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Opinion
Tuesday, November 16,1993
The Battalion
Page 9
The Battalion Editorial Board
CHRIS WHITLEY, editor in chief
jULI PHILLIPS, managing editor MARK EVANS, city editor
DAVE THOMAS, night news editor ANAS BEN-MUSA, Aggielife editor
BELINDA BLANCARTE, night news editor MICHAEL PLUMER, sports editor
MACK HARRISON, opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, sports editor
KYLE BURNETT, photo editor
EDITORIAL
World class?
A&M must rethink its goals
tay preser
ggies to fe
Bowl insts 1
ilture
The Texas A&M University
administration needs to seri
ously reexamine its priorities
for running this institution.
This University should fo-
Icus on educating its students
- everything else should take
aback seat. However, these
concerns seem to be far from
the thoughts of an administra
tion obsessed with world-class
public relations images.
The dream of a world-class
reputation permeates every
level of this school. While
long-term plans for the Bush
Library and other major pro
jects dominate administrative
agendas, the real business of
the University stands ignored.
Why do administrators
seem to require a lawsuit,
scandal or investigation before
recognizing the need for
change or improvement? Sev
eral such problems have al
ready occurred this semester.
Allegations of new NCAA
violations implicated football
players, the Athletic Depart
ment and the Twelfth Man
Foundation.
The Texas Rangers investi
gated charges that the chairman
of the Board of Regents person
ally benefited from University
business deals with Barnes and
Noble Bookstores, Inc.
The dismissal of highly re
garded Food Services officials
after they opposed plans to
privatize the Sbisa Under
ground led to fears of a Uni
versity cover-up.
The Capital Campaign has
raised over $300 million for the
Development Foundation, but
none of this money seems to
be channeled to take up the
slack from serious budget cuts.
Evans Library routinely cuts
services, reduces its hours, and
drops periodical subscriptions
in order to make ends meet.
As the University rapidly
expands toward West Campus,
no one can offer a tangible
transportation plan to get stu
dents out to the new facilities.
The new president of Texas
A&M must be ready to fix this
situation. Many of the Univer
sity's current difficulties might
not have happened if certain
areas had received proper pri
ority in the first place.
A world-class reputation is
an admirable goal, but Texas
A&M will never reach that sta
tus if it keeps refusing to take
care of today's chores before
planning tomorrow's praise.
Reading billboards on freeway of love
Ads, television provide impersonal ways to meet people
T T
JL X
JENNY
MAGEE
Columnist
'ouston freeways
have always
.been famous for
their traffic. But, lately
traffic problems have
taken a backseat to a
different kind of road
side attraction — bill
boards.
A recent trend in
Houston is attempting
to turn billboards into a
drive-by classified
page. Several Housto
nians have transcended
the boundary of con
sumer advertising, and
have utilized freeway
signs to advertise personal matters to fellow
motorists. These ads are not typical billboard
advertisements hoping to entice a hungry dri
ver to pull over for a $4.99 buffet. These ads
were bought by people who are trying to sell
things like marriage and parenthood. It seems
that it has become acceptable to air the most
personal of matters with the aid of a mass
commumcation medium.
It all began this past summer when four
bachelors bought a billboard ad to aid their
search for a spouse, A huge sign that read "4
Middle class white males 32-39 seek wives"
entertained the Houston motorists fighting
traffic in the summer heat. According to a ra
dio report, the men received over 400 phone
calls in response to their advertisement.
Now it seems that these innovative young
Romeos have been copied by an enterprising
mother. An anonymous Houston woman
hoping to finance her Ph.D. rented a billboard
on the Southwest Freeway offering the ser
vices of her womb to any interested party.
Her advertisement read, "Womb for rent! Ed
ucated, healthy, loving surrogate mother avail
able."
My gut reaction was outrage. Demoraliz
ing the gift of motherhood to a nine word,
three line advertisement is disgusting to say
the least. But, this woman is reacting to the so
ciety that she lives in. She is taking a walk
through a tunnel that has already been dug.
The infrastructure a of society that held the de
sire to keep personal lives personal has long
since been eroded.
Personal ads, "Studs," sperm banks, dating
sendees and "The Love Connection," are just a
few examples of the depersonalization of love,
marriage and child-bearing.
I have often wondered why people use dat
ing services and personal ads to find a date.
What could possibly be the appeal of search
ing for a mate in a similar manner that you
would order from a fast food menu? "Well,
Tm really trying to cut back on blondes this
month; maybe I should go for the red-head
this time."
I think 1 found my answer recently while
playing Ann Landers for a friend. Like so
many young people caught in the head-lock of
infatuation, my friend was wrestling with the
decision of whether to ask out this certain
someone. I offered my friend some wonderful
advice: just ask her out, T told him. My friend,
being a typical male, quickly retorted my infal
lible wisdom with, "What if she says no?"
And there we have it, the flat-out reason
why people reduce themselves to SWF, SBM,
or other appropriate abbreviations. It is be
cause of fear — fear of rejection.
Personal ads offer a sort of twisted security.
More than likely, if a person advertises in the
personals, they are not as likely to turn down a
date offer. Society puts so much emphasis on
image that many people, by window shopping
with personal ads, feel they can weed out all
the Mr. and Misses Wrongs without a personal
encounter.
It is very easy for the majority of us to sit in
the security of college life, surrounded by
20,000 members of the opposite sex, and laugh
at the poor souls who turn to the newspaper to
find a date. But, as a recent A&M graduate
has shared with me, tilings are a little bit dif
ferent when suddenly everyone around from
nine to five is old enough to be a parent.
Ln and of themselves, personal ads are
' armless. Maybe they actual-
compatible mates. But, un-
Z
on billboards next to the freeway.
Things always begin so innocently. A few
years ago personal ads were considered ab
surd and crass. But little by little they gained
acceptance — primarily, because some news
papers figured out that personal ads were a
nifty little way to make money. And pretty
soon the TV stations figured out that shows
featuring a couch with two single men, a
couch with three single women, and one goofy
host could make a lot of money, too. So, here
we are today thanking several Houstonians for
paving the way for the billboard industry.
I am just waiting for the telephone compa
nies to jump on the bandwagon. I can hear it
now: "If you want personal ads, push 1; if you
want surrogate mother listings, push 2 ..."
jenny Magee is a sophomore English and
journalism major
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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,
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
013 Reed McDonald
Mail stop 1111
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
Fax: (409) 845-2647
232SSS
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NIGHTA1
MALL
Eight miles high: Fear of flying makes plane trip interesting
B
y the time you
read this col
umn, ITl either
be in Paris or lying
at the bottom of the
ocean, my body
turgid with salt wa
ter, rapidly deterio
rating beneath the
weight of millions
of gallons of water
amidst the ruins of
a tragic plane crash
that sent hundreds
of innocent passen
gers to their early
and untimely
deaths.
No, Tm not nervous about my plane
flight. Tm informed that at least one in
six flights crossing the Atlantic actually
makes it there safely, so what do I have to
worry about?
By now, you may know that 25 Aggie
students are traveling to France as part of
the Rudder Normandy Scholars program.
ROBERT
VASQUEZ
Columnist
Having bribed one teacher and hitting the
others over the head with a large, blunt
object (my ex-girlfriend), I was accepted
to participate in the program. Each year,
the Rudder Normandy Scholars program
teaches students about the causes of
World War II and its effects, with a par
ticular emphasis on France.
After studying World War II history
during the first half of the semester, the
students then travel to France for the sec
ond half to visit the sites they learned
about during the first half. Sort of like the
field trips you took in second grade. Ex
cept this one lasts for a month. In another
country. Across the ocean.
"Now, class," the teacher might say.
"Don't forget to bring your notes from
your parents, or else you won't be able to
go with us to France. You'll need money
for lunch because we'll probably stop at a
French cafe with ... Jean-Luc! Make sure
your mom packs a jacket, a toothbrush
and a life preserver."
I've never needed a life preserver for a
field trip before. Although, one time.
Miss Mayhew made us bring swim
trunks for a party we had at a pool.
I made a trip home this weekend to see
my family one last time. My sister was
especially nice and wanted to let me
know how much she would miss me:
SWEET SISTER: Rob, I'm glad we
were able to see you before your big trip.
We're suspended 40,000 feet
above circling sharks, and
the maintenance crew who
repaired our plane is spin
ning a stray propeller they
found on the hangar floor.
PARANOID COLUMNIST: Well, I fig
ured it would be nice to talk to you. Be
fore I plunge into the Atlantic, I mean.
SWEET SISTER: Rob! Don't say that.
That's not funny.
PARANOID COLUMNIST: Well, you
never know when your number's up.
This could be it.
GREEDY OPPORTUNIST: Oh. Well,
then, can I have your car? I mean, if any
thing happens.
INCENSED BROTHER: What?
COLD HEARTED SNAKE: You know,
just in case ....
My friends at The Battalion were much
more encouraging. I mentioned to them
the possibility of my body finding its rest
ing place on the ocean floor.
"Not a chance," they said. "Your body
would never make it that far. Those
sharks and scavengers would have your
flesh picked off the bone before you
reached twenty feet."
I looked at them, watching for a smile,
hoping they were joking.
"They'd leave your bones shiny,
though. Cleaner than a stick from a coun
ty fair corn dog."
Very nice. All the joking left me rat
tled, so I went home to escape the fear
welling up within me. I was flying Air
France. They've been in the business for
years. Surely, they were reliable.
Once home, I turned on CNN.
"... And in world news. Air France is on
strike again. Angry union workers struggle
to reach an agreement while domestic
flights are delayed. International flights,
however, will continue as scheduled."
Great. We're suspended 40,000 feet
above circling sharks, and the mainte
nance crew who repaired our plane is
spinning a stray propeller they found on
the hangar floor.
I guess I'll be all right. The opportuni
ty to study in France has been long in
coming. I'm willing to suppress my in
tense fear of flying and my intense fear of
heights and my intense fear of bad tray
food for the great opportunity that has
been granted me. After all, it's only an 11
hour flight. 660 minutes. 39,600 seconds.
I will bravely step onto that plane, walk
down the aisle, and take my seat like any
sensible man. I just hope my claustro
phobia doesn't act up.
Robert Vasquez is a senior journalism major
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Ring policy unfair to
transfer students
The new ring policy, approved by the
Board of Directors of the Association of
Former Students, increasing the under
graduate residence requirement to get
your Aggie ring from 30 credit hours to 60
hours is an outrage. Many Aggies will be
denied the same privileges as their fellow
Aggies. For example, before the rule
change, I would have been able to order
my ring after the spring semester, but now
I have to wait until the semester I gradu
ate. I will be denied the tradition of Ring
Dance and will not get to wear a ring my
last year because I am a transfer student.
I worked for years while attending
junior college just to save up enough
money to attend A&M. When I finally
reach my goal, how am I rewarded?
They take part of what it means to be
an Aggie away from me. Am I less of an
Aggie because I am a transfer student?
What's next, will they make us wear a
scarlet T on our clothes?
Porter Garner, associate director for
Alumni Programs said, "All the board is
trying to do is make sure the Aggie wear
ing that ring fully understands what it
means to wear that ring."
Most transfer students I know worked
very hard to become an Aggie and are
very much aware of what it means to be
one. Gamer said he talked to a lot of stu
dents about the new policies and could
not find one who disagreed with it. He ob
viously didn't talk to me or other transfer
students who make up a good portion of
the student body. All Aggies, please do
not let this great injustice continue.
Danny Cox
Class of'94
Brady Bill won't keep
guns from criminals
In response to Brian Stucker's letter of
Nov. 12: First, a militia is not the police. A
militia is a citizens' organization formed
for the defense in times of emergency. If
America were invaded or if there was a
coup of the government, citizens would
band together in militias for defense, thus
aiding the army.
This is a formidable threat considering
Americans own 200 million guns. This fact
also ensures that civilians keep control
over the military, unlike many countries
where the military often takes power.
Second, the Brady Bill's waiting period
will do nothing to keep guns from crimi
nals. Currently, five out of six handguns
used in crime are acquired through means
other than the retailers who will have to
enforce the wait. The remaining one sixth
will either be obtained the same way as
these, or they can still be purchased from a
retailer since the Brady Bill does not man
date a background check. This is left up to
the states, and many states simply cannot
afford to set up a background check.
What I would like to see is a nation
wide automated system like the one in
Virginia: the check is conducted over the
phone in about five minutes.
Also, Washington, D.C. and New York
City have the toughest gun control laws in
the U.S., and they have the highest crime
rates — proof that gun control does not
work.
David R. Webb
Class of'93