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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 2001)
brsday, October 25, 2001 BATTALION this ountry world Page 11 sjr' ■ Tiajor, tries out (ss Society table •r Building on We Ms weekend at the supermarket, a recent special issue of Time magazine splashed with the intoxicating message “Music Goes lal,” featuring vibrant, colorful pictures of liernational artists such as Shakira, Max de istro and Bjork. In a time of global uncertainty, |e idea of music, a long-standing form of human Ipression, merging together or even intermin- ; seemed like a pleasant sign of hope. Driving home past Northgate, one begins to wonder if music has “gone global” in College Station, as well. After all, this is a major University, and universities tend to be the test tubes for all that is new and hip in the world. So where is the “global” music in College Station, or is it possible that Aggieland is devoid of a usical movement that is large enough to make ^E^JnAuo! fi cover of Time magazine? With a new music inor offered on campus, new opportunities are lailable for Aggies to break out of the country- usic culture. There is a big world out there, and erecent attacks impress upon students the neces- ty of better understanding other cultures. Defining “global music” is not an easy task. It snot take a degree in music theory to realize at the sounds of other cultures increasingly have come more predominant in America’s main- eam music. For the last few years, popular Latin lythmsthat have made their way into mainstream music. The cultural influences do not stop ere. However, just realizing this is not enough. In styears, the United States has held a powerful sidon of economic, military and cultural domi- ance. In doing this, the United States has attract- ;dimmigrants who bring with them new forms of us/cand stimulate musical competition among stiiercountries. The result has been international mtsicians striving to create new musical genres by iserting their national and cultural identity, while iding American hegemony. For example, in lijuana, Mexico, young DJs are mixing traditional iiorteno” (a polka-like music) with techno to cre- ileanew genre called “Nortec,” and in Rio de laneiro, Brazil, the great female vocalist, Marisa is smoothly blending samba and art-pop, ius, the creation of “global” music. A&M, at first glance, appears to be completely evoidof any musical diversity. Almost anywhere me goes, country music seems to follow. The bars, leclubs, Wal-Mart Supercenter — it is everywhere, lowever, there are a decent amount of places that junty Courthouse, escorting anoth the hallway vd 2 struggle bei Spell d her weapon ai :ales to drop fe County Sherili: aid in astatona /’s leg was to bullet. She rt lied for < Spell stage in a sas K E -3AM Sc Basketball decisions) offer differ ent kinds of music such as rap or techno, and there are many local bars such as the Third Floor Cantina and Zapatos where one can find great local bands of all different genres. Also, there are organizations on campus such as MSC Town Hall who, in collaboration with multi cultural organizations, often bring international music groups to College Station. MSC Town Hall is responsible for bringing us Live, Destiny’s Child, Jimmy Fallon and the annual Planet Northgate, a festival of international music. According to Nathanael Taylor, MSC Town Hall chairman, “The organization tries to get as many different performers here, but it is sometimes difficult due to our location in between Austin and Houston,” two major concert mecca’s. Carroll Albritton, manager of Reed Arena, also mentions the difficulty with scheduling concerts due to the prioritized basketball season. However, both agree that they are pushing to bring a more THE BATTALION diversified musical experience to A&M. The pulse of “global” music at A&M may be weak, but it is still there and it promises gradually to become stronger in the future. This means that in the last few decades we have managed to break down and remodel old tra ditions. With the help of the Internet and other technological advances. Aggies should actively seek to open up their world. If music is the univer sal language, “global” music stands as a torch for all those who hope there is a chance for the world’s citizens to communicate peacefully with each other. The great Jamaican reggae star. Bob Marley, once asked the que§tion, “Won’t you help me sing these songs of freedom?” Today, from across this new global music canvas, artists have finally responded with a reluctant yet strong, “yes.” College students should do the same. Jennifer Lozano is a junior English major MAIL. CALL $■[ Cartoon of the Day offends Muslim Community i response to the October 24 ‘‘Cartoon of the lay'': How offensive. What ditch did that Jncartoonisf come from? That cartoon, is asteless and offensive to Muslims. My mother wears a hijab (or hood as you gnorants call it), as do my sister and my unts. To portray a woman with a hijab as decadent American woman sitting in a laris way out of line. Ido not care of your portrayal of the man nthe cartoon. It could be any person wear- iga beard and a turban. But the woman's it is distinctively a Muslim garment, logize now. Or better yet, tell me the Uncartoonist's” real name so I can pray latGod will slap him in the face. Or is that rtoon representative of The Battalion's lew on Muslims? Tauhid Albar Graduate Student The Battalion encourages letters to the edi tor. 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 accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be mailed to: The Battalion — Mail Call 014 Reed McDonald • MS 1111 Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-1111 Fax: (979) 845-2647 Mail Call: mailcall@thebatt.com Email: opinion@thebatt.com Submissions made to old hotmail.com accounts will not be published. Attachments are not accepted. EDITORIAL Texas A&M University — Celebrating 125 Years EDITORIAL BOARD Brady Creel Mariano Castillo Cayla Carr Jonathan Jones Editor in Chief Managing Editor Opinion Editor Opinion Editor Rolando Garcia News Editor Keeping the Memory Alive A&M should allow Bonfire emblem to be used It has been almost two years since the 1999 Aggie Bonfire col lapse. The administration remains undecided on the future of the Bonfire tradition, but extreme meas ures have been taken to avoid the sensitivity of this issue, and that should not be tolerated by the stu dents. The collegiate licensing office has prohibited any use of the Bonfire emblems or insignia for marketing or commercial purposes. Because of the moratorium, the Bonfire emblem can be used by no one until the 2002 Bonfire burns. The actions taken by the collegiate licensing office seem hasty and foolish and serve to eradicate an institutional memory of Bonfire. By removing Bonfire emblems, administrators are attaching a neg ative connotation to all that once reminded students of the burning spirit of Bonfire. Such drastic action by the licensing office and other A&M administrators are unneces sary. The Aggie Moms Club and College Station businesses such as Inspirations and Things Remembered have been cautioned to avoid using the Bonfire image. This will be the first time in memo ry that the Bonfire emblem will not appear on Texas A&M football tick ets. Aggie Bonfire has been printed on football tickets for years, as a reminder of the prior year’s Bonfire but will not be used this season because the issue is still taboo. It has been two years since the col lapse, and it is time for Aggies to remember their friends rather than mourn their losses. The memory of Aggie Bonfire has not always been negative; it burned brightly for almost 90 years. If the tradition of Bonfire is forgotten, then the mem ory of those who lost their lives is likewise erased. A&M should remember those who died in 1999 and allow the Bonfire symbol continue to be a part of Aggie tradition. Bonfire licensing should be available to responsible advertisers regardless if Bonfire ever burns again. Aggie Bonfire is still a vital part of A&M tradition and culture. To remember and cherish the Bonfire is only part of the endless healing process for the 12 lost Aggies. Whether or not Bonfire burns again is irrelevant, because Bonfire’s eternal flame will burn in every Aggie’s heart, as long as A&M administrators do not extinguish its memory. Bombs over Afghanistan D espite there being nothing more exhilarating than seeing stuff blow up in grainy black and white video on CNN, the current bombing campaign against Afghanistan must cease. A good many readers are now thinking “Shut-up you pacifist hippie. Go back to Aifstin — or Harvard.” Yet this concept of halting the bombing is not related to an aversion to blowing stuff up or even the desire to spare Afghan lives. Granted, these may be regret table side effects, but they are not the catalyz ing notion behind such radical thought. The foundation behind such an idea stems from a rational assessment of the last six weeks and what must be done to preserve the present and protect the future. It is the predominant view that Sept. 11 is the 21st century’s Pearl Harbor. Once again, the “sleeping giant” has been awak ened. Only this time, there is not a great rival nation for revenge to be extracted on. The radical group that attacked America took more lives than they have members. If this war on terrorism is to be successful, revenge can have no part of it. There are not enough members of al-Qaida to fulfill the current level of American bloodlust. This war must be focused on preserving the safety and stability of the nation. An illusion of increased security is fed to us by network television as we watch bombs shower from the Afghan sky to deliver a dose of American stability to the world. These bombs have little to do with actual American safety. A small, radical force, not the people of Afghanistan, attacked America. America’s response has been to bomb the hell out of the Afghan people. Yes, our objectives are said to be military and not civilian targets. But if our bombs are smart and laser guided why were civilian housings as well as U.N. and Red Cross operations within Afghanistan bombed this past week? One may argue that these are isolated instances. If American bombs were focused on military targets and not upon the average Afghan, tens of thousands of civilians would not already have fled their country. Regretfully the bombing continues on targets other than those that will ensure American safety. The continued bombing corresponds with continued talk from both sides of the American government’s mouth. “We are not against the people of Afghanistan. We may be destroying your infrastructure (bridges, roads, communi cations), along with it your way of life but we are giving you rice cakes stamped with the American flag.” (Food drops actually include rice cakes with Old Glory adorning them). This is a ridiculous public relations campaign. How could the uprooted Afghan people understand this any other way than, “We have destroyed your town, possibly your family members ... have some puffed rice?” It would be ludicrous not to assume the bombing has traumatically effected substantial portions of those within Afghanistan. As was stated earlier, this argument has nothing to do with com passion for the Afghan people. However, in a nation where the majority of the people already have close to nothing, how much would have to be taken away before they are willing to strap on a bomb and head across the Pacific? How many family members would have to die before a regular boy is turned radical, ready to begin training to avenge the death of his parents? In a sector of the world that prior to Sept. 11 anti- American sentiment was already high, can America afford to indiscriminately chunk bombs into the countryside? Apply international pressure to the Taliban. Freeze terrorists assets, but do not manufacture the next generation of militant extremist that will attack our children. As sweet as unbridled revenge would be, collateral damage within this volatile sector of the world will inevitably wreak violence on America for generations. The continuation of current actions will ensure that the United States versus militant Islamic factions will join the ranks of other great historical terrorist relationships; Palestinians versus Israelis, French ver sus Algerians, Russians versus Chechens, Irish Catholics versus English Protestants. All responded with unrestricted violence against their respective terrorist nation. All are still attempting to rebuild the illusion of security America so recently lost.