ber 20,
Opinion
Friday, September 19,1991
The Battalion
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"Three-year-old girl schooled in drug
deals."
N o, this is not a typo — the
girl was three and the sub
ject was drugs. This is
what is happening to our world, and
some of us are standing by
doing nothing about it.
That headline, taken from
a Houston newspaper, joins a
long list of headlines involv
ing the victimization of chil
dren in the nation's cities,
large and small alike.
Children of various ages
are being introduced to
drugs, molested, abused and
exposed to a number of atroc
ities in their young lives.
In fact, just last April a 10-
year-old was arrested in
Houston for selling crack,
and earlier in the year, anoth
er 10-year-old was prosecut
ed for crack cocaine posses
sion.
I was appalled at the story which
accompanied the above headline.
The article explained that the little
girl sold crack cocaine to an under
cover Houston police officer. When
the officer returned with a search
warrant, the 3-year-old was caring
for her 2-year-old, 1-year-old, and 1-
month-old siblings.
It appeared from the article that
the small child was very accustomed
to her role as caregiver and drug de
liverer. The girl's mother was arrest
ed and the children were taken by the
county's children's protective agency.
Incidents such as this one are not
Tanya
Williams
Williams Is a
sophomore
journalism
major.
tatives know how we feel — but
that's another column altogether.
Back to the problem at hand.
Underprivileged children are of
ten given little or no incentive by par
ents or relatives to achieve in life. In
fact, many of them do not re
alize there is anything higher
to excel to.
They rarely see positive
role models; they only see the
role models who deal drugs
or shoot with them. They
don't have the opportunity to
see doctors and lawyers as
role models.
And if they do see them,
they are on television.
Although each of us may
not be a professional at help
ing these children, we have
accomplished some position
in life which they can aspire
to achieve.
We have obtained a level
of education which few they
come into contact with have complet
ed; we could be their chance out.
A number of the organizations on
campus offer programs to help chil
dren as service projects. These are
our opportunities to help underprivi
leged children or children in general
to escape for a short time during the
week — not to mention, it is our
chance to help the future of America.
There are a number of big brother
and little sister programs in conjunc
tion with elementary schools around
the community. These offer a chance
to provide emotional support or a
helping hand with school work to a
"Although each of us may not be a professional at
helping these children, we have accomplished some
position in life which they can aspire to achieve. We
have obtained a level of education which few they
come into contact with have completed; we could be
their chance out."
yet occurring on a daily basis, but if
we continue to sit idly by and appear
uncaring, this generation of children
will suffer greatly.
It is obvious we can't help all chil
dren, nor can we pull them out of
their desolate conditions.
But it is possible for us as not only
Americans, but also as college stu
dents, to help the children escape
sometimes from their circumstances.
These children, those from under
privileged families, often do not have
contact with an outside influence of
fering optimism and hope.
If they attend school, this is their
only outlet and exposure to a world
other than one of drugs or abuse or
molestation.
These students are often over
looked in school or ignored by their
teachers and peers, thus ruining their
only chance for escape.
Also we assume they do go to
school. These underprivileged chil
dren often don't begin school on time
or at all.
While on the subject of underpriv
ileged children not attending school,
when our state government tries to
take away head start programs which
help these children(as they did dur
ing the summer), it is important for
us to speak out and let our represen-
child in need.
Many groups go to boys' clubs to
spend some recreational time with
youngsters. There also are youth
programs connected to various
churches in which you can become
involved.
You may ask after awhile, "why
on earth does this columnist lecture
week after week on what can be done
by me, the reader?"
The answer is this: In order to
make the future of this nation and
world brighter than what it now ap
pears to be, we have to get up and
start doing something about the state
it's in ourselves.
We must realize that the children
we help and influence are this
world's future and the ones who will
be taking care of us in our old age.
If 3-year-olds are taught to sell
drugs — or rather if children are sub
jected to anything that horrible at
such an early age — the future can't
appear bright.
It will be dark and shadowy un
less we can make a difference now.
We have made it this far and are
blessed to have done so. But many
aren't so lucky.
Just remember what the Whitney
Houston's song says, "... the children
are the future, teach them well...".
by Bingo Barnes
Sex education benefits everyone,
does not promote promiscuity
Did Russ Miller actually read the column by David
Nash (Sept. 11)? After reading his letter, I read Nash's
column again and then the letter again. Still I can't fig
ure out what Miller read. It looks as if he read the head
line and then went off to write about the horrors of pre
marital sex.
If Miller had read the article, he would have
found that Nash was not advocating premarital
sex. He was talking about sex education. I
don't know Miller, but judging from his letter I
would guess he has been brainwashed by some
fundamentalist religion. All of his "argu
ments" don't show much common sense or log
ical thinking, which usually implies religious
beliefs are the basis.
Most of Miller’s arguments can be grouped
under three main points. These points are apparently re
futing something in Nash's column (I'm still not sure
what).
Under Miller's first point — refuting, "They won't
know how to please their partner" — he makes a silly
statement: "The experienced couple cannot be equally
experienced and will inevitably make comparisons to
previous partners."
First, the experienced couple could be equally experi
enced (maybe not exactly, but close enough). If one part
ner is more experienced than the other, so what? This
means the more experienced partner can teach the less
experienced one something new.
As far as comparisons to previous partners, what
does this have to do with sex? People make compar
isons to things in the past all the time, whether it's some
one's first love (not necessarily first lover), last week
end's party or last year's Super Bowl. It's called memo
ry. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy something new, or
that you would want to go back to the previous time.
Only a very shallow person would allow memories to in
terfere with the present.
Later Miller states, "As the number of previous part
ners increases, the probability that the current partner is
the most sexually satisfying diminishes, as do the chance
both partners will remain contented for a lifetime."
Readers
Opinion
Jesse Spears is a
graduate student
electrical
engineering.
The first part could be right, statistically , but I dis
agree completely with the second statement. I think in
general people will be more contented in a monogamous
relationship if they have had sex with a few other people
first. If someone only with their spouse, it seems they
might wonder if sex with someone else would be better.
In his second point — refuting, "They
won't know how to prevent conception" —
Miller implies an accidental pregnancy while
married is better than being informed about
contraception before marriage. According to
Miller, this is because knowledge of contracep
tion would promote premarital sex. This is fair
ly standard religious rhetoric, and it still
doesn't make any sense, especially when we are
talking about adults.
On his third point — refuting, "They won't know
how to prevent infection" — Miller states, "They won't
need to. Mutual monogamy accomplishes absolute pro
tection against sexually transmitted diseases."
Monogamy will prevent you from catching some
thing from an outside source, but this does not make sex
safe from disease. There are some diseases which can be
contracted independently of sex, and then transmitted to
a sexual partner. Crabs and yeast infections are two ex
amples. (I'm not a medical expert so 1 will leave the de
tails up to the doctors at the health center.) If Miller had
taken some kind of sexual education course, he probably
would have known that.
Before anyone writes in to complain I'm promoting
sexual pfomiscuity, let me assure vou I'm not. Tm merely
pointing out problems with some of Miller's statements.
Actually, I believe wholeheartedly in monogamous
relationships as a way to prevent sexually transmitted
disease and as the best way to be happy in life. However,
1 do not believe premarital sex is wrong. If you love
someone, and you are both mature adults, now can mak
ing them happy be wrong?
A final word of advice: If you can't discuss contracep
tion (or AIDS) with someone before engaging in sexual
intercourse, you are definitely too immature to be in
volved in a sexual relationship.
Mail Call
Show more
respect for
A&M property
❖ The police reports in The Bat
talion have never been of great in
terest to me.
Usually I browse through them
quickly, never paying attention to
the stolen wallets and broken win
dows.
However, on Sept. 18 I read
something that distressed me terri-
bly.
I would like to meet the person
who damage the turf on Kyle Field
by burning a piece of paper over
the emblem on the 50-yard line.
To this person I would say, "My
friend, have you no respect for
your school?
"By your actions I can tell that
you do not.
"And while I can not ask you to
respect your school, I can ask that
you respect my school.
Texas A&M is very spe
cial to me as I imagine it
is to many others.
"I do not enjoy seeing
uncaring, irresponsible
people like yourself do
ing malicious things to
destroy it. 1 hope you
are planning to give up
your time and any mon
ey which is required to
repair the damage you
have done.
"In the future, if you
feel the necessity to burn
something, may I sug
gest you come to Duncan Field on
Nov. 27.
There will be a spectacular Bon
fire which you can watch burn to
your heart's content."
I was prompted to write this let
ter after reading the damage done
on Kyle Field.
However, this does not mean
only Kyle Field should not be van
dalized.
No building, field or anything
on this campus should ever be de
stroyed.
Jennifer Kiley '94
Watch out for
vehicular traffic
on sidewalks
❖ Have you ever noticed the
over-abundance of Texas A&M
Have an opinion?
Express itl
The Battalion is interested in hearing from its readers.
All letters to the editor are welcome.
Written letters must be signed and include
classification, address and daytime phone number for
verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be
published.
The Battalion reserves the right to edit all letters for
length, style and accuracy. There is no guarantee letters
will appear.
Letters may be brought to 01 3 Reed McDonald, sent
to Campus Mail Stop 1111 or can be faxed to 845-5408.
staff who feel they have the right to
drive on the sidewalk?
Do you ever feel the need to
"look both ways" when walking
out of a building and onto the side
walk?
Personally, I am sick and tired of
trying to dodge the oncoming traf
fic while walking across campus!
Avoiding the many parked cars
and motorized carts (along with
the oil spots they leave on the side
walk) is no easy task either!
1 can understand a cart being
driven on the sidewalk when it has
something too heavy to carry like a
freezer or something.
However, driving on the side
walk for the sake of convenience,
whether it be for a shorter route to
the other side of camphs or to pick
up a bunch of lazy coworkers, is to
tally unacceptable!
My suggestion is to keep the
cars and trucks and carts on the
streets, and have those people walk
an extra 50 feet on the sidewalk!
Either that, or we stu
dents may start walking
down the middle of the
street to class.
Or maybe we will just
drive and park on the
sidewalk next to the staff
vehicles.
All we would need to
do is put a "Texas A&M
University, Physical Plant
" sticker on the sides of
our cars!
! I
Shaivn Holt
graduate student