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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, October 8, 1985 Opinion Put holiday season back in its place On most calendars Christmas is still Dec. 25. But apparently some local merchants feel the Christmas season begins in Octo ber. Commercial exploitation of any sacred holiday is sad. We haven’t gotten past trick-or-treating or eating turkey and yet several local stores already are displaying Christmas trees, ornaments, stockings and artificial Santas and reindeer. Radio spots and advertising mailouts invite us to “shop early” and to “buy your Christmas presents now.” Most people enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit during the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas day. But at tempting to stretch the Christmas season to the first of October is ridiculous. Next year it may be August or September. We don’t argue with the merchants’ right of free enterprise. However, this freedom should not be used to “sale” a religious celebration. Let’s keep the holy in holiday. Let’s celebrate Christmas at Christmas time. The Battalion Editorial Board J01 B) Monthi drew 601 X three of fi K decided. \ Accord Monday i misMoner Moore, m joritv in tl president ; Friday' be | bet we Hurta. Ti jor from ceni of th Hurta, ai major fro ceni ■ In the : [l, Greg Cai ^ neering n run agair studies m captured while Fry i The tre CMM v’h between A. PRESIDENT &0TUA, TO SEE YOU Uaittitnini IM MS' twc Happy Divorce! Breaking vows can be as joyous as taking them By Two co pnnter ml rial St tide grams off! tor Janies I The cou ferret I ven Last month I re ceived an invita tion to attend a party celebrating the divorce of some good friends. Mr. and Mrs. N. O. Love request the honor of your presence at the Woe-is-me County “Whale, ya know ... ah guess jes’ ’bout anythin’ ya like, really. They’s gonna be needin’ plenty since they’s a’s- plittin’. flowers. I asked around and found that it was for the divorce ceremony. “Thanks,” I responded not anymore enlightened than before. “Won’t they make it official at the courthouse?” I inquired. John Halleff Just what do you give to an estranged couple? Certainly not his ’n hers bath towels or satin bed sheets. “Whale, yes’n’no,” replied the same insightful person who was so helpful with my questions about proper party etiquette. Courthouse, 3rd District Court, at 3:30 p.m. Friday, September 28, 1985, to wit ness the termination of 15 years of mis erable matrimony. Reception to follow at the Watering Hole, 96 East Kinsey. Unsure of what to bring and how to dress, I asked one of the reception’s planners about divorce party etiquette. “Whale, ah guess it ain’t much dif- fernt than a weddin’ reception ’cept that they’s be gettin’ dee-vorced ’stedda gettin’ hitched. An’ since the party’s gonna be at the “Hole,” I ’magine ya don’t hafta get decked out none . . . butcha bring geefs jes’ like et weddins an’ such.” Being a pragmatic kind of guy I ar rived at the party (1 decided to bypass the court proceedings) bearing gifts for the ‘pair-no-more’ — a book entitled “How to Train Men” for the former missus and a helpful guide called “How to Pick Up Women,” a must for bache lors (the cover was slightly crinkled, I admit to flipping through it the night before). “What do you mean by that? I que ried. picked out “Melancholy Baby,” “The Way We Were” and “You Don't Bring Me Flowers” on the jukebox. I thought the party was supposed to cheer up the litigants so 1 went over to the jukebox and selected “The Bitch Is Back.” Now that’s more like it, 1 thought. About five minutes later the divorce party entered the premises. Nick and Emily Zelda (the guests of honor) strode to the arch. “I do assembled “Do you Emily Zelda take studies con your lawful ex, to shun and igi taken. dc.ti h . I.>es ><m in?” , R Jllll<,l l short-term shortage p ingthe MS' i.; Robert It.. \. m \u k pioitme t presi.l. in ■ Zelda child support until vourvoJp^ ex P < IliUl I e.K lies 18?" have pi ioi i :ouncil mei “Say again?" . -., “Ah was gettin’ to et, ef ya’d give me a chance now. Yea, they’s gettin’ dee- vorced at the courthouse an’ then they’s a cornin’ here an they’s gonna brang Judge Stone with ’em.” Judge Stone stood several steps be hind the arch holding a lit candle. W’hen Nick and Emily Zelda reached the arch he handed the candle to the ex-Loves. “I said," Judge Stone repealed you Nick promise to pay Emilii child support until your younges reaches 18?” Great, I thought, it’s going to be a scene right out of “Night Court.” Over the entrance to the Watering Hole was a sign that read: No Guns Al lowed. “Must be a tough crowd — I hope this doesn’t turn into a family feud,” I thought out loud as I mean dered in. “An’ when they git here, they’s gonna have a ceremony kinda like a weddin’ with your Honor precidin.” “The candle that Nick and Emily Zelda are holding, and I must admit they are showing admirable restraint, represents the life they led as man and wife. The two candles before them rep resent their seperate lives ...” “Wait a minute, who said ai" about child support?” Nickdeman ‘Thanks.” A minor ruckus began at this point when Nick and Emily Zelda tugged on the single candle trying to light his or her candle first. “It’s all here in the paperssowj calm down or 1 hold you forcoais Now let me have the rings please and Emily Zelda proceeded lofl their wedding rings. “Don’t mention et.’ ‘What kind of gifts?” I queried. To my surprise, in the middle of the barroom dance floor was an arch like the kind you might see at a garden wed ding except it was decorated with dead Seeing that it was only 3:15 1 headed to the bar to down a few belts before the festivites began. 1 was already getting into a somber mood. Someone had Emily Zelda finally gave in. “I waited this long so I guess I can wait another minute you (expletives deleted).... After the candles were lit, Judge Stone continued. Judge Stone turned to thera and announced “May 1 preseS Nick Love and Ms. Emily Zelda Si John Hallett is a senior ence major, a columnist undM tor for The Battalion. Health center should take better care of studen Last year, the A . P . B e u t e 1 Health Center treated 70 people for injuries re ceived during pre parations for bon- fire. If we no longer had bon fire the health center would not have to treat those injuries. If no one sex then the health center would not have to provide birth control services. If there were no women at Texas A&M then the health center would no longer have to provide gynecological examina tions. Getting rid of bonfire would be stu pid. Getting rid of sex would be impossi ble. Getting rid of women would be ille gal. The health center will treat bonfire injuries but will not provide birth con trol services or gynecological examina tions. That’s discrimination. On Sept. 1 the health center stopped giving physical examinations and pre scriptions for birth control pills. Dr. Claude Goswick, director of the health center, said the center is so understaffed and overworked that it can no longer af ford provide these “routine” services. Goswick said that this was a logical place for the chop. Due to this “logical chop,” more than 14,000 women attending Texas A&M are being denied the right to see a gyne cologist and students who are sexually active, both female and male, can no longer get precscriptions for birth con trol pills. Goswick said that the purpose of the health center is to take care of illnesses and injuries. The purpose of a student health center should be to provide for the health care needs for students. If the health center would practice pre ventive medicine, they might not have to take care of as many cases. It’s a lot easier to pre- vent a disease than it is to cure it. Doctors recom- mend that women over 18 should see a gy necologist at least once a year to check for cancer of the ovaries, breasts, cervix and various other problems such as cysts. Gynecological examinations are an important health care need of all women students at Texas A&M. All students pay a $15 fee each semes ter for health center services. Before the health center did away with the service, women having gynecological examina tions would have to pay an additional $17 for lab fees. Most gynecologists in the Bryan-College Station area charge about $50 for the examination plus lab fees up to $25. It is ridiculous to require women students to pay $15 a semester so that the health center can tell them they have to go pay a gynecologist $75. Despite what some people choose to believe, many college students are sex ually active. To prevent unwanted preg nancies, some form of birth control should be available to these students. Birth control is the responsibility of the couple, not just the female partner. Birth control services are an important health care need of students at Texas A&M. Goswick said one of the reasons ex aminations for birth control were dis continued was because some doctors prefer not to give prescriptions for birth control. He said that a woman shouldn’t want a prescription from a doctor who doesn’t believe she should have it. On the other hand, many doctors do prefer to prescribe birth control devices an and women should have the opportunity to go to another doctor for another opin ion. If a doctor doesn’t not want to pre scribe birth control for medical reasons, his decision should be respected due to his expertise on the matter. But if a doc tor refuses to prescribe birth control for moral reasons, it would be like a doctor refusing to treat a car crash victim be cause he doesn’t like wreckless drivers. The idea that the availability of birth control devices only promotes premari tal sex is the height of stupidity. Prema rital sex has existed much longer than birth control devices, and many married couples also use some form of birth con trol. Because so many people find abor tion morally repulsive they should pro mote the use of birth control to pre vent the unwanted pregnancies that sometimes result in abortion. The A.P. Beutel Health Genter, be ing the student’s health center, should take better care of the students at Texas A&M. By discontinuing gyne cological examinations and birth control services, the health center is not taking good care of the students. The health center is frequently called the “quack shack” instead of the A.P. Beutel Health Center — apparently there is a general dissatisfaction with the quality of serv ices offered. The health center, for the most part, is funded by the $15 health center serv ice the students pay each semester. Since the money comes from the stu dents, the students should have some say in how their money is spent. Tonight at 8:30 a group of concerned students will meet at the MSG Main Karl Pallmeyer at Texas A&M had The health center is frequently called the “quack shack” instead of the A.P. Beutel Health Center — apparently there is a general dis satisfaction with the quality of services offered .... Tonight at 8:30 a group of concerned students will meet at the MSC Main Lounge to discuss what we as students can do to get better care from our health center. Lounge to discuss what we as#! can do to get better care froll health center. Let your voice be tel Karl Pallmeyer is a senior jouitf major and a columnist for The If ion. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association South west Journalism Confertiw The Battalion Editorial Board Rhonda Snider, Editor Michelle Powe, ManagingEdiw I I.oren Steffy, Opinion Page Ed:: I Karen Bloch, C/tyEditor I John 1 f.illett, Kay Mallett, Newfdij Travis Tingle, Sports Editor I Editorial Policy I he Battalion is a non-protit, seirsuppoMtfl per operated as a community service lo TtM ” | Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in 71ie Bmufon 1 Editorial Board or the author, and do not resent the opinions of'I'cxas AScMadtoioitMton or the Board ot Uegenls. The Battalion atso serves as a latoraionnerj students in reporting, editing and p/iMopr 11 1 within the Department ofCommooicaliM- United I’rcss International is entitled use lor reproduction of all neks dispatcheet^t Bights ol reproduction of all other nulltt^'l served. < I he Battalion is published Monday thtosp tog I'cxas AX-.U regular semesters, esceptmtdfjl examination periods. 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