The Battalion
OPINION
2
The Battali
ST
Monday, S
Monday, September 24,1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs
845-
Repeal bill making homosexual sex
illegal
Imagine this. You move into a city.
Everyone looks at you funny. You find
out that it is illegal to have sex with
people of the opposite sex (and,
unfortunately for you, that’s the kind of
sex you prefer). And when you look for
work, you discover that finding and
keeping a job is harder for
heterosexuals because of their
heterosexuality. Imagine that: a cold,
oppressive world, indeed!
Texas is that kind of oppressive world
for homosexuals. Homosexual sex is
illegal in Texas, and homosexuals are
not explicitly protected by civil rights
legislation from unfair discrimination in
employment. Homosexuals in Texas are
being deprived of their civil rights and
their freedom of lifestyle. The situation
can and must be corrected.
Law 21.06 of the 1 exas penal code
must be repealed immediately. The law
prohibits homosexual sex. It is obvious
that such a law is unconstitutional. Two
consenting adults, by having sex, do not
infringe upon the rights of others
directly or indirectly.
The argument that homosexual sex
should be prohibited in order to
prevent the spread of AIDS is inane at
best. Heterosexual sex spreads AIDS as
well. So heterosexual sex would have to
be replaced by artificial insemination if
we followed the “stop AIDS, ban sex”
rule. Destroying peoples’ lifestyles is
both unnecessary and ineffective.
Instead, people should be educated
on the risks of sex, be given the
information and tools to prevent
possible problems, and be allowed to
deal w ith the risks with their knowledge
and their condoms. If people choose to
practice safe or unsafe sex, the only
people they can hurt is themselves.
In addition to repealing 21.06, civil
rights legislation that protects against
unfair discrimination in the workplace
should be explicitly extended to protect
people of all sexual orientations. After
all, all people are created equal, whether
jhey are Chicano, African, European,
Moslem, Christian, fascist, socialist,
overweight, green-eyed, heterosexual,
homosexual, or bisexual.
Texas A&M is leading the charge for
gay rights in Texas by insuring, with
new anti-discriminatory regulations,
that homosexuals are not unfairly
discriminated against on campus.
Also visible on the local level,
however, are two leaders of the anti-gay
f WOTHk PTCCFp/NtW
Mail Call
Don’t overreact to horselaugh
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to the letter of Jason Finger in
the Sept. 19 issue of the Battalion. Hey Jason, lighten up.
While I agree that it was inappropriate for people to hiss the
kickoff penalty, you appear to have overreacted to this
breach of etiquette. Were these people trying to be inten
tionally disrespectful? No, I’m afraid not. These people his
sing were making a legitimate effort to participate in the
game, which is more than I saw from several spectators. If
the action really bothered you so much, why didn’t you ex
plain your problem to the of fenders in person? These peo
ple that were hissing were merely misinformed, not rude. If
every upperclassman reacted the way you have, no fresh
men would ever learn what to do at a football game. Should
we appoint Jason as our official A&M class watchdog? No, I
didn’t think so. Get a life.
John Hummel ’94
Bikers, respect traffic laws
EDITOR:
Some people who ride bicycles on campus seem to think
that they do not have to obey traffic rules because they are
on a bike.
WRONG!!!
Bike riders must obey all traffic rules while they are on
public roads. I ride a bike. I do not run stop signs. I do not
ignore signal lights. I do not ride the wrong direction on
one-way streets. I ride on the right side of the street (the
same as cars). I signal before I change lanes. I also yield
right of way to cars when I am entering the street from a
sidewalk. If you can’t obey traffic laws while on a bike, you
shouldn't ride it on public roads anymore. I’m sick of get
ting bad looks and having cars honk at me just because I’m
on a bike.
I would like to urge the bikers that do obey the law to
join me in letting the jerks that break the law know that we
are not happy with them. A simple “Wrong way!” of “Nice
stop! ' would be enough to let the of fending party know that
they messed up and you are not happy with them. It would
also be nice if the campus police would start giving out tick
ets to bikes again. The campus police used to ticket bikers
that broke the law (mainly i mining stop signs) but I haven’t
seen anyone bothered in several years.
One more gripe: Most people driving in cars and trucks
seem to have a problem coexisting with bikes. W 7 hen I am on
a bike I have every right that someone driving a car has.
While I am on public roads, cars must yield right of way at a
stop sign when it’s my turn. They must also respect my right
to a lane of traffic (whether it’s a bike lane or a normal traf
fic lane).
Try thinking of a bicycle as a slow scooter. You wouldn’t
run a scooter off the readjust to get somewhere 10 seconds
quicker, so don’t harass me when I have to ride in the center
of the street to avoid a car parked in the bike lane (usually by
the Commons and near Heaton Hall).
Jesse Spears ’SS
graduate student
Have an opinion? Express it!
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff re-
senjes the right to edit letters for style a nd length, but will make every effort to main
tain 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.
movement. First, of course, there is
Clayton Williams, w ho is notorious for
his anti-gay statements. I ess
conspicuous is this rl*str k i s LJ.S. House
representative, J( Barton (R). He has
revealed his distaste >t homosexuals in
at least one letter in response to a
constituent’s letter.
The constituent had written Barton
to inquire about his position on House
Bill 2273, the Americans with
Disabilities Act. The bill prohibits unfair
discrimination against disabled people.
Barton wrote back that he was
concerned about the wording of the bill.
Wrote Barton, “I do not want
homosexual AIDS patients classified as
disabled. 1 do not consider homosexuals
to be deserving of the same treatment as
paraplegics.”
It is obvious, from Barton’s
statements, that he wanted to make sure
that no homosexual would be protected
by the Disabilities Act, no matter il the
homosexual had AIDS or was disabled
in some other way.
It is noteworthy that Barton saidthi;
homosexual AIDS patients shouldt
receive protection. He said nothingof
heterosexual AIDS patients. It seems
that just as long as homosexuals dom
receive protection, everyt hing is cool
with Joe.
The forces working to keep
homosexuals opressed are strong.
Fortunately, the times are a changin’.
Homosexual sex used to beafelonyin
Texas. Now, it is a misdemeanor. Butii
is we, the people’s, responsibility to
insure the emancipation of all people,
regardless of their sexual orientation,li
is time for a state referendum that give
homosexuals the same rights as
heterosexuals.
Irwin Tang is a junior political scim<
major.
Free press not squelched
by Israeli censorship ef fort
Hail freedom of the press!
Our elected interpreters of the Bill of
Rights have just shown that, despite
such issues as flag-burning and the 2
Live Crew’s raunchy recordings, they
continue to make decisions reflecting
the true light of the First Amendment's
meaning.
The case in point is a new book by
Victor Ostrovsky, a former case officer
of the Mossad. Mossad is, essentially,
Israel's equivalent of our G.I.A.
In short, Ostrovsky quit the Mossad
and proceeded to write a kiss-and-tell
account about the organization in his
new book, “By Way of Deception: The
Making and Unmasking of a Mossad
Officer.”
Israel was enraged and claimed that,
by spilling his guts about the Mossad,
Ostrovsky did the same to others,
literally, by exposing Mossad
surreptitous activities. So they took him
to court which is where our Constitution
stepped up to the plate.
In this instance, Israel is simply trying
to cover its own hindside under the
pretense of security reasons. The real
issue is the opinion taken by the masses,
not the enemy.
Newsweek detailed some of the
charges made in Ostrovsky’s Geraldo-
type work, none of which seem to
endanger anything but Israel’s
reputation. For instance, in 1983, a
Mossad informer in Beirut reported
that radical Shiites were outfitting a
truck with tons of explosives. The
Mossad concluded that there were “only
a few logical targets.” But the Mossad
declined to give the Americans a specific
warning and 241 American servicemen
died in the truck bombing of their
compound. An Israeli official
supposedly commented, “No, we’re not
there to protect the Americans. They’re
a big country.”
Ostrovosky also included details of
the Mossad’s spy training program and
instruction on t he use of weaponry. He
also charged that the Mossad teaches
developing agents that there are “three
major ‘hooks’ that are employed for
recruiting people: money; emotion,
either vengance or ideology and sex.”
So what’s new? Any James Bond
diciple has known these things since the
1960’s.
Israel wants to save face. Facing the
music is a more appropr late metaphor.
Ostrovsky was taken to court for his
book in New York and 'Toronto and the
Israeli attorneys won restraining orders
Matt
McBurnett
Columnist
against the book's publication. Last
week, Israel was the appellee in anothf!
New York trial and they lost, sotheban
was lifted.
By the next day, the book had sold
out of its first printing.
1 can see how the initial gag was in
order, but 1 am encouraged thattheful
rights of the press were upheld.
In most instances, if the press didr
tell us, no one would. Reporters, and
authors in this case, are anxious tobreal
a big story or inform the public about
something controversial. Whetherthe
motivation be money, fame or whatever,
members of the press ate hungry for
information. They only write whatthe
public wants.
The media is our fourth branch of
government. It keeps all of the other
branches in check, and balances the
heavyweights of the other branches
against public opinion.
In most instances, if the
press did not tell us, no one
would. Reporters, and
authors in this case, are
anxious to break a big storj
or inform the public about
something controversial.
Whether the motivation be
money, fame or whatever,
members of the press are
hungry for information.
They only write what the
public wants.
As for Israel, good try. 1 suggest that
you try another country with a differti
constitution if you want to practice
censorship. Whatever gag agreements
that are made between the Mossad and
its agents, present and past, are left to
your prosecuters to enforce, notour
courts.
I am proud that we do not suppress
freedom of the press.
Matt McBurnett is a senior electrical
engineering major.
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
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Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Cindy McMillian,
Editor
Timm Doolen, Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
Holly Becka, City Editor
Kathy Cox,
Kristin North,
News Editors
Nadja Sabawala,
Sports Editor
Eric Roalson, Art Director
Lisa Ann Robertson,
Lifestyles Editor
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