The Battalion OPINION 'he Friday, July 7, 1989 AMERICAN JUSTICE T§te Ot.lV£f* moAVM MOJOtCT Mail Call A/D! M! A/£>' ! SAP! 840.'.'' b ad"' quo qoH'. Bad, bad 6oY' 1# 0- BAP, BAD, BAD Bo!! JjAD' '■ N fioonri/JiK '/Say BAD oTyoo\ UK* Y**- \ '' ' — 8 * 0, dK>/ mcur* eiA Spera earns stripes for review ol/TH SoA*: EDITOR: I would like to thank Keith Spera for writing a very informative and provocative article on the hard-rock group Zebra. The article was so good thatll I cut it out and tucked it inside of one of Zebra’s albums. Zebra never was a flamboyant group; they didn’t dress trashy, wear makeupi have a drug image or anti-social attitudes. Their lyrics were positive, uplifting^ not full of violent metaphors. Zebra had a social conscience which was, in spiri:, similar to the Who and Triumph. Zebra was a clean band concerned with makinl good music and giving good performances. It is sad to see a group such as Zebra fail because of bad promotion by recorc companies. I am glad fans in New Orleans still support Zebra. Thanks for the article, Keith. Trey Barlow ’91 Campus markers incorrect Children of the sun watch out During my stay in Aggieland, I’ve no ticed that many sunbathers are taking advantage of the midday sun in the af ternoons on campus. From the third floor of my dorm, the view is great. Sometimes while walking from class, the heat becomes almost unbearable, but when I look across the way I see some tanned bodies soaking up the sun on beach towels. But is sunbathing really worth risking your health in the future? Curtis Franks mandatory in public. From one-pieces to the “strings,” our society has accepted many new and exciting changes. EDITOR: I support Texas A&M's attempt to facilitate inter-campus travel by installing new signs in front of every building, but I’m more confused now than before! The best award goes to the “north residence halls” sign in front ofSbisa.lt includes: Clements, Crocker, DG, Fowler, Haas, Hobby, Neeley, and Hotard. But wait, where’s Moore? Yes, the Moore Hall “truckers” even have neighboring dorms — Moses and Mclnnis! Would you believe that Hughes Ha on the north side, too? Yep. How’ could Fowler be on the sign without its twin, Keathley? C’mon. At least the sign directs you to Fowler — anyone would know go to the light, turn left on University, take another left onto Wellborn, and the!; another lef t by the Bell Tower. My point is this — what kind of morons work around here? It’s annoying, ignorant, and, most of all, misleading! Good luck, fish, as you arrive in the fall searching for your dorms. If your dorm’s on the north side, just hang a right at Texas Avenue and University, ri by our new campus corner markers. Guest Columnist The temperatures have been very high lately and there has been occa sional rain at night, but there still seems to be no end for the hot and windless days. I guess the sunbather’s philosophy about the heat is that if you can’t beat the heat, join the heat on a beach towel with your favorite suntan lotion. Wednesday, this one young lady came outside with a bathrobe on. Well, I was surely interested if she was going to join her friends already out sunbathing. This person deserved a few “cat-calls” for her big unveiling, but to my disap pointment she had only dropped her towel out of the window and was retriev ing it. While writing this column, I’ve learned that sunbathers mostly do it for the tan instead of for the girls or a date. Many girls do it mostly for the tan, so that tells a lot of guys that they’re not doing something right. Kris Wilson Right to burn flag should be respected After checking the likes of many guys, most said that they like to exercise DA was it Texas of the chanc Ad Coun Morri Rai eekir matec Mo $60,0i Schaf: minin Many might say, “he’s got dirty things on his mind,” but in all reality the ladies look superb in their summer’s best. while out of the sun to keep in shape and avoid the direct sunlight. This seems to be a great way to avoid any skin problems and to stay in shape. Since I alerted many people of the third floor to this spectacle, we will probably have a contest for the best bathing suit. All races and nationalites are invited to participate in it. It would be great to do something of the sort, but until someone recognizes all of the raw talent lying out in the sun we’ll just have to wait. “String bikinis always catch my eye,” said Rodney Moseley, a resident of Mc lnnis Hall. It’s a daily spectacle for the guys, at least whenever the weather’s OK. While standing on the balcony “One-pieces are definitely out,” said Pete Robertson also of Mclnnis Hall. Maybe the more exotic the better. Keep ing in stride with the times, bikinis have come a long way from the days of cloth ing your entire body, which was almost I’d like to commend all those who do sunbathe because the ladies look excep tionally good in those bathing suits. In all reality, what looks fun can be danger ous too, but I’m telling most of you something you already know. With all of the health warnings going around about sunbathing and extra exposure to the sun, I think if they make a fuss about it, we should heed some of their warnings. Curtis Franks is a freshman general studies major and columnist for The Battalion. EDITOR. I am proud to be a U.S. citizen, and cannot imagine a situation wherein I woul feel compelled to burn the flag of the United States of America. However, I disagree with the statements of Somsory and Hogan (The Battalion, ]une 29). Somsory states that the flag is a “visual representation of the ideals and belief: of this great country,” and that, therefore, it should be protected from desecratiofi By this same logic, would Somsory also support constitutional protection forothej symbols of the USA, for example, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance? And what would be the penalty for a U.S. citizen who chooses not to recite these symbols at a public gathering? Mr. Hogan states that he will “take appropriate action against people who desecrate the Hag.” What would your actions be, Mr. Hogan, against your neighbor who burns her own flag on her yard wit hout endangering the lives or property of others, and without inciting a riot? _ Both Somsory and Hogan fail to understand that the flagj&xmly ajfwboloi the USA. There are many other national symbols. For immigrants to thiscountn these symbols might be as tangible as the Golden Gate Bridge, an airline ticket, am an American newspaper, or perhaps as intangible as the feeling of freedom thev experienced upon arriving in America. For me, the right to burn, or otherwise desectrate the U.S. flag, is as precious as is the flag itself. I urge Somsory and Hogan to re-examine the status to which they have elevated a mere symbol. “Hi rights he A: day fr But filmm “W1 were t way w Bes from ‘ Tn Ad an ap the 1 The dropj Laura Bagwell Graduate Student What the flag symbolizes to me Flag stance sparks thoughts My father died in 1970 at the age of 58. He was a verteran of both World War II and Korea. His Army service record included a battlefield commission, the Bronze Star for Valor and three Purple Hearts. He had reached the rank of captain when the Army deemed him unfit for further duty and denied him any bene fits. The years of combat had left him a human wreckage. Some men can cope with fear, death and dying. Others can’t. My father was in the lat ter category. When he returned from Korea he be gan to drink heavily, cried a lot and lost sleep when jolted awake by his night mares. He lost his wife and son in 1953. When he died 17 years later, penni less, we had to make all the funeral ar rangements. What I wanted more than anything else was an American flag to drape over his coffin. I figured he deserved at least that. He had fought under that flag, and he had fought for it. I had to go out and buy a flag. I for get now where I got it or how much it cost, but I got myself a flag. I buried my father in his hometown of Snellville, Ga. The local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars sent over Lewis Grizzard Syndicated Columnist an honor guard, of sorts, to the funeral. I held up pretty well during the first part of the funeral. I loved my father and was, and forever will be, proud of what he did for his country despite the fact it is my opinion his country didn’t do all it could have for him. When the funeral was over a couple of the guys from the VFW took the flag off my dad’s coffin, folded it with great care, and then handed it to me. Ninety percent of the tears I cried over my father’s death came gushing out in the next three minutes. I keep the flag that draped his coffin in the corner of the room I use for my office. I can’t explain the feeling I have for the flag. It symbolizes all that was good and great about my father, and it is a re minder that freedom can demand a harsh tariff. Now, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that it is not un lawful to burn the American flag. It says, by a 5-4 vote, the right to burn the American flag comes under the right of free speech. “People must be as free to burn the flag as they are to wave it,” said some lib eral fool from the Center of Constitu tional Rights. Why are we constantly bending to sat isfy the pukeheads in this country? If they want to burn a flag, let them go ahead and burn the Chinese flag, which is a symbol of oppression, the denial of basic human rights, and a government that spills the blood of it’s own people. When somebody burns an American flag he or she is also burning and dese crating the flag that sits in the corner of my office. All I have left now is the right to hate such a bastard. My consolation is even the Supreme Court can’t touch that. EDITOR: This letter is in response to all the the people who denounce the Supreme Court’s flag burning decision, but especially to Chris Somsory ’90, whose writing sparked my thoughts. I refer to Chris’ statement that the decision is “a slap in the face to every person who has proudly served and defended the American flag . . .” Please notetha these heroic individuals did not defend the flag, a fabric symbol of America. The) defended the privileges and freedoms soldiers bravely planted at Iwo Jima. The flag was shot up and “desecrated” by Imperial Japan, but America’s Ideals remained stronger than ever. In defending American ideals, the veterans of World War II were standing for, among other things, the freedom of speech you and I enjoy. By limiting free speech, we cut a small piece out of what the flag represents. I plead with every American to put their emotions aside, as the Supreme Coun has done, and resolve the issue on the letter and intent of the law. Do not destroy the principles upon which the country was founded. The people of China are fighting for the very freedoms we are trying to take away. Show them and the world that the torch of freedom and liberty burns brightly in America. Clifford Hillin ’92 Copyright 1989, Cowles Syndicate Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for 4 and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must be signed and must included 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 Ellen Hobbs, Editor Juliette Rizzo, Opinion Page Editor Fiona Soltes, City Editor Drew Leder, Chuck Squatriglia, News Editors Steven Merritt, Sports Editor Katny Haveman, Art Director Hal Hammons, Makeup 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. Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station. TX 778 13-1 111. 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 77843-4 111.