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Opinion
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Page 5 • Wednesday, June 4, 2003
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EDITORIAL
Meet The Battalion
Today in the Forsyth
Gallery from 1 -3 p. m.
The role of a newspaper is a beautiful thing. While it
informs, entertains and spreads the news of the day to its
readers, its primary purpose is much greater. Like any good
business, a newspaper is there to serve its community.
Texas A&M's community is one of the most diverse, remark
able and exciting groups that can be found anywhere in the
country. The Battalion serves 44,000 students and 2,500 fac
ulty, staff and administrators. The number of people The
Battalion touches every day is remarkable.
Serving A&M's community is a tremendous responsibility,
one that is taken seriously by every editor and staffer who
works each day to bring the A&M community a reliable and
accurate news source. Newspapers would not exist without
readers, and that is why we must do everything we can to stay
in touch with who our readers are and what they expect from
us. Recent misunderstandings between the A&M community
and The Battalion have led to changes that will help the stu
dents who work at The Battalion better understand the com
munity they serve.
Simply put, we want to get to know you. We will be in the
Forsyth Gallery in the Memorial Student Center this afternoon
from 1-3 p.m., and we would like to take this opportunity to
meet as many A&M students, faculty and administrators as
possible. Snacks will be provided, so please take some time
and stop by. We look forward to getting to know you.
THE BATTALION
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
True Brown
Dallas Shipp
George Deutsch
News Editor Melissa Sullivan
Asst. News C.E. Walters
the Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or
Iks 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
7784 3-1 1 1 1. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebatt.com. No attachments.
Bored of the ring
Students have right to sell college rings to others
GEORGE DEUTSCH
T he recent actions by members
of the Georgia football team
have done little to quell a
debate that raged on in the Texas
A&M community last semester: do
students have the right to sell rings
and other merchandise earned
through personal college achievements?
Last month, nine Georgia football players sold their 2002
Southeastern Conference championship rings, Sugar Bowl rings and
Sugar Bowl jerseys to a private buyer who then sold the items on
eBay, according to The Associated Press. The players were given
these items based on their
remarkable athletic success.
But disappointingly, the
players were declared ineli
gible by the NCAA pending
an investigation and attempts
to reacquire the merchandise,
a decision that undermines
the entire capitalist system on
which this country is based.
Georgia is appealing the
NCAA’s decision, and rightful
ly so, as these young men had
every right to sell possessions
that were legally their
own.
Even more alarm
ing, though, is the fact
that the NCAA is cit
ing an ambiguous rule in
declaring the players ineli
gible. NCAA rules don’t
prohibit student athletes
from selling rings as long
as those athletes get no more than “fair
market value” for their merchandise,
according to the AP. But defining “fair mar
ket value” is hopelessly subjec
tive. While critics say the
rings are worth no more
than $350 apiece, diehard
Georgia football fans
clearly attach much greater
significance to an SEC champi
onship ring, the first of which Georgia fans have seen in 20 years.
For example, defensive tackle Kedric Colston received $3,500 for his
ring and jerseys. So clearly, determining “fair market value” can be
hugely problematic. The NCAA is interpreting its rules in a strict,
even unreasonable, manner and is quick to take action if there is even
a hint of wrongdoing. It should come as no surprise, then, that six of
the SEC’s 12 teams are under NCAA investigation, though not all for
selling athletic merchandise. So if the NCAA’s actions are not fair, at
least they are equitable.
But in truth, those nine Georgia players had every right to do
what they did. Did their decision to sell their rings fail to show
integrity and team unity? Perhaps, but the issue shouldn’t simply be
reduced to an ethical dilemma. Fortunately for those who aren’t stu
dent athletes, the NCAA cannot restrict free trade between average
college students. Still, when A&M student Matt Shomer attempted
selling his Aggie ring on eBay in April, he was met with
unwarranted criticism and harassment from members
of the student body, as was evident in an April 9
Battalion mail call. Shomer was
singled out, embarrassed and
called “disgraceful” in print by
another Aggie. It was this
Aggie who did a disservice to
the A&M community through
needless harassment; Shomer was just a
victim of others’ overzealous crit
icism and his own ambition.
Shomer and Georgia
football coach Mark
Richt have apologized,
but apologies really aren’t
in order. The decision
was made to exchange
money for merchandise,
and in the real world, trans
actions such as this happen by
the thousands every day.
If a ring’s owner cannot
sell it, who can? The
achievement and emo
tion associated with these
rings, whether an SEC ring
or an Aggie ring, doesn’t somehow
make them sacred or priceless, it only
makes them valuable. These stu
dents were aware of the value their
belongings held and simply wanted
to capitalize off of it. Really, what is
more American than that?
George Deutsch is a senior
journalism major.
Graphic by Angelique Ford.
Children’s Medical
alias and diedjusi
it Tuesday.
Smith and Conners
aycare workers who
rip to the restaurani
iren.
imed from a trip and
children spent two
ked van,” Hall said
e culpability there."
perature was over
Friday and he was
rom heat-related
1 said.
e, mourners
teddy bears and
le the daycare cen-
a small strip shop-
long with an auto
d a church. A hand
saying “We’re
aped to the door of
nter.
child is punishable
s to 20 years in
ine.
ist hopeful that
take notice with
n or people wilh
i not leave them in
said.
d what he thought
or the boy to be
hot van, Hall was
ment, then said in
e: “I don’t like to
tiat. It’s tough to
ibout a baby going
hing like that.”
nd that he mistook
vild hog.
larza said interviews
ers and with the vie-
is led him to rule out
accidental shooting
ain, Texas criminal
/hen you recklessl)
rearm and it kills
it’s a manslaughtet
said.
investigation was
results of an autop
ed in San Antonio,
s said it was per-
I that they believe
st have been able
cause they weren't
he said. "A
al has died of a
, and someone is
Iran presents a delicate issue for the U.S.
F or the past 20 years, one of
the primary foreign policy
problems for the United
States has been what to do about
Iran. Iran’s relationship with the
United States has been poor, even
to the point of brushes with the
U.S. military in the 1980s, but reformers in Iran
in the 90s sought to improve things. But now
that the United States’ long term policy problem
in Iraq has receded, some in U.S. foreign policy
have decided to reevaluate their stance toward
Iran. This, coupled with recent events involving
Iran, has led to a split in opinion on whether to
take a harsher stance in dealing with the country.
The United States should not let its victory in
Iraq lead to hasty policy decisions about Iran.
Any changes in U.S. policy toward Iran
should be made with as much evidence to sup
port them as possible and not simply on impulse
or limited intelligence. Last week, in an article
from the BBC, Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld gave a warning to Iranians concerning
their involvement in Iraq, with al-Qaida and in
developing nuclear weapons. Rumsfeld was
quoted as saying “efforts to try to
remake Iraq in Iran’s image will be
aggressively put down,” a very
blunt comment from such a senior
official on the situation.
Although Iran should not med
dle in Iraqi affairs, it seems prema
ture to use such strong language in public. On
the matter of Iran and its possible harboring or
coordinating with al-Qaida, the issue is a bit
murkier. According to an article from The New
York Times, there is disagreement in the intelli
gence community about whether there is a reli
able link between Iran and the recent bombings
in Saudi Arabia, although according to the BBC
article, Rumsfeld believes a link exists. Other
western diplomats in Iran agree that senior al-
Qaida figures are in the country, but are unsure
if Iran is aiding them or even aware of which
ones might be in the country.
Before Rumsfeld’s remarks, Iran had been
asked to cooperate with the Saudi investigation
of the bombings. Although public pressure may
be useful in getting Iran to cooperate, it can also
build tension over a subject (such as al-Qaida)
that might have been a point where U.S. and
Iranian objectives coincide.
But with regard to Iran’s nuclear program,
the United States has a more immediate reason
for concern. According to the BBC, it is expect
ed that the International Atomic Energy Agency
will issue a report soon that will provide infor
mation casting doubt upon the peaceful nature
of Iran’s nuclear program. This area is one of
legitimate concern for the United States and
Iran’s neighbors. However, the United States
should wait for the IAEA report before turning
the heat up too much. The findings may not be
as damaging as expected, and the end result of
all this public fuss may not be what those push
ing the hard line want to see.
It may prove more harmful to push a hard
line on Iran now than later with the current situ
ation in the Middle East. If the Iranians feel
threatened, they may try to increase efforts in
Iraq, Israel and Afghanistan to obstruct U.S.
goals to gain leverage against the Bush adminis
tration.
Recently, Iran had two antagonistic neighbor
ing Sunni regimes removed by the United
States. But now, even reformist Iranian President
Mohammed Khatami has criticized recent U.S.
statements as “unilateralist,” according to the
BBC. The United States should not squander the
good will of those in Iran willing to work for a
democratic society against Iranian theocrats. The
reformers and theocrats have been enemies of
al-Qaida in the past due to that organization’s
Sunni Muslim orientation, and although this
might have changed recently, such antipathy
could have been put to use by the Bush
Administration before Rumsfeld’s comments.
On the nuclear issue, it may prove hard to nego
tiate nuclear dismantling with the Iranians, but
even so, they will be easier to deal with than
North Korea. Which brings up a final considera
tion — that with a just-finished war in Iraq and
uncertainty on the Korean peninsula, now is
probably not the best time to pick new fights in
the Middle East.
David Shoemaker is a junior
management major.
DAVID SHOEMAKER
Hollywood serving up same mundane fare
I f imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery, then Hollywood’s sum
mer lineup is a virtual hallway of
mirrors. Looking at the films being
released in summer 2003, more than
a dozen are adaptations, sequels or
prequels of past movies spanning
every genre. Hollywood sees this as a production agenda ensuring a
viable fan base that will likely buy into the subsequent franchise of
apreviously successful movie or TV show. But in reality, the sum
mer lineup is indicative of an increasing lack of fresh ideas in the
entertainment industry, resulting in the pounding of pop culture
mainstays into the ground. By trying to cover up its lack of creativi
ty with ballooning budgets, computer graphics and peppy sound
tracks, Hollywood has cranked out tired, plastic shadows of previ
ous hits.
The adaptation list continues following the spring success of
R2:X-Men United and The Matrix Reloaded. Continuing the trend
of turning a comic book into a glossy, big-budget, special effect
laden production comes The Hulk and The League of
Extraordinary Gentlemen. This time around, Jennifer Connelly and
Sean Connery, both previous Oscar winners, hope to prove their
acting worth to the Academy by sparring with a simulated green
blob and/or Captain Nemo in front of a bluescreen.
The adaptation's bothersome cousin, who never fails to keep
mplicating herself, is the sequel. Sequels are rarely as good as The
Godfather Part II or T2: Judgement Day and are often exponentially
worse as more are made. Consider the failings of Beverly Hills Cop
III, Rocky V and the Police Academy franchise. June brings audi
ences three sequels: 2Fast 2Furious, Rugrats Go Wild and Charlie's
Angels: Full Throttle. Expect Paul Walker and a bevy of Total
Request Live rappers to flare nostrils and grind gears in a homoerot
ic testosterone-fest of macho underground drag racers. The Angels
will continue to rip off every Matrix graphic as they again prove that
you can be a top secret agent and a vixen as long as you wear
revealing clothes and say “hi-ah” approximately 350 times.
July brings five more sequels into the troubled summer fray:
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde; Terminator III: Rise of
the Machines; Bad Boys 2, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: Cradle of
Life and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Reese Witherspoon continues
her pattern of sticky-sweet chick flicks as her character, Elle
Woods, the sorority girl with brains, goes to Congress, obviously
mistaking the West Mall for an actual mall. Arnold is back after
more than a decade (and a really obvious facelift) as the
Terminator, this time battling a female Terminatrix. After a decade
without a certifiable hit, Mr. Universe himself must prove that he
can still play his most challenging role: a robot.
Fortunately, August sees only two sequels: American Wedding,
the third installment of the American Pie franchise, and Jeepers
Creepers II. The American Pie producers must have realized that
none of the original cast has done much since putting the franchise
on their resumes, so squeezing one more flute joke and penis
calamity out of the cast would not present a big challenge. And
who even saw the first Jeepers Creepers? If the first movie stinks,
why does Hollywood crank out another one? Of all the sequels this
summer, most were made too long after the previous film, leaving
the stars older and more grizzled (Terminator), or too soon after the
previous film, refusing to let the public rest from the glut of mer
chandising (Lara Croft).
At last, there is the in-bred cousin of the family: the prequel,
made only after the sequels have gleaned any interest from the
American public. This summer brings Dumb and Dumberer: When
Harry Met Lloyd. Granted, the first movie was good, mainly from
Jim Carrey's facial ticks and Jeff Daniel's unkempt manner. The
prequel, however, stars two unknowns who are expected to fill the
former actors' shoes. If there is one thing the prequel has proved in
the past five years, it is that they don’t work (see Star Wars:
Episodes I, II). When the original film teeters on the edge of medi
ocrity and only survives because of the talent of the cast, introduc
ing new actors in a prequel will assuredly fail to live up to the audi
ence’s expectations.
The selections at the theater this summer look bleak in terms of
fresh plots, intriguing characters and original direction. What they
do provide are lots of sparkly clothes, computer graphics and a
bevy of love themes from MTV’s latest pop princess or SoCal punk
bands. These producers are spending a lot of money to ensure these
movies are a success in terms of profit, so prepare to gorge yourself
on mundane fare for as long as you can stand the Matrix’s hold.
Brooke Corso is a senior
English and speech communication major.
BROOKE CORSO