I
Opinion
r 8,1993
nr
office in
whether
tion. But
the sen-
: serious
rs is sub-
at letter
claimed
Earle be-
son less
'ho have
torney's
n Earle's
?r Attor-
reasurer
3 — dis-
le while
r of the
i getting
a ted dif-
haven't
r known
e prose-
m.
(ednesday, September 8,1993
The Battalion Editorial Board
CHRIS WHITLEY, editor in chief
|Ull PHILLIPS, managing editor MARK EVANS, city editor
DAVE THOMAS, night news editor ANAS BEN-MUSA, Aggielife editor
iELINDA BLANCARTE, night news editor MICHAEL PLUMER, sports editor
MCK HARRISON, opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, sports editor
KYLE BURNETT, photo editor
The Battalion
Page 11
*’«■'/ Nit M!C Vil
TW( u(,H! f,n ov4!a<!o*iI VK.„
'fituf to r</«)«! rij ije>. audH!!!
mv u. f)^T \\m
id
alted the
teered to
y for the
ug Odle,
shot but
tion date
Woody
xecution
il the full
half. The
nth.
EDITORIAL
Time to act
IN. must stop chaos in Somalia
's by far
■eceived,
ng out of
ncerned
enough
some of
?ir oppo-
a't even
nent is,"
ponding
tied."
ill intro-
>f the re-
1 discus-
?ht.
the Stu-
: affairs
sitively
saying,
nth poli-
ecoming
ucation,
id.
itives of
a rally
in front
ing at 3
Die United Nations needs to
Jserious in Somalia.
Following the recent attack that
" 1 seven Nigerian soldiers, So-
iwarlord Mohamed Farrah
ilid is still at large and still
featening U.N. peacekeeping ef-
iince the United Nations took
Itrthe humanitarian effort in
f, 47 peacekeepers have been
and 175 wounded in clashes
militia forces. There is little
that Aidid can be blamed
ilmost all of these casualties.
Jeanwhile, tons of food des-
jfjdfor the Somali interior are
f pgin port because the United
ins has been forced to reas-
•,'units normally usedjfor con-
duty to secure a safe, environ-
atfor aid workers.
I ielief groups have criticized
Aidid manhunt, claiming that
itary objectives are taking pri-
tyover humanitarian ones, but
5’fail to realize that these mili-
Jobjectives must be accom-
ihed before food can be deliv-
d safely.
Ihe latest attack on U.N.
icekeepers was the deadliest
tejune, when 24 Pakistani soi
ls were killed. There is reason
Relieve that these attacks will
%ue until Aidid is captured,
pe United Nations must step
jefforts to apprehend Aidid as
quickly as possible so they can
continue with their relief mission.
However, it seems ironic that al
though CNN can interview Aidid
on a daily basis, the U.N. forces
cannot even figure out where he is.
However, Aidid may not be
the only factor distracting the
U.N. Disagreements within the
29-nation U.N. force may be pre
venting the United Nations from
effectively carrying out its hu
manitarian aid mission.
The commander of Nigerian
forces in Somalia has accused Ital
ian troops of not coming to the
aid of his soldiers and Italian offi
cials have repeatedly criticized
U.N. tactics and caused problems
within the command system.
The Italians have already re
placed their controversial com
mander and are in the process of
pulling out of Mogadishu, but the
United Nations have requested
that the Italians leave their last
few hundred troops for an "indef
inite time."
If the Italians are undermining
the U.N. effort, the U.N. com
mand should realize it would be
better off without them.
If the U.N. is to fulfill its hu
manitarian aid mission, it must
establish order in Somalia as
quickly as possible to prevent the
waste of more food and the loss of
more lives.
So you want to be a star? Head east
American culture continues to fascinate people of Japan
MELISSA
MEGLIOLA
Columnist
H ave you ever
wondered
what it feels
like to be recognized
everywhere you go? I
have. As a kid, I used
to dress up and walk
around in high heels
hoping someday to be
a famous model like
Brooke Shields. My
dad is 5' 7" and my
mom is 5’ 2". The
odds weren't with me.
Although I would
still sell my soul to
look like Cyndi Craw
ford, I thought I had
cured myself of such interests. I don't buy
tabloids, read People or follow royalty.
But this summer 1 experienced it. Stardom.
And Fm hooked. I was flocked to by people
interested in looking and dressing like me
who wanted to take my picture and occasion
ally ask for autographs. I was asked for in
sight on people known to be a part of my
world. Michael Jordan's name probably came
up most — I was thrilled to he questioned
about him. Upon seeing me, many of my fans
giggled out of nervousness or became unusu
ally quiet as they pointed in my direction.
What happened? A number one album? A
hit movie? A genetically unexplained growth
spurt? No. No. And I wish.
In May I traveled to Japan with my family.
We hit all the tourist attractions — mostly an
cient shrines and temples — at a time when
many Japanese childiWi were taking school
trips to the very same places. Girls and boys
alike were totally captivated by Americans.
At the Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, a little
girl about 10 years old approached me and
asked in English if I would please pose for a
picture with her. About 30 seconds later, my
sister and 1 were standing in front of a cam
era surrounded by her entire class. They each
held up two fingers making the peace sign
rather than the rabbit ears I remember clever
ly sneaking into pictures at that age.
"Thank you, thank you," I heard from all
directions as they left to join their teacher.
The scenario was similar all over Japan. At
the home of the Great Buddha, three junior
high school students approached my sister
and I. Eager to practice their English, they
shyly began a conversation, consulting one
another tor vocabulary. English is a compul
sory subject for Japanese students, and they
speak it surprisingly well.
I answered questions on my family, my
home and basketball. I was amazed by their
questions and even more so by their knowl
edge. When I answered that I live in Dallas,
the girls knew that Dallas is a city in Texas.
Asking about Jordan — I swear I didn't
initiate the topic — one girl was concerned
about his match up with Patrick Ewing in the
playoff series against the Knicks.
"The Bulls are down by two right now,"
she informed me. "But I think they will win
the rest. I think Michael Jordan is a very nice
man." From the color in her face, I loosely
translated "nice" to mean good looking.
Being the subject of so much attention en
hanced our trip. Interaction with the Japanese
people in general was overwhelmingly pleas
ant. Neither I, nor anyone in my family, speak
any Japanese. I can now say goodbye (say-
onara) and thank you (domo arigato), but that is
the extent of my attempt to be bilingual.
More than once when we looked lost,
someone ori the street would stop and walk
us blocks out of his way to our destination.
When my mother asked a department store
hostess where to cash a traveler's check, the
woman escorted her out of the store and was
in the process of walking her to the nearest
bank before my mom could stop her. Both
generosity and thoughtfulness are character
istic of the Japanese culture.
But thougntfulness doesn't explain the au
tographs and pictures. Japanese children love
Americans. Movies and American television
contribute, but parents and teachers must
teach their children to know and love the Unit
ed States, an honor I'm not sure we deserve.
In our own country, we are constantly try
ing to increase our awareness of groups
within our society, yet we forget about
everything outside it. We wonder if children
in New York should be read stories about
kids with two daddies.
We struggle to understand different reli
gious sects, identify with the plight of the
homeless and appreciate all types of social
and political opinions. We get so wrapped
up in our subcultures, we forget that there is
life outside our borders.
Although many different lifestyles and be
liefs are surfacing here at home, we need to
remember that other countries are emerging
and changing as well — like Japan, the lead
ing world economic power.
Melissa Megliola is a senior industrial engineer
ing major
H<?wpy Yall f
JAPArt f
yAU- HAVE-
AWy-TH'.Vfi T
fc»e ci A
CUSTOMS
Doua«me_
TZoll_
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, /acuity or
staff.
Columns, guest columns,
cartoons and letters express
the opinions of the authors.
The Battalion encourages
letters to the editor and will
print as many as space
allows. Letters must be 300
words or less and include the
author's name, class, and
phone number.
We reserve the right to edit
letters and guest columns for
length, style, and accuracy.
Contact the opinion editor .
for information on submitting
guest columns.
Address letters to: :•
The Battalion - Mail Call N' I-l:.
013 Reed McDonald
Mail stop lilt
Texas A&M University
Station, TX 77B43
iiliilii
wmm
A school by any other name does not smell as sweet to some
1 That's in a
A name?
'Y That
f ch we call a
^by any other
he would smell
jLeet.
j'Veil Shakes,
j^times have
’ since you
‘e "Romeo &
iet." The impor-
:eof a name is
' widely ar-
IM Even in your
'idhe big deal
| ft male primacy
No carry on the
| lily name.
1 oday there are women who decide to
1% their maiden names when marrying,
1 ftuits over product names and, of
I pe, disputes over university name
1 ; nges. So, is it what's on the inside that
I %s or is it the label?
1 On Friday, August 27th, the Texas
I M University System Board of Regents
1 |d unanimously to change the names
I pee System schools in South Texas.
The only problem is that one of the
schools has quite a few people very un
happy with the change. Texas A&I Uni
versity isn't having a party about being re
named Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Now, the other two schools. Corpus
Christi State University and Laredo State
University, aren't having any qualms
about the name changes. But we must re
member that both of these schools, before
the A&M initiative, were only two-year
institutions. Along with the name change,
they will expand into four-year institu
tions and enroll freshmen and sopho
mores. These two schools have more to
gain from Texas A&M than just a name.
Texas A&I University, on the other
hand, is different. As a former student of
Texas A&I University and a current stu
dent of Texas A&M University, I find my
self in an interesting spot. I can see the
pros and cons of both sides of this issue.
Both universities have so much in
common that it's terrible to see their
alumni at odds with each other. They
each have incredibly conservative student
bodies, both have sweltering summers
and most importantly, each university
has intense school pride.
It's that pride that is getting in the
way.
Rep. Irma Rangel, D-Kingsville, who is
in favor of the name change, said the in
dividuals opposed to the name change
should be pleased that the school is get-
There would be quite an
uproar if anyone ever sug
gested that we change even
one letter of the Texas
A&M name. Why is it so
difficult for university offi
cials to understand the
strong emotions felt in
Kingsville?
ting prestige with the new name. She was
also quoted in The Battalion on August
30th as saying that the alumni are too at
tached to their memories and are afraid
the new name will take those away.
Oh, Romeo!
Excuse me. Rep. Rangel, but aren't
those legitimate concerns? The students
and alumni at Texas A&I University
chose to go to Texas A&I, not Texas
A&M. Whatever their reasons were for
their choice, they are proud of their
school. They feel that Texas A&I has
enough prestige and influence without
the name change.
Isn't pride one of the foundations of
Texas A&M? I'm sure there would be
quite an uproar if anyone ever suggested
that we change even one letter of the
Texas A&M name. Why is it so difficult
for university officials to understand the
strong emotions felt in Kingsville?
Several proud Hoggies — yes, their
mascot is the Javelina, similar to the wild
boar but commonly called the Hoggie —
feel that they are fine just the way they
are. The University has survived for
years without any help from A&M.
Some even say that their prestige may
actually drop with the new name. I must
admit that Arts and Industries does have
a nicer ring than Agricultural and Me
chanical.
Those individuals in favor of the name
change keep arguing that because Texas
A&M has acquired the school, it can do as
it pleases. With money and power comes
authority. Also, what small college would
pass up a chance to have "A&M" in its
name? Of course, most of these argu
ments sound vaguely similar to those
used to support the Imperialist Age. Re
member the "white man's burden"?
In the end, it comes down to whether
or not what's truly important is the name
or the content. Is money and funding
more important than pride and heritage?
We here in Aggieland should be able to
answer that one in a heartbeat.
Well, whatever the arguments may be,
between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sept.
8,1993, a reception will be held in
Kingsville to signify the death of Texas
A&I University and the birth of Texas
A&M University-Kingsville.
Among the performing bands and offi
cial speeches, a few students will be
found on campus next to the Hoggie Stat
ue burying a time capsule filled with
Texas A&I memorabilia. Texas A&I Uni
versity will then be just a memory.
John Scroggs is a senior English and philoso
phy major
§
ass.
Thank you, students
for blood drive help
The family of Faye Caldwell wishes to
ppress their appreciation to the Com
mandant, Thomas Darling, and the
Corps of Cadets for the blood dri
ve held on Sept. 3.
Faye, the mother of two A&M seniors,
Chris and Shan, is undergoing treatment
at the University of Texas M.D. Ander
son Cancer Center in Houston for
leukemia. The father, Tom, is a former
student, class of '61.
Faye's condition is greatly improved,
and there is reason for optimism. Her
recovery can be attributed, in part, to the
love, care, concern and generosity of the
students of Texas A&M.
Chris Caldwell
Class of '94
Greek, CT, non-reg:
we all go to A&M
Texas A&M University is set above
other institutions in that it has a unique
sense of unity among its students. Each
student at Texas A&M can take pride' in
the Aggie spirit, traditions and cama
raderie. This goes for all students, re
gardless of their cultures, backgrounds
and lifestyles. Unfortunately, recurring
incidents have illustrated that the Aggie
unity we all hold so dear to our hearts is
becoming a thing of the past.
Demonstrating this apathy were some
of the Walton Hall Warriors on All-U
Night when they yelled, "Walton loads,
CTs suck!" The following night a few of
the Puryear Hall Playboys visited the
quad in order to chant, "CTs, CTs, don't
be blue. T-sips **** their roommates
too!" These types of derogatory state
ments would seem more appropriate at
a lower class institution, not Texas
A&M.
However, this bitter relationship is
not only held between a few non-regs
and Corps members. For instance, much
animosity is also directed towards Greek
organizations at this campus. The popu
lar slogan is "Rent a Friend ... Join a
Frat," which is often advertised by both
Corps members and non-regs, only adds
to this growing problem.
The ideal environment, which A&M
provides, gives students the opportunity
to pursue their individual preference in
student lifestyles. No matter which orga
nization we decide to be in, we all chose
to be Aggies. We all attend the same fine
University, cheer for the same team, and
partake in the same traditions. "We are
the Aggies, the Aggies are we. True to
each other as Aggies can be."
Kyle Robinson
Class of ‘96
Francisco Sanchez
Class of "96