The Battalion
OPINION
TheBattalio
Tuesday, April 10,1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845 33l| A
Better to get vaccinated
than to get the measles
In case you haven’t heard, the
measles are going around. But you
probably have. I have.
I’ve been avoiding the health center
for weeks now? When the first reports of
the disease came to College Station, I
had intended to go and get immunized.
But I didn’t.
And then I just didn’t hear much
more about those pesky little boogers.
For a while, the measle epidemic just
seemed to subside. I figured, “Why
should I go spend $26 to go get
immunized when the epidemic is
dying.” Little did I know, it wasn’t. If
the measles had subsided for a little
while, they definitely had made a big
comeback.
* All of a sudden, millions of “measle
alerts” started showing up everywhere.
It was as if the health center was sending
me, and everyone else on campus, a
message: “They’re baaaaaack!”
And then, it happened. I was exposed
to them. They got me, and I couldn't
escape.
So yesterday, I finally went and did it.
I got immunized, and boy was it an
experience. I even have one of the
tiniest Band-Aids I’ve ever seen on the
back of my arm to prove it.
I was starting to get kind of worried
late on Sunday night when my throat
started to get kind of sore. Not really
sore, just kind of sore. I couldn’t figure
out if the measles had made my throat
sore, or if it was the dish washing liquid
that got into that Diet Coke I drank
yesterday. (See, I drank a Diet Coke at
my grandmother’s house yesterday, and
I think the ice had dish washing liquid in
it. Maybe the tray had just come from
the washer or something, but I could
have sworn it tasted like Palmolive. It
even bubbled up when I poured it.)
Anyway, I didn’t want to take any
chances — so I opted for the
immunization.
I went off to the health centqr on
Monday morning, and found it packed
with many other vaccine seekers. I
ended up paying the $26 for the
measles-mumps-rubella shot, even
though I could have gotten the measles
booster for free. I figured that 1 might
as well get the three-in-one deal.
Jfcl
Damon
Arhos
Assistant Opinion
Page Editor
(Buying in bulk is such the style these
days.)
And then I was herded back to the
immunization room with about 10 other
people and given the standardized
measles-mumps-rubella speech. I was
asked to list any allergies too — which
happens to be a dissertation for me. I
am allergic to almost everything (but not
to the vaccine, I hope).
After this, I waited with my 10
friends to have the of needle shoved
into my arm. The entire time we kept
joking about how much it was going to
hurt, which it really didn’t. Butjust for
funzies, I screamed really loud and held
my arm as I was coming out of the
examination room. You should have
seen their faces.
That was it. That little immunization
that didn’t really hurt and took no more
than 30 minutes to get will keep me
from catching the measles (if 1 don’t
already have them).
My message to you: Go get one. The
measles epidemic is spreading quickly.
Most likely, someone you know has
them or has been exposed to them, and
you could be next. It doesn’t matter if
you are a student, member of the
faculty or administrator — the measles
aren’t discriminating. If you walk on
this campus, you could catch them.
If you haven’t been immunized
before and you don’t get a shot, you are
defenseless. This time of year is
probably one of the worst times to catch
them, too. Finals are just around the
corner, and there is still a lot of work to
do.
Don’t waste your time trying to get
over the measles. Get them before they
end up getting you.
Damon Arhos is a senior journalism
major.
Mail Call
Handicapped need spaces
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to an article written by An
drew Lankford concerning the handicapped. It is apparent
that Lankford is truly concerned about problems faced da
ily by the handicapped.
Although I am not confined to a wheelchair, 1 have se
vere rheumatoid arthritis which makes walking long dis
tances very difficult.
Recently, there has been a drastic increase in the num
ber of vehicles parked in handicapped spaces (the majority
being “temporarily handicapped”).
Many of these people who are “temporarily handicap
ped” are well and don’t need the permit long before the six
months allowed has expired. They are instructed to de
stroy the permit.
But does anyone really want to give up that convenient
parking space to someone who really needs it? Of course
not!
To those who say that parking is a University-wide
problem, I would love to be in your shoes. I wish that I
could walk from the Fish Lot to my dorm. Instead, I must
worry about whether or not my knee will give out before I
make it back to my room. You don’t know how lucky you
are!
I would like to thank Handicapped Student Services
for all that they have done, and continue to do for the
handicapped.
I would also like to thank Andrew Lankford for recog
nizing the problems we (the handicapped) must face daily.
try but on an inanimate object (guns to be exact). Gun con
trol was soon established and now the right side is aga
bare.
The instinct still remains, however, to keep the rig
hand free for the sole purpose of defending one’s self and |
killing liberals.
The history of liberals placing blame on inanimateob I
jects helps explain Hobbs’ misconceived ideas thatshowup
in her third answer. Sorry, Ellen, but it is not likely
plants, trees, microorganisms or liberals will experience an I
afterlife.
Activi
for jui
into si
RickJ. Davis ’90
Diversify A&M admission policy
EDITOR:
Dr. Mobley has recently expressed his goals to interna I
tionalize and diversify Texas A&.-M. This comes as a sur
prise to me.
Months ago, I encouraged several out-of-state friends
at other colleges to attend A&M this summer.
They were not allowed, to because they, weren’t full
time students at A&M.
Actions speak louder than words. Dr. Mobley.
An admissions policy that encourages people from dif
ferent backgrounds to attend A&M seems like a good place
to start, whether it’s summer, fall or spring semesters.
Scooter Welborn ‘92
Carol Herrera ’93
Parents unite for child care
Hobbs’ account unhistorical
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to Ellen Hobbs’ cute little arti
cle on Monday, April 9. While Hobbs was onto something
good with the response to her first question, she obviously
did not take the historical aspects of the situation into ac
count.
The actual reason that so many people (males in partic
ular) carry their backpacks on their left shoulder goes back
hundreds of years to when the right arm wielded the sword
that w as used to fight off attackers and kill liberals.
Later, after the liberals came into power for a short pe
riod, (the Dark Ages), they established a policy known as
sword control. This was the catalyst that caused some un
sung conservative to develop the .357 Magnum. This
handy little weapon could again be carried on the right side
and utilized by the free right hand. It also could be used to
fight off attackers and kill liberals (as could the sword).
Unfortunately, the liberals once again came into power
for another short period, (the Great Depression), during
which hundreds of people sadly took their own lives. The
quick speaking but slow thinking liberals immediately
blamed the deaths not on the poor leadership of the coun-
EDITOR:
This letter is addressed to all students at A&M who
have children. Af fording child care is a problem for man) 1
of us who are full-time students. This problem can be
solved if we get together and form a child tare network.
This network would involve getting together a group of
parents and comparing schedules so that we can matchup
parents to look after each others’ kids.
This would not only provide a source of child care, but
it would also open up a new network of friends. If you are
interested contact Betty at 823-6424 or leave a message on
my machine at 845-2566. You may also contact Nancy at
the Off Campus Center at 845-1741.
Betty Harris
Graduate student
Have an opinion ? Express it!
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Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editomi stojf it
serves the right to edit letters Jor style and length, but will make every effort to mm I
tain the author's intent. There is no guarantee that letters submitted will hit
printed. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, addrasim
telephone number of the writer All letters may be brought to 21 f> Reed McDmll
or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111.
Non-handicapped man recounts day in wheelchair
On Monday, April 2, I spent a day in
a wheelchair. Since I usually see the
campus from the point of view of
someone standing tin two feet, I had
little idea what was in store for me.
I had noticed things 1 thought would
be obstacles for wheelchair users before,
but when I became one of those users, I
realized how many obstacles 1 had
overlooked.
My trouble started before I could
even leave the health center. Trying to
exit, I noticed the door that
automatically opens from the outside is
manually operated from the inside.
Being very big and very heavy, it was
tough to open from a sitting position,
but I managed to make it out. Rolling
down the ramp, I was off.
Heading toward my class in
T hompson Hall, I noticed the concrete
walking area around the fish pond is in
good condition foi wheelchair traffic,
but my chair was in dire need of
alignment. At the back of Thompson, I
ran into a classmate, who offered to
help. He asked me what happened and
I told him, “It’s a long story.” He helped
me through the door and once inside,
he decides to have a little fun and I get
taken on a hell ride as he runs with me,
Andrew
Lankford Reader’s Opinion
sliding around corners.
In class, there are the long style desks
and the wheelchair fits nicely. T he
problem with wheelchair users and
desks is that most classrooms have the
permanent style of desks. After the
class, another, more benevolent friend
offers to take me to the library.
After my study group meets in the
library, we proceed to our examination.
It is here, in the Pavilion parking lot that
I realize I didn't wear any gloves and my
hands are starting to get raw.
After the test, I learned a valuable
lesson in speaking with someone in a
wheelchair. When I went to talk to my
professor, he knelt down. At first, this
made me feel uncomfortable, but then I
realized what he was doing. He was not
showing sympathy, he was making it
where I wouldn’t have to crane my neck
to talk to him. This made conversation
very comfortable.
On my way to meet a friend at
Heldenfels using the sidewalk to the
Northeast entrance to the building, I
found out why this sidewalk is on the
ten most wanted list.
As I was heading south from the
library and gaining speed, I saw a patch
of pea gravel up ahead. I thought, “Lve
got enough speed to plow right through
this stuff.” However, there was a ledge
there I didn’t see. Suddenly, I dropped
off the ledge and my front wheels dug
into a rut in the pea gravel.
The wheelchair came to a dead stop,
the back wheels came off the ground
and my books went flying. If it were not
for the foot rests on front, I would have
been face first on the sidewalk. I
realized then that this wheelchair thing
was not to be taken lightly.
Leaving Heldenfels through the west
side, (between Heldenfels and the
Agronomy Building), I discovered some
more ramp difficulties. In general, the
ramps there were in poor condition
(chuck holes, too narrow), but more
specifically, there is a car parked almost
on top of the ramp itself. I went ahead
and tried, got stuck, and my friend had
to free me by lifting my front wheel out
of a two inch rut. Off we went to the
Psychology Building.
The Psychology Building itself has
good accessibility; However, you come
in on a half floor and to get to the
elevator you must take an electric lift
down to the bottom floor.
At first glance, the lift is a good idea,
but then you read the sign above the
entrance that says to obtain a key to the
lift you must go to Ramp B in Hart Hall.
I was glad to see modifications for
wheelchairs, but I sure wish I could
have come in on a whole floor and avoid
the inconvenience of having to deal with
the lift key.
The problems listed here are only a
small portion of the problems I actually
had. From my observation, I believe the
biggest, but by no means the only, hassle
is the overall poor condition of the
access ramps. This is something that, in
the past, I have taken for granted as
something to help the handicapped.
Now I realize that these ramps can be
just as big of a henderence. For
instance, one of the greatest problems I
had was concerning an access ramp
upon reentering the health center.
Approaching the health center from
the sidewalk, the access ramp 1 had to
get to was perpendicular to the
sidewalk. Trying to gain access, I fell
into the trench between the ramp and
Andrew Lankford is a senior induslr
distribution major.
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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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Adventures In Cartooning
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the sidewalk and got stuck with one
wheel spinning freely in the air.
Struggling, trying not to use my feet,I
worked my way around the corner
where a young lady helped me up the
ramp.
Once inside the hospital, I asked,
“Can you believe that crap? Look how
they want us to exist.” She didn't say
much. 1 could tell that she was a little,
uncomfortable. Still in the chair, 1 asket
her, “Did you read The Battalion
today?” She said, “no.” I then told her
about a non-handicapped guy who
spent the day in a wheelchair. Shedidnil
say much. I handed her a Battalionandl
she turned to the opinion page. Shestil
didn’t say much. I wanted a response
and she was taking her time trying to
find the article. Fhis, in a way, showed
the general lack of concern the public
has f or handicapped problems.
Gathering my books off the floor, (M
paper still in her hand, I stood upoutol
the wheelchair. I pointed to the article
and said, “You really should read this
article.” She just stood there. 1 said,
“Have a nice day,” and walked out.
by Don Atkinson Ji
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