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The Battalion
OPINION
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Wednesday, July 11,1990
Opinion Page Editor Damon Arhos
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Left-handed minority deserves
respect from ‘righty’ majority
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Columnist describes pitfalls of being left-handed
in world full of right-handed people, facilities
Even though I’m not much of a
baseball fan, I always feel like I’m way
out in left field. I find myself having to
cope with the hazards of everyday life
because I was born in a discriminating
world.
You see, I am of a minority in this
great place. I am left-handed.
Of all the billions of people in the
world, only 10 percent of us are left-
handed. We have to deal with all of you
righties every day. You have left us an
awkward world to deal with in our
lifetime. You have forced us to live with
all of your righty ways for just too darn
long. We don’t deserve to be subjected
to this anymore. We have been
discriminated against long enough. It’s
time we fight for our rights (and lefts).
all the billions of people in
the world, only 10 percent of us
are left-handed. We have to deal
with all of you righties every day.
You have left us an awkward
world to deal with in our lifetime.
You have forced us to live with all
of your righty ways for just too
darn long.”
We lefties have been doomed from
the start. According to a study in People
magazine, we lefties are more likely to
suffer from insomnia and we reach
puberty maybe four to six months later
than you righties. We are also more
likely to have immune system problems,
so we tend to have more allergies.
We lefties are more likely to have
juvenile diabetes, dyslexia, retardation
and schizophrenia, as well as being twice
as susceptible to depressive syndromes.
So we have enough problems of our
own without the help of you righties.
Lefties traditionally do tend to be
more creative, though. Some of the
righteous, creative lefties include
Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso, Queen
Victoria, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn
Monroe and yours truly, just to name a
few.
This creativity forms a balance
between we lefties and you righties
because we have to find creative ways to
cope with your righty world. But, as fate
would have it, we end up suffering
instead of coping.
We lefties are five times more likely to
die in an accident, all because of you
righties. We are 85 percent more likely
to be injured in an automobile accident
and are and 54 percent more likely to
suffer injuriesin accidents involving
righty-made tools or implements.
Even right here on campus (no pun
intended), we suffer from the control of
you righties. Have you ever noticed how
all the pencil sharpeners are made for
you righties? How about all the vending
machines? We have to put our money in
on your righty side as well as push your
righty buttons.
Also, how about scissors and paper
cutters? These things have always been
made for you righties. And notebooks
are made for you righties too. We have
to look long and hard to find a lefty
notebook, one where we won’t get spiral
indention on our hands after taking
notes.
And that brings me to another point:
You righties should stop making fun of
the way we write. Yeah, so we write
upside down, but do you know how
hard it is to push your pen or pencil
across the page instead of pulling it like
you righties get to do.
It’s bad enough that we smear our
work and get ink or lead on our hands.
So we would rather not hear about it
from you.
But my biggest complaint of all is the
seating arrangement on campus. I seem
to find only right-handed desks in my
classes. My class in 101 Blocker has 280
desks and not one of them is left-
handed. My class in the Chemistry
Building has 333 desks and none of
them are fit for us lefties. And I couldn’t
find any lefty desks in Heldenfels Hall
or in the Harrington Classroom
Building.
And even if there are left-handed
desks in a classroom, such as in room
102 of the Zachary Engineering Center,
where there are 344 desks, the number
is so few that it barely represents the
lefty population. I counted 17 (or about
five percent) left-handed desks in 102
Zachary. This hardly represents the 10
percent of the world that are lefties.
And even though there are lefty seats
in a room, they always seem to be on one
side so all the lefties will have to sit in a
“discriminating” row or column, as if we
were lepers. These seats are usually
seats you wouldn’t want to sit in anyway.
But what usually ends up happening
if we want to sit in a “good spot” is that
we have to deal with sitting in a right-
handed desk. Whoever is in charge of
seats or desks in the classrooms should
make sure that at least 10 percent of the
desks are “lefties,” and should make
sure they’re scattered throughout the
room.
We need to put an end to all of this
discrimination and we should start in
the classroom. So come on all you
lefties. We have to fight for our right to
write!
Colin Moss is a senior journalism and
speech communication major.
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Associated Collegiate Press
The Battalion Editorial Board
Monique Threadgill,
Editor
Melissa Naumann,
Managing Editor
Damon Arhos,
Opinion Page Editor
Holly Becka, City Editor
Meg Reagan,
Lisa Ann Robertson,
News Editors
Clay Rasmussen, Sports Editor
Eric Roalson, Art Director
Todd Stone, Lifestyles Editor
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FAX
Prevention is key t«
summer heat stress
Exercise and hot temperatures may
each cause increased body
temperatures.
When combined there is a great
demand on the body’s ability to cool
itself.
Complications from exercising in
heat may include dehydration, heat
cramps, heat exhaustion and
heatstroke.
The best defense against heat
emergencies is prevention. Preventive
measures to avoid the consequences of
overheating include:
(1) Avoid overexertion: Workouts in
the heat should be-
moderate in inten
sity and short in
duration. Exercise
sessions should be
light and 15-20
minutes long.
(2) Adequate hy
dration: One of the
best defenses
against heat stress
is to keep your
body from losing
too much fluid
from continuous
sweating. Since
about 70 percent of
the human body is-
made of water, you
should drink plenty of water even if you
do not feel thirsty. Drink one cup of
water for every 15 minutes of exercise.
Carry a liquid container along with
you (filled with cold water, soda or
Gatorade) or plan water breaks during
your exercise routine. If humidity is low
(not common in this area) moisten your
head, neck and the exposed areas of
your body to enhance cooling.
Sweating causes you to lose salt as
well. You may need to increase your salt
intake. Consult with your physician if
you are on a salt-restricted diet.
(3) Appropriate clothing: Wear loose-
fitting, lightweight, light-colbred and
Erika Gonzalez-Lima
Health Columnist
cotton or cotton-blend clothes thatlf
air circulate. Avoid synthetics (nylon
lycra, polyester) that prevent bodys> ;
from evaporating. Wear a wide-
brimmed hat and sunglasses thatak
ultraviolet rays.
Also, protect your exposed skin(iJ
neck, arms and legs) with a water-
resistant sunscreen of at least 15SPt
(sun protection factor) 30 minutes
before sun
exposure.
(4) Shading
sense: Stayindit
shade or indoon
much as possib!;
Avoid being
outside for mor:
than 30 minutes
especially better
10 a.m. and2pr.
Allow 30 minutei
of cooling off
bef ore exposing
yourself to thesit
again. Reschedin
your outside
activities and
exercise I
early morning or evening hours.
Heat stroke can be serious if
untreated. Stop exercising and seel
medical attention immediately if you
develop or someone you knowdevek
the following warning signs: dizziness
nausea, headache, fatigue, chills,
faintness, muscle cramping, rapid pus
lack of sweat and body temperature
over 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Following sensible hot weather
protective tips will help you tobeatth
heat, prevent heat-related illnessesai
enjoy a safe summer.
Erika Gonzalez-Lima is a staff mmt 1
in the A.P. Beutel Health Center.
Mail Call
Mandela urges violence as last resort
EDITOR:
I his is in reference to the column “Better ways to end apartheid that
Mandela’s” by Jon Beeler in the June 29 Battalion. The author has questioned!
the credibility of Mandela and trivialized the problems that exist in South Af j
rica.
He gave the impression that Mandela wants a violent confrontation and!
blacks are partly responsible for state they are in.
No mention is made of the oppressive policies of the minority white gov!
ernment and the violent methods they use to crush peaceful movements.
While most of the people in the world are breathing the air of freedoraj
the black people in South Africa do not even have basic human rights. Itisy
easy to be an armchair critic and talk about non-violence.
What do you expect from Mandela and the black people who have been
oppressed all of their lives on their own land? How do you expect them to ne
gotiate with a government which until now was not ready to make any conces
sions? It is only after F.W. de Klerk came into power that these changes we see;
have come about.
In his speeches, Mandela has reiterated that violence would only be the
last resort if reforms are not made.
Lastly, ask yourself, if you would be willing to negotiate with a govern
ment which discriminates against you in every sphere of life because of the
color of your skin and clubs down peaceful demonstrators.
Digant P. Dav£
Graduate student
Have an opinion? Express it!
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit Ittttttl
for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. There is no guarantee thi
letters submitted will be printed. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, addresseii
telephone number of the writer. All letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald, or sent to Campus Mi
Stop 1111.
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