The Battalion
OPINION
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Friday, July 7, 1989
AMERICAN JUSTICE
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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
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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.
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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
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