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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1995)
Friday • April 21, 1995 : ■ ■ • .-•■ ■ ■ • ■ v. Muster symbolizes generations of history We should take time to reflect on opportunities, challenges Michael Landauer Asst. Aggielife Editor uster is depress ing — I don’t want to go.” Too many people feel this way about Silver Taps and Muster, two of A&M’s oldest and most honored traditions. Grant ed, they are solemn events that demand respect, but if we stop and think about what these traditions offer, we should have enough respect to spare in G. Rollie tonight. As we gather tonight to honor fallen Aggies, we should look at our own lives and reevaluate our goals. The journey of life takes us all in different directions, but for a brief time, they take all Aggies through A&M. That should give us pause. I was walking back to my dorm during my first semes ter away from home when I saw a sign posted on the door. It said that a freshman who lived in my dorm had died in a car accident. I realized that I had to go to Silver Taps for him — it was never a question, just more of an obligation. I didn’t know him and really could not mourn him. But I could not stop thinking of one fact — he had come and gone through the same door on which I saw the flyer about his death. He had walked through the same halls. He had dreams like I have. And he, too, came to A&M to follow those dreams. So I decided that the ultimate respect I could pay would be to reevaluate my goals and realize how fortunate I am to have a chance to still reach for them. We’re basically a spoiled generation — there’s nothing wrong with that, but we should stop and realize it every so often. Take a look at the Class of ’45 that is here today. Most of them didn’t graduate on time, but it wasn’t because they took three years to declare a major. For many of them, a little matter of a World War stood in their way. Some of them walked away from their opportunities at this school and never came back. Our generation may never fight a World War, a Cold War, a Korea or a Vietnam. We may never live through a depres sion. We may never lose a Kennedy or a King. We may never see a president disgrace our country and resign. We’re having troubles swallowing multiculturalism, but we will probably never face the kind of upheaval that our parents saw. But we’ve already had a Woodstock. Our generation faces other challenges, but we have had a hand in creating most of them. We’re faced with AIDS, drug abuse, an unhealthy job market and apathy. But we can always avoid these things by having safe sex or no sex, not sharing needles, just saying “no,” working harder and just giving a damn about the world around us. So today we should think of all the generations that have passed through this school before us — not necessarily to mourn for those who have died, but to reflect on our opportu nities and challenges. At this time of year in 1945, any members of the Class of ’45 who were not already in the war were probably headed there. A new president had taken office for the first time in 12 years. Aggies were among those expected to fight a costly land battle in Japan if the United States could not build an atomic bomb. Today, we should let those Aggies know that we appreciate their years of heroism. As a generation, they had more heaped on their shoulders in the first 30 years of their life than most generations withstand in a lifetime. Some of them actually ex perienced the Great Depression, World War II and the war in Korea by the time they were in their mid ’30s. We may never be able to repay them for their accomplish ments, but maybe we can try by not taking our opportunities for granted. Tonight, old friends will answer “here” for their fellow Ag gies. As they do, we should consider the accomplishments of all those who have passed through this school. We should think of our own goals and the determination we will need to reach them. We should think about the attributes it took for past generations to overcome their adversity. We might ask ourselves how they ever did it. We may won der if we could overcome the challenges they faced. We may wonder where their values have gone. But with hope and solemn resolve, we should reflect on our future, and maybe we, too, can answer, “here.” Michael Landauer is a sophomore journalism major Express yourself at The Battalion T he Battalion. Love it or hate it, this newspaper exists to serve the A&M community as a source of information, communica tion and expression. The editors for summer and fall invite every student to apply to work for The Battalion. Positions range beyond writ ing to computer graphics, page design and photography. Applications are al ready available in 013 Reed McDonald, and a copy of the application will be printed in Monday’s paper. Working at the Batt offers the oppor tunity to learn marketable job skills — you not only get a line or two for your re sume, but also clippings of your pub lished articles, columns, photos and de signs to show at interviews and enclose with resumes. This year, staffers have won more than two dozen awards for writing, photography and design. And, you get PAID for your work. The Batt only sets two applicant re quirements: 1) You be enrolled in either summer or fall classes — you can work in the summer without taking classes as long as you are preregistered for the fall — and 2) You have to be willing to do your best work. Of course experience, know-how and talent can help get you hired, but they’re far from necessary. The Batt needs people from every part of the University. Some of the best and brightest staffers at The Battalion nev er took a journalism class or worked at a newspaper before they applied. The Battalion expects good effort from its staff because that’s the only way to Jay Robbins Summer 1995 Editor in chief Rob Clark Fall 1995 Editor in chief build a good paper. We offer the opportunity for reporters to tell the whole University — sometimes the whole state — about the latest break ing news at A&M. Sportswriters write about games for one of the most prominent athletic programs in the country. They inter view players and coaches regularly and get to know the Aggie teams down to the last box score. Photographers, page designers and graphic artists work with the latest, state-of-the-art-equipment. The photo desk has its own darkroom and is equipped with negative and flatbed scan ners. Page designers and graphic artists master the same computer software that commercial papers, magazines and ad vertising agencies use across the country. Page designers give the paper its “look” — they’re the people who actually put the different stories and photographs together to make the pages of the news paper. They also write headlines and de sign various graphics. Aggielife writers perhaps have the most diverse jobs, writing everything from interviews with world famous per formers like Duran Duran to creating in- depth features on interesting people and places in the community. They also write reviews of new films and albums, and columns on “life” and entertainment. The opinion page stands out from the other sections as the only section of the paper where the writers discuss their own thoughts and viewpoints on the news and current issues. While opinion columns cannot say just anything — libel laws prohibit some stuff — an opinion writer can advocate anything from building pris ons on Mars to making the United States a monarchy. The press is free in this country, but surely the opinion page is the most free part. The relationship between a newspa per and its community takes communica tion from both sides. Getting coverage depends on you letting us know what your club, outfit, dorm or business is do ing — we only have about 75 staffers (45 in the summer) to find out about every event on campus, and we aren’t psychic enough to automatically know what’s go ing on with each organization. Diversity among the staff helps make the Batt a little more psychic, though. If the Batt staffers come from a wide variety of academic majors, ex tracurricular organizations and per sonal backgrounds, the newspaper will automatically have an easier time understanding the importance and complete story of major events. Everyone interested in learning about journalism, writing about events at Texas A&M, developing computer and photography skills or just getting in volved should apply with The Battalion. No other place can offer you the same opportunities and rewards. The Battalion • Page 9 ■ v " The Battalion Established in 1893 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. Contact the opinion editor for information on submitting guest columns. Mark Smith Editor in chief Jay Robbins Senior Managing editor Heather Winch Managing editor for Business Sterling Hayman Opinion editor Erin Hill Asst, opinion editor Kl >IIORIAI Earth Awareness Earth Day provides a chance to focus on the protection of our planet's environment. With Earth Day here, we should take the time to think about what this day means and its purpose. This day, which is intended to encourage people to focus on the protection and enhancement of our environment, is a time to think about what we have accomplished and and what we have left to do. Texas A&M began a pilot program for recycling in 1990 with six buildings participating. It has since grown to encompass 158 buildings on campus. The recycling program also has expanded its range, increasing the types of material accepted. On average, the program recycles 41 tons of paper per month and 750 pounds of aluminum. The Replant program has grown from a small number of students who planted 400 seedlings to an event encompassing almost 2,000 people who helped plant over 6,000 trees this year. Despite the progress made by pro grams like these, there is still a lot of work to be done. According to RHA Re cycling Chair Cassandra DeLarios, Texas A&M disposes of more than 16 million pounds of trash annually. The cost each year is approximately 8280,000. Although it is admirable that the University is encouraging these pro grams, they will be effective only if we as individuals utilize them. Earth Day’s purpose is to educate the public about the environ ment. However, all the edu cation in the world is use less if it is not applied in a useful manner. There are many simple things that each of us can do. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, keeping our thermostats at reasonable levels and turning off the water while you brush your teeth are just a few examples. The student body should make a greater effort to recycle and conserve the Earth’s natural resources. We should all put forth the effort to ensure that the environment we leave to future generations is of the highest quality. Earth Day’s goals of a cleaner envi ronment can only be met if we as indi viduals do our parts. \f\7\Zl MAIL CALL s\s\r\s\r\ A&M's Access and Equity 2000 plan stirs debate I am writing in response to Zach Hall’s article en titled “Equity 2000 Plan Not Needed.” I believe such a plan is not only needed, but is critical to Texas A&M University. If Texas A&M spent half as much time, effort and money recruiting black students and faculty as they do in recruiting blue-chip athletes, then such a plan would not be needed. I know that our football team’s racial make up is not proportion al to our student body. The myth that blacks are bet ter athletes than they are students is ludicrous. I also noticed Hall’s reference to minority recruit ment as lowering the quality and standards of ad mission. Not only does that statement suggest racism, it also projects all minorities as second rate. Although I am a liberal, I do agree with Hall in that affirmative action should be abolished. Affirmative action has made a futile attempt to make up for 300 years of discrimination, degradation and dehuman ization. Affirmative action has been in use for a little over 20 years now, and it has done little, if any, to help minorities. Minorities don’t need affirmative ac tion, they need superlative action. Finally, lets not forget about Texas A&M’s grand- ' i iipgggiipgi - mug -> m | father clauses, and I know they exist. As you know, black were not allowed to attend this University in the early to mid-’60s due to legalized segregation. Many of my friends’ fathers attended school here, while my father was not allowed to. I have scored better in many areas than these same friends, but we all were accepted to this fine University. Did my friends lower the standards of this University? Not according to the admissions committee. Minorities just want a piece of the pie. Jarred K. Donald Class of ’95 • I am writing in response to some of the argu ments made against the Equity 2000 Plan. First of all, I would like to know why it is automatically as sumed that the only way to increase the number of minorities at this University is by instituting the quotas and lowering the standards. Have we become so narrow -minded as to not consider other alterna tives to accomplish the same thing? If the adminis tration really wants to achieve their goal of increas ing minority staff and student body, it needs to con centrate more on making them feel welcome. When anybody, including minorities, first steps foot on campus, the atmosphere should make them feel as if they belong. When they step foot off cam pus, they should come away with the mentality that they too are Ags. Whenever I see a group of different races making conversation and having fun at yell practice, I feel like I belong. Whenever I see a racially diverse group of Ags working side by side to build bonfire, I« feel like I belong. These are some of the things that the administration should be striving for. Unfortunately, affirmative action does three things that contradict its primary purpose. First of all, it increases racial tensions by being unfair to non-minorities. Secondly, lowering standards exclu sively for minorities is just like admitting that mi norities don’t possess the ability to meet the same standards as everyone else. It also decreases their quality of education. Finally, the worst thing that af firmative action does is that it takes away from credi bility of minority leaders and other professional in higher positions because it is automatically assumed that they received their job solely on the basis of their skin color. The Equity 2000 Plan appears to have good in tentions. I just hope that it can rely on a method oth er than affirmative action to accomplish its goals. We often times get stuck in a single mind set when it comes to solving problems, and we fail to examine other possibilities that can be even more effective. Just maybe the framers of the Equity 2000 Plan will use their ingenuity and creativity to come up with something other than the traditional methods of in creasing the ethnic diversity of Texas A&M. If the plan is successful, then the occasional question that some minorities have as to whether or not they be long at A&M may some day be a thing of the past. DeSorrow Golden Class of ’98 Country's drug problems may be solved by legalization Our justice system’s biggest problem is that it takes a long tie to learn from its mistakes. For in stance, the current war on drugs is a failure. It al- ways has been, and it always will be. No matter how many pushers and users they put away, more will always crop up. However, I have a solution. My solu tion is to use the billions of dollars wasted on the “drug war” to set up clinics to give users free drugs. First, Prisons do not help people with their drug addictions, so when they are set free they are forced to commit the same crimes for the same habits. With clinics, the users can be rehabilitated properly and will not expected to quit “cold turkey,” or even quit at all. Therefore, the users who steal and murder to' satisfy their habits will be off the streets, making everyone feel safer. Safer because they won’t be able to leave the clinics high, and they would much rather get the drugs fee than to work for them. Next, the pushers will have no one to sell to. No buyers. No market. Less crime. Less gangs. In the past, people in “father like” positions have told children to say “no” to drugs. The problem is kids like to rebel; its “cool.” Kids don’t like to be “looked at” as if they had some kind of disease or sickness. This removes the “glamour” of drugs. Now since there is a better solution, the only problem is to admit the mistakes and correct them. Jenad Zoghby Class of ’95 The Battalion encourages letters to the editor and will print as man 1 space allows. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the thor's name, class and phone number. We reserve the right to edit ters for length, style, clarity and accuracy. Letters may be submittei person at 013 Reed McDonald. A valid student I.D. is required, ters may also be mailed to: The Battalion - Mail Call Fax: (409) 845-2647 013 Reed McDonald E-mail: Texas A&M University Batt@tamvm1.tamu.edu College Station, TX 77843-1 111