Page 7B
heading straight
everywhere elst
‘I want to do sot
erent bars and se:
silk and electron
r Tomlin,
it news for merctj
a waterfront i
lary.
li, who runs Si
top in the Fleet
; will likely incn
old while thesli
may boast.
itudents should take advantage of all that A&M has to offer
JONATHAN
JONES
enirs.
exi
exas A&M
is a unique
place. Some,
ver, said heua sXT c j a ]|y those 90
ecision to tunu-^ipj t0 t | ie West,
/eek. Maybe | UK i L1S oc j t i
ie , Said ' it’s fine,
sadors Aggies
icy were unaw® inly are dif _ . |
tg barred. »nt. A deep sense of school pride
1. Ironi ShreveM a res p ec t for tradition has devel-
c a ^ out bis snorejp et ) s i nce t h e founding of Texas’ first
mllic institution of higher learning on
>ple at home cm 4) 1876
ng Kong, sakKM^h i ias changed since then, but
) music, sightseerMg f ortuna t e enough to be associat-
Rvith the school share a sense of
jelonging with their fellow students
■ those who came before them —
JAggie bond is very real. This was
tbundantly clear when A&M was
ist into the national spotlight after
maquiladora 1999 A §g ie Bonfire collapse. The
<t 100 000 jobwP* 6 t * iat ma ^ e U P this institution are
■nr m’nctlv alo'Bcml because they care so much
nile Tol™their own.
s say. BA&M has much to offer. Compared
e Januarv. whvate institutions, the quality of edu-
nia, home to JiM°n comes at a bargain price. In addi-
>t 23,100 jobs, B 1 ’the “other education” offers excit-
ma state haslosi'B opportunities to be a part of some-
said Mexico’s IP? l ar g er - Take advantage, because
-y Q ir i os Abivlj 8 sta § e °t hfe passes all too fast,
es host theta:*A&M is one of the few schools to
taquiladoras. Bd federal land grant, sea grant and
Bee grant designations. It is the fourth
Best in the nation, with more than
f 44.000 students. The school also has a
large amount of open land that allows
accident l(P 0rnew buildings and development.
1 ■This is a luxury most land-locked col-
<9 St I / pGO llgesdo not have, including the
. , Diversity of Texas-Austin. The $3.7 bil-
' ' A *1®) endowment ranks among the top ten
people were h ! c jj l a j] lln j vers j t j es j n t | ie cj n j ted States,
the resources and opportunities here
among the best in the nation.
EWS IN
when a bus
ruck on a higli*
ire, police said
accident took pla
of San Nicolas
some 125 mile 1
os Aires. Policesii|
timed into the hi
if the survivors sai I
r appeared to falP
; before the eras!
as among those 1
passengers were f
fficials said,
ms, carrying 3t|
had left the I
:ity of Resistencij
ding to the Argl
The chance to develop leadership
skills should not be overlooked. A&M
has the largest student-union program in
the nation, with more than 700 clubs and
organizations. Memorial Student Center
Open House, held the first Sunday after
school starts, showcases the wealth of
opportunity for involvement.
A&M is also one of the few schools
in the nation to have the prestigious
honor of affiliation with a president.
The George Bush Library and
Presidential Center on campus allows
for the occasion to host events and pro
grams that other schools can only dream
of, including former Soviet President
Mikhail Gorbachev last spring.
Many of the traditions at A&M foster
the sense of camaraderie. Silver Taps
dates from 1898, with the death of for
mer A&M President and Texas
Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross.
When a current student passes away,
their final tribute is held on the first
Tuesday of the following month. The
lights of campus dim, hymns chime
from Albritton Tower and people silent
ly fill the area by Ross’ statue. Buglers
play “Taps” three times from the dome
of the Academic Building but not to the
East as the sun will never rise on that
Aggie again.
Muster, held every April, is celebrat
ed in more than four hundred places
around the world wherever Aggies gath
er to remember their own. Roll is
called, and a member of the Aggie fami
ly answers “here” for the absent. The
largest Muster ceremony, held in
College Station, is a moving event that
embodies commitment, dedication and
friendship — the Aggie Spirit.
The March 1923 issue of Texas
Aggie magazine encouraged, “If there is
an A&M man in 100 miles of you, you
are expected to get together, eat a little
and live over the days you spent at the
A&M College of Texas.”
Take advantage of the leadership
opportunities, chances to get involved,
meeting new people and participating in
the rich traditions of the school. The
12th Man, for example, unites students
and makes Kyle Field a very intimidat
ing place to play.
Midnight Yell, among other tradi
tions, is a fun way to get involved and
join forces with other Aggies. A&M has
much to offer, and is an enviable position
compared to many other universities.
For all the sweeping changes
through the years, arguments over the
future and endured catastrophes, some
things do not change.
America in the 21st century is
unmatched in its economic,
political and cultural domi-
nance. We are fortunate enough
to be living in the best state in the
United States, and Texas A&M is
the best university in the state.
Aggies are different.
Some may boast of prowess
bold of the school they think
so grand. But there’s a spirit
that can ne’er be told. It s the
spirit of Aggieland.Take the
time to seek out and discov
er some of what A&M
has to offer, and
remember that a big
family is always
behind you.
Jonathan Jones is
a senior
political
science
major.
EDITORIAL
Texns A&M University —• Celebrating J25 Years
THE BATTALIO
EDITORIAL BOARD
Brady Creel
Mariano Castillo
Cayla Carr
Jonathan Jones
Rolando Garcia
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
Opinion Editor
News Editor
ordes plar
again soc
NO
ticket
dfficial move-in day must change
(AP) - The sup*
3rde, outfitted
res and armore*
likely fo get
fore the end o'
st over a yea:
was grounded' 1 jhe Department of
lly crash. jsident Life (ResLife) and
ates allowing^ irking, Traffic and
led plane to rek ansportation Services
vill be restored^ tTS) initiatives to assist
by British andf:|rents and students during
ve-in are well-intentioned
fall short of student
ds considering ongoing
MORE
AND TOW
"probably
igust 2001," si
issued at the cl:*
Monday byagrt'*- m P us construction proj-
French officials
ce and British ft'
ly carriers to !j
lining Concorde;
tement was th!
a clear timetat
I return of the 1
ies. It came aft
d final - meet
t group, made
m the two courts
ion ministries
t authorities,
-e grounded its
y 25, 2000, eft
:s north of Raft
^ople.
rways kept its
leet’s airwortt
as withdrawn if
s. As thousands of fresh-
n and returning students
ive on campus to move
their residence halls,
Life and PITS are mak-
life tougher than neces-
Y-
The official freshman
we-in day is today, but this
day is not enough,
day, parking service offi-
direct traffic, provide
ormation and implement
jgrams designed to ease
transition. But many par-
i cordes immefl ts and students have cho-
to arrive earlier this
ek, and are unfairly pay-
for it. Some have been
bjected to parking tickets
until shortly* ld towin g- 11 is necessar y
parents who are helping
their children move in to be
able to park in areas that
normally would be ticketed
after school has started.
Some must come on
Sunday, the first day campus
dorms open, because work
schedules make taking time
off during the week difficult.
To ticket and tow the cars of
parents and students who
are moving into campus
housing is not the proper
way to welcome Aggies back
to school.
Unfortunately, one could
easily get the impression
that PITS targets vehicles in
an effort to increase revenue
and fill its coffers. With con
struction of the West
Campus Parking Garage,
traveling around campus
has been made more diffi
cult and time-consuming.
Wellborn Road has been nar
rowed to two lanes, and
some roads are closed.
It is understandable if
some wish to get a head
start and arrive as soon as
the dorms are available.
ResLife should encourage
parents and students to
move into campus housing
beginning on Sunday and
continue through this
Wednesday or perhaps until
the end of the week. And
PITS should not target those
vehicles illegally parked near
residence halls. The official
move-in day should, in fact,
last at least half-a-week. This
way, coordinated efforts to
introduce and assist parents
and new students to resi
dence hall life is extended
beyond just one day. In light
of the construction around
A&M and the large number
of on-campus residents, stu
dent needs must be the top
priority of future initatives for
offical move-in periods.
This time should extend
beyond just one day in the
middle of the week and
should begin on Sunday.
Aggieland is a friendly place,
but this week has been
unfairly and unnecessarily
unwelcoming to some par
ents and students.
CHAD MALLAM • THE BATTALION
Lost Parental control
CARR
A bout 15 years ago, the media indus
try entered into new territory when
the Partnership for a Drug-Free
America, a non-profit coalition of com
munication professionals, addressed the
issue of drug tolerance across the
nation. Other organizations jumped on
the bandwagon as they aired commer
cials about a variety of issues including
sex, peer pressure and smoking.
Now, the media industry has taken on new responsi
bility. They have taken on the task of raising children.
Partnership for a Drug-Free America currently airs a
commercial where children criticize their parents’ rules
and then ends with a “Thanks.” Words such as, “I snuck
out, and you caught me,” have monopolized the air
waves. The media is redefining parents’ role as the dis
ciplinarian. The commercial has a good motive, but it
should not be necessary to reaffirm the parental role and
urge parents to take responsibility for their children’s
actions. This commercial is not necessary to spark
parental initiative.
Society has abandoned old parental methods and val
ues and allowed financial discomfort, technology and
childhood experiences to dictate their actions towards
their children.
Society has abandoned old parental
methods and values and allowed
financial discomfort, technology, and
childhood experiences to dictate their
actions towards their children.
Leonard Pitts, a columnist from the Miami Herald,
explains that these commercials are an attempt to rede
fine a parent’s job description by encouraging them to
snoop, police and interrogate their children. He suggests
children have a “misplaced sense of entitlement,” and
the parents are to blame. This, he explains, began with
the “War” Generation raising the Baby Boomers..
Pitts explains, “Where our folks were restrictive, we
were permissive; where they judged, we were nonjudge-
mental and where they gave orders, we negotiated.”
Now the effects are being seen, and parents have lost
control. Baby Boomers are now parents, and as chil
dren, they promised themselves they would not be as
overbearing as their parents were to them. Instead they
have strived to be co-equals and being a co-equal leaves
little room for discipline.
Financial discomfort has dictated parents’ roles.
Parents have become consumed with keeping up with
the wealth of society and have lost sight of their chil
dren’s needs. They have indulged their children with
material things to pacify concerns.
A Time-CNN poll found that 80 percent of people
think kids today are more spoiled than kids of 10 or 15
years ago. Divorce, peer pressure and career responsi
bilities have contributed to this materialism. Time
reports that today’s prosperity is a result of parents
working longer hours than they ever have. Parents who
are so involved in careers tend to have less time to
spend with their children and resolve to buy things to
take their place.
Divorced parents are likely to compete with the other
spouse and indulge children. A lot of parents are oblivi
ous to how to deal with peer pressure and end up buy
ing their child whatever it takes for them to “fit in.”
Time emphasizes that “advertising targets children as *
never before. These days, $3 billion is spent anually on
advertisement that is directed at kids.” Time also reports
that in 1984, children were responsible for $50 billion
of parent purchases. The figure is expected to be $300
billion by next year.
The advancement in technology also has been a large
factor in the loss of parental censorship. Talking computer
games can teach children to read and write. Nintendo 64
and Sony Playstation develop hand-eye coordination and
reasoning, and the Internet and television can serve as
entertainment.
Parents have succumbed to these luxuries and
allowed toys to take their place, while they do other
things. Children have grown accustomed to technology
while parents feel inferior to technology as knowledge
able learning resources. But technology will not teach
children values.
Parents who do not take the initiative as disciplinari
ans are only setting themselves up for failure in the
future. Children cannot be given adequate attention by
material possessions. The parental figure is a vital part
of a child’s life and without a good example they will
not learn the wisdom that only parents can teach.
Pitts sums up the role of a parent, “If they earned our
scorn, our impatience and our criticism, maybe we
should admit that they also earned one thing we never
truly gave. Our gratitude.”
This may be the motive of the Partnership for a Drug
Free America’s commercial, but parents should not have
to be reassured of their instinctive parental obligation to
discipline.
Cayla Carr is a senior
speech communications major.
«ar.