The Battalion
OPINION
Friday, Novembers, 1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs
Search for missing bag
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EDITOR:
I have lost a bag containing my keys, wallet (with I.D. and
bus pass), contact lenses and my favorite deodorant. Ob
viously, someone has been trying to get a hold of me, but be
cause my number has changed, it is not in student locater or
information.
So right now, I’m blind and have no life because I have no
I.D. Also, I’m steadily losing friends by asking for rides. (Can
you imagine playing ball without contacts? It’s no fun. I’m
running into goalposts everyday.)
PLEASE help me!! My phone is 693-9427. I need your
help. I live off campus, not in Cain; so don’t return it there. If
worse comes to worse, take my belongings to the MSC. If nec
essary, keep the contacts; I have glasses. Keep the keys; my
car doesn’t work. But by all means, return my deodorant. I
don’t need to tell you why.
I think it is time that we all reevaluate our ideals and our
principles of life. Whether a person wants to vote for Ann
Richards, Clayton Williams or Mickey Mouse that is his/her
right. Whether a person is for or against bonfire, for or
against abortion, for or against gun control, for or against
apartheid or maybe for or against having more raisins put in
a box of raisin bran — these are all decisions that each of us
has to make for himself.
Let us stop harassing and degrading people because of
their opinions and beliefs. Our lives should be spent making
friends not creating enemies.
Wm. Kelly Horn ’90
Ticket distribution poor
Chris Henderson ’91
It’s shanty time again
EDITOR:
Well Ags, it’s that time again! For all you freshmen who
don’t know what I mean, I’m talking about the “Shack” that
was just put up again in the area between the library and the
Academic Building.
No, this Honeycomb Hideaway is not another University
construction project or a failing architecture major’s semester
project. This is the Students Against Apartheid’s idea of how
to best help their cause.
Now, I do agree that their cause is a good one, but I just
can’t imagine that letters and meetings with University and
state officials would not possibly be a little more persuasive.
Even your standard fliers, rallies and protest marches would
probably do more good. Throwing together a shack is just the
easiest and takes the least effort. (Just looking at at it, you can
not honestly think that it took a lot of planning and time).
After a couple of years, this thing has gotten old; people
just blow it off. All it does do is show visitors that we can be
just like that other university in Austin, instead of finding
constructive ways to solve problems or affect change.
And if the Shack is doing so much good, I would certainly
hope to see more shacks built — for the oppressed people in
China, for the Palestinians in Jerusalem, and others — so thal
all the world’s problems can be solved. Other groups on cam
pus should get permits and build shacks for their causes!
Then again, if this is the third year for the shack and nothing
has changed, maybe it doesn’t work after all, and these people
are just a little slow.
EDITOR:
I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction with
the current method of distributing football tickets.
The people who implemented this system apparently
didn’t realize that most of us use our student I.D.’s regularly
and would be greatly inconvenienced without them. Take
myself for example: Having a meal plan, I need to use my
I.D. three times a day to eat. Unfortunately, on “Senior days,”
my I.D. is waiting in line at G. Rollie White. Also, if I want to
check out a library book, cash a check, use a computer, etc.,
too bad!
The older system was much better. For you newer Ags,
the previous method involved a coupon book that you picked
up before the semester started. You would present the cou
pon books at the window, they would remove the appropriate
coupon, and give you tickets back. Life was so much simpler
then. You didn’t have to meet people at obscure places to pick
up your I.D. You didn’t have to stand around waiting for the
computers to come back up. Also, you could easily sell your
ticket to someone in case you didn’t want to go.
An old adage comes to mind: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix
it.” While modernization usually helps and improves proce
dures, I don’t think it has helped with football tickets. I think
we should bring back the coupon books. If anyone else feels
the same, I encourage you to send your letters to Wally Groff
(the associate director of the athletic department) at Campus
Mail Stop 1228.
Hollywood. I, therefore, had certain ideas about the KKK be
fore going to the rally. It wasn’t long until I realized these
ideas were not without a foundation.
The KKK insist they deplore hatred of others and only
wish to bring a message to all people. There was no violence
at the rally, but I felt only hatred, anger and fear in every
word spoken by the members.
Supporters were present in the audience, but it was en
couraging to see so many young people, Black and White,
protesting the rally. However, my sense of hope quickly
turned to dismay as I saw men clutching their babies while
they chanted “Amen” to the cries of the KKK.
I went to the rally to try and understand why supporters
of the KKK hold such beliefs. I left with a greater sense of be
wilderment.
I believe the KKK plays on the fear of its supporters.
When you think there is someone in the house, every noise
becomes more and more suspicious. This fear of losing con
trol is evident within the KKK. T he leaders use this fear to en
rage and encourage supporters. Fear and hatred are power
ful tools and can control and distort a person’s life. Until this
fear can be rationalized, groups like the KKK can use this tool
to continue the spread of intolerance and hatred.
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Melinda Cox ’91
Rape risk doesn’t justify abortion
Will Bell ’91
We need affirmative action
Doug Crawford ’91
Don’t degrade students for beliefs
EDITOR:
After four and one-half years at Texas A&M University, I
am happy to be graduating and moving on with my life. It is
not that I dislike this institution, because to the contrary I
think it is a grand place to be, but I believe that all of us could
stand to be a little more tolerant of each other’s opinions.
Mr. Ryter (Battalion Oct. 29), I am sure that you have
some very good and valid opinions, but there is one thing we
must all understand and that is some of us pay to attend and
some of us get paid to attend this fine University; and if we do
not like it, any one of us may leave at any time!
My brother, Class of ’85, and I, Class of ’90, are the only
“Aggies” in my family, and we enrolled at Texas A&M be
cause of its credibility and reputation as a fine university with
an outstanding engineering college. The many traditions that
go along with the excellent education we have received have
been fun and memorable.
EDITOR:
On Wed., Oct. 31,1 was sitting in political science and the
teacher was talking about the judiciary. She paused for a min
ute to tell the students how Marshall is the first and only Black
on the Supreme Court. Then I hear a comment from the
back of class, “And HE IS THE LAST!” This angered me. A
discussion about affirmative action followed this comment.
This episode is a prime example why there is a need for affir
mative action.
P.S. The prof handled it well. She said, “Keep your racism
to yourself’
Sheila Patrick ’93
EDITOR:
It is unfortunate that women who are victims of rape or
incest may become pregnant as a result. In his recent letter
Mike Brannon stated that because of this sad reality we
should legalize abortion. Similarly, pro-choice advocates rely
upon these crimes to justify their position. However, out of all
the abortions performed annually in the U.S., only 6 percent
involve increased health risk to the mother, pregnancy result
ing from rape or incest, or fetal abnormalities.
But it is also important to note that 66 percent of all
women pursuing these services indicated that they could not
afford their child and 75 percent of all abortions are per
formed as a matter of convenience. These statistics were pro
vided by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a division of Planned
Parenthood, a group decidedly pro-abortion.
Pro-choice advocates emphasize the traumatization that
would result from carrying the product of a rape, but fail to
recognize the trauma experienced as the result of an abor
tion. Medical facts show that the immediate complication rate
of abortion is no less than 10 percent. The Royal College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists reported that the “incidence
of serious, permanent psychiatric aftermath” is “between 9
and 59 percent.” This argument can not conveniently be dis
missed.
Mr. Brannon also raised another important question. If a
fetus is expected to be mentally retarded, should the mother
be permitted to abort? Clearly, Mr. Brannon concludes that
such circumstances justify an abortion. However, in reaching
that position, he is stating that those with a handicap are sec
ond rate citizens. Many of those that are not “perfect” would
disagree with him. Who are we to say who is worthy of life?
To those who profess a faith in Jesus Christ, the issue of
abortion is decisively dealt with by the Psalmist. “For thou
didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my
mother’s womb.” Psalms 139:13.
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KKK rally a step back in time
Daniel Williams ’89
Mary Lynn Williams ’92
EDITOR:
This weekend I went to a Ku Klux Klan rally in Franklin
and took a step back in time. On, the steps of the county court
house stood men and women cloaked in sheets and masks.
Songs about God and America rang out over the loudspeaker
before the rally began.
My only experience with the KKK was through the eyes of
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