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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1994)
1994 its gs elfish, re he ere he unob- /orld- nld sit h last Station ed up South- in al- at the place : plays anoth- o after coach ricted t-time much, i said, :tty re season lal one 'itcher, >r him, ciating ear in career 11. t pitch, King- grand rookie he big r’s last i good- throw :d. But and he expec- trn ms make mats. rican stu- Excel , en- ing a :rosi- Juca- iddle ks to your erson book m his Opinion tm mmmm i m vm * lednesday, May 4, 1994 The Battalion Page 9 The Battalion Editorial Board JULI PHILLIPS, Editor in chief MICHAEL PLUMER, Managing editor KYLE BURNETT, Aggielife editor JELINDA BLANCARTE, Night news editor DENA DIZDAR, Aggielife editor HEATHER WINCH, Night News editor SEAN FRERKINC, Sports editor I0NI GARRARD CLAY, Opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, Photo editor JENNIFER SMITH, City editor In defense of the Lone Star State Southern, Western blend produces unique culture, beauty \i lift \ ■ « a lmv.'tw.i EDIT Unsullied truth Remember man, not myth I love Texas. I love its beauty, its vastness, its people. And it stirs my ire to hear it come under attack — as it so often does — by those who visit from elsewhere, don’t take the time to really know the people or our spirit, then pass some snobbish, narrow-minded, self-righteous judgment about how ignorant, prejudiced and uncultured we Texans are. To them I don’t say get out; I say, come in. Come in, because though they may be within the borders of Red River and Rio Grande, they are obviously standing outside the door of reality. Texas is unique in its geography, attitude, and culture. What other state holds within its bor ders plainland, deserts, rolling hills, dense forests, coastland, and even a low mountain chain? The Lone Star state is also the only state to have been tin independent republic and even includes within its constitution the right to se cede from the union should the rest of the country become too unbearable. Texas is a state too often associated with tacky oil millionaires, big hair and wardrobes consist ing solely of denim and leather. But enough of Clayton Williams, Ann Richards and George Strait. Who are Texans, really? Well, there are plenty of tacky oil million aires, big-haired women, denim and leather, and all things big: big spaces, big men, big egos, big mouths, big hearts, big minds, big spirits. Yes, Texas has its share of base mentality. But what state doesn’t? Take New York, for exam ple. More specifically, let’s examine New York City: a cultural pleasure dome and haven for misunderstood geniuses. The Big Apple is a fun and exciting place to be, no doubt about it. But within an area the size of an average Texas coun ty, human tragedies - occurring at a frequency TONI GARRARD CLAY Opinion editor oumumbering that of Texas — are embodied in the homeless population, senseless murders, and political corruption. New York is only an example taken at ran dom. I’ve personally know plenty of fine, friend ly non-natives of Texas who don’t find it neces sary to close their eyes, stick out their bottom lips and insist this state is hell. They notice that though the Brazos river may be muddy, there are rolling green hills in East Texas of such startling beauty as to bring tears to the eye. There are pine forests so dense and untouched by modernity, the imagination needs no prompting to envision Native Americans of old running through the shadowy thickets. There are deserts in West Texas so starkly, fiercely beautiful in their barren grandeur that the openness floods about a body like running water. Texas is an interesting blend of both Western and Southern cultures. A Texan’s sense of pride and individuality is owed primarily to the West ern ideal of survival through rugged determina tion, blood and sweat. (Tears are for pansies.) It is our Southern heritage, however, that smoothes the rough Western edges. As a result, we Texans have a knack for story-telling (Kather ine Ann Porter, Larry McMurtry, Linda Ellerbee), music (Van Cliburn, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray The 75 th anniversary of the un veiling of the Lawrence Sullivan Koss statue has sparked debate over how much students know about the former University president’s history. The life of the man whose epitaph reads “soldier, statesman, ind knightly gentleman” is charac- ; lerized by events no longer con- I sidered acceptable behavior for any solaiers, states men or gentlemen. No one disputes the contributions Ross made to Texas A&M. hggies everywhere recognize him as the mnoolic father of the diversity Ross’ life and Ikgttid include stbries of ::.e iirahy positive things he hid to establish and develop the foundations for a modern Texas A&M University. The fact that A&M is still here to remember this anniversary is a testament to his determination and effort. Nevertheless, some of Ross’ personal beliefs were less than ex emplary. Slaver,, apparently was not an ethical di' mm a for Ross, who as a general in the Confeder ate army and refused to recognize “Negroes” as soldiers. More importantly, Ross em bodies the days when A&M pro hibited two-thirds of the state’s people from enrolling as students on the basis of society’s prejudice and bigotry. Sul Ross is not the only historic leader with a less than sparkling record on civil rights. Looking at the positive contri butions Ross made without considering his negative actions as well would be unrealis tic. It would also be un fair to those people who have to overcome the history of slavery and discrimination of which Ross was a part. Sul Ross’ contribution to Texas A&M University will always be appreciated, but this is a multicul tural community, and the feelings of all of the students must be rec ognized. We shouldn’t take down the statue, but we should dis mantle the myth. Vaughn), and drama (Tommy Lee Jones, Carol Burnett, Sissy Spacek). My mother grew up in the Big Thicket of East Texas, and it is from her that I was taught what is and is not Southern. Never arrive empty handed when visiting someone; always say “ma’am,” “sir,” “please,” and “no, thank you.” Look at the person to whom you are speaking; always keep room at the table for hungry friends. Work hard, and don’t complain; worship and rest on Sun days. Give people the benefit of the doubt, and — most of all — honor your family. Southerners have an amazing capacity for demonstrating affection. This is perhaps why Martin Luther King believed the South, before die North, would achieve racial harmony. The South, King said, had more black and white peo ple in close proximity to one another and, as a result, becoming friends. Indeed, far beyond any government program, it is friendship that leads to understanding. How fitting then that Texas de rives its name from the Native American word “tejas,” meaning “friendship.” I said earlier that I love Texas, and I do. I find many other states to be quite wonderful as well: the mountains of Colorado, the autumn beauty of Virginia, the Cajun influence in Louisiana ... the list could go on. But I am not Coloradan, Virginian, Louisian ian or anything else but Texan — a Southern Tex an at that. And while neither Texas nor the South is perfect, there is as much to be gained here in the way of beauty, intellect and the human expe rience as anywhere else in the world. Those who are blind to this truth deprive only themselves. Toni Garrard Clay is a senior speech communication major 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 tetters to: The Battalion - Mail Call 013 Reed McDonald Mail stop 1111 Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843 Fax: (409) 845-2647 Old acquaintances won’t be forgotten after graduation I n springtime, nostalgia is thicker than pollen in Aggieland. Many seniors, after spending four, five, six or more years, are getting ready to leave Aggieland as students forever. With them they will take their memo ries of late-night study sessions, count less social activities, random road trips, football games and the friends they are leaving behind. Yes, that’s right, many of us will be left behind. For us our journey as stu dents is still in progress. But, in the fall, when the campus is abuzz with a new hight-eyed freshman class, we will miss die familiar faces. We feel the void and tealize that while life moves on and tilings change, memories remain. Lately, I have been listening to my se nior friends talk about graduating. Sometimes they say they want to get out of school as soon as possible, and other times they say they never want to leave. Some days they are excited about their futures, but most of the time they are wondering if they will ever get a job. JENNY MAGEE Columnist And all the while I sit listening like the little sister who is about to be left at home on the night of the big party. Then I think about what it will be like when these people who have become part of my school surrogate family are gone. I cringe to think that sometime in the near future, my everyday routine will change. Not only because it will be a new semester with new classes and new experiences, but also because people I care about will no longer be a part of my everyday life. Sure they will visit, and there are always letters and the tele phone. But, when it comes right down to it, things will never be the same again. Graduation is the last page for a grad uating senior, but it also closes a chapter for the students who remain. One of the beautiful things about the human race is that we are all unique. Each of us leaves a distinctive mark on the lives of the people that we interact with on a daily basis. However, because people are unique, that means no one can exactly fill the place of a person who must go away. But, life is about progress. It is about growing up and moving on. And while these graduating seniors will be missed and remembered by the friends they are leaving behind, we wouldn’t and could n’t expect them to stay. Time moves on and eventually we learn to accept absence. The funny thing is that often we re member our departed friends by “nam ing” the period of time they spent with us. Everything from the broad titles like “Class of 1994” to small organizations referring to a certain time as the “Fred Smith era.” The point is that people have an impact. When I was in high school, I was in volved in theater; and my director, Mr. Miller, had a present that he gave to every member of our theater department when they graduated. He gave them each a brick. While the graduating se niors will be missed and remembered by the friends they are leaving behind, we wouldn’t and couldn’t expect them to stay. Time moves on. The walls of Mr. Miller’s office were brick, and every graduating senior wrote a message on their brick as a way to leave their mark and say goodbye. I remember that my friends and I spent hours after rehearsals and during theater class, sitting in that office read ing the words of the past graduated se niors. Some had been our friends, and some were mere proof that the people in Mr. Miller’s stories had actually existed. It always gave me an eerie feeling to sit in that office surrounded by the words of people who used to be part of my everyday life. I remember the day that I graduated and I went to sign my brick. It felt so weird to willing sign my self into the past — to become a part of history. But, I remember what I wrote on my brick, and it makes a lot more sense now then it did then. I wrote, “ I proud ly take my place in the rafters with the other theater ghosts.” I know, now that I am back in the lowerclassman’s position, what I lost sight of as a high school senior — leaving isn’t being forgotten. I am pretty sure that I am speaking for a good many Aggies when I say to the grad uating seniors — Thank you for the memo ries ... You are gone, but never forgotten. Jenny Magee is a sophomore English and journalism major Chalk drawings fit freedom of expression This letter is in response to Thomas Go- trdel’s letter about the chalk drawings Hound campus. I understand how he feels about them marring the beauty of our cam pus, but I feel the drawings weren’t meant •o be offensive like he said they were. There is a thing called “Freedom of Expres sion” in America and I feel the persons that slid the drawings were expressing their hith. I could agree with Goerdel about tem marring the beauty of the campus if they were done with spray paint or some thing else that would take a litde time to re move them. I am also in agreement with his saying that the group could have ex pressed diemselves by writing a letter in the Batt, but what I think he fails to realize is the fact that groups here on campus in the past have used the sidewalks to notify stu dents on campus of upcoming events. I have also seen other students send messages to their fellow Ags in chalk and yet these messages, just like the drawing, mar our campus as well. So I ask the question, how can you say that the group that did these drawings are wrong when the appearance of chalk writing comes and goes on our campus all of the time? In closing, yes the chalk drawings, in more way than one, do tend to mar our campus, but why come down on one group of people when he should also call it to the attention of all the others that were already doing it before the drawings appeared on campus? Terence Fonteneaux Class of ‘95 Custodial staff should use cleanup schedule Texas A&M is a university of wonderful traditions. However, the residents of Mosh er Hall are experiencing a new tradition. This tradition is poor bathroom mainte nance in Mosher Hall. This new disease is running rampant all the way from the base ment to the fourth floor. The custodial staff attempts to warn stu dents of their arrival ahead of time. Unfor tunately, no importance is placed on keep ing the appointment. It’s not that we do not enjoy the mad scramble to remove all per sonal items from our bathroom at a mo ment’s notice, it’s that we receive no warn ing of the cleaning staffs’ arrival. They nev er clean the same time twice. The staff is al ways willing to return the next week if we happen to be caught off guard, but it has been three weeks since our bathroom was last cleaned. Tm not asking that the custodial staff ac tually do more than swirl around the dirt on the bathroom floor, or run hot water in our shwvvcr for twenty minutes. I do ask, however, that they set up a cleaning sched ule. If we knew that at 1:30 every Thursday the staff would begin to clean our floor, we would be prepared. It would be efficient for both parties. I am tired of complaining to everyone I meet about the state of our bathroom. I am equally sure that the janitorial staff is tired of hearing complaints. These discrepancies have gone on too long to ignore. The things we are asked to do in order to get our bathroom cleaned, albeit necessary, are time consuming and inconvenient for us. The least the janitorial staff could do is be respectful to us and show us the common courtesy of holding to their promises and sticking to a schedule. Susie Weirethcr Class of ‘97 Pay up or play, Hill Now that Greg Hill has hit the big time, perhaps he should consider remu nerating this university for his damages incurred. Not only did he bring the wrath of the NCAA down on our fine football team, but he skipped town at the first sight of a lucrative contract. I feel justified, therefore in my conclusion that Greg Hill at the very least owes us the remaining year on his scholarship, or should pay up in lieu of his returning to play. Rob Malvern Class of ‘95