The Battalion
OPINION
Wednesday, March 7,jl990
Remember to vote
If you think you have plenty of time before you need to
worry about voting in the March 13 primary, think again.
The primary falls on the Tuesday during spring break. If
you are registered to vote and will be out of town during spring
break, vote absentee.
Voting locations are in 146 MSC for the Democratic primary
and 138 MSC for the Republican primary. They are open from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. The last day to absentee vote is Friday.
Before you hit the beach, fill out your ballot.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Mail Call
Mr. Big should be given credit it deserves
EDITOR: v
Chuck Squatriglia’s column in the March 1 Battalion described the show
nearly perfectly, but I feel he forgot one of the major elements of the concert:
the opening act. It’s not often that a band like Mr. Big happens along and
when one does, it should be given all of the credit it deserves. Mr. Big is a mu
sician’s band: They write music more for music’s sake than for the money, and
this allows them to explore musical venues that most pop performers don’t
even dream about. Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert, both of whom have al
ready played for years in other bands, are two of the hottest players to lay
their hands on a fretboard, and they proved that during their solos and a firey
dueling exchange. All of the power, creativity, talent and emotion present in
their set Monday indicates a collection of seasoned musicians on the rise, and I
find it strange that Chuck neglected to even mention them. They sure got my
attention.
Shane Potter ‘91
Ross’ background irrelevant in symbol issue
EDITOR:
It doesn’t often amaze me when I read the Opinion Page in The Battalion,
but I have to admit that when I read Bryan Skipworth’s article, I had pretty
well decided that I had read the stupidest, most irresponsible drivel yet to
grace these pages. Just what exactly did Sul Ross have to do with anything,
Bryan, except as an opportunity for you to get up on your soapbox? What he
did and who he was is entirely irrelevant. These people’s disgust over that
symbol had absolutely nothing to do with censorship or the desire to relive a
“police state” or any other such nonsense. I have a German friend who would
have beaten you silly just for putting that up, precisely because of what it
stands for. You have every right to express your opinions, but a little responsi
bility would go a long way. You need to grow up in a big way, Bryan.
*
Michael Ternus ’90
Cartoonist obnoxious, not fraternity men
EDITOR:
Are all C.T.’s obnoxious? Are all cartoonists stereotyping, narrow-minded
flakes? I hope I got your attention, Don Atkinson Jr., because this is directed
toward you or anyone elso who blindly sees fraternity men as nothing but
beer-drinking, womanizing jerks.
I’ve been following “Adventures in Cartooning” for several days as “Don,”
after being hit on the head, decided to join a fraternity and has progressively
become more of a jerk ever since. For example, this is a quote from “Don” on
Feb. 22: “Hey don’t sweat it. Babe! I’m better than OK! I’m in a frat now, I
own a motorcycle and you’re hot for me! I can tell.” Don, give me a break.
First, fraternity life is not about drinking and trying to look cool. It is
about making the most out of your future. Second, if you are going to portray
“Don” as a fraternity guy, please show a more realistic side of Greek life. Have
“Don,” for instance, take some underprivileged children to a baseball game or
have him raise some money for the American Heart Association.
No, all C.T.’s are not obnoxious, and I don’t know anything about cartoo
nists. But I don’t stereotype them either. Don, if you are going to continue on
with this character, please come find out what fraternities are really about be
fore you judge us all to be jerks.
Greg Westmoreland ‘91
Pageant ‘objectionable and offensive’
EDITOR:
I would like to express my support of the students protesting the Miss
Texas A&M Scholarship Pageant on Saturday, Feb. 24. I was disturbed when
I learned this University promotes the continuation of practices which en
courage women to compete on the basis of their physical appearance, and
which strengthen the notion of this society’s standards of beauty as an accepta
ble and desirable goal. I was pleased to know there are students at A&M who
also find this pageant objectionable and offensive, and are willing to make
their opinion public.
Sandra J. Ellett
Graduate student
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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
Fredrick D. Joe, Art Director
Mary-Lynne Rice, Lifestyles Editor
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4111.
Japan-bashing is becoming a popular
sport in U.S. politics. People are crying
for some sort of protectionist retaliation
against a Japan that supposedly refuses
to open markets to U.S. goods; in the
minds of many Americans our
economic problems are a result of
Japanese unfair trading practices. Our
“special relationship” with Japan is
being questioned.
We often blame others for our
problems; recent scapegoats range from
communism to drug abuse. Blaming
Japan for our economic woes is one of
our current obsessions. I think it’s a
bunch of bull. We’re having economic
problems (and are destined to have
worse ones very soon) partly for some
simple reasons: We’ve been greedy and
stupid.
While Americans have been
borrowing money for a spending binge,
the Japanese have been saving and
investing. Between 1970 and 1990 we
have invested 16-20 percent of our
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while
the Japanese have invested 28-38
percent of theirs. While their businesses
have been working to improve
performance, ours have been on a
feeding frenzy of incredible
proportions, racking up huge debts in a
takeover spree.
In the arena of personal finances, the
story is similar: Americans borrow and
spend, Japanese save. In the past two
decades, the rate of savings in Japan
(again as a percentage of GDP) has
fluctuated between 30 percent and 40
percent; the comparable statistic for the
U.S. has gone from 18-20 percent in the
’70s to 15-17 percent in the ’80s.
We’ve not only messed up our
personal and business finances. The
avarice and shortsightedness have
extended into the political realm as well.
Our government is in debt to the tune
of over $15,000 for every man, woman
and child in the country, and it’s getting
worse by the minute. It’s not the fault of
our political leaders as much as it is the
fault of the people who elect them. We
twice elected a president who promised
to lower taxes, spend more on defense
and balance the budget. We re-elect our
representatives based on the amount of
tax money (extorted from our fellow
citizens) spent in our district. We
continue to believe those who promise
us a free lunch.
The facts are clear. We don’t save as
much, work as hard or as long, invest as
much, operate as efficiently or plan as
far ahead as the Japanese do. Anyone
trying to be “fair” would give them first
prize in the economic race. If we want to
compete with them, we must improve
our performance. The Japanese have
learned from us in the past, and we can
learn from them now.
The Japanese who buy American
businesses seem to be running them as
well, if not better than, the Americans
who preceeded them. Our managers
can begin by treating the employees
better, and by paying attention to their
suggestions. We have taken the
authoritarian model as far as it can go;
it’s given us labor unions, strikes anda
lot of general waste and unrest. It’s
for employees to take an interest in
business, and for employers to reward
those who do.
Brokers need to stop trying to make
quick buck on the market, and start
trying to find quality companies to
invest in for the long term.
We need to spend less, save moreane
quit borrowing all together. I personal
refuse to borrow money I can’t repayto
spend on things I don’t need inordent
keep up with some artificial television
created standard I don’t like. I refuseit
vote for people who will spend
government money foolishly, even if
they spend it on me. I refuse to believe
that the quality of my life is measuredi:
dollar terms, or that anyone else’sis,
either. I will happily pay a little morefc
a good product from a small
businessperson I know over a mediocre
product from a large company that is
unresponsive.
There are also a few things we don’t
need to learn from the Japanese. We
don’t need to work so hard that we
neglect our families. We don’t need to
pressure our children to achieve so
much that they are driven to suicide.Wt
don’t need to turn our schools into
factories of rote memorization.
The better economy of the future
starts with each one of us. Stop thinking
that the solution to our problems
involves forcing other people to do (or
not do) certain things (import tariffs
and quotas are examples). The solution
involves each of us living an honest,
informed, productive and contented
life. We must stop trying to get
something for nothing and start doinga
better job. It’s our own choice.
Jeff Farmer is a graduate student in
mathematics.
Pageant measures more than beauty
My intentions are not only to refute
the arguments of the students who
staged the protest at our 1990 pageant,
but to also show the true purpose of the
Miss Texas A&M University Pageant.
The fact that the students staged a
protest against something they strongly
oppose is admirable; America needs
more people to stand up for things in
which they truly believe. However, their
motivations for doubting the
significance of the Miss Texas A&M
Scholarship Pageant in particular, and
their strategy for expressing this doubt
need questioning.
If Texas A&M was promoting the
stereotype that women are useless
unless they are beautiful, submitting a
picture and bodily dimensions would
have been an application requirement to
enter the University. Confidence,
intelligence and personality are only a
few of the qualities required for
contestants in our pageant. Therefore
inner beauty, or substance is our
emphasis.
Melissa Culbert is correct in believing
that the selection of Miss Texas A&M
University should be based on academic
achievement. An individual’s academic
achievement reveals that person’s
diligence, responsibility and
determination. Ninety-two percent of
all Miss Texas A&M winners have had
G.P.R.’s above 3.0. These ladies of
substance have pursued degrees in
various disciplines. They do not pursue
degrees in hair and make-up; they do
not earn M.R.S. degrees.
A contestant’s academic standing
influences her admission to or rejection
from the pageant. However, the value
of a well-rounded queen is much greater
than that of a queen who is solely “book
smart. Miss Texas A&M is talented
Shanedria M.
Ridley
Reader’s opinion
“and” intelligent. Her responsibilites are
ceremonial to a certain degree;
however, she also completes service
oriented tasks in the Bryan-College
Station area.
Whether or not a person is physically
beautiful is a matter of personal
opinion. Natural beauty is determined
by birth, not by choice. Therefore a
young lady’s poise, etiquette and
personal ambition are considered
instead of her physical characteristics.
The Texas A&M University
Scholarship Pageant does not make the
contestants sex objects in any way. The
pageant is an official search for a female
representative for our University. Our
pageant cannot be compared with a
strip joint, the contestants with go-go
girls, nor our program book with a
pornographic magazine. Those who
attend the pageant agree that it is a
positive experience. Only a woman can
make herself a sex object.
Karen Bell feels that by participating
in the pageant voluntarily, the
contestants are hurting women as a
whole. Chauranism (sexism), lack of
respect and rape hurt women as a
whole. By voluntarily pursuing the title
of Miss Texas A&M University, these
contestants help themselves to accept
exciting challenges. Hard work,
sacrifice and dedication allow the
contestants to work continuously fron
their moment of selection in October, to
the moment of our production in
February.
In a “beauty” pageant, the main
emphasis is physical-beauty, as denoted
by its definition. However, the Miss
Texas A&M Pageant-is a “scholarship”
pageant where education, positive role
maintenance and the development of
our queen are most important. A young
lady’s true “beauty” is determined by
her attitude and ambition. Society’s
standard of beauty is insignificant when
talent and intelligence are important.
I am not criticizing the intentions of
the protestors because opposing
opinions must be allowed and respected
in the “real” world. However,
congregation in front of our pageant
with signs expressing opposition to a
nonexistent occurence at Texas A&M
needs to be challenged.
Their sincerity was not evident at the
pageant because they protested among
people who do not agree with their
views concerning the Miss Texas A&M
Scholarship Pageant. Therfore, they
walked away with the little support that
they approached us with. Their actions
gave the impression that they wanted to
aggrevate those in attendance,
intimidate the committee members and
receive ultimate attention.
The protestors should not consider
my response an insult. I am simply
expressing my views while being
sensitive to their purpose. I challenge
not only the protestors, but the entire
student body to learn about Rhonda Jo
Horn, our 1990 Miss Texas A&M
University. We look forward to seeing
everyone at our 1991 pageant.
Shanedria M. Ridley is a sophomore
French and speech communication
major and executive director for the
1991 Miss Texas A&M Scholarship
Pageant.
Adventures In Cartooning
by Don Atkinson Jr.