A
The Battalion
OPINION
Tuesda^Marc^7^1990^
Opinion Page Editor
Ellen Hobbs 845-33
The time and efforts of at least 20 Big Event participants
were wasted Saturday when these students showed up to help
those who could have helped themselves.
The Big Event is one of the largest community service pro
jects in the country, and students helped out many needy indi
viduals and groups by picking up trash, painting and mowing.
Other students, however, arrived at expensive homes and
were greeted by physically able hosts. For example, the hours
that were devoted to edging a nice yard with the resident’s
brand-new Weed Eater could have been spent doing something
truly worthwhile — helping people who needed help.
) ants in the Bi
families in the
Event for
ryan-CoI-
George Bush commended participa
“reaching out to needy individuals and f;
lege Station area.”
Information given to those who participated in the Big Event
said, “There are many people withm our own community who
are in desperate need or our help and they will now receive help
because or 1
you.
In the future, Big Event applicants wanting helj
should be
pplicant
Sdn’t be
overstiadowed by opportunists looking for some free labor.
The Battalion Editorial Board
briefly and in
person, the success of the Big Event worn
English as official language
won’t end cultural diversity
The words that you are now reading
are in English. In fact, so are most, if not
all, of the words in The Battalion.
English seems to pop up everywhere: on
most of the street signs, billboards,
instruction manuals, pamphlets, TV
shows, menus and advertisements in the
United States. And I could go on.
Yet, the controversy over English as
the official language of the United
States continues. My question is, why?
Is it because many people believe that
“official English” will mean “English
only” everywhere? Or maybe because
people feel that “official English” will
make us loose our cultural identities and
any smidgens of diversity? Or because
the advocacy of English as the official
language of the United States will
allegedly promote racism and
discrimination?
I hope not, because designating
English as the official language of the
U.S. will do none of these things.
English as the official language of the
United States would simply mean that
all government documents, including
voting instructions, would be printed
only in English. It doesn’t mean that
different languages can’t be spoken
anywhere. But it does mean that a whole
lot of tax money can be saved by ceasing
to print documents in more than one
language.
Take California, for instance. Before
it designated English as its state
language, it was printing government
documents and voting materials in four
languages. This was a considerable
expense to the the taxpayers of that
state. Thousands of dollars are now
channeled to other budgetary concerns.
And as for cultural identity and
diversity, both are a product of the
individual, his background and his
desire to retain his heritage. No matter
if he was born in this country or came to
it, every individual is shaped by his own
past and upbringing.
For example, I am a second
generation Greek, and I’m proud of it.
My grandfather immigrated from
Greece at the age of five speaking only
Greek. I can remember Greek being
spoken in my grandparents home quite
freqently, and have learned quite a bit
about my cultural heritage from my
family.
Damon
Arhos
Assistant Opinion
Page Editor
My background and upbringing has
taught me about my heritage. In no way
do I feel that I have lost this heritage
solely because I speak English instead of
Greek. As for diversity, society is no less
diverse because I can communicate with
it.
How would it be possible for me to
function in our American society if I did
only speak Greek? How could I attend
this University? How could I vote? How
could I read a newspaper? If I didn’t
speak English, I would definitely be
disadvantaged socially.
And discrimination and racism have
no place here. No single race has been
recognized with this policy. It is free of
bias toward any other language, unlike
many of the documents that are
circulating in the U.S. today. It doesn’t
segregate; everyone is included. And it
definitely doesn’t discriminate — it only
eliminates.
Also of main concern to many
opponents of the program is the issue of
bilingual education in schools. But this
type of program segregates many
hispanic students, making them feel
inferior. With a more sensible
immersion program, hispanic students
would be taught English and then
“immersed” into classes with their
classmates. In this way, the students
would pick up the language by intensive
study in English. And in every foreign
language class I’ve ever taken, the
professor has stressed the importance of
speaking the language as frequently as
possible.
Try looking up the word “English” in
the second college edition of Webster’s
New World Dictionary; it will tell you
that English is the “official language” of
the United States. Not yet, Mr. Webster,
but soon, we hope.
Damon Arhos is a senior journalism
major.
Put an end to rattlesnake roundu
Each year in Texas and other states,
including Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia
and New Mexico, thousands of
rattlesnakes are collected and killed in
rattlesnake roundups. These roundups
are primarily fund raising events for
local community organizations,
bringing in large amounts of money
through the sales of hides, meats and,
more recently, certain organs for use in
East Asian folk medicine.
On the surface, these events may
seem to be a worthwhile undertaking.
However, there are serious ecological
and moral considerations, the least of
which is the inhumane treatment these
animals receive at the hands of the
rounduppers.
The primary method used to collect
rattlesnakes for these events is gassing
the snakes’ winter denning sites. The
snakes typically retreat during the
winter to some sunny, rocky outcrop
and hibernate in holes and crevices.
Hunters for the roundups usually use a
garden pump or copper tubing to spray
gasoline into the dens to make the
snakes emerge. Leaded gasoline is
primarily used, since it is the least
expensive type available.
Any animal using the den receives a
does of gasoline fumes and/or liquid
gasoline. Any animal — be it a
diamondback rattlesnake, a toad, a
ground squirrel, a racoon or an insect —
is poisoned by gasoline. Many dens have
been subjected to large enough
quantities of gasoline to render them
uninhabitable for snakes or anything
else.
One study has shown that inhalation
of the fumes causes loss of coordination
and muscle control of animals. In
addition, elements in leaded gasoline
are toxic and some are known to cause
Troy
Hibbitts
Reader’s Opinion
cancer (Remember, one of the sources
of income for rattlesnake roundups is
the sale of meat for human
consumption — meat that has been
exposed to toxic leaded gasoline.). What
we have is intentional pollution of many
areas in our state. Perhaps it is not as
dramatic as the Exxon Valdez disaster,
but it is a much more deplorable
pollution because it is intentional.
Another serious ecological
consideration is the effect that the large
numbers of a major predatory species,
the western diamondback rattlesnake,
has on the environment. Snakes are the
main predator on small rodents in many
areas. Removal of large numbers of
snakes causes rodent populations to rise
which results in damage to crops and
reduced crop yields.
Besides the obvious ecological
problems of pouring gasoline into the
ground and predator removal, there are
moral considerations as well,
t housands of animals are being killed
annually in these roundups. These
animals are displayed, mistreated and
tortured for the sake of human
amusement.
People have often said to me, “It’s just
a snake!” Does that make the snakes any
less deserving of humane treatment
than a cocker spaniel or a sea otter?
It has also been said that there are a
lot of snakes out there, so why worry
about it? At one time there were billions
of passenger pigeons and buffalo and
now the passenger pigeon is extinct and
the buffalo is restricted to a few
preserves.
Furthermore, at these roundupsv
called safety demonstrations are
performed. I have worked with
venomous snakes on two research
projects, and I don’t consider hand
rattlesnakes with your bare handsa
“safety demonstration” (no matterk'
lethargic from gasoline poisoningih i PAfl"
snake is). The best safety whendei
with a venomous snake is tokaveii
alone unless you are a trained
herpetologist, a scientist who studies
amphibians and reptiles.
Other events, like bag-stuffing
contests where men have a time linn:
stuff as many live rattlesnakes as
possible into a burlap bag with then
hands, take place as well. Theexamp
set for the many children in attendarf
is dangerous. In addition, roundups I
teach children that is is all right toaql
out natural resources and trivialize ;
envii omental concerns.
In a decade in which millions of
dollars are spent annually for the
protection of wildlife, it is absurd to
allow the systematic destructionofa
species for the sake of human pleasii:
and profit. No good comes from
rattlesnake roundups. Even thevencJ
that is “milked" from the snakes is
wasted because it is not of the qualit)
used in research or medicine.
Help save Texas’ wildlife—-notjus
rattlesnakes, but also the countless of:
animals that are affected by dengass
Write your representative. Stop
rattlesnake roundups.
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Troy Hibbits is a sophomore wildliji [ servin
and fisheries major and a member of Ik
Texas Herpetological Society.
Mail Call
We’re here for education
Suppose you are wrong, James. Eternity is a longtime.
EDITOR:
I was so pleased to read the letter from Linda Sparks in
the February 28th’s Battalion because it was a classic ex
ample of a narrow-minded, ignorant, non-sensical Aggie.
The best part of the letter was where Lindy asked us, “If
you don’t like traditions, why are you here?” What a great
question! Gee ... let’s see ... Texas A&M University. Oh,
now I remember; I’m here to get an education! I’m sure
that’s what the great majority of people are here for.
A&M has one of the best engineering schools in the na
tion. If a person wants a good education in engineering at
A&M, I think their belief in Aggie traditions is irrelevant.
To an ignorant, narrow-minded person I’d guess you’d
have to say, “There’s more to Aggieland than just its tra
ditions.” You just don’t place tradition ahead of every
thing — including common sense. Anyone that would
hire an Aggie over a much better qualified person for a
job simply because they’re an Aggie must have no com
mon sense.
Bill Pirkle ’93
Williams lacks experience
Wendy Graham ‘92
‘Eternity is a long time’
EDITOR:
In response to James Hammitt’s letter Feb. 22,1 simply
ask him to consider the following. I am a Christian, I be
lieve that God is the creator of the universe, and that
those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, will go to Heaven after they die while those who do
not, will go to Hell. Suppose I’m right. I will spend eter
nity in Heaven with God. Suppose I’m wrong. I will have
lived my life by a set of beliefs that has made me happy.
Now, James, suppose you are right. You have lived by a
set of rules that, you say, has made you happy. Suppose
you are wrong. You will spend eternity in Hell, seperated
from all that is good.
James, my worst possibility is exactly the same as your
best! You say that you believe Jesus Christ was a great
orator and intellectual. He also claimed to be the Son of
God (Matthew 26:63-64). If you read His words, you will
find that He must be either a liar, a lunatic or Lord. I be
lieve the last, and I hope that you come to believe it too.
EDITOR:
Can Clayton Williams possibly be for real? Can he se
riously be considering holding the highest elected office
in the state? It is amazing how a man can base a campaign
on an over-inflated ego and a bulging bank account. His
far-fetched ideas such as criminals “bustin’ rocks” and
serving time at boot camp prisons (which, as proven by
Ricker’s Island in New York, are ineffective) are ridicu
lous and do nothing but highlight his complete and total
lack of experience in the political arena.
It is also astounding how much support he has gar
nered simply because he is an Aggie. Are we so “Aggie
centric” that we will vote for this man (even though he
has made repeated racist comments against blacks and
hispanics) just because he graduated from Texas A&M?
Will we support a man who has asked Governor Clements
if being governor is “a full time job,” and has stated that
it’s a “man’s world” and doesn’t want to run against a
woman? Can we possibly place our trust in the hands ofa
man who makes jokes about rape, the most heinous and
sick crime known to humankind?
This is a very sensitive time for Texas and we cannot
afford to be henchmen for a biggoted, chauvanistic and
immature idealist. If anything this behavior by Williams
has been a slap in the face to Texas A&M and its loyal
supporters. His comments and attitudes are reprehen
sible and beyond reproach. If Clayton Williams was to
base his campaign on what’s between his ears as opposed
to what’s between his legs, he might not come off as being
so ignorant and insensitive.
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Gary P. Carroll, ’88
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Adventures In Cartooning
by Don Atkinson Jr
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The Battalion Editorial Board
Scot Walker, Editor
Monique Threadgill,
Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
Melissa Naumann, City Editor
Cindy McMillian, Lisa Robertson,
News Editors
Richard Tijerina, Sports Editor
Fredrick D. Joe, Art Director
Mary-Lynne Rice, Lifestyles Editor
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