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OPINION
liday, February 14, 2(KX)
THE BATTALION
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Candidate fumbles by using beer, pizza to get votes
rCAIN FIGHTS FOR TH E RIGHT
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EMILY HARRELUl III Battalion
C ollege students, lake note:
some politicians seem to
think your support can be
won vvith little or no effort.
And the biggest culprit of
the 2000 election could be
John McCain.
The McCain campaign
claims that young voters com
prise a large portion of his support. Did this support
come because the young agree with his spin on the is
sues, or because he mentioned during a New Hamp
shire meeting that his favorite hand was Nine Inch
Nails? Most likely he wins support by throwing beer
and pizza campaign parties for college students.
A McCain campaign event held Feb. 3 catered to
college students’ appetites by serving free pizza and
beer, according to the Drudge Report. Held in a
hangar at the Greenville-Spartanburg International
Airport, students from Clemson University, Universi
ty of South (. arolina. Furman, Wofford and Newberry
partied until McCain arrived on stage at 3 a.m. to the
song “Play That Funky Music (White Hoy)."'
“No one was even carded [for the alcohol],”
said a student.
The technique used by McCain is abhorrent be
cause politicians are supposed to be good exam
ples. 1 losting a beer and pizza bash past 3 a.m. on
a school night may seem cool at tlrst glance. But
McCain should not endorse such an irresponsible
campaign method.
Serving alcohol to minors is not only irresponsi
ble, it is illegal.
”1 tun disgusted by the fact this man has used free
are in tune with his message," another student Irom
Furman said.
Some people at the event resorted to calling aiqrort
security because there was no security presence.
Even when a police officer arrived, he “did very little
to prevent open containers being taken out into the
parking lot, people driving drunk, etc,” according to
the Drudge Report. Some of the students drank non
stop for over four hours.
Though the tactic used by McCain seems repre
hensible, he scored the desired effect. By offering a
cool party to college students, McCain won favor
among them, and perhaps more than a few votes.
Campaign managers think young people only
want to make money and go to rock concerts. Hand
out a beer while playing rock music, and the young
will vote as desired.
White college students may not agree with the
campaigners' hypothesis, the students at the McCain
rally apparently saw nothing wrong with taking the
free goodies while extending the “college students
only want to party” stereotype.
Norman Lultbeg. professor of political science
at Texas A&M said politicians tend to ignore is
sues affecting college students, such as financial
aid and the legal drinking age. The reason, he
said, is probably because so lew members of the
young demographic vote.
“It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg debate. It
is not known whether college students don’t vote be
cause their issues are ignored, or if politicians don’t
deal with their issues because [the students] don’t
vote,” Lultbeg said.
The demographic section consisting of 18 to 25-
year-olds has always had the fevvesf participants in the
democratic process. Only about one-third of those 18
to 25 said they voted in the last election.
McCain served as chairperson of the directors of
the International Republican Institute (IRl), which
worked to increase participation among young, apa
thetic voters in several countries, such as Slovakia, ac
cording to Christine Stone of the British Helsinki Hu
man Rights Group. McCain and the 1RI used the U.S.
Rock the Vote technique for the 1 ( >98 Slovakian elec
tions. Now McCain will use the strategies he learned
with the IRI in the U.S. presidential election of2000.
Campaigners began the Rock the Vote program in
1 ‘G1 to encourage young Americans to register and
vote. The program was promoted at concerts, clubs,
record stores and on MTV, hoping that the young
would think it cool to be politically active.
may claim some success in increasing the number of
young voters. However, the voters who were inllu-
enced by Rock the Vote heard very little actual politi
cal meat and tons of political hype. The program at
tempts to place politicians in areas where young
people are more likely to pay attention, but more often
than not, the politicians do not discuss what they stand
for and why young people should vote for them.
If politicians w'ant to he taken seriously by young
people, they must use political stimulation instead of
manipulation. College students should challenge
politicians to be interested in their concerns, instead of
getting wasted and cheering along whoever buys the
beer first.
Jill Riley is a senior
journalism major.
m v of this fran?
thletic Dept, chooses cash over students in Aggie Alley decision
f F
ust eight months after
representing Texas
A&M in Omaha at the
T/ege World Scries, the
gie baseball team is back
ive back forkkesYiMuetion. As always, faith-
)ihu alive defenses of ft) fans pack the stands of
, became a player-c Ojsen Field and support
and his new systems wir beloved Aggies. For
hat Fandiy hadtodeirs, those who could not
cm. •, ■ in to the stands were content to sit behind the
Mfield fence, either atop the railroad tracks be
hind right field or in the parking lot which has
etionately become known as “Aggie Alley”
bind the left field wall. It is a tradition as old
he game of baseball itself—diehard fans
ning their necks, trying as hard as they can to
;e| a look at the game they love.
So much for tradition. This season is the first
Ivhich determination and quickness will not
ie|able to get loyal fans a spot in Aggie Alley,
pparently not content with the record-setting
[mission returns of the 1999 season, the Texas
RDNG3515' fM University Athletic Department decided
RENR 205:. P charge fans who are not even in the stadium.
3COM327.® pw again, the University administration has
S0CI 205.50i)|own that its primary goal is to make money off
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of the athletic program instead of fostering
school spirit mid tradition.
Without consultation from the students who
faithfully attend A&M baseball games, the Ath
letic Department has commenced the selling of
parking permits for Aggie Alley. One hundred
dollars (or a mere$50 for the financially
strapped college student), a ticket to the game,
and an incredible amount of luck on parking
spot lottery day is what it now takes an Aggie
baseball fan to get a spot out behind the left
field fence.
What was a fun and spirit-charged way to
see a baseball game is now another economic
windfall for the University. Although the Ath
letic Department has cited a number of rea
sons for the new Aggie Alley policy, none of
them hold any water except for the economic
influx the new policy will create. Once again,
the Athletic Department is chasing dollars and
ignoring students.
Athletic Director Wally Groff cited incidents
that occurred at last year’s Texas-Texas A&M
game in Aggie Alley as sufficient reasoning for
closing the area to the general public. Certainly
those incidents, which were minor and no more
out of control than some ofthe events occurring
within the stadium, cannot justify the need to sell
permits and exclude fans from Aggie Alley.
If the University is trying to limit the number
of disturbances in Aggie Alley, closing the park
ing area during each game once a limit on cars
and people is reached makes sense. Having uni
formed securi
ty officers, like
those in the sta
dium, to dis
courage unruly
fans from get
ting out of
hand makes
sense. What
does not make
sense is charg
ing Ians to sit
in a poorly lit parking lot and look all the way
across a baseball field to see the game.
It is no coincidence that the incidents to which
Director Groff referred occurred when demand
for seats was at an all-time high. At most games
during the season, Aggie Alley is comfortably in
habited by a handful of diehard fans who have
made a tradition of parking their trucks behind the
fence and enjoying the game with their buddies.
What was a fart and
spirit-charged way to see a
baseball game is now
another economic windfall
for the University.
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Giuliani
ee speech
‘H
’s reputation under fire
infringements should not be overlooked in Senate race
Instead of making fans pay because Olsen
Field does not have enough room to accommo
date the record crowds, perhaps the Athletic De
partment should consider expanding seating at
the stadium. Over the past four years, the Athletic
Department built a new multi-purpose arena and
tennis facility, and
added The Zone
to Kyle Field. It is
hard to believe
that they have
now run out of
funds and cannot
afford to add
some bleachers
behind the fence
at Olsen Field.
Of course, do
ing so would mean losing the opportunity to
market and make money off Aggie Alley. Just
as the campus has been inundated with adver
tisements for The Zone and The Court at Reed
Arena, ads for Aggie Alley at Olsen Field are
no doubt being prepared at this very moment.
Perhaps Athletic Director Groff stated the
problem with the Aggie Alley situation best when
he told The Battalion, “I was not aware that the
Hallmark's New
"Real World" Valentine Series
e’s like an
archetype
of the ftg-
that the First
imendment was kind
"f aimed at protecting
from — the govern-
nt official out of
atrol,” said Bruce
Her, a professor at
ftstern New England College of Law.
■ No, Miller is not referring to any of
fc obvious answers such as Adolf
Hiller, Saddam Hussein, or Joseph Mc-
irthy. Instead, he is referring to the cel-
irated mayor of New York City —
Bdolph Giuliani.
■ Such criticism of Giuliani is hard to
lallow at first. He has traditionally en-
lyed some of the highest approval rat-
|gs ever recorded amongst his con-
ituents. Giuliani’s eagerness to please
Id defend the people of New York City
Is been legendary — from hosting Sat-
jday Night Live in drag to firing off in
sults against Atlanta Braves’ pitcher
john Rocker.
I More importantly, Giuliani has been
|('dited with single-handedly “cleaning
up 1 New York City during his time in
Ifice, a feat deemed impossible before
[lis election. The unorthodox, iron-fist
Bthods with which he has restored the
|ty to grace gives Giuliani ample ammu-
tfion in his current campaign for the
'I seven cours jjj ii e( j states Senate. Giuliani is shrewd-
I he Box Ofiic If billing himself as a hard-hitting, no
ions.
site
5 <£
17
)rmalion and
nonsense leader with proven results.
There is one troubling misconception
that needs to be clarified, however — it
must be realized that Giuliani’s ruthless
and aggressive nature can prove to be his
fatal Haw as well. At numerous times,
Giuliani has defiantly infringed on the
First Amendment rights of citizens who
have opposed his agenda as mayor. Such
rampant disregard has caused many of
Giuliani’s detractors to label him a tyrant.
The voters of the state of New York
need to realize the threat Giuliani impos
es to their constitutional rights and think
twice about electing him to Congress.
Here is an interesting statistic: Giu
liani has been sued over two dozen times
on grounds of the First Amendment and
has lost virtually every case.
One notable case was the mayor’s at
tempt to cut off the Brooklyn Museum of
Art’s funding after it showcased a paint
ing of the Virgin Mary decorated with
elephant excrement.
Another example has Giuliani at
tempting to halt New York magazine
from buying advertisement space on New
York City buses following its light-heart
ed campaign poking fun at him.
In both of these cases, it is ridicu
lously evident that Giuliani abuses his
power. It is not his job to decide what is
obscene and what is not. More impor
tantly, it is not Giuliani’s place to hold
personal grudges and revoke the consti
tutional rights of those who do not share
his views.
Understandably, Giuliani’s frequent
infringement on the First Amendment has
made him the butt of jokes at many law
schools across the nation.
“It is important in any area of law to
try to show students that what they’re
learning is relevant. The beauty of living
in New York is that the mayor is constant
ly generating classroom hypotheticals,”
said Michael Dorff, a Columbia Universi
ty professor of law.
“The reason why I think professors
are teaching ‘Giuliani 101,’ in effect, is
that this is a clear example of govern
ment abuse of authority,” said Norman
Siegel, the director of the New York Civil
Liberties Union.
As mayor, Giuliani’s primary duty is
to keep his constituency’s interests fti
mind when making public policy. This
duty does not include singling out certain
forms of speech against which he has a
personal bias against.
As a potential United States Senator,
his duties will not change. Accordingly, it
is very unlikejy that Giuliani will forget
his distaste for the First Amendment.
It must be kept in mind that Giuliani’s
influence as of this moment is limited to
the city limits of New York City. If he is
elected to Congress, Giuliani will have a
say in legislation affecting all Americans.
This realization alone should scare the
voters of New York stiff.
David Lee is a junior economics and
journalism major.
athletics department needed to involve the stu
dents in order to make [a] decision.”
Why should the Athletic Department consult
the student body?
A&M athletics are no longer a matter of
school honor and pride they are a cash cow for
the University. None of these new additions and
policies have been designed for the benefit of
students. They are aimed solely at former stu
dents and other fans who can afford to pay
whatever the University demands to attend a
sports event.
When you factor in the cost of the Aggie
Alley permit and season admission on the all
sports pass plan, it will cost the average Aggie
nearly $100 to have a tailgate party and sup
port their favorite team. It is obvious that the
ability of students to afford making it to a
game is the least of the Athletic Department’s
concerns. Making sure that the big spenders
can is their top priority.
The new Aggie Alley may be good econom
ies for the University, but is bad bull for Aggies
just trying to go out to the old ball game.
Nicholas Roznovsky is a junior
political science major.
EVEN
THOUGH
YOU DON T
HAVE
AN
EXPLANATION
FOR THOSE
PHONE
CALLS,
HICKIES,
OR WHERE
YOU
HAX/E BEEN
THE
LAST TWO
WEEKS
MAIL CALL
Aggies tend to obsess
over racism on campus
In response to Micah Belden’s Feb. 11 mail call.
I have only been an Aggie since this past Au
gust, and just have to ask why there seems to be
this constant internal strife concerned with racism.
Texas A&M is a world class university. I how
ever find it disheartening to constantly have to
read the bickering among us Aggies on the top
ic of racism in our own newspaper.
In my personal view, 1 see racism as a stig
ma that can go both ways and should not be
prevalent and as intelligent individuals we need
to understand others and their views. Racism
abounds everywhere in this world, and our
campus is not immune to this. So before we
complain excessively about the lack of diver
sity here we need to look at ourselves and ed
ucate each other about our differences one Ag
gie at a time without forgetting our uniting
bond, which is being an Aggie.
Being diverse is a key to becoming a recog
nized institution in this world, whether we want
it to or not. But before we go and prove the rest
of the world of our strength we need to clear up
all this internal strife and show our acceptance
and what it truly means to be an Aggie.
Dhave Setabutr
Class of ’03
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