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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1989)
The Battalion OPINION Friday, February 10,1989 Mail Call Drug legalization good idea EDITOR: I simply must comment on Jeff rey Farmer’s article concerning the legalization of drugs which appeared in the Jan. 29 issue oi The Battalion. FINALLY! For the First time I opened my eyes to an insightful article written in more than the common third-grade intellectualism typical of newspaper journalism. Jeff has it right. Legalizing drugs by using a rational policy is the only answer to the many problems caused by drugs and drug addiction. I’m sure many people won’t be able to see past their own self-righteous noses and begin to understand that this policy would actually decrease the amount of drugs used in the United States as well as put an end to the rampant growth of organized crime associated with drug trafficking. Maybe a generation, at the most, will experiment with this legalized drug use, but as they begin to realize, at or near the age of 40, that their lack of brain cell tissue prevents them from being competitive in the work force and that time lost in drug rehabilitation is time lost on the corporate ladder, drug use will diminish (for good). And, maybe, people won’t be praised for admitting they have a problem with drug addiction, as they are now. Perhaps they will, instead, be praised for never starting at all. This is the only rational way to control drug use in a free market society. Let’s put an end to the police-state tactics being used so widely in recent years, and let’s be true to the capitalistic heritage that so many Americans have fought and died for. Any constraint on f reedom, regardless of the intention, can only damage our society as demonstrated by the recent and unfortunate self-defeating “war on drugs.” Jack A. Reynolds ’90 Protesting is cool, man EDITOR: Three cheers and a whoop! The age of activism has reached the backward A&M campus at last. We’re Finally taking a cue from some of our enlightened comrades on campuses around the country and speaking out against injustice everywhere. Not only have we hosted protests against architectural uniformity (Students Against Apartheid’s spray painted outhouse), we’ve also seen the Medicine Tribe object to government employment, the scourge of free thinkers around the world. A list of coming attractions may include blowing up the College of Veterinary Medicine to achieve animal rights (UC-Davis), turkey “liberatons” from the Poultry Science Center (both coasts), flag burnings to protest the blatantly American imperialist militarism which the Corps personifies, or perhaps a good old-fashioned love-fest on the MSC lawn to protest blind traditions. These are just a sampling of the tried and true campus activities which would made even the godfather of protest, Abbey Hof fman, shed a tear of j°y- I wake up every morning and thank God (and .Madelyn Murray O’Hare, of course) that we’re Finally on our way to world class university status. Still, we’ve got a long way to go before we reach the cosmopolitan, socially aware level which our brethren in Austin and around the country began striving for in the late ’60s. If we all work and protest together, we can resurrect that wondrous Age of Aquarius whose renaissance we’ve awaited for so long. Peace, brothers. Larry Cox Grad student Band offers different music EDITOR: Your assignment for today is to read and memorize the following: “Hunkpapa” by Throwing Muses is brilliant, contrary to what you may have read before. In her review of the new album on Thursday, Suzanne Hoechstetter labeled the band as having a warped concept of what music is. She gave a rather scathing review to a band that, like much of what we play at KANM, works to go beyond lyrical content and musical hooks to create a mood in their music. Kristin Hersh, the band’s lead singer and song writer describes what they do by saying “Great music isn’t rational, it’s mad with its own loveliness.” That kind of music is a staple for us at the station and accordingly, Suzanne’s review of the band’s latest album “hit home.” Throwing Muses and most alternative American bands have traditionally had trouble bypassing the commerciality in today’s music industry. As a result of American disinterest in the band, their First two records were released overseas only, on 4 AD records, a label that deFines itself by making the unique and unavailable, available. I’m not a drug addict or a pseudo-intellect, but I feel that “Hunkpapa,” Throwing Muses’ fourth album, is probably their best yet. It’s a matter of opinion, but the band’s sour vocals and edgy guitar provide a great alternative to the sickeningly sweet pop music that you’ll hear elsewhere. Alex Luke ’90 KANM Station Manager Frat ad not endearing EDITOR: I saw an advertisement in your paper on Jan. 20 depicting a female wearing, apparently, nothing but a long-neck scarf, a bracelet and high heels with the caption “Phi Kappa Tau Presents The Stripper Party — Spring Rush ’89.” All 1 have to say is that no matter what connotation is behind this ad, it is a disfavor to anyone who saw it. I may not know much about rush parties or fraternities, but even if I did, I cannot see how this type of advertising would endear me or anyone else to a fraternity. It is no wonder that fraternities have had difficulty being recognized by Texas A&M University when this is the image they are projecting! Lorrie Fincher Secretary, Computing Services Center 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 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 holidav 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. Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Universilv, 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 Universilv, Col lege Station TX 77843-4 111. A&M exercises m control over newspaper It’s not something new — a letter or a phone call criticizing a story in The Bat talion or a column on the opinion page. It is something we have come to expect as members of a newspaper staff. But many of the complaints are based on a misunderstanding of what The Battal ion is and the role it serves on the Texas A&M campus. The Battalion is a part of Texas A&M Student Publications, which is a division of the Department of Journalism. The Student Publications Board is made up of administrators, faculty and students appointed by the provost. The board makes Financial policy de cisions and nominates editors for The Battalion and The Aggieland. From there, the editors have com plete authority and responsibility for editorial and news content. The Battalion is not a University pub lication, but a student publication. Our printing presses are in the Uni versity Printing Center, where Student Publications pays the press people who run the machines. Student Publications also pays the salaries of those people who work for The Battalion — not only the editorial staff but also those who work in advertising and production. The Battalion is a self-supporting en tity. It does not receive any appropria tions from the state. The Battalion also is not a publication of the journalism department. Student Publications offices are housed in the same building as the journalism depart ment, but operate separately. Battalion do ask for coordinator ment head — get, advice. We follow it or not. staff members sometUM editorial advice from 4 or the journalism Vlharshould and that is exactly w then choose whethtrl There are historically two types of student newspapers. A laboratory news paper’s only function is to publish the work of students in journalism classes, and as such is subject to editorial control by faculty who teach the classes. The Battalion is not a laboratory newspaper. The Battalion is a student-run news paper. Even though the journalism pro fessors give us access to news stories written for their classes, we have edito rial control over those stories. Unlike a lab newspaper, The Battal ion is not published as a showcase for journalism classwork. Administrators and faculty have no editorial or news control. The newspa per is protected by the First Amend ment, and this protection has been strengthened by numerous Supreme Court cases. The Battalion has a coordinator who deals with the business and production side of the newspaper. The coordinator also serves, with the head of the journa lism department, as an unofficial ad viser to the paper when asked about edi torial content. What this all means is that ion staff really is in a unique posiSi Unlike editors at private universities,!! are not subject to editorial control byi journalism department or any A&M flcials because they are representati of the state and the state is forbidder: the Constitution from control of net sm are giver paper content. In addition, newspapei Although ars, instigati letting trash aditional ft nent for man dents at Texa ire hardly cht Within the lents of Wall alls have bee he damage tc if horseplay. Tom Murr: if Student Al f Davis-Gary in dai Spring 1987, vere evicted amp in Waite han $800 in amp, leading Spring 1988. Murray sa icted not or arise nothin ut because esidents was The decisic dents is mad nittee of res nd director*- epresentativ nent of Stuc /estigated the Committee ermine patt hose respon: laid. Administn rom the Co enerated fn /heftaj-Bnadiine rec< ill damage und is depl attern of v. all, residen Jivide and p ges. Residents unlike a we do not have “owner “publishers” to whom wemustanswi When 1 stand back and consider freedom we have, a freedom we probably never enjoy again as jdiii ists, it is almost overwhelming., I, asw as the staff members, understandik tremendous responsibility placed o: our shoulders since we are the onlyoiK responsible f or what goes in the paper, 1 Sometimes in hindsight we r that we should have done things cl ently. A word that was misinterpreit or a story that was written poorly haut us long after it was published. nforming th hey will be coinmetc: |ess the acts c But what’s past is past and all wee do is keep working and trying to frill our responsibility to provide theTes A&M community with news and edit rial opinions. Becky Weisenfels is a seniorjoW lism major and editor of The Battalu' Gorbachev faces tough time in effort to change U.S.S.R. About three years ago the new Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, introduced glasnost and perestroika. These reforms encouraged openness and economic re construction. Looking beyond what the Western press tells us, or what image the Soviet government wishes to convey, the effectiveness of these programs, and particularly the tenure of their leader, must be further examined. * GUESTBYL 15.00 04.09 tions of the Convention’s result mak dif ficult to declare Gorbachev a dc For Gorbachev, the easy rounds of perestroika are over, he must force his vision of change on one of the world’s largest, least flexible societies — with full knowledge that none of his prede cessors, even those who tried, could make it respond. What people clearly want is concrete evidence: shorter lines to buy food; imported consumer prod ucts; and greater production of better quality, lower priced autos, appliances and other durable goods. serted the freedom to reject laws en acted by the national government. Lith uania is moving toward a similar position. Again, because perestroika is long on promise and short on perfor mance, it is unable to provide better life for Soviet citizens. Gorbachev’s recent gambit of glol diplomacy may be motivated by mestic unrest. His foreign visitors! eluded West German Chancellor Hi mut Kohl and French Preside! Francois Mitterand. Traveling abroi the Soviet leader has visited with Prif With the increased unrest comes the question of Gorbachev’s survival. The dissension may be expressed through out one of his earliest programs, glas nost. In a display of irony, this reform has been a tool for both supporters and opponents. Minister Rajiv Gandhi of India, Ronald Reagan and George BT When in trouble at home, beconif statesman. It is difficult to accurately predict fate of Mr. Gorbachev. What is de however, is the longevity and lasting feet of his programs. *Pi m AN “ Unrest and disappointment are clearly evident throughout the Soviet Union. The Soviet republics, partic ularly the Baltic states, are growing in creasingly restless. In mid-November, for example, Estonia’s parliament as- In an act to cjuiet opposition and strengthen his position, Gorbachev held the 19th Communist Party Convention. The summer meeting of top party members was an opportunity for Gorba chev to transfer power from the Com munist Party to the government, and provide endorsement of sweeping eco nomic reform. Conflicting interpreta- Perestroika, being in a very volat predicament, will have to be dealt" by Gorbachev’s successors. AdamLl director of Harvard’s Russian Reseat Center assesses the situation clearly: Gorbachev died tomorrow, it would be the end of perestroika.” 0NL\ ELEC ARE I THE AERC CUSS FREE Lee Anderson is a senior polity science major and a guest column The Battalion. REME NEEF TION