The Battalion
Opinion
Monday
September 4,1995
13
a
ears, the
lave been
their fan
certain
hese new
from the
J last few
ad NCAA
ed exces
field fol
e reason-
■Uted un
it. Thus,
ts began
against
ting in a
towards
celebra-
players
s as giv-
■, a new
■ NCAA
)assed a
's from
eluding
own af-
is. The
r is not
similar
oration
LA offi-
,t they
diletes
t want
ame of
ook at
of the
ollege
lie an-
i pray
isiting
ype of
occur
I, the
' have
want
pray
lould
tying
, the
tical
ht to
y by
unot
dual
body
feel
iress
rom
rule
1 by
'oot-
ces-
hat
ler-
•ely
yer
des
on
for
nt-
ely
to
mr
it-
00
ou
The sad state of student activism
The voice of protest at A&M is hoarse compared to other universities
Chris
Stidvent
Columnist
I magine the half-crazed
guerrilla leader, eyes
bloodshot and full of rage,
taking his stance in front of
the MSC.
“Now is the time for us to
unite! The moment is ripe for
our brothers-in-arms to take
back this campus! We will be
gin by... Wait, everybody!
Come back here and listen!”
While reading through a recent article de
tailing the Top 10 Activist Campuses in the
nation, I wasn’t too surprised to discover that
Texas A&M didn’t quite make the list.
We Aggies couldn’t keep company with the
likes of the University of Ottawa student
body, who recently threw eggs and macaroni
at a government official to protest rollbacks in
financial support for their institution.
Our actions fall far short of the hunger
strike began by some students at the Univer
sity of Colorado as a way of protesting curricu
lum they did not find ethnically diverse
enough.
Regrettably, it appears that our University
security officials haven’t had a need for tear
gas, the National Guard or fire hoses at all in
the last few years.
Crowd control measures of these large and
frightening magnitudes have not been neces
sary — mainly because there haven’t been any
crowds to control.
I never noticed anybody setting themselves
on fire out in front of the Academic Building to
protest the Gulf War.
1 doubt anybody even took a cigarette
lighter to their backpack when we invaded So
malia.
As far as I know, nobody lobbed a Molotov
cocktail against the walls of the Systems
Building this weekend to protest the Board of
Regents’ recent decision to table the student
liaison proposal.
I hesitate to use the word “apathetic,” but
our students are rather complacent when it
comes to reacting to national and
local events that have any signif
icant impact on their lives.
Truthfully, this fact shouldn’t
strike anybody as being too sur
prising.
Our campus is one attended
largely by the same type of stu
dents. And, as some may have
noticed, white Republican Chris
tians at a tradition-laden University aren’t all
that adept at raising a little hell.
One might wonder where the danger
lies in having such a conformist, homo
geneous student body.
It’s wonderful that we
all work and play so
well with others.
But, when this in
credible pressure to
think alike and go with
the flow does rear its head from
time to time, it usually isn’t a
pretty sight.
Phil Gramm kicked off his
presidential campaign last April
with a political rally on our cam
pus.
The Ross Volunteers, the Aggie
Band and several higher-level Uni
versity administrative officials
were part of the hoopla surrounding
the event.
The whole thing ran dangerously
close to appearing as if a state-funded
school was giving an official endorsement to
the ideology of one political party.
Hey, Democrats pay taxes, too.
This was the same event where members of
the College Republicans felt comfortable
enough to accost potential protesters and con
fiscate or block any signs that they might be
holding up.
Hell, the First Amendment isn’t any match
for the overwhelming might of the misguided
masses.
But we do deserve some credit for continu
ing the tradition of spirited and informed de
bate. Every now and then, we Aggies tend to
get fired up about certain gripping issues.
Who doesn’t look forward to the annual Oc
tober batch of Mail Call letters lamenting the
death of the word “Howdy” as an official stu
dent greeting on our campus and pontificating
on what this transformation might mean on a
larger scale?
How about the moronic debate that went
on last fall over whether a backpack is bet
ter worn with one strap or two?
Interestingly enough, this subject became
a hot topic around here just
about the time the rest of the
civilized Western world was
debating the political and
ethical ramifications of US
military support for the in
vasion of Haiti.
Sometimes our students give the
impression that they don’t really have
that good of a grasp on what is going
on around them.
And even if they do have elevated
national and social consciences, they
don’t know how to use the damn
things in the first place.
Ours is a University where protest
is rare, and it appears that this is so
because everybody thinks alike. This
may make for a peaceful campus, but it
sure does get boring around here from
time to time.
I do hold out hope that there is a silent mi
nority out there somewhere, mimeographing
articles like “Marxism and Atheism: Your
Friends in a Time of Need” on a cheap under
ground printing press while focusing on taking
over the Food Court with an armed rebellion.
After a while, all of this sanity can really
drive you crazy.
Chris Stidvent is a senior English
and philosophy major
Political signs on campus say little
KT H
I /
_1 4si
IBERALS BE-
WARE,” the yellow
signs screamed as
they stood vigilant outside
Sbisa Dining Hall.
It’s open season on liber
als now, and the political
head-hunters are out to bag
a wild left-winger.
Is this ridiculous, or
what?
I’ve been on this campus for two years now,
and each year it never ceases to amaze me
how totally ludicrous some students can be.
There’s not a street, plaza or courtyard on
the campus where some sign isn’t spouting off
about how horrible someone else’s beliefs are.
In my five semesters here, I’ve seen signs
blasting homosexuals, liberals, atheists, ag
nostics, minorities, conservatives, the NRA
and Christians. It seems that every time I
look up, someone is sticking up signs telling
me that so-and-so is wrong.
You know what, though? The sign-posters
never tell you why they’re putting up those
signs. They never tell you why they’re right.
They just want you to know the other people
are wrong.
Liberals beware? The sign should read,
“real, intelligent thought beware.”
These signs are just a symptom of the
American political disease. Americans don’t
like to explain themselves. Most philosophies
seem to say “You should just accept what we
tell you and be happy with it.”
It’s hard to convince someone that the
grass is greener on the other side of the fence;
so, in turn, they set the other guy’s pasture on
fire. It’s the American way.
Don’t believe me? Just watch
television and you’ll see what I’m
talking about.
Every week, I watch Dennis
Miller Live on HBO. I love his hu
mor, and I think he’s one of the
quickest wits in show business,
but he’s a prototype soapbox
poster-boy for this syndrome.
Miller’s monologues, especially
his zingers about Newt Gingrich, are biting
and scathing, but amazingly void of sub
stance. It’s one thing to tell us that the Speak
er of the House is a fat pig.
It’s a completely different thing to tell us
why he’s a fat pig.
The disease doesn’t just afflict the critics of
the right. The conservative crusaders have
their moments, too. I remember back in high
school when some friends of mine would de
light themselves by screaming “Who are we?
The GOP! What do we want? Death to liber
als!”
This is not exactly engaging and stimulat
ing conversation. In^fact, its a bit near-sighted
if you ask me.
So what does this great disease mean?
While everyone is busy thinking up the next
great one-liner, the political dance floor be
comes about as empty as a third grade Sadie
Hawkins dance. No one talks, no one compro
mises and nothing gets done.
And if nothing gets done, society suffers. It
still has the same poverty, the same hatred,
the same pestilence, the same problems. All
this because we’re too busy yelling about how
horrible the next guy is.
What we need to remember is that our sys
tem of government, our system of values —-
our system of life, even — is built on compro
mise. No one is right all the time, and if you
think you are, you’re wrong.
Yes, we need diverse perspectives and dif
ferent points of view, but more importantly,
we need those perspectives to mingle. It is
from compromise and interaction that Ameri
ca has gotten its strength, not from mudsling-
ing and put-downs.
Politicians today have forgotten that. Our
leaders today are so hell-bent on sticking to
their guns that they end up shooting them
selves in the foot. They tell us this is right and
that is wrong, and assume that we know why.
Today, studies have shown that one-third
of the people in the United States don’t know
what the abbreviation “FBI” stands for, what
country borders the United States to the
north, or why we celebrate July 4.
If some people don’t know these simple
things, how can it be expected that they un
derstand the complexities of major social prob
lems?
The bare facts are that most of us don’t
know squat, and if something isn’t explained
to us, then we go on blind allegiance or mis-
guided beliefs. When that happens, not only
will compromise fail, but the country as well.
So, what now?
I challenge those who suffer this Sign-
Poster Syndrome to give us more. Don’t tell us
that they’re wrong, show us why you’re right.
Stop tearing your opponents down and start
building yourself up.
Then, let the chips fall where they may. It
may not be what you want, but its better than
what’s been going on — nothing.
Wes Swift is a junior journalism major
The Battalion
Established in 1893
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views
of the editorials 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.
Editorials Board
Rob Clark
Editor in Chief
Sterling Hayman
Managing Editor
Kyle Littlefield
Opinion Editor
Elizabeth Preston
Assistant Opinion Editor
£
Ignored Again
The decision to table the student
iaison proposal was irresponsible.
Last Friday, the Texas
A&M University System
Board of Regents showed a
complete lack of responsibili
ty by tabling the proposal to
create a student liaison on
the Board.
Claiming that allowing for
a student liaison would
prompt too many groups to
seek places on the Board,
the regents prevented
the measure from
coming to a vote.
And once again,
the possibility of |«
gaining a student I i
liaison slipped
through the cracks.
The Board should
realize that it has be-
come too isolated from the
true voice of A&M — the stu
dents. Adequate student in
put is a rarity and sometimes
nonexistent.
Regardless of whether oth
er groups would seek repre
sentation on the Board if a
student liaison were allowed,
the Regents should have vot
ed on and approved the pro
posal.
The entire existence of
Texas A&M University is be
cause of the students. And
far too often, the students
have no input.
By tabling this proposal
and denying it a vote, the
Board of Regents is sending
the message that the con
cerns of students is not a
great priority.
The proposal did not call
for the student liaison to
have voting privileges, only a
voice.
Apparently, that
voice was not consid-
\ ered important.
H The Board
a,\ should at least
have had the
Sf courage to vote on
the proposal, even
^ if it would have
failed to pass.
Instead, the regents
merely swept the issue under
the rug with the single sweep
of their parliamentary
broom.
Although the student liai
son proposal can be brought
back to the table whenever
its committee chooses to.
Board Chairman Mary Nan
West said that the issue is
pretty much dead.
The A&M Board of Re
gents should be ashamed of
its failure to vote on the pro
posal.
AAA^i-iaS
4W9 asovv wtw jf ‘ *
jirfilAary&aol-com
"Hit it past the over-grazed plains, around the clear cut forest
beyond the national park mining:', .and onto the fjreen... ”
Texas A&M should
observe Labor Day
The refusal of Texas A&M
University to observe Labor
Day caught me completely by
surprise.
It never occurred to me that
such a prestigious institution of
higher learning would complete
ly ignore one of America’s most
important federal holidays.
Understandably, I am
shocked and disgusted by this
University’s desecration of the
day celebrating the long and
hard fought gains and triumphs
of America’s working men and
women.
As we know, America is a na
tion of immigrants. This land
Was built on the backs of our
forefathers, whether they were
black, white, yellow, red or
brown.
Every single Aggie has ances
tors who toiled under hellish
conditions in the fields or in the
sweatshops and factories. None
of us are too far removed from
this experience of extreme ex
ploitation and crass abuse.
Thousands of working men,
women and children perished in
the struggle to gain rights and
working conditions that we of
ten take for granted.
Labor Day celebrates the
many accomplishments of
Americans and commemorates
the struggles which were neces
sary to achieve them. Addition
ally, the day honors the memo
ries of those who paid the ulti
mate price battling for rights
which we now consider “basic.”
I suppose I am even more ap
palled that little opposition has
been raised to this administra
tion’s policy in Aggieland.
In my brief stay here, I have
been led to believe that Aggies
pride themselves on traditions
and patriotism. A refusal to ob
serve a national holiday seri
ously raises doubts about
A&M’s patriotism.
Additionally, Texas A&M
has the tradition of publicly
honoring those people who
made the ultimate sacrifice for
our country and for preserving
the American way of life.
We do not have to look much
further than the Memorial Stu
dent Center and its exterior liv
ing memorial to find tangible
examples of this philosophy.
And yet as a community, we
are not willing to honor those
who gave their lives so that we
might live in a more humane
and just nation. Shame on you
Aggieland!
I do not expect people to fol
low my lead in boycotting class
es on Labor Day. However, I
would appreciate Aggies doing
one thing after they complete
reading this letter.
I would like people to take a
minute to think and consider
the true meaning of this impor
tant holiday.
Thank those nameless work
ing men, women and children
who fought long and hard and
lost their lives creating a better
world for us. Honor their memo
ries.
Additionally, reflect on what
steps we can take to make this
a less barbarous and socially
just planet. We Aggies owe it to
our ancestors, ourselves and our
children to do 50.
Bruce Kaplan
Graduate Student
Regents display
conflict of interest
I am most concerned about
the recent actions of the Board
of Regents concerning the ini
tiative to add a student liaison
to the Board.
The initiative was tabled in
committee, essentially killed;
therefore, there will be no stu
dent liaison.
The Regent who made the
motion to table the initiative
addressed students attending
the Board’s afternoon session
most eloquently, encouraging
students not to give up on this
idea, while at the same time
acting to stifle student involve
ment. This sentiment is terribly
self-contradictory.
I felt insulted, like a child
who had been patted on the
head and told to come back
when I was older.
If a business (university) was
not interested in consumer (stu
dent) input, would the product
(education) have the mark of
quality?
As president of the Graduate
Student Council, I have always
been impressed with the
lengths to which Texas A&M
University goes for its students.
Developing strong student
leaders to be leaders in a world
ly society is a priority at this
University. Students participate
in a myriad of organizations
which have a direct impact on
the future of this institution.
There is such a rich history
and tradition of student leader
ship at Texas A&M that it baf
fles me that the Board of Re
gents would not accept a stu
dent liaison. This liaison would
have had no voting privileges,
just verbal input.
Becky Silloway, speaker of
the Student Senate, introduce^
five of the eight student body
presidents from the Texas A&M
System to the Board’s commit
tee, including Toby Boenig, stu
dent body president at Texas
A&M.
Each student body president
spoke in support of a student li
aison. Additionally, many Texas
A&M students attended FrL
day’s meeting to demonstrate
their support.
I believe that students at
Texas A&M University are fully
capable of making informed and
intelligent decisions and sugges;
tions concerning their future.
Does the Board of Regents
disagree with me on this point?
If not, then I see no reason
for the Regents not to allow one
student to participate continu
ously on the Board of Regents.
I believe that students, the
University and the Board of Re
gents would all benefit substan
tially from such a cooperative
arrangement.
So what do you think Ags?
Do you want a voice in deter
mining your future? .
Stepheni S. Moorp
President of the Graduate •
Student Council