1 he Battalion
The Battali
OPINION
Tuesday, April 17,1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-33
Tuesday,
UT embarrassed by tactics of student protestors NO
I am embarrassed for our rivals over
in Austin.
While I was at home this past
weekend, I saw a news report of how
University of Texas President William
Cunningham was forced to abandon
addressing a c row el of over l ,000
students who were protesting racial
incidents that occurred on the campus
last week. The racial incidents involved
two campus fraternities, which were
both suspended by Cunningham last
week until formal investigations can be
conducted.
The news clip that I saw showed a
flustered Cunningham trying to present
a prepared statement about the
administration’s views of the racial
situation on campus. Student protestors
were all over him, putting their hands in
front of his written words, shoving him
back and forth and all the while
i banting, “No More Lies.” After
repeatedly trying to speak to the student
protestors, Cunningham left with his
administrative buddies, retreating to the
$
0T » A
Damon
Arhos
Assistant Opinion
Page Editor
UT Power without delivering his
address.
In an Associated Press news story,
Cunningham is quoted as saying, “In an
open society, we ought to be able to have
a chance to express our views, but
apparently that was not the case today.
“Clearly there is a problem of race
relations in society. The university
obviously has problems as well.”
Obviously tbe University of Texas
does have race problems. Phis is evident
from the incidents that have occurred m
the past few weeks. These problems are
much like the racial problems that are
encountered here at A&M.
There is a difference, however.
Those students who protested and
kept Cunningham f rom delivering his
speech are an embarrassment to the
University of Texas. Protesting can be
an ef fective means of reaching a goal
when it is carried out in a non-violent,
respectful way. However, those students
who pushed, shoved, chanted and kept
Cunningham f rom delivering his
speech only hindered their cause.
Do you think that Cunningham has a
much more positive view of their cause
since he has been ostracized from their
rally? If their object was to get attention
from him, they surely did. Next time
he’ll probably stay in his office and
ignore their protest altoget her.
Many of the students voiced concern
that the UT administration was
apathetic and lacked interest and action.
But how : is Cunningham and the rest of
the administration supposed to act if
they do not yet know all of the facts? As
I said before, both f raternities were
Class registration ‘horrific’ for Aggie
Well, well, well, Aggies, it’s that time
again; No, I’m not talking about Aggie
Muster; No, I’m not talking about finals.
I’m talking about the wonderf ul, long,
arduous, beautif ul, fearf ul and horrific
process of registration.
For the last three years I have had the
misfortune of trying to get the desired
classes for the following semester that
would allow me to stay on course to
graduate on time. But it seems like
every year the classes that I want are .
always taken. Do I get upset when I
press all those buttons and Ricky the
Rude Registration computer tells me
that the class that I want is closed and no
other sections are open? Yes. Is it
upsetting when a freshman has
registered for a class, (that was closed
when I registered), and she tells me that
he or she got in? Yes. Is it even more
upsetting when I finally get in after 18
hours of button pressing and Ricky the
Rude Registration computer tells me
that I am blocked (and proceeds to hang
up in my face) because some poor,
deprived soul gave me a parking ticket
because he had to fill his hourly quota of
at least 1000 parking tickets? Yes.
Roland S.
Martin
Reader’s Opinion
I think it is high-time that w'e, as
college-educated upperclassmen, rebel
against this University and the little
twerps who have yet to pay their dues.
We need to do away with this ridiculous
policy of A through L and so on, and
base registration on classification (for
you twerps that means seniors, juniors,
and YOU people). I he twerps should
only be able to register when EVERY
upperclassman has registered for
classes. I think this will put some faith
back into the individuals who have
attained the necessary hours to shout
the words “senior” or “junior.”
The University needs to make it a
policy that only twerps have to stand in
line and wait to register. Forget this
privilege of using the phone. If a twerp
is in front of a “Wise One” then the
twerp has to graciously let the “Wise
One” go ahead of him (or her Gloria
Steinham).
Third, we need to get rid of Ricky the
Rude Registration computer and send
him out to pasture. We need someone
like a ... Ramona. (There needs to be
some incentive to hear someone tell you
that you cannot get in a class.)
Last, the University needs to provide
food, drink and TV for every “Wise
One” who has to stand in those damn
lines. Sometimes I think they make us
stand in line so they can see who will
faint due to fee exhaustion. By
providing the bare essentials in life, we
can eat, drink and watch “All My
Children” while we wait for a group of
twerps who, due to a lack of hours, have
yet to figure out that the registration
line is not the financial aid line.
I think if the University would follow
this particular registration policy, the
students would be better off and I
wouldn’t have to hear Ricky the Rude’s
wife tell me that all lines are closed and I
have to call back in another hour.
Roland S. Martin is a junior
journalism major.
suspended pending an investigation.
How can Cunningham take action when
he does not yet know who is truly
responsible? Doesn’t an idea that one is
“innocent until proven guilty” exist in
this country?
Without knowing everything about
both situations, it is impossible for
Cunningham or the administration to
take action. It would not be fair for
Cunningham to immediately penalize
the groups involved without first
knowing what actually occurred.
Student Association President Toni
Luckett seems to be leading this
movement against the administration,
advocating working against them
instead of working with them. This idea
is spreading like wildfire on the UT
campus. The same Associated Press
article quoted University of Texas
student Chantrell Andrews, a
sophomore from Dallas, as saying, “We
have tried to be non-violent about this,
but this could turn from Martin Luther
King to Malcolm X in a matter of
seconds.” But I've got news forLudet
Andrews and for anyone else who
advocates this sort of policy: Give iti|
because it will get you nowhere.
T hese students need to take a lessot
from protestors and activists here at
A&M. 1 can never remember a timetlu
Dr. Mobley was prevented front givinj
speech, booed off of the potiuni. shove
out of the way or driven from a rally.
the president of T exas A&M, werespn
his title and character enough thatwt
will hear him out. Our student leaders
tend to work with the administration
instead of against it, a policy which
involves compromise and rationale,®!
militancy and unrest.
Those immature Student protestors
who were involved in this
embarrassment need to reevaluatethei
views about dealing with President
Cunningham and the Universityof
Texas administration. Otherwise
“ Texas Fight” could take on a whole
new meaning.
Damon Arhos is a senior journalism
major.
Mail Call
Perversity will crumble society
EDITOR:
Jeff Farmer at least concluded his pro-homosexual column correctly. Our
society will disintegrate before our eyes if we allow the legitimization ol per
versity to flourish.
Mr. Farmer, do you wonder why the anti-sodoim laws were written and
are on the books in over 25 states (and, in some countries, is a major offense):
T here was a time when perversity was recognized for what it was, and laws
were passed to try and keep it in check.
It is only because of the homosexual lobby and fearful legislators that it is
even an issue.
Please read “T he Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ and learn some
thing. Those that fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it: and in
this case, the very foundation of morality and ti adit ional values is at stake.
Gary M. Gaither
Instructional Materials Service Department
Safety should be University’s main concern
EDITOR:
I am responding to the Universitv's lack of concern for the safety of stu
dents, faculty and visitors in the areas surrounding the renovation of building
C of the Langford Architecture Center.
As observation would indicate, the University is once again trying to retro
fit the existing, rather than provide new facilities for the construction science
department. T his may be the most cost effective solution: however, this
should not be incurred at the expense of public safety.
T he project involves the addition of a fourth floor to building C, directly
adjacent to both the Langford Architecture Building and building B, the
woodshop facility.
Heavy steel columns and beams are being lifted in place (with consider
ably outdated building methods when compared to typical industry stan
dards) at more than thirty feet above heavy pedestrian traff ic, with little onto
safety precautions being implemented. The project is contracted by a local
construction company (Diamond Construction Inc., of Bryan, T exas).
Some of us might still remember the tragedy that occurred in the con
struction of the “new” Chemistry Building, where a construction workerwas
killed due ter unsafe working conditions. For those of you who have never
seen a construction fatality, be glad because it is not pleasant. But for those
who are waiting eagerly for erne ter take place, just spend serme time around
the Architecture Center.
It would seem that a construction project directed toward the renovation
erf the Architecture and Construction Science facilities would exemplify con
struction methods and practices that were nierdel in nature — especially in the
sense erf public and jerbsite safety.
But then again, I guess that is what can be expected from a construction
project which involves the famous Architecture Building, which has recently
been aesthetically renovated by patching large areas where cerncrete has fallen
from the exterior of the fascade.
Just another safety hazard stemming from porn construction methods
ami practices.
Robert Long ‘88
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Stop 1111.
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Lifesty les Editor
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