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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 11 • Monday, February 9, 2004
A show for few ages
ffieFCC investigation into Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show is justified
COLLINS
EZEANYIM
i nyone with a pulse
\ knows what hap-
"Tpened on Feb. I dur-
, the halftime show of
Bowl XXXVIII.
fojch, in light of current
jots, might be better
ieled Super Bowl XXX.)
ward the end of the half-
icshow, which featured
)ich-grabbing galore and the desecration of
dGlory, viewers were shocked to see Justin
jiberlake expose Janet Jackson's right
:ast.
Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal
mmunications Commission, has ordered an
py into what happened during the halftime
aw. Some, like Democratic presidential candi-
leHoward Dean, have said the investigation is
(necessary, according to the Chicago Sun-
nes. But this inquiry is justified.
Hie first reason is the outrage it inspired in
my viewers. There seems to be genuine
wand concern over how this event tran-
red. Some in the media have said people
ame outraged for the sake of being out-
sd-which is probably true. Still.
cos.com reports “Nipplegate” has set a
ord for most-searched for a single-day news
mt,even outnumbering the attacks of Sept.
,2001.
Themost important reason to investigate this
incident is to assign blame to the
proper parties and find out who
exactly knew what, and when they
knew it. Frankly, accountabili
ty tor this fiasco is as hard
to find as Iraq’s illegal
weapons cache.
In case anyone is
keeping score, the
NFL and CBS blame
MTV, the producer of
the halftime show.
However, the NFL’s
claim of naivete is
highly suspicious. As
Jim Rome pointed out on his
radio program the day after the
Super Bowl, the NFL w ill fine its
players if they don’t wear their socks ^
correctly. It is hard to believe a league
that micromanages so much and is fanat
ic about its public image knew next to
nothing about what would occur dur
ing the halftime of its most impor
tant game of the year.
MTV blames Jackson,
claiming the network was
v ictim of “a renegade
mistake by a per
former,’’ according to
The New York
Times. MTV
Networks CEO Tom Freston
went so far as to say his net
work was “punk’d” by
Jackson, according to
Forbes magazine. The
allusion to Ashton
Kutcher’s low-brow
reality show indi
cates the MTV .
brass isn’t taking
this as serious
ly as it should.
Before
complaints by
MTV are given
any merit,
consider the
fact that the net
work promised
“shocking moments” in
the publicity for its half
time show. Realistically,
exposing a breast is not
below MTV’s morality
threshold, considering it
orchestrated the Britney Spears
and Madonna kiss at last year’s
MTV Video Music Awards.
To her credit, Jackson has
claimed full responsibility for the
incident. Timberlake initially —
and infamously — blamed the
incident on a “wardrobe malfunction.” But the
FCC should find out if this is truly the case.
Meanwhile, even before the FCC completes
its investigation, there are several parties that are
deserving of scorn.
The NFL deserves censure for overreacting.
It dropped performer J.C. Chasez from the Feb.
8 Pro Bowl because of his association with
Timberlake. The disapproval of the NFL was
also a factor in ESPN’s boneheaded decision to
cancel its popular “Playmakers” series, accord
ing to ESPN.com.
CBS deserves condemnation for its continued
hypocrisy. CBS rejected a political ad where
children pretended to do adult chores, but ads
teaturing horse flatulence, references to bestiali
ty and a halftime show featuring an exposed
breast are acceptable.
So investigate away. Mr. Powell. Punish those
who deserve it and prevent any further uses of
weapons of mass wardrobe malfunction.
Collins Ezeanyim is a senior
computer engineering major.
Ivan Flores • THE BATTALION
Keeping aggressions in check
arms embargo against China must be retained despite France's wishes
DAVID
SHOEMAK
M ore than 50 years ago, the United
States helped establish a country for
fleeing Chinese nationalists on an
gWknown as Formosa. It holds free elec-
H$and has a free market economy, in spite
ft fact that few countries, including the
fiedStates, formally recognize the country
wknown as Taiwan.
Now the Taiwanese are going to vote on
ferendum that would defend themselves
km Chinese missiles, and countries that wish to curry th
wor of China have been condemning the vote. This inclu
Opportunistic French, who would like to lift the Europ
Jionbanon arms sales to China. The European Union s
Pse this request by France and keep the embargo in pla
oEuropean Union first put the arms embargo against
ma into effect after the atrocities that occurred at Tianai
fare in 1989, where thousands of counterrevolutionary |
sers were killed alter more than one million people fille<
But now, according to the BBC. French Foreign Mini
fiiniquede Villipin has asked the European Union to lit
«ns embargo.
BeVilljpin said the “embargo stems from a (view) of
jPean Union.China relations which is outdated,” and t
month 0 ! 1 ^ ^ teC * w * len European Union leaders meet n
1 seems that France thinks the human rights probl
oc casioned the embargo no longer exist. Recent rema
made by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder indicate that
the Germans have come to the same opinion.
However, it is more likely that France and Germany wish to
appease China to build trade ties and
avoid being cut out of the growing
Chinese market. According to an article
by the International Herald Tribune,
Chinese Premier Hu Jintao announced that
China Southern Airlines had already
agreed to buy 21 Airbus airliners while he
was in France this past week.
France has also expressed dismay at the
referendum on the Taiwanese ballot to
beef up Taiwan's defenses if China refuses
to redeploy the missiles currently aimed
across the Taiwan Straits. French President
Jacques Chirac referred to the referen
dum as a mistake on the part of the
Taiwanese, and the Chinese have painted the referendum as an
attempt by the Taiwanese to move toward independence.
In his effort to pander to the Chinese, Chirac has backed
China’s effort to scare the Taiwanese out of deciding to defend
themselves against Chinese aggression. Sadly, the United States
and Japan have also shown their opposition to the referendum.
But the Chinese and the other countries backing their oppo
sition to the ballot have failed to mention that the same ballot
will also have a proposition to open negotiations with the
Chinese, according to the BBC.
Since the Chinese have repeatedly stated that Taiwan is a
renegade province, they should welcome talks to reintegrate
Taiwan peacefully into China.
It seems odd that if Taiwan is part of
China, China would point 496 missiles at
what is ostensibly its own territory.
Obviously, China believes Taiwan is a
threat. What is new is the conscious decision
by western-style democracies to abandon a
fellow democracy for a few dollars.
The United States, European Union and
Japan should seriously reconsider their posi
tions on the issue. Although the desire to
preserve peace in Asia by powers such as
the United States and Japan is important,
they should not forget their friends in
Taiwan when China waves its emerging
market in their faces. But the French have just proven once
again their mercenary nature.
In Taiwan, like Iraq, France has shown that it values eco
nomic gain over the freedom of peoples and countries other
than its own.
David Shoemaker is a junior
management major.
Obviously, China believes
Taiwan is a threat What is
new is the conscious decision
by western-style democracies
to abandon a fellow
democracy for a few dollars.
MAIL CALL
Women
fi 9hting for
roust keep
equality
lnres Ponse to a Fet
' *®ens history. ‘
? a . nd “men are s
! and Judged only
J^ntsisn-
»S have9ai
nav e a family, hat
Public universiti
women c
Wer !l electrica
Ourl TeXas A&M
te’ n< ? ,wo "
," „ "t school a
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l and stay at
■* a» ! en ' ' rom c
Te <a pothers
ig m Ms a<Mni:
excellent u rovicle stlJ
< ' earnin g en
forge
«nl r ,here - -Jest
lean ased °n
la S bra k tabou
'bout stnn burner ai
< s <£, 9 the e
aspects of life. So whether Ms.
McReynolds realizes it or not, her
statement claiming to be able to get a
job over a man equally qualified is a
highly feminist statement. Realize
that you will be judged because you
are a woman, it is what you do about
it that counts.
Mindy Terrell
Class of 2004
States should not
decide on gay unions
In response to a Feb. 5 mail call:
Mr. Donahue’s suggestion would
not present a viable solution because
of the “Full Faith and Credit” clause in
the U.S. Constitution. Regardless of
the applicability of such a solution, it
is surprising that this view, which has
been aired by both Republicans and
Democrats, has not been denounced
as outrageously bigoted.
The concept of letting individual
states decide what rights certain
people get reeks of pre-Civil War
divisions between North and South.
Even without going so far back in
time, there are disturbing parallels; in
the more recent past, the argument
was made that the mixing of the
races was immoral and would be a
corrupting influence on society.
Then, as well as now, many conser
vatives enthusiastically quoted, and
often misquoted, scripture to help
support their arguments.
The claim that gay marriage threat
ens the fundamental foundation of
American society by somehow
weakening heterosexual marriage is
as unjustified and insulting as the
claim that the “mongrelization of the
races” would threaten Whites.
Ahmed M. Gama!
graduate student
Mass. Supreme Court
ruled correctly
Congratulations to Massachusetts'
high court for standing up for what
they believe is right and finally legal
izing gay marriage. It’s about time
that gay people be treated for what
they are, human beings. It is about
time that people start seeing that it is
not right to deny these people happi
ness just because some may find it
sick or deviant.
Some may argue that allowing this
sin to run rampant will open the door
for allowing other unacceptable
behaviors into our society. However I
must say that I find a great deal of dif
ference between getting married, and
raping or murdering someone. I can
only hope that other states will soon
follow Massachusetts example and
do what is just and right.
Carlos Perez
Class of 2007
Bring back a tradition
or move a bus route
Most of us have taken advantage of
the on- and-off campus buses. Each
bus has a unique name of something
extremely important to all Aggies: tra
ditions.
Bonfire is no exception. This bus
route is one of the most popular. It
takes students to key points through
out the campus.
It seems to me that if the A&M
administration is so determined to
keep the tradition, Bonfire, off our
campus, they should move the bus
route off. Since Bonfire has been
moved off campus, Bonfire should be
moved off campus.
Charles Holland
Class of 2005