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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1996)
The Battalion Vol. 102, No. 151 (8 pages) Serving Texas A&M University Since 1893 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://bat-web.tamu.edu Wednesday • June 19, 1996 Juneteenth celebrations focus on history By Pamela Benson The Battalion When slavery was finally abolished in the United States, Texas slaves were the last to know about it. Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipa tion Proclamation on January 1, 1862. But it was not until June 19, 1865 that Texas slave owners set their slaves free. Texas slave owners were not happy to see the end of slavery so they continued to illegally hold African Americans. Today, citizens statewide celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday dedicated to the re membrance of Texas slaves. Amy Thompson, a senior business ma jor, said Juneteenth is a time to recognize and glorify the struggles of African-Amer ican ancestors. “In celebrating, we (Texans) mirror the emotions they (this slaves) felt when they heard of their freedom,” Thompson said. Locally, Juneteenth celebrations had a little bit of something for everyone. Juneteenth festivities kicked off with a parade on Saturday morning. Community leaders judged the various floats. At the Lincoln Center in College Station, approximately 60 persons participated in a program titled “When Will Today Be The Tomorrow That We Were Looking For Yes terday?” The participants learned about the history and importance of Juneteenth. The program began with the Negro Nation al Anthem and a special prayer acknowledg ing the struggle African-Americans face. Rev. Floyd Polk Sr. prayed about the privi leges now accessible to African Americans as a result of determination and perseverance. Gerald Hodges, a junior sociology major, said Juneteenth programs give young people an appreciation for the their riches. “Our ancestors did more with less, and now I’m afraid that we are doing less with the more opportunities that we have,” Hodges said. The program also focused on local and na tional leaders who have continued to fight for equality. The UMOJA Troop #1500 presented a historical perspective on the many African Americans who have contributed to the ad vancement of their culture The presentation discussed the accomplishments of leaders such as Barbara Jordan and Mae Jamison. Papa’ Y Pada’, a group of performers who combine dance, poetry and storytelling with See Juneteenth, Page 6 Rony Angkriwan, The Battalion Delta Sigma Theta sorority sponsored this float in Saturday's Juneteenth parade. Student’s message captivates audience By Pamela Benson The Battalion At first glance he looks like a typical student. But unlike most students, Don- avan Wheatfall has a message about the state of America. His words pack a punch like Mike Tyson, and, if you’re not careful, his message will knock you out. Donavan Wheatfall, a junior business analysis major, has made it his personal mission to wake up the youth of America. Wheatfall, who has addressed thousands of audiences, has be come one of the youngest African- American leaders in Texas. At just 20 years old, Wheatfall has managed to captivate audi ences with a message challenging people look at themselves before criticizing the world. According to Wheatfall, success is something coming from within. “While you wait for 40 acres and a mule, I’m going to plow my way to success,” Wheatfall said. His blunt approach to the youth of America shows his sin cerity and determination to make See Wheatfall, Page 6 Students soar to new heights in flying club Stew Milne, The Battalion Matt Grunenwald, a member of the A&M Flying Club, soars over campus Tuesday in a single engine plane. By David Taylor The Battalion Matt Grunenwald appreciates good seafood. Normally, getting fresh seafood in landlocked College Station would be a problem. But not if you happen to be a pilot. Grunenwald, a senior management major, just happens to be both a pilot and the presi dent of the Texas A&M Flying Club. “It’s always nice to be able to get out of class in an evening and say, ‘You know, I’m feeling like seafood,’” Grunenwald said. For the 200 members of the A&M Flying Club, a flight to Galveston, Dallas or any other place is just a matter of signing out a plane and getting airborne. After paying the $250 fee, members can simply check out any of the seven airplanes jointly owned by the club. “When you join the club,” Grunenwald ex plained, “that plane is part yours. If you want to do training, you can do training, or go home for the weekend or do whatever you want.” Mike Dubner, a club member and a senior mechanical engineering major, said he enjoys the club’s freedom. “It’s really neat that everything is on the honor system,” Dubner said. “It’s just between you and the club.” Approximately 20 members have taken ad vantage of the availability of aircraft and in structors to earn their pilot’s license over the past year. Tim El well, a senior journalism major who recently earned his license, said he likes the idea of being able to fly whenever he chooses. “When you’re lying in bed about 11 or 12 at night and you can’t sleep,” Elwell said, “you can just go to the clubhouse, pick up the keys and go fly.” Rick Payne, a senior history major, said he enjoys flying the maroon and white painted air craft across the country. “Wherever I go, people see the Texas A&M sign on the tail and they ask questions,” Payne said. “They say, ‘Hey, you go to A&M?’ It’s nice to show the flag.” Many members say the biggest difference be tween the A&M flying club and others is the way the planes are maintained. Dubner said he appreciates the planes’ conditions. “It’s nice that when you come out here, you know the planes are in great shape,” Dubner said. Dubner credits Beatrice Winkler, the club’s maintenance director, with the conditions of the aircraft. Winkler, a master’s student studying geologi cal oceanography, said she cuts no comers in caring for the planes. “There are people here I care about,” Winkler said. “I don’t need anymore reason than that (to be strict about maintenance).” Winkler came to the club four years ago with only six flight hours under her belt. When she started taking lessons with the club, she said she just could not get enough. “Flying really teaches you what you’re capa ble of,” Winkler said. “ ... Every time you go up you learn something.” Winkler said there is simply nothing like the feeling of being in the air. “Flying above the clouds in a little plane,” Winkler said, “is simply awesome” Especially if you are in the mood for seafood. Kaczynski indicted in four attacks SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Federal pros ecutors charged Theodore Kaczynski in four of the bloodiest Unabomber attacks Tuesday in an indictment calculated to bring the death penal ty for the math professor-turned-hermit. A federal grand jury charged Kaczynski in two fatal bombings in Sacramento in 1985 and 1995 and two attacks that maimed scientists at Yale and the University of California in 1993. Both Sacramento attacks are covered by the new federal death penalty, the Justice De partment said. The indictment marks the first time Kaczyn ski was charged in the 18-year campaign of ter ror aimed at smashing the modem industrial order. Since his arrest April 3 at his crude mountain cabin, Kaczynski, 54, has been held in a Montana jail, charged only with possessing bomb making material. The Justice Department said it will now ask that those charges be temporarily dis missed so the former Berkeley math professor can be KACZYNSKI brought quickly to Sacramen to for arraignment. The Unabomber’s 16 attacks killed three people and injured 23. Prosecutors had said they would seek to indict Kaczynski in either Northern California or New Jersey, because the fatal attacks in those states would be subject to the federal death penalty law enacted in 1994. The 10-count indictment identifies Kaczyns ki as “FC,” the initials the Unabomber used to sign his letters and diatribes. He claimed the initials stood for an underground organization called the Freedom Club. FBI agents discount the existence of any organization, however, say ing the Unabomber was a loner. The indictment also charges Kaczynski with transporting, mailing and using bombs. Federal authorities refused to comment on the indictment beyond a terse statement released by Attorney General Janet Reno, who said the in dictment capped an 18-year investigation. Still under investigation is the bombing that killed advertising executive Thomas Mosser in his North Caldwell, N.J., home in December 1994, Reno said. jWhitewater reports disagree on first lady’s involvement WASHINGTON (AP) — Ending a bitterly divi sive 14-month investigation. Senate Democrats con- sluded Tuesday that President and Hillary Rodham Clinton were blameless in Whitewater while Repub licans suggested the first lady hid misdeeds and Presidential aides lied. The special Whitewater Committee issued two reports " one from each party’s sena tors — that disagreed on near ly ever major issue in an event cast in the long shadow of the Presidential election. The panel’s 10 Republican Senators had relatively little to i s ay about the president. But they suggested Mrs. Clinton ^as responsible for the disap pearance of her law firm billing records, which turned up inside the White House living quarters two years after they were subpoe- Paed by prosecutors. “Mrs. Clinton'is more likely than any other hnown individual to have placed the billing records” in the White House reading room where they were found last August, the GOP report said. A “powerful motive,” the GOP concluded, was fear that the public might learn of Mrs. Clinton’s role as a private attorney advising a fraudulent sav ings and loan development called Castle Grande. But the committee’s ranking Democrat, Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, decried his Republican col leagues’ “venom ... directed toward the first lady.” “The American people deserve to know, and now can take comfort in knowing, that this year long investigation shows no misconduct or abuse of power by their president or first lady,” the Democ rats wrote in a dissenting report. Citing alleged discrepancies, the Republicans referred several presidential aides to Whitewater criminal prosecutors to determine whether they lied in their testimony. “History will judge these hearings as a reveal ing insight into the workings of an American pres idency that misused its power, circumvented the limits on its authority and attempted to manipu late the truth,” said committee chairman Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y. CLINTON 4 Scarlet Letter’ license plates may soon mark DWI offenders’ cars By Melissa Nunnery The Battalion Republican State Rep. Ted Kamel of Tyler has an idea that would make people convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) wear their punishment like a scarlet letter. If Kamel’s proposal passes, people convicted of DWI will have to put red license plates on their vehicles. The plates are similar to regular license plates, but they are red and the first three letters are DWI, printed in white. The proposal will not be filed until after the November election. Brad Kennington, legislative aide for Ted Kamel, said Kamel came up with the idea because he has received numerous com plaints about DWIs from his constituents. “This proposal amends the cur rent DWI law,” Kennington said. Currently, the punishment for a DWI is: A first offense may be punished by three to 180 days in prison and a fine of up to $2,000; a second offense may be punished by 30 days to one year in prison and a fine of up to $4,000, and a third offense may be punished by two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Kamel’s proposed “scarlet letter” plates would be issued in addition to the aforemen tioned punishments. Kennington said first-time DWI offenders will have to put the red license plates on their ve hicles for 10 days, second-time of fenders for 30 days and third- time offenders for 180 days. The red plates will cost $15. This fee would be refunded after the punishment is served and the plates could then be reused by other offenders. "The point is to make people think before they drink and drive." — BRAD KENNINGTON legislative aide for Ted Kamel “The point is to make people think before they drink and dri ve,” Kennington said. He said Kamel has had fa vorable support from the rest of the House. “The chairman of the sub committee on DWI legislation liked the idea and predicts pas sage,” Kennington said. He said reaction from citizens See Plates, Page 6