The Battalion
The Battalion
Opinion
Monday, April 10,1989
Finals schedule is
fair to everyone
This semester’s schedule for final exams and commence
ment ceremonies, which recently was approved by the registrar’s
office, does a good job of balancing the needs of students with
the needs of professors and administrators.
Although the schedule does not provide for a complete
“dead week,” there are three “dead days” — a considerable im
provement over last semester’s schedule.
Other concessions by the administration include a reading
day, no weekend tests and time for students who are blocked to
take care of their problems and still graduate.
People who are griping about the schedule should realize
that not everyone at A&M has the same needs and that this
schedule was designed to satisfy as many people as possible.
Devising the exam and commencement schedule was cer
tainly not an easy job. Those who worked toward reaching this
compromise deserve to be commended for a job well done.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Question: What do you get when you
combine body building and evangelism?
Answer: A group of300-pound hulks
called the Power Team who go around
preaching the gospel and tearing phone
books in half.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a joke.
The Power Team is a group of mus
cle-bound guys who decided to merge
preaching with feats of strength — kind
of like Jim and Tammy on steroids.
They smash bricks, break out of po
lice handcuffs and blow up hot water
bottles. They also try to win teen-agers
over to Jesus Christ — and sell a few
Power Team sweatshirts ($18 apiece) at
the same time.
Dean
Sueltenfuss
Opinion Page Editor
The idea behind the group is that it
will attract teen-agers who otherwise
wouldn’t be concerned about receiving
the word of God.
Teen-agers today, the reasoning
goes, aren’t interested in going to a
church and hearing some moth-eaten
preacher talk about God and hell and
heaven and the devil. They’re interested
in other things — things that are cool
and rad and awesome.
And muscle-bound jocks who bust
slabs of 8-inch-thick ice with their bare
hands are totally, totally awesome
(thanks be to God).
So far, the Power Group is doing well.
They’ve been touring all over the coun
try, preaching to kids, bending steel
bars and generally just having a grand
of time.
But I suspect they’re not commu
nicating with all the kids they could. In
fact, they’re probably reaching a lot
more teen-age girls than guys.
Most 16-year-old girls are going to
rush right out to see these hunks and
their on-stage, evangelical antics. Teen
age boys, however, won’t be quite so ex
cited about watching a performance
(oops, I mean sermon) by the Power
Group.
So in the name of fairness, I think an
other group should be formed that
would attract more teen-age boys. After
all, 10 or 20 years down the road we
don’t want all of the men in our society
to be ill-mannered, heathen atheists
while the women are bible-toting, reli
gious zealots.
The name of this group could be the
Baptist Beauties (or the Luscious Lu
theran Ladies, etc.). Their sermon could
consist of a striptease act to organ music
followed by the reading of scripture.
And after the sermon is over, they could
sell autographed posters of themselves
in swimsuits to all the teen-age boys who
are desperately seeking an encounter
with God.
I can see the billboard for their show
now, framed with pulsating lightbulbs,
with large black letters on a bright white
background: Come right in! See the fab
ulous Baptist Beauties as they search for
the meaning of life and bare their souls
(and bodies) to Jesus Christ (and you).
Tickets available at window — only
$7.50. All faiths welcome.
Of course, groups practicing differ
ent religions would have different
names, such as the Hebrew Honeys,
Buddha’s Beauties or Mohammed’s Hot
Mammas. But the concept would be the
same.
In fact, all of this has given me the
idea to go out and start my own reli
gious act. I’ll travel to major cities and
speak in large convention centers. I’ll
stand on stage and tell everyone that it’s
wrong for people to defraud others and
that it’s wrong to use religion as a mar
keting device. I’ll stand there and tell
them that if anybody’s going to hell, it
will be the people who misuse religion
and try to make a profit by it. I’ll go out
there and tell them —
Nah. I won’t do any of that stuff. It’s
too boring; nobody would buy it.
Instead I’ll go around the country
jumping motorcycles over buses, de
stroying stage props and biting the
heads off live parakeets. And at the end
of the show, when the audience is going
wild. I’ll say: “Oh yeah, by the way, God
is really cool.
“And don’t forget that sweatshirts are
on sale in the lobby — for only $ 18 apie
ce.”
Dean Sueltenfuss is a junior journa
lism major and opinion page editor for
The Battalion.
2 ST/
Monday, April
Biting the heads off
live parakeets, and
other religious feats
Gramm b
examinati
rural heal
Cadets should receive same
treatment as other students
When the respect of a tradition grows
to such proportions that it infringes
upon the rights of others, it is time for
that tradition to either change or end.
The tradition I speak of is the Corps of
Cadets.
Just the other day, I made my short
walk to Duncan Dining Hall to eat din
ner. I arrived there at about 6:45 p.m. I
expected to be rushed through my meal
a bit, but thought I at least would be able
to eat something.
When I got to the door, the lady
working there told me that Duncan
closed to civilians at 6:10 because of ca
dets eating their dinner. I simply
nodded my head and walked off.
One evening I was eating dinner, and
the staff in Duncan announced that all
civilians who were unable to finish their
meal within 10 minutes needed to move
to the two northernmost tables. The
Corps was coming and the cadets
needed their space to eat. I simply
nodded my head and moved.
Another evening I was eating dinner
and the cadets came in to eat dinner. All
of a sudden, my meal was interrupted
by a rash of “Howdy, Mr. Johnson, sir”
yells from a large number of the cadets.
I asked the person next to me what ex
actly was going on. He said that greet
ings were a part of the Corps. I simply
nodded my head and continued eating.
I am tired of nodding my head.
I respect Silver Taps. I take my hat
off in the MSC. When the Corps comes
marching, I step to the side. I give the
Corps as much respect as can be ex
pected from a non-reg.
The fact of the matter is that the
Corps of Cadets is getting too much re
spect here at Texas A&M. The amount
ceives preferential treatmenteveryda
of respect they are receiving is begin
ning to infringe upon the rights of the
other students here at Texas A&M.
What occurs daily in Duncan could, in a
court of law, be considered discrimina
tion and segregation.
To my best recollection, when the
Corps ate in the Commons Dining Hall
on Saturdays and Sundays no one made
them sit at certain tables or eat within
certain time constraints. All I am asking
for is that same respect. I am a student
just as they are students, so give me the
respect a student deserves.
In addition to all these “fringe bene
fits” the Corps receives, let us discuss a
subject that has been plaguing fraterni
ties for some time: hazing. The Corps
makes the cadets run every morning, do
company yells upon demand, dress al
ike, walk in line, and greet higher rank
ing members. This is what one can see
on the outside. Who knows what occurs
on the inside.
If a fraternity were to make pledges
run every morning, it would be charged
with hazing. If they made pledges do
group yells and loud greetings, un
doubtedly the University would ques
tion these practices. But the Corps is al
lowed these privileges because the
higher brass here at A&M are “good
Ags.”
In the state law on hazing, there are
no exceptions for “good Ags.” The
Corps is named right alongside fraterni
ties, sororities, and clubs. There are no
differences. No one should receive pref
erential treatment. Yet the Corps re-
, hf
So what am I asking for? 1 amastisj
this University to stop treating il
Corps as the prelude to the Secoi
Coming of Christ. The Corps cdnsistsi
students who pay their tuitions;
tend classes just as non-regs do. An
yes, the Corps is just, as racially is
balanced as the rest of this University,
WASHINGTON
tors, hospital ad mi
nurses are among
volunteers being di
Phil Gramm to exaj
healthcare crisis in
Gramm, a Texa
said the task force v
hearings around th
junction with perso
state and federal i
U,S. Department c
Human Services.
The purpose is
areas of rural heah
problems, the succi
ures in trying to p
rural health care,” (
an interview Friday.
Gramm said h
C , which wa
d late last wt
able to draft a set <
dations to revitalu
health of rural medi
“I’m trying to ge
with a stake in t
Gramm said. “I’m
pie together from v;
to present their cc
ideas. We’ll sift thro
and find the com mi
tors.”
Gramm said he 1
Louis Gibson of Cc
chairman of the
which will include
ministrators, nun
board members, an
consumer. Some 2G
will be included ar
volunteers, payinp
transportation costs
“The primary p
knowledge and com
said. “Closing a rut
an economic and m<
fora small commun
Gramm said he
the possibility of ho
hearings by the end
in the High Plai
area and East Texas
“My primary co
Texas problem,” <
“Ultimately what '
with will be taken
good ideas might
tional policy.
not more so.
Cadets should be treated the samei
non-regs are. I shouldn’t havetogeit;
from my meal because ’Ol Sargewai!
to eat. He can sit in the empty chair
to me.
And most of all, the Corps
disciplined by the same people wi
cipline rne. It is my understandinglli
the Corps is now disciplined by
Commandant of the Corps and nottli
Department of Judicial Affairs. That!
just another example of “seperate,
supposedly equal.”
1 will say this: the Corps is somethin
that is good for some people. Butiflil
not put my name on the dotted
then don’t put me under the restricts
of the Corps.
If this type of one-sided treatmci
continues, there just might be
tion taken on the grounds of segreji
tion, discrimination, and infringemei
of one’s civil rights. And, I just might!*
leading the pack.
So, if one day you are dining in
can and you see a half-crazed Hispan
yelling about wanting to eat at 6:45,)«
can trust it’s me. And when I demand
be served, pay careful to the waytl
people react. I just might need sot
witne r s.
J.Frank Hernandez is a sophont
general studies major and a staff asst
tant for The Battalion.
BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed
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
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resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, fac
ulty or the Board of Regents.
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BLOOM COUNTY
by Berke Breathed
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