Opinion
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Tuesday, September 1,1992
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Taking sides:
Is 'family values' a legitimate
political issue?
By ANTHONY LOBAIDO By SHAWN RALSTON
ieeri
"The life of the state rests, and must
ever rest, upon the life of the family and
of the neighborhood." — Theodore
Roosevelt.
Why are family values important?
Because rational discourse amongst the
foremost atheist, Christian, liberal and
conservative minds in America agrees
that without a return to "moral commu
nity," eventually there will no longer be
any politics ancf no more America.
Perhaps the debate over "family val
ues" arises from the narrow parameters
of the term itself — a microcosm under
a larger umbrella addressing the sur
vival of the human race. AIDS, nuclear
waste and the destruction of the ozone
layer are part of the larger picture.
Look what we have come to
The GOP has devised some new
magic words to change their pumpkin
of a candidate into an express carriage
back into the White House. In the place
of "abracadabra" they've hit upon
"family values." Before one can decide
whether "family values" is a legitimate
political issue, it would be nice to
understand exactly what the magic
words mean. Judging by what party
leaders said at the convention, it may
mean anything from taking good care
of children to denying homosexuals a
number of various rights. It is probably,
sufficient to say that family values is a
nebulous issue, imbued with a nostalgia
for an ideal past, and concerned with an
attempt to bring back "morality" to
American life, though there is by no
means a consensus even among
Republicans about that "morality."
lay, six gu«
’ sandwichi
ag, and sip
ide in heavei
ted around i
estions abo'
:eed.
Ioop-A-Doo
Daewoodb
re married
sme.
icrved "tW
rs as an
id
Wake up, America. See vour ten-
T
cla
hers for wo!
ae strip's® jnti-Christs never stopped hammering
does for a t 1 wa y cultural foundations of
g housewif*
getting a
und indep®
aed the cate
tion
, and Dylaj
son, Satcho
ra accused 11
year-olds having sex in the classroom,
children raising children, teachers who
must instruct From behind bulletproof
lass, a population explosion amongst
ae poor and uneducated masses, twen
ty-five million abortions, pornography,
teenage suicide and the scourge of
drugs.
he brilliant French philosopher
Alexis de Tocqueville toured colonial
America in a quest to find the secret of
her greatness - and found it! "America
is great," he wrote. "Because America
is good. If America ever ceases to be
", America will cease to be great."
In the last thirty years the liberal
away
America. They have now seized control
of America's schools, courts, churches
and film studios, and have stolen the in
nocence of childhood from our chil
dren.
Does the religious right really care?
ry-line sw« (jj 0i Caring would require turning
ms a raito’ away from our sins and seeking the re-
uriedhert* v j va j 0 £ mora j community. Caring
would mean throwing the television
out the window and boycotting college
and professional sports until they de
volve into their proper place in society.
Inundated with immorality
Burn down Hollywood as "vice has
become virtue and virtue has become
Ian, a chat! vice." Do we need to watch Arsenio
at police ait Hall tell us how large his penis is when
fare authot thousands 0 f Americans will die a
the alle|>* hideous death from AIDS? Do we real-
v's lawyer ly nee d MTV to show a video in which
s said Al|| Madonna seduces a small child?
iaison wd Should we watch gay men French kiss
the subway ana feel guilty for want
ing to vomit?
Perhaps it's purely an ideological
War. Karl Marx wrote "Man is an eco-
nomically determined animal who is a
product of his environment." Jesus told
V Us, "The evil which defiles the man
I * comes from within his own heart."
™ Remember that while America has
historically relied on its maverick
democratic political system as the rud
der of moral guidance, the religious
tight tells us that America's unofficial
oundation has always been her King —
esus Christ.
Since that King has been long since
°verthrown, you'd better hold on tight,
America. Because left, right and center,
are in for One hell of a ride.
LoBaido is a doctoral student and
an asst, editor for The Battalion
S!
The truth of ’family values'
The problem with "family values" is
that it is a code word, a magic word, a
smokescreen for the politics of hate. It
is a way for Republicans to attempt to
introduce as a legitimate issue their
desires to legislate morality. George
Bush criticized Democrats for leaving
"G-O-D" out of their platform. Nobody
had to ask which god or whose god, but
maybe we should. The United States is
a pluralistic society without a state
religion, whether Pat Buchanan likes it
or not. It's too late to send all those
grimy foreigners packing and establish
an all-white nation. Republicans are
willing to pander to certain ethnic
groups for tneir voting power, though
they are not willing to include their
cultural contributions to the United
States in their definition of "family
values."
"Family values" as an issue turns out
to be impossible to define. Whose
family are we talking about anyway?
Barbara Bush includes any family,
however it may be defined. Marilyn
Quayle excludes those evil working
women. George excludes anyone who
would have an abortion or thinks a
woman should be able to have one. Pat
Robertson excludes any non
heterosexual family. Dan Quayle
would exclude someone if he could just
think of anybody else.
Shades of totalitarianism
The Republican's problems in
defining their own issue underscore
the fact that it is impossible to legislate
morality in a democratic society. Other
countries have tried to define what is
right or wrong in every aspect of its
citizens' lives and dreamed of a
homogeneity that rarely exists in any
population. Perhaps "family values"
nas more in common with fascism than
the Republicans are letting on.
In the end, "family values" is not a
legitimate political issue because it has
become a way to avoid giving concrete
answers to political questions, indeed,
of avoiding questions altogether. The
people, the families of America, have
spoken, and 90% of them told the New
York Times that they wanted to know
specifics about how the candidates
intend to improve the economy and
reform the health care system. The
magic words, like most magic, prove to
be nothing more than sleight of hand.
Ralston is a graduate student and
a columnist for The Battalion
36
snue
CIO.«l
-npu*
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of the opinion page staff only, and do not
present, in any way, the opinions of reporters, staff, or editors of other sections of the newspaper.
Columns, guest columns, and Mail Call items express the opinions of the authors only.
Tte Battalion encourages letters to the editor and will print as many as space allows in the Mail Cali
Sdction. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the author's name.
preserve the right to edit letters for length, style, and accuracy.
Alters should be addressed to: The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald /Campus mail stop 1111
Texas A&M University
i College Station, TX 77843
The Battalion
Page 13
Reading, writing, responsibility
A&M president talks about campus newspaper
By DR. WILLIAM MOBLEY
I appreciate the invitation of The Battalion's editors to
submit a periodic guest column over the coming year
and to start with my views on The Battalion itself. Later
this fall, I will share with you my views on such issues as
funding for higher education, preparing for life in the
global village, and tolerance.
It is appropriate to reassert the truism that The Battalion
plays a very important role in this university community. It
is tne primary source of news and information for many on
this campus. It is a primary forum for sharing and
discussing ideas and opinions. It is a learning laboratory
for budding journalists, writers, photographers, managers,
leaders and for other students on their way to becoming
informed citizens and communicators. It is a primary
source of information and schedules on the myriad of
events, meetings and functions that characterize this very
active campus. It is an opportunity for merchants to
communicate about their goods and services through
advertising.
The impact of The Battalion reaches far beyond this
campus. Many citizens of the Brazos Valley regularly read
The Battalion. Articles from The Battalion are included in
various media clipping service distributions to a variety of
groups including tne Legislature, Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board, ana various national education
groups. Other media periodically follow up on stories in
The Battalion. And, of course. Former Stuaents and
families from throughout the nation (and perhaps world)
subscribe to The Battalion. The Battalion is a primary
window to this University for many far beyond the
boundaries of the campus. It is the eye through which
many judge who and what we are, and are becoming, as a
university.
The multiple roles played by The Battalion carry with
them significant responsibilities. The fact that we are living,
learning and working in a large, complex, diverse
university requires that The Battalion be responsive to the
variety of interests/ issues and opinions associated with this
complexity and diversity. The Battalion has a responsibility
to contribute to the civil discussion, rigorous evaluation,
and common enlightenment of ideas and issues, new and
old. As a university with global interests and impact, with
students destined for careers and citizenship in a global
village, The Battalion has a responsibility to engage and
enlignten us in a global multicultural manner. The
Battalion has a responsibility for both reporting our
shortcomings and also engaging us in the constant search
for improvement, for better approaches, ideas and
solutions. The Battalion also has a responsibility for
reporting our individual and collective accomplishments —
the good news that is abundant on this campus.
In performing its roles and exercising its responsibilities.
The Battalion, along with other media, must rise to a high
standard of ethics and professionalism. The overwhelming
majority of Battalion staffers and of other journalists and
editors I have known are honest, fair and professional
individuals.
When The Battalion runs a particularly critical, negative
or controversial story, they and I both receive an influx of
critical mail. If it is well-reasoned, it serves as constructive
feedback and may be appropriate material for the opinion
page or letters to the editor. On occasion, the mail is
intemperate, emotional and irrational, and on rare occasion
calls for closing down The Battalion, firing the editor,
writer, etc.
University newspapers are protected by the First
Amendment, just like other newspapers. Purther, The
Battalion is not a unit of the university's public relations
department. Certainly we expect The Battalion to exercise
sound professional judgment, to not needlessly test the
limits of the First Amendment, and to professionally
balance negative and positive stories. In lieu of an
emotional, intemperate response to an article we find
offensive, disagreeable or wrong, a more effective approach
is to write a well-reasoned rebuttal or reply.
In the mid 1970s, The University of Maryland held a
symposium on the media in the 21 st century. One of the
thoughts from that symposium that has always stuck with
me was offered by day Whitehead. "This country consists
of a government, an economy and a society of checks and
balances. The press loves to talk about itself as a vital check
on government and of course it is. The conscientious
E rotessional journalist is a guardian of the public interest.
ut yet, in the year 2000 the central question of a free press
in a free society is the question originally asked 2000 years
ago: 'Who is to guard the guardians?'"
In my mind, tne best assurances of a quality free press
are public expectations of the highest standards of
journalistic ethics and professionalism.
A superior university newspaper requires more than
passive reading by its constituents. It requires active
participation by its constituents. I know that The Battalion
staff earnestly wants your input, opinions and constructive
feedback.
I trust that you share my belief that The Battalion and its
readers have important roles and responsibilities in the
informational and intellectual life of this campus. I
encourage you to become an active participant. If your
time, talents and interests permit, seek out a role on The
Battalion staff. For those not on The Battalion staff, you still
have the opportunity if not obligation to take the time to
share your ideas ana opinions, hopefully in temperate and
well-reasoned form, by writing to The Battalion's opinion
page. Take the time to provide feedback to The Battalion's
editors and writers. And yes, consider supporting the
merchants who advertise in The Battalion.
In my opinion, we have an excellent university
newspaper in The Battalion. It can become even better with
our active involvement.
Dr. Mobley's column will appear on the last
Monday of each month this semester
Battalion needs
improvement
The menagerie of characters who put
out this summer's numbers of The
Battalion should not congratulate
themselves on a job well done. From
what I have seen, I think the paper has
no higher purpose than to be a stage for
a few persons' uninspired clowning.
Here are some of its reprehensible
features.
1) Articles ending in mid-sentence.
The reader of The Battalion this
summer not only had to make up his
own mind, he sometimes had to make
up his own ending, too.
2) Platitudinous articles. One piece,
I recall, used 150 words to establish that
eating ice cream in the summertime is
nice. Conclusion drawn by the reader:
If you can eat ice cream, you can write
for The Battalion.
3) Vulgar, bigoted, odd and
mischievous opinion pieces. The
slimiest one contained Mr. LoBaido's
comments on sorority women. This
sort of scurrilous baiting of people is
disgraceful.
If you people would set standards
for your work, The Battalion would
cease to be an inadvertent joke.
Joe Campagnolo
Graduate student
Student says
department lied
I am a student trying to work my
way toward graduation in the fall. Like
most students in my situation, a decent
job is something I need to help me pay
for tuition and other living expenses.
I was recently let go from a job I had
here on campus in a department which
shall remain unnamed. It was not a
glamorous job. It was enough to pay
my bills and have some extra left over
for short trips on the weekend to go see
my girlfriend.
When I was let go I was told that
budget problems prevented the
department from keeping me on or
hiring any other student workers this
Fall. Although I was disappointed, it
seemed like a legitimate reason.
However, I found out today that not
one, but TWO student workers had
been hired in my place only one week
after my departure. I feel betrayed.
I expect, as many Aggies do, to be
told the truth. Obviously, I was not
told the truth in this case, and the
department budget was used as an
excuse to let me go. This is why I make
my plea to department heads and
others on this campus in charge of
hiring students. Please, do not mislead
the students that work for you. We
work hard and are trying to make our
way in these hard economic times just
like anyone else.
Don't lie to your workers and use
budgets as an excuse if that is not the
real reason. I have been left without a
job and have limited access to other
jobs Since I only have a bicycle. 1 might
expect tactics such as these from
sources outside A&M. But I expected
better treatment from the university 1
attend.
Paul Brunell
Class of '91