit remote, conceptually? Well then, how about RELIGION? I see some smiles of recognition. Repression, guilt, harshness, unyielding obsession with perfection ( precision), judgmentalism, fear. That was your free association (no charge). Wha ledical Associati o e The Brazos An ent Chapter of th< re combining the sponsible pet ow Their goal is to [ t care, kindnes ivic responsibli eekly articles, w udents and facu did you see? A person on a couch or someone in a pulpit or something else My friend Gracie was die bright, athletic, obedient daughter of a Baptist minister when she slid into schizophrenia. She catalogued names for genitaliaas she preached about Jesus. Schizophrenia is a chemical affliction, so her rambling! may or may not have had significance. But I can tell you many tales of people who did suf f er emotional pain becausv parent used religion to justify their need to control or hurt or to cover up their 3n ned pet owners own sexual desires and dilemmas. Religion is merely a manner of worshipping God. It is a structure or shell. Religion IS NOT SACRED. God and life may be, but not religion. And through religion, people seem to find reason often enough to divide themselves into good and evil. There are some who appear to lead exemplary, shining, selfless lives and that are some who actually come close, but with so many, the strain of the effort cause! a snap. Snap goes Walker Railey, snap go the TV evangelists, snap went ayonth director in our church who found a penchant for young girls irrepressible. Perhaps religion doesn’t bring madness, but there is a lot of madness in the church. But then, there is a lot of madness in the world. Julie Oliver Graduate student Hail the Common Man! It’s or Becky what’s-her-nane Try to pronounce these names: Mi- kulencak, Squatriglia and Berzsenyi. Not easy, is it? What’s worse is when you are one of the people with the distinct honor of owning a name like these — a totally un- pronouncable, indescribable jumble of letters thrown together to make people feel totally illiterate. People mangle the name, slurring and mumbling in an attempt to pretend they really do know how to pronounce it. Your middle name becomes “how-do- you-say-it” — as in Becky how-do-you- say-it Weisenfels. That’s one of the main reasons I came to college. I figured I would just come to college and hang around with literate, educated humans, thereby increasing the odds of my name being pronounced right. However, most people just give up. Like in the doctor’s office — the nurse comes out, says my first name, pauses. She stares at the clipboard and slowly draws it nearer her face. Then she looks around the room with a com bination of confusion and desperation,. I can’t stand it, so I get up and go with her. One day, though, I am going to be in a really bad mood and just sit there, making the poor nurse sweat it out until she is forced to say my last name. It goes both ways, though. Just as people give up trying to pronounce the names, we give up trying to get people to pronounce it right. One of the photographers who works at The Battalion is named Phelan. That’s his first name, not his last. And don’t ask us how to pronounce it — no two people who work in the office pro nounce it the same way. Some of the Becky Weisenfels Managing Editor worst arguments in the office center around the pronunciation of Phelan’s name. There’s no way to figure it out. You can’t even ask Phelan how to pronounce his name because he won’t tell you. He just lets people pronounce it however their little imaginations decide it should be maimed. I always thought I had it better than most, though. I figured I would marry a guy named Joe Smith and end the days of having to spell my name every time I wanted to order something from Sears or make a hair appointment (no, not at Sears). However, with my luck, I would end up marrying a guy named Jooe Sm- mythe. And so it would go on, and on, and on. I couldn’t order those Christmas cards with my name pre printed on them. I would have to keep checking to make sure my name was spelled right on my checks. It’s horrible when you go out with friends and they decide to play a game — a game called “who-can-spell-the- name-from-hell.” They each take a turn trying to link the letters together in just the right combination. The only good part about this game is that I always know the answer. I figure my ultimatrevenge on the world is to become fanus and not drop my last name — unlikTiffany or Ma donna. I always thou,it Nietchze had the right idea. He wei out, said a few intelligent things anchow the entire world is stuck trying spell his name forever. Even the rafom magazine reader will eventually amble across his name. “Who is this? Night-:e?” It’s the only way toiay back people with cute, pert little naes. At least they could fit their wholertame on their lunchbox. Remember the SAs? Remember how they had the little oxes where you wrote your name and $n filled in the bubbles? How many ;ople could fit their whole name in Use boxes while the entire college am testing system thought my name was(eisenfels, Rebe (short for Rebecca, wch is long for Becky — but that’s anaer story). I used to wonder wl in the heck my mom married my datwhen she knew the name she would gi stuck with — at least she had a choiceBut now I don’t mind as much becausfhere are one or two good points. When friends corf into town and look me up, there’s oiy one Weisenfels in the phone book —and if there are more, they’re relatedo me. I can also tell what is junk maij— they spell my name right. For sole reason, if my name is totally mangll, I know that the mail is from someone know. Obviously the spell-the-nam^ame never did them any good. Becky Weisenfels? a senior journa lism major, managir editor and a col umnist for The Battaon. EDITOR: “So come on, guys, form your own opinion and stop listening to someone else’s!” — Greg Flinn in the Oct. 26 Mail Call. Oh, very good Mr. Flinn, and would you care to tell me how you knowthatall people who wear such shirts have no opinion other than other people’s. So you’re the all-knowing Greg and you want to join a frat, correct? Oh, how sweet. First, how do you know that these opinions of no frats are formed as a resultol socialistic oppression by the upperclassmen. There is something new and revolutionary in this country known as freedom of speech. Have you heard ofit? Obviously, if opinions concur, they are all formed and spread by some higher, socialist authority, according to you. Second, “A tradition since the beginning” is a statement to the ef fect that no frats is one tradition from the beginning, not the tradition (the Corps).” True, a lot of traditions do die out, but I sure hope this one does not. Fratsare designed for the beautiful, plastic people of the world (with a few exceptions), which I am proud to say I am not one of. Remember, one of the traditions A&M still stands for: our total difference from all other universities. So if you want tobt like t.u. and all the others, and promote frats, just go melt someplace elseatoneol the plastic universities. Long live the Common Man! Frank Ruzicka ’92 Sophomore scolds ‘frick’ Anixna If you have a purchase one, hen siderations. Pets i mitment, and all abide by the Aggie I shall: • Plan before gi pared to assume t nancial responsib ownership. EDITOR: I have a few comments about the Oct. 26 Mail Call titled: “Corps weakening, Greeks on rise.” Fish Flinn, please note: 1. The T-shirt states: “No Frats — A Tradition . .. since the beginning.” 2. The T-shirt was started by Davis-Gary some time ago, a non-reg dorm, not the Corps. (Ask one of them what one of their hump-its is.) 3. No Greeks at A&M was a tradition since 1876, but the Corps is still a tradition. 4. Yes, traditions must sometimes change with the times, not end. If the Corps were abolished: our nation would lose a sizable block of officers commissioned to the armed forces (A&M commissions about 80-90 officers per class, more than at other school), and when you take away the Aggies who lead others in the defense of you, Mr. Pledge, bad things can happen to enlisted men and women in a national conflict. As for forming my own opinions, I have formed my own: the Corps cuts mostj of bonfire and non-regs build the majority ofit. I’m against the “frat daddy” ima* and attitude as well as the “if you aren’t in the Corps, you aren’t worth much” attitude. And, lastly, whether you are in a fraternity, in a sorority, in the Corps,or a non-reg, you are still an AGGIE and that is what tradition is all about. Catch a clue, frick! Regarding the second letter that same day: we don’t steal the sign that goesi bonfire, it is donated by Pearce Sign & Barricade of Hearne, and the so-called “private” quiz files are made from tests that have been returned to people who tool them. Also, the files are open to everyone at A&M. Michael Orman ’91 Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must indudA classif ication, 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 community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the author, and do not necessarily rep resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fac ulty or the Board of Regents. The 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 holiday and examination periods. 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