irspay, February 1, 2001
Opinion
Page 5B
THE BATTALION
Presidential Legacy at Texas A&M
iditionalj
"mother Bush Library would build campus and community unity
NTED
I e excite-
icnt of
leorgeW.
envlronnrash’s inaUgU-
logislics w.
able to. JOll UOeS OOt
lse lax ^Ye to be lim-
xllo Wash-
nniunlty J*. .
icy seeks D.C.
n7r:,Setter or
11 aspects':oe'si', the 43rd president will
.rir ^ i he United States for the
eiate^t >xt p° ur or eight years. That time
jmetoTt^ned will need to be recorded
anpimtGr|^uarded — what better place
rXo aqlat Texas A&M?
versp f ete':;x.'j|h e Board of Regents recent-
adopted a resolution asking
ush to consider A&M locating
roept'! stuture presidential library at
route •
ioo/mo “iwguiitijng the future George W.
• ush Library at A&M would
■mar s: 'mbolize a presidential legacy
and further promote research and
academics at the University.
The significance of having a
presidential father-and-son pair
should not be underrated. Such
a pair has happened only once
before, and it may never hap
pen again. Having both li
braries in the same location
would physically and symboli
cally demonstrate what the two
presidents shared and how they
differed.
Furthermore, it would facili
tate research Vor presidential
scholars. A complex of such
magnitude would attract more
prominent speakers to campus.
Students in recent years have
been able to listen to distin
guished guests associated with
the Bush Library. It would be a
service to students if they had
more opportunities to meet peo
ple who influenced the course of
the nation.
The number of visitors would
also increase, giving more notori
ety to the A&M community. Visi
tors bring in money and, more
importantly, prospective students.
Recruiting top students and in
creasing diversity on campus
would be more effective.
Members of the Bush family
are not strangers to A&M.
George Bush Drive extends
alongside the University and
leads to the George Bush Li
brary and Bush School of Gov
ernment and Public Service.
Former President Bush speaks
frequently on campus. President
Bush supported A&M students
personally after the 1999 Aggie
Bonfire collapse. President Bush
was honored by the Ross Volun
teers when he was governor.
Both have been guests on the re
viewing stand during Corps of
Cadets march-ins.
The ties between the Bush
family and A&M are obvious. It
would be a sign of strength and
It would be a sign
of strength and
longevity for a sec
ond presidential
library to be
constructed.
longevity for a second presiden
tial library to be constructed.
Texas A&M’s Vision 2020
aims to make A&M one of the
top 10 public universities in the
nation. A second presidential li
brary would catalyze the
process.
Since the opening of the
Bush Library, A&M’s academic
standings soared. The library at
tracts scholars, researchers and
faculty. A second presidential li
brary would make A&M an
undisputed center for academia
and research, a reputation the
University longs for.
Asking President Bush to
hold his future library is not
greedy, selfish or too dreamy.
A&M is a completely logical
location where the Bush family
legacy can grow along with the
University.
Mariano Castillo is a
junior journalism and
international studies major.
00/$2»
ADRIAN CALCANEO/Thh Battalion
ackson versus Clinton:
'‘“A 1 • 1 •
ssv lesson in morality
□orV Tref■ **
edroom.
13.
apartmert ■.
;S
nether one
thinks Jesse
sbth,.? - w w Jackson is a
____Jfcrate troublemaker or
.sbthwVjjrights hero, it is time
give the man some
dit. Unlike the former
^ih^bsident he used to spiri-
illy advise. Reverend
jFir^kson recently stepped up to the plate and
a,on timed responsibility for his actions.
idugh he has lost a bit of his moral author-
, lackson has not broken any laws. It was
s-of-to Veiled that Jackson provided Karin Stan-
m’epmT'fl w h° m met through the
Ze BanGobow/PUSH coalition, a house in Los
^f tgeles, $40,000 to move from Washington
d $ 10,000 a month after she became preg-
nlwith his child. When the National En-
irer broke the story three weeks ago, he
^ t0W „ K $nediately admitted his mistake and asked
B , Riocof forgiveness. Everyone errs and deserves
46 " 16 LOpportunity to right past wrongs. Vow-
^-p^l'hot to disappear, he emerged before a
: ondos> : eering crowd of supporters and said, “The
2020 )tmd is no place for a champion. The
THTSfimid is no place I will wallow on.” After
per mitting his bad judgment and reconciling
th his family, Jackson has every right to
enter public life.
)SS However, this ordeal is not without its
niilr ,.,vdry elements that highlight some of the
ver ’ n )blems of the last eight years. Some dis-
|Jackson as a self-serving, hypocritical
^iTt^djahog. Maybe that is the case, but he
1 1/ fcis family now deserve privacy and sup-
»• "V This * atest revelat i° n did the public no
much unlike Clinton, Jackson kept his
jgj-Mdterous affair under wraps for three
causing pain to his family and wife of
" e!SB r.^ears. The Enquirer published a photo-
of Jackson and his pregnant mistress
Affe with President Clinton at the peak of
, | rtljilVlonica Lewinsky scandal. Though they
(■■nlMpolitical similarities, the contrasts be-
I yff’sen these two men with regard to their
■■fil lapses are striking. When confronted
th his mistake, though a couple of years
^^ffa'ssed since the affair began, Jackson
Jjg^'hed up to it. Clinton, unable to directly
his affair because of the blue dress,
/K^VBd in his pollsters and lawyers and began
IwS^lftcter assassination. Jackson expressed
UflKrCJ?ret for causing so much damage in the
IBS'
lives of others. Clinton zipped up his pants,
argued strategy with Hillary and sent out
government employees to lie for him. Ex
amining the statements of both men as scan
dal surrounded them highlights the’{joint
that Jackson is a model of morality cbm-
pared to Clinton’s rich history of falsehoods,
fabrications, perjuries and personal destruc
tion.
Jackson said, “I am the father of a
daughter who was born outside of my mar
riage.” Clinton said, “That is not true. That
is not true. I did not ask anyone to tell any
thing other than the truth. There is no im
proper relationship.” Jackson said, “This is
no time for evasions, denials or alibis. I
fully accept responsibility, and I am truly
sorry for my actions.” Clinton said, “I did
not have sexual relations with that woman,
Ms. Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie.
Not a single time. Never. These allegations
are false.” Jackson said, “My wife... and
children have been made aware...” Clinton
said, “I misled people, including even my
wife.” Jackson said, “I have asked God
and each of them for their grace and un
derstanding throughout this period of
tribulatio r n.” Clinton said, “[The Republi
cans] never apologized to the country for
impeachment; they never apologized for
all the things they’ve done.”
Jackson’s recent statement indicated this
matter will not be discussed further as he
takes time to heal with his family. In con
trast, a plea bargain was announced recently
with regard to the Lewinsky perjury matter.
It is not in question that Clinton knowingly
provided false testimony to a grand jury, for
he has finally admitted as much. And that’s
just a tiny part of one scandal surrounding
the Clintons while they were in high posi
tions of responsibility to the public. It is un
just for opponents of Jackson to take plea
sure in a sin as serious as adultery,
especially with a child involved. The family
deserves privacy and respect. However, le
gitimate questions concerning. Some feel
he causes trouble where no problem exists at
all. Heated and polarizing opinions about
Jackson’s past actions should not disallow
praise for taking responsibility in this case.
Jonathan Jones is a junior
political science major.
Pride or Treason
Mail Call
In response to Richard Bray’s Jan. 30
column
No Sir! Our Southern Heritage is not
blind pride, and flying The Stars and Bars
is incomparable to treason. This flag is a
cherished symbol of freedom and has
been flown during the Persian Gulf con
flict, both World Wars, when the Berlin
Wall fell and by people of all ethnicities
throughout the world as a symbol of free
dom from an oppressive empire. In order
to understand, you must study the politi
cal happenings of the time.
Southern freedom was severely re
stricted in the compromises before
the Civil War between the North and
South. The abolition of the slave trade
in 1808 in the U.S. brought more
harm to the Northern pocketbook than
the Southern way of life as Northern
merchants sponsored this. The free
territories that were joining the Union
as states restricted slave owners from
owning land. As the slave trade was
now illegal, the North desired an even
balance of power in government.
Each state was considered a mem
ber of a larger union. If you join a club
and pay dues, you may also disassoci
ate your membership. The dictionary de
finition of a union is self-explanatory,
and as the original 13 colonies sought
independence from an oppressive tyrant
so did the Southerners. Upon seceding
from the Union, the Confederacy was
not the invader. Fort Sumter rid the
South of hostile military presence. It
was the North that invaded the South in ♦
the First Manassas.
Following is the true meaning of the
Stars and Bars as quoted in The South
Was Right: “The supreme powers (gov
ernment) cannot enforce unjust laws by .
the sword because the whole body of
the people are armed and constitute a
force superior to any band of regular
troops.” However, much blood was
shed, and many Confederates died with
a fire in their hearts hat is no longer in
the hearts of many Americans. As Gen
eral Lee said years later: “Had I fore
seen these results of subjugation, I
would have preferred to die at Appomat
tox with my brave men, my sword in this
right hand.”
Bentley Scott
Class of ’02
Pride or Prejudice
If you criticize the Confederate flag
for being a symbol of treason, then
shouldn’t you also consider the Ameri
can flag as a symbol of treason
against the British? Or think about the
Texas flag and how we declared inde
pendence from Mexico.
Time and time again throughout
history people have fought and died
for their beliefs; calling this treason is
absurd. Standing up for someone’s
own rights and beliefs against an in
trusive government is anything but
treason.
It is sad to see a state disregard
its rich heritage in an attempt to gain
revenue. If this country is so set on
material values then there are other
problems that need to be addressed.
In conclusion, before someone
prints an opinion article about a flag,
they should first know their facts. The
Stars and Bars flag, which is the offi
cial flag of the Confederacy, that was
referred to in the article was not the
flag in question. The flag that is being
questioned in Georgia is the Confed
erate battle flag, the two flags .are dif
ferent and have different significance.
Tyler Dunman
Class of ’03
CARTOON OF THE DAY
Harry Potter
is innocent
H istorically, the
French noticed
things that es
cape the eyes of the
rest of the world. They
have, for instance,
found Jerry Lewis
movies amusing. The
have also figured out
how to surrender with more grace and
skill than any other country on the planet.
Now the French have discovered some
thing else that has somehow slipped by the
rest of the world: Harry Potter is a sexist
pig. According to Pierro Baino, professor
of social theory at Dijon University, the
fictional young man is a “politically incor
rect sexist” and a “dangerous role model.”
Bruno has apparently spent too much
time in Dijon’s fine wineries. Harry Potter
— and his creator, J.K. Rowling — should
be given praise for enticing a generation of
children away from video games and tele
vision and into reading. It is a great shame
that there is always someone who could
not recognize the greater good if it were to
run him or her over.
Bruno does not stop at calling Harry,
who was unable to defend himself during
this senseless skewering, sexist.
Bruno declared, “Harry Potter may
look like an intellectual with his glasses
and unruly hair, but... he is only too clearly
the hero of a political allegory for the tri
umph of the socially ascendant petite bour
geoisie.” Bruno neglects to mention that
Potter is not only a fictional character, but
he is also eight years old. It is also highly
unlikely that any of Rowling’s target audi
ence knows anything about class warfare.
Bruno goes on to bemoan that Rowl
ing did not imitate “such great French
writers as the structuralist Roland Barthes
and the unreconstructed Marxist sociolo
gist Piene Bourdieu.” Maybe this is be
cause children do not have any interest in
Marxist-Leninist theory. Harry Potter’s
stories take place in a world of fantasy, an
idea that holds the interest of kids. Of
course, some would say that this idea
helps Bruno’s case, as the belief in a
Marxist utopian society is also a fantasy.
Coincidentally, a few facts derail
Bruno’s arguments entirely. It is highly un
likely that Harry Potter would be sexist,
considering Rowling is a woman. In addi
tion, Harry’s best friend *— and the only
person who shares in all of his adventures
— is Hermione, a girl. It is even more un
likely that Harry would be espousing bour-
gois views, considering Rowling stalled
writing Harry Potter stories for her chil
dren to read because she could not afford
to buy them books.
It is astounding to think that a supposed
academic would oppose anything that caus
es children to read more. Books have been
fighting a losing battle against MTV and
Playstation, so any eiforts that are success
ful in getting kids to read should be praised.
Reading allows children to expand their
horizons and consider things that they
would not have been able to fathom other
wise. A love of reading often inspires a
love of learning, causing a more intellectu
ally capable society.
Perhaps, the threat of a smaller society
is exactly what caused Bruno to complain.
A better-educated public would quickly
see that the Marxist theory which Bruno
advocates is a time-tested failure that is
not worth the paper it is printed on. It
would be wonderful if a young boy from a
fictional book helped educate enough peo
ple that it caused a flawed, inhumane form
of political repression to be sent off to
never-never land.
Mark Passwaters is a senior
electrical engineering major.
DOHT CHEW VJ1TH
Nouiz. rAoimt oPtr-i [
TVAS Rt6e>N‘\vf-