Wednesday
May 3, 1995
The Battalion • Page 9
The Battalion
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[Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of
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[Columns, guest columns, cartoons and letters express
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Managing editor
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Media often presents
truth out of context
Unfortunately, Amy Uptmor only told
part of the story in her May 1 column
about the media being beneficial and
without “mind control.”
Uptmor either missed or ignored “real
life.” Media indeed have a significant
ability to mold public opinion and unfor
tunately, this power is sometimes used to
incriminate and not to educate.
I will refer to the very coverage of the
tragic Oklahoma bombing she men
tioned. A coverage of the incidence itself
was certainly needed. What was inexcus
able was spreading speculations and
premature accusations under such ex
tremely tense circumstances.
So-called experts on terrorism and
talk show hosts literally fueled public
hysteria. Everyone felt free condemning
Muslims and Arabs using bigoted terms.
Examples? Here are only two:
Steven Emerson said in a commentary
in B-CS Evening News, April 19, that
the bombing was done with the intent to
inflict as many causalities as possible,
and that this is a Mideastern trait.
The New York Times, April 20, made a
guess as to why terrorists may have been
in Oklahoma City: Some Middle eastern
groups have held meetings there, and the
city is home to at least three mosques.
These irresponsible media actions lead
to numerous threats and actual violence
against Muslims around the country.
Muslim students were harassed; shots
were fired through the window of a
mosque; many mosques received bomb and
death threats; Muslim women wearing
scarves were afraid to appear in public.
Yes, we should blame individual peo
ple for it, but people would not react so
violently had they not been misinformed,
even instigated. The proof? All this carni
val ended as soon as the real culprits
were identified. The problem is not really
about media presenting lies, but more
dangerously, about presenting the truth
out on context.
I mad Bayoun
Graduate Student
MSC Film Society's free
showing follows rules
The MSC Film Society of Texas A&M
will be presenting a free screening of
“French Kiss,” a film with Meg Ryan
and Kevin Kline, on Thursday May 4,
at three p.m. in Rudder Auditorium,
sponsored by Evian Water.
I am writing this letter, however, not
to advertisement our film, but to inform
you about ticket distribution for the
screening. The film company has asked
us to restrict seating to this event to
600 people. 150 tickets will be distrib
uted through the MSC Box Office at 9
a.m. the day of the screening.
The remaining 450 tickets will be
handed out at 2 p.m. outside the MSC
Box Office. Tickets will be distributed
on a first come, first serve basis. There
will be a limit of two tickets per person
per valid A&M ID. This means that
each person can pick up two tickets —
and only two tickets with an A&M ID.
In the past, many more people than
600 have shown up for our free screen
ings and we have had to turn many peo
ple away. We just wanted to take this
opportunity to explain why we must
turn people away.
We are sorry for any inconvenience
that this may cause you.
Danny King
Class of ’94
MSC Film Society of Texas A&M
Self-centered societies stumble, survive
Despite numerous problems, social improvement is possible
I
jENNY
Magee
Columnist
A&M honesty sets good
example for visitor
Being a Longhorn, visiting my best
friend here in Aggieland, I was ex
tremely impressed by the kindness
shown by two Aggie gentlemen. My
purse was left on the curb outside of
TCBY last Saturday night. Having
search frantically and unsuccessfully,
around and in the car, I called home
(Austin) to have my credit cards can
celed. I was shocked to find that an Ag
gie had already called long-distance (to
Austin) to report my purses’ safety and
location. Not only were all my purse
contents present, but they were report
ed and returned in less than an hour.
I’d really like to thank them for go
ing out of their way to make a poten
tially disastrous end on a good note.
Their integrity and promptness should
be commended. I don’t know how the
scenario would have ended if it had oc
curred in Austin, but surely folks from
both schools can learn a thing or tow
from these guys. Thanks again.
Julie Marquis
Impressed Longhorn
Media made big deal
out of superficial facts
I am writing this letter in response
to Jim Pawlikowski’s article on April
28. I agree completely with the majority
of the content, but with one exception.
In his article he mentioned that accused
car bomber Tim McVeigh is a white
Gulf War veteran. As a white Gulf war
veteran I hate being grouped together
with that of an accused terrorist. I fur
ther strongly believe that if Tim
McVeigh is guilty of his accused crimes
he should get the death penalty, howev
er, what was the point of mentioning
the fact that McVeigh is also a white
veteran? Once again the one-sided lib
eral media finds a way to portray veter
ans in a negative manner.
There are over 300 active duty mili
tary veterans attending Texas A&M.
Majority of them are white males,
many of whom served in the Gulf War.
We do not go around taking our frus
trations out by blowing up buildings.
Veterans here have organized to edu
cate our ungrateful generation’s atti
tude towards the military and its su
perficial judgments can harm every
one, especially veterans that are your
fellow classmates.
Steve Pryor
C lass of ’9 7
Sick students should
seek second opinions
I enjoyed Dr. Cohen’s article in the
April 25 Battalion about mononucleosis.
She described the symptoms fairly well.
I have gone to the clinic in BCS, as
well as Beutal, many times since Sep
tember with the same symptoms Dr.
Cohen named for mono. Neither of
these places tested me for mono — I
received the standard 10 days of peni
cillin. Even after I was drained of en
ergy and my antibiotics did not change
my tonsil or gland size, neither tested
me for mono, until I asked them, both
clinics ran five-minute blood screens
and told me I was perfectly healthy.I
finally went home to my regular
physician who did an extensive blood
screen to find that I did, in fact, have
mono, which was only getting worse
because I did not know I was really
sick, so I did not take time to rest.
The moral? Students: if you think
you’re sick, please get a second or third
opinion. Don’t risk your health, grades
and happiness because one doctor told
you that you were healthy.
Jennifer Henderson
C lass of ’9 7
‘t was exasperating, frus
trating and annoying. As I
.rolled my bike to the other
side of campus, I silently
cursed the workers who had
ripped up the bike rack in
front of the Reed McDonald
building.
The fact that the workers
were making a repair on a do
mestic hot water line, work that would benefit many who use
and work in the building, didn’t really seem important. What
mattered to me was my inconvenience. What mattered to me
was the fact that my carefully calculated schedule was being
thrown five minutes behind by having to search for another
parking space for my bike.
In this petty example, we are introduced to the major deter
rent to forming a perfect society — me. The world is full of them.
Me is a private entity who is interested in advancing his or
her personal interests. Which does not mean that me is a
helplessly selfish and conceited individual.
Rather it means, according to Paul Heyne’s Economic text
book “Microeconomics,” that people will act in ways that yield
them the largest net advantage.
Amazingly, the world functions pretty smoothly in spite of
the vast number of personal entities motoring about in search
of the largest net advantage. But, as is expected with a large
number of different objectives, we often meet with conflict.
Controversy lives in the opposing viewpoints that make up
a society. Groups of people that a<ihere to the same sorts of
philosophies often find it beneficial to coordinate manpower in
order to advance their particular agenda.
Thus, society is full of opposing groups such as, Democrats
and Republicans, Pro-choice and Pro-life groups, Non-regs
and Corps members.
The list goes on and on, just read Mail Call sometime.
If there are all these different objectives circulating
through society, how do we decide which idea or philosophy is
the correct one for society to adopt.
If we listen to Rush Limbaugh, a right-winged doctrine of
government deregulation and anti-abortion laws will miracu
lously cure the ills of society. But, if we listen to Rep. Ron Wil
son, a liberal philosophy that embraces affirmative action and
universal health care is the answer.
So, what is the answer? Opposing philosophical arguments
such as right- and left-winged political doctrines have been
argued for centuries, yet poverty, crime and racial discrimina
tion still plague society.
And, considering almost everyone would enjoy life more
without these kinds of social ills, all the me’s in the world
have a vested interest in ridding society of them.
So, why hasn’t it happened? The answer is simple. Be
cause in abstract philosophical conversation almost everyone
is in favor of the common good, but in every day life the real
ity of individual objectives take precedence. We all want
common good, but we want it the way that yields us the most
personal good.
Maybe this makes the members of the human race sound
like a bunch of blood-sucking scavengers just waiting to feast
when the weak fall. Most people realize that society couldn’t
function if people were unwilling to help each other. But, ac
cording to another theory of Economics, people are most will
ing to be helpful when they have some incentive.
There are many examples of mutual advantage in every
day life.
Ask yourself why people write off contributions to charity
on their income taxes. Or why politicians listen to lobbyists.
These ideas of personal and mutual advantage are of
'Me' is an entity interested in advancing his
or her personal interests. Amazingly, the
world functions smoothly in spite of the
vast number of 'Me's motoring about in
search of the largest net advantage.
course generalizations, and they do not rule out the occasion
al random act of nonprofitting kindness.
However, addressing issues such as why social ills contin
ue, and will probably always exist, requires generalization.
Primarily because social ills are created by a large number of
people who may or may not agree that they are contributing
to the downfall of society.
Singular criminal acts are punishable because the cul
prits, through the justice system, are forced to pay the price
for their actions. Thus the victims are offered a small degree
of retribution.
But, how do we offer society retribution for pollution, for
instance, when we are all polluters?
On the basis of this conclusion, one might think that
working to improve society is useless. And of course that is
absurd. Improvement is always possible, it is perfection that
is often out of reach.
If we realize that society will never be exactly want we
want, if we learn to compromise, the world might seem a lit
tle brighter.
Jenny Magee is a junior English and journalism major
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Finals call for better discipline
W
Drew
Diener
Columnist
'ith the grim
specter of final
exams breath
ing down the backs of
our necks at last, we are
forced to confront reali
ties that have been lin
gering in the distance
for the majority of the
semester.
In other words: “I’ve got six finals
that are scheduled on only two separate
days, two on Friday and four on
We<inesday. I’m going into shock.
I need a 62 on my English final to
make a C, but that’s going to be hard
, because the highest grade I’ve made in
there so far is a 56.
The walls are caving in, and the roof
is leaking. I’m tired, and I’ve got the jit
ters. Help me, somebody help me.”
(Crying ensues).
Oh good gracious, get a grip pal.
Finals time has that unique knack for
driving people insane and inspiring some
of the rudest, crudest, strangest, mean
est, cruelest, preposterous, vilest behav
ior known to man — or to be politically
correct — known to woman and man.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is
that we’ve all got to take these damn
things. We are all under stress.
Let’s not make the situation any
worse by behaving like a tribe of raging
idiots, dancing around a small campfire
with nothing but thongs on.
Such radical behavior unnecessarily
adds to the anguish and pressure al
ready thrust upon yourself and thrust
upon the stress-overloaded community
around you.
So don’t act a fool.
Through the course of thinking
about the week ahead, I came up with
a set of guidelines to follow during fi
nals to make the week run as smooth
ly as possible for not
only you, but for your
fellow Aggies.
1.) The free phones lo
cated in the Sterling C.
Evans Library were
placed there for a reason.
Do not stand around
and gab on the phone
with your boy/girlfriend
for an extended period of time.
“I miss you sugar bear ... Hush little
baby don’t say a word, honey’s gonna
buy you some pizza rolls.”
There will probably be people stand
ing in line waiting patiently to call
someone for notes or books or informa
tion pertaining to finals.
2. ) When you are stomping through
campus like a militant activist carry
ing the burden of generation on your
back, smile at the people you pass.
Such courteous gestures would really
make for a kinder, gentler campus
during finals time.
The people you pass are just as
stressed-out as you are.They’ve got to
make 107s on their chemistry tests to
pass the stinkin’ class too. So loosen up,
remove that stale chip on your shoulder
and love thy neighbor.
3. ) Eat before your test. There is
nothing more annoying than attempting
to compose a decent essay on “Post-
Modern East Asian Subgenius
Thinkers” while the person sitting next
to you is digging through a bag of
Fritos, slurping on a Blow Pop or chew
ing down on a big, wet, juicy pickle.
4. ) Finals is not the time to drop a
psychological bomb on a fellow stu
dent whom you may share a strong
friendship or affair of the heart with.
Wait until after finals to break up
with your boy/girlfriend or tell your
best buddy that you flirted with his
or her partner at many junctures over
the past semester.
Finals provide all the trauma a hu
man soul can take without unwarrant
ed emotional distractions — especially
the emotional distraction of knowing
that your girlfriend found someone
new without telling you about it, and
that someone new is your best friend.
5. ) This is for all of you Internet
junkies who have no life and really
don’t care about finals. There is a limit
ed availability of computers on campus.
Many of your fellow students have pa
pers that are due during finals.
I know you have a right to sit on
your butts and cruise the net like
Matthew Broderick played in “War
Games,” but it would be nice if you
could locate your heart out there in
Cyberspace, and let a more deserving
student use the computer.
“Damn, that Diener is a condescend
ing bastard isn’t he?”
And last, but not least ...
6. ) Fortunately I do not live on
Southside anymore, or on campus for
that matter, but I feel for the poor souls
who have to contend with the annual
parade of trash can explosions that go
on in the Quad.
I have no idea who the perpetrators
are, and I’m not pointing any fingers ex
cept maybe my middle one. The point of
the matter is that for two years I had to
put up with these annoying explosions
that would relentlessly occur each and
every night, all through the night, dur
ing finals. It’s stupid.
Grow up.
I heard reading Playboy is an alter
native way for young males to entertain
themselves.
Drew Diener is a junior
English major