11
Tuesday, April 2, 2002
THE BATTALION
EDITORIAL
Names Necessary
[ Texas A&M leadership helps itself to more than $1 billion of tax
payer money annually, but so brazen is the arrogance of the A&M
Board of Regents that they are conducting a presidential search
process that is full of deceit and lacks in public accountability. This
must end immediately.
The Presidential Advisory Committee, appointed by Chancellor
Howard Graves to screen nominees and recommend a replacement
for retiring University President Dr. Ray M. Bowen, released the names
of three candidates with the unmistakable impression they were final
ists. Just two days later, Board of Regents Chairman Erie Nye
announced that two unnamed candidates were on the short list. The
autocratic and cavalier manner in which this matter has been handled
should provoke outrage among students and faculty. But committee
members such as Deputy Chancellor Jerry Gaston could do little more
than play word games and neither confirm or deny the fact.
Taxpayer money has been spent in the search for a new president.
To keep the process secret is unacceptable. Students at A&M still do
not fully know who the candidates are for the next president. The
Board of Regents has not released the names of the two other candi
dates, and it is not required to do so until three weeks before the vote.
As such, the regents could wait until most students have left for the
summer before releasing all the names. The vote is scheduled to take
place in June. The additional two candidates should be revealed well
before students leave for the summer.
It would be the height of University administrative arrogance to not
allow students the ability to consider and offer feedback on all the
candidates. They, after all, pay a large portion of the bills that keep
A&M running; Texas taxpayers pay the rest. Who more than students
I have a vested interest in the next president of a public university?
I Aggies in particular should know about the men or women who wish
I to lead and make decisions on their behalf.
Students are not paying steadily-increasing tuition and fees for the
privilege of being ignored by the Board of Regents. The president is
responsible to those who pay the salaries. As such, citizens from all
across the state should call on the Presidential Search Advisory
I Committee and the A&M Board of Regents to end the behind-the-
I scenes intrigue and say who is under consideration.
Three of the candidates recommended by the committee are inter-
I acting with those whom they wish to lead. It would be irresponsible
I for a candidate to be considered without the opportunity for students
I and members of the A&M community to listen and offei^ their.opin-
I ions and input. But if the Board of Regents waits until the deadline for
I releasing the two additional names, this is exactly what will happen.
I Those who pay the bills deserve better.
II THE BATTALION
i \ SfNCE 1891 mmmmm
EDITORIAL BOARD
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
News Editor
Neivs Editor
Editor in Chief MARIANO CASTILLO
Brian Ruff
Cayla Carr
Sommer Bunge
Brandie Liffick
Member
Member
Member
Member
Melissa Bedsole
Jonathan Jones
Jennifer Lozano
Kelln Zimmer
ffie Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less
md include the author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves
flight to edit letters for length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in per
son at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014
feed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Fax:
(979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebatt.com
MAIL CALL
Traditions belong
to all Aggies
1 response to Collins Ezeanyim
W / column:
.As a member of Traditions
■ 0u ncil, | share in the humbling
es Ponsibility to promote and pre-
erve the traditions of Texas A&M
" rou 8h education and aware-
! ess ' 1 would like to make it clear
I Traditions Council does not
e dare something a tradition. The
Mill' 0ns ^ e * on 8 to A gg' es -
While the criteria stated are
lcc urate: occurs continuously,
’ r "|g s a H Aggies together, and
axes A&M a better place, there
''' re mains an unexplainable
Trying special meaning
er, ind our traditions that can-
10 be characterized.
l° Hotter how they started,
ether by building a trash pile
m °^' re .' n 1909, finding a dog
be side of the road to
.■ i me Reveille, hoi
■' al ceremony for a f<
ent of Texas A&M
; renco Sullivan Rc
‘Silver Taps in
Una Pin' it at the YM<
Tell 1 for the firs
uni ese Editions t
Cm ^ declaration."
ZVS does n °t
ethmg a tradition
Jhelp to promot
: 0 g et up at al1 A §B' es h
ecn er ' We wan
forme"an? A8gie
ulh, 6 j nd futur e sti
i and the familie:
"cnts and speakin
Irn,? and P ro grarr
’ “'"ote traditions,
he case of ring d
^'"“not' ° b P e ini<
kx ) think !
support ring dunking in our
speaking or programs.
It is all of our responsibilities
to decide, from all of our differ
ent activities and aspects, which
of these traditions help to build
the Aggie spirit and will continue
to in years to come. . If we look
at the deeper meaning behind
the things we do, the traditions
belong to all of us, and that it is
what makes them special.
John McFate
Class of 2001
Tradition Council chair
Bias is undeserved
In response to Sarah
Szuminski's April 7 article:
It was unnecessary to point out
that two of the four junior yell
leader run-off candidates are in the
Corps. It was totally irrelevant to
the articles content and showed
bias against Lima and Holloway,
the non-reg candidates. To some
Aggies who still believe in the anti
quated idea that Corps members
must dominate all aspects of life at
A&M, this bit of information is vital
to their vote. It seems there is a
glass ceiling that allows a non-reg
to only reach a certain level of
accomplishment as a student;
whereas, if you are a member of
the Corps, you are given the divine
right to reach the apex of
University life. During my years at
A&M, I have learned that this world
is superficial; it matters more to
people what you are, rather than
who you are. Please show the due
respect to the two non-reg junior
yell candidates; they deserve a fair,
unbiased election, just as the
Corps members do.
Kristen Sachtleben
Class of 2002
Now open to the public
CIPA should not
he enforced
JESSICA CRUTCHER
A trial questioning a law that
would require public
libraries to restrict access
to pornographic Internet sites
began last week in a U.S.
District Court. Former President
Clinton signed the Children’s
Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in
2000. The act requires public
libraries to install filtering soft
ware onto their computers to
protect children from objection
able material. If the libraries
refuse to comply, they could
lose millions of dollars in gov
ernment subsidies.
The American Civil
Liberties Union, along with a
group of libraries, library
patrons and Website operators, j|
are requesting a permanent
injunction against CIPA. They
say CIPA violates the free
speech of adults.
The requirements set forth by
CIPA are inherently flawed. Few
would argue that children should
have access to hardcore pornog
raphy. However, filtering soft
ware is not the way to- protect
children. Parents should properly
monitor their children instead of
expecting librarians and an electronic
babysitter to do it for them.
The way the software works is faulty, according to the plan-
tiffs. It blocks Websites that are unobjectionable and allows
access to some sites that are objectionable. The biggest problem
is that the definition of “objectionable” is highly relative.
There is no such thing as a common standard of decency, so
attempting to enforce decency standards at the national level
can only cause problem. CIPA will restrict the First
Amendment rights of adults. CIPA could also be used as a
means of restricting knowledge about birth control, abortion
access, homosexual rights and other controversial subjects.
The requirements set forth by
CIPA are inherently flawed.
For example, Candace Morgan, associate director of the
Fort Vancouver Regional Library in Washington state, was
asked to examine photographs from a pornographic Website
in court. “We have sex education manuals similar to some of
these,” she said.
In the not so distant past, womens' right to information on
birth control and abortion was denied by “public decency”
ANGF.I IQUF FORT)* THE BATTALION
laws, such as the Comstock Laws of
the early 20th century. This could happen again, if CIPA is
upheld as it stands. Many people do not have personal access
to controversial personal information at home or school —- they
must not be denied access in the library as well.
Although some libraries provide blocking systems on a vol
untary basis, they should not be forced to do so. Morgan said
her library does this, but also holds parents and guardians
responsible for their childrens’ activities.
There is no perfect way to protect children from objection
able materials. However, undermining the First Amendment
rights of other patrons is inexcusable. CIPA’s vagueness pro
vides too tempting an opportunity for lawmakers to ban contro
versial material from public places. To be fair to all involved,
the court must not uphold CIPA.
Jessica Crutcher is a senior
journalism major.
Proposal for peace in the Mideast
BRIEANNE PORTER
S ince the beginning of this year, con
flict between Israelis and
Palestinians has escalated. Almost
every day there is a report of a suicide
bomber or Israeli military action that
results in death. There are strong opinions
on both sides of the conflict, but one
thing is clear: Only decisive action will
save that area of the world from dissolv
ing into complete chaos and violence.
The main areas of conflict are those
won by Israel during the Six Day War in
1967. These lands were once home to the
Palestinians, but for the past 35 years they
have been under the control of the Israeli
government, making Palestinians
refugees. Many people argue that the
Israelis won the land fairly and it is the
spoils of war. While that may be techni
cally true, the real problem is that there is
a nation of people living as refugees away
from what was their land. Many of these
refugees decided to wage war on the
Israeli government to win back their
homeland. They chose to use guerrilla
warfare where everyone is a target and
innocent casualties are expected.
Something needs to be done to stop
the slaughter of innocent people. Here is
the proposal: first, order and maintain a
cease-fire for both sides, including a con
demnation of terrorist actions from both
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and
Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat; second,
create a Palestinian homeland out of the
occupied territories of the Six Day War;
third, all Arab nations must recognize the
right of Israel to exist as a sovereign
nation; and lastly, make Jerusalem an
international city under the control of a
neutral third party.
The most important thing that needs to
happen immediately is a cease-fire and
condemnation of the terrorist actions.
According to the New York Post, “the
Israeli casualty count in just the first three
months of 2002 now tops all of 2001.”
This fact is startling and when the number
of Palestinian casualties are included, it is
clear that a cease-fire is imperative. Many
charge that Arafat has not done enough to
condemn these terrorist attacks on Israeli
citizens and soldiers.
To end violence from groups such as
Only decisive action will
save that area of the
world from dissolving
into complete chaos
and violence.
Islamic Jihad, there must be a Palestinian
homeland. These people need to have a
country and not live as refugees. After
World War II and the Holocaust, many
future residents of Israel lived in dis
placed persons camps, and many of them
felt the need for their own Jewish state to
protect against the chance of future
Holocausts. The Palestinians are in a sim
ilar place that the Jewish Israelis once
were — they have no home and are living
in refugee camps. The creation of a
Palestinian homeland will help end the
violence and build a connection between
the two countries. This connection will be
necessary to continue peace while grow
ing into a stable region. The land to create
the Palestinian homeland needs to come
from the territories won by the Israelis in
the Six Day War. Those lands include the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. Many other
leaders have called for the creation of a
Palestinian nation, and after the recent
violence and the Passover Massacre,
those cries need to be heard.
With the creation of a Palestinian
nation there must be recognition by Arab
nations of the legal right of Israel to exist.
Without the normalization of relations,
there can be no peace. There will be no
peace because Israel will not be secure in
its borders next to the Palestinian nation
and that uneasy existence could lead to
more violence.
The last idea is to create Jerusalem as
an international city not under the rule of
no one nation but a neutral third party.
Jerusalem is a holy city for three of the
world’s largest religions — Islam,
Judaism and Christianity. To have one
nation and religion claim this city is to
have the other religions feel that the holy
city is under siege. An international city
will allow all people to travel to and with
in the city without fear and bring open
ness and freedom for all religions to trav
el to their holy places. This idea of over
seeing Jerusalem will diminish conflict
and help ensure peace in the holy city. A
third party such as the United Nations
with a council made of people from each
religion would be ideal.
Actions must be taken to end the
Mideast conflict. The world cannot stand
by and allow the region to descend into
chaotic violence. Yet, both sides need to
work together to broker peace. Both sides
of the battle are at fault and need to work
to correct past wrongs. Without a desire
for peace, the fate of the Israelis and
Palestinians is darkened.
Brieanne Porter is a junior
political science major.