The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, October 08, 1990, Image 2

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    The Battalion
OPINION
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845.33
Scoreboard rude to other teams
EDITOR:
While seated at the North Texas game I was appalled at
the rudeness A&M showed our guest team. During their por
tion of half-time the scoreboard continually flashed national
football scores. (Of course, this completely ceased when the
Aggie band took the field.)
As a person who is painfully aware of the lack of manners
on the part of American young people in general, I was dis
mayed that a college would likewise encourage and foster
such rudeness.
Mrs. C.R. Dollinger Sr.
Don’t take umbrellas to games
EDITOR:
I feel that it is my responsibility to call attention to a prob
lem before it occurs again. It has to do with bringing umbrel
las to football games.
For those of you who brought your umbrella to the UNT
game, think about this. If you put your umbrella up when it
starts raining, will the people standing behind you be able to
see? I don’t think so. Imagine what it would be like if every
one brought their umbrella. This exact situation happened
two years ago at the TCU game.
This seems to be a problem that just A&M students have.
At the TCU game, not one umbrella went up on the former
student side.
Also, during the game between Ohio State and USC on
Saturday, I didn’t notice a single umbrella even though it was
raining ten times harder than at the TCU game. In both in
stances, the fans just wore raincoats.
So next time there is a threat of rain during a football
game bring a raincoat or just get wet. It is a lot more fun to
get wet while watching a football game than it is to stare at an
umbrella for three hours. Gig ’Em.
Clint Porche ’91
Thanks to the EMTs
EDITOR:
I wish to express my thanks to a very competent and pro
fessional Emergency Medical Team who responded to a call
to the Physical Plant Building on September 25, 1990.
These three EMTs were considerate and concerned for
their patient. They helped clam and transport the person in a
manner that didn’t even disturb his co-workers working right
next to him. If it weren’t for these young courageous people
the patient may not have survived the day. I should know, I
was the patient, and I had a severe reaction to a medication
and needed help quickly.
These men were the nicest and kindest people I could
have asked for. I can’t remember their names but please
know I’ll never forget their deeds.
Jerry W. Chatham,
Physical Plant—Planner
Make Galveston part of A&M
EDITOR:
In response to the article regarding the reintegration of
the Galveston campus to the A&M system ... Board of Re
gents, you have your work cut out for you.
I am a “transfer” student from Galveston, but I’m not
considered one because (and I quote a person in Admissions
here) I was “already in the System.” Last year, there was a
huge campus rivalry regarding whether we were part of the
A&M System or not. Those who said we were said we were be
cause:
1) we receive student seats for football tickets.
2) the diploma says Texas A&M, not Texas A&M at Gal
veston.
3) of the name itself: “T he Texas A and M University at
Galveston”
Those who opposed said that the Board of Regents does
nothing regarding Galveston (except in money matters) and
the Department of Oceanography and Geosciences has noth
ing to do with the Galveston Campus.
Let me warn you, it was also these people who want to
change Galveston’s school colors and adopt a new/different
mascot!
Board of Regents, you’re going to have to seriously assert
authority and power in order for this transition to work. The
Administration as individuals are very competent but wherj
they “work together,” everything falls apart. You’re also
going to run into severely hostile and apathetic students.
And if you’ve ever been to the Galveston campus for any
amount of time, you surely know the fastest way to make the
transition smoother ... build a 24-hour Stop ’N’ Go (stocked
with lots of Off) on Pelcatraz (aka Pelican Island).
Katie Cunningham ’93
Off-campus Ags need garages, too
EDITOR:
For the short time that I’ve been a student at A&M, I’ve
heard many gripes and have read many complaints in your
opinion column. Most were legitimate complaints and some
even I'aised an eyebrow or two, but the one that comes to
mind most often is the parking problem on campus.
I live off campus and it really amuses me to read a letter in
Mail Call written by someone living on campus complaining
about fish lots or having to walk a few extra minutes to your
car or not being able to see your car from your dorm room or
having to pay more for a space in a parking garage.
Quit your bitchin’. You should be happy that you at least
have the opportunity to park in a garage. We off-campus stu
dents don’t even have a chance to pay that extra fee, which 1
would gladly do to be able to come on campus and find a
parking space in less than 45 minutes plus have it be under
some shade. This is not to mention having my vehicle
watched by a security camera. Why isn’t there a parking ga
rage for commuter students? Why can’t we have the same
privileges as those who live on campus? I’m sure there would
be plenty of those willing to pay for the added convenience.
Van Vuong ’93
Reader’s letter racist
EDITOR:
Bigotry and racism do not change regardless of how you
color them. Regarding the letter of Christopher Spotser on
September 25th, many things are apparent.
First, I need to define racism and bigotry. Bigotry is
usually an unthinking negative attitude to a group of people,
i.e. towel head, slant-eyed, kraut, or worse. Racism, on the
other hand, usually refers to a well thought out theory, a con
glomerate of ideas, facts, and observations such as African
communism, national socialism, oriental imperialism, Zion
ism, etc.
Mr. Spotser’s letter obviously was not bigoted, but it was
racist. Many people have been fooled into thinking that rac
ism is unacceptable in cases against blacks, Hispanics, and
those of Jewish decent. But that it is acceptable in cases
against the majority like many popular “rap” groups are por
traying and, recently the mass wave of anti-Arab racism due
to the unf ortunate events of the Middle East.
On campus I have seen T-shirt slogans such as “I’d fly
10,000 miles to smoke a Camel” or “Buy American, starve a
Jap.” And the Southwestern Black Student Leadership Con
ference shirt which says “One people! One aim! One destiny!”
which sounds very similar to “Ein Reich! Ein volk! Ein fuh-
rer!”
We should all stop to realize that these sentiments are all
equally dangerous. And to help racial, religious and geo
graphical'relations, we need understanding not impending
violence.
Douglas B. Grigar
End discrimination, not statues
EDITOR:
I feel sorry for African-Americans across the nation be
cause pseudo-intellectuals like Christopher Spotser always
take it upon themselves to represent them. Mr. Spotser seems
to think that using a bunch of unnecessary obscure words will
make him look smart and that banning statues is an effective
and efficient way to fight discrimination.
First of all, the NAACP ought to have better things to do
with its time than ban statues. How about some new programs
to watch for and prevent present-day racism, or something
else that really matters? I’m sure the Association is doing
plenty of meaningful things I don’t know about, and I’m all
for that, but why do they always seem to pick useless ideas like
banning statues to blow up into big national media issues?
Second, you, Chris, are guilty of racism against whites.
Just because one white person says the Association did some
thing pointless, you immediately jump to the conclusion that
both the writer and whites in general know nothing about
your culture (“bumbling nearsightedness that typifies many
of you ‘people’”) and, in fact, that we want to return to slave
days (“clear that you cherish those “good of days” past where
degradation of the African-American man’s spirit was the da
ily Anglo-Saxon duty;” “deeply rooted ties to your hideous
past brethren”).
Malcolm X must be disappointed in you. You have twisted
his policy of self-defense against racism to justify your in
grained hatred of whites, and for you to accuse us of racism is
blatant hypocrisy.
Instead of demanding that these statues be removed, why
doesn’t the Association just ask nicely that t.u. put up plaques
to the effect of “these people supported slavery and slavery is
bad?”
See, you don’t have to destroy part of our history just to
preserve yours.
Edward Murphy ’94
De Klerk should step down
EDITOR:
It is time to expose the big lies of Bush and his cronies
about what is going on in South Africa.
First, his equation of Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk
as equals in the process of ending apartheid is wrong. De
Klerk is an illegitimate leader of a racist nation. He was
elected president by less than one quarter of the nation -
Blacks were excluded. Nelson Mandela, on the other hand, is
the recognized leader of the African National Congress which
has been fighting the racist rulers of South Africa since 1912.
By all rights de Klerk should step down as ruler of South
Africa and allow- the A.N.C. to serve as provisional govern
ment during the writing of a new constitution based on the
Freedom Charter of 1955.
Second, the American portrayal of Chief Mangosuthu
“Gatsha” Buthelezi as an equal of Nelson Mandela, and the
Inkatha movement as an equal of the A.N.C., in the struggle
to end apartheid is also wrong. Gatsha Buthelezi and his In
katha movement are handmaidens to the racist regime of
South Africa. The South African government provides funds
for the leaders of the hantustans and “independent” home
lands.
In other words, Mr. Buthelezi is in the pocket of de Klerk.
His forces have been and are now being used to foment vio
lence against the anti-apartheid movement in order to
strengthen the image of the government.
Finally, the myth that ‘constructive engagement’ will bring
about an end to apartheid and that sanctions and disinvest
ment are bad must be dispelled. Between 1948 and 1984 for
eign investment in South Africa increased from $2 billion to
$25 billion but did we see the end of apartheid? No, instead
we witnessed the strengthening of the apartheid state with the
help of western imperialists.
Repression and oppression increased and the wages of
Blacks fell to less than one-fourth those of Whites doing the
same work. It was not until sanctions had been put in place
and disinvestment became a reality that change began.
But the world must be careful in judging the changes that
have taken place lest we be lef t with a nation in w hich dejure
apartheid is replace by de facto apartheid. Until the racist re
gime is replaced by a government reflecting the desires of all
the people of South Africa the stuggle continues.
Paul Kennedy
graduate student
Legal abortion won’t end prbblem
EDITOR:
In the last few weeks, the nomination of David Sou ter to
the position of associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court has
been hotly debated. Feminists in particular are bitterly op
posed to Souter because of his conservative background and
the possibility that he may be pro-life. Some fear that, if
elected, Souter would be the deciding vote to overturn Roe vs.
Wade, which guarantees women the right to have an abor
tion. for these reasons, Souter is seen by some feminists as a
“threat to women’s rights.”
I hese arguments against Souter make me mad. Not be
cause I am such an ardent supporter of Souter, but because
the proponents of these arguments display Such narrow
mindedness.
One of the battle cries of this women’s rights movement is
freedom of choice.” Does not this freedom include choosing
to avoid unwanted pregnancies, by choosing to use some
form of contraceptives By claiming that Souter’s appointment
to the Supreme Court will put thousands of women in dan
ger, as they will be forced to resort to “back-alley abortions,”
they are putting total responsibility in the court’s hands. Un
fortunately, along with the freedom that feminists so despara-
tely long for comes responsibility. This includes the responsi
bility of preventing unwanted pregnancies in the first place.
I agree that unwanted pregnancies are a problem. Chil
dren born to women who don’t want them do not have a very
good start on life. However, killing them before they are born
does no good, either; the problem is only momentarily “taken
caie of. I his is why taking heed to the old adage “an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure” might be advisable.
feminists seern to have so much energy to zealously pro
tect then rights against those who might pose a threat to
them. How about putting some of that energy into educating
men and women that they might take measures to avoid an
unwanted pregnancy?
J uliet Grable ’94
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
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
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sup
porting newspaper operated as a commu
nity service to Texas A&M and liryan-
College Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion
are those of the editorial board or the au
thor, and do not necessarily represent the
opinions of Texas A&M administrators,
faculty or the Board of Regents.
The Battalion is published Monday
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Adventures In Cartooning
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