Rifle team offers first public gun clinic in Houston by Rolf Asphaug do not yet own a firearm to receive use of firearms as defensive handling a concealed weapon," Last year over 1,000 killings— instruction in a variety of guns. weapons, but are meant to answer Alphin stated. almost 650 murders —were "Both clinics will, of course, questions for those who have The clinics will not shy away committed in Houston. More and prior to any actual use of a bought or feel they may buy a gun. from explaining exactly how best more city residents are buying guns weapon, have a discussion of the One emphasis of the clinics will to instantly kill a person. After all. to protect themselves, their family, legal ramifications of the use of be on the legal regulations Alphin reasoned, a person in and their possessions. Yet, until deadly force, and of proper and governing the use of deadly force. danger of being killed will now, no organization in Houston safe use of a weapon," said Rifle Laws vary from state to state, but ultimately cause two deaths—his has offered even the most Team Coach Art Alphin. Texas follows a "reasonable man" assailant's and his own—if he rudimentary public instruction on Alphin, an adjunct professor of rule; in most cases, a person may inflicts merely a mortal wound. how to safely and legally use and history and owner of a safari rifle only legally use deadly force in the Basically, killing someone is only care for defensive firearms. store, will lead Rifle Team circumstance where a reasonable legally defensible if you must That will change Saturday, members in instructing partici- man, placed in the same shoot or risk being killed. January 19, when Rice's Rifle pants. Classes will be subdivided circumstance, would believe that In addition to teaching safe Team will offer two three-hour so that each instructor can teach he was in imminent danger of loading and use of guns, the clinics clinics on the use of guns for three participants. death or grievous bodily harm. will also show how to safely store a personal defense. Because of space —Art Alphin "At one point, you must have Carrying a gun on one's person gun within a household and keep it restrictions, only females, and persons who have already bought a one-on-one instruction," Alphin while outside the home can be a away from children. males who have never used personal weapon but who want emphasized. violation of laws against concealed Persons interested in the clinics firearms, may take the course. instruction in its safe and legal use. Alphin stressed that the clinics weapons. "I will never recommend must sign up, first-come first- Aclinic at 11:30am will be for 21 One at 3pm allows 21 persons who are not an attempt to promote the that someone violate the law by See Gun, page 5 INSIDE: • Every rock critic has a "best of the year" list. So does ours: p. 6-7. •Can Mike Schuler's Owls escape the SWC basement? Our new sports editor has a few comments: p. 10. Volume 67, number 19 1/ THRESHEJ Thursday, JanuarRy 10, 1980 SRC-WRC fireworks war leads to violence, letter by Anita Gonzalez college," explained Morgan. "I was in an immediate suspension. fin: - * j *, A string of firecrackers set off on in the lobby when these two The two Wiess and Sid W m the roof of Sid Richardson College jocks from Will Rice came up and Richardson college members were punched me in the nose." placed on disciplinary probation. Monday re-ignited last semester's -Wayne Derrick Will Rice-Sid Rich controversy Involved in the scuffle were two All four students were also fined an over fireworks and caused SRC Will Rice College members, a equal share for 150 percent of Master Bill Martin to send a five- Wiess student, and a Sid Morgan's medical bills, the excess The birds are back page letter to his college's Richardson student. money going to Morgan as members. According to the lengthy letter compensation for his pain. by Rolf Asphaug and giant tree nets have been used, The recent explosions are a written by Martin and distributed Assistant Campus Police Chief They're back agai.i, right on either with no success or at too continuation of disturbances that to college members on Mary Voswinkel said that schedule: several hundred great an expea.se, in Rice's "Battle thousand grackles, robins, climaxed during dead week of last Wednesday, two WRC students although other colleges are of the Birds." blackbirds, cowbirds and starlings, semester, when Sid Richardson received a "stayed suspension" for involved in the fireworks shooting, One detects a growing Vietnam swooping over the campus in President Hardie Morgan suffered the remainder of their enrollment most of the activity has taken place mentality in frustrated University- beautiful patterns every evening a broken nose in a fight provoked at Ricd"; and an injunction against around Sid Richardson College. officials who speak of "safe before settling down in our trees by firecracker-popping. entering Sid Richardson College "There's nothing much we can corridors" and who try to devise for the night, despoiling the "Probably more than a dozen for any purpose. The suspension do about it," said Voswinkel. "We new weapons systems to combat people were shooting firecrackers clause means that any other ground and unwary passers-by the winged menace. This year See SRC-WRC, page 5 that night from the roof of the violation by the students will result below. At dawn they fly north to defoliation, taped distress calls, find food, only to return to Rice at white sacks hung from trees, and a Following phone cutoff the end of the day. propane cannon are being thrown For over a decade the birds have into the breach. been visiting Rice in huge numbers While the administration has Administration affirms contract from early January to late March; just about given up hopes of every year the administration has forcing the birds off campus, by Allison Foil December 17, possibly due to a system from Southwestern Bell. tried but failed to keep them away. Grounds Foreman Earl Arto Campus officials continue to faulty contact in a switch common "We won't change," Williams Tree trimming, defoliation, reports that this year's express confidence in Rice's control, according to Campus said. "It has worked out quite well. chimes, cannon, ultrasound, combination of deterrents seems to telephone system and its servicers Service Administrator Ken There are minor problems that starter pistols—even helicopters See Bird war, page 5 following a total breakdown of the Williams. crop up all the time with the University network late last GD's Stromberg-Carlson equipment, but they are able to semester. subsidiary, the manufacturer of resolve the problems quite quickly. SA debates club sports Poor performance from the Fisk components for the University's We are very satisfied with the Controversy over funding for questioned the overall benefit of a Telephone Co. led the Business "master switch," has been working service." club sports dominated a brief first tax increase, while others felt that Office to purchase a service with the system since July 1 on a Williams attributed much of the meeting of the Student other forms of financing should be contract costing twice as much six-month trial basis. It appears change in operating capacity to the Association Senate Monday. used. from General Dynamics that their contract will be Stromberg-Carlson personnel. Athletic Committee student See Club sports, page 5 Corporation. Yet campus extended. The alternative would "Their maintenance people are representative Kent Erickson telephone service broke down be to buy a new $400,000 switching better trained and better qualified, contended that figures collected by being factory-oriented. They are Helen Poindexter's Club Sports Late news able to identify and resolve the Subcommittee proved that "Rice is problems quite rapidly." substantially below par" in club The Thresher learned late last sports funding. He asked that a night from a reliable source that While General Dynamics is not blanket tax increase be passed to the duties handled by resigning sure what caused the December 17 help finance such non-varsity Campus Business Manager breakdown, Williams is confident sports as soccer, volleyball, rugby, Russell Pitman will be assumed of the system. "While it (the rifle team and sailing. by Vice President for External system) will never be perfect in that Injather business, the SA voted Affairs William Akers. it's just a piece of mechanical to proceed with publication of a Akers, whose title will equipment, how quickly the student directory even though it probably become "Vice breakdown can be resolved is the will not be ready until early President for Administration," most important thing" said February, and President John will thus be in charge of Williams. They are doing a real Cockerham reported that Rice's maintenance, food services, good job in re-opening in a short Board of Governors is considering housing and groundskeeping as order and keeping it in good the SA's October 8 resolution to well as his present concerns, fund working conditions " abolish regional admission quotas. raising, public relations and Williams commented that the Erickson's pica for a blanket tax alumni affairs. number of problems with the increase was tabled until more The Thresher will present a system has been reduced through information could be brought and confirmed report on this —Wayne Derrick Jones Commons expansion has begun. the semester. before the SA Some senators information next week J SPANNING THE HEDGES/by David Dow "The inclination to aggression..