Letters to the Battalion
In 1985, the Texas A&M campus was dealing with two issues that had been solved in much of the country. The first of which was a court ruling forcing the school to allow women participate in the Aggie Band. The second of which delt with the Gay Student Society, an organization for gay students. So, after only 18 months on the campus I decided to voice my opinion with reguard to these issues in the school newspaper, "The Battalion."
Tuesday, April 2, 1985
Infantile problems plague Aggies
EDITOR:
Where is the public concern at Texas A&M University? Have we all forgotten that we are the future? The world is not the cozy place that some (Good Ags) might lead us to believe. Aggieland is not perfect either, and we shouldn't run those multidimensional perceptions out of town with: " Highway 6 runs both ways." How can a place improve when people are brainwashed into believing that imperfections are traditional?
Public concern is tradition in our democratic society. We should fix things that are wrong, which corresponds to righting injustices. An obvious example of this is the recent uproar about letting women in the band. Can you really tell that a woman or a man is marching if we consider that they are wearing unisex uniforms and have their hair pinned up. With the addition of these new members we may even improve the band. I believe women can play musical instruments just as well as men. Would anyone like to argue?
On to more important things: From the looks of the Battalion opinion page I would have guessed that this is a high school paper. I haven't heard the overwhelming misconceptions about gays since at least that long ago. Then again, I am from the North which may be beyond this infantile cooty mentality.
There are, however, issues that we should all be discussing -- for example, the major public policies, such as arms control and nuclear war. Yes, Aggies, there is an Atomic Bomb. These bombs are dangerous. There are many other nuclear weapons as well. Our environment is begining to wilt before our eyes, and we ask "...can a fraternity exist at Texas A&M?" I think that we should not waste space in this editorial page to discuss the restriction of human rights, rather we should enhance our well-being by discussing public concern.
Michael Forbush
Monday, April 8, 1985
'Dumb Aggie' has opinions about A&M
EDITOR:
I would like to thank Mr. Forbush for his inspiring letter in the April 2 edition of The Batt. I am comforted in knowing that we have such an enlightened Northerner on the A&M campus to show us stupid Ags the better way to a better, more productive life.
But Mr. Forbush speaks of tolerating different opinions, so I beg him to bear with this stupid Ag's opinion on the problems he mentioned at A&M. On the Band, no Sir I do not want women in the Aggie Band. This is not a statement on women's rights, but if you knew anything about the Aggie Band you would know that the reason they are so good is because they eat, sleep and think as one. A woman would break that bond, not because she is better or worse, but because she would require special treatment such as different living quarters and formation of special units. They would never really be part of the Band, destroying the bond that makes the Band the Band. But this is only a dumb Southern Aggie's opinion.
And as far as recognizing the GSS on campus, I have nothing against them but why should there be a club to recognize what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms? Gays have stated over and over that it is no one's business what they do in private. I agree, so why should there be a special club that tells us what kind of partners they prefer? But this is only the questioning of an "infantile cooty mentality."
So rejoice Ags, we now have someone to show us how the schools up there in "Yankeeland" do things. Now instead of worrying about Frats on campus we can have riots and sit-ins, like the big schools up North, so we can inhance the well-being and public concerns of Texas A&M.
Danielle Garner, '86
Tuesday, April 9, 1985
Texas A&M's future important to Aggies
EDITOR:
Dear Michael "The know-it-all-yankee".
We are sincerely thankful for your enlightening editorial. We had never heard of the existence of nuclear bombs, let alone their dangers (but hey, we're only unenlightened southerners, not a northerner of infinite wisdom)! You mentioned that you wanted a serious editorial on such issues as nuclear arms: Well, here it is. We've got 'em, they've got 'em. It's a fact of life.
Based on the recent Soviet history of military aggression (i.e. since the Bolshevik revolution), world peace can only be achieved if a balance of power is maintained. This can only be achieved if the US is willing to match the Soviet Union in both nuclear and conventional hardware.
Now, before all of you nuclear freeze advocates get out your pens and paper to reply to this editorial, let a mere fact be known: Power increases the odds of survival. We agree that defense spending could be used in better ways -- for schools, hospitals, roads, etc. However, in a world in which chemical warfare is currently used on non-combatants (Afghanistan), a nation must be willing to protect its interest by developing its defenses. (But, in the event of nuclear war, look on the bright side: maybe the editorial board of this "high school" paper will get nuked!)
Since we can't realistically change some facts of life, maybe we should try to change those things over which we have some control. Although these small changes may seem to have no lasting of earth-shaking implications, together they do add up.
Some of us worry about the direction that this University takes, although this may seem immaterial to you. So try to understand that people take stands on issues (i.e. GSS, Greeks, Women in the Band, the Board of Regents, Tuition increases, etc.) because they are concerned about the future of this University, just remember Highway 6 runs North.
Mike Head
Mike Neben
Clay Paulos
Class of '87
Tuesday, April 9, 1985
Will Aggies ever accept gays here?
EDITOR:
Before Aggies would accept gays, the Pope would have a harem.
Bart Braden
Wednesday, April 10, 1985
Co-ed housing would solve the band problem
EDITOR:
I would like to congratulate Ms. Garner on her letter of April 8. It shows that there is intelligent life at this University.
I appreciate her taking her time to argue against two issues that the courts have already guaranteed. These problems should be beyond us, therefore I propose that we look to the future.
There is a new problem on the horizon at this school, and I would like to draw our attention to it before it gets out of hand. As most of you know by now the Zentgraf ruling will have significance this coming fall. The attitude toward the new female members will have a significant effect on the performance of the band.
Garner states that she does not want women in the Aggie Band because women would break the bond that made them "...eat, sleep, and think as one." I believe that she has a good point. If popular attitude follows as she suggests, destruction of the Aggie Band's unity is unavoidable.
When will Texas A&M leave the 1950's? If we would not need to provide different living quarters or special units our problem would be solved. It is obvious that we need to introduce the idea of co-ed housing for the band. Why not let the Aggie Band begin a new tradition of cooperation?
I speak from personal experience when I say that co-ed housing builds comraderie that goes deeper than single sex dorms. The men and women tend to take on a brother-sister relationship that lets both groups grow. The common fear among the more conservative Aggies is that the children will behave like animals. From experience, I can say the opposite is true. The men of the dorm tend to protect the women from strangers. At my previous school co-ed housing was voluntary, and there was always a waiting list for these dorms.
Garner further illuminates the GSS issue by suggesting that the gays should keep to themselves. How, might I ask, should they keep to themselves if they never find each other?
The GSS would reduce the uncomfortable situation of a gay person trying to pick up a straight person. Besides this, the GSS would play an important role in distributing information on AIDS to its members, as well as non-members in the A&M community. Why should we fear such an organization? They don't want to recruit non-gays like the army wants to recruit non-regs.
Finally, I take offense to Garner's misconceptions of "Yamkeeland." Yankee schools no longer use civil disobedience tactics of the late 1960's. Recently, the conscience raising tactics have included more subdued forms of disapproval. For example, silent marches for arms control, or against apartheid in South Africa. How many Aggies know what apartheid means? Furthermore, how many care?
Michael Forbush
