Opinion
Thursday, April 15,1993
The Battalion Editorial Board
Steve O'Brien, editor in chief
Jason Loughman, managing editor Kyle Burnett, news editor
Todd Stone, city editor Dave Thomas, news editor
Stacy Feducia, opinion page editor Don Norwood, sports editor
Susan Owen, lifestyles editor Darrin Hill, photo editor
The Battalion
100 years at
Texas A&M
Edttortat.
MSC hat controversy
Aggies are not obligated to uncover
The Memorial Student Center
was established as a memorial to all
Aggies who have fallen in war. In
respect for Aggies who gave their
lives fighting for their country, "all
gentlemen are requested to remove
their hats while in the building."
However, certain student groups
at Texas A&M have recently re
fused to remove
tering the MSC.
These students ex
press that they do
not want to remove
their hats because
doing so pays tribute
to men who attend
ed Texas A&M when
it was an all-white
University.
On the other
hand, some feel that
by not removing
hats, people are be
ing disrespectful to
those Aggies that
gave their lives for this country and
its ideals.
Despite the strong argument for
removing hats upon entering the
MSC, one thing must be made clear
- these student do not, and should
not have to do so.
In fact, the strongest argument
for removing hats also serves to
validate the argument for not re
moving hats: Hats are removed to
honor Aggies who died defending
this country and its ideals. Specifi
cally, these men fought so that peo
ple would not have to do things
against their will, which includes
removing a hat in a building.
No matter how strongly one feels
about removing a hat upon enter
ing the MSC, one must realize that
people are not obligated to do so
and should be allowed to leave
their hats on if they wish. That is
why the signs at each entrance "re
quest" hats be re
moved; they do not
"demand" that hats
be removed.
In order for Texas
A&M to remain the
world class Universi
ty it is known to be,
basic constitutional
rights must take
precedence over all
traditions.
While A&M is fa
mous for it's spirit in
following traditions,
those who feel oblig
ated to maintain tradition must re
alize a fine line exists between tra
dition and totalitarianism.
In addition, people must realize
that a tradition looses its integrity
when all who observe it are doing
so under coercion.
If people so desire to maintain
tradition then the best thing those
people can do is to observe that tra
dition themselves. A militant dri
ve to maintain tradition will only
be self-defeating.
The Battalion
Page 11 *
Never stop growing into adulthood
Be accountable without abandoning your youth
L ast weekend I went to Andrew
Lloyd Webber's musical, "The
Phantom of the Opera," accom
panied by two very important
women: my mother and my closest
girlfriend.
As it is a penchant of mine to draw
correlations between two largely un
related subjects, the evening prompt
ed me to consider how much of an
adult I have really become over the
last few years.
The musical production was, as
my Aunt Mary Lou might say, high
fallutin'. Women from all walks of
life sauntered, bobbed and bounced
around me dressed in everything
from the exquisitely chic to the hilari
ously expensive. I held my head up, pulled my shoulders
back and hoped to look like I belonged.
Before attempting to locate our seats, we three women
fulfilled a feminine ritual by heading immediately for the
ladies room — "lounge" it was called. The experience was
an assuring one, because it was here that I realized how
alike we all were.
Despite what everyone looked like or where they came
from, we were all pretty much equal standing in line wait
ing for our turn to lounge. It was much like that moment
of epiphany when, as a young girl, I realized that Elizabeth
Taylor, Princess Diana and Jane Pauley all had to lounge
just like me.
Now I started to feel like the adult that I was. Perhaps I
lacked the wisdom of some of these women — especially
my mother who has been smarter than me since I was 13
years old. But, I was no less an adult, right?
By intermission, after Christine and Raoul pledged their
love beneath the gargoyle and secured the wrath of the
phantom, I was feeling sufficiently overwhelmed by the ex
perience. In high school, my friend and I had promised
one another that we would be there some day, and there
we were. It was a small milestone, somewhat like getting
my driver's license. A long-time goal had been recog
nized, and I felt secure in my maturity.
Then I borrowed $17 from my mother so that I could
buy a poster and a key ring promising that I would pay her
back — which I forgot to do. What was that about feeling
secure in my maturity?
Since then. I've been doing some accounting for what
determines whether I have grown up. Perhaps some of
you may recognize a few items.
To start with, I will highlight a few of the things that be
long under the "I'm just a tall kid" category: I borrowed
money from my mother for a poster and didn't pay her
back. My parents still pay for my car insurance, and I can't
bring myself to voluntarily assume responsibility. I'm a
lousy cook. I don't know what I want to be, and I'm al
most out of time. I still occasionally get so mad at my hair
that I throw my brush across the room.
This list could go on forever, of course. Until, finally, I
remind myself of what I have known all along: No one re
ally ever stops growing, at least not those who rightly call
themselves adults. Not even my mother, who realized long
before I that her daughter was no longer a child.
While I may have acquired little in the way of wisdom
in my few years of living, there are certain things that I
now realize only an adult can truly understand. The first
of these would be the knowledge that a loving relationship
involves a great deal of work. Work which provides a
greater return than any job will ever offer.
I've also come to see that there are some things only an
adult can accomplish. For instance, I have successfully reg
istered a number of times for classes at Texas A&M. I
turned down an opportunity to see a favorite band in con
cert because a paper was due. I found decent housing at
an almost reasonable rate. I am more willing to take the
heat for taking a stand. I even kept my cool once when a
pickup truck pulling a flat bed trailer loaded with a John
Deere crept out across three lanes of traffic just to slow me
down to 13 miles an hour.
All things said, there is one point I want to clarify: Be
ing an adult does not mean abandoning the child I once
was. Loosing that little girl would be loosing a bit of life's
joy.
When I told my husband that I wanted to write about
growing up, he said without hesitating, "Write about the
monsters under the bed."
I stared. "There are no monsters under the bed, Roy."
The little boy in him peeked out. "There will always be
monsters under the bed."
Clay is a junior speech communication major.
TONI
GARRARD
CLAY
Columnist
Students respond to
false KKK flyers
In response to the KKK's flyer in
which they said that whites were not
represented in Texas A&M University's
Cultural Diversity Week, we must cor
rect the grand dragon by breaking the
news to him that whites did have their
fair share of representation.
During the Aggie Cultural Extrava
ganza, the Primetime Posse did a skit on
famous Jazz musicians in which there
were white and black artists portrayed.
We can say this with a high degree of ac
curacy as we are members of the Prime
time Posse and depicted some of the
white performers.
We can't begin to express our feelings
of animosity toward supremacy groups
such as the KKK. We denounce all such
groups that believe one race or color ’is
superior over another.
We, the whole human race, have
ttiany problems to solve in the world --
such as rapid deforestation, over indus
trialization, pollution, etc. We can't pos
sibly solve these problems if we're argu
ing amongst ourselves.
The KKK and all related groups need
to realize that if the human race is to
survive, we have to work together.
Mike Andres
Class of'96
Adam Artho
Class of '96
Local resident thanks
Big Event participants
A great big thank-you to all the Ag
gies who took part in the "Big Event" on
March 27.
Our school, Allen Academy, was
blessed with the Asian American stu
dent group. They were wonderful, and
very hard-working. We really appreciat
ed their eagerness to help and the cheer
ful way they worked. Thanks to them
our campus is looking good!
Allen Academy
Bryan, Texas
Questionable quality
amuses older student
I read the Battalion almost every day,
mostly for the entertainment value. Es
pecially entertaining are the Mail Call
letters. As an older student, I am
amused at the letters submitted by stu
dents who are usually immature and
lacking in life experiences, expounding
their ignorance.
Today, however, I would like to com
ment on the quality (or lack thereof) of
the columnists writing for the Batt.
Where do you people recruit from? I
haven't read such idiotic drivel in my
life as what I usually see on the Opinion
page. The garbage in the April 7 edition
was more offensive than usual.
I was especially offended by John
Scroggs column. I am sick and tired of
the homosexual community telling me
that I need to be "educated" so that I
will change my views of homosexuals. I
am "aware" (another liberal buzzword)
of the homosexual lifestyle. It doesn't
matter how "educated" one is, homo
sexuals are still sick people. Personally,
I don't care what you do as consenting
adults in the privacy of your domicile.
When you start wanting to teach your
lifestyle to children as normal, then you
have crossed the line.
Also, I resent the demands by the ho
mosexual community for more funding
for AIDS research. You chose this de
structive lifestyle and now you want the
taxpaying public to finance a cure for
your disease (anyone can get AIDS, but
the homosexual community is responsi
ble for the spread of the disease to the
point were it is now).
What's new? Everybody wants to be
subsidized nowadays. By the way, I
consider it my right as an American to
not like someone for any reason I
choose. I will treat you equally within
the bounds of the law, but I don't have
to like you. I think homosexuals are
sick, disgusting individuals. It's my
opinion and I am entitled to it, period.
Now, on to you Lamar Harris (oh,
you sensitive guy). Get real pal. Those
big busted bikini-fitted Budweiser
women are there because they get paid
good for being there. They are being re
warded for their natural endowments,
just as star athletes are being rewarded
for their God given talents. Simple nat
ural law of supply and demand. Where
there's a demand, someone will supply
it.
Regardless of what you "educated"
liberal thinkers believe, men and
women are different. I don't think most
women feel that they are severely op
pressed. Sure it's harder for women to
break some of the barriers, but you
make it sound as if men spend their
spare time sitting around thinking up
ways t o keep women down.
When you grow up, you will realize
that there are all kinds of men and
women. View each individual for what
they are, not what you think they
should be. Don't try to stereotype all
women (or men) with this limited vision
of yours. Hope the real world's not too
much of a shock for you.
Howard Broivn
Class of '93
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views
of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect
the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas
A&M student body, regents, administration, faculty or
staff.
Columns, guest columns, and Mail Call items express
the opinions of the authors.
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Letters should be addressed to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald /Mail stop 1111
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