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The Battalion Vol.92 No. 106 (10 pages) 1893 - A Century of Service to Texas A&M - 1993 Wednesday, March 3,1993 Cult sees raid as fulfillment of prophecy, professors say By JASON COX The Battalion Sunday's armed raid on the Branch Davidian compound outside of Waco may not have been the best approach, said two Texas A&M professors Tues day. Dr. Richard Stadelmann, an associate professor of hilosophy with special experience in the field of re gion, said "The Davidians expect to be martyrs in the end of time. It's not wise to create a self-fulfilling prophecy." The sect is looking forward to the violent end of creation and expects to be part of an elite group who, along with the saints, will rule the earth from Jerusalem, he said. Stadelmann said extremist splinter groups like the Branch Davidians are growing in number not only in the United States but around the world because of the popularity of the idea that "the world is going to heir' and "science and the promise of a scientific fu ture has failed." "Evangelical groups are growing fastest and tend tosplinter into 'holier' groups," he said Dr. Jon Alston, professor of sociology and a cult expert, said such paranoia appeals to people who are disillusioned or helpless and perceive the world as an evil place. These people think their leader is Christ, and he can give them refuge, a view the leader reinforces through fear, he saicL Alston said he believes the cult sees the world as trying to destroy them and questioned the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms's decision to send a military contingent to serve a warrant to a group that has amassed weapons in preparation for the end of the world. "If the leader is wounded, if he gets weaker or goes into a coma, the members may give in," he said. "The fact that they're letting children out may mean they're getting ready for a fight." When a group cuts itself off from the world and lives in a closed environment, Alston said, their val ues are intensified and people are less able to think clearly. Alston compared the cult to white supremacists and survivalist groups saying all three dislike society and tend to withdraw’ from it, cultivating a potential ly explosive paranoid attitude. Notes on Koresh (AP) — George Roden, who lost control or the Branch Davidian sect during a 1987 shootout with Koresh, said he had warned the FBI and other authorities that David Koresh was dangerous. “They didn't believe me then/' said Roden, a patient at the Vernon State Hospital. “I think they do now/' Roden, who contends he still has the votes needed to remain president of the sect, has accused Koresh of arson, rape and embezzlement of the church sect's funds. “I believe he's deluded about himself/' Roden said of Koresh, who has referred to himself as Christ. “He's n? Jesus Christ. He never has been. He never will be," Roden said. “He's not Jesus Christ any more than Satan is/' “He converted the leader ship (of the sect) to Nazism/' Roden said. Leader waives promise to surrender; 14 dead THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WACO — At least 14 persons died in Sunday's assault on the Branch Davidian compound, sources said Tuesday as a promised surrender by the sect's leader never occurred. A well placed federal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there were at least 10 people dead inside the Mount Carmel compound. Other reports placed the count between seven and 15. Four federal agents and one other cult member were known dead in the initial assault Sunday morning, with another cult mem ber killed in a second gun fight Sunday night. That body appar ently was retrieved by cult mem bers. Activity increased about 8 p.m. as buses and minivans with dark ened windows drove away from the 77-acre compound, and there were reports that peace justices, who serve as coroners in some Texas counties, had been called to the scene. One of the* justices said they waited for two hours at a checkpoint, but did not enter the compound. In a taped statement broadcast earlier Tuesday, cult leader David Koresh had said he would come out “peacefully/' but the standoff continued hours later. Negotia tions went on into the night, said Jack Killorin, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobac co and Firearms. Killorin said agents were pre pared to wait “a long time . . . we don't have a time frame for this.” Killorin said he expected that the cultists had “ample stocks of See Cult standoff/Page 10 FBI examines Trade Center bombing site THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Investigators combing the World Trade Center bombing site said Tuesday they were focusing on terrorist groups, including a Palestinian organiza tion that allegedly threatened to set off a bomb here a month ago. “We're looking at several groups. I wouldn't want to name the groups. I'd probably leave some out,” said James Fox, head of the FBI's New York office. Pieces of a van were recovered from the garage where the bomb went off Friday, although Fox's office wouldn't comment on a re ported link between the vehicle and the blast. "If it was a car bomb, it may very well have been a van bomb/' Fox said without elaboration. The names of two groups came up in response to questions at the news conference: the Popular Front for the Liberation of Pales tine, an extremist Palestinian group, and Hamas, a Muslim fun damentalist group that has op posed negotiations with Israel. In a Jan. 22 phone call to the U.S. Embassy in Algeria, someone claiming to represent the PFLP threatened a bombing in New York City within 48 hours unless Palestinian deportees were re turned to Israel, Police Commis sioner Raymond Kelly said. See World Trade Center/Page 3 Inside Sports •Women's basketball prepares for last game in G. Rollie this year Page 5 Opinion •User's guide for the handicapped impaired •A&M should place priority on funding for Evans library Page 8 Taking the final step KEVIN IVY/The Battalion Missty Martinez (left) has her wedding portrait afternoon. Martinez, who graduated from Texas taken outside the System Administration building A&M in 1991 as a genetics major, plans to wed by photographer Janette Hennigan Tuesday Joe Deutsch on June 19th. South Texas schools gain program funds By STEPHANIE PATTILLO The Battalion Border colleges in the Texas A&M System will soon receive additional long-term support to expand and develop new pro grams as part of a cooperative funding program between the A&M and University of Texas sys tems. This plan was announced last fall by both systems to provide $2.1 billion tc\the border schools in each system. A&M border universities, Cor- us Christi State, Texas A&I and aredo State, have been granted part of these funds over a 10 year E eriod. Five universities from the HT system also will share in the fund. Penny Beaumont, Texas A&M vice chancellor for communica tions, said the A&M System has been working with the institutions in South Texas to put together this plan for developing higher educa tion in that region. "The best thing about this plan is that it has been developed prin cipally by the faculty and admin istration at those institutions who have the best sense of what they need and how fast they can devel op it," she said. The plan comes after criticism from state leaders and a lawsuit by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund stat ing that adequate funding in South Texas universities has not been provided. Further support may come from the Legislature. The state Senate Finance Committee has assed an appropriations bill to e sent to the House that would set aside $65 million for the three A&M System schools in the bor der region for the 1994-95 school year. This increase in funding for border schools comes at a time of growing recognition among See Border colleges/Page 4 Religious debate Groups to argue God's existence By JENNIFER SMITH The Battalion Texas A&M students from the Agnostic and Atheist Student Group and Campus Crusade For Christ will debate God's existence and try to understand each other's viewpoints at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Room 200 of Heldenfels. Dave Swanson, leader of Campus Crusade for Christ's debate team, said the purpose of the debate is not to find a winner or correct opinion, but to force people to evaluate their viewpoints. "My hope is that both teams will work hard to make this a meaning ful debate," he said. "While I expect everyone to come in with strong convictions, my hope is that everyone there will look at the other per son's side and think through their arguments. "It will either help people legitimize their views or question them," he said. "People need to try to understand another viewpoint even if they don't agree." Brett Lemoine, president and head of the debate team for the Agnos tic and Atheist Student Group, said he hopes the debate will open peo ple's minds to alternative opinions. "We want to get an interaction on things people see differently," he said. "I hope to get people to think more about both sides of the issue. "A lot of times when people start talking on this subject, they're sure they're right and won't listen to anything more," he said. "We want to get beyond that attitude." The debate, "To Worship, Or Not To Worship?" will be moderated by Jonathan Kvanvig, associate professor of philosophy and humani ties. Each side will give a five minute introduction before the question See Debate/Page 10 Republican representatives discuss impact of President's financial plan Energy tax attacks By STEPHANIE PATTILLO The Battalion President Clinton's economic plan is a tax attack on Texas, Re publican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Barton said Tuesday during a press conference at the Brazos Valley Republican headquarters. "Clinton's program is based entirely on increasing spending not cutting spending," he said. The focus of it is to raise taxes, not balance the budget." Barton said Clinton does not know the meaning of the words "spending cuts," but he does know the words "tax increase." Texans, Barton says "One tax in crease he is pushing is an energy tax which hits peo ple with long distances to dri ve like most Texans," he said. Barton said federal pro grams must be put "under the microscope" in an attempt to cut and consolidate their functions to save money. Barton See Barton/Page 4 DARRIN HILUThe Battalion Congressman Jack Fields dines with the Corps of Cadets on Tuesday Students to suffer from tax. Fields says By JEFF GOSMANO The Battalion President Clinton's proposed energy tax is unfair and will im pact college students, U.S. Con gressman and Senate candidate Jack Fields said Tuesday. "A broad-based energy tax will fall heavily on students at A&M," he said. "An energy tax is a re gressive tax that hits hardest on individuals with fixed incomes." Fields, who is vying for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Secre tary of Treasury Lloyd Bentsen, visited the A&M campus Tuesday for a speech sponsored by the College Republicans. He said increasing taxes is not the best way to reduce the federal deficit. Fields said he will not ap prove any new taxes because spending cuts will more effective ly reduce the increasing budget deficit. For example, the federal gov ernment could save $800 million per year by eliminating the Job Corps, Fields said. The Job Corps is ineffective because the amount of money spent on the program is not proportional to the number of individuals who complete the See Fields/Page 4