The Battalion
OPINION
he B
Tuesday, April 24,1990
Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-3
‘World-class’ status will come only with diversity
ues
Freedom from racism and prejudice
is a mental health issue, but it is more
than that. It is a moral issue, a social
issue and a principled issue for
educated men and women of all
backgrounds. This means it is an Aggie
issue, because Aggie men and women
come from all backgrounds, races,
creeds and sexual orientations. Aggies
are Aggies regardless of their
differences, and are respected because
of these differences.
Tensions caused by intolerance
present a serious threat to this
University, to students, families,
communities and the country.
Intolerance threatens not only the civil
Dr. Maggie
Olona
Reader’s Opinion
and human rights of our students, but
also their potential for effective working
relationships and harmony within our
society.
Many people believe that they are
tolerant, when in fact they are
intolerant. Intolerance involves more
than the childish acts of hate mail, sexist
or racist jokes or destruction of a
student display. It can be conscious or
unconscious, acted out in the form of
prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping
or dualism.
Defining these terms will give a better
understanding. Prejudice is the
prejudgment of an individual without
the sufficient grounds or information to
do so. Discrimination is the act of
limiting individuals or harassing
individuals based on their membership
in certain subgroups. Stereotyping is
done when certain traits are associated
with an individual based on their
membership in a particular group.
MAR&ilSS
<£>mo HCV&DN P&T
It’s time that Barbie dumped Ken
The advertisement for Enjoli
describes her best. “She can bring home
the bacon (nah nah na nuh), fry it up in
a pan (nah nah na nuh) and never let
you forget you’re a man.”
She is the epitome of a modern
woman. In the business world she is
respected as an entrepreneur. She owns
and manages her own clothing store,
record store, soda shop, movie theater
and Burger King.
stringing Barbie along and has never
had any intention of marrying her. How
do I know? Well, have you ever seen a
wedding ring? No, I didn’t think so.
After business hours she relaxes in
her townhouse that is equipped with a
swimming pool, patio set, tennis court
and hot tub. She also has invested in
water front property and bought a
beach house.
It’s amazing that she can find the time
to manage all of her businesses and be a
successful beautician, secretary, lawyer
and rock star. Even with her hectic
schedule she still manages to maintain a
steady relationship.
brand of food and lives in her
townhouse. To tell the truth, he doesn’t
even own his own hair. He wears a
plastic toupee.
Who is this incredible woman? Why,
it’s Barbie of course!
Running her own businesses, owning
two homes and successfully managing
several careers, Barbie has her life
together. She only has one thing
holding her back — Ken.
Let’s look at their relationship, shall
we? For over 50 years Ken has lived off
of Barbie. He wears her brand of
clothes (actually, all he ever wears are
those stupid green shorts), eats her
Does Ken own his own car? No. He
uses Barbie’s moped, Volkswagen
Cabriolet, van, 57 Chevy, convertible
Corvette and Ferrari. Do you know why
he uses her cars? It’s because he doesn’t
have enough money to buy his own car.
Why is that? It’s because he doesn’t have
ajob.
What’s that you say? Did you say
maybe he got laid off? No, Ken has not
worked a day in his pretend life. Look at
the commercials. You never see Ken’s
office building or Ken’s store. Oh, I
know. You’re thinking sometimes only
one person works in a marriage while
the other spouse stays at home. Well,
that’sjust it! They are not married!
I realize that there aren’t that many
male pretend dolls around, but Barbie
does have alternatives. She should date
Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtle. He’s the perfect partner. He’s a
Ninja and a gentleman. Plus, by dating a
turtle, she can take things nice and slow.
The only problem with Barbie seeing
Raphael is having to handle the bad
press. Several people are opposed to
inter-species dating.
Another perfect man for Barbie is
none other than G.I. Joe. I know what
you’re thinking. Isn’t he a little short for
her? Well, now they have the new action
size G.I. Joe that is bigger and better
than ever. Just think, she would have a
man in uniform. Besides, she would get
free military benefits.
If worse comes to worse, there is
always the World Wrestling Federation
figurines.
Let’s just forget about all that living in
sin business and concentrate on what’s
important. Fq,}' 50 years Ken has been
Any of these men would be perfect
for Barbie! She needs to go ahead and
dump Ken and start dating. Barbie just
needs to look Ken straight in the eye
and ask, “What have you done for me
lately?”
Diane Bass is a junior journalism
major.
Dualism is the act of seeing individuals
in a polarity of good or bad, right or
wrong. In reality, all individuals are
different and unique. Intolerance
promotes hatred and fosters ignorance.
It is a fact that intolerance for
differences is
Diversity has been the basisofAil
growth. After women were
students in 1963, A&M began togrj
Diversity of the gender of students
made a big dif ference.
There is
destructive not
only to the victim
but also to the one
who is intolerant.
It blocks the
intolerant person
from growing
mentally and
emotionally, from
living a happier
life and from
contributing to a
more peacef ul
world. Narrow
minded thinking
is actually a part of
development.
Individuals should
grow through this developmental stage
and move beyond it if they wish to
function more fully, if they wish to
function as psychologically healthy
individuals.
here. Cite
provides usi ly ST/ 1
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grow, to fnt
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Diversity help
to undersij ear to
ourstli oming
Diversity givt,
an appreciatiot
A serious result of prejudice is the
destructiveness of that hate to the
intolerant persons. Hate burns like an
unending fire and lingers like a
festering sore. Hatred is connected to
fear and retards rational thinking.
When intolerant groups or individuals
attempt to judge, belittle and threaten
their victims because of lack of
understanding, it affects us all
politically, economically and socially.
Intolerance is a waste of mind and
heart.
The differtt
we experience!
learn from one another are thethinji
that make us grow. That’s why weart
here — to learn. To do that, wenei
many opportunities to learn about
different ideas, different ways of soli
problems and different ways of livinj
That’s what a “world class universitf
all about, and that’s what worldclas
students are all about.
For those who subscribe to the
philosophy that “Highway 6 runs hot!
ways,” consider what we losewhenie
force others to leave because ofour
intolerance. With that highwaygoes
future strength and poweroflexas
A&M University.
Dr. Maggie Olona is the assistant
director of the Student Counseling
Service.
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Mail Call
‘Let there be rock’
EDITOR.
Two big thumbs up for Patrick Hays’ article on the need for an a
rock station here in B-CS. There is definitely a market for this format,
sure there are many others like Hays and myself who love rock’n’roll. We have
waited long enough; it’s time we did something. Let there be rock!
David Sugarek ’90
Campus buildings sterile, dull
EDITOR:
With all of the attention currently being given to the quality ofourenvi
ronment and Earth Day, I felt it was about time we took a look at our own
campus. In the time since I started as an undergraduate in 1984, manyofthe
green spaces on campus have been wiped out for, well, quite mediocre build
ings. Trees and fields have been plowed over (and not just around theMSC!
for structures that look like a collection of insurance buildings rather than
academic facilities on a prestigious college campus.
None of these new buildings instill any pride or beauty into our campus
(with the possible exception of the new alumni center), and they certainly
won’t look any better with time. The best buildings and spaces on campusre-
main the originals (i.e. Systems, Academic, Halbouty Geosciences), which
have sadly been joined by sterile, beige-colored monoliths that dull the sens
(i.e. parking garages, new Chemistry, Aerospace and Petroleum Engineering
buildings).
While our newer buildings exude harshness, areas that were designedas
meeting or gathering locations have been sadly ignored. As we lost Ru
Fountain and plaza to construction, it seems as if the fountain in front of the
Old Chemistry Building has been forgotten. Certainly a campus which can
drop millions of dollars at a time on “world class” projects can spare a little to
repair a fountain which has been in this condition all semester.
I want A&M to not only be a top-ranked school, but to also have a campus
that will be a source of pride for all. What type of campus environment done
want to pass on to future Aggies? Certainly we want more than parkinglols
and tall buildings. Think about it next time you walk by the Century Oak.
Jeff Munger ‘91
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Scot Walker, Editor
Monique Threadgill,
•Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
Melissa Naumann, City Editor
Cindy McMillian,
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News Editors
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Sports Editor
Fredrick D. Joe, Art Director
Mary-Lynne Rice,
Lifestyles Editor
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