The Battalion
OPINION 2
Tuesday, October 16,1990
Don’t be rude, Ags
Texas A&M students are proud of this University. They are
proud the school is known as one of the friendliest campuses in
the nation. And yet, when some Ags travel to another campus,
they forget all of their pride and believe that since they are away
from College Station, they don’t have to be friendly. These Ag
gies are obnoxious and rude at other campuses.
Many universities take football competition seriously, as does
Texas A&M. But is the competition so fierce that an Aggie must
disgrace the University by acting unnecessarily rude toward fans
of the opposing school?
Aggies are Aggies wherever they are, and should act with the
same kind of pride they display at A&M. Not only will the Uni
versity be known as the friendliest campus anywhere, but Aggies
will be known as the friendliest people anywhere.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Nobel Prize for Gorbachev
a well-deserved honor
The winner of the Nobel Peace
Prize was announced yesterday, and
it couldn’t have gone to a more
deserving individual. Mikhail
Gorbachev became the First leader of
the Soviet Union to the have the
honor of receiving the award, which
goes to the individual or group that
does the most to further the cause of
peace worldwide.
By earning this award, Gorbachev
joins the distinguished crowd of
fellow award winners such as
Theodore Roosevelt. Woodrow
Wilson, George C. Marshall, Martin
Luther King, Jr., Andrei Sakharov,
and Mother Teresa. And Gorbachev,
like all previous recipients, has made
long strides to ensure that the fragile
peace we as a nation have enjoyed,
will continue.
While his success can be
contributed to a number of things, it
is Gorbachev himself who earned the
prize.
This is the man who brought the
By earning this award,
Gorbachev joins the
distinguished crowd of
fellow award winners
such as Theodore
Roosevelt, Woodrow
Wilson, George C.
Marshall, Martin Luther
King, Jr., Andrei
Sakharov, and Mother
Teresa.
world and his country glasnost,
perostrioka, the dismantling of the
Berlin Wall and consequently the re
unification of Germany.
He has relaxed immigration laws
in his country, established a
legitimate legislature, loosened the
reins that the Soviet government has
on its press, and signed a crucial arms
treaty with then President Ronald
Reagan that eliminated an entire
class of nuclear weapons.
He ended the Soviet Union’s
debacle in Afghanistan by
withdrawing Soviet troops and
thereby admitting to the world that it
was a lost cause.
He has allowed the introduction of
free market ideals, denounced Stalin
and his purges, and paved the way
for Soviet judges to crack down on
anti-Semitisim.
He has won the hearts of
Americans across the country on his
numerous visits.
He bef riended a man that just a
few years earlier had called the Soviet
Union “an evil empire.”
It has been actions like these that
ultimately brought about the end of
the 40 years of cold war.
Patrick
Nolan
Columnist
Not to ignore the fact that his
country is facing serious problems
that require immediate attention, but
Gorbachev’s policies have changed
the lives of millions of people.
It is because of Gorbachev that the
United States has the pleasure of
easing the burden that military-
spending places on our economy. If it
had not been for him, the United
States and the Soviet Union might
still be experiencing the
uncomfortable relations that have
been the norm since the end of
World War 11.
Instead, the United States and the
Soviet Union have begun to form a
new partnership that holds the
promise of ensuring peace for years
to come. The Soviet Union’s reaction
and condemnation of Saddam
Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait
demonstrates the new’ attitude of the
Soviet Union that Gorbachev made
possible. Now the United States can
act in concert with its former
adversary, instead of, as in the past,
against it.
Gorbachev has planted the seeds
of a new world order, a world where
democracies have the opportunity to
flourish and totalitarianism fail.
And while Gorbachev’s future may
If it had not been for
Gorbachev, the United
States and the Soviet
Union might still be
experiencing the
uncomfortable relations
that have been the norm
since the end of World
Warll.
be uncertain, his reforms are here to
stay. He has gone too far to allow a
succeeding leader to return to-the
hard ways of previous years. The
citizens have gained too much to let
anyone take away their new-found
liberties.
So let us be thankful for Mikhail
Gorbachev and all he has done. It is
his contributions that have given
people throughout the world the
possibility to live in peace without the
fear of impending war.
Patrick Nolan is a senior economics
major.
Claytie, we want a debate
Clayton Williams will be speaking on
campus tonight at 7 p.m. in Rudder
Auditorium. Will someone please give
him a copy of today’s Battalion so he can
read this column? Thanks.
An open letter to Clayton Williams
Dear Mr. Williams,
Hi, my name is Ellen Hobbs and I’m
one of the people you’ll be representing
if you’re elected governor in November.
I’m just a little concerned about
something that’s happening in the
campaign.
You see, I really think there ought to
be a debate.
I know, 1 know, you’ll debate Ann
Richards if she’ll sign a treaty and stop
“negative campaigning.” But, to be quite
honest, we’re not voting for someone on
the basis of how they campaign. You
should know that — if that were true,
then you’d be in big trouble,
considering the number of gaf f es you’ve
made campaigning.
I, like a lot of other voters, am getting
quite tired of the campaign theatrics and
would like to see you two go head to
head on the issues you’d have to deal
with if you were elected.
I saw the television footage of you
and Richards at your appearance before
the Greater Dallas Grime Commission.
You refused to shake her hand and said
she’d lied, and later you said that it was
“time to throw down the gauntlet.”
“To throw down the gauntlet” means
to offer a challenge, and with that in
mind, Mr. Williams, I think it is time
that you threw 7 down the gauntlet.
Challenge her to a debate.
You two seem to be polar opposites
on a lot of the issues, but, without a
debate, we’re unable to see how your
ideas for new policies stand up under
fire. We’d like to see the differences in
your policies when they are stacked up
right next to each other.
But you won’t debate Richards.
Richards has said many times that
she’s more than w illing to accept
invitations to debate you. She even said
she’d debate you right here in Bryan-
College Station, where you have quite a
strong following. It’d be like fighting on
your home turf.
She’s thrown down a gauntlet, too,
Mr. Williams, but so far, you haven’t
been man enough to pick up the glove.
To Richards followers, you looklikea
coward. To voters who just can’t make
up their minds, it seems like you’re
cheating them out of information thatis
an important part of their decision
making process.
I know you don’t feel comfortable
running against a woman, Mr. Williams,
But the voters don’t care. We want to
see you Fight it out over the real issues.
We want to see you argue over policy.
We want one or both of you to giveusa
reason to vote for one of you.
You’re a businessman, Mr. Williams,
and good business people say that the
customer is always right. So try to think
of this campaign as trying to sell
yourself to the customers, the voters.
And t ight now, the customers are
asking for a debate.
So, please, Mr. Williams, make the
next “conf rontation” you and Richards
have at a real debate held for the voters
benefit, not just hasty words spewed out
angrily at a campaign appearance to
make the race more theatrical.
Because if we’re gonna make you
governor, we want to see that you’renot
only w'illing to throw down gauntlets,
but pick up a few, too.
Ellen Hobbs is a senior journalism
major.
“America ? Easy!... Go past three oil spills... Hangf a le£t at the floating medical
waste...And it’ll be the bi^toxic burial site straight ahead... ”
Mail
Richards fan thanks Republicans
EDITOR:
As an Ann Richards supporter, 1 would like to thank the
Clayton Williams followers who came to hear Ms. Richards’
campaign speech Tuesday evening. I really think a few of
them unknowingly learned to respect my candidate’s know l
edge and sharp-tongued wit, if they did not already.
I must admit when I entered the Rudder Theater, I was
concerned about Clay tie’s army. But as I watched a few of
them during the dynamic speech, I became pleased at most
of their responses. Of course, there are those who tried to
stare blankly ahead, desperately trying not to listen. (Was
this in fear of approving of my candidate’s platform?)
Call
when Ann spoke about gaining momentum in recent polls.
They speak for themselves, and I guess it is a free country.
Overall, I was pleased at how the pro-Williams people
responded. 1 was just a bit conf used at their lack of under
standing sometimes. “Maybe she isn’t so bad after all,’’said
the student next to me at the end.
Like they say, if it changed one person, it was worth the
effort. Once again 1 commend all who came to LISTEN toa
f uture leader of Texas.
Teresa Zunker ’93
Have an opinion ? Express it!
After Ms. Richards commented on the victimization of
women, I saw two pro-Williams females frowning at her
proposal! Now that’s dedication! Or is it that they don’t
mind getting “serviced”?
Then there were the ones who pretended to guz/le beer
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial stall it-
selves the right to edit letters ft r style and length, hut will make every effort to mm-
tain the author’s intent. There is no guarantee that letters submitted willk
printed. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, addmsttl
telephone number of the writer. All letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald,m
sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111.
V*
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,
New's 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 Bryan-
Culle^e 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&rM administrators,
faculty or the Board of Regents.
The Battalion is published Monday
through Friday during Texas A&M regu
lar semesters, except for holiday and ex
amination periods. Newsroom: 845-3313.
Mail subscriptions are $20 per semes
ter, $40 per school year and $50 per full
year: 845-2611. Advertising rates fur
nished on request: 845-2696.
Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed
McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col
lege Station, TX 77843-1 111.
Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77843.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald,
Texas A&M University, College Station
TX 77843-4 111.
Adventures In Cartooning by Don Atkinson Jt
... RefURN 70
"77/6 TYOWTWBe FM//LV.
J/r, i me#
^ _ Q06ST/077.
ves, sm?
‘Roj ecravm mtok
zm, tjdcr
17/6 mrT/ROOMtW
P6RFF/PM mK
IFF JFAOSFKORLUV
VdQfFF MOW7/7
V