A&M supporters
deserve thanks
We would like to recognize some major contributors whose dona
tions are helping send the Aggie Band, Parson’s Mounted Cavalry
and the Ross Volunteers to George Bush’s inauguration.
Association of Former Students —$30,000
Development Of fice and Foundation —$30,000
Federation of A&M Mothers Clubs—$4,095
The Battalion Editorial Board
| Mail Call
It’s not wrong to share beliefs
EDITOR:
In the Jan. 17 edition of The Battalion Hope Warren wrote a letter that
addressed her concerns about religion in the classrooms here at Texas A&M
University.
I’d like to try to answer her question, “Why do professors feel the need to share
their religious beliefs . . . ?”
Hope, people who are in love with someone else always want to talk about the
object of their affection. In like manner, when someone is in love with Jesus Christ,
that perosn wants to tell others about the One who died for their sins.
When Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind, He proved His love for
us.
I do wish that this letter sheds some light on Hope’s questions. I think that she
raised a legitimate concern, I only hope that this response is an adequate answer.
Murray E. Moore ’84
God and people are inseparable
EDITOR:
1 was not there on Hope’s first day back to class, so I do not claim to know every
detail. As I understand it, though, on the first day of class, professors usually
introduce themselves to the class — where they got their undergraduate degree,
graduate degree, etc.
This information is intended to give the class an idea of the professor’s
background and how they think Christianity affects people. This is not only our
wish, but dictated by our God through the Bible: . . in order that in everything
God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:11)
So while you can take the person out of the church, you cannot take the God
out of the person.
Floyd Osborne ’90
P.E. can last a lifetime
EDITOR:
As a senior, Stephanie, perhaps you have forgotten how it is to be 18 or 19
years old. Let me remind you.
At this age, many of us are still not mature enough to make all of our own
decisions now that we live without parents breathing down our necks. We don’t all
just absolutely adore studying but we do it so we can make the grades to earn our
degrees. Without exercise, of course, most of us would still earn our degrees. But
I, like most of us here at Texas A&M University, have found the learning
experiences of college to involve more than just making the grade.
My weight training coach summed up the idea behind mandatory physical
education beautifully. He said that the idea of the course was to offer a taste of this
sort of activity so that we may better find an exercise regimen that we can stick with
for a lifetime. By offering more specialized classes than we may have had in high
school (such as racquetball, aerobic running and weight training) we get at least
one more chance to find that one kind of exercise we enjoy best.
I may not remember much from my calculus course in ten years, but I predict
that I will still be receiving the benefits of continued exercise up to that point and
beyond.
Jana Marie Stanley ’92
P.E. helps create ‘total person’
EDITOR:
As a physical education major, one of the first lessons learned is that you will
always be defending your profession. Many people question the requirement of
physical education in our school systems, be it elementary school, junior high, high
school or college.
However, these people fail to recognize that physical education is an essential
part in the development of the total person; it’s not just physical but mental as well.
A sound body does equal a sound mind. It is not just a theory, but a validated fact.
A stimulated body results in the stimulation of the mind.
The importance of physical education ranges from teaching basic motor skills
(running jumping, throwing, etc.) in the elementary schools, to the lifetime
recreational activities in college (golfing, angling, archery, etc.) These activities
offer not only physical rewards, but mental rewards as well.
At Texas A&M University we are blessed with administrators who truly are a
godsend. They recognize that physical education is a vital part in the development
of each and every individual and that it should be funded as such. Physical
education is a discipline of its own, the same as English, math, science, etc. The
administration also realizes that the United States is far behind the European
countries in terms of physical education.
The “American” way is toward a more sedentary life style — a.k.a. couch
potatoes! Here at Texas A&M we have the opportunity to improve our fitness in
one of the best physical education departments in the nation.
The physical education department produces quality professionals. The Aggie
Alliance, the physical education majors society, was recently voted as the best
society of its kind in the nation.
We as physical educators are proud of our chosen profession and are prepared
to justify our discipline when challenged by the uninformed!
Jay Janczak ’89
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
Becky Weisenfels, Editor
Leslie Guy, Managing Editor
Dean Sueltenfuss, Opinion Page Editor
Anthony Wilson, City Editor
Scot Walker, Wire Editor
Drew Leder, News Editor
Doug Walker, Sports Editor
Jay Janner, Art Director
Mary-Lynne Rice, Entertainment Edi
tor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspa
per operated as a community service to Texas A&M and
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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.
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Page 2
The Battalion
Thursday, January 19,131
Few winners in Libyan fiasco
While you were packing, unpacking,
writing checks to the University, and
standing in long lines, you may have
missed the latest international drama.
I’m referring to the recent U.S.-Libyan-
West German episode.
You may remember the statements
made by White House officials in De
cember about a chemical weapons plant
in Rabta, Libya. This created somewhat
of a furor in the international commu
nity because of a post-World War I ban
on the use of chemical weapons in com
bat. About twenty countries in the world
still produce chemicals that could be
made into weapons (including the
United States and the Soviet Union), but
all countries have agreed not to use
them as weapons.
Of course Libya, specifically Moam-
mar Gadhafi, vehemently denied that
the Rabta plant was producing anything
but pharmaceuticals. International con
cern dwindled slightly.
The White House statement went on
to say that West Germany had helped
construct this plant, and it asked that
the West German government investi
gate suspected companies. West Ger
man Chancellor Helmut Kohl re
sponded sharply by saying that he
found it intolerable for anyone to accuse
the West Germans without giving them
a chance to see the proof. The United
States showed them proof, but West
German officials were unconvinced that
there was a weapons plant, and they re
jected any U.S. assertions that West Ger
man firms had engaged in illegal activity
by helping construct it. This was an
other blow to the Reagan administra
tion’s story. International attention soon
focused on the credibility of U.S. intelli
gence information.
But of course it doesn’t end there.
The British government spoke up to say
that they had independently obtained
information about chemical weapons
production in Gadhafi’s “pharmaceuti
cal plant.” The French came out and
said that the evidence was inconclusive
and more was needed. The U.S. State
Department said U.S. intelligence ana
lysts were “quite comfortable” with their
evidence that the Rabta plant is for
chemical weapons production.
Then came the U.S.-Libyan dogfight
over the Mediterranean where two Li
byan warplanes were shot down by two
U.S. Navy jets. Gadhafi moved quickly
to blame U.S. terrorism for the incident
calling it “premeditated agression” and
“murder in cold blood.” Libyan tele
vision reported that 14 U.S. jets am
bushed unarmed Libyan planes. Gad
hafi claimed that the Libyan jets were on
Tames
tecil
Columnist
a routine reconnaissance flight when
they were shot down by the U.S. jets at a
distance of more than thirty miles, thus
showing premeditation.
The United States immediately gave
an account of the dogfight and said that
the Libyan jets moved agressively and
intentionally in a hostile manner to
wards the U.S. jets. Unforturnately for
Col. Gadhafi, the actual details of the
event were recorded by onboard audio-
/video equipment and U.S. Navy radar.
These recordings showed the posi
tion of the four jets during the dogfight,
and the maneuvers of the U.S. jets at
tempting to avoid contact with the on
coming Libyans. Pictures from the video
show the Libyan jets to be fully armed
and only four miles away, contradicting
Gadhafi’s story.
But the U.S. maneuvers in the clash
were questioned by a highly respected
combat aviation expert and former Brit
ish air force fighter pilot. After intensly
studying the video, he concluded that
the Libyan jets were not acting with hos
tile intent. He went on, and contra
dicted himself, to say that “the U.S. jets
should have retreated.” He did not ex
plain why the jets should have “retrea
ted” if the Libyans were not moving of
fensively, nor did he consider the fact
that the clash took place over interna
tional waters where Libya has no more
right than the United States to act offen
sively.
Regardless of the specifics of the inci
dent, the United States appeared in the
world news media as a bully. Gadhafi
wanted to make the most of this, so he
decided to prove that the Rabta plant
was not producing chemical weapons.
Over 200 foreign journalists were in
vited to take a tour of the “pharmaceuti
cal plant.” The reporters were taken by
bus from Tripoli to Rabta, then to the
plant grounds. This “tour” ended up
being nothing more than a complete
farce.
The buses whirled through the plant
grounds at night, in the dark, and did
not stop once. But the journalists did see
unusually heavy defensive weapons
around the plant, and the traditional
anti-American protest. Several of the
protestors found a moment whentlii
weren’t under the watch of the rail
and revealed to reporters that this pr
test was ordered by Gadhafi’s polic
The reporters also noticed that ihef
byan officials guiding the tour wa
more nervous than usual on the
They also found the extraordinari:
high security to be unusual and
cious.
After the “tour” the journalists wa
informed that they were being expel
from Libya and were leaving that n
on specially chartered planes. Later,
Libyan officials changed their m
and allowed them to stay the night all
leave on regulary scheduled flights
the morning.
Last week the United States produce
evidence of an emergency phone cal
via satellite, from the Libyan plant to
West German company asking for asst
tance in dealing with a chemical spi
Thus, the Rabta plant is definitely pn
ducing chemical weapons, and with lit
from West German firms. Recent!'
more evidence came to light when tm
West German shipping firms said
they had been hired by the suspectt
companies to send chemicals with weap
ons potential to Libya. To makeallt!
more interesting in a diplomatic senst
this controversy was evolving just da)
before a 140-nation conference in Pari
on controlling chemical weapons.
Now that all this information I
been verified and is out in the opeti
how did the respective countries com
out of it? Gol. Gadhafi didn’t supris
anybody with his obscene lies, so I
didn’t really lose anything. He just real
firmed the world’s assessment of I
shady character. The West Germangoi
ernment ended up with egg on itsfaci
after reacting defensively and denyini
the U.S. request for investigation t
West German firms only to find on
later that these firms were indeed heai
ily involved with the chemical plain
The United States could have handle:
the situation better had it been a littl:
more direct in dealing with West Gei
many and its other allies. Also, Dar
Howard, Pentagon spokesman, gets
diplomatic black mark for calling theli
byan ambassador to the United Nation
a liar during a press conference. Tl
man may well be 31 liar, but it’s irre
sponsible for someone in Mr. Howard]
position to publicly state it.
Now that the smoke is settling, w
don’t really see any clear winners. Tl
only victory may be for the international
movement banning chemical weapons
James Cecil is a senior economic!
major and a columnist for The Battal
ion.
Government neglects duties
The degree to which U.S. citizens
blindly accept the government strikes
me as inane.
This is by no means a startling reve
lation. The Inquistion lasted for many
years, as did the reign of the Roman
Caesars, the Catholic Church during the
Middle Ages, and, in our century, Adolf
Hitler and Communist Russia.
We begin our tale with the election of
George Bush. For those of you who
have not kept up with current affairs
over the holidays, Bush will be inaugu
rated Friday. The inauguration will be
the most elaborate and expensive one
ever. Over $25 million is being spent—a
ridiculous amount for ah inauguration.
Bush is known for being an ambassa
dor to China, director of the Central In
telligence Agency, and vice president
under Ronald Reagan. In any of these
positions, no one can recall anything sig
nificant which he has accomplished.
Bush was elected by a landslide margin
of only a few percentage points in the
popular vote over Michael Dukakis, giv
ing Bush a “mandate” to rule.
It is interesting to note that only 48
percent of the eligible voters in the
United States actually voted. Can a na
tion actually be ruled according to the
people’s wishes if the leader only re
ceives a quarter of the population’s vote?
Why are we being led by politicans who
do not have even a majority of the peo
ple backing them?
The 52 percent who did not vote did
so for two reasons. The first is apathy.
Some do not care to engage themselves
with politics. It would be a waste of time.
One’s vote does not really count, does it?
Besides, it does not matter who is
elected; things will remain the same.
Nothing ever changes.
Anger is the second reason. Some
people are dissatisfied with the present
government. There is no choice. Third
parties are almost taboo in the news me
dia and on the ballot. The Democratic
and Republican parties differ only on
small technicalities, acting more like col
lege fraternities than leaders and inno
vators of a nation. The problems of the
people are only increasing, and the gov-
Todd
IjjP*
Honeycutt
Columnist
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“Th<
nese h
ernment is doing little to help.
Next, we have the U.S. Congress in all
of their splendor and grandeur. Their
salaries are automatically increased to
adjust with inflation and other costs
without them ever having to vote for it.
They do, of course, have the option of
voting against it. Only the greedy would
install a system as such we have.
The American people, meanwhile,
suffer. Not really all of the people suffer
— just the poor and the middle class,
who cannot obtain higher pay as easily
as Congress. Minimum wage has re
mained at the same level for a number
of years. Inflation has most definitely
increased during that time, as has the
cost of living. But members of Congress,
in their wisdom and fairness, haven’t
found it in their hearts to increase the
minimum wage.
Members of Congress also can accept
money from political action commitees,
or PACs. Though the purpose for their
creation may have been noble — to pre
sent to the government the views of mi
nority special intrests groups — today
they give financial contributions to
members of Congress who support the
PACs particular interests. Some PACs
give upwards of $10,000 to members of
Congress. The largest PAC is the Na
tional Rifle Association, created to keep
gun control laws to a minimum. They
carry more power than many people
give them credit for. Democracy? No.
The federal deficit, an important is
sue of the 1988 election (if any impor
tant issues ever existed), continues to in
crease with no sign of slowing down.
Reagan’s 1986 tax reform will add $91
billion to the deficit. In Reagan’s new
budget proposal, defense funds have
not been cut, but social programs wl
receive less funding than they prt
viously have. Despite promises by 1
taxes will also probably increase.
Civil rights have been infringed upoil
during the last few years. T he right if
bear arms, placed in the Bill of Rightsstl
that the people could have the meansH
revolt if revolution was needed, is con
stantly being threatened. T he youngarfj
taxed, but not all have the right to vote
T hose that do have the right to vote anil
the resposibility to protect our freedoit
by joini’ g the armed forces do nothavf
the right to drink alcoholic beverages
This right has been restricted becauseol
the federal government’s intervention
into the rights of the states. The mosi
blatant example of the restriction
rights is seen in Congress’ new drugl
The right to privacy, the right againS
unreasonable search and seizure, tl
right of a warrant requiring probabk
cause as well as a description of that
be seized and where it is to be found
and the rights against excessive finei
and inhumane punishment are all vio
lated.
Let me remind you of the preambit
of the Constitution: “We the Peopled
the United States, in Order to form)
more perfect Union, establish Justice
insure domestic Tranquility, provided
the common defense, promote the gen
eral Welfare, and secure the Blessing
of Liberty to ourselves and our Poster
ity, do ordain and establish this Constil
tution for the United States of Amerii
01
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Vi
Our government has failed in keep
ing to the ideals of the Constitution
And we are responsible. The citizen^
the common American in his com pi'
cency and chosen ignorance — is tht
reason behind the government’s failure
as has happened many times during the
course of history.
I hereby announce, with sorrow and
resentment, the untimely death of the
noblest of all documents, our Constitn
tion. We have let it die.
Todd Honeycutt is a sophomorepsj 1
chology major and a columnist for Th f
Battalion.
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