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Opinion
riday, February 28,1992
The Battalion
Page 5
The Battalion Editorial Board
DOUGLAS FILS, Editor-in-Chief
The
Battalion
BRIDGET HARROW, Managing Editor
BRIAN BONEY, Opinion Editor
JASON MORRIS, Night News Editor
MORGAN JUDAY, Night News Editor
MACK HARRISON, City Editor
KARL STOLLEIS, Photo Editor
SCOTT WUDEL, Sports Editor
ROB NEWBERRY, Lifestyles Editor
The following opinions are a consensus of The Battalion opinion staff and senior editors.
Gay protests
Activist violence would hurt cause
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Nearly five months from the sched
uled Republican National Convention
in Houston, militant gays and lesbians
from coast to coast are making plans to
stir up the city and the nation. The
members of the AIDS Coalition to
Unleash Power (ACT UP) and Queer
Nation, an aggressive gay and lesbian
rights organization, plan to hold
demonstrations in Houston to fight for
increased funding for AIDS research
and to take a stand against the anti
abortion activists.
Members of the groups and city
officials predict the course of events
could be a repeat of the Democratic
National Convention of 1968 in which
anti-war protests sparked violent bat
tles between demonstrators and the
Chicago police. ACT UP and Queer
ch helped UTEll Nation are hoping to disrupt the con-
point displays; vention by engaging in an entire day's
worth of civil disobedience.
In fact, and organizer brags about it.
Matt Weingart, an ACT UP organizer
from Dallas, said, "Everyone coming is
hyped on making it uncomfortable for
the government. If the police start
cracking heads, it could be a repeat of
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While these groups have the consti
tutional right to protest and voice thier
“opinions, they do not have the right to
destroy property.
Judging the groups' past experi
ences in other cities, the demonstra
tions may very well prove to be
extremely damaging. But, besides the
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South African President F.W. de
Klerk last week put his career on the
line and took another step in his drive
toward an apartheid-free South Africa.
This brave decision by de Klerk is
seemingly being overlooked President
Bush. It would be admirable if Bush
and Congress urged white voters
through diplomatic and economic
means to support de Klerk in his refer
endum.
On Feb. 20, he called for a nation
wide referendum on his 2-year-old
t||reform plans to be taken within the
next six weeks. This decision is in reac
tion to a defeat suffered by de Klerk's
National Party at the hands of the
Conservative Party in the town of
Potchefstroom, last week.
Along with his decision on the ref
erendum, de Klerk made a gutsy move
of announcing that if he loses the vote,
he would step down and his adminis
tration would resign.
But if he wins, de Klerk said his
government would be free to pursue
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obvious city damage, the activists'
actions may do a great deal of harm to
their own cause. The organizations are
attempting to gain public support for
gays and lesbians by drawing atten
tion through violent action. If attention
is what they want, they will surely get
it, but it will be negative attention
more often than not.
The group has caught the attention
of Houston police, whose goal it is to
keep the peace and protect citizens
and property. As law enforcers, the
police want to give people the oppor
tunity to demonstrate, but they cannot
allow the groups to disrupt the city
with violent actions. The right to
demonstrate has to fall behind the
right of public safety.
ACT UP and Queer Nation have
connected themselves to the abortion
cause by volunteering to escort clients
to and from the city's abortion clinics.
Unfortunately, the militant attitude of
the group may end up drawing more
negative publicity to a cause that does
not need it.
Before it is too late, other pro
gay/lesbian groups must try to
encourage members of ACT UP and
Queer Nation to throw down their
militant ways and cancel their violent
protests in Houston.
These groups must realize that vio
lence will only hurt their cause and
make it harder for other gays and les
bians to gain rights and public recog
nition.
the peccpv
NEW
Proper stance
Bush must support South African leader
Quiet remembrances
Lack of recognition hurts philosophy of Black History Month
reforms directed at ending apartheid.
In making that ultimatum , de Klerk
may have committed political suicide,
but he also will find out just where he
stands with the voting people in his
country.
In his former and present reform
plans, de Klerk has legalized the
African National Congress, released
ANC leader Nelson Mandela from
prison and declared that he was ready
to open negotiations with black lead
ers.
These and other reforms have
allowed South Africa to regain some of
its worldy stature. Some of the tangi
ble benefits include the lifting of cul
tural and athletic boycotts.
Many believe this vote could
fail.But either way the vote goes, there
will be a change in the current system
of South Africa.
If de Klerk wins, there is a great
chance that blacks will be voting and
enjoying some of the rights that whites
enjoy.
H istory is philosophy teaching
by example, and also by
warning; its two eyes are
geography and chronology."
Tomorrow is Feb. 29, which signi
fies the end of another Black History
Month. I began this month urging all
to make good use of this month by
learning about the accomplishments
of famous and not so famous black
Americans for
yourself. Did
you?
Well, lately
I've heard many
people around
campus say, "This
has been a quiet
Black History
Month." At first I
agreed, but after
thinking about it,
I realized it is
only quiet
because people
allow it to be quiet.
For some reason, it is believed that
if this page is not filled with racial
slurs or arguments, the month is not
exciting or worthy of talking about.
That's not what black history, or any
other history for that matter, is for.
If you thought that the month was
quiet, it was only quiet because we, in
general, didn't take the time to share
the richness of the black culture with
others. Not once did I notice a guest
column or letter talking about the
pride of African-Americans. Also, the
month was filled with lectures,
speeches, and seminars about black
topics that people overlooked.
Again, if the month was quiet, it can
be blamed on no one but yourself.
To digress, I did not come to com
plain to you about the lackadaisical
attitude about black history on this
campus, but rather about more
important thing topics such as the
lackadaisical attitude about black
and African history in this country.
It has always bothered me that
Black History Month has always been
thought to honor only the accom
plishments of Black Americans.
When I think black history, I think
of the history of blacks that stretches
all the way back to Africa and the
accomplishments made there in the
past and the accomplishments that
are being made there right now.
OK, just to give examples, we're
going to venture into a history lesson
all our own.
Many people generally assert and
believe that civilization began in the
Middle East or in Asia. There have
been considerable amounts of
research that suggest that those
beliefs are wrong; it has been said
that civilization began in Africa. OK,
let's skip down a few years.Nefretete,
the woman thought of when the
word beauty is mentioned, was a
black African queen in 1358 B.C.
Imhotep, a virtual unknown
among Americans (even to this writer
until recently), was considered the
real Father of Medicine. There is evi
dence that he treated more than 200
diseases, including spinal tuberculo
sis.
Those were just a few of the many
thousands of accomplishments that
Africans can be prided for, but unfor
tunately they haven't been remem
bered and taught in American
schools and textbooks.
In a recent class of mine. Seminar
on Minority Leadership, taught by
Kevin Carreathers, we talked about
how the pyramids in Egypt are of
such precision and measurement that
people today could not even recon-
stuct them with modern equipment,
much less with the equipment they
used then.
In class, it was pointed out that
though Egypt is in Africa, the pyra
mids are said to be built by
Egyptians, which people most often
tie to the Middle East. Is it just me, or
do people not want to admit Africans
are capable of doing anything worth
while?
If you think about it, when the
people of Botswana or Zambia do
something, it is immediately said to
be in Africa, but on the other hand,
Egypt is rarely associated with
Africa.
Americans have been brainwashed
that Africa is a place of uncivilized
people, running around with spears
and other primitive weapons. It is
time that people realize that the men
and women of Africa were civilized
far before we were ever thought of
and remain as civilized as we are
now.
It is time that our schools realize
that African history is a part of world
history in a serious aspect. If school
children can take the time to study
the history of Europe, which is the
background and the home of
America's forefathers, they can take
the time to learn the the history of
Africa, which is the background and
home of the beginning of civilization.
For that matter, if President Bush
wants America to be a globally aware
country and establish a "New World
Order", he needs to encourage that a
great number of countries' back
grounds and histories to be taught in
America's schools.
When we study history, we
should study history in a broad sense
and open our minds to the geography
and the chronology mentioned in the
beginning quote.
Williams is a sophomore
journalism major
Feducia’s humor
feels like beer
am constantly amazed by the anal-retentive
objections to Stacy Feducia's columns. They are
almost as funny as what she prints. However, I
have only one thing to say: Relax! Humor is like
beer. You either like it or you don't. I can assure
fou her hunger for attention dwarfs in compan
ion to her ability as a writer. Sit back, have a
>eer, if you are inclinced to do so, and enjoy life.
Ve're in a recession you know. Next time you
are offended by a column maybe you should ask
'or a refund.
Chris Poteet
Class of'93
onsider Asians
minorities, too
This letter is for all of those minorities, espe-
% Luis Vega, who complain about not receiv-
'gscholarships and/or aid to attend college,
fliy s it that whenever anyone speaks about
minorities not having money those minorities are
either black, Hispanic or Indian. According to
Webster, the definition of the word minority is
"the smaller in number groups which constitute
the whole." If this is true, than I am considered a
minority far more than you are.
In the past, I have always complained about
how Asians are never considered a minority(even
though we constitute less than five percent of the
United States' population), how blacks and
Hispanics have special scholarships and national
funds set aside only for blacks and Hispanics,
how only the extremely rich or extremely poor
can go to school, and how the majority of peo-
ple(except ourselves) have this preconceived idea
that all Asians are so intelligent that colleges
hand money out to us or that we will blow the
curve in your classes. I am tired of complaining.
You can keep complaining about how blacks,
Hispanics and Indians are treated unfairly and
how you need more money. But while you are
complaining think about the other millions of stu
dents out there; think about the families who
have parents that work as hard as yours do but
cannot send their child to college; think about the
average Caucasian student who financially strug
gles to graduate; think about how minorities
fought to be treated equally and then stop com
plaining.
Jennifer Fong
Class of'94
Aggie spirit shows
during crisis
We feel it is our obligation to share with you
what happened recently during a family emer
gency which involved our loyal and protective
thoroughbred Brazilian Dalmatian mascot experi
encing cardiac failure. The professionalism, effi
ciency, sensitivity and friendliness of Texas A&M
graduates and students were overwhelming dur
ing our ordeal.
Down here in the Cypress-Tomball area.
Veterinarian Dr. Buck at the State Highway 249
Emergency Clinic took swift action to stabilize
the animal and provided care until we could
transfer him to our regular vet. Dr. Stan Zyblot,
of the Spring Creek Animal Hospital in Tomball,
who immediately contacted the Veterinary
Medical Center at Texas A&M.
We are very grateful that Dr. Matthew W.
Miller and technician Lisa Banks at the
Veterinary Teaching Hospital went out of their
way to immediately examine and care for Mengo.
The staff at the front desk could not have been
more helpful and friendly. Doctor Miller deserves
special recognition and thanks for the manner in
which he handled the situation . . . thoroughly
professional, methodical, forthright and friendly .
. . and with only an hour's notice.
Moreover, while we were waiting for results of
tests, our son Dave Jr., a sophomore at Cypress
Creek High School, visited the A&M campus,
where students walked up to us to say hello and
to help us find our directions. We even took a
campus tour and, with minimal notice, counselor
Edward B. Williams of the Office of School
Relations took time out of his schedule to talk to
Dave at length about admission requirements.
What a positive impression we received of
Texas A&M University, its students, staff and
everyone at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Thank you all for your hospitality and helpful
ness.
David L. Lockwood
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