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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1994)
lay won’t be al- ime in Au- f the team’s practice is 3e immobi- by a reha- " said. Remember the soldiers Memorial Day offers time to pay respects to Americas fallen D JOSEF ELCHANAN Columnist >und at the olf Champi- 3n Golf Club uring the Ital ian campaign of World War [I, a young tank offi cer stumbled upon a group of infantrymen halted in front of a mine field. The Lieu tenant knew that pis forces were ap proaching and that troops must fill this gap in the Allied positions. He recklessly began prodding the ground for mines and pulled them out with his bare hands. He then ran back to the Allied troops, gathered them under his command, and led them through Saturday by L enow . c i eare( j field and into positions where they thwarted the |. ors ' Inis " e ^ oneoming enemy forces. tor 81 st with Today we begin classes, probably not noticing that anything is different, except that our mail is not arriving and that our bank is ie of those Li 0S ed. On the radio, announcers scream sale prices for a ots seemed L ena g e rie of devices that any good American must have. Televi- ves,” Texas s i on promotions wave Old Glory and beg the public to come by and :h JeanneL, ou t the next great new product. I ignore these things, and in- Just making unships is a merit for a :an take this Jild upon it rounds, Ed- and 80 re- 3more eco- <ungsbacka, Lady Aggie r the NCAA ; Fiona Con- 37. Connor t at the Uni- ixico South }ue, N.M. rn on his e Phillies ’t in long t opportu- itters he a Eisenre- iorandini jave up a ft fielder co jump to it is hard cams. He r gracious on more that he ng badly manager self in. 1 to buy ias taken ib, a new because /as worn v a lot of illy nice, irst thing as come. 1 Thing to stead I try to hear the whispers of the men and women who have fallen in the name of democracy. Today is Memorial Day. guess that Memorial Day, like Veteran’s Day, President’s Day, and the Fourth of July does not mean much to the modem Ameri can, except as a great promotional tool for advertisers. Memorial Day should remind us to think of our fallen soldiers: the rebellious colonists who died on our own soil for a new way of , the gray and blue dying in burning American towns, the young men drowning at Pearl Harbor and Normandy, infantrymen freez ing to death in the Chosin Reservoir, boys of college age hit by snipers in Southeast Asia, the Marines killed in their barracks in Lebanon, and the few who died on the oil fields of the Middle East. When these individuals voted, they gave their opinion about how they wanted our government to run, but when their or ders came, each put on a uniform and fought for a way of life that allows us all to grow-up, attend college, pray at a church of our own choice, or not pray at all, and believe as we wish. American soldiers, contrary to some opinions, are not merce naries hired to kill any group of people that our government officials do not like at the moment. They are not assassins. These people are the boys and girls who lived on the street cor ner, our parents, our aunts and uncles, our friends. In this vio lent world, we, as Americans, are sometimes forced to send these people into the heat of battle, to ask them to lay down their lives for our ideals. Many soldiers do. Once a year, we are asked to show some respect for these fallen heroes, because whatever they were in life is irrelevant compared to the loss that their families must live with. What amazes me is that this school, a place where respect for tradition is placed on a pedestal and our administration and stu dent leaders talk about honor as if you can buy it at the comer store, decided to hold classes on Memorial Day. Something is wrong about this choice. Another frustrating point is how the rest of America looks at holidays, like Memorial Day and Independence Day, as opportunities to go get trashed or buy a new television, not as a good time to go to a local cemetery, or to visit the V.A. hospital, or to just tell their children, “I want you to remember that there were people whose parents loved them as much as I love you, who died fight ing so that we could be free.” It would be great if Texas A&M invit ed all the local vet erans and all the school kids, and had a barbecue and concert on campus, having different speakers talk about lost friends and how important it is for us all to hold our country close to our hearts. I think this would be a better way for the regents to spend our money than buying alcohol. Americans need to be reminded that they owe something to someone, that we are a free people who souls are eternally bound to the democratic ideals of those who have fallen. Soon after the battle, that Lieutenant was awarded the Medal of Honor for stopping the Nazi advance on May 23. By June 3, 1944, Lt. Thomas W. Fowler, Class of ‘43, had been killed while advanc ing on Rome. Americans need to be remind ed that they owe something to someone, that we are a free people who souls are eternally hound to the democratic ideals of those who have fallen. Josef Elehanan is a senior business marketing major igel Drought a reactions of discus- senators, ubena, a College of l she was sed to the a problem e being in m,” Kube- ion to this is absti- arriage, You can grill almost anything ... Desperate attempt at creating barbecue dinner meats with flaming disaster O ver the break, when one of the ear ly evenings was nice, I took a walk through my “nice” apartment com plex. Ever see a trash dumpster upside down? Neither had I. I smelled some thing which I hadn’t for a long time. It wasn’t the dumpster. Someone was cook ing dinner on a barbecue. I thought for a second and rc alized that [hadn’t grilled in a long time. The great smells made me remember the picnics my family had when we barbecued when I was younger. On one momentous occasion, when we had an outing in our backyard, I helped my dad start the fire. He sprayed charcoal starter on the charcoal and, when he wasn’t looking, I added gasoline be cause I didn’t think the starter would be enough. Don’t worry, his burns healed in a couple of weeks and left little scarring. But I did have to pay for the neighbor’s fence that burned down. Inspired by my great memories, I de cided that I would grill once again. Walking back to my apartment, I envi sioned perfectly-cooked steak, baked beans, potato chips, and a cold one to drink. My mouth watered in hunger and anticipation. When I got back to my apartment, I checked the freezer to see what I had that could be grilled. Looking through the frozen—over freezer, I decided that I didn’t want to brave the frozen tundra in search of food. I knew there was nothing in there to cook. So, I checked my refrigerator. Again, I found nothing - no steak to grill, no chicken to barbecue. Finding something to cook for dinner was going to be a chal lenge. I was not going to be defeated, I CHRIS S. COBB Columnist had to grill, my mind was made up about it. I had to barbecue! Looking through my refrigerator again, I did find something. It’s not a very traditional meat to grill but at the very least I thought it would test my cre ativity. I found - drum roll please - bologna. Bologna? Yes, bologna. As a matter-of-fact, grilled bologna is consid ered a delicacy in many far-reaching places around the world, like my porch. In my experience of grilling bologna, I learned a few things. For starters, light ing a gas grill can be as dangerous as lighting a charcoal grill, especially if you use charcoal starter. I know this because I burned the hair off of my hands. Sec ond, there are four ways to cook bologna on a barbecue. These degrees of “done ness” correspond to different colors. I have put the colors first so you know ex actly what to look for the next time you grill bologna on the barbecue: Pink - rare (bologna before being grilled); Brown - bologna cooked medium; Black - bologna cooked well-done; Red, orange, yellow - bologna on fire. There seems to be little in-between in cooking bologna. The last thing I learned is that grilled bologna smells bad. But even the smell of it is roses compared to the taste. Be lieve me, barbecue sauce does not help. The taste is utterly indescribable. Take my word for it, bologna is a food that should not be experimented with, except for bologna stew of course. So, I ended up ordering a pizza be cause not even reality-altering drinking could make the failed meal taste any bet ter. I am very disappointed in myself and I have come to the conclusion that I should learn proper barbecuing tech niques. I really don’t think burning down fences should be a part of grilling, unless of course its a family outing. I would like to take the time now to ex tend a warm invitation to anyone who would like to teach me to properly pre pare food that’s supposed to be grilled. On second thought, it would be much eas ier if someone would just do the grilling for me. I won’t even help light the grill. That way, we won’t have to call 911. I’ll go on the beer runs instead. If someone buys the steak, chicken, or whatever then I-’ll provide the grill. I may have to get a new grill because mine now has some leftover bologna stuck on it. On second thought, if I use charcoal starter I may be able to burn it off. In fact, I tell you what, well have a party over at my place - just look out for the dumpster that’s upside-down, some one threw burned bologna all over it ... The Battalion Editorial Board Mark Evans, Editor in chief William Harrison, Managing editor Jay Robbins, Opinion Editor 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, pro-cons, cartoons and letters express the opinions of the authors. Contact the opinion editor for information on submitting guest columns. Murders hit home Students' passing more than a crime The Texas A&M community lost two of its best and most promising students last week. The murders of Crystal Miller and Reginald Broadus deprive the University and the world of two active, accomplished people who used their time, efforts, and talents to improve them selves and their society. Texas A&M will join the families and friends of Broadus and Miller in sorrow for their deaths and the loss of two gift ed leaders. Both students’ lives stand out as examples of what Aggies strive to become. A student in the Five Year Professional Accounting Pro gram, Crystal Miller anticipat ed graduating in 1996 with a master’s in accounting. Among Miller’s accomplishments: • awarded the President’s Achievement Award Scholar ship from Texas A&M; • received the Highest Grade Point Ratio Award from the Black Graduate Student Association; • Treasurer of Alpha Kap pa Alpha sorority; • Orientation Student Assis tant Chair for ExCEL, the Mul ticultural Services organization designed to help freshmen mi nority students deal with the challenges of college; • Eisenhower Leadership Program. Reginald Broadus, a senior psychology major, won a Buck Weirus Spirit Award last month, and the Outstanding African-American Male Award presented by Alpha Kappa Al pha. Broadus’s awards and achievements included: • 1993-94 president of Al pha Phi Alpha fraternity; .• Alpha Phi Alpha Presi dential Distinguished Service Award; • 1994-95 chairman of the MSC Black Awareness Com mittee; • participation in the MSC London Cultural Study Abroad Program; • peer adviser for the MEDALS program, which helps develop academic and leadership skills. These accomplishments il lustrate Broadus and Miller’s talents and character, the rea sons why A&M will miss them. All the contributions these two people made — or might have made - ended with their deaths, except the ex amples they set for others to follow. Although others may fill the gaps that are left, no one can replace them. The greatest tribute soci ety can make to Reginald Broadus and Crystal Miller is to look at this all-too-hu- man side of the tragic cost of crime and act after seeing how hard it hits home. Senators look at ‘pedestrian’ issues Let me be the first to congratulate student senators Ryan Shopp and Pete Manias for tackling such prudent issues on the Texas A&M campus and banning rollerblading and skateboarding at the MSC. Never mind issues such as our need for more reading days or that all-sports pass prices went up $10 or that the food services here are in questionable standing. Yes, those boys really went after a “burning” issue here at A&M. Supposedly the reason for the bill was to reduce the risk of people being hit at OPAS events and other MSC functions of the such. If this is tmly the intention, then why weren’t bicycle riders banned as well? I’m not a math major Ags, but I can tell you I’ve been hit by cyclists many more times than skateboarders or rollerbladers. Also, if pedestrian safety is really an issue here, why didn’t Shopp, who so valiantly saved the OPAS masses, save the rest of us? If he really cared about all the people who walk around this campus, wouldn’t the bill have banned cars as well? Oh, wait, what am I thinking? If Shopp did that, he probably wouldn’t be reelected next year. Sorry boys, but until you really get serious over there I’ll be skating at the MSC. Mark McElwain Class of V 7 Gun control is part of changing nation As a country the United States has always prided itself on one thing: freedom. Freedom to own what you want. But the 90’s have also seemed to bring a perceived freedom that people can pick up a gun and kill who they want. Legislation is now pending in the U.S. Congress that would ban the manufacturing, shipping and sale of seventeen types of assault rifles. I personally hope that this legislation is passed and put into law as soon as possible. I own a shotgun and I believe in the right to own guns, but I don’t remember the last time I heard of anyone hunting duck or quail with an AK-47. People will argue that owning any type of gun is a constitutional right and that once “they” ban one type of gun it will only be time until ‘ they” ban every gun. And that the government should be concentrating on getting the criminals off the streets because it is not guns that kill people it is people who kill people. Anyone who actually thinks that the United States government is going to ban all types of guns from private ownership is not living in the real world. Criminals have been around as long as people have been on the earth. There will always be people who choose not to live by the rules set by society and have no problem hurting others to get what they want. In the 90’s that has meant picking up a gun and shooting people. Now I realize that banning automatic assault rifles will not stop the killing or the criminals, but it is a start. It used to be that a person could walk the streets without the fear of being shot, but times have changed. Now that times have changed we need to do something to change them back. Chris S. Cobb is a senior English major 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. Address letters to: The Battalion - Mail Call 013 Reed McDonald Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-1111 Fax: (409) 845-2647 Heath Fisher Class of ‘93