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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 1992)
Opinion Thursday, October 22,1992 The Battalion Page 11 Editorials Cold War fallout Nuclear weaponry still a threat While Americans celebrate the dissolution of the Soviet Union and victory in the Cold War, they must remember that the final nail in the * Soviet coffin, namely the disman tling of Russia's intercontinental ballistic missile force (ICBM), has not yet been placed. As Sen. A1 Gore pointed out in the vice presidential debate. Presi dent Bush has an "understanding" with Russian President Boris Yeltsin concerning the ICBMs, but no per manent agreement" has been reached. Considering that Americans S ent trillions of dollars to win the )ld War and spilled blood in Cold War-related conflicts, declaring vic tory would be premature as our Children still live in the shadow of nuclear holocaust. This very rational fear is height ened by the fact that that the former Soviet Union is a very volatile re gion where democracy struggles for survival. Ethnic and religious wars rage out of control within the Com monwealth of Independent States. Americans should realize that such places as New York, Washing ton D.C., Silicon Valley and the Hoover Dam are still targeted for destruction by Russian nuclear arms. The next president should make it his highest priority to negotiate a U.S.-Russia ICBM treaty. A treaty would not guarantee that the Rus sians would honor the agreement, but it would surely be a step in the right direction. The sky isn’t falling Economic 'disaster' overstated nallyis Apocalypse sells. The American public has been sold the idea that America is finished as an economic power. America is purportedly an inter national laughingstock and no longer competitive. In addition, the conventional wis dom that America is in its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression has been bandied about without any supporting evidence. National income fell by 30 per cent in the Depression, and unem ployment peaked at 25 percent. In contrast, between 1990 and 1991, national income fell by 1 per cent, and unemployment is current- lyaty.S percent. Between 1988 and 1992, national income grew by 4 percent. In the last recession between 1978 and 1982, national income actually fell. Our current state of affairs hardly compares to the Depression, and it is an egregious exaggeration to call it the worst downturn since then. America is the most productive nation in the world and has a com manding lead over European and Japanese competitors. Productivity is the best measure of international competitiveness and also determines a nation's stan dard of living. It is a grave distortion to claim that America is anything near a down-turn like the Great Depres sion, or that America has lost its po sition as the most competitive na tion in the world. Too bad Aggie friendliness only for those who aren't different dtoa^ A new tradition has developed on the campus of Texas A&M — the tra dition of intolerance. During the last few weeks, the Aggies have made the cover of the Houston Chronicle at least twice. These Chronicle articles discussed the newfound Aggie fervor for politi cal, social, and racial intoler ance. I would like to add a new name to the list of unwanteds. Not only are Re publican white males the preferred members of this campus; these men must also, of course, be heterosexual. I do not want to participate in GLSS (Gay and Lesbian Student Service) ac tivities because, as a straight person, I do not think they are for me. Howev er, I support my friends who speak about their gay pride and congratulate them on their Comi ig-Out Week cele brations. Coming-Out Week was more subdued this semester, perhaps because of the "Kill Fags" response that was scrawled on the walls of Blocker last year. If I were not more in touch with the ay community, I would not have ever een aware that Coming-Out Week had taken place. Last week, gays and lesbians celebrated their rights as indi viduals by "coming out," or celebrat ing and discussing their lifestyles with friends and family members. Howev er, some Aggie Intolerant must have known that Coming-Out Week was approaching because on Saturday, Oct. 10, a harassing, threatening, anti gay hate crime was committed. One of my friends, a gay man, went to the computer room in the Student Services Building on Tuesday to access some official GLSS files that he had saved there. These files concerned the business of GLSS — an organization recognized by the University. When he attempted to retrieve the files, he discovered that they were missing. He searched the computer banks, and though his files were gone, there was a new file called "GLSS." Thinking one of his friends had thoughtfully com pacted his files, he accessed "GLSS." ? GLSS" did not contain his work. It GUEST COLUMN JULIE HOLDEN was a hateful, anti-gay message which read "All queers should burn in hell. You faggots should be jailed and brainwashed. Watch you(r) back." Needless to say, my friend was dis mayed. Not only were his files dumped — he was assaulted and in sulted as well. This is a perfect example of the new Aggie Intolerance Tradition. GLSS is one of the many victims of this recent trend. Unfortunately, GLSS is one of the most ignored victims. Outrage and disgust are appropriate responses to discrimination and prejudice. GLSS has been and continues to be a target for harassment. It is time that this is recognized and addressed. A few steps can and must be taken if we want to stop this trend. First of all, we must find out who is committing these actions and we must make sure that they do not reoccur. According to the log-on, the GLSS file dumping occurred at 4 p.m. on Satur day, Oct. 10. There is no supervision over Student Services computers — the system is arranged with the Aggie Code of Honor in mind. Apparently this arrangement needs to be revised. An attempt should be made to find and punish the perpetrator of this hate crime, and the Student Services com puter system needs to be rearranged so that something like this will never happen again. It is just too bad that we cannot trust our fellow Ags. Secondly, it would be ideal if every Aggie would try to display thought ful, tolerant behavior. Is it really so hard to live and let live? Targeting an other group simply because you do not agree with their political, religious, personal, or cultural beliefs is imma ture and selfish. It would be nice if A&M could end its reputation as an intolerant institution. Next time you walk across campus, take a look around. Notice the people with whom you attend school. Pick a person that seems most unlike your self, and strike up a conversation. Meet someone who exists outside of your safe circle of similarity. If you are an atheist, choose someone who is wearing a religious symbol. If you are pro-life, talk to someone wearing a pro-choice T-shirt. Talk, discuss, com municate, and think. You might make a friend after all. Holden is a graduate student in English Buttcrack's ultimate dimension Columnist examines ins and outs of the colon-cam F riends often tell me that I too readily hide behind the crass, wise-cracking facade of this silly old column — that the reading pub lic does not know the real me, that truth in journalism necessitates that I abandon this monstrous persona and bare my soul to you, the readers. Well, I was feeling kind of warm and fuzzy when suddenly, "Kum- bay-yah" began to trickle over the airwaves, and the fervent desire to share my deepest, darkest feelings, fears and secrets overcame me. At first I was hesitant. I almost felt too close to the subject to disclose it to an anonymous conglomeration of cold- hearted readers, but here goes: Stacy's colon is now a semi-colon. On Monday, I had a camera in my buttcrack. More than my buttcrack, actually it was in my bowels; it was there having a look around and thus ushering in — or out, as the case may be — the latest edition in my epic probe into the deepest recesses of the American psyche, our bowels. Call me anal retentive, but when the ... when it hit the fan last Thursday night, concern overtook me. I won't go into the details here because you don't want to hear them. Just know this: it was ugly. It was foul. It was worth a call to my local gastroenterologist. Not knowing whether or not my affliction required a gastroenterologist, I related my symptoms to the nurse (again, I will not go into the symptoms here), and she ex plained several facts about gastroenterology. "Basically Stacy, a gastroenterologist covers everything from your mouth to your rectum. I think we're right up your alley." She really said that. I kid you not. But if you think about it, her remarks make a lot of sense: any person who aspires to be a gastroenterologist must have a really sick sense of humor. Maybe I should quit journalism and try it... Nah. And miss all this fun? We haven't even gotten to the good part yet. I really, really enjoyed my first rectal exam with the tag-team of comedy. Dr. Gray and Nurse Selina — gee whiz, that was cold! Unfortunately, they re ally, really couldn't see anything up there — I don't know why; it felt like they had an electron microscope in my butt! Nevertheless, they decided they needed to go in for a closer look, with film footage and a camera crew! What I enjoyed even more that the rectal exam, though. was the gallon of liquid laxative they so benevolently gave me to swill the night before the big colon carnival. Put it this way: I liked my Colyte-flavored laxative so much that I ran into a shelf and cut open my forehead when bolting to the bathroom. There is no concept of hell greater than chugging some Colyte (which the nurses call "go-lightly"), attempting to digest it, and then hugging the same toilet on which you just recently sat. And, of course, all of my adoring friends and family members supported me through my time of sorrow. I felt like a little baby with swarms of relatives hovering around, watching Stacy "go make pooh-pooh." My friend Dave offered some pleasant words of conso lation by sending me a get well card, wishing me all the best as I walked down the "yellow-bricked road." But, of course, my father was there to offer this tidbit of fatherly advice: "Just be sure when he puts that camera up your butt, he doesn't have both hands on your shoulders." What did they find, you ask? Not that you care, just that I thought I'd go ahead and tell you, now that I have your attention. Do you ever read those ads in the Batt about the medical studies that offer valuable cash prizes and merchandise for your ailments, aches and pains? Don't you always kind of hope that the researchers are calling for some ooze, goop or mucus that you , yourself produce so you can hang up your half-hearted dreams of finding a real job and spend the rest of your life in the lap of luxury as guinea pig for the mass es? Irritable bowel syndrome ... sucks to be me. Of course, I would not write anything vacuous so as to string you along through this epic probe into my large in testine without providing a valuable lesson for you, the le gions of readers, who have made it this far into this mess — and up into my butt. Here's the moral to the story, boys and girls: Kids, don't try this at home. Your buttcrack can be your friend if you take good care of it. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of fluids — especially if they are named "Go-lightly." And work on that high-fiber diet. And buy me in today's date auction for the United Way (MSC Flag room, 1:00 pm). I promise I'll bare my deepest, darkest secrets to you: I'll show you the pictures of my colon — yes, they let me keep them! And remember, be good to your bowels, because irritat ed bowel syndrome is a pain in the butt. You heard it here first. Feducia is a senior English and history major STACY FEDUCIA Assistant editor Student puzzled about life's oddities I have a few questions to put to you. Question one: What's the deal with the shirts I have seen around campus toting the slogan "Aggies against Ag gies against Bonfire?" I mean, I can un derstand "Aggies for Bonfire" and even "Earn a friend -- build a bonfire," but Aggies against Aggies? I was told that Ags helped Ags. Hmph. Question two: Why is there a picture of a frog being melted in acid on the cover of the Chemistry 111 lab book? I mean, I can understand a picture of a chemical reaction, and even a picture of a frog being turned into a prince by the kiss of a princess, but a frog in acid? I was told chemistry was more construc tive than that. Hmph. Question three: What is this world coming to? Not only are Aggies against Aggies, but frogs are being dropped in acid in the name of science. Unbeliev able. Stephen Newman Class of '96 That's the pot calling the kettle black While I don't endorse any candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission (wish there was a third to vote for!), Lena Guerrero's quote in Todd Stone's article (Oct. 19) has moved me to com ment. Guerrero, in referring to her op- f ?onent's candidacy, said, "If it is not il- egal, it is totally unethical." Excuse me, Guerrero, but what you did was illegal and unethical (not to mention immoral). I don't like (oppos ing candidate) Williamson's connec tions either, but what ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty? As for her comment that she respects the Texas A&M University System and the spirit of Aggieland, might I suggest she investigate our University further be fore she endorses it? (See "...do not lie, cheat, etc..." under Aggie Code of Hon or). Grady S. McClung Class of'93 Baptist students showed hospitality Qn Thursday, Oct. 15, I attended a free Christian concert put on by the Baptist Student Union in Rudder The ater. I went to the concert alone, but a group of students saw me sitting alone and invited me to join them. Tne stu dents were very polite and treated me like a good friend they had known for years instead of a few minutes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their kindness, because what could have been an uncomfortable ex perience was actually a very pleasant one. Pennette Green Student Activities Staff Editorials appearing in Trie Battalion reflect the views of the opinion page staff and etfitor in chief only. They do not represent, in any way, the opinions of reporters, staff, or editors of other sections of the newspaper. Columns, guest columns, and MaS Call items express the opinions of the authors only. The Battalion encourages letters to the editor and wilt print as many as space allows in the Mail Call section. Letters must be 300 words or less and include author’s name, Social Security number, class, and phone number. We reserve toe right to edit letters for length, style, and accuracy. Letters should be addressed to: The Battalion - Mail Cali 013 Reed McDonald /Mail stop 1111 Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843