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Vol. 93 No. 80 (10 pages)
1893 — A Century of Service to Texas A&M — 1993
Tuesday, January 25,1994
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Supreme Court tightens laws for abortion
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WASHINGTON — A unanimous
Supreme Court ruled Monday that pro
testers who block access to abortion clin
ics or in other ways conspire to stop
women from having abortions may be
sued as racketeers.
The decision, which could threaten
Operation Rescue and other anti-abortion
groups with financial ruin, also allows
federal courts, to order a halt to illegal
^ protests at clinics.
The Associated Press
"The court has added another weapon to our arsenal
for attacking the terrorism of extremists in the anti
abortion movement."
- Helen Neuborne, NOW Legal Defense Fund
Although focused
only on interpreting a
federal anti-racketeer
ing law, the decision is
a big victory for the
National Organization
for Women and the
Clinton administra
tion.
NOW had taken the case to the high
court, and the administration had sided
with NOW's view of the disputed law.
Lower courts had thrown out the na
tionwide class-action lawsuit that tried to
invoke the anti-racketeering law against
Operation Rescue and other groups.
Monday's decision reinstated the lawsuit,
which stems from anti-abortion protests
in Chicago and other cities.
"The court has
added another
weapon to our arsenal
for attacking the ter
rorism of extremists
in the anti-abortion
movement," said He
len Neuborne of the
NOW Legal Defense
Fund. "We're very pleased."
But Randall Terry of Operation Rescue
said, "The Supreme Court has told civil
protest to go to hell." He said, "This is a
vulgar betrayal of over 200 years of toler-
protesters
ance towards protest and civil disobedi
ence. The iron heel of government now
will be used to crush dissent."
Nothing in the ruling dealt directly with
abortion. The court in 1992 reaffirmed the
core holding of its landmark Roe vs. Wade
decision of 1973 — that women have a con
stitutional right to abortion.
Monday's ruling focused on alleged
crimes committed against abortion clinic
employees and patients. The court said
such conduct can lead to lawsuits under
See Abortion/Page 5
MSC Council OKs
allocation of funds
for China Club
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By Jan Higginbotham
The Battalion
The MSC Council approved a propos
al last night which will allow the L.T. Jor
dan Institute to allocate $450 to the China
Club for their Chinese New Year celebra
tion Feb. 5.
Jeffrey Boyer, chair of the Jordan Insti
tute, said the China Club hosts a pro
gram every year to celebrate the Chinese
New Year.
"We have a large Chinese population
at A&M," Boyer said. "This is a way for
these students to celebrate the new year
outside their country."
"Students that attend this
program will definitely
learn something about the
Chinese culture."
presidenc
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miautois
15-0/31
15-ffl
15-965!
15-451:
15-7021
- James Weinstock,
executive vice president
for human resources
.rself
omea
mber!
w Year's
erasing.
The program, which will be held in Rud
der Theater and will include sixteen pro
grams, will highlight Chinese themes
through music and dance.
"It's also a chance for U.S. students to get
a look at the Chinese holiday," Boyer said.
He hopes the program will provide a
better understanding of the Chinese New
Year and culture to both American and Chi-
uese students.
James Weinstock, MSC Council execu
tive vice president for human resources,
said the China Club was selected from a
group of recognized student organizations
who were requesting funds for their inter
national programs.
"Students that attend this program will
definitely learn something about the Chi
nese culture," Weinstock said.
"I hope those who attend this meeting
can go out having learned something about
this Chinese holiday that they didn't al
ready know," he said.
Boyer said the Jordan Institute and the
Enrichment Fund are important because the
international programs help promote inter
national awareness.
"The fund is set up to give money to dif
ferent groups that have an international
program or theme to promote international
awareness," Weinstock said.
Keeping clean
Raun Nohavitza/THE Battalion
Louis Munoz gives a good cleaning to the back doors of the Academic Building
Monday afternoon before giving them a fresh coat of lacquer.
Clinton fills defense
department opening
Pentagon's No. 2 man takes over top position
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Filling an embarrassing gap in his national security team.
President Clinton promoted the Pentagon's No. 2 man to defense secretary Mon
day. He called William J. Perry "a real pro," a man "you can depend on."
The reaction from Congress was enthusiastic, with predictions Perry would
win easy confirmation. Though he is little-known to the general public, senators
dealing with military issues are familiar with him from frequent testimony at
hearings.
Seemingly a reluctant warrior. Perry said he told the White House Saturday he
could not say yes at that point because "I did not want to drive my family into a
decision — my decision — without their support."
After a talk with Vice President A1 Gore and then a meeting with family mem
bers, he telephoned the White House on Sunday to say he would accept an offer
if one were forthcoming.
"I did not have to be persuaded to take this job," Perry said.
Perry, 66,will replace outgoing Secretary Les Aspin, who announced his resig
nation under pressure from the White House last month. Clinton's first choice to
take Aspin's place, Bobby Inman, withdrew last week in a news conference filled
with complaints about attacks from columnists and lawmakers.
Despite Inman's shocker — and comments from a handful of other job
prospects that they were not interested — Clinton said hiring a new Pentagon
chief was easy.
"It wasn't hard to fill," Clinton said. "I asked Secretary Perry and he said,
'Yes.'"
Perry, who also served in President Carter's Pentagon, is a former engineering
professor and mathematician, a key early supporter of stealth technology who
was later proven right. Unlike Clinton, he is also an Army veteran, perhaps po
sitioned to help his commander in chief improve relations with military lead
ers and wrestle with a shrinking Pentagon budget.
Republican as well as Democratic senators were quick to praise the nomi
nee.
"A great choice ... a real professional with depth of experience," said Sen.
Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Armed Services Commit
tee.
"I have worked well with Dr. Perry in the past and he has done a good job,"
said Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, the ranking Republican on the
committee.
Clinton said he made the choice "based on his lifetime of accomplishments
and his solid leadership at the Pentagon."
"He has the right skills and management experience for the job. He has the
right vision for the job," said Clinton, who credited Perry with being on the
"cutting edge of defense issues."
Clinton predicted Perry would reform Pentagon spending procedures, keep
a tight reign on the shrinking defense budget and maintain the nation's strong
military force.
He said many people have told him, "Bill Perry is real pro — you can de
pend on him."
In contrast to Inman, who said he needed to reach a "comfort level" with
Clinton, Perry quickly endorsed his commander in chief. "I have a great re
spect for the way you have been guiding national security," he told the presi
dent.
Perry said the end of the Cold War offers "a window of opportunity" to re
form the way the Pentagon spends its money, especially the rules under which
it purchases goods.
"This is a time of great change, great challenge and great opportunity," Per
ry said.
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Feb. 1C
Program focuses on
By Geneen Pipher
The Battalion
Texas A&M University is one
of 28 higher education institutions
selected to participate in the
Eisenhower Leadership Program,
Ja project aimed at teaching college
ip. Italst ■juniors to be more effective lead-
theRea: ers.
r areFielt The one semester program,
■oom fo w hich is entirely funded by the
lee men
U.S. Department of Education, is
an intensive leadership develop
ment program for liberal arts and
business majors.
Lyle Schoenfeldt, co-director of
the Eisenhower Program, said the
students will earn three credit
hours toward, their degree
through participation in a variety
of classroom activities during the
semester.
"The semester will consist of a
combination of classroom lecture
teaching college juniors leadership skills
and study in the community,"
Schoenfeldt said. "In the class
room through presentations by
community and business leaders,
they will discover what leadership
is and the qualities that make a
good leader."
The group's activities will also
include field study outside the
classroom to give students experi
ence in solving community prob
lems.
"Outside of the classroom they
will be divided into groups of sev
en or eight and they will work
with groups in College Station or
Bryan on creating projects to help
bring leadership into city agen
cies," he said.
Sandra Medina, a spokes
woman for the project, said citi
zens of Bryan-College Station are
assisting in the program by giving
students access to carry out these
projects.
"The students will take a spe
cific aspect of a community prob
lem and research it and make
their recommendations to com
munity leaders," Medina said.
Letita Alston, an administrative
assistant for the Eisenhower Pro
ject, said the leadership program
will teach students how to deal
with, and ultimately lead diverse
groups of people.
"Through this program, stu
dents will feel more confident
about their leadership skills and
have an insight into group dy
namics," Alston said. "Many of
these students are going into
fields like international business
and diplomacy and this increased
knowledge of these areas will help
them in the future."
Camille Berzen, a junior ac
counting major and participant in
the program, said she believes the
country needs more effective lead
ers and hopes she will learn skills
traditional classes do not teach.
lemeste
^Students, faculty split on Clinton's performance
5ed 7f B y Eloise Flint
r rental m £
4/tWO StE The Battalion
£r with: a recent national poll indicates more than
you havi half of the population approve of the way
icallS^ President Clinton has done his job during his
ositus8 : ^ rst y ear ' ar| d Texas A&M professors and stu-
locatef dents ex P resse d mixed views on his progress.
’ i] According to the latest New York
ds Oxhjij Times/CBS News Poll, 54 percent of the public
lapprove of Clinton's first year in office.
Dr. Jon Bond, professor of political science,
■1 jSaid Clinton has had a successful year with
IJ ftnany accomplishments.
2 "if you count the victories, he ranks as high
[as other presidents," Bond said. "President Roo-
;• sevelt was most successful in passing legislation,
and just like President Clinton, it doesn't neces
sarily mean everybody is happy with it, but it
went through."
Bond said Clinton has
done an adequate job ful
filling his promises.
"When politicians make
promises they're sincere,
but realities of politics are
more difficult than antici
pated," he said. "It is the
case that (Clinton's) popu
larity is not as high as it
should be."
Traditionally, approval
ratings start out high and
decline after a period of time. However, Clin
ton's public support is increasing largely be
cause of improvements in the economy.
One of the major platforms of Clinton's
campaign was a promise to fix the economy.
Joseph Thomas, a senior political science
major and a member of Aggie Democrats,
said Clinton has taken the initiative to con
trol the economy.
"He's gotten off to a good start stabilizing
the economy, but I think he needs to focus
more on the original campaign promises,"
Thomas said.
According to the poll, 42 percent of the pop
ulation approve of the way Clinton is handling
the economy.
Phil Meuret, a senior geography major and
president of the College Republicans, said
Clinton receives more credit than the general
pubic should allow him.
"Clinton has pulled a lot of fast ones and
most Americans feel he has told so many lies
that they don't worry about it anymore,"
Meuret said.
See Clinton/Page 2
Clinton
Inside
Aggielife
Animal Snel
re
•Brazos Animal Shelter deals
with pet population woes
► Interview with UPD Director
Robert E. Wiatt
Sports
•Slocum expects top
recruiting class
Opinion
►Editorial: A&M makes good
move, follows Honor Code
Page 9
Page 4,6
Page 7