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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1999)
e Battalion o PINION Page 11 • February 12, 1999 tod {Signs, signs, everywhere signs ally signs posted around A&M campus nake Aggies appear ridiculous y mindless JANIK^ moderate \ ; — Olymp;: ollinsot.Ma:: ise their deo rer moderate stepped fc r to say dev. on. use to say it s and soari ^ cattered across the icense® Texas A^M campus, ces whoac ^ there are scores of signs ys, hesaic ainfc the obvious and mak- :ig j ^guj es joo^ Students encounter hun- ; : ' eds of signs on campus eryday, but has anyone ueuk u er sl0 pp ec } to read some of Gunn truly ignorant signs post- he presic around A&M? Take the Zachry Building for instance. tutiondl >used in the lair of the Aggie engineers are o ol the most outrageous signs in College or revelation. First, in one of the first floor male thrpoms, there is a sign reminding Aggies to, "lease flush the toilet.” Senateinac '^ at circumstances could have possibly war- ited the creation of this sign? Are these Aggies is in votin': enveloped in engineering that they need to be oversy broke n * nt * e ^ t0 use ^ ie little handle? Hopefully this u Clinton hj: n I s more of a joke than a necessity, m House Re: Elsewhere in Zachry, there is a copy ma- ; in 2000. i ne wi th instructions reading “Please do not deeply trc. at the machine.” Who in Aggieland needs a it views c > n to tell them not to beat the Xerox? I feel tional procet rr y lor the recent job recruiters at Zachry y for revest 10 were given the impression that Aggies are ader TentL 'Pid, thanks to these silly signs. ' Housesp - Moving across campus, the Bright Building t did not den; nslhe award for the best bathroom sign. In ut said, “1 at econd-story lavatory there is actually a sign nore dumb si pressly prohibiting “Washing Dishes In the ifter people ik.” First, who brings dishes to campus, and they were a 'ond, what other object in the bathroom lot." Duld be used to wash dishes? After seeing the proliferation of dumb signs campus, the PTTS must have felt compelled ^^get in on the action. Anyone recently riding ’-y y * A Ami i? buses 0 n campus will notice a new sign on ? b us instructing Aggies to call “[PTTS] or ’it or Website.” It looks like the geniuses at Bus Operations got “our” is really spelled with two vowels, their credit, some bus drivers have covered 1 the error on the sign, but the masking tape ly Bukes the mistake more obvious, hilari- s and humiliating. Nearly every classroom has signs chiding idents not to have food or drinks in the )m, but the signs at the Bush School are the st.lnstead of simply saying “No Food or ink,” the Dan Quayle contingency at the lool added the phrase, “In consideration of tl Uo u re Aggies, please no food or drink.” Ill nClll'i guess the political science students are so grant with their Cokes and candy that they need an extra reason to follow the rules. At least the sign does not say “For the sake of the children no food or drink.” The official campus redneck sign can be found at Research Park. Posted prominently around the ponds there are signs insisting Aggies neither “Fish, Swim, or Wade” in the pools. I hope this sign was a pro-active measure. Was there actually a time at A&M where Research Park was a swimmin’ and fishin’ hole? On second thought, for students from the backwoods parts of east Texas, every scum pond is not only a source of food, but the per fect relief on hot summer day. Perhaps this sign really is necessary. Despite these ludicrous examples, not all signs on campus are valueless. Signs telling students to “Keep off the grass” and “For your safety, please stand away from tracks while train is present” are actually useful. The signs posted by the Aggie Social De mocrats are always good for a laugh. And the Pro-Bonfire-Replant-Hazing signs let Aggies know the ideology of the dorm residents on campus. "Hundreds of prospective students and employers vis it our campus every week If they see Aggies need to be reminded to flush the toilet ... what will they think?” However, it is time to tear down the ridicu lous signs posted around the University. Hun dreds of prospective students and employers visit our campus every week. If they see Aggies need to be reminded to flush the toilet and about copy machine etiquette, what will think of our system of education? It is time for Aggies to take a stand. Perhaps the leadership gurus in Student Government should form a committee, and address this pressing problem. If no one takes a stand against stupid signs on our campus, the prob lem will only get worse. People will no longer need to go to the MSC Bookstore to buy Aggie joke books. Rather, the jokes will be posted around campus on stupid A&M signs. Glenn Janik is a senior political science major. , tise in gay discharges shows effect of‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy ^™|he word is out: Despite ef- ■forts to equalize opportu- ■fnity for gays and lesbians serve in the U.S. military, an er-increasing number of ser- a members are being dis- rged. Atlthe close of last fiscal year, department of Defense re- rted a record 997 members —'.charged for homosexual be- ASON STARCH t ORDiw. in That number has been rising every 3 vynLM« 3r since when President Clinton instituted -ORMERSk? “don’t ask, don’t tell,” policy. The Defense De- JR. ALUMNI rtment claims the onslaught of discharges is proof uary 17,199ithe effectiveness of the implementation of the pol- lirements' ^ ome people think the mass of discharges is dis- J 77 . mination against homosexuals. undergraduatecrefli IT /p. x ^ TT , j nt system. (Apasse- However, it is not discrimination. Homosexual s.) havior has no place in the military. residence at Texas Chapter 37 of U.S. Code Title 10 states since there 4 or thereafter, orno constitutional right to serve in the military, and ie following parage i ce discretion of qualifications for service lies credits, this required thin tho r'nnm-ooo r^nr-^c, , , „ thin the Congress, Congress has the authority and ormation to exclude any persons from service sred an^as ASiki 10 would degrade the high standards of discipline, w term (iand HoM® ,n §ress recognizes that military life is fundamen- og). ly different than civilian life because it requires, ity. • rules, laws, customs and traditions, including nu- registrationortraiWf-' merous restrictions on personal behavior, that would not be acceptable in civilian society.” Okay, translation time. What Congress is really saying — and many who wrote the policy served in the military — is the military is here to defend democracy, not practice it. The military is selective because America needs those persons who are best able and willing to defend it, otherwise we will lose this great nation. I am a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, and when I enlisted in the service, I had to accept a new standard. I had to swear that I would, “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” That means enemies from the outside and from within our society. Those enemies include anyone who would deter other service members from doing their duty: pro viding for the common defense. Defense requires singular purpose of mind. Gays and lesbians who show outward signs of homosexual behavior should not be involved in the “common defense.” If homosexuals are actively promoting their pref erences or behavior, then they are not only showing a lack of singular purpose, but they are causing het erosexuals a high degree of discomfort about an ex tremely sensitive issue, which disables everyone from providing defense. In the same fashion, het erosexuals who behave in similar ways are subject to charges under sexual harassment laws. No one is above the law. Any behavior which destroys unit co hesion is unacceptable, and is not allowable be cause it distracts attention from the mission of de fense. That behavior includes lack of discipline, lack of physical fitness, sexual harassment and, yes, ho mosexual behavior. The key word there is “behavior.” Behavior means outwardly saying or doing something, not thinking to oneself. If no one else is confronted with it, then the distraction is removed. That is the real is sue. Homosexuals are not being singled out. The be havior is being singled out. The military is not oblig ated to follow the Bill of Rights, just to defend it. Matt Coles, a lawyer with the American Civil Lib erties Union, told a federal court of appeals last year, “The government can’t shut up the speech because somebody doesn’t like the message.” Sorry, Matt, but the military sure can. The same restriction that prevents a service member from slan dering the Commander-in-Chief applies to homosex ual behavior. Certain personal behavior is and should be restricted, and for good reason. If, as a Marine, I could say or do whatever I wished regardless of my leaders, what would moti vate me to follow their orders? I could just as easily say, “I don’t feel that attacking that enemy machine- gun position is the right policy. I won’t order my Marines to do it. ” That is the same as saying that I won’t defend the Constitution because I disagree with the order I was given. That is pure selfishness; putting myself before my country does not offer much security for others. What happened to the oath I swore? The same breakdown of discipline and order is caused by open homosexual behavior. Is the right of the individual more important that the good of the nation? I am a Marine, not a philosopher, yet com mon sense compels the answer: selfish behavior cannot be tolerated in the defense of this nation. Soldiers have the right to an opinion, but they give up the right to certain behavior so other Ameri can citizens can have their rights. I gave up many rights to serve this country, and no less than my all is expected. That applies to everyone in a uniform. Service in defense is a great privilege. With it, comes a great responsibility. It means putting coun try before personal desires. That sacrifice is impor tant to remember when Americans think about the value of their freedom. Sacrifice is the responsibility of every service member, including homosexuals. If a service member does not like it, they can finish their term of service and return to civilian life. But while they are on duty they cannot allow the blanket of freedom to by stolen or torn apart by anyone. Jason Starch is a junior rangeland economy major. registration or Ira^ y lupid busy robbing humans of money, brains during Valentine’s Day merits it have an Aggie < l,: - )wing requirements M University Sluder uring the sec ond month of . ,0,;- -fli each year the i to this semesters' ,.l . . completion" W nllC is lied to. No, The original letter* It the State of the 'our degree beingP* )j ori address — that lingi ippens in January. r ring on April 15,7 Tfo,, major decep- ln the second . «: onth is all the / for your ring audit. > r _ nay noi (wesutw ,^ tlcntines Day lopla, when tradition dictates that peo- 3:30 am, ■ 3:30(wn* e are expected to express their undying oney order, w yoinf' ve t 0 one another. Love, romance and 'tssion are the goals of this day, herald- 1 not by its namesake, St. Valentine, but ; a therub by the name of Cupid. Cupid is depicted as a sweet, cute, inged cherub who flies around with ithing on but a diaper and smites lovers Russell PAGE everywhere with love-arrows. The truth is Cupid looks more like someone on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list. Instead of a quiver of heart- piercing arrows, he has a vacuum that is aimed directly at peoples bank accounts. For all the money he sucks out of people who are in love every year, be sure he is dressed in more than a diaper; the boy is wearing an Armani suit and smoking Cuban cigars. Every February 14, this evil little boy comes out to convince the lovers of this country that the amount of money a man spends is equal to the depth of his love. The more over- priced flowers, heart- shaped candies and insincere cards a man gives, the higher he will be es teemed in the eyes of the one he holds dear. Those gifts barely scratch the sur face. If a man really wants to say “I love you" do not forget the jewelry, poetry, balloons, singing telegrams, stuffed ani mals, perfume and cute, cuddly puppies. If a woman receives all these gifts she knows one of two things: either he really loves her or he just messed around with her best friend and feels guilty. Cupid is very busy on this one day of the year. Not only does he have to con vince the romantically involved to spend, spend, spend, but he also must make those without a significant other feel in significant. This is the one day of the year when those who have no dates are most painfully aware of the fact. The fact they are not being ripped off by the flower industry is little solace for their lack of companionship. But why would anyone buy into the lies Cupid whispers like so many sweet noth ings into our ears? Can some one please explain what is so romantic about going out to dinner and having to wait two hours because every other couple in College Sta tion is at the restaurant? The truth behind this holiday is that it is a chance for women to brag about and compare just how whipped their men real ly are. Men can forget birthdays and an niversaries but no man can pretend that he just did not know that Valentine’s was coming. The more money men spend on women the better they look in front of their friends. If the only time ladies get gifts from their men is on Valentine’s Day, the women either need to move on or stop the self delusion that they have their men wrapped around their little fingers. If the only reason a man buys his wife or girl friend flowers or sends her a card is when he has to, then he is weak for giving into popular pressure and uninspired as a lover. It is time to stop this yearly cycle of stupidity. The truth is none of these gifts express love. Part of romance is spon taneity and thoughtfulness. It is extreme ly difficult to be spontaneous when someone is expecting it. What is the point of buying someone a gift to express love when the gift is a cliche? One has to wonder if there are any romantic ideas out there that have not been over com mercialized. If someone wants to do something sweet for his or her significant other try to come up with something out of the or dinary. see Valentine's on Page 12.
