The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 22, 1989, Image 2

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    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
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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