Opinion
Tuesday, January 25,1994
The Battalion Editorial Board
JULI PHILLIPS, Editor in chief
MICHAEL PLUMER, Managing editor KYLE BURNETT, Aggielife editor
BELINDA BLANCARTE, Night news editor DENA DIZDAR, Aggielife editor
HEATHER WINCH, Night News editor SEAN FRERKING, Sports editor
TONI GARRARD CLAY, Opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, Photo editor
JENNIFER SMITH, City editor
The Battalion
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EDITORIAL
Good for Gage
Reversal of policy the right move
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Not all Aggies can say they
I never "lie, cheat or steal," but
I through a reversal of policy,
I Texas A&M Interim President
I E. Dean Gage has made it more
I likely that we will not tolerate
i those who do.
For six years the official poli-
j cy for investigating theft by
A&M employees allowed Vice
President for Finance and Ad
ministration Robert Smith to
determine whether or not it
was necessary to notify law en
forcement. University Police
Director Bob Wiatt and Brazos
County District Attorney Bill
Turner, among others, have op
posed the policy since it first
was implemented, i-
"Mr. Turner was concerned
that this policy could be mis
construed as selective prosecu
tion, and this won't do," Wiatt
said. Finally, the right man
agrees.
To have allowed one person
the power to decide if a matter
would be turned over to the
authorities was ridiculous. It
does not take a high ranking
official to determine if people
should answer to allegations of
wrong doing. It only requires
common sense.
It is about time for the rever
sal of this policy. Gage has tak
en a step in protecting the
school's integrity that was
much needed in light of the lat
est allegations of theft against
an A&M official. Texas A&M is
not a law enforcement agency,
and trying to handle criminal
investigations without going to
the authorities only makes the
school look like it has some
thing to hide.
An in-house investigation
into the recent allegations
against Texas A&M's chief lob
byist, Timothy Shaunty, went
on for at least a month, accord
ing to The Dallas Morning
News. Turner's office received
reports of the suspected theft
only three days after The News
requested the same information
from the University.
This kind of silence only
makes the school look dishon
est. And it is just this kind of
silence that the old policy has
perpetuated. It is time for
things to change, and this is a
good starting point.
Gage cannot keep employees
from lying, cheating and steal
ing, but he has made it clear
that those who do will no
longer have a ludicrous policy
to hide behind. FTis reversal of
the policy is the action of a true
Aggie, and we should appreci
ate his efforts and hope his ex
ample is well noted.
The simple tale of a boy and his truck
Quest for vehicle drives family down fast lane of sanity
DAVE
WINDER
Columnist
I slowly eased the seat
as far back as I could
get it, tuned the ra
dio to my favorite sta
tion and shifted into
drive. I was oblivious to
everything around me;
I was now an extension
of the automobile. It
was just like a dream.
Then reality hit me
square in the face, in
the shape of my father's
hands.
"David (slap), I
know you're real happy
about your new truck
and all (headlock), but
if you hit one more cement trash can (Vulcan
death grip) we're taking it back."
I got his point and immediately backed out
of the ditch. I wasn't about to take this red
beauty back to the dealer and go out shopping
for cars with my parents again. It only took
two years for them to decide that I needed a
new one.
Me: Mom, Dad, can we go look for a new
car tomorrow?
Mom: And what's wrong with the car you
have, young man?
Me: Nothing — except it takes ten minutes
for it to start. The defrost doesn't work. Most
of the doors can't be opened from the inside,
and it's beige.
Dad: Boy, you just don't know how good
you got it. When I was your age, I didn't even
have a car. Then, when I finally got a 1956
Chevrolet, it didn't have a windshield or
brakes. I had to stop it like Fred Flintstone, but
it was the best car I ever had.
Me: Well then, can I take my car when I go
back to college this fall?
Mom: Heavens no, David, your car is in
such bad shape it would never make it.
Me: Then can we go shopping for another
one?
Dad: David, we already told you there is
nothing wrong with your car. I don't want to
hear any more about it Now, where's that re
mote control?
We had the same argument about 1,000
more times until the other day, when my fa
ther informed me we were going to go car
shopping. I immediately found the morning
paper to see if Hell had frozen over.
On the way, my father explained to me a
dozen times that we were only looking, not
buying.
Me (driving us past the dealership): Dad,
do you want to stop here?
Dad: No. Just look and see if you like any
thing.
Me: Dad, I'm driving 65. I'm not going to be
able to see anything I like at this speed.
Dad: All right then, turn around and drive
past going 45. Look closely.
After attempting many passes, I finally con
vinced him to stop and actually get out of the
car to look. I soon realized I had made a huge
mistake.
Rudy (strong smell of Aqua Velva): Can I
help you folks find something today?
Me: No, thanks. We're just looking.
Rudy: Well then, let me show you this
beauty here. A 1976 Ford Pinto with mag
wheels and a working dashboard clock.
Dad: I don't think so.
Rudy: Well how about this orange Dodge
Charger I got over here. It has a special feature
that allows you to jump over 400 feet in the air
by only punching the gas.
Me: That's okay, We're just looking, really.
Rudy: Then I know exactly what you need.
Right over here we have a 1956 Chevrolet with
no windshield or brakes. The guy who traded
it in said you had to stop it just like Fred Flint-
stone.
Dad (really excited): Well take it How
much? I'll write you a check right now.
Me (pulling my dad to the car): I think we'll
be going now.
Three dealerships later, I was sitting in my
new truck. No longer would I have to drive
the beige bomber. No longer would my 6-foot,
5-inch frame have to sit in a space too small for
most three-year-olds. I now had luxury, com
fort and doors that could open.
Dad: I know you are real happy about hav
ing luxury, comfort and doors that can open,
but we're going to have some new rules.
1.1 want all A's next semester.
2. Nobody eats or drinks in the truck.
3. No more nude renditions of Jesus Christ
Superstar at nursing homes.
Mom: Yeah, David, that could be danger
ous during flu season.
Me (leaving for college): Thanks again.
Mom and Dad, for the truck. I love you.
Both: We love you, too.
Dad: All right, Linda, let's go see if that guy
will let us trade in the beige bomber for that
1956 Chevrolet. I'm telling you they just don't
make cars like that anymore.
Dave Winder is a sophomore
journalism major
uiM to o( mm
Editorials appearing in The
Battalion reflect the views of
the editorial board. They do
not necessarily reflect the
opinions of other Battalion
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Address letters to:
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Cat-lover sheds light on admirers of the feline persuasion
oes
mietc
F or all the talk
about divi
sions in our
society, we over
look one that cuts
across gender, eth
nic and class lines:
Those Who Love
Cats vs. Everybody
Else. It ought to be
a concern the next
time you go out.
Make sure you and
that person you're
eyeing agree on
cats. (I sense a pos
sible pick-up line
here.) And don't be
fooled if he or she owns one. That hardly
constitutes loving them. They wish it was
that easy.
"I like my cat," someone might say.
"But she's mean — she never wants to be
around me."
Silly people! They don't know how to
interpret feline behavior. Cats are reclu-
ERIN
HILL
Columnist
sive by nature. They show their love in
non-traditional ways that allow them to
retain both their dignity and elitist atti
tudes. Those of us who love them under
stand and accept that. It's the first sign of
a true believer.
My friend, Jason — who falls into the
category of "cat-liker" but not "true be
liever" — loves to make fun of me, and
admittedly the teasing is deserved. He
says my family and I would do anything
for our cats. He's right.
"Mom, hurry! Come here! Quick!" I
yell.
"Erin, I'm on long distance ..." Mom
replies.
"Mom! It's Max ... Hurry!"
Mom runs to living room, breathless,
leaving caller in distant state to make
sense of the abrupt termination of the call.
By now my sisters have gathered, and we
all sigh, delighted with the utter cuteness
of our cat.
"Look," I say, "He moved his paw!"
("Look!" is heard frequently in our home.)
"What a cute little guy," we say in uni
son, as if talking to a baby. "Isn't Max
cute?" Funny enough, the reply is always
in the affirmative.
My family actually has pondered
whether cats understand English and, un
sure of the answer, have tried to say more
flattering things to them.
When Vanessa, our white Persian,
died, the house seemed empty. We did
what seemed right... we paid $100 for a
My family actually has
pondered whether cats un
derstand English and, un
sure of the answer, have
tried to say more flattering
things to them.
new kitten. That wasn't even the first time
we'd shelled out that kind of money —
Balke was just as costly. The price we paid
shocked Jason, my continually baffled
friend.
"Isn't a cat just a cat?" he mused.
"Couldn't you just find one somewhere?"
"Find one somewhere?" I repeated. We
fell in love with Maddie and couldn't let
something minor like exorbitant cost deter
us.
"You guys treat your cats like royalty!"
he spit out.
"They are."
Are you beginning to sense that there
are fundamental differences between the
way Those Who Love Cats think and the
rest of civilization? Perhaps our expecta
tions are more realistic — translated, this
means lower. Max, Balke and Madison
don't do a lick of work; they don't kill
mice or chase birds. They stay inside, not
always getting along with each other, star
ing out windows and running away when
we reach for them. Their long hair sheds
everywhere. And they don't come when
we call. But they make us happy.
One difference between cat-lovers and
everybody else is that the former group
understands that cats cannot BELONG to
anyone; we, their "people," actually be
long to them and live in their homes. The
name on the mortgage, who makes the
house payment... all of those things are
rather trivial to cat-lovers. We know
who's really in charge.
Christmas vacation was delightful. I
spent most of my waking hours with
Madison. He jumped around and bit me
repeatedly — what's a little scar tissue
between friends? My vacation revolved
around our felines — just the way I like
it.
Had you visited me you might have
overheard: "Come here, Maddie. Climb
on my silk blouse," or "Mom, can the cats
play with the new crystal?"
Mom invariably replies by bending
down and saying, "This cutesy-wootsy
(insert all your favorite baby-talkisms
here) little muffin? He can do whatever he
likes! Because we love him, don't we?"
And there you have it, the testimony of
a true believer.
Erin Hill is a senior English major
Hill, others did what
anyone would have
I have one word for all those people
who love judging Greg Hill and all the
other football players for taking money
that was given to them. Hypocrites!
Give me a break — these players go out
and bust their butts all year long and have
to watch everybody else get rich from
their talents. If you were in their shoes.
you would have little problem taking
money to feel compensated for all your ef
forts.
I believe Andrew Tomczeszyn has
missed the entire picture in his Jan. 21
Mail Call. Greg Hill and the other players
did not "disrespect the students, history
and traditions of A&M," but instead led
the Ags to three straight SWC champi
onships and made the student body
proud as can be.
Yes, Hill and the others made a mis
take. (After all, they are human).
No, we do not have to outcast them or
be ashamed. Let us forgive and forget.
As a fellow Aggie, I stand behind Greg
Hill 103 percent. Remember, we are the
Aggies, the Aggies are we.
Brent Watson
Class of'94
Aggie Moms are
grateful for thanks
In the Jan. 19 issue of The Battalion, the
editorial was titled, "Thanks Mom." This
public acknowledgment from The Battal
ion is one that we, who make up the mem
bership in the 97 Aggie Mom's Clubs, will
treasure.
In September I was alerted to the very
real possibility that privatization of certain
areas of Food Services was imminent. I
contacted the chairman and members of
the Board of Regents, asking them to de
lay voting on this matter until we had
time to receive a response to our Sept. 11
letter to Mr. Robert Smith. Our main con
cern was that the privatization of two ar
eas within Food Services was only a foot
in the door, and this would eventually
lead to the privatization of the all food op
erations at Texas A&M University.
During discussions with administrators
and staff the point is reiterated time after
time that these contracts mean money for
the University. It is indicated that the rea
sons Barnes and Noble and ARA want to
contract with A&M is to use it as a point
of prestige when negotiating contracts
with other universities. The question we,
the Mothers' Club asked, and one that re
mains unanswered, is, "If something is not
broken, why would those in authority feel
they need to fix it?"
The members of the Mothers' Clubs
have never been opposed to a name-brand
fast-food court. Our strong opposition is
to this being negotiated by an outside con
tractor, whose primary motivation would
be profit-oriented. We were confident we
had a capable, experienced management
team at food services.
Just as the students have a code of hon
or, perhaps this should be the code adopt
ed by the staff, faculty, administration and
Board of Regents.
On behalf of all the Aggie Moms —
thank you to The Battalion for their very
special "Thank You" and words of appre
ciation. WE NEEDED THAT.
Margaret W. Freeman
1993-94 Federation President
Texas A&M University Mothers' Clubs