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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1994)
Tuesday • September 20, THE BATTALION U.S. Constitution celebrates anniversary of signing this week By Katherine Arnold The Battalion This week marks the 207th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, and a Texas A&M professor says maintaining the oldest working con stitution in the world is a true show of its strength. “The uniqueness of the Constitution is in the fact that it has lasted so long,” Dr. Don Tomlinson, as sociate professor of journalism, said. “It may have only been amended 27 times, but it has been inter preted thousands of times.” U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm said in a news release the Constitution has been a testament to the tri als of the country. “Since its adoption, we have amended the Con stitution only 27 times,” Gramm said. “That is a testament to the remarkable vision of America’s founding fathers.” Don Wilson, director of the Bush Presidential Li brary Center, said the United States has benefited from a versatile constitution. “The Constitution is a unique document because it empowers the people, not the government,” Wil son said. “The Bill of Rights sees to it that the Con stitution serves the people of the United States.” Tomlinson said he thinks this versatility has giv en the country room to grow. “The only way for a constitution to lay down the exact law would be for society not to evolve,” he said. Gramm agrees the Constitution has opened the door for interpretation. “Some of the freedoms we all know, such as freedom of speech and the freedom of religio>j Gramm said. “But others we don’t know as % like the freedom to own property and to make de; sions about where we work.” The Constitution, however, is fulfilling its p pose as a vague document, Tomlinson said. “It is pretty evident that the Framers did;! mean to be any more specific than they were,”T( linson said. Belinda Bl Mark Ev jay Rob Jenny Mage< B Chrii up t< Sund Oiler Bi dre I game Simplify simplify” Henry David Thoreau ,A._ui:Vli Oil . . i'iO'h'. • i". . miin 6T “Hey that’s not a bad idea!’ AT&T AT&T Universal ^— / .\ f ■ 1 me Jtsiiaw sc mm AI&T Universal MasterCard. The credit, cash and calling card. All in one. The AT&T Universal MasterCard. No annual fee—ever Access to cash at over 350,000 locations. Plus an AT&T calling card. Because life should be contemplated. Not complicated. Call 1800 438-8627to request an application. mfTt AT&T Crime • • IV Continued from Page 1 bnstiti As America clists are subject to the sac laws as other drivers. “By nature of the Texas L ! i- j form Vehicle Code, bicyclesre mversiary of 1 considered vehicles and arepv tution, it shou erned by the same rules andsg predate the s ulations of other ve|ide6,m cornp lishme: Williams said. ■ The words Wl 1 hams said I’TTS 18 bM er has for volved in maintaining the bicyc, work and h lanes and assisting other depan :c()Unt i s ments in removing bicycles. ,, ,, Currently, a committee with ,. ' m ?! ° 11 members from ITTS UPD, andl 01 ? f th ® w ' the Physical Plant are research-tji cla y ontrac ing the most efficient way tore p orc hestrate move illegally parked bikes, hi 01 ^ kept the sa i d . tact, but has “There are times wlen bikes! c l ia ii en S es 91 are chained where iheyshouldn , t|<| )m pli ca f e d q I The Const! IfHiallenges ove "The rules brokei most ■cation to its often are runninjstop ^ Clvl1 War t01 ■vil rights foi ■onstitution i an American pinking and i e Constitute at only 27 Sgt. BettyLcmai added in Universh Police signs, riding at n^ht without headlighs, ant having good brales." Deprtmmt be,” Williams said. “Te most hazardous place is on hndicap racks. But in general, indents are good about where thy park their bikes.” LeMay said there aroeveral regulations bicyclists freuently ignore. “The rules broken mo; often | are running stop signs, rling at | night without headlightifbicy Throughou juries, the c any difficul relied on the i wers. The L jo the Constit ut clists must have one on th front of their bike and a reflectcl light on the back), and havin|gool brakes,” she said. “These ae the three things we are concenhting on, and any other rules cn be enforced too.” LeMay said the bicycleaws in A&M, College Statiorand Bryan differ. “The laws vary as far as rling on the roadway,” she said. “Irlol- lege Station, they adhere to aery strict bike lane. The UPD is lit tle more lenient because weist got bike lanes. In Bryan, theyde bikes about wherever they wnt and it is very dangerous." LeMay said that althotih I there have been many bicycler I juries on campus, it has been si- I eral years since there was a fat I ity. However, she said, some 1 the accidents she has seen ha ; been serious. “Ride safely and think safe! always,” LeMay said. “Yield to | ( car, even if it’s wrong, becaus J you can’t fight it on a bike. Am lock the bike up, even if you’re of for just a few minutes.” wci '■A- Techn< revolu Aggie Bucks ome woul major cor dream. F most would sa for attending < good job and b adults. Our wl the need for si ke, “What do ge?” or “Will Ian for a suet Your occupi erica as m< all (although aseball and \ the same se Our major i ow are you c p to?” We are iured by our w ions, and this ings, to have irated someho’ The pressur ge comes froi fo prove to the: re responsible ays in that or e have begun ven maniac! ion are more r Continued from Page 1 Shopp said people do not real! ev^eet ulcers^ ly know about the new form or ’ payment yet which was impl( mented Sept. 1. “Once the word gets on the street, I think people will really begin to use it,” he said. “I think students will useAg gie Bucks because they are be coming more universal across campus. You can use them at vending machines, markets, anti parking garages.” Carter said some student 9 have already been using Aggi f Bucks to buy transcripts. “It’s picking up because tb word is getting out and n( many students knew about it, he said. The idea originated las 1 spring when the Student Senat passed a resolution to put tra» scripts, which are $5 each, on fee slips. Economy ai hand in ban tional debt; weakness a ^divorced more fwant to be. Als (support this ki fsessed frenzy t beginnings of t the new centu So for all of nite decisions i tions (taking tl did when you c “When I first presented th* ^ e ^kird time) idea of putting transcripts on slips to Don Carter he looked aj me and said ‘you’re crazy for the future. For instance went to work e Shopp said. “Students get tran- l ^ e suburbs to scripts and transfer and then never pay the fee slips.” Carter said putting tran scripts on fee slips is not some thing he would consider. “Students often request then 1 - when they’re not currently en rolled, after they’ve graduated, he said. “If we put them on fee slips they may never pay for them and we’d have outstanding unpaid transcripts.” great Americai or factories. In may no longer us will be work al desks to go t while still in oi will be almost i Manufacturi changing radic; a normally unic