Page 2/The Battalion/Friday June 14, 1985 ...... 1 1 1 ■— 1 ' —— lillil! i;:l» OPINION iiiiiiiiii — l*«IM Final amen to Where did the original Doonesbury magic go? GSS brouhaha By HA

By now, the letters “GSS” in a headline cause most readers to One of the most who changed. Garry Trudeau was also his desire to go to any lengths forsoa Cats ar satire. It also shows his lack of regai H.' in the ' skip to the next story. During the years of legal battles for recog­ popular books in updated for the ’80s. In the pre-sabbati­ victims of nition, especially this year, the GSS frequently found mention in my high school li­ cal Doonesbury the primary objective for humor. they can brary was Doones­ was humor. Naturally, Trudeau The subway vigilante spoof; said a ft The Battalion and other regional andid state newspapers. This bury: The Origi­ stepped on some toes, but it was done funny. The LfSA for Africa spoofla AcvM. media saturation has left many people feeling generally apa­ nal Yale Cartoons. with the goal of a good guffaw in mind. its moments of humor. But theSinaifj ■ thetic about the plight of gay students at Texas A&M. The magic con­ The strips frequently had no social or abuse seems more like an expression! I The Gay Student Services was finally recognized as a Uni­ tained in those political undertones. They were just personal contempt. Why pick on Fra E'e ,‘l 1 versity-sanctioned organization Wednesday. At long last, the pages was incredi­ plain hilarious, suth as the one where kie? With Reagan at the height ofli ^v{’S Sn controversy and media hype are over. Amen. ble. Mike the Mix, Zonker takes his huge submarine for a foot-in-mouth disease, Trudeau's W|are deceiv Megaphone Mark, Loren Steffy ride in the tiny pond near Walden. ings of Sinatra seem inappropriate, require les The GSS has received the recognition it deserved 10 years and B.D. seemed Since his return, Trudeau has fallen I don’t mind satire, even if it makesi® ago. Now, the students of Texas A&M have received the break painfully real. The cartoons made a victim to the “Gee, I’m a really great guy point at the expense of others, k® ^ they deserve. The group will begin to function as an on-campus statement about life, but they also made syndrome.” Somewhere he figured out where is the point to the anti-FiT Associauo organization and probably will blend in with other campus- the reader laugh. that he was one of the leading cartoon­ campaign? The Sinatra strips, cent of c oriented groups. Few comics strips have had the na­ ists in the business, and that he had a re­ below Trudeau’s par. They border Mmprira bad taste and come closer to beingao, ices in a sii Protestors of the GSS are still as common on campus as fleas tional impact that Doonesbury has. Dur­ markable flair for social satire. ing the 1970s, Garry Trudeau’s social sations than humorous social satire. 74 percei on a stray mutt, but ten years of opposition was more than long satire graced the comic and editorial The neo-Doonesbury aims for social I keep hoping frudeau will refF*^()^s- enough.It’s time to put the controversy to rest. pages of numerous newspapers across satire and hopes that it catches some hu­ his lost wit. I long for the chance to Let’s allow the GSS to fade into well-deserved obscurity and the country. Zonker, Mike, Mark, B.D., mor along the way. The revised strip is turn to Walden and watch Zonkertaiil strained, frequently going out of its way do what the group set out to do originally — provide services for Duke, and of course Jimmy Thud- his submarine for a spin around pucker became national heroes. to abuse public figures, and the slick- pond. I long for the days when Dooi homosexual students. witted humor of the old days is lost in Re Then in 1981, Trudeau took a leave bury was funny for funny’s sake, the process. abusive for Garry Trudeau’s ego’s sakt The Battalion Editorial Board of absence from the cartoon world. By When Doonesbury returned, it had un­ Enter Frank Sinatra. This week’s Trudeau should do what I usedtoci dergone a startling metamorphosis. Ar­ strips have dealt with Sinatra’s alleged in high school — go to the library an connections with the Mafia and the hon­ check out Doonesbury: The OrigimiJibe Tc tistically, the strip hadn’t changed. gents will Zonker hadn’t shaved or gotten a hair­ orary doctorate recently awarded to Yale Cartoons. Maybe he, too, can 4| cut. But the content had been updated. him. cover the magic locked within tb estabHshin pages. B Accord i Hugs are a daily Mike had married, gotten a job with an Obviously, Trudeau feels that Sina­ ad agency and settled into Reagan’s tra’s recognition warrants a week’s Loren Steffy is a junior journalism m/ ^ America. worth of abuse. But his scathing attack jor and the Opinion Page editor faHssional health requirement The characters weren’t the only ones on Old Blue Eyes merely demonstrates The Battalion. Inundated

A group from Pep- perdine University •The bear hug, my favorite, which Nancy occurs when one embraces another in Inn w ill make cvci \ elloi t t<* muintain the .tuthor's intent.Eift r e c o m mends you Letters Policy ter must Ik- signed and must intitule tht address midi Jumper a strong, powerful grip that will last 10 Letters to the Editor should not exceed S00 words in length. The numlH i of the writer. need a daily allow­ editorial stuff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length ance of four a day to Guest Columnist to 20 seconds or more. It creates a feel­ LETTERS survive, eight for ing of warmth, support and security. maintenance and 12 for growth. Be careful — sometimes if you squeeze The magical formula suggested too tight it will stop the breathing vets didn’t deserve the scorn and ridi­ faction of a job well done”). above consists of a simple hug from a process. ‘Gay’ denotes cule that they received. They didn’t de­ friend. serve getting spit on as they returned We cannot expect excellence from#! •The A-frame hug which occurs joy, happiness home. tual volunteers. My brother, a spring’S5 A hug means to put ones arms when two people stand facing each around and hold closely, according to EDITOR: America is responding to “Rambo” computer science graduate of Texai other with their arms around the oth­ A&M, earns the same amount todajp Webster’s New World Dictionary. because we are tired of being humiliated er’s shoulders, sides of the head touch­ 01011 my mother, a teacher with a mastersdi My definition of a hug consists of just Dear Editor, by terrorists in Iran, we are angered by ing and bodies leaning forward with East German thugs killing our military gree and a decade of experience. plain ole fun. We have an alarming problem in our no touching below the shoulders. officers and we are tired of the consol­ I have been a hug therapist, one who country today in that a vast majority of Where will the money to pay teachei idation of marxist Sandinista influence has developed the ability and techniques •A cheek hug which is tender or people are defiling the use of the En­ come from? From the taxpayers, o!| in Nicaragua. to hug, for three years. During this gentle and expresses a spiritual quality. glish language. course, and that is you and I. Wehaveti time, I have learned that you must be It can be experienced sitting, standing Since when does the word ‘gay’, One more thing about “Rambo.” The make a choice: more money to attracttxij willing to receive hugs as well as give or while one is sitting and the other is which means merry, cheerful, and jolly, bad guys who were Americans were not ter qualified teachers, or continued] them. standing, because full body contact is apply to homosexuality? portrayed by uniformed military per­ ocrity. Appealing to the vague notion! sonnel. The bad guys wore the white Through my years of experience, I not required. How can a word describing a happy and buzzwords of “better education’1 shirts and ties of the bureaucrat. Ameri­ have found a hug is the warmest greet­ and joyful life be descriptive of a life­ “qualified teachers” without financial cans intuitively know that the bu­ ing you can give a person because you •A sandwich hug which is for three style that is characterized by depression, committment is just so much wind. reaucrats lost the war in Vietnam and are sharing all of yourself with that per­ people. Usually one is in the middle anxiety, insecurity, pain, disease, and they now know that the Vietnam vets Incidentally, at least one industryi son at one time. and the other two are hugging that suicide? I liken it to the misuse of the deserve our gratitude and thanks. sinking money into education. Not sut A hug can stop an argument, console one individual. word ‘love.’ a friend and say something you just prisingly, it is the book publishing indusj Love is not made in a night of sweat Murray E. Moore can’t Find the words to say. •A grabber-squeezer hug, my run­ try, out to save its own skin. and passion under the sheets, but Not only is a hug an old-fashioned ner-up favorite, happens when one through a life of self-denial, giving and Ben Barnett way of greeting someone and saying hugger runs to the other, throwing the concern for the well being of others. Je­ Columnist shows Class of’87 “Howdy,” but scientific research indi­ arms around him or her giving a quick sus Christ himself said, “Greater love cates that the theory of stimulation by squeeze. It usually occurs when one is compassion has no man than one who lay down his touch is absolutely necessary for our in a hurry or in a playful mood. life for a friend.” EDITOR: The Battalion physical as well as our emotional well­ Bravo! to Loren Steffy’s editorial on USPS 045 360 •A group hug which is used by a I would hope people, especially in the Member of being. the plight of mentally retarded Texas group of friends participating in a media, would use a far greater degree Texas Press Assoc iation How about that. I knew that all the citizens (“Homes won’t ruin ‘stable’ com­ Southwest Journalism Conference project or activity. The group forms a of wisdom in choosing their words. I am time and I’m a journalism major. munity” —June 7, The Battalion). circle with arms around each other gay, but I’ll never have to hide in a closet Here are my helpful hints for hug­ Steffy’s analysis of the housing issue The Battalion Editorial Board ging: and all squeeze at the same time. for it because I’m not a homosexual. I live a life of joy and fulfillment, and it for retarded Texans reflects both in­ • Hug anybody, anytime, anywhere Kellie Dworaczyk, Editor comes from having a relationship with sight and compassion. Unfortunately, Kay Mallett, John Hallett, News Editors (exercise caution, fellas). •A back-to-front hug or the waist- grabber which occurs when one ap­ my Creator. Gov. White “industrial areas” response Loren Stef fy, Editorial Page Editor •You can do it any place, from the to the problem reveals both ignorance Sarah Oates, City Editor poorly lit breezeway of the Commons to proaches the other from the back, Jim McMann Travis Tingle, Sports Editor wraps their arms around the waist and of the issue and a callous attitude of the elbow-room at the Dixie Chicken. It shocking proportion. The Battalion Staff requires no special setting although ro­ gives a squeeze. mantic places do exist on campus. The message Dan H. Robertson Assistant City Editor. •A heart-centered hug, everyone’s College of Business Administration Katherine Hurl •It is necessary for me to remind favorite, is considered . the highest behind ‘Rambo’ Assistant News Editor. you, hugging is not acceptable during a (ialhie Anderson form of hugging. It begins with direct EDITOR: class lecture, while you are eating or try­ eye contact, the arms of each are Entertainment Editors ing to impress a new acquaintance that On Tuesday, June 11, "The Battalion ‘Better qualified’ Cathy Riely, Walter Sniith placed around the waist, shoulders or Staf f Writers...... Karen Bloch, may have potential. printed an editorial written by Karl Pal- Ed Cassavoy, Jerry Oslin; back. It may last several minutes be­ Imeyer. In this editorial Mr. Pallmeyer means better pay • Hugs can be spontaneous or cause there is no time limit. The heart- Brian Pearson planned. Sometimes the most fun are commented on Sylvester Stallone’s new EDITOR: Copy Editor...... T rent Leopold centered hug represents care, tender­ movie “Rambo: First Blood Part II.” He People can moan and groan until Make-up Editors...... Pal Cassavoy, “just because or surprise” hugs. Karla Marlin ness and support for each of the bug­ stated that the movie glorified war with­ they are blue in the face about how pre­ •You must remember tbat not every­ gers. Columnists...... Cheryl Clark. one enjoys a hug. They might value out portraying the negative aspects of sent teachers are not doing their jobs or Karl Pallmeyer war. That may be true, but “Rambo” is fulfilling their obligations to society to Photographers...... Greg Bailey, their space, so always ask permission •A custom-tailored hug which rep­ popular because it has touched Ameri­ teach “Billy” to read. However, until our Anthony Casper first or indicate in advance that you plan resents any type of hug an individual to hug an individual. ca’s newly revived patriotic feelings. society realizes that, as with any other Editorial Policy requires at a particular time. occupation, the promise of reward must 1'he Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspupet •It is also fine to be the huggee in­ The people in this country are now real­ operated as a community set vice to Texas A&M mid stead of the hugger. Just ask. You should hug other than when izing that the brave men who fought in be sufficient to make teaching a profita­ B ryan-Collcgc Station. Vietnam deserve respect. One can ar­ ble profession, we will have to live with Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the •The extra added “pat” can mean you are at family reunions, when a Editorial Board or the author, and do not necessarily rep­ several things. A note to all fellas: you buddy scores a point for the team or gue about whether it was right for the fact that qualified potential teachers resent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faciilt)’ or the Board of Regents. “pat” your dog not your girl unless you when you haven’t seen a friend for a America to get involved in Vietnam, but will seek jobs elsewhere (and I mean one must acknowledge that the Vietnam economical reward, not the “moral satis- The Battalion also serves as a laboratory t are consoling her. Also, be careful long, long time. students in reporting, editing and photography ebsscs where you “pat” — some females have a within the Department of Communications. tough right-hook. Please remember, hugging is fun a:nd creates a feeling of worth for all Letters Policy • Sometimes sound effects occur Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 iwrds in such as: “WHOOP!,” “Thank you. I those involved. length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to muintnin really needed that,” (sigh) and “gosh, the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must you smell good!” I am a huggable person. I must ad­ include the address and telephone number of the writer. mit, I have been swung, dropped and The Battalion is published Tuesday through Inch) •Always remember a hug is free. It during Texas A& M regular semesters, except for holiday doesn’t even cost a quarter. squeezed. Even my knees have been and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 weakened from a hug (it was a really per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full • Hug often and year. Advertising rates furnished on request. good one). •Hug well. Our address: 7 he Battalion. 21b Reed McDonald If you would like to join the fun and Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX These hazzards, treats and more ad­ 77843. Editorial staff phone number: (400) 345-26$!). Ad­ celebrate the third annual “Hug Holi­ vertising: (409) 845-2611. ventures come from hugging. Good day” on Saturday, June 15, here are sev­ luck in discovering and perfecting the Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 7784$. eral types of hugs according to “The art of hugging. l*OSTMASTER: Send address changes to fhe Battal­ Hug Therapy Book” for you to experi­ ion, Texas A&M University. College Station, Texas ment with while you are stretching your Nancy Jumper is a senior journalism arms around huggable people. major.