Opinion
Mail Call
Saff offensive and repulsive
EDITOR:
I read your opinions entided “Sherrill’s Got To Go” and “Ags Deserve Death
in Nov. 18 issue.
The articles are offensive to this country’s basic concept that a person is
innocent until proven guilty. You obviously gave total credibility to unverified
allegations by a person who, by his own admission, accepted an illegal payment.
The issue here is not whether or not the allegations are true but whether or not
Coach Sherrill has the right to expect your support and loyalty until such time as
the charges against him may be proved.
I find your journalism repulsive and offensive. You are an embarrassment to
the University, the students and 01502500faculty, and the alumni. You are hiding
behind your First Amendment rights to infringe upon the rights of Jackie Sherrill
— his right to a presumption of innocence.
I have spoken to many people about your disloyal editorial position and have
found that all, without exception, feel as I do. I am not an Aggie; I graduated from
UT.
I have written to President Mobley expressing my concerns regarding YOUR
opinions and demanding that he remove the entire Battalion Editorial Board
immediately. Since you do not feel that allegations need to be proved, hopefully
you will be removed without the need for any investigation!
Barbara H. Landrum
Batt an incredible paper
EDITOR:
I was amazed to see the Nov. 28 Mail Call. There were people trying to stuff
their feet in the Batt’s mouth, and one intelligent being who couldn’t even count
how many questions she was trying to ask. Not to mention the other letter which
asked Jackie how “proud” he was for what he had done to our pristine school.
I would like to point out a couple of things:
The Battalion is not in a “shabby state.” It is an incredible paper which prints
the news, opinions about the news and gets the news to the reader quickly.
So when the Dallas Morning News prints a headline story, it is the Batt’s
obligation to take the news and act on it in an unbiased manner, which they did.
I’m just glad we don’t have a piece of censored propoganda — if you want that, go
to Baylor.
I’m proud of the A&M newspaper EVEN when they print something I don’t
like. But apparently I’m in the minority.
As to the Smith story, something sounds just a little too thin for me. Maybe you
should try to think (God forbid) objectively about it. Embrace the truth — even if it
hurts.
Lastly, does anyone know what “hypocrite” or “fickle” means?
We have been under investigation for a LONG time, and I don’t believe I saw
anyone throwing stones at Jackie after we beat the hell outta Notre Dame last year.
Greg Martinez ’91
Hammons’ loyalty non-existent
EDITOR:
In response to Hal Hammons’ article in the Batt and also the one appearing in
the Houston Chronicle.
Mr. Hammons, perhaps I should remind you of which school you attend. No, I
do not believe that simply being on the Batt staff justifies complete support of the
University, but being an Aggie does!
I once made a choice, as many others did. The choice was Texas A&M — one
of the greatest universities in the nation.
The strong bond the student body shares with the Universtiy was, to me, one of
the most appealing features of this university and a mitigating factor in my choice.
Loyalty, Mr. Hammons, is defined by Webster’s as “faithfulness to one’s coun
try, friends, ideals, etc . . .” or “showing such faith.” Condemning a man who has
done so much for this university on the basis of reading an Associated Press wire
story is not only irresponsible journalism and sensationalism but shows a lack of
loyalty. Need we remind you, Mr. Hammons, “Highway 6 runs both ways.”
Perhaps if you go north far enough you will find a country who believes you
are guilty until proven innocent.
Greg Nolan ’90
Accompanied by seven signatures
Patton not a good Ag hero
EDITOR:
I write to you in protest of the Aggie Band playing the theme song from
“Patton.” I refuse to stand up, clap, whoop or even be seen in the stadium when
the inconsiderate band of warmongers, bigots and rascists plays that song.
This song, written by Jerry Goldsmith (who has long, bleach-white hair and
lives in California, thereby certifying his anti-Texan attitude) composed this piece
to celebrate the personality of one of history’s most eccentric slaughterers. I give
three arguments for the banning of this song:
• 1. Patton loved battle. Patton was therefore an inhuman warmonger,
glorying in the blood of fellow men. I’m sure Texas A&M (even though having a
torture chamber of its won called the Math Department) doesn’t want its respected
name soaked in the carnage of battlefields.
• 2. Patton was a rascist. He is notorious for having called citizens of Great
Britain, “limeys.” I’m not offended by that, only because I’m not British. But if I
were British, I would be offended. Just as if I were black, I should be repelled by
the playing of “Dixie” (that song in which celebrates slavery) and the “hullabaloo
caneck caneck” line in the “Aggie War Hymn” whcih is a direct mockery of
Humumba kena kena,” of the Nigerian Ebo language which means, “God bless
the grain embargo.”
So the mob which downgrades their Rice counterparts LOVES WAR, HATE
BLACKS, BRITS and GERMANS!!! Are we, as intelligent people to accept this?
• 3. Patton was not an Aggie! He graduated from West Point. How could a
true Aggie play a song about a West Point grad?
I believe ‘Patton’ should be banned! BANNED, BANNED, BANNED, I SAY!!!
It is violent, rascist — an overall bad influence on a wholesome, Freddy Krueger-
worshipping society. It should be banned, erased, scratched out, eighty-sixed,
done in, abolished.
And being the highly intelligent minority leader that I am, I promise to act in
the tradition of my interest fathers if my demands are not met.
I shall go on national television and break Geraldo’s nose.
Dane Clark ’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 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 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.
Mail subscriptions are $17.44 per semester, $34.62
per school year and $36.44 per full year. Advertising
rates furnished on request.
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Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1 111.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX
77843.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battal
ion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col
lege Station TX 77843-4111.
The Battalion Wednesday, November 30, 1933
St
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LOCKER ROOM
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Gore use to be a lot simpler
Sit back as I take you to those glorious
days of yesteryear. Days when things
were simpler. Nice spring and fall days
with nothing more to worry about than
where your next meal of ants or your
next act of mischief would be found.
Back when you didn’t know what “PG”
meant on movies, much less wondering
if you could sneak into that “R” movie.
day the 13th” movie is to beJasonon
one who survives at the end. That
could collect a share of the profitsfe
more than one film.
Steve
Masters
Columnist
Can you remember a horror movie
that has come out since your birth that
didn’t have blood in it? No? Me neither.
Back in the days of Alfred Hitchcock
(affectionately known by yours truly as
Big Al, that is until he got uppity and
was knighted — then he became Sir Big
Al) movies didn’t need gallons of crim
son spilled everywhere. Movies like
‘Rear Window” and “Vertigo.” Now,
don’t get me wrong, there was violence
in these movies. I’m not denying that.
But it was implied.
just about anything you wanted to quiet
little Michael Myers. (In the movie, My
ers escaped from a mental home the
night before the 18th anniversary of
killing his sister — coincidence? I think
not.)
Then came Freddy. The original
Nightmare on Elm Street” becameao
classic and whammo! Freddy is tun
into the hottest thing since Jasonp
up scuba diving.
Now we have Chuckie in “C!
Play.” This movie mustbepreii
graphic. It shows blood on thecoma
cial. I can only wonder how much
Once again shock effect made the
movie actually scary. It had to be more
graphic because audiences demanded it,
but it remained within the boundaries
of (almost) good taste.
see spilled during the actual
Maybe they’ll get creative and
somebody in blood.
And that was the start of the decline.
The other thing that all self-resps
ing (if that’s possible) horror
have is a dizzy dame. At some
the movie this female sex objectmusi:
Then came “Psycho” with its now-fa-
mous shower scene. Although you
never saw the knife hitting skin, there
was more than enough implication.
And through it all it remained an art
fully directed scene. If you watch it
again, you’ll notice there are over 70 in
dividual shots in a 45-second span. In
one scene. Some movies these days don’t
have 70 shots in 90 minutes.
After that we had “Halloween II”
which took up where the original left off
— the day after. It seemed to end there
because both Michael and Dr. Loomis
were seemingly killed in an explosion.
“Halloween III: The Season of the
Witch” had nothing to do with either of
the first. The killer’s goal in it was to
turn the face of every kid in America
into worms and snakes and beetles. This
guy would make a good cocktail party
guest, don’t you think?
• Expose herself. What kind ofs
object would she be if she didn’td
her top? No lower nudity though.l
could lead to an “X” rating — almost
bad as “G” in drawing audiences
And although the shower scene be
came the mold for future slasher mov
ies, it isn’t really the scariest scene in the
movie. What always makes me jump is
when Martin Balsom is almost to the top
of the stairs and old Norman/Mother
comes out. He falls down the stairs and
gets speared by the ornament on the
bannister. Ouch.
Now this year we had “Halloween IV:
The Return of Michael Myers.” Does
the phrase “sell out” mean anything to
you? But it seems to be what’s expected.
• Run from said villain and tri[
1 low many times do we have to see#
girl running helter skelter, not
where she’s going and trip over
carelessly mowed lawn or other o|
space? It seems there are certain
ements of balance that one would ti
time to use in such a moment. But tin
I’ve never run from a guy wearing
hockey mask and carrying Paul
yan’s favorite ax.
The horror came from the shock va
lue, mainly because it hadn’t been seen
before on the silver screen.
The “Friday the 13th” movies started
that B.S. The first one was OK, but it
got kind of hokey at the end when old
Jason came up from the lake after not
six minutes, not six hours, not six days,
but six years. Been hanging out with
Aquaman, huh Jas?
After “Psycho” there were many at
tempts to recreate the effect, but few
reached it. One was John Carpenter’s
classic “Halloween,” which added to the
slasher effect by introducing the other
element necessary for the modern “hor
ror” movie: the invincible killer.
At least Norman could be put away in
the mental home for 25 years for his
crimes. In “Halloween,” you could do
In the second through latest, Jason
and friends (his son even filled in for
him once) goes on a killing spree, kills
12 people and one kills him. At the start
of the next in the sequence, Jason is
(Wait! Don’t tell me! I haven’t seen that
one yet!) raised from the dead and
promptly goes after the survivor from
the last movie.
• Scream “NO!” at the top of In
lungs (which probably are nearly
posed). Listen. Last time, OK. Tfe
guys are not due for a moral uplift.If
ing them “no” is like petting thei
when he goes on the rug. Non-effect«
That could be neat, though,
whips out those unmanicured
his, the girl says “No!” so he stopsJf
goes out to sell flowers on the street
box-office smash!! I love it!!
You’ll have to excuse me now
due on the set for “Wrestlemania:Cl!
of the Slashers.”
The only way I’d want to be in a “Fri
Steve Masters is a senior journals
major, senior staff writer and a coi» !
nist for The Battalion.
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