The Battalion
OPINION
Monday, October 1,1990
P
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs SsiiMor
Maybe we’ll get Rev cable next
EDITOR:
Once upon a time Ol’ Army interred Reveille at the north
end of Kyle Field for the expressed purpose ... “where she
could always view the A&M scoreboard.” I don’t think the
original intent for the gravesite was to be aligned to view a fla
shy Dairy Queen, Coca-Cola, GTE or NCNB commercial
from afar; however, why not expand the ad space rentals at
Kyle to include the walls of the first, second and third deck,
all football helmets and jersey sleeves. Student-use fees might
be lowered due to the influx of revenue, plus the eventual ex
humation of the Rev’s to the Vet School Cemetery would
come as no surprise to us all.
Robert Keathley ’61
Cox summed up media coverage
EDITOR:
I would like to commend Larry Cox for essentially sum
marizing the governors race up to this point. In his Sept. 26th
column he wrote, and I quote, “The early media focus on who
Claytie was pokin’ and what Annie was tokin’ way back in the
old days managed to keep voter attention focused, at least for
a while, on the candidates personal lives without stumbling
onto a real issue over which they could disagree.” I hope the
media will begin to address the issues which will have rele
vance to the citizens of Texas, rather than to the readers of
tabloid journalism. Thank you for your eloquence, Mr. Cox.
Clark Lovelady
Graduate Student
A&M’s smoking policy not effective
EDITOR:
I just read the article on Texas A&M’s “Smoking Policy”
and would like to add a few more comments!
I began attending A&M in Spring ’90 as a business major;
as such, a majority of my classes are in the Blocker building.
To my amazement somebody made the front entrance a
smoking area.
Let me explain: To enter the building you must enter one
door, walk ten feet to another door and then enter the build
ing. This area has benches that run the length of the entrance
and has been designated as a smoking area.
This area has no ventilation therefore the smoke accumu
lates into clouds which we must wade through to enter
Blocker.
This irritates me both physically and mentally. Physically,
I can cope with it by using another entrance, but why make
the building and classrooms off limits to smoking and then
turn around and make everyone walk through a cloud of
smoke to go to class?
I also checked the 1990-91 University Regulations for
“Smoking Regulations” and found it lacking in content. Sec
tion 69(1) states: “The use of tobacco is prohibited in the All
Faiths Chapel, classrooms, laboratories and in all areas in
which a notice prohibits smoking is posted.” I would suggest
if this is A&M’s smoking policy, it needs to be revised.
First, designated smoking areas should not be in or near
public areas or at entrances to buildings.
Second, smoking areas should have adequate and sepa
rate ventilation as well as separation from non-smoking areas.
I raise this point because of a situation that is familiar to any
one who eats on campus.
A prime example would be the MSC Cafeteria where half
of the dining area is designated smoking and the other non
smoking with the only thing separating the two being the
signs. This results in the smoke collecting and drifting into
the non-smoking area, which defeats the purpose of having
non-smoking areas.
The MSC Cafeteria is not the only dining area on campus
where this situation prevails.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Texas A&M is to be
commended for addressing the smoking issue on campus, but
needs to put more thought as to where designated smoking
areas are placed.
I also feel that smokers have the right to smoke and that
non-smokers have the right to a smoke-free environment.
Is there a solution as to whose rights are being violated by
smoking policies? Probably not. Compromise is the only solu
tion to this issue as well as being aware of your fellow persons’
rights.
Tim W. Byrd ’93
Kudos to the yell leaders
EDITOR:
I had a chance to return to College Station this past week
end on business and was fortunate to be able to come in on
Friday for a trip to the Chicken and a visit to Kyle Field for
yell practice. How great it was to be back in Aggieland and ex-
Mail Call
perience the spirit that so many take for granted while they’re
here. You don’t realize how much it means to you until you
leave.
I had a speaking engagement on Sunday to 200 Catholic
high school students from the surrounding area and was
pleased to be preceded by the yell leaders who presented a
program on Texas A&M and its traditions. These kids were
fascinated by this presentation and were really pumped about
A&M.
I wonder how many people realize the yell leaders are
constantly doing programs such as this where they promote
Texas A&M to people all over the state. They are doing seve
ral of these programs every month and they have brought the
“spirit of Aggieland” to thousands and thousands. A yell lead
er’s job doesn’t stop as the game ends on Saturday. They are
always promoting the interests and welfare of Texas A&M.
It’s great to know that some people put forth the extra ef
fort to promote the school we all so much love. For those of
you who can find nothing better to do than complain and
whine about the jokes at yell practice, take a good look at what
all these five guys do for Texas A&M, you’ll be amazed!
To the ’90-’91 yell leaders, thanks for going far and above
the call of duty. Your hard work is appreciated by many. And
to Kevin, thanks for one of the best laughs I’ve had at yell
practice.
Gig ’em!
Cliff Dugosh ’86
I.D. search finds good Ags, too
EDITOR:
It seems that every time I turn around, someone is telling
me how unfriendly this school has become. People always tell
me that the teachers and students are uncaring to other peo
ple’s needs. Well, I finally have a few good words to say about
the friendliest campus around.
On September 20, 1990, I woke up in the morning only to
discover that I had lost my I.D. card and shuttle bus pass.
Needless to say, I was terribly upset. I went out to the bus stop
and explained my situation to the driver. A gentleman whom
I ride with on the bus every morning explained this to the
driver, who allowed me to ride to school without having my
pass. The driver and the gentleman both explained to me
how to get to the bus operations building; they also sincerely
hoped that I would find my lost items.
After leaving the off-campus shuttle bus, I proceeded to
an on-campus shuttle. I explained to the driver why my trip
to bus operations was neccesary, and he was kind enough to
take me there. He said, however, that the bus operations
would not be open until 8:00, but told me that I could speak
to whomever was there. He also explained what to do when I
entered the building and expressed hope that I might find
my things.
I entered the bus operations building around 7:30. A se
nior was there. She called to check to see if my items had been
turned in over night. She then proceeded to find out which
buses might have been the one on which I lost my items. She
then gave me a new bus pass, and even offered me her ticket
to the football game since she was not going. I was so im
pressed.
After leaving, I went to my friend’s room. She calmed me
down and helped me find out the information on a replace
ment I.D. card. I then proceeded to go to the Pavilion, and
the people there were very kind and understanding. Af
terwards, I made it to class fifteen minutes late. My T.A. said
if I wanted to make-up the quiz we were taking later in the se
mester, it would be alright with him. All the people in my
Chemistry lab class were friendly and caring, and each one
helped me calm down.
I am so thankful to all the friends and strangers who
aided me that awful day. I don’t think I could have survived
the day if it hadn’t been for the love and friendship given to
me by people I know and those I don’t. I love this school and
the people. I wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else.
Rebecca Ernst ’94
Middle East’s problems complex
EDITOR:
I am responding to Mike Bryant’s letter published on Sep
tember 13th titled “Middle East peace plan naive.” In my
opinion, Mike is the one who’s naive. In his letter, Mike refers
to Israel and the Palestinian problem by wrongly comparing
the Jews’ right to the West Bank and Gaza Strip to his right to
London because his ancestors lived there in the 1600’s. This
statement implies that Israel claims these lands because of an
cestral right. The fact is that Israel acquired these areas as a
result of Arab attack, and had to keep the land for crucial mil
itary reasons. As you may or may not know Israel gave back
the Sinai for peace with Egypt in 1979. This in itself proves
that Israel is willing to concede land and economic assets if it’s
dealing with dependable leadership and has the security it
needs living in a region with 22 Arab countries who would
like to bring about it’s destruction. Israel has developed the
West Bank and Gaza Strip by establishing a governing body to
protect, the people and providing much needed social serv
ices. This is Israel’s claim to the land!
As someone who lived in Israel for six months, I was able
to experience the problems first hand and study the politics in
an Israeli University. Giving the land back “immediately” is
not a feasible solution; if it was, this whole thing would have
been settled many years ago. Mike obviously doesn’t have any
of the facts which are very important when dealing with a sit
uation as delicate as this one.
Cori Cohen ’91
Taiwan has freedom to learn, too
EDITOR:
I am a graduate student from Taiwan. After reading
“Foreign students adjust to freedom in U.S.” (Sept. 18), I
have some words to say.
As Miss Chieh Peng mentioned in her interview, there are
a lot of cultural differences between the U.S. and Taiwan.
The range of freedom is one of them. I disagree that students
in Taiwan cannot ask questions in class or challenge the old
way of doing things. Take myself as an example. How many
questions did I ask whenever I did not understand or had
missed some points in class? I don’t remember! That’s be
cause it is so natural to ask questions whenever you have ques
tions. Everybody takes it for granted. I remember when I was
in high school, we asked our math teacher a question about a
problem. He was unable to solve that problem. He turned
around and told us “I am sorry, I cannot give you the answer
right now. Please allow me to give you the answer in the next
class.” The magic thing is one of our fellow students knew
how to solve it. He came to the board, explained the problem
to the class and the teacher.
My point is Miss Peng’s situation is based on her personal
experience. However, it is improper to state one’s personal
experience as representative of the educational environment
for the entire nation. I don’t want others to be misled through
a careless or partial statement.
Another point is not everybody has to put studying ahead
of everything. That depends on the individual. You are re
sponsible for every decision you make. I don’t think I was
taught to put studying ahead of health, personal
relationships, etc. As to not drinking soft drinks in class, 1
would say that’s a traditional way to show respect to the in
structor. Is it freedom to drink soft drinks in class?
Tai-Hsi Wu
graduate student
PTTS, just solve the problem
EDITOR:
Having read the article concerning the reallocation of
parking spaces in Lot 74 in The Battalion on September 21,1
wish to address Mrs. Mathis of the Department of Parking,
Transit, and Traffic Services.
Mrs. Mathis, to say that the students do not understand
the parking system on this campus is correct but shortsighted.
The faculty and staff cannot understand your system either.
As a student technician, I personally know of five staff mem
bers in my office alone that had ridiculous, unexplainable
problems with your department when registering to park for
this year. Each of these persons has worked here for at least
three years in the same building. We fail to understand the
system because every time we turn around, we encounter yet
another senseless and ineffective change. You claim that it
takes time to solve the problems. How much time do you
need? As long as I have been a student here, the overall situa
tion has not changed despite the completion of two highly
touted parking garages.
In addition, your suggestion that “students need to realize
they ... can come and go as they please” is disturbing. Faculty
and staff are not the only ones limited to one lot. For all prac
tical purposes, the students are limited as well. This follows
from the fact that when we get into our upper-level or major-
specific courses, we spend most of our time in just two or
three buildings in one small area of the campus. Given this
consideration, we cannot come and go as freely as you seem to
think. Consequently, our situation does not appear to differ
much from that of the faculty and staff.
Mrs. Mathis, this is not a plea for convenience. Rather, 1
ask for a practical solution to the problem.
Chris McNees ’91
Have an opinion? Express it!
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff resents
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author’s intent. There is no guarantee that letters submitted will be printed. Each
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Mail Stop 1111.
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News Editors
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Lifestyles Editor
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