lay
won’t be al-
ime in Au-
f the team’s
practice is
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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
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