Tuesday, January 23, 2001
Page 11
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THE BATTALION
0 Ye of Little Faith
Aggies should support basketball team whether it wins or loses
\ I
ili
THOMAS
CAMPBELL
ggie spirit is interna
tionally famous and
mparalleled — dur
ing football season. That
spirit seems to become
dormant between the last
touchdown and the open
ing pitch of baseball. Ag
gies often make trips,
such as the 1,200 mile,
18-hour trek to South Bend, Ind., for the
Notre Dame game, but most Aggies did not
walk down the street to watch the Aggie bas
ketball team take on the University of Texas.
Scott Blackwell, a senior electrical engi
neering major, said he thinks that “A&M’s
famous for their spirit, but you have to won
der how true that spirit is because we can’t
even fill Reed Arena for the Texas game.”
There is automatic support for football and
baseball because of each team’s winning tra
ditions. Because the basketball team have not
had a successful season in recent years, many
students think it does not deserve support.
Someone who cheers for a team only
when that team is winning is more accurately
called a bandwagon fan. So far, the men’s
basketball team has received pitiful atten
dance. The average attendance for basketball
games has been about 4,200 fans. That is pa
thetic, considering A&M has 44,000 students
and 20,(X)0 staff and faculty members, in ad
dition to a new $30 million state-of-the-art
Reed Arena.
“If every Aggie went to just two home
games, we would pack Reed Arena every
time,” said Bubba Moser, senior yell leader.
If each Aggie just went to one home game
from here on out, nearly 6,300 students
would be at each game, not counting all the
parents, old Ags and faculty. Many Aggies
will blame their lack of attendance on the
team’s inadequate playing in recent years.
The basketball team may not be going to
the NCAA tournament in March, but that
does not mean that Aggies should not sup
port their athletic teams.
“Student support is the foundation of a
solid basketball program in the future. A
prospective player would not want to sign
with a school that does not have fan sup
port,” said Brian Hodges, the president of
the Reed Rowdies. Fan support goes to the
core of coach Melvin Watkins’ plan to
build solid, winning basketball teams for
years to come. “Aggie fans are fair-weather
when it comes to Aggie basketball. If the
basketball team was 12-4 this year instead
of 6-10, Reed Arena would be packed,”
said Davin Haley, a junior education major.
.Students may say they do not attend
games because many games are played on
week nights. It is doubtful that professors
gave too much homework on the first day of
classes for students to attend the Texas
game. Only 8,600 people watched the Aggie
basketball team take on Texas, including
Texas fans, parents, and farmer students.
Even had it been only Aggies, the crowd
still would have been less than one-fifth of
the student body. There have been more
than 4,000 fans at only two home games,
and only once were there more than 4,000
at an away game. A&M will never be con
sidered a good program until it has fan sup
port at its games.
People who do not go to every football
game are called “two-percenters,” but what
about the majority of Aggies who do not
support athletics other than football?
“I attend football games, despite not en
joying football, because I wants to help
support Texas A&M,” says Sara Gro-
mowsky, a freshman business major.
Not everyone enjoys every sport, but by
supporting teams that one may not really
find enthralling, Aggies show the true spir
it of Aggieland. Those who refuse to sup
port sports other than football are the true
two-percenters.
Thomas Campbell is a junior
agricultural journalism major.
chairman 1 1
Committed
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Mail Call
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t ical affairs-
lOW.
Passwaters’ article
was misguided
In response to Mark Passwaters’
Jan. 22 column.
Passwaters’ article “Misguid
ed Efforts” is an insult to the
truth. In the article, Passwaters
claims that Clinton has exerted
too much pressure on the Is
raelis and not enough on the
Palestinians. Not unlike previous
administrations, Bill Clinton has
continued to support the
apartheid Israeli government.
Due to the recent conflict that
has claimed 367 lives — the
vast majority Arab — and injured
tens of thousands of Arabs, the
Palestinians asked the United
Nations to send a protective
force. The Israeli government re
jected the notion of a U.N. pro
tection force, as that will bring an
j international response to the dai
ly atrocities committed against
the Palestinian population.
The United States threatened
■ to veto a protection force, stating
phat such a force would require
the backing of the Israeli govern
ment. However, where was §er-
. 'll bia’s backing of the K4 troops in
ecializesi Kosovo? The U.S. and NATO did
let IWCl I not wait for Ser bia’s permission
leumeillto enter the embattled region.
Even more hypocritical, in Clin-
Iton’s proposed Middle East
■ peace plan, the West Bank will
■ remain surrounded by a “protec-
Ition” Israeli force along the Jor-
|dan River valley — to ensure the
protection of “Israel." Obviously,
Palestinian lives do not merit
protection or worth in the eyes of
the United States and Israel.
The difference between Barak
and Sharon is irrelevant, as either
one of them heading the racist Is
raeli government will continue to
oppress the Palestinians. Howev
er, the article mentions that
Sharon, by visiting the Haram al-
Sharif mosque compound, helped
2 Dancefe | start the bloodshed.
One must also not overlook
that he was accompanied by lit-
srally thousands of Israeli sol
ders, which had to be approved
ty the government and Prime
Minister Barak. In other words,
3arak sanctioned Sharon’s insti
gating visit to the mosque.
Prep Class
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.sic Dance
Dlass
Clinics
29th
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Michael Khoury
Class of ‘04
RF, ai
As)
alutionsK
teed Rowdies show
asketball spirit
In response to Mark Tuschoki’s
Mail Call letter
|| I would like to inform students
the Reed Rowdies’ purpose
Dregon,' and to defend the actions we
=nue on take to accomplish it. The Row-
fipies were formed to increase
support and to generate fan in-
||erest by making Reed Arena a
i tough stop on any opponent’s
gineerini road schedule.
■ Part of that intimidation mani-
^psts itself in verbally heckling
the
opposing team’s players. Our
©er CfilWroximity to the court makes the
■enbal exchanges very effective
~y ? nd en tertaining. If a visiting
flayer is thinking more about us
than the game at hand, then we
have accomplished our mission.
A particular T.U. player in
curred a high level of attention
late in the game by making sev
eral taunting gestures toward the
crowd. Fittingly our students
turned up the heat on this player
and in so doing, made a solid
statement to visiting teams. It
doesn’t matter if we are down by
20 or up by 20, when you come
to Reed Arena to play the Aggies,
the Rowdies will be on your case
from start to finish.
While maintaining an edgy,
controversial style of heckling,
we make every effort to de
nounce the use of profanity and
sexually explicit comments at
our games.
The only thing embarrassing
to our University on Wednesday
night was the 4,000 empty seats
for the game against our archri
val. Aggies support their teams
win or lose. This year’s Aggie
basketball team has fought
through several key injuries and
the inconsistency that the
youngest team in the Big 12 can
expect.
However, they continue to play
hard, recruit well and build for
the future.
Brian Hodges
Class of ‘00
Students should
respect dining hall
For more than a year, many
meal plan buyers and students
who frequently visited Sbisa Din
ing Hall patiently waited as Sbisa
was renovated so that the dining
hall we all know and love could be
come a dining hall with the look
and service for the 21st century.
With the vision and service
first principles the Department
of Food Services has strongly
maintained, last Tuesday, the
newly renovated Sbisa Dining
Hall was opened for student use
once again.
Unfortunately, some student
patrons of Sbisa were not able
to maintain the level of respect
this longstanding building de
serves and chose to participate
in food fights that would threaten
the image this building portrays.
It is disheartening to know
that any fellow Aggie could let
the pride in their residence hall
overtake the work and money
that went to make this renova
tion possible and participate in
the above listed activities.
This behavipr should not and
will not be tolerated. Student
representatives are strongly sup
porting all efforts to ensure
these activities never happen
again. Students at Texas A&M
are known for their respect and
undying love of this institution.
When we are enjoying meals in t
Sbisa, let’s make sure we never
forget that.
Forrest Lane
Class of ‘00
Accompanied by
two signatures
Silver Tongue
Clinton avoids prosecution with sly wordplay
B ill Clinton spared himself
from an indictment by reach
ing an agreement with inde
pendent counsel Robert Ray on his
last day in office. Supporters and
critics of the former president
should not be surprised by his last-
minute sly maneuvering, as it has
become a trademark of the way
Clinton does business.
Clinton made several concessions in negotiations,
but still emerged with the better side of the deal. His
mastery of playing with the technicalities of words’
meanings has managed to save him.
“I now recognize that... certain of my responses to
questions about Ms. Lewinsky were false,” Clinton’s
statement read.
It was a statement that critics had been waiting for
years to hear, but both sides had different interpreta
tions of what the statement meant exactly.
Those opposed to Clinton rejoiced at having him ad
mit that he “acknowledged that he knowingly gave eva
sive and misleading answers,” Ray said.
However, Clinton’s lawyers are quick to point out
that, technically, the statement did not admit to any ob
struction of justice or intentional false answers.
Clinton’s law license was suspended for five years
and he will not seek reimbursement from the govern
ment for legal fees incurred during the Lewinsky inves
tigation, but he is still getting the last laugh.
Ray applauded the deal, saying that “the nation’s in
terests have been served.” In reality, little has changed.
Clinton is off the hook and no action will be taken for
his lying under oath.
The former president deserved to be punished more
severely for intentionally making false statements dur
ing questioning of the Lewinsky case.
The independent counsel folded too easily. Ray was
not as aggressive as his predecessor, Ken Starr. Part of
the reason may be the public’s dislike of Starr’s investi
gation. Starr faced a tough assignment and went
through with it even though it was not popular. Ray, on
the other hand, used the threat of indictment to speed
up the deal, which changed nothing.
All Clinton did was vaguely admit to an accusation
that is widely accepted as true.
The suspension of his law license means little in the
context of the case.
However, media outlets have reported that, for the
most part, citizens are responding well to the deal.
This response implies that the positive points of Clin
ton’s presidency were enough to overshadow his ob
struction of justice.
Certainly the nation is better off in many ways, but
his actions were criminal and need to be prosecuted as
such. If he is cleared afterward, that would be fine, but
he should be tried just like anyone else.
Experts argue that the deal was in the best interests
of both parties. Clinton will not be indicted and
George W. Bush’s administration will not inherit the
baggage of the scandal. The Republicans who pushed
for impeachment believe that the deal means that
they did the right thing, and Democrats are relieved
that the matter is finally over.
The truth is that most of the action threatened
against Clinton was overblown. Although it did not
result in any action, the House’s decision to impeach
was a big step. Ray was too timid and closed the deal
too early.
The deal Clinton struck with Ray is not the first time
he has fallen back on technicalities. When the Lewin
sky allegations originally came out, Clinton eventually
made the infamous declaration “I did not have sexual
relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.”
For days, speculation that Clinton was lying was
everywhere. People focused on the way the statement
had been delivered. What constitutes sexual relations
was a question on everyone’s mind.
Slyness is one of Clinton’s talents. It eased the force
with which he was attacked after he denied the Lewin
sky affair, and ultimately has allowed him to leave of
fice relatively unscathed.
Clinton is a clever man and has succeeded in ap
peasing the independent counsel without fully admit
ting any wrongdoing. The accusations he encountered
throughout his eight years in office were not as bad as
they could have been had he not played with his words.
Only time will tell how Clinton’s presidency will
be-remembered. Unfortunately, it seems that his con
troversial and sometimes turbulent time in office will
be downplayed, thanks to his talent of putting a spin
on his statements.
Mariano Castillo is a junior journalism and
international studies major.
English skills
needed for all
MIL
know the an
noyance of
getting a pro
fessor or a
teaching as
sistant with
English skills
so poor it is almost impossible
to communicate. The problems
with English language barriers;
are currently much greater than
those around the nation.
Last Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme
Court heard arguments in a lawsuit
filed by Mexican immigrant
Martha Sandoval saying the state
of Alabama violated the 1964 Civjl
Rights Act by offering written dri
ver’s license tests in English only.
Sandoval, a permanent resident of
Alabama who came to the United;
States in 1987, claims the English*
language tests discriminate against
her based on her national origin. ;
Refusing to accept English asxt
national language will inevitably!
cause major problems. A common
bond must unite the personal ancf
social worlds of this country. Thq
inability to communicate causes •
misunderstandings for everyone \
involved. It is not fair for anyone
to be stuck in this frustrating situaf
tion. However, this particular is- y
sue goes beyond a lack of com- ■.
munication. It also concerns the
safety of those who come in con- •
tact with non-English-speaking
drivers, who are therefore unable *
to interpret roadsigns.
In most of America, the road;
signs are written in English. Al
though most drivers can recog- ;
nize the octagonal shape of a
stop sign, many other signs are
not easy to interpret. “Beware of
• sharp curves ahead” and “Watch
for ice on bridge” do not mean
the same thing, but are written
on the same sign.
Many freeways have electron
ic signs notifying drivers of high-
traffic areas or specific problems 1
on the roads. Driving on these
freeways at 70 mph is not the
time to pull out an English dictio
nary to translate these signs.
In 1990, Alabama amended its
constitution to declare English the
official language. Alabama’s brief
explained that “individuals who «!
live in Alabama have access to a V
host of private and public initia
tives designed to teach proficien
cy in the English language.”
The state offers free public v
education to all of its residents, )
providing an equal opportunity
for residents to become proficient
'in English. Unfortunately, safety;
issues such as driving ability, ;
which should be the biggest con-;
cern in this case, are being over- *■
looked due to the underlying is- >
sue of money involved.
The constitutional issue at the >
center of attention for this case is [
the Spending Clause of Article I, •
which says the federal govern
ment may impose conditions on
states that receive federal money.!
The Supreme Court has the *;
right to make a ailing in the case !
because the U.S. Department of
Transportation is funded by federal
money. Specifically, the Supreme !
Court is ailing on Sandoval’s right;
to sue the state of Alabama.
Although Sandoval deserves *>
the right to sue the state, it does ;
not entitle her, or anyone, to have-
special exceptions made simply ]
because of their inability to ac- *
cept a state’s laws. Sandoval
should have known that Alabama;
declared English as its official i
language when she decided to be-!
come a resident of that state.
“One does not discriminate on-
the basis of national origin by set-J,
ting up modest English proficien-j;
cy requirements,” said Ohio
lawyer Jeff Sutton. “We have a J!
common language and there is ;;
some efficiency to requiring peo- ^
pie to conduct official business in'
that common language. It is bene-;
ficial... for an immigrant to leam ;<
English to live in this country.”
Learning English is not simply
“beneficial.” It is essential for
Americans (immigrants or not) to
be able to live and interact together.
Melissa Bedsole is a junior
psychology major.;