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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1990)
5 Wednesday, January 24,1990 The Battalion Page 3 *5-33l< heari- •ck-on- hap. we do ttitude no ex- -1 had ‘sted a a bar- esee a any of lack & ' alaced ers. A ) does ned ai I'ergo I ct for •^Ipha on to when lybe- i. All is the e the <e bv Mail Call ‘Congrats’ Bus Operations EDITOR: I am writing this letter to congratulate Bus Operations for a job “well” done; although “done” might be more ap propriate. What am 1 referring to? The availability of one- ride bus passes. Every semester I dig deep in my wallet to find the bucks for a semester long bus pass. And every semester it works out just fine — until now. On Monday I got a ride to school with a neighbor of mine and left my bus pass at home accidentally. When I realized I had left my pass at home, I figured “no big deal,” I’ll just go to Bus Ops and get a one-ride bus pass. So I jumped on the Howdy bus to go out there. I got there and, lo and behold, they no longer keep them out there because they no longer handle the money. When did they start this and who did they tell? So, I caught the next bus to go to the MSG so I can get ONE. Then I am told that they no longer sell single passes, I have to buy five instead. So now tell me, what am I going to do with four extra passes when I have a semester pass? Ever since I began attending Texas A&M, I have al ways been able to buy a single. When did this change Bus Ops? Don’t get me wrong, I think the shuttle buses are very convenient. But if you’re going to change something, why don’t you let the students know? David Brakebill ’91 Sexton letter appalling EDITOR: After reading James E. Sexton’s opinion on racism, I was appalled. It is nice to know, Mr. Sexton, that you real ize racism is bad, but I feel that you still have much to learn. Anyone can say they are not racist, but it is different when you realize how widespread the problem is. For instance Mr. Sexton, when I turn on the TV, sure I see blacks as “clean, suave and erudite,” but only on Thurs day nights. Too frequently, blacks are portrayed on major network shows as the perpetual bad guy who is poor, vio lent and addicted to drugs. As for hispanic representation on TV, there is a major problem in portraying a population that is soon going to be a majority in the United States. Not one of the networks has a prime time show with a positive hispanic role model. Television often succumbs to portraying the hispanic as uneducated, speaking with a heavy accent and fitting the stereotypical “hot-tempered Latin” image. Recently I saw a preview for a sit-com to be shown right after the Super Bowl which plays on the chicano lowrider image. The lowrider, contrary to most stereotypes, does not always have a switch-blade knife ready for action as this preview vividly presented. As you can see, we have a long way to go before the net works get rid of their beliefs in stereotypes. I am sorry to say that discrimination is still apparent in 1990s television. Mr. Sexton, I suggest that you visit the Multicultural Services Center to get more information about the “mental disease” of racism. Change your beliefs and get more infor mation before you graduate. It will be a shame if you take your beliefs to the real world. Ricardo Montelongo ’91 Assumptions on racism erroneous EDITOR: James Sexton’s letter to the Batt regarding minorities is a stark advertisement of his inability to possess histori cal/political truths. His claim for the existence of reverse discrimination is based upon erroneous assumptions. He cites an anti-white media as a new champion for mi norities. Is this the same media that gave us “Birth of a Nation,” John Ford’s “American Indians” and the “Miami Vice”/“Scarface”/“Pancho Villa” Hispanic? Is this the same media that continues to show predominantly black drug abusers and predominantly Hispanic suppliers? As for Sexton’s quota system which sacrifices whites for the sake of minorities: Does this mean that if you’re a mi nority, you’ll receive a letter from universities asking you to attend, whether you possess a high school diploma or not? Perhaps quota systems evolved as a result of past and present failures leading to educational malaise (e.g., inner- city schooling and misappropriated school property taxing -Kirby v. Edgewood School District). What about laws perpetuating minorities as cheap la bor (separate education, slavery, vagrancy and labor laws)? And present Supreme Court reversals of previous minority gains? What about discriminatory standarized testing? As for self-regulation, does Sexton really believe mi norities are racists for uniting to attain economic and politi cal power? Are minorities to wait for the system to change itself and obey the status quo? Are minorities racist for pro moting their culture, thereby defeating the negative self- images of minorities caused by the media and social injus tice? If the Confederate flag can be waved in our streets, why can’t other flags wave, such as the Mexican flag? Isn’t Mexico just as much a part of the history of the southwest as is the Confederacy? Mr. Sexton may never have participated in oppression, but he’s as much of a victim of it as so many of us are. Robert J. Villerreal ’91 Selfish people won’t change EDITOR: Sarang Shidore’s column of January 22 was very inter esting and enlightening to me, and I would like the oppor tunity to express a dif ferent viewpoint. Mr. Shidore started, “Unfortunately, man is, in reality, almost always selfish. The brillance of a social market econ omy lies in its ability to harness these selfish tendencies through the mechanism of the market to generate wealth for the common good of all.” The question I have is this: Is the civil government re sponsible for, or even capable of, harnessing selfish ten dencies? If this “harnessing” is through over-taxation based on “ability to pay” or government intervention in the market, then the government has degenerated from a servant of the people to a mere liscensed thief. Regardless, I think a civil government is wholly incapa ble of changing a selfish individual into a generous, selfless one. So the question remains: How does a nation ensure in dividual liberty, without leaving room for the national gov ernment to become oppressive and tyrannical? I believe that a careful reading of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence would reveal the source of individual liberty, self-restraint and the true purpose of civil government: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving theirjust powers from the consent of the governed. ” David Panak Graduate Student Another helpful Aggie EDITOR: We would like to thank Danny Tarver for proving to us that Aggies are willing to help each other out. On Friday evening, we went out to the fish lot to find a nail in out deflated truck tire. As we wondered what to do, Danny came our way. He was obviously dressed up and ready to go home, but he de layed his trip home and practically ruined his clothes to change the tire for us. Thanks again Danny. Jenny Smith ’93 accompanied by two signatures Have an opinion? Express it! Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff re serves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to main tain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the classifica tion, address and telephone number of the writer. All letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald, or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111. TWO MEDIUM PIZZAS With Cheese & 8 Toppings ONLY $ 888 P us ^ ^ Plus Tax NO COUPON NECESSARY! No substitutions, additions or deletions LIMITED TIME OFFER! 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Call 845-0569 JVorthgate Now Delivers to Campus Delivery Charge $1 OO SalOP SteW ■ IMavBvi BUY ONE Sanaiwich ‘ fiCT l~kKJF CDFFI $ 3.99 Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per customer; Carry out only. TWO PIZZAS with cheese and three toppings] Small $7,75 JVXefiitnn $0,75 Kiarge $12.75 Plot valid with any other offer. One coupon per customer. Catty out only. TWO Of HT T’ A 62 with cheese Smaii Meilftim $5.25 $7.25 $9.95 j mim Large ftot valid with any other offer. One coupon pef customer, Carry out only. mm&m FREk ' mwoN&ti BABY PANIPA3SF! &- a 16 oz. suit drink *1.89 not valid with any other offer. One coupon per customer. Cany out only. . H T-oi-seatw (mil rmm*:** ♦.■i**:*!*^ a*; tt-lMI 1-363-00 . K*3rtty*t03>-a.'i-w NORTHGATE 268-0220 University & Stasney COLLEGE STATION 696-0191 SW Parkway & Texas BRYAN 776-71T1 E. 29th & Briarcrest Uttle Caesars Pizza