lay • December 12, 1997
O The Battalion
PINION
hould be determined
iy positive attitudes
Mason
Jackson
columnist
ny
are
we
as re?" Every
rson has
tetji this ques-
inai least
ice. If not of
he^s, then of
em>elves.
Some say
ere is no an-
rer.
They’re
•Oijg.
Others say they have the an-
ei /er and it lies in religion.
They too, are wrong.
I have the answer. But I am
)t alone.
M< ist people innately know
by we are here, but they
iend most of their life deny-
g it. If they don’t deny it, they
ive e denied it by those who live
fiorance of our true pur-
:\ )se for being.
And that is ... to have a good
Kid to illustrate my point,
re come up with a rhyme.
It starts with a feeling,
Sometimes it’s called wood.
id But the final result is
You sure do feel good.
® You should do what you want
'■h If you feel that it’s right.
wen though if you’re wrong,
nit They'll lock you up tight.
niedL
So follow your heart,
te&nd follow your soul,
bid if they tell you to,
then go smoke a bowl.
But use some good sense,
Your brain if you can.
A lack of forethought
Is a weakness of man.
W-
A'o 1 do not know why
He do what we do.
hit “original sin"
Sure never was h ue.
He just have some tendencies,
Which can be undone.
Though instead of them all,
I’ll list only one.
It’s easy to be cynical,
I’ve done it many times.
And what I’ve come to see is
It’s the greatest of these
Yes, you’ve got to believe
That the least you can get
Is the absolute top,
Any less would be....
That last verse was corny
I know this is true.
But if that’s how they come,
Then what can you do?
At this point in my story,
You’ve probably grown tired.
That is, of course,
Unless you are wired.
So I’ll end it now,
I think that I should.
And for no other reason
Than that’s what feels good.
The point, my friends, is
that people should be motivat
ed by a positive emotion, like
the happiness a person gets by
living their life the way they
want to.
Too often, peoples’ actions
are motivated by negative
emotions, the blatant ones
like fear, hate and jealousy,
and the subversive ones like
guilt and servitude.
If someone’s life doesn’t
turn out like they envisioned,
it’s likely because they spent
too much of their energy try
ing to please people other
than themselves.
This is the last column I’m
writing for The Battalion, and
the last piece of advice I have
to give is this: follow YOUR
dreams; it’s a long and wind
ing road, but it's always worth
the trip.
Mason Jackson is a senior
marketing major.
Mature viewers only
Blatant nudity in music videos shows American standard
James
Francis
opinion editor
mack
my
bitch
up.” These
words have
been immor
talized by the
techno-en-
hanced band
Prodigy in its
latest video.
Not only is the
video a clear
depiction of
raw pornography, but the
phrase itself represents a defi
nite decline in respectful atti
tudes toward women.
As of today, my position as
Opinion Editor for The Battal
ion has reached its reign’s
end. Many readers will shout,
“Good, his columns were al
ways complaining about how
immoral and backwards
America and its people are,”
but this is not the image I
wish to leave behind. I feel,
however, compelled to relin
quish my duties in something
more than just your usual
“farewell my concubine” end-
of-the-semester column.
I choose, therefore, to dis
cuss a most powerful entity in
today’s society, affecting mil
lions across the nation and
spanning the globe. What I
want to talk about is Music Tele
vision (MTV), and its contribu
tions toward the decline of the
American society as a televi
sion-viewing audience.
It all started, or at least was
egged on by, with a young musi
cian by the one-title entertain
ment name of Madonna. She
sang the controversial lyrics to
“Like a Prayer,” and suddenly
the nation was in uproar over
maligned religious undertones
and ambiguous moral stan
dards presented in the music
video which appeared on MTV.
These days, Marylin Manson
can be seen flashing his bare
bum on MTV, stretched across a
sofa and turning toward the
camera in order to give the
world a glance at his personal
life. This has nothing to do with
the art or simple process of
making a music video. It has,
furthermore, no relation to the
lyrics that comprise the song.
It was once said “art imitates
life,” but if Manson’s video is
any implication of what our
lives should adhere to, I suggest
everyone start heading for high-
water countrysides.
In Prodigy's current video,
the last 45 seconds leaves the
viewer’s eyes filled with images
of an “alternative” woman who
comes in to a hotel or apart
ment bedroom and begins to
strip away her bra and under
wear. After the bra comes off,
her bare breasts are bared for all
the world to see ... on MTV, a
television broadcast channel
that exists to promote diversity
in music and entertainment
news, not random visual shots
of a naked woman. In addition
to her breasts being shown, the
camera zooms in to give close-
ups of her buttocks.
At the conclusion of the
video, the woman is displayed
seated on a bed (full camera
shot) with her legs held togeth
er just enough to cover her “pri
vate parts.”
From now on, MTV should
be recognized as Misogynistic
Television, and the viewing au
dience that clamors for more
should realize it is supporting a
terrible decline in morals and
ethics in this nation.
All decline starts somewhere,
and these first two music videos
represent a downward spiral of
the American society.
James Francis is a junior
English and journalism major.
d a caroling we will go...
-ps of Cadets go Christmas caroling, but miss meaning of holiday by attempting to secure women’s undergarments
Adam
Collett
guest columnist
VnehoYiday season brings
with it an exciting blend
of traditions, both new
d old. Among the most re
nt additions to Aggieland’s
iter landscape are the warm
|d welcoming halos of lights
the roofs of most of the res-
;nce halls, courtesy of RHA’s
ck the Halls Program. Other
prts have brightened New
H Drive and other Univer-
y entrances.
Representing the old guard
the time-honored tradition of caroling. Each year
Hie leaves fall and the cool winds pick up, various
)ups tour the campus spreading the season’s
ietings through the gift of song. Except for the oc-
sional flat note, the perils from such an activity
mid seem minimal.
Each season, however, male members of numer-
■ Corps units dress in make-shift angel suits and
itthe female and coed halls. There, they patrol
i perimeter of each building, loudly singing holi-
Itunes and openly supplicating those they sere-
fle to throw down bras and panties. This hereto-
| publicly unquestioned practice provokes two
Sughts: (1) Why are these young men collecting
men’s undergarments? (2) Why are these young
men giving them away?
To answer the first question, I spoke to Major
David Sahm of the Corps of Cadets. When Sahm
graduated from A&M in 1982, Corps caroling was
restricted to freshmen singing to the upperclass
men in their buildings during dead week. When
Major Sahm returned to work for the Corps in 1988,
the tradition had already evolved into the current
practice of visiting other halls.
As for the begging for bras, Sahm had no infor
mation on the origin of the practice, but expressed
regret that the well-intentioned tradition had re
gressed into something negative. The caroling is not
an official activity, but word was passed to the units
on December 8 that the practice should be stopped
because of complaints by the residence halls.
I spoke to several parties to gain some insight
into the motives of the women who are casting
away their Jockeys. Re’Shanda Grace-Bridges,
Graduate Hall Director for Spence/Keist, suggests
that the serenades are flattering and that the resi
dents like the attention; hence, they are more
than willing to comply with the requests for un
dergarments. Grace-Bridges reports that because
of the tradition, some residents even go out and
buy extra cheap underwear.
Nora Stegall, a resident of Legett Hall, indicat
ed that although many residents seem to enjoy
the singing, most would just as soon not be asked
for their undergarments. While Stegall admits
that the practice is not particularly offensive to
her, she adds, “I don’t find it flattering to be asked
for underwear.”
Becki Elkins-Nesheim, Coordinator of the Gen
der Issues Education Services office, believes one
issue central to this debate is respect.
“We need to treat each other with respect,” she
said. “How respectful is it to be begging for un
derwear? What’s that about?” As to the question
of whether the practice is downright sexist,
Elkins-Nesheim laments that at A&M, this is not
the general perception.
“On a different campus ... people would un
doubtedly tell you that it is sexist and degrading, but
here, people don’t necessarily see that,” she said.
“But just because there’s this culture here that ac
cepts it, that doesn’t make it right. And it’s not just
men contributing to this culture, it’s women as well.”
The conventional wisdom touted in defense of
this practice is that the carolers earn the bras and
panties flung down to them by traversing campus
on chilly nights while underdressed.
While this dedication is perhaps worthy of
praise, it does not excuse the fact that the practice
of asking for underwear is at least disrespectful.
And more likely, it is degrading and sexist, and thus
vitiates what otherwise could be a point of pride for
our campus.
Although the Corps administration is taking
positive steps to stop the caroling outright, I be
lieve that it’s fair to give those involved the oppor
tunity to correct the situation and thus maintain a
positive tradition. In that regard I have some advice
for both parties:
Young men, it appears as though at least some of
the females enjoy your attention, but would rather
not have to surrender their underwear to gain it. So
keep coming around and keep singing, but do it for
the right reasons and please stop panting for panties.
If you’re sincere and serious, your efforts will be
appreciated and you can leave your panty bags at
home. And while we’re talking change, here’s an even
more outrageous suggestion: have the entire unit go,
men and women alike, and visit all the halls. After all,
everyone could use a little holiday cheer.
And, young women being wooed, the next time a
Corps unit or any other group appears on the grass
outside your building, throw open your sashes and
listen and enjoy for a time. When they are through
and you want to express your gratitude, think twice
before throwing your underwear, and instead think
of all the other ways you can express what you feel.
Tell them thank you.
Wish them happy holidays. Heck, for that mat
ter, get contact information from one of them and
invite the unit to your next hall program. Or best
of all, find out where they live, and organize a
group to return the favor by caroling outside of
their windows.
So happy holidays everyone. Have fun, drive
safely, sing a little and listen to others sing. But for
heaven’s sake ... keep your clothes on.
Adam Collett is an educational administration
graduate student.
W. ‘W'-'Ayz
Mail Call
Continued from Page 14
Hate crime column
confuses atheism
In response to Robby Ray’s “Reli
gious Liberties No Longer Sacred
in America” column:
Robby, I’m shocked and dis
appointed. Who are you to draw
conclusions that a crime com
mitted by a very sick boy
against his classmates was a re
ligious hate crime?
If you have more evidence,
then please present it, but in
your column you mention the
only thing separating this boy
from his classmates was he
was an atheist and they were
Christian.
Are we to follow your false
logic that since this is the only
possible niche for a hate crime,
then it must be the reason?
On the contrary Robby, I’d
like to point out that atheists
are peaceful people on the
whole.
Arabs and the Israelites fight
because their religious ideas do
not peacefully co-exist.
The Pilgrims fled to America
because their religions were be
ing oppressed.
But, in this case, there is less
reason to assume there was
any religious tension than if
the boy had been discovered to
be a Methodist and had shot at
only Baptists.
The reason I state this is be
cause atheism intrinsically im
plies no religion. The only hate
crime I see here is a Christian
looking for reasons to blame
atheists, but perhaps this is a
little harsh.
Let me make you aware that
few atheists hate Christians
and I can’t believe anyone
would ever commit such atro
cious crimes in the name of a
lack of religion.
Andrew Cox
Class of ’01
R.C. Slocum proves
detrimental to team
This letter is in response to Jamie
Burch’s “Aggies still a long way from
playing with college football’s elite
programs”sports article:
Please see Mail Call on Page 16.