Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1989)
The Battalion OPINION Friday, September 22,1989 Mail Call Misleading headline EDITOR: I am writing about an article published in The Battalion Thursday. The article’s headline read “French airliner crash in Niger takes 171 lives/ Moslem terrorists claim responsibility.” The headline refers to Moslem terrorists as responsible for the crash. First, let me make sure I am not defending the persons who planned the bombing. If in fact such a bomb was planted on the plane, then terrorists may be to blame. However, the words “Moslem terrorists” in the headline are, to me, terrorist words because it’s unfair to say such things. I am a Moslem and in my religion we have no right to kill any innocent person or people. It’s very clear in our Holy Koran that whoever does kill any innocent person is going to hell forever and should bejudged according to the law. Referring to the person who planted the bomb as a Moslem terrorist makes the reader understand that the word terrorist goes together with the word Moslem, and people start thinking that a Moslem is a terrorist. This label we were given in the United States has been going for years now, and a lot of Americans are misled by this label. All that is going on in the Middle East, including the killing of innocent people, has nothing to do with the Islamic religion. What we are witnessing is only politics and sometimes politics in the name of religion. Omar Rais Graduate student Quality students shouldn’t be rejected by organization Looking for Bums EDITOR: Once again the yell leaders have overestimated their roles at A&M and reinf orced my opinion that they have no place outside of football. On Wednesday night, the Lady Ags defeated Lamar. Normally, I’d be ecstatic, but an otherwise great game of Lady Ag Volleyball was ruined by the “boys.” Whenever they come to the games, the mood of the crowd drops noticeably. Trust me — I know what I’m talking about since I’ve been a Bleacher Bum for three years, and even their president for one of those years. The Bleacher Bums are a group of fans who show up at every game to support the team through yells and traditions that have grown up with the Lady Ag program. The yell leaders seem completely ignorant of these traditions. They usurp the rightful leaders of the crowd, the Bleacher Bums. I say “rightful” because we’re there for every game, not just when the Ladies are winning or playing t.u. We also do not: • Obstruct the view of the fans. • Block the workers. • Use football yells when volleyball yells are called for. • Horse laugh good calls. • Horse laugh our own players’ mistakes. Most importantly, we do not idly stand in the maroon strip surrounding the court and thus potentially interfere with the game itself. But guess who does? BingoIThe hairless milkmen strike again! The Bleacher Bums, however, do: • Support the ladies. • Know the rules of the game. • Know where and when to lead a volleyball yell. • Do show up at every game, even if we’re losing. It’s the Bleacher Bums that incite the crowd to fervor, and it’s the crowd that Several friends of mine were recently turned down for positions in student or ganizations recognized by Texas A&M University. The fact they were rejected made me wonder why they were re jected and also why any qualified candi date that is eager to be in an organiza tion has to be rejected. Many campus organizations have open membership — they take anyone who wants to be a member of the club. Other organizations pick members by an application process, most including an interview. Of the organizations which use an ap plication process, some do it to screen undesirable applicants, and the others do it to limit their membership. Using an application process to screen potential members is easily justi fied. Screening allows the organization to weed out the people who will not be good members of the organization. If someone doesn’t show up for his inter view, that’s a good indication he won’t be a reliable member. Or if the inter view shows the applicant to be “negati ve” towards the organization, the group would probably be wise not to take him as a member. But the organization who screens takes as many people as possible who fit into the structure. Other organizations limit their mem bership to a certain number and hold interviews to choose the hallowed few who will attain membership status. This is true of fraternities, several service or ganizations, about half of the MSG com mittees, (from which my friends were rejected), the Orientation Leader pro gram, and Fish Camp, as well as other campus organizations. Yet if a qualified student applies, I Timm Doolen Assistant Opinion Page Editor think he should be admitted to an orga nization if at all possible. By qualified, I mean one who has shown significant in terest in joining the organization and has skills which could be utilized by the organization. If a person applies to be a member of a group and invests a lot of time into be coming a member, and then is rejected by that organization, it makes the per son less willing to apply a second time. Not only does it make the applicant less willing to later reapply for the organiza tion, towards which he probably feels bitter, but it also possibly chills future intentions for involvement at A&M. budget. To compensate, we notonl cept, but also encourage studeni write in letters and guest columns. I realize some of the organizat with limited membership have top; cap on their size for structural teas Fish Camp always has over twict many applicants as positions avail* and no matter how much Fish Gait; expanded, it can never find a plact all those eager students. This is with other organizations, but I ena age those groups to make every ell possible to enlarge the programs J Those groups who do allow pan pation by any interested person sb be commended, including the Corp Cadets (but not including some of military organizations within; Corps), OCA, RHA, many of theS dent Government committees andm; clubs within the Department of Stui Activities. n With some organizations, there are so many applicants and so few slots that the choices of who becomes a member become arbitrary or political. One can didate may be chosen over another, pos sibly better candidate for either whimsi cal reasons or because the candidate is a friend of the upper echelon of the orga nization. That’s neither fair nor sensi ble. MIC lun Even The Battalion limits the number of people it hires, but we’re not a real student organization in that we pay our staff. I wish we could hire all the qual ified people who apply, but unfortu nately, The Battalion is limited by its We must keep in mind that the pus organizations are designed prii ily for students, and to turn eager dents away is to defeat the purport the organization. And nothing anoij nization does is so important thatitc r find some place for additional studeii ie i I urge the organizations who their membership and their leader; try and open up their group to much paricipation as possible. Ther passing up many qualified n who would greatly benefit their zation, and at the same time are i aging the same, quality people fromf ticipating in other campus activities. Timm Doolen is a junior compi: science major and assistant opim page editor for The Battalion Ai illec alle< us 30U out! Gi |ad i makes Texas A&M infamous across the nation for their support of the home team and their abuse of the opponents. Hey guys, come to the games. We want you there. Just don’t come as yell leaders. We’re looking for a few good BUMS. Brian W. Beck ’91 Stop legalized prostitution EDITOR: According to Matt McBurnett’s article “Give Prostitution the Green Light,” on Sept. 19, George Bernard Shaw, a seemingly quintessential politician, said a vice which we are unable to suppress should become thought of as a virtue. Because murder, rape, assault and theft are vices this country seems unable to suppress, I am overjoyed that George Bernard Shaw does not dictate our laws. Prostitution, “considered the world’s oldest profession” as stated by Matt McBurnett, “is simply an extension of free enterprise.” If such is the case, then I suppose prostitution would naturally fall under the category of a service provided for entertainment. (Perhaps it would be broadly classified with football and baseball — minus the hotdog and apple pie.) Unfortunately, as McBurnett correctly states, illegal prostitution provides a base for harmful activities. A statement he would not agree with however is that more than being simply immoral, legal prostitution would provide an even larger base for these harmful activities. It is a credo of Mr. McBurnett that legal prostitution, being a credible job, would not be “corrupted” by drug-related influences. I believe contrarily that legalization of the rent of a female body would increase availability to drugs due to easier access. Legalization of prostitution would allow a hooker the safety and convenience of waiting until after the service to market her other wares. Currently, they are arrested for prostitution prior to the act, and any drugs found are confiscated. Few policemen would willingly endure the intercourse to make a drug bust afterward. One need not go to church weekly to realize the adverse impact of a father of four soliciting a trick from a prostitute. People can become addicted to illegitimate sex as well as drugs. When this sex becomes easier to obtain, more otherwise healthy minds will be driven by a craving for any female body they can put their hands on. McBurnett’s article furthermore claims the spread of sexually transmitted diseases would be slowed. With easier sex and rapidly spreading AIDS, I doubt this. Finally, McBurnett concludes his article by illustrating the “red light” districts in Amsterdam which are “clean, well-lighted and have brothels intermixed w'ith homes, restaurants and even churches.” No children of mine will ever be raised in this type of environment. Jon S. Beeler ’92 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. House: for sale by owner I bought a new house a year ago and put my old one on the market. I haven’t even had a nibble on the old one much less an offer “It’s just a slow market right now,” my friends tell me. Lewis Grizzard Syndicated Columnist The lot is beautiful. Great trees.! house sits way back from the road, have complete privacvy. So why doe? some sucker come around and buyit. Paying a mortgage on a house you don’t live in has that same gut-wrench ing feeling of paying alimony. I’d just as soon flush the money down the toilet in either case. Some months ago, I decided I would try an ad in the classified section of the newspaper. It certainly couldn’t hurt. Here was my first one: “BREATHTAKING: immaculate two-story. Quaint, family neighborhood in secluded cul-de-sac. This beautiful, custom-built home has four bdrms and jumbo bonus room. Two acres. Jacuzzi and tons of extras. $200,000.” Nothing. Not one call. “You’re trying to go way over your head here,” I was told. “No way you’re getting that kind of money in a buyer’s market.” “REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE: Won’t last long. Seller to pay points and closing. Don’t miss this one. A steal at $180,000.” Listen, I had the house repainted be fore I put it on the market. I had some guys come in and clean up the yard and plant some flowers around. It’s a great house, really. Terrific wa ter pressure in the showers. Two fire places. The second ad had the same result as the first. So I took out a third. “PRICE SLASHED: Owner trans ferred to Beirut. Highly motivated to sell. A steal at $150,000.” So what’s wrong with my house? I’m not trying to sell the Bates’ Mote- 1. I’m just trying to unload a very livable, attractive home. I took out another ad. I took out still another ad: tes; 'epp oad om “I to \ Ut 0 : them o ulle uer elp < “HUNGER STRIKE: Owner refa to eat until house sells. Don’t let him and have this on his conscience for rest of your life. Act now.” You would think a classified ad this one above would cause atleastso: interest, but not a peep. Hey, all the toilets work. Then) doesn’t leak. None of the neighta do is kids play drums. I’m taking out one ad. If this doesn’t work I know where to turn. OK. I’m not greedy. I took out an other ad: “DESPERATE: 105 percent creative financing. No credit checks. $75,000 be low market. Owner has small child needing operation. God wants you to buy this house.” “PANIC! This is it! Ten dd moves you in. Owner to pay points/! ing, moving costs, redecorating feesa) college tuition for any children buyer. Owner will throw in car, his reoand case of beer. Owner down on knees begging.” We’ll see what happens. If youc buy it, at least say a prayer for me.Ci right 1989, Cowles Syndicate A peri was run; tol ii chile tore VV by si yout cere sout bed Wey They followed Can em ? The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Scot Walker. Editor Wade See, Managing Editor Juliette Rizzo, Opinion Page Editor Fiona Soltes, City Editor Ellen Hobbs, Chuck Squatriglia, News Editors Tom Kehoe. Sports Editor Jay Janner, Art Director Dean Sueltenfuss, Lifestyles 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 SI7.44 per semester. S34.62 per school year and S36.44 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion. 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battal ion, 216 Reed McDonald. Texas A&M Universitv. Col lege Station TX 77843-4111. HCWfCN P0T