The Battalion OPINION : Friday, February 23,1990 Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-31 Reunification threatens economy Hip hooray for absentee voting box It took too much time and too much effort to get it, but Brazos County has finally placed an absentee voting box on the Fexas A&M campus, The idea of a box on campus has been brought up and shot down with regularity over the years. It became a more heated issue when the state legislature relaxed the rules so that anyone could vote absentee, without any special reason. (Some people now prefer the term “extended voting.”) The battle lines are defined basically by party affiliation, with the Republicans trying to get the box on campus and Democrats swearing that would never happen. The Republicans say that what they are really concerned with is getting more people to vote. “The whole purpose was to encourage more voter participation,” Brazos Valley Republican Party Chairman Rodger Lewis said in December. Reading between the lines, I get “encourage more Republican voter participation.” This would be especially important to the Republicans for the 1990 primaries, which fall during A&M’s spring break. »The best way to deal with it is to give you (students) an absentee poll here on campus,” Lewis said. The Democrats say that their opposition to the on-campus site is not based on partisanship, but fairness. Former Brazos County Democratic Party Chairman Ron Cay said that a site at A&M is unfair to rural, handicapped and elderly voters Wfto will have to contend with A&M’s crowds and parking problems. That would be a valid point, il A&M were the only absentee voting site. It’s not. Besides the polling site on campus (in the MSC), voters can go to the Brazos County Courthouse, Ben Milam Elementary School on Ridgedale Street or College Station school district’s administration office on Welsh Street, And anyone can vote at any absentee site, regardless of the precinct in which you are registered. Another objection is that a site on campus would discriminate against members of minority groups. But that argument loses its validity when you consider that an on-campus site is convenient not only for students, but also workers, and fexas A&M is the largest employer of minorities in the area. The main concern with where to place polling sites is how to get the most people to vote, period. I’m not a Republican or a Democrat, but I realize that a campus voting site will result in more Republican votes. But that’s life. It’s wrong to make it harder for some to vote just because you don’t particularly like the way they vote or who they vote for. I think the United States eventually should go to a system where all polling sites are open for at least a week, maybe even two weeks, and absolutely no returns are announced until every last vote has been counted. That would increase voter turnout dramatically, and reduce the influence of the networks, who often “project” winners with less than one percent of the vote counted, thus discouraging some voters. But radical changes like that are way down the road. Until then, a voting box here on campus is a good idea. Now go use it. Scot Walker is a senior journalism major. We shouldn’t worry about German reunification. Then again, maybe we should. To clarify, the world should not worry that a united Germany will be a threat to world peace. But we should worry about the economic threat it poses. A reunified Germany may seem scary to many citizens of the world who remember or who have studied the tragedies of World War 1 and World War II. Yet, the new Germany would not exist under the same conditions as did Wilhelm’s or Hitler’s Germanics. Before World War I. Europe was much more political and imperialist than modern Europe. The nations of Europe were in constant rivalry, always trying to gain power and always prepared for conflict. Modern Europe is much more complacent. With the coming European Gommunity, 12 of Europe’s nations will economically become one. It would be diff icult and unnecessary to try to overpower countries with which Germany shares such a bond. In World War II, Germany’s escapades were almost a direct result of the devastation of the first World War combined with Hitler’s charismatic leadership and incredible timing. A Hitler could not take hold of Germany in its present state. There is just too much democracy and too many human rights in both Germanics. Few or none of the conditions that Timm Doolen Columnist helped start the two World Wars exist in Germany today. There is no reason for anyone to think Germany will become a crazed nation again and seek world domination. Military and economic power is too decentralized in the modern world, and the political climate is different as well. Four decades of democracy have tainted the Germans' thirst for conquest, arid the possibility of another charismatic leader taking over is unlikely. The biggest upset (on a world scale) a united Germany could manage is in international sports competitions like the Olympics. The two sports superpowers when combined will probably be a more formidable opponent than the Soviet Uriion or the United States could even hope to be. On a more meaningful level, a reunified Germany could become an economic giant, especially with the coming of the European communit y. Using current figures, the two Germanics combined export more than any other country in the world. Then combined balance of trade is second only to Japan's. The infusion of cheap labor from East Germany into the well-established industries of West Germany is a scary thought. Germany’s strength is exporting manufactured goods, and with so many Eastern European markets opening up, it could mean big bucks for the German econonn. Of course a united Germay would have to overcome the temporary problems of East Germany’s poor economy, stagnant industries and low - valued currency. But after a few years of economic building, the united Germany could become the strongest member of the European community, and could rival Japan as an economic superpower It’s ironic that the two big losers of World War II would tin n out to be t he top economic leaders of thc world a half-century later. As a modern democratic nation, a reunified Germany poses no threat to world peace. Germany does, however, pose a threat to the United States’ economic position with respect to the world and Europe. The reunification of Germany w as decided in November when the Berlin wall crumbled into souvenirs. We need to be aware that there w ill be a united Germany, and begin preparing for the economic consequences. Timm Doolen is a junior computer science major. SIX MILLION GOOD REASONS Two-percenter, head to Highway6 In response to Marcus Johnson’s let ter belittling Texas A&M, I would like to make a few comments. 1) A&M and tu are not the only major rivals around. Have you ever heard of Army-Navy? Alabama-Auburn? USC- UCLA? Try walking around on one of these campuses with a rival’s emblem. Don’t act like A&M is uniquely imma ture in this attitude. (By the way, rivalry doesn't necessarily mean hate for an other school, but a deeper love of your own school.) 2) Aggies hiring Aggies does not mean that the Aggie is unqualified nor does it mean that graduates from an other university won’t be hired by an Aggie. Stop searching for a reason to condemn a bond that is a century old —- a bond of friendship, nostalgia and pride that comes with attending this fine institution. But vou wouldn’t under- Cristen M Van Vleet Reader’s Opinion stand that. Don’t you lose any sleep about getting hired for being an Aggie. It won’t happen. 3) Granted, A&M is not the most open-minded school in the nation. A&M is different. A&M is unique, with our traditions, our Corps of Cadets and our 12th Man — you know, students who actually support A&M! 1 just don’t understand who someone who is so irri tated by these qualities would attend this school. No, A&M is not open-minded. Claude E. Mounce Columnist But being chided, hated and belittled In “fellow Aggies’ like you, Johnson, is not going to open any minds. Why don't you try being helpful and persuasive with your ideas with your ideas instead o f b la tan tly rude ? 4) As for the Corps — people, stop losing sweat and tear s over the Corps of Cadets. You can’t beat ’em, you don’t want to join Tm, so just leave them alone. Oh, and 1 think I will tell you High way 6 runs both Ways (being the narr ow minded Aggie that I am.). Now that you’ve been told so main times, why don’t you try seeing if it works? Cristen M. Van Vleet is a sophomore psychology major. Traditions grow, changl with culture The dictionary defines tradition as the passing on of a cultural aspectfe one genei ation to the next. As an organization grows,some traditions i emain, others fadeaway; sometimes new ones spring up.Eveni I exas A&M we see our traditions beginning to reflect the cultureofa genei ation. Some changes are Irani of the evolution from a small, all-malt agi it uh m e and militai v-oneijted t ollege to a lar ge, coeducational II aditional university. Some traditions are so firmly entrenched, they will probablynevei change. The Iwelfth Man and standing it [ football games. Notice, however,tin lecenth some student seats have tat set aside tor sitters. Gig ’em, football yells and school songs. Some have wondered whattk bee k a i a net k is and howcomeeva students outside the College of Agi it ulture are still tarmers. Sotneol the l\ i it s have changed torhymewil ■'fexas \Ml rather than Texas AMC.” Aggie Muster. (.rowingratlierthi declining. Male yell leaders. I hesepositions piobublv neverwill be open to fern! II they wa re, sell leaders mightbecj i heei leadei s, and besides thevcoii pei form that ritual that yell leaders! vv hen a I ield goal or point aftei torn hih >w n is attempted. Whatisit thev re doing anyway? t.u. not a capital idea. Some tr aditions are beginningto fade. Silver 1 aps. A tine tradition,but spar sidy attended. MSC grass. A probable victim of progiess and MS( i-Ruddei expand Hazing and saying “howdy.”0iif due to common sense and theotlm apathy. Spring break. Originally set up,r time foi students to go home andf with spring plowing. It’s just amp time bcfoi e educators and students realize a week ol leisure isaluxurvi l<>ngei affordable. New ti aditions come slowly andi without loud wailing, gnashing of te and sometimes lawsuits. Women in the student body,Coi| Aggie Band and Ross Volunteers, f .enerallv ai cepted even if oneoftli didn t gel a polite handshake fromi A&M pi < sideiu at graduation, Campus fraternities and sororitie Mighty hard I oi Mime Ags to stoma. Gay student organizations.Thel at ci piance