ustxtxb_obs_1985_09_27_50_00018-00000_000.pdf

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE White on Hance At his September 12 Capitol press conference, Governor Mark White responded to criticism by Kent Hance of White’s handling of the crisis in Texas prisons. Said White of Hance \(who is expected to run in the Republican that I’ll have to worry about Kent Hance after the primary.” Regarding Hance’s support of more prison construction as a solution, White said that he agreed that prison construction would help solve problems, and added, “That may be what he [Hance] says today. But then, considering the source, he may change his mind tomorrow.” White, meanwhile, apparently has no intention of changing his stance in support of the death penalty. When questioned about the deterrent value of the death penalty, White answered: “I don’t know that that’s [deterrence] the reason we have the death penalty so much as to punish people appropriately [for their crimes]. I support the death penalty because I think it’s appropriate punishment for the crime. The deterrent value is an added [bonus].” Jordan and S. Africa Barbara Jordan, a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and former congresswoman, was named this month to a United Nations panel that will examine the activities of transnational corporations in South Africa and Namibia. The eleven member panel includes Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and 1980 Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina. Jordan is the only American on the panel. The women said they thought they were going to an abortion clinic. The ad in the Yellow Pages reads “Mothers and Unborn Baby Care of North Texas.” Surprise! Instead, they were given tests, asked personal questions, lectured about the “dangers and evils” of abortion, and shown an anti-abortion film. The Texas Supreme Court this month let stand a decision allowing the Fort Worth anti-abortion agency to advertise in the Yellow Pages under abortion information and services. The Sierra Club says Texas Speaker of the House Gib Lewis did not give adequate support to environmental issues in the 69th legislature. They criticized Lewis’s appointment of state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, to Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, the committee responsible for making crucial decisions concerning the water package. Lewis’s aide, Dick Merkel, said, “Well, it’s difficult to satisfy everyone. Not everyone got what they wanted, but everybody got something. That’s the key to it. There are factions on the other side that didn’t get what they wanted.” In a report on the environmental voting records of state legislators, the Club gave its highest marks to Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Oscar Mauzy, D-Dallas, for their support of environmental protections. Tyler, Texas, where sex education is not taught in public schools, has one of the highest pregnancy rates in the state, says Dr. Kerfoot Walker, of the Smith County Public Health Department. There are no abortion clinics, and only one doctor in town publicly admits to performing abortions. That is Dr. Anton Lester, who has lately been the object of harassment by protesters. Most of the protesters are members of the East Texas Christian Action Council. Lester says, “These aren’t bad people who are getting abortions. They are schoolteachers and ministers’ daughters and Apache Belles and Kilgore Rangerettes.” Sororities at the University of Texas at Austin are catching it from all sides lately. They will not be allowed to have their pictures in the Cactus yearbook next year because they are not registered student organizations. The board of directors of Texas Student Publications recently brought its policy into line with the University’s and now requires anyone buying space in the Cactus to sign a non-discrimination statement and to be a registered student organization. Also, the sororities may no longer use facilities at the University United Methodist Church. The Rev. Bob Breihan said the decision by the sororities not to sign does not comply with church policy. The sororities have been using a room at the church at the beginning of each fall semester as headquarters for their rush activities. Because of TSP’s action the church followed suit. “The sororities say they don’t want to sign because UT might tell them what to do. But the fraternities don’t have that problem. Fraternities are registered,” says Breihan. The three primarily black sororities are also registered. The church also now requires anyone using its facilities to sign a non-discrimination statement. “We have no problem with sorority girls coming to worship or anything,” says Breihan. He explains that if the groups refuse to sign an anti-discrimination statement, it means they refuse to promise not to discriminate in their activities or their membership. The new rush headquarters is the Performing Arts Center, a university facility. The sororities signed nondiscrimination statements for the PAC. Breihan is disappointed that “UT turns around and lets them use the Performing Arts Center. Would they let the Nazis or the Klan meet at PAC?” he asks. University rules state that a registered student organization may not deny membership “on any basis prohibited by applicable law, including, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or handicap.” The government of Nicaragua will try to prove in the World Court this month that the United States controls and directs Nicaraguan rebels in violation of international law, according to a New York Times report. The suit, filed in April 1984, charges that the rebel force is an “agent” of the Reagan administration, and that the United States is responsible for its actions. Last year, the United States argued that the international court lacked jurisdiction in the case. After the court held that it did have jurisdiction, the administration decided in January to halt further participation. U.S. officials said the makeup of the court, an agency of the United Nations, is such that Washington would not receive fair treatment in this case. One official said the Sandinistas wanted “not justice, but publicity.” 18 SEPTEMBER 27, 1985