The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 11, 1999, Image 11

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elBattalion
Page 11 ‘Thursday, February 11, 1999
A n addition to the tradition?
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introduction of alcohol to The Zone diminishes Aggie traditions, spirit of A&M football
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CHAEL WAGENER/The Battalion
bile the ad
dition of
The
Zone” to the North
End of Kyle Field
will add to the in
timidating sur
roundings of Aggie
home games, it will
also damage the
tradition of the sta- ■■■*^^****
dium itself. And the damage has noth
ing to do with the movement of the de
ceased Reveilles.
The problem with “The Zone” will
be found in the luxury boxes. It is in
these private boxes that, for an exorbi
tant amount of money, alumni will be
allowed to disregard the memory of
fallen Aggies and drink from a fully-
stocked bar.
Breaking the tradition of no alcohol
diminishes Kyle Field as a memorial to
all Aggies who have died in combat. It
also raises the question, “If the rich are
allowed to drink why not the rest of the
fans?”
Every Aggie who has gone to a Fish
Camp or Freshman Orientation Confer
ence knows the rules of Kyle Field. The
most important is no one is allowed to
step on Kyle Field except those on the
team or in the band. Then there are all
the procedures of the yells and songs.
Finally, as is announced before every
kickoff, there is no alcohol allowed in
Kyle Field — except for those who can
afford a private luxury box.
The only people who can realistical
ly purchase these boxes are wealthy
alumni — the very people who built
the traditions of this campus and stay
involved to make sure that these tradi
tions are not lost.
By serving alcohol in these boxes the
message is being sent that for the right
dollar amount A&M is willing to sell
out.
Other traditions may see similar
changes. Fish Camps could be spon
sored by local businesses. Instead of
faculty namesakes; there could be a
Camp Chicken Oil or a Camp Planned
Parenthood.
Think of the impression this type of
marketing would have on young, naive
fish.
Likewise, fish, along with every oth
er Aggie, look up to their elders. This
admiration can be seen in traditions
like Wildcats, Senior Boots, and Aggie
rings. Will the next level of seniority be
the right to drink at football game.
While a distant dream for most gradu
ates, a luxury box could show that they
have reached the pinnacle of Aggie
privileges.
Or will it lead to undergraduates
wanting to “pull-out” and drink in the
student section. It would make finan
cial sense for the University. Imagine
the amount of revenue that could be
raised by selling ice cold beer in the
middle of a Texas September. Of course,
the number of heat strokes and dehy
dration cases would sky rocket, but it
could become the new Aggie way to en
joy a football game.
As the weather becomes more tolera
ble, think of the intoxicated enthusiasm
that would pulsate from the stands.
80,000 drunken, delirious, decadent fans
chanting in unison.
Perhaps the yell leaders could amend
some of the yells. Instead of “Gig Em,
Aggies” it could be “Drink Up, Aggies.”
But by the end of the third quarter no
one would be able to stand to sing the
“Aggie War Hymn. ”
While this may sound like great fun,
alcohol would ruin the image of Kyle
Field and A&M.
The respect that is shown to our op
position and each other at football
games makes A&M special. A&M is not
like other universities, whose drunken
fans heckle and berate their opponents.
The way to truly show Aggie hospi
tality is to make them feel at home.
A&M home football games are special
and should be kept that way.
Like weddings and other occasions,
an Aggie home game is special for both
students and alumni. And the use of al
cohol should be allowed in a similar
manner. Most weddings allow alcohol
at the rehearsal dinner and at the recep
tion, but very few allow the guest to
booze it up during the ceremony.
“The Zone” is definitely going to
make Kyle Field one of the most awe
inspiring venues in college sports. But,
there is no need to for alcohol to be
served in it. There is a time and a place
for everything, and Kyle Field is not the
place and during the game is not the
time.
Brandon Mullen is a senior history
and English major.
te’re Bat
The Cue
EE POOL HI
Bate crime
legislation attacks American civil liberties, not hate
w/ student lift took an extra 15
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nesday NighH- though George
* „ i L ( rwell s masterpiece,
/ free all ^ fj na uy com _
lollege-acrossfrortg true.
822-0791 America, a place
lorthgatetraditio^ veret j f 01 - freedom
"'belief, is becoming
bother Oceania — a
nd where thought-
CXf /KINl-jme is a reality.
SPRAY IJL Only in America,
Manisha
PAREKH
m
‘thoughtcrime” has
een renamed “hate crime laws.’
, , i J That is correct. In our rush to be truly
ANY TRlJCKT lir and f° r justice, we as a country
ave trarn Pl eb over one of the most fun-
$098 amjental rights we have: the freedom of
S'**** lought and belief.
1806-C Weis' The groups that have masterminded
College StaMiis ettack against American civil liber-
Location as Houses were trying to accomplish a noble
1-2401 7jjpaL ending hate crimes. As a society
that is constantly trying to better itself,
hate crimes are a dark reminder of the
past, when equality was just a lofty ideal
touted by philosophers. Incidents such as
the murder of James Byrd in Jasper are
revolting and sad reminders of what hate
can do to innocent citizens.
Senseless incidents such as this lead
people to feel helpless, and there is an
overwhelming need to somehow deal with
the shock and fear. But hate crime legisla
tion is not the way to deal with that fear.
The current hate crime laws that have
been enacted in several states give prose
cutors the opportunity to impose extra
penalties on criminals — beyond the sen
tence handed down for the actual act —
if the criminal appears to have been mo
tivated by the victim’s religion, race, sex
ual orientation or ethnic background.
This should frighten Americans for sever
al reasons.
First, hate crime legislation punishes
criminals for what they believe, not for
what they have done. After the criminal
has already been found guilty and sen
tenced for the actual crime, he receives
an extra sentence for what he was think
ing about or feeling when he committed
the crime.
Steve Dasbach, national chairman for
the Libertarian Party, said hate crime leg
islation creates a dangerous precedent.
“When politicians start punishing peo
ple for what they think — not for what
they do — they create a chilling new cat
egory of wrongdoing: thought crimes,”
Dasbach said.
If criminals are already being pun
ished for the actual crime, how and why
can they be punished for their thoughts?
Is America trying to say it is “better” to
commit a crime if the criminal did not
hate the victim? This is, in effect, what
hate crime legislation says.
Second, “hate” is a subjective concept.
What one person may classify as a strong
dislike, another person may classify as
hate. Who are we to sit and judge the
feelings of another person? How can a
judge or jury know if something was tru
ly motivated by hate unless they have the
ability to read the criminal’s mind?
Supporters of hate crime legislation
claim it is easy to decide whether a crime
was motivated by hate. Is it? In the case
of Matthew Shepard, half of the nation is
crying “hate crime” while the accused
claim they were simply motivated by
greed. Who can honestly know what an
other person thinks?
Third, what exactly is a hate crime?
According to the National Center for Poli
cy Analysis, some states — including
Texas — are vague as to which groups a
hate crime can be committed against.
This leaves the door open for crime
against anyone to be classified as a hate
crime.
And finally, what exactly do hate
crime laws do? Do they promote equali
ty? No. How can there be equality if a
criminal can be sentenced to five more
years in prison if attacks an Asian as op
posed to a European? In a roundabout
way, hate crime laws make it more
“okay” to attack certain groups of people
than others.
Hate crimes are disgusting, and as a
society and a country, Americans need to
teach people to love each other, not hate
each other. But that cannot be accom
plished by eroding the very values this
country was founded on. Hate crime
laws equal thoughtcrime laws, and that is
the worst type of oppression: punishing a
man for what he thinks. After all, in this
world, what does a person truly own oth
er than his own mind?
Manisha Parekh is a junior psychology
and journalism major.
\LLOOi
lASKET 1
s’ Johnson crossed line
i:
inter is over, and it is
time for Major League
Baseball to make its re-
jrn. Next week, players will re-
PASSWATERS
nV ;ort t0 S P rin 8 Twining, and one of
1 ED Lw' 1 ie more interesting camps to be
ROG t would be the Toronto Blue
OLELlCH 3y This is not because they have Mark_
KISSES chance of winning the World
erie 3 , or because Roger
EVIL llemens is pouting in the corner until he is traded,
J"|" YOU ut because of their manager, Tim Johnson.
dimi/ To this point in his career, he has not been very
I PINK uccessful. In fact, he is in jeopardy of being fired.
GOLD This is not really fair to a guy who, according to
n MfU 6 ^* ue 1998 media guide, served two tours as
11 NIL Marine i n Vietnam and was so good at basketball
hat he almost went to the University of California at
■ III I,os Angeles (UCLA) on a scholarship.
’ Unfortunately for Johnson, he received his degree
a :om the Bill Clinton School of Public Disclosure in-
k' lead. In other words, he is a liar.
Lying about being good enough to play basketball
pr the great John Wooden at UCLA is not original;
atslof average basketball players, after a few drinks,
Imost went to UCLA.
y Lying about serving during a major armed con-
DEDTOANY(W>Elt| :
RUARY ft, 1999.
diet, however, is a little different. In fact, it is a de
spicable act that mocks everyone who has ever put
their life on the line in battle.
Johnson was a Marine. In fact, he served for six
years — in the Reserves. He taught mortar technolo
gy (how to use mortars, in civilian speak) to troops
going to Vietnam — but he never set foot there.
If Johnson’s stories were to be believed, he was
serving in Vietnam when he was actually playing
minor league baseball, a remarkable feat.
Maybe he thought there were minor league clubs
in Da Nang and Saigon.
In a way, it was a shame Johnson broke down
and told the world that he had been lying for the
past 15 years.
His experiences seemed so fascinating, there was
a desire to hear more of Johnson’s stories about his
service in Vietnam.
Maybe someday he would have revealed those
deep, dark war secrets that he said he could not talk
about. Of course, now we know why he did not talk
about them. He had not made them up yet.
The 1999 Blue Jays’ media guide will omit any
mention of Johnson’s “service” or “basketball skill.”
His credibility with the team and society has van
ished with them.
According to the Associated Press, Johnson has
apologized to the organization and to his players
in lying about combat service
and said he is a changed person. He also said he
feels better about himself now that this weight has
been lifted off of his shoulders.
Isn’t that special.
“Lying about serving in combat
is tantamount to spitting in
the face of every soldier who
has ever been in battle../'
Johnson has yet to apologize to the people that
matter most — the veterans and families of those
that actually did serve in combat, and no amount of
makeup is going to cover up the damage done to his
reputation.
Lying about one’s service in the military is cer
tainly not something to be proud of. Lying about
serving in combat is tantamount to spitting in the
face of every soldier who has ever been in battle, re
gardless of what uniform they wore.
It minimizes the courage and selflessness they
showed, risking their life for a nation or an ideal.
Johnson should be punished.
However, he should not be fired, since it would
actually be worse for him to go to work every day
knowing that he does not have the respect of his
players.
For these players, knowing that they are on a ball-
club that probably cannot compete with the likes of
New York and Baltimore is tough enough; but play
ing for someone as fake as Milli Vanilli?
Disastrous. A manager is looked to as a leader
and symbol of authority, and his greatest strength is
having the team’s trust. Toronto’s players probably
have more faith in Middle East peace than their
manager.
What will Johnson do when one of his players,
less than awed by his manager, ignores him? Fine
the guy?
To fine one of these millionaires would have the
same effect as Fiji declaring war on Ecuador: zero.
Johnson’s lies have destroyed his ability to do his
job effectively.
But this is not ample punishment either. Maybe a
just punishment would be to have Johnson apolo
gize face to face to all Vietnam veterans, one at a
time.
Then they could tell him their true stories, one at
a time.
Mark Passwaters is a electrical engineering
graduate student.