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The Battalion
OPINIO
Wednesday, November 15,1989
Opinion Page Editor Juliette Rizzo 845-331
Racial tolerance
needed instead
of racial apathy
Of all the universities in the state, Texas A&M has the highest
minority retention rate. Minorities comprise 18.7 percent of the
40,492 students at A&M.
Harold Hodgkison, a noted demographer, says it is important
to involve minorities in all areas of education, especially higher ed
ucation. By the year 2000 he predicts one-third of the nation will
be considered an ethnic minority.
The fact that the University recognizes the need for equal op
portunity to educate all students does not mean all of us are willing
to accept this. Racial apathy exists consciously and subconsciously
on campus. If we allow this apathy to continue, we as a nation will
not be able to compete internationally because we’ll be fighting
against ourselves.
The increase in the number of minority student groups on
campus and the establishment of the Multicultural Services Cen
ter, which will soon become a department, has put A&M ahead of
other schools.
But although the University administration has made great
strides toward eliminating racial bias, the impact has to be felt by
the student body in order to be effective. For A&M to maintain its
attractiveness to minorities, we need to upkeep an environment
conducive to tolerance.
The Battalion Editorial Board
MAftaM
how)
And the wall came
tumbling
Somebody turned on the power.
People — moving, streaming, breaking
through, tearing down, embracing and
cheering.
Modern mass media spreads the ex
hilarated atmosphere all over the
world. Incredible...
At this same time, you walk across
campus; you go to Sbisa for lunch.
Across the world, in the air, every
where: “...thousands left...the wall is
down...they just come over... free
dom...”
This unforeseeable development
brought about widespread personal ex
citement that I never experienced be
fore in my life. Born after it was built, I
knew the Berlin Wall and accepted it as
a part of German life.»
In the past, the one who questioned
whether or when the wall might fall
was suspected to be a dreamer.
But now, the television news acts like
a drug — every time I turn it on I get a
flash. They celebrate with concerts
from Beethoven to Joe Cocker. I wish I
was there. Though I have no personal
relations to the GDR, I feel the hearts
dancing across the Atlantic.
Even though I’ve only been here a
year, l feel like I know the United
States a lot better than East Germany.
Now an old dream of a self-planned bi
cycle tour in East Germany may corfie
true.
As soon as a conversation reveals my
German accent, one issue comes up:
reunification.
The shattering of the postwar order
in Europe and the two Germanics
growing closer together brings reunifi
cation up automatically. However,
there are more things separating East
and West Germany.
East German leader Egon Krenz
does not want to adopt the western sys
tem. It has been called an “Elbow-So
ciety” not only by old-fashioned com
munists. The East German constitution
states a right of work. On the other
side, West Germans do not see a lot of
reasons to modify their system.
A relaxed soviet leader is cautiously
observing allies and a good portion of
people’s power, while the East German
leadership is acting smart enough to
keep up with the requested pace. For
tunately, no retaliating violence against
communist party leaders has been nec
essary.
The reunification entails talking
about a peace treaty. Hence, many is
sues will be brought up that have been
Hermann Koch
buried for a long, long time. And the
concerns of our neighbors about an
(economically?) strong Germany
should be taken seriously.
A French comment was heard: “Two
Germanics are OK, I’d rather like to
have three.” I can understand this.
What does reunification stand for? I
don’t need the feeling of coming from
a “great country.” Since any step taken
towards that would make other people
suspicious, Germans should be very
careful addressing that question. This
is not the hour of nationalism, but of
people’s power, freedom and democ
racy.
And there are still enough concrete
points to be stressed: development
from free travel to free movement, ac
knowledgment of non-communist par
ties, free elections with possible loss of
power and liberalization from the hy
drocephalic bureaucracy towards a
market economy.
I can well imagine two Germanics
respecting each other as neighbors in a
relationship as it has been achieved be
tween France and the Federal Repub
lic. In my opinion, free movement, in
tensive trade, extensive tourism and
different constitutions based on the
same ideas of individual rights would
form a satisfying solution to the “Ger
man question.”
Several questions remain with the
opening of the inner-German border.
There is a severe housing shortage in
West and East. Many of the people
moving to the west will not find a job.
Those who do, will increase social pres
sure in West Germany due to the stag
gering unemployment, which reaches
over 15 percent in some areas.
down
This might lead to individual dis
pointment and frustration. Butallii
does and must remain minor witlr
gard to the achievements. Once!
freedom of movement is establisi;
some of the problems could be leva
out by Germans moving from the*
to the east, from where a lack ofli
is reported. Even if this point turns
to be fantasy, there are more solutki
They might be costly and take time,!
they must never tend to preventpeci
from moving where they want.
The Federal Republic could enco
age East German citizens tostaybyi
ing the restructuring of their econo:
every step further in order to curbi
gration would discredit the com:
ment to freedom and democracy.
However, aside from all the Ik
and worry about the future one tli
has been achieved that cannot be
versed: The Fall of the Wall turne
divided city into the greatest pari'
the world (even bigger than theonei
Texas where they say everythinj
supposed to be bigger and better).
But people in South Africa andl
rea are still waiting to join the parts
Hermann Koch is a graduate
change student in mechanical d
neering from Bottrop, Federal Ref
lie of Germany.
A referendum on spring ballot could halt bonfire
A controversy regarding the annual
Aggie bonfire has been lighting up the
pages of The Battalion all month thus
far. You may recall the Page 1 headline
on November 2: “Aggies Against Bon
fire organize; pro-bonfire group at
tends meeting.” Letters to the editor
supporting bonfire followed.
An article in Tuesday’s Batt told of
the Campus Ministry Association
unanimously passing a resolution call
ing for an end to bonfire as it now ex
ists. On the same day another article
described Faculty Senate action that es
tablished a committee to review the tra
dition of bonfire.
These reports reflect a growing
movement to abolish bonfire. Problems
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Scot O.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
( -
Jim
Hayes
Columnist
with bonfire center around five con
cerns.
One involves the risk of injury to
those who work on it. Many minor and
a few serious injuries happen every
year in bonfire-building accidents.
Two deaths — in 1955 and 1981 —
have also occurred.
Editorial Policy
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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.
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during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday
and examination periods.
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A second issue involves the threat of
embers being blown from Duncan
Field and setting fire to houses located
in the residential area off Jersey Street-
/George Bush Drive. This risk presents
an obvious concern to residents of the
area.
A third issue involves the environ
mental cost of bonfire. The deforesta
tion of hundreds of trees has sparked
much criticism.
A fourth issue involves a concern
that the time and effort students put
into bonfire is wasted. Workers’ grades
drop because of the time they put into
bonfire.
And a fifth issue involves the drunk
enness of those attending.
Aggies Against Bcnfire, the Campus
Ministry Association and the Faculty
Senate all touched upon one or more
of these issues when voicing their com
plaints.
Despite these concerns, bonfire still
has a lot of support.
Letter writers who support the an
nual tradition have stated that bonfire
helps to cultivate personal character,
work habits, and friendships.They also
have expressed their deep devotion to
the tradition.
The thousands of students who
work days and weekends cutting and
stacking the logs used to build bonfire
strongly support the tradition with
their actions. And the tens of thou
sands of people who show up annually
to watch it burn boost the tradition
with their attendance.
Further, some alumni undoubtedly
would oppose, for tradition’s sake, the
idea of abolishing bonfire.
The problems accompanying the
bonfire are difficult to resolve; that is
why the movement to abolish it is gain
ing strength. Yet many people strongly
support the tradition. How can these
differences be resolved?
Putting a bonfire referendum on the
spring election ballot could help to re
solve the controversy. Such action
would establish a mechanism for mea
suring student opinion regarding the
tradition.
Tradition assumes that students at
A&M generally support bonfire. That
consensus of support now seems ques
tionable. Yet, no measurement of stu
dent opinion regarding bonfire has
been taken. The referendum could de
termine student opinion regarding
bonfire, and the controversy might be
put to rest until the next spring or end
permanently with the abolition of bon
fire.
Even if bonfire lost at the polls, the
tradition would not necessarily have to
die. Alumni, student organizations and
controvers
individual students could pool then !
sources to plan, fund, build and! !
an annual bonfire somewhere offoR
pus.
Given that this other option w
be available, a bonfire referenj
might seem pointless. Yet there is4
difference between a Texas AM
sanctioned bonfire and a privately^
one. If it carries the school’s namf,
helps to shape the school’s image.
With a new environmental moj
emerging that forbids resource" 1 !
holding an annual bonfire will 1 !
A&M’s image among growingnunj
of people in the years to come.
If a majority of voting student
cides that bonfire needs to go^
this or other reasons — the req
dum would allow this to bee
known.
The annual Aggie bonfire has^j
an established tradition here fora)|
years. Now that a well-fouti 1 '
movement to abolish it is emergin!
could be witnessing the Last A! I
Bonfire in a few weeks.
Putting a bonfire referendum of
spring election ballot would provid 1 1
important mechanism by which
true student opinion of bonfire cat I
found.
Jim Hayes is a senior econo?
major and a columnist for The
ion. f \