OPINION
FueliJay, February 1,2(XX)
THE BATTALION
Page 1
uesJay Kchnw lJM
i eat White trash on the highway
The Klan’s latest publicity stunt should not have to be tolerated by the rest of America
L
each one-ttiirdi
his campaignpt'
"xs sc mn aspossi
Missouri legislator
c argued that i: /\ wants to name a
more adequate / JLstretch of highway
\c ith less lose or b 0 sa Parks, the coura-
\ e marked a d.>eous woman who began
e the talk' wit he c ivil disobedience
o v,<H)l)amas jhase of the Civil Rights
\ na s 1‘resider no\ ement. 1 lo hum, that is
lice But wait. It is not the
>ut citing s*-ur,t.| a rij ing of the highway that makes this story in-
ic'sageNtoM- ereslin g | t j s t he particular stretch of high wax
^ s '' n ‘'’' ' ' "icing named that makes this a notable event.
Imt'on adnairir t ^ ie ^ ll Klan (KKK) asked the
A th ill v • ita * 1 highway department in Missouri (MoD-
rm \x hi h a l° r permission to “Adopt a Highway.”
xx as decplx!
1
i hombine outs ^ at ' l was >H e y a l to do so. Signs were made and
)osted on the highway sax ing, “The next 1 mile
uix fearful A maintained by the Knights of the Ku Klux
ith of souin L xiiu i ’ TTie signs were immediately stolen.
^■ hen. alter causing all this controversx. the
■ ■Bs. failed to maintain the highway. And now.
;o protest the Klan’s highway adoption, Mis
souri Senator William L. Clay Jr. and his sup-
y-*yv*iOorters want to name that particular highway for
. C vUIlRosa Parks. In the xxords of Theodore Roo
sevelt, “Bully for them.”
The Klan, like any other hate group, xx ants
£^_£|J]Jits presence known. Tlie prospect of slipping
into obscurity terrifies them, so they do xxhatex-
er i| takes to stay in the limelight. The purpose
of the organization is to promote a set ofxalues
that the organization's members holds. Prosely
tizing is the name of the KKK's game — spread
^ - hate far and wide.
fortunately for the American public, the
Klan’s is a set of values not shared by a wide
population. The Klan’s presence is tolerated, but
for many, the sight of a Knight in his regalia is
disgusting, or even frightening. In major cities it
is not uncommon to see one of them in down
town! traffic, handing out fliers. The KKK
spreads their hateful message, while the public
tries very hard not to fan the flames of intoler
ance by engaging in unproductive activities
that amount to free publicity for the group. If
only the Klan was as considerate of the public
as the public is of it.
For an organization like the Klan, any pub
licity is good publicity. And they are experts at
getting it. So why name their particular stretch
of highway for a cause antithetical to theirs?
Simply to support the idea that the American
public chooses its own values, that intolerance
and hatred are qualities that, rather than being
celebrated, will make their proponents into
pariahs.
While the KKK forces the public to experi
ence their presence, this is the public’s chance to
force the Klan to understand that there are other
sets of values, that people have their own ideas,
and that the subjugation of non-white populations
is not a goal of tliis nation, and never will be.
xlol )OT, to their credit, asked a federal court to
illoxv them to refuse. The federal court found
The Klan’s presence promotes racial friction,
and many persons of all colors find it offensive.
If the Missouri State Legislature wants to offend
the Klan on behalf of those people, three cheers
for them.
Unfortunately, Americans are so careful
about protecting free speech that at times they
inflict upon themselves the burden of tolerating
what approaches the intolerable, such as the
Klan’s inflammatory rhetoric that offends a vast
number of citizens. While this tolerance may be
necessary Constitutionally, there is no reason
for those offended citizens to take these affronts
lying down.
In this instance, the renaming of the highway
was calculated to offend the sensibilities of a
group whose very existence offends the sensi
bilities of many. What goes around comes
around. Perhaps societal pressures can accom
plish what the Constitution forbids the govern
ment to do: silence an offensive party.
Indeed, the members of the KKK have every
right to believe as they do and to belong to an
association of persons xvho share those beliefs.
And the people of Missouri have every right to
call their highways whatever names they
choose. The Constitution makes it clear that it is
unlawful for the government to silence the
Klan; it does not say that persons who disagree
with the group must do so in silence. Here’s to
equal offense for all.
Ann Hart is a senior
English major.
State budgets reflect misguided plans
T
he performance of
gtCBMHB Texas public schools
makers Ur' JL as rated by the Qual-
mmists ecnc ity Counts 2000 Education
praise to Fe Week Survey revealed un-
Ian (ireensn, acceptably low marks. Of
atucs all the unsatisfactory
already grades the Texas, School
ra j S i m ‘ , n r c System received, the D in
>i)4 anik irlv “improving teacher quali-
and keep inti, ty”' topped off the report.
c ls nmv 3ttl How ever, it is unjust to put
u all the blame on the teachers’
c. the Fed L inabilities,
nd it isexpwee Tcxa s public school
mectinusIiKv: teac hers are given poor re
sources with which to teach
is growings .their students as well as be-
Reserve hx mg grossly underpaid. Crit-
,n and that's w icsxif public schools can call
s aeain."s,iidR for’better teachers and higher
is Researctu -salaries until the sky falls in, but a solution re-
i fact, ire lo * quires government action,
lore rate mcreas The Texas government has adequate finan-
gint: thetoi.ii cial resources, however they are not spending
ig nioxes to . them on education. Texas spent only $37.23
on education out of every $1000 of state
e combination wealth in 1997, according to the Quality
J low inflation Counts Survey. Texas will be unable to reme-
its of a "New i dy the situation in its public schools until it in-
hx the currenu creases educational spending. The state can
long. best achieve this, not by tax increases, but by
he billions of, real locating current resources,
uters and other
s boosted Araer
iniount of oiitpi^
Texas
Schools
part 3 of 3
State funds
should be
spent on
improving
schools
teacher s
salaries
Texas does not have as much money to
spend as most states. According to the Center
for Public Policy Priorities, it was 49th in per
capita general revenue in 1997. But the main
problem is not the amount money coming in but
how the state government is spending it.
The youth of Texas are
its future. But without a
quality education,
the youth of today
will have no future.
Not surprisingly, Texas received a C- for al
location of resources in the latest Quality
Counts Survey. According to a recent Census
Bureau report, states across the nation used an
average of 31 percent of their expenditures on
education. Texas, on the other hand, used only
21 percent of its expenditures on education.
Low spending is acceptable only when accept
able results in the classroom are obtained.
Texas’ performance does not fall in the “accept
able” category.
Texas politicians need to reconsider priori
ties when preparing state budgets. Texas was
ranked 25th in per capita spending on correc
tions and law enforcements but only 35th in per
capita education spending by the Center for
Public Policy Priorities. Apparently, Texas
lawmakers seem to consider effective jails
MAIL CALL
more important than effective schooling. But
research shows that most convicts have lower
levels of education. Perhaps if Texas would
spend more money ensuring a quality education
for its youth, it would have to spend less money
incarcerating them.
The youth of Texas are its future. But with
out a quality education, the youth of today will
have no future. Texas is currently Sending its 1
youth into the world unprepared to deal effi
ciently with reality. The decreasing value of the
high school diploma forces students to either go
to college or accept a dead end job that pays
close to minimum wage. But Texas high school
students are not properly prepared to attend col
lege either. Students graduate with no idea how
to study for higher education and are greatly un
prepared in comparison xvith students from oth
er states. However, the public school system is
helpless without more funding.
The Texas educational system is caught in a
deadly circle. Students must be held account
able for their grades, but they cannot be expect
ed to leani without qualified and well-paid
teachers. If qualified teachers are not paid ac
cordingly and given appropriate resources and
benefits, they will go to another school — out of
Texas. Before anything can improve, the
amount of government resources spent on edu
cation must be increased.
Jessica Crutcher is a sophomore
journalism major.
With new year, the wor
takes steps toward pea
d w ith new Bush’s holiness
>a! economy,te
lany analysts a: DV6VTclt6Cl
The mere suggestion that (iover-
Bush is doing as Jesus would is
EWE FRY 6 Gif ,0 th offensive and misguided. Cor-
ND THE WORftel! makes reference to Governor
, c o Tush’s “respect for the sanctity of
i ife,' 1 but 1 highly doubt that such re-
pect would entail presiding over the
heer number of executions that
Tush does. And such a respect for
, v ife’s sanctity is certainly not
gs • Windchimei . . ,
ciions • incense u demonstrated by daring to mock
n • Zen Gardem hose who he has condemned to
; , Drum ’ leath as he did to Karla Fay Tucker,
Wmm** an ' nterv ' ew to journalist Tucker
Jarlson in Talk magazine.
And the moral comparison be-
ween Bush and Clinton is almost as
listasieful. I f the governor were re-
•entant, why was he so quick to is-
ue himself a new Texas driver’s li-
ense upon entering office, thereby
,xpunging his previous, driving
»<;flay# cord?
/ Further, why does he still avoid
, »-/>n: le issue of cocaine use. Worse yet,
r SDUvJ e continues to lock so many away
i prisons for the mere crime of nar-
otics possession, a crime that Cor-
ell herself claims is suffieciently
ddressed by repentance (lest we
Iso forget, the above referenced
uckcr was also a bom again Chris-
an). And to assert that Governor
lush doesn’t lie simply seems ab-
eutic Center ard. Is there any other reason that
presents
6pm
JBeer
>hop
vel
someone would have to sue him to
have his draft and enlistment records
made public?
To claim that the governor does
what Jesus might do is non sequitur
in the extreme. Bush is hardly an ex
emplary Christian. I’d be hard
pressed to find Bush an exemplary
example of anything but a hypocrite.
Nick Rangel
Graduate Student
Students defend
positive impact
Students are often insensitive to
the community, however, the finan
cial ' ' is not
to be n\-g,ik,i'iv~u. w iiiiv il 1.3 liuC that
the B-CS community - is infested
with students, and with the students
come requisite annoyances such as
noise and irresponsible driving.
However with these minor hic
cups, come the financial benefits to
Brazos Valley. Without Texas A&M,
the B-CS Community would be
nothing more than Brenham, Hemp
stead, or perhaps East Bernard.
What do these communities have in
common? Economically, they are
marginal, but more importantly, they
all have severe problems with juve
nile delinquency.
In Hempstead there was a scan
dal involving nearly the entire cheer
leading squad becoming pregnant.
In Brenham, the youth are the prime
contributors to the crime rate. In
East Bernard, many of the kids are
animal torturers, with a most recent
example being the violent slaying of
a cat at the bats of the East Bernard
Baseball Team.
Alcoholism and unemployment
are rampant. Texas A&M provides
thousands of jobs, and a more en
lightened citizenry. I think that kids
in B-CS could do worse than to
model themselves after the intelli
gent high-achievers of Texas A&M.
If we have a problem with delin
quency of youth, at least our delin
quents are educated.
Brian Dear
Class of ‘01
The Big Event does not only “ex
hibit good intentions,” but produces
great results as well. Countless notes
and letters of appreciation flood are
office regularly from all parts of the
community.
We are currently expanding and
developing The Big Event to many
other universities as well. To say
“most students reside here and move
on without considering the effect
their presence had on College Sta
tion residents” is absurd. Given that
approximately 5,000 students par
ticipate in The Big Event every year,
one could see that the students here
really do care.
Getting involved for one day ab
solutely constitutes community in
volvement. Residents look forward
to The Big Event every year, and
eagerly await students coming to
help them.
In my four years with the com
mittee, I have seen what one day a
year can do for the community. It
can bring a smile to a resident’s face
that may not have smiled for 364
days. As far as the other points in the
column, they are not atypical from
any college town. What makes us
unique, however, is that 5,000 stu
dents from other Universities do not
give back to their community with
one day of service and thanks.
Dustin Quads
Class of ‘00
The Battalion encourages letters to
the editor. Letters must be 300 words or
less and include the author's name,
class and phone number.
The opinion editor reserves the right
to edit letters for length, style, and ac
curacy. Letters may be submitted in per
son at 013 Reed McDonald with a valid
student ID. Letters may also be mailed
to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
77843-1111
Campus Mail: 1111
Fax: (409) 845-2647
E-mail: battletters@hotmail.com
A pproximately
one out of every
50 generations
experiences a change of
the millennium. The ar
rival of the year 2000
brought new hopes and
dreams for all people in
cluding Pope John Paul
II, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic
Church. I lis dream and goal is to unite all
people of the Christian faith. With the change
of the millennium and the beginning of the
Great Jubilee year. Pope John Paul il began
his work toward achieving his dream.
According to the Catholic Church, once
every 25 years the Jubilee occurs, marked
with reconciliation, redemption and pilgrim
ages. The pope used the Jubilee year as a plat
form to unify Christians. One of the cere
monies to bring people together was the
symbolic opening of the last holy door at St.
Paul’s Basilica. The holy door is a focal point
to remind believers that Christ is the Lord.
Those in attendance included the spiritual
leader of the Anglican Church and representa
tives of the Orthodox and Methodist churches.
Previously Alexy II, the patriarch of Moscow,
had disregarded these types of meetings with
the pope. These peo
ple are not expected
to be found at St.
Paul’s in Rome. This
effort is a great start
to destroying intoler
ance among the dif
ferent Christian de
nominations.
The path to reli
gious tolerance has
had many tragedies.
Since the first divi
sion of the church nearly a thousand years
ago, when the Orthodox Church split from
the Catholic Church in Rome, there have
been holy wars fought by people protecting
and spreading their beliefs. From the Cru
sades to the conflict in Bosnia-I lerzegovina,
blood was shed in the name of the Christian
God and intolerance has been widespread.
The work to stop these horrifying conflicts
came from a broad spectrum of people, in-
' eluding the pope. Many look to the pope
with respect and listen when he speaks, re
gardless of their denomination. With the head
of the Catholic Church wanting to unite all
people — not as Catholics or Protestants but
as Christians — many look to this new mil
lennium with the hope of a promising future
free of religious intolerance.
Many non-Catholics performed various
tasks from readers to deacons during the ser
vice that included the pontiff’s cry for unity.
The pope had saved the last Jubilee door for a
time when all Christian denominations could
attend. With this extra effort and this wish for
unity, Pope John Paul II even spoke about not
being the head of the new non-denominational
Christian faith. He does not want people to
feel that he wants to convert everyone to
Catholicism but that he wants everyone to join
as Christians with only one label Christian.
Many Catholics feel that the pope is
weakening the church by his willingness to
end the denominational division. They hold
to the Catholic name and to the idea that they
are the one true church. Other denominations
are also unwilling to comprise and mold their
beliefs to one uniform Christian doctrine.
With major differences in church doctrine,
many critics feel that the pope’s message is
just a public relations stunt to bring more
people to the Catholic Church. If the dream of
unity is to become reality, issues such as fe
male priesthood must now be addressed.
In November of last year, many religious
leaders, including the Dali Lama, met at the
Sea of Galilee to discuss the path to peace
among the world’s religions. Their goal was
to urge their followers not to use religion as a
reason for separation. The faiths represented
at this historic gathering included Christiani
ty, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. The leaders
wanted to expand the belief of religious toler
ance to all.
Also there has been progress in other parts
of the world. The Nigeria Inter-Religious
Council convened on January 27 of this year
to initiate a peace plan to stop the conflicts
and killings
among the differ
ent religious
faiths.
The world has
spent too many
years fighting
holy wars. This is
a new era and a
new time. By
working together
these senseless
killings can be
ended. It sends a message of progress and
unity when the head of the oldest Christian
denomination is willing to not lead the new
church. Pope John Paul 11 opened the door of
hope when he invited other Christians to join
in the opening of that symbolic door.
The door is no longer just a symbol of the
Jubilee year in the Roman Catholic Church,
but it is a symbol of the chance to end age-old
animosities and wars in the name of a greater
good. When leaders from the Pentecostal,
Anglican and Orthodox churches attended
this historic gathering in the heart of Roman
Catholicism, a place where they are not usu
ally seen, it sent a message to all people —
whether Christian or not — that the world is
ready for religious tolerance and the chance
for peace.
The world should take notice that not just
one man wants this peace but people every
where. Not just the world, but communities
and small towns need to strive for this type of
tolerance, for this is where the real work hap
pens. If it can happen at St. Paul’s Basilica in
Rome, it can happen in anyone’s backyard.
The door is no longer just a
symbol of the Jubilee
year in the Roman Catholic
Church, but a symbol of the
chance to end age-old animosi
ties and wars in the name
of a greater good.
Brieanne Porter is a freshman
chemical engineering major.
enter