HELP
PART-TIME STAFF ASSIST*j
for a busy real estate office. Mesj
tail oriented people person
transportation and good compel
This position requires 15-20 tp|
week and at least one Sail
Must be available to works**I
in person at Coventry Glen tej
University Dr. East, College State-1
Part-time, leasing agent. E«
Wanting day hours? Sales ep
Can work weekends? Persona*
answered yes to all of these ten
you at our new apartment complo;
your resume to bridget3150l*
(subject: batt job).
Summer Nanny Job on Local Hai;
time care of 3 children, ages 7,1,
ing their summer school breat
on a local country estate. Aclivfei
horseback riding, tennis, swn*?;
trips to local attractions, Must tot
driving record. Prefer experienct
childcare. Call for interview 979-if'.
LOST &
Lost Dog: Rhodesian Ri<
wheaten, female. Reward, 77714
MOTORCYCLE
1997 Suzuki Katana-600, emo
tion, 3200-mi., $3700/obo, Cal!(!l
8755.
1998 Suzuki TLIOOOS, beauty*
on extras, $5,500/obo. 587-1651.
2002 Yamaha Y2F600R, Spr,
2300ml. Perfect Condition.
219-0348.
MUSIC
Ibanez RG Series Electric Gif-|
case, Fender amp, Zoom
station, lots of accessories, mini
S550. 690-0125.
.ead singer wanted for loci
Metal/Rock band. Must have o*
ment &work well w/others. Call te
erested. 979-220-5967.
PETS
Adopt Pets: Dogs, Cats,
ens, Many purebreds. Bi
Shelter, 775-5755, www.she
lack Russell puppies for sale. Paw
rite. $300. Call 693-1902.
Neimaraner puppies full-bloodei;
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eptional! (979)279-3359.
REAL ESTATE
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ROOMMATES
340/mo., 1/2 utilities, 2bdrm/2W(
7d, Munson and University Oaks
rrity District, M/F needed asap
209.
■m/f for 2bdrm/2.5bth condo, onfl
ove in August $400/mo. +1/2Wt|
52-8055, klebba@houston.rr,coe f
Roommate needed, Summer/fi : |
odrm/lba, $350/mo. Ethernet,
shed. Brian. 694-1794.
EDITORIAL
A NATION AT WAR
With the U.N. not enforcing
Resolution 1441, time to act is now
It is becoming clear with each passing hour that we will soon
be at war. Pope John Paul II has said such a conflict, and the
devastating loss of life it could entail, would be a "defeat for
humanity" - an assessment few could dispute. This is not a war
we wanted, but one that has been forced upon America by
Saddam Hussein.
President George W. Bush's ultimatum Monday that Saddam
leave Iraq is only the latest in a series of demands by the inter
national community during the past 12 years that the Iraqi
regime cease its biological, chemical and nuclear weapons pro
grams, that it cease threatening its neighbors and that it cease
aiding terrorists. In refusing to abide by U.N. Security Council res
olutions mandating disarmament, Saddam has demonstrated
that his regime cannot be a peaceful member of the communi
ty of nations. Indeed, Saddam's weapons and his inclination to
use them pose an intolerable threat to America and its allies.
Like Bush, Americans had hoped that the United Nations could
resolve this crisis peacefully, or failing that, would join America
in a coalition to rid the world of Saddam. However, these last
few months have fixed responsibilities and laid bare intrigues
pointing to an international body unwilling to fulfill its obliga
tions. France refuses to consider military action to enforce the
resolutions under any circumstances, ensuring the impotence
and irrelevance of the United Nations.
The United Nations has abdicated its role, and now America
and its allies must act swiftly to rid the world of Saddam's
weapons and to rid the Iraqi people of Saddam's tyranny. War is
always a tragic option, but Saddam has left us with no other
choice.
The young men and women who will liberate Iraq are the very
best America has to offer. God bless them, and America.
THE BATTALION
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
News Editor
Brandie Liffick
Sommer Bunge
George Deutsch
Rolando Garcia
Asst. News
Member
Member
Melissa Sullivan
Matt Maddox
Brieanne Porter
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 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 submit
ted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be
mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
77843-1 1 1 1. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebatt.com
MAIL CALL
F needed for summer. 4/3 o
luttle, w/d, cable, ethemel.
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Females ASAP, 3/2 towntio®
luttle, close to campus, $250/*
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male roommates needed lor S
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male roomate wanted to
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male roommate, new 3/2/2,
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a female summer sublease se
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SERVICES
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nutritionalwellness2day.com
Renaming Trench'
foods needless
While our servicemen are
preparing to annihilate a third-
rate military power in Iraq, our
Republican leadership in
Congress is worried about the
name of snack foods. The
Republican leadership success
fully lobbied the cafeteria man
agement of the three House
office building cafeterias to
change the name of French-
themed foods.
It is very reassuring that while
our soldiers are preparing to risk
their lives on our president's
unconvincing whim, the con
gressional leadership is fighting
hard for regime change in the
dangerous and deceptive world
of French food prefixes.
Justin Hill
Class of 2004
Beutel appointment
rules ridiculous
On the Monday prior to spring
break, I was trying to call into
Beutel (a.k.a. Brutal) to make an
appointment. I was on hold for
15-20 minutes, and finally
decided this was ridiculous and
walked to Beutel to make the
appointment in person.
When I got there, I was
informed that I COULD NOT
make an appointment in per
son. "Appointments must be
made over the phone," I was
told.
I told the receptionist that I
had been on hold trying to call
in and decided to walk across
wjm. rra jack xdKK*
Opinion
campus thinking that I would
never get through in time before
my class. I was then informed
that "you may use the courtesy
phone around the corner to
make your appointment."
I refused to call from a phone
in Beutel to make an appoint
ment at Beutel! If this truly is
one of their policies, this is the
most ridiculous thing I've ever
heard!
Thomas Smith
Class of 2001
Dixie Chick denied
free speech rights
In London, Lubbock native
and Dixie Chick Natalie Maines
said, "Just so you know, we're
ashamed the president of the
United States is from Texas."
Stations around the nation
have begun to boycott the
group. Soon after her remark,
she apologized, "As a concerned
American citizen, I apologize to
President Bush because my
remark was disrespectful."
In Kansas City, WDAF-AM set
trash cans outside its studio so
listeners could throw away
copies of Dixie Chick CDs. Others
stopped playing their music.
I can only ask how these sta
tions, considering the. First
Amendment and free speech,
can so easily refute someone
else's rights?
Questioning the methods of
our government is the funda
mental basis of the First
Amendment.
Kevin Sullivan
Class of 2004
The Battalion
Page 7 • Tuesday, March 18, 2003
letting freedom ring?
Name change to freedom fries poor attempt at patriotism
D espite the
inevitability of
the use of force
to disarm Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein,
France and other mem
bers of the United
Nations Security
Council are still stand
ing their ground and
threatening to veto a second
resolution authorizing force
against Iraq. While France is
not known for its courage, the
country deserves a small meas
ure of respect for its refusal to
bow to U.S. pressure, but none
is forthcoming. Instead, U.S.
officials are passing absurd
legislation to get back at the
French.
Last month Neal Rowland,
owner of Cubbie's restaurant in
Beaufort, N.C., decided to
change the name of the French
fries sold in his establishment
to “freedom” fries. He told
CNN the decision was not
meant to slight the French peo
ple for their antiwar stance
concerning Iraq, but to show
his “patriotic pride” for
American troops and President
George W. Bush. Rep. Walter
Jones, R-North Carolina and
the chairman of the Committee
on House Administration, Rep.
Bob Ney, R-Ohio, decided to
followed Rowland's example
last week by removing
“French” from the cafeteria
menu. The House restaurants
will only be serving “freedom
fries” and “freedom toast”
from now on, or until France
changes its mind.
That is not the only action a
member of Congress is taking
against France. According to
CNN, a representative from
New Jersey has introduced leg
islation to prevent French com
panies from receiving U.S. aid
to help rebuild Iraq. Rep.
Ginny Brown-Waite from
Florida introduced a measure
to have the United States pay
for the removal of the bodies
of U.S. soldiers who died dur
ing the world wars and are
buried in France.
Yet another meas
ure is discouraging
Americans' participa
tion in the 2003 Paris
Air show.
Not only are these
attempts at "patriot
ism" a waste of time, it
also makes the House
and Americans, in gen
eral, look ridiculous. It is
embarrassing to think our gov
ernment officials actually took
the time to make this “free
dom” change. What's next?
Freedom kissing? Freedom
poodles? Freedom onion soup?
Is Congress going to ostra
cize the French Quarter of New
Orleans? What about the Statue
of Liberty, which was a gift
from France? Is it okay to
leave it alone, or should it be
covered?
Does Congress not have
anything more important to
work on?
The most ridiculous aspect
of this move is that French
fries and French toast did not
even originate in France.
According to the Christian
Science Monitor,
Belgium claims to
have invented the
idea of deep-frying
potato strips, but
because France was
the first place
American soldiers
encountered them
around 1918, France
got the credit. French toast is
said to be named after Joseph
French, the owner of the road
side tavern in New York where
the dish was invented in 1724,
according to the Food Network
Web site.
Will this have any impact at
all, other than making
Americans look idiotic? Sure,
we love the fattening side dish,
but what it is called is inconse
quential. It is not as though
eating a stick of fried starch
makes a person suddenly and
Uncontrollably pro-France.
In not supporting the United
States, France is trying to pro
tect its economic interests.
According to CNN's
Moneyl ine, almost one-fourth
of France's exports each year,
more than $500 million, goes
to Iraq through the food for oil
program.
Is this trend of renaming
things going to
stretch to the
other countries
— Russia,
Mexico, China,
Germany — that do not sup
port the U.S. position on Iraq?
“Independence” roulette?
“Victory” hat dance? Are we
going to have to change the
name of hamburgers?
The United States cannot
erase or ignore countries sim
ply because they do not agree
with the government's position.
Dissent and freedom of speech
and thought are two principles
the United States is supposed
to champion. People have a
right to disagree and trying to
punish them because they do,
and especially through such
ludicrous means, only makes
the government look foolish.
This whole renaming decision
is not patriotism; it is pettiness,
and it should stop.
Jenelle Wilson is a senior
political science major.
BECKY MAIDEN
THE BATTALION
Election about issues, not age
City Council needlessly changing age requirement
T his summer, the College
Station City Council will
consider raising the age
for running for council from 18
to 21. Among other things, this
comes as an insult to students’
intelligence by implying that the
opinions of residents under the
age of 21 are irrelevant.
According to a Feb. 20
Battalion article. College Station
City Secretary Connie Hooks said that
younger students who run for council
may not know enough about the office
or the issues involved.
“Someone who is 21 will make deci
sions based on the importance of the
role, not necessarily (the importance) of
(Texas A&M),” Hooks said.
This argument makes it seem that
although College Station appreciates the
business of residents ranging in age
from 18 to 20, the city doesn't trust
them to help make decisions for them
selves.
If an 18-year-old is old enough to
vote and thereby make a political deci
sion, then why shouldn’t he be trusted to
represent other residents his age in the
City Council? Age alone does not make
someone ignorant.
By placing age restrictions on coun
cil member eligibility. City Council
seems to be assuming that just because
one adult is a few years older than
another adult, he is more mature and
better educated.
Age has nothing to do with under
standing. There are many college stu-
KATHARINE
MCHENRY
dents who understand issues bet
ter than their parents do. Why
would a middle-aged resident
necessarily be more qualified for
a council position than a politi
cal science student who is study
ing local government?
Another important point is
that the purpose of democracy is
representation. Obviously, stu
dents account for a large per
centage of the population of College
Station. Of the 45,000 students at A&M,
several thousand fall into the under-21
category.
44
Age has nothing to
do with understanding.
There are many college
students who
understand issues
better than their
parents do.
How can a 40-year-old College Station
businessman represent these college stu
dents better than someone between 18 and
20? It’s simple; he can not.
Many may wonder if the City
Council’s reason for raising the age limit
is really due to the belief that students
under 21 are unqualified, or if the coun
cil is afraid of younger Aggies gaining
local influence.
Maybe the council anticipates that •
younger council members would be in
favor of passing legislation loosening
restrictions on alcohol, for example.
This line of thought might be seen as a
threat to the values of College Station’s
current City Council.
Hooks said that a younger council
member might confuse A&M issues with
other local ones. In most cases, legisla
tion has nothing-to do with the
University, such as with issues of rezon
ing, raising property taxes or creating
bike lanes. However, if legislation was
ever brought forth concerning A&M,
then why shouldn’t students be con
cerned about how it would affect other
Aggies their age?
Voters will be able to decide on the
age increase in November. A&M stu
dents should use their voting power to
show City Council that they are paying
attention to this issue.
By participating in the democratic
process, especially in this instance,
Aggies will help to dispel any belief that
students are ignorant or apathetic about
what goes on in College Station.
Hopefully, in the next local election,
at least one A&M student will consider
running for City Council. If that hap
pens, it will be important for other stu
dents to vote him into office so that he
can better represent their needs.
Katharine McHenry is a senior
journalism major.