The Battalion
OPINION
Wednesday, December 6,1989
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-33 ,
Legalization: A better way
to wage war against drugs
Guess what the latest drug is? ‘Crank’
is now the hottest drug on the West
Coast. No, that is not a misspelling. Sup
posedly, crank has an effect much like
cocaine — the creation of euphoria, en
ergy, and violent tendencies. Sales of
crank in San Diego last year reached $3
billion by some estimates.
With the introduction of drugs like
‘crank’ or ‘ice’, hope for a solution to the
drug problem grows dim. The Bush ad
ministration, as has every administra
tion before it, has decided that tougher
enforcement of criminal laws is the way
to stop drug usage. After all the laws
have been passed and all the money ad
ministrated, the drug problem in this
country will continue to worsen. Realis
tically speaking, drug usage will never
be eradicated from our society, thus the
only pratical means of controlling drugs
will be through the legalization of the
drug market.
Opponentsof legalization label legali
zation advocates as pro drug use,or as-
quitters and traitors to the ‘drug war.’
Legalizers do not support drug use.
They are simply offering a better means
to achieve the end which government
has repestedly failed to achieve.
Instead of limiting the drug trade
through regulation and taxation, gov
ernment attempts to prohibit it through
crimilization. Prohibition has been a
complete failure, the drug industry is
the world’s most profitable. Fortune
magazine recently reckoned the global
drug trade at $500 billion annually. Of
that, $300 billion was earned in the
United States. Even under increasing
enforcement, the market has been
growing over the last twenty years, and
there is no sign of it diminishing in the
future.
Not only has prohibition not worked,
but it comes at a greater expense to our
society. In 1980, the U.S. federal gov-
Andrew
Matthew
Columnist
ernment spent one billion to keep to
keep cocaine, marijuana, and heroin of
the market. The feds’ spent four billion
in 1988. Bush’s drug war is going to cost
us eight billion. These numbers do not
even take into account the money spent
on the state and local level. The U.S.
government has also proposed sending
$260 million in aid to South American
countries in their fight against drugs,
this in addition to $130 million in.mili
tary aid and American troops. Actually,
it is possible to eliminate the drug prob
lem through prohibition, but it would
be at the cost of perhaps $200 billion
and the complete erosion of all our civil
liberties. If you were caught with crack,
the police could blow you away on the
spot. That would deter drug usage, but
would be a hellish society.
Prohibition also creates a criminal in
dustry which is a far greater threat to
our society than the actually effects of
drugs themselves. The quick fortunes
made dealing drugs lead poor ghetto
youths into a lifetime of crime. The
drug trafficers corrupt the latin Ameri
can countries’ governments, bribe po
licemen and form small armies to pro
tect their businesses. Rival drug dealers
fight their turf wars with Uzis. In Wash
ington D.C. this year, five people were
killed each week at the hands of drug
dealers. I know that I will never wear
blue or red if I travel to Los Angeles.
So how would legalization be more ef
fective? With legalization, the drug mar
ket could be regulated and taxed, as are
cigarettes and alcohol. Economists could
give a long list of cases where oppresive
taxes and regulation destroyed an in
dustry. Taxes could also generate per
haps an extra $30 billion a year in reve
nue, which could be put to use through
educational or incentive programs to
encourage people to not use drugs. Reg
ulation of the drugs themselves could be
administerd by the FDA, which would
ensure that the drugs meet certain
safety standards.
Moat importantly, legalization will re
move the criminal from the drug. Old
dealers will either conform to normal
business practices or divert into other il
legal activities. Our youths will not be
tempted to a life of crime. The govern
ments of South America could operate
once again with the force of law, and po
licemen would not have to fear being
moved down by a sixteen-year-old with
a sub-machine gun.
No, legalization will not eliminate
drugs from our society, much as aboli-
tishment of Prohibition did not stop al
cohol consumption. But under Prohibi
tion, our society was much dangerous,
and it fostered a disrespect of all laws in
general. Legalization is not a panacea.
For the ultimate responsibility lies with
the individual. The abuse of drugs de
rives from the failure of people to un
derstand where true happiness exists.
True happiness comes from a love of
God, family, friends, and accomplish
ment. Chemically induced euphria is
fake amd fleeting. That ultimate choice
lies with us. Until that day when each in
dividual makes the descision to abstain,
drugs will be there to fulfill the need.
But until that day arrives, the proper
role of government is one of taxation
and regulation of the decisions which
people choose for themselves.
Andrew Matthew is a junior eco
nomics major and a columnist for The
Battalion.
Faculty members talk back toDoolen
about bashing of academic advising
Gary P.
Underwood
and
Emilie Oevermann
Undergraduate Advising
So, academic advising at A&M stinks.
What an all-inclusive statement from a
student who has had formal experience
with advisors in only two departments.
Obviously we need to shed some light
on a few of your observations. Granted,
there are problems with advising in cer
tain colleges; however, to proclaim to
the world that “academic advising at
Texas A&M stinks” is definitely not
true. Perhaps your assessment results
from some incorrect assumptions.
First, problems with advising are not
passive — they do cause immediate dis
tress. Ask any student who has been
misadvised on his course schedule; im
mediate distress is felt by the sixth class
day, when students are no longer al
lowed to add courses.
Second, the statement “Few students
are directly harmed by the lack of qual-
Correction
The column on Student Locator in
Tuesday’s Battalion was credited to
the wrong guest columnist. Michael
W. Haney wrote the column. The
Battalion regrets the error.
ity academic advising,” is grossly in er
ror. Lack of quality academic advising
results in poor selection of courses
which ultimately results in graduates
that are ill-prepared for careers in their
respective areas of study, delayed grad
uation dates and even the dreaded aca
demic probation — all of which lead to
stressed-out students and angry par
ents.
You mention discussing academic
problems/questions with a friend or up
perclassman; we in the College of Agri
culture and Life Sciences call this “so
phomore advice.” Sophomore advice is
typically a student’s interpretation of
academic policy and/or procedure —not
a reliable assessment of fact. If a student
is erroneously advised by a professional,
the University has established mech
anisms to correct administrative error.
Unfortunately, such allowances and cor
rections cannot be employed when
sophomore advice is at fault.
On one point, Mr. Doolen, you are
correct: To many students, an adviser is
nothing more than a person who signs
papers. As advisers, we accept this fact
and liken it to the attitude of the general
population toward medical care — some
people do not need the services, some
require the services but choose not to get
the assistance needed, some choose to
minimally utilize the services and some
employ the full scope of the services. In
this college, students seeking the assis
tance of an adviser generally receive the
help or advice they request.
One of the biggest errors cited in
your article is the purpose of the Uni
versity Mentors program. Mentors is
not now„ nor ever, intended to be a
The Battalion
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Member of
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The Battalion Editorial Board
Scot Walker, Editor
Monique Threadgill,
Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
Melissa Naumann, City Editor
Cindy McMillian, Lisa Robertson,
News Editors
Richard Tijerina, Sports Editor
Frederick D. Joe, Art Director
Mary-Lynne Rice, Lifestyles Editor
Editorial Policy
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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 represent the opinions of
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Board of Regents.
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probable solution to the advising prob
lem. Mentors is “a program of faculty
and staff office hours for students who
‘just need to talk to someone.’ ” Many
students simply need to talk with some
one about common personal or aca
demic problems. Many faculty and staff
are willing to talk with and help these
Aggies. Large classes can be compen
sated by a Mentor’s willingness to listen
and to help each person become the
kind of Aggie who made A&M great.
You, Mr. Doolen, would not feel com
fortable walking into a total stranger’s
office and asking advice on academic or
personal matters. Obviously you have
not been exposed to the friendly
warmth and personal caring the Men
tors group is known for. While the first
minutes of the initial meeting are awk
ward, most students leave feeling they
know at least one person on this campus
cares. Therefore, it is a gross mistake to
characterize the student-mentor
relationship as an awkward one.
Like you, I agree that good advising is
the key to a better education and aca
demic base at A&M; that students need
to be able to talk one-on-one with an ad
viser about various academic problems
and that students need to discuss degree
and career plans with a knowledgeable
person.
All colleges (some more than others)
need to strive for improvements in aca
demic advising, as there is nothing on
this campus that is perfect. To facilitate
quality academic advising, the Faculty
Senate adopted a resolution titled,
“Standards for Academic Advising” on
July 14, 1986. This document specif
ically outlines Texas A&M University’s
ideal academic advising program. The
resolution is periodically reviewed and
amended by the Senate and the Univer
sity president.
In summary, Mr. Doolen, there are
some problems with academic advising
on this campus and we do need some so
lutions. However, a quick review of his
tory will reveal that solutions to major
problems are not reached without a log
ical and detailed plan of action. What we
need is a plan of action formulated by
optimistic students and advisers, not an
other person standing around saying,
“Academic advising at A&M stinks.”
As with all columns, opinions ex
pressed by Guest Columnists are not
necessarily those oFThe Battalion. Per
sons interested in submitting guest col
umns should contact the Opinion Page
Editor at 845-3314.
Mail Call
Bus drivers bothered on bonfire night
EDITOR:
I am writing because I felt compelled to after hearing some oftheJ
ror stories from some of my fellow bus drivers about their experiences
bonfire night.
As you know, Bus Operations ran a free shuttle service on the night®
bonfire, which included 33 large busses running routes all over the ciiw gy gj
campus.
This system was designed to allow students and their guests aneasvi Of Tht
to and from campus, and to relieve some of the on-campus congestion 1^——
bonfire night. "A 1
While these goals were met, some very disturbing things occured.
Several female drivers told me of the times that they feared for
lives because of drunk and violent passengers. One driver was calledbiB
derogatory term at least 20 times by her count, and one group of
got so upset when the driver would not let them off at an unauthoii
stop that they threatened to attack her.
The buses here at A&M are usually free from any vandalism fromp;
sengers. Luckily we all outgrew that in high school, or so I had
On bonfire night the busses had three windows broken out, at least ton:
beer bottles that were thrown at the bus. One of these struck thepassenp
window eight inches behind the driver. Luckily, no one was sitting byti
A
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S(
mak
for
migl
horn
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in “
window, but what if it had struck the driver’s window while going dm T7T
Wellborn? 1
There were also hundreds of empty alcohol containers on the buss
and a fair amount of vomit.
Passenger safety was also put at risk due to the drunken Ixdiavioroft
Aggie “mob.” We had fistfights on and off the busses, people crawl:
through the emergency exits while the bus was in motion, and many oil]
disruptions of the driver. This is the scariest part. The busses onlyc
money; a life is not easily replaced.
It is too bad that the actions of a few made us all look so bad. Sever:
Aggie parents were riding the bus Friday night, and I am not so sure*!
put our best foot forward. Being drunk does not excuse a person from
ing polite. Aggies are supposed to be Aggies, drunk or sober.
To be honest, the crowd on the busses looked very familiar to the crow
of t.u. students that I sat with last year in Austin that showed theirscjio
pride by throwing liquor bottles at our band. I swore that Aggies cod
never be like that, but I’m not of that at all anymore.
In my four years of working for Bus Ops I have learned thatheridc
often take the bus for granted, both in how they treat the bus, and ink
lightly the take the responsibility of the drivers.
Imagine driving your car, packed to the hilt with chunks whom
By)
threatening your life, and who are throwing things at you: beer botderfpjgj 1 ^
at the outside of your car, and dinner on the inside. Not a pretty sight!
make your car the size of a bus, and you get the idea of what thedr j thee
had to go through. Horat
As a dispatcher out at Bus Ops, it angers me that my drivers sa y a
placed in that position. I hope that next year we all have our walk ing
on, and the busses stay home. Maybe the walk in the cold will sober some
you up. i nc i'
§dge.
Robert Hook ’90
Dispatcher, Bus Operations
Walker’s remarks crude, vulgar
EDITOR:
I don’t care at all about LBJ or the t.u. cheerleaders, but I found So
Walker’s remarks about them in The Battalion on Dec. 1 tasteless andvt
gar and typical of what one sees on walls in men’s bathrooms.
I don’t believe stuff like that belongs in The Battalion. It is yetanolk
example of how Walker abuses his power as editor by publishing junk I
der his byline. What ever happened to responsible journalism?
Kevin J. O’Neill
Graduate Student
Editors note: The two editorials were run in the spirit of competitive (hi
There was no intent to offend anyone.
One semester’s worth of sour grapes
EDITOR:
Yeah! Bonfire is finally over, the end of the semester is drawingnei
No more football to worry about, we didn’t make the Cotton BowlanyW
However, there are just a few things I’d like to comment on:
For one, this rivalry thing with t.u. is going a little too far, don’tf
think? Yes, I understand that they suck, byt I don’t see why it is that'
have to go make a point of telling them by vandalizing their campusJi 1
no, they didn’t vandalize ours, it was one of our own students. And even
it was a t-sip, do two wrongs make a right?
No, I think Ags should show that we are better than them by notsto«|
ing to their levels.
Also, I was under the impression that if anyone respects those thatgJ 1
their lives in World War I, it would be the Aggies, so why vandalizetk
memorial to their heros who gave their lives? Is this part of the Ajjj
spirit?
My next favorite topic to gripe about is the parking situation. Now,
am not totally mistaken, it is the student body that makes this University
ist. So why are we the lowest on the totem pole?
Without us there would be no Texas A&M. The University reallyouf
to learn to sell as many parking permits as they have places; no more,
less.
Of course it would also help if they had a little common sense andtf
ized that if you only have parking for a specified number of on-campusst
dents, it does not make sense to open up four more dorms with noe*
parking. Come on, guys, let’s think a little more.
Oh, yeah, one more gripe and then I’ll shut up: this anti-apartk
thing isn’t really something for us Ags to be proud of either. Everyone'
a right to express their opinions. There is, after all, such a thing as thet
amendment.
So why not let the anti-apartheid people say their thing. Theyare'f
well aware of the happenings in South Africa and are opposed to them/
hope most of us are, and want to help and show support. How aboutak
tolerance of other people’s opinions?
By the way, whoever vandalized the shanty, racism went “out” in
sixties.
This is supposed to be a higher learning institution where, amongo!
things, self-discipline, rational thinking and tolerance of other peop
opinions are supposed to be taught. So, why don’t we ALL start learning:
Tricia Ryan ’92
Have an opinion? Express it!
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