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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1990)
Monday, February 12,1990 The Battalion Page 3 Mail Call Dissolve Aggie Cinema EDITOR: Hey Lance Parr, who are you trying to fool? You said in a recent article that “The Last Woman” was not a pornographic movie. Would you say the same thing about a triple-X rated movie? I personally spoke with Penny Ditton, the advisor for Ag gie Cinema, and she told me, “Aggie Cinema showed a triple- X rated movie last year.” She also said that Aggie Cinema voted for the movie “The Last Woman,” shown recently, almost unanimously. I’m also curious why Aggie Cinema doesn’t publish the ratings with their movie advertisements in The Battalion? Is it because you don’t want to attract the wrong kind of people? It’s very deceptive to try and establish a precedent for the kind of perversion that Aggie Cinema is promoting. I think you should resign your position and Aggie Cinema should be dissolved, or at least replaced with some Aggies who haven’t seen so many “trash” movies. David Panak Graduate student EDITOR’S NOTE: Penny Ditton said that she did not what she is quoted as saying in this letter. MSC Council President Jason Wilcox said that there is no record of Aggie Cinema ever showing a triple-X rated film. ‘Moralists’ need to be open-minded EDITOR: In my three years at Texas A&M University, I have been embarrassed several times by homophobes, racists and red necks. Once again I find myself embarrased; this time it is by close-minded, self-styled moralists. First, I want to make it clear that I am not denying the va lue of morality. I feel it is crucial that no person, group or in stitution be allowed to infringe on the basic human rights of another. Also, I am not writing to complain about Texas A&M University. My purpose is to address a syndrome which occasionally surfaces in the letters appearing on the opinion page of our student newspaper. This syndrome is close- mindedness. After the showing of the film, “The Last Woman,” I was again made painfully aware of the medieval attitudes held by some of my fellow Aggies. Although it is possible that I would not have found the comments of Ms. Wolling and Mr. Well so appalling if they had actually bothered to see the film as I did, but they did not. Eventually my exasperation and embarrass ment subsided as I simply disregarded their opinions as being just something that one encounters at A&M. However, upon reading the headline of the Feb. 7 edition of The Battalion (“X-rated foreign film prompts petition”) I became utterly disgusted. I simply cannot believe that stu dents (i.e. Mr. DeWoody and Ms. Wolling) could condemn the film as pornographic without viewing it. As before, close mindedness has made itself known through the actions of Ag gies. What I do not understand is the fact that mature adults can attend a university and exhibit no signs of intellectual cu riosity. Mr. DeWoody and Ms. Wolling, do you know what the focus of the film was? Do you really know what pornography is? Do you know what kinds of pornography are psychologi cally dangerous? OR BETTER YET, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? We are all here to gain from the “university experience.” Trust me, it does not revolve solely around your BANA 217 class or solving calculus problems. We are all here to ask ques tions and to gain knowledge, not only about our coursework, but also about the world in which we live. I am merely sug gesting that everyone should ask the questions of “why” and “what” and “how” and devote the time and effort required to discover the answers. Presumably, we are all intelligent adults who have at least a modicum of insight and the ability to form our own opinions without relying completely on second-hand information. In closing, I would like to say that I have grown personally during my stay at Texas A&M. I hope this growth continues throughout my life. The most important things I have learned at this school are the benefits of an open mind and the dangers of one that is closed. I hope that Ms. Wolling and Mr. DeWoody take the opportunity to learn of these things lest they bear the stigma of being “dumb Aggies” once they are cast into the real world. Finally, and most importantly, how can our school be con sidered a world-class institution when intellectual stagnation is so evident? Have some pride and take the time to learn be fore you judge. Mike Todd ’91 Adults make own decisions EDITOR: We are writing in response to Suzanne Calderon’s article concerning the petition boycotting the Aggie Cinema. On be half of most of the student body, we would like to thank Jen nifer Wolling and Matt DeWoody for knowing what we do and do not want to see, for allowing us to relax and to watch only those things that can pass their criterion. For such a long time we were confused and thought that we were adults and could make decisions about what we want to buy, eat and even watch. Now we have the luxury of not thinking and letting these two make our decisions for us. “The Last Woman” was not pornography, nor was it obscenity. If either of the boycotters had overcome their fear of the words “rated X,” they would understand this. They call for a boycott of the Aggie Cinema. It’s a great and wonerful thing to believe in a cause. It’s ridiculous to be ignorant of what you are attacking. Besides, if you don’t even go to the movies, don’t try to stop us from watching them. To be hon est, if you disapprove of the material, this is America and no one can make you go to a movie you don’t want to see. DON’T INFRINGE ON OUR RIGHT TO VIEW. YOU DON’T KNOW US. Now, in terms of censorship, yes, I’m for limited censorship. A 12 year-old should not have access to X-rated materials. Children should never be exploited for pedophiles. Where the state feels that parents may not be arduous enough, it accepts control. Hence, there are movie ratings, television censors and laws regulating sexually oriented busi nesses. For children too young to be responsible for them selves, the state tries to protect them. The state protects chil dren; adults can decide for themselves. We are glad to see that there are people who are so con cerned with morality. One request: DON’T FORCE YOURS ON US. Your beliefs are your own. If your life is so orderly that you have time to worry about our morality, enroll in more classes — you’ve got enough time, apparently. You’ll have enough trouble teaching your own children morality, much less a university of 40,000. But, you must start some where and practice does make perfect. I’m sure the Sterling C. Evans library has lots of books you don’t want us to read. Please, please tell us which ones. We’re waiting for your OK. We don’t believe that Texas A&M University supports pornography. If you do and don’t like it, Highway 6 runs both ways. Bias Villanueva ’93 Have an opinion? Express it! 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. There is no guarantee that letters submitted will be printed. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, address and telephone number of the writer. All letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald, or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111. m % ", ' c , - ,i8S» I*# w. INYADS, BUT REAL HEAVYWEIGHTS WHEN RESULTS REALLY COUNT. matter what you've got to say* or sell, our Classi fieds can help you do the big job. Battalion Classified 845-0569 . W£’re majoring in a special subicct. F You. J Get ready to fly for only SI 18 roundtr ip—twice. Choose from many of the more than 180 Northwest Airlines cities in the 48 co>itiguous United States. 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