The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, March 21, 1991 Page: 2 of 8
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Page 2/Thursday, March 28, 1991/theJ-TAC
Editorials
SGA Week
STAFF
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J-TAC
ADVISOR - Charlie Reynolds
EDITOR - Julie Grlder
MANAGING EDITOR • Amie Campbell FEATURES EDITOR - Christy Moore
SPORTS EDITOR - Michael Marbach PHOTO EDITOR ■ Marc Parks
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR - Glory Neeper
STAFF WRITERS * Pmanuel Alvear, Russell Schneider,
Tina Horton, Justin Schmitt
EDITORIAL CARTOONISTS ■ Jordan Cannady, Kevin Gentry
CIRCULATION MANAGER - Leslie Douglas
The J-TAC is published each Thursday during the regular semesters, with
the exception of university holidays and examination periods, The printer is
the Stephenville Empire-Tribune,
Only articles in the Opinion section of this newspaper express the opinion
of the J-TAC staff. Columns and/or news articles do not necessarily represent
the opinion of the university or this newspaper.
Inquiries regarding deadlines may be made by telephone to: Editor, 968-
9056; Newsroom, 968-9057; or the faculty advisor, 968-9058.
zm
Pump jockey remembers break
A quality time
to contemplate
T
A here's an old saying that you get what you vote for,
. This distressing philosophy has led to a legion of dis-
asterous elections of "representatives of the people."
The near-success of GOP hopefull and ex-Ku Klux Klan
Grand Dragon David Duke in Lousiana elections months ago is
a great example of this distressing trend. Blow enough smoke
at the general voting populace and. they'll break down and buy
your product, whether you're selling vacuum cleaners or
chocolate-covered manure.
Last year, the election turn-out during Student Govern-
ment Association (SGA) elections was 748 students. Student
enrollment at the time was well over 5,000.
Voter turn-out during last year's Fall Student Referen-
dum was 1,200, but there was a personal element at stake for
many. Students were voting on whether or not to increase their
student fees. This drove many more students than usual-non-
traditional students, seniors, juniors, freshmen, Ag majors,
Education majors, English majors and more—to vote.
There is a tremendous difference between 748 students
and 1200. Even with 1200, the ratio of attending students is still
abominable. Many SGA senators were elected into office with
as little as 10-20 votes. It's not too hard to dig up 10-20 people
to block-vote you into office if you want them to bad enough.
This year, SGA, the Advocates and the Tarleton Demo-
crats are offering students a chance to get involved and actu-
ally learn about these candidates that will be elected to repre-
sentative offices. These candidates that claim to represent the
interests of the student body.
The, ridiculously^ sinister; i^lo^amatic^^age pf :^th&;
self-serving, greedy, plundering politician is one that often
comes to the mind of the panicking public.
"Hey! We didn't vote on that! We didn't want SGA to
say that! What the heck are they doing? They make me so
mad! I'll show them! I won't even vote!!" These are common
sentiments. ,
This week will include the efforts of organizations
across campus combining their efforts to help provide a much
more accurate portrait of the Tarleton SGA politician. This
team effort will also help define the personal traits that student
voters might find most favorable in the candidates vying to
represent them.
SGA Awareness week is April 8-12. lists will soon be
posted across campus for the convenience of interested
students, indicating events, times and organizations
contributing to the event.
One of Texas governor - Ann Richard's favorite sayings
is "you dance with them that brung you." Don't let people you
didn't vote for dance on your grave. Wake up, vote, pay
attention to what the candidates say and don't cop out and
ignore elections if an overzealous candidate happens to anger
you momentarily. Pay a little attention to what's going on and
take a little pride in your campus and your identity as a
Tarleton State University student. Attend this week of
informative activities and find out exactly what today's
student politicians have to say.
You owe it to yourself. This week has been designed *
exclusively for you, the student and voter.
Horton
While most "Spring Breakers"
spent their ■ time chasing the
opposite sex, bathing in the sun
and basically "feeling good." I, on
the other hand, had quite a different
week.
Instead of chasing the opposite
sex, I chased people in cars (well,
they didn't pay). Instead of smelling
of the coconut essence, I smelled
like diesel. And to top it all off, I
got laryngitis the last four days. .
Yup, you guessed it — 1 worked
at a gas station. Actually I work in
a 20 inch by 10 inch cubicle.
Many days, I sit and watch cars
circle this cubicle in search of the
UNLEADED PUMP! At these
times, 1 feel like a covered wagon
being circled by Indians.
Now there's an adventure. . ,
On other days, I have
entertainment. I get to watch people
shake their vehicles up and down,
life the hose and jiggle the nozzle
just to get that last drop in the
tank.
At times, I become generous and
when they swear, "I didn't go a
penny over," I have pity and pay it.
Of course, along with those types
I get the ones who say "that pump
just won't shut off exactly." I reply
OK and once I've shut the window,
I think, "Well, it won't be as long
as you're squeezing the handle."
I encounter many different people
throughout my shift. There are
those who were never taught to say
"please" or "thank you." Then we
have the ever-pleasant pessimists.
This group will complain if the
price goes up a mere penny, they
also get irritated while standing in
line and often sigh at least 10
times, and their final complaint is
always "that machine took my
money."
This group will return tomorrow
and upon doing so they have to
complain because gas is a penny
lower and they just filled up
yesterday and it was higher. Upon
leaving they remind us that "it'll
probably go up again tomorrow."
After working in this
environment, I've decided to
compile a list helpful hints for the
average driver:
• It doesn't do any good to
complain about the price. We can't
change it. Save yourself some
stress.
• Shaking, bumping or even
jumping on the bumper won't
enable you to get more in the tank.
It won't grow.
• Even if your day is going bad,
remember a simple "please" or
"thank you" might be returned with
a smile. Can't hurt; might help.
.• If you can't figure out what
pump you need, ask. Don't drive
around wasting your gas and
making the attendant dizzy.
■ Finally, remember the attendant
is not a caged animal for viewing
and your entertainment. Just give
the person the money or ask your
question and go. Thank you.
Tina Horton is a Staff
Writer for the J-TAC.
jOUR_ON^f^6US/NFSS
Dr, McCake. TP we could
have a UqM" for J usf 1
minutej"we could read
your" SAVB A BUCK
action PLANn flip c-harl^
better, A*1 ™
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Changes
expected
at cafeteria
Editor:
Realizing the cafeteria and
TSU are trying to cut costs, I
expected a few changes. Yet, I
figured those changes would
have been the decorations they
put up for the special events in
the cafeteria, such as an Oriental
buffett or Mardi Gras.
We don't really care about
decorations; we care about the
food. Furthermore, we pay
between $550 to $600 to eat in
there a semester. So when we
go eat, we expect to get what
we want and how much we
want.
The reason I'm writing this is
because the other day in the
cafeteria, a very large football
.player and one of the
cheerleaders were in line to oilier
raviolli.
It should have been a simple
process. Put some raviolli on a
plate and give it to him. Yet,
the server put three raviollis on
the guy's tray.
The guys asked if they could
have more and the lady said,
"This is all I'm allowed to give
you."
But she said, "You're
welcome to come back after you
eat those and get some more."
I thought I was going to bust
out laughing right there in line.
When I got up there and it was
my turn to eat, I chose the
chicken.
She even gave us two pieces
of chicken. Yet, they got three
pieces of Raviolli. Also, they
were serving tacos and
enchiladas and you couldn't get
one of both.
I just don't understand if
they're trying to cut back or are
they trying to get us to lose
weight by walking back and
forth to and from the line to get
three more Raviolli or
cnchildas, instead of a taeo.
Casey Baker
Student
embarrasses
university
Editor:
Last Saturday, I was watching
a program on television that
really shocked me. ,
It was a news program about
the Spring Break rush in
Matamoras. The reporters there
were surrounded by throngs of
college students wandering the;
streets, searching for a "good
time."
These students were
consuming large amounts of
alcohol, which they soon
returned to the local
environment by urinating and
throwing up in people's yards
and on the doorsteps of
businesses.
WRITE TO
If you have a letter to the editor, send it to
The J-TAC, PO Box T-98, Stephenville, Texas
76402, or deliver it to the third floor of Davis Hall,
room 303.
There were couples having
sex in open view of the crowds
and right in front of the houses
of local residents.
The most embarrassing part
to me was the portion that
showed a young man, who I
recognized as a Tarleton student
smarting off to a policeman,
who was trying to keep the
crowd under control.
Not only was I embarrassed
for the sake of our university,
but for our nation as a whole. In
the wake; of our
accomplishments in the Middle
East, our national pride is
soaring. But these few moments
of television reminded me that
we are far from perfect.
How can we call ourselves an
advanced or even civilized
nation, when we have such little
respect for the rights of the
citizens of our neighboring
country?
I'm not against having fun by
any means, because letting off a
little steam is what the break is
all about. However, when the
Mexican citizens have to lock
their families indoors at sunset
and actually fear for their lives,
the "fun" is being taken too far.
When a young Mexican child,
who is no more than 10 years
old, says that she would be
embarrassed to act like these
partiers, and wonders why these
Americans' parents haven't
taught them any manners, then
something is definitely wrong.
I'm not offering any large
scale solutions to this problem,
because there probably isn't one
short of canceling the break next
year, which is a pretty gruesome
thought.
I just ask each of you to be
considerate when you travel and
show as much respect as
possible for the locals wherever
you go.
And to the guy from Tarleton
on the television ~ you make
me sick. It's time to grow up.
Name withheld by
request
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, March 21, 1991, newspaper, March 21, 1991; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth141750/m1/2/: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarleton State University.