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Opinion
Thursday, March 12, 1992
The Battalion
Page 7
The Battalion Editorial Board
DOUGLAS PILS, Editor-in-Chief
The
Battalion
BRIDGET HARROW, Managing Editor
BRIAN BONEV, 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 opmion staff and senior editors.
Court ruling upholds First Amendment
yjljli ' The Supreme Court Thursday
refused to hear a case that would allow
the Federal Communications
Commission to place a 24-hour ban on
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Free to choose
fradio and television programs it deems
"indecent" due to excessive violence,
sex and foul language.
By refusing to hear the case, the
court has sent a clear message to
lawmakers that it will not tolerate any
act of Congress which places
restrictions on freedom of speech, even
when it comes to the nation's airwaves.
The government has no place
deciding for its citizens what they
hould and should not watch in the
privacy of their own living rooms. The
First Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution specifically protects
etownof Americans from this kind of Big
Brother mentality.
Besides, American television
already has an effective method for
deciding whether a show stays on the
fair: ratings. If a person disagrees with
what they see on the screen, they can
either change channels or turn their set
off. Viewers have a choice. Under the
iFCC law, would not.
Michelle ^ ut ' doesn't mean that
rked' P T °ducers should throw good taste to
nigh the w i r *d and bombard viewer's with
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profanity and explicit sex scenes.
Television producers bear the
tremendous responsibility of
providing the public with quality
entertainment instead of mindless
trash.
A complete ban on such material
would only serve to deter
programmers from developing
innovative television shows. Popular
programs such as "All in the Family"
and "Saturday Night Live" would
never have made it to the small screen
had the ban been in effect at the time of
their creation. Producers would have
chosen to avoid programs containing
any hint of material which could be
seen as "indecent."
While it is easy for a small vocal
group to dictate what the nation
should watch on television, no group
should hold such power. It is
impossible for someone to decide for
another what constitutes offensive
material. One person's definition of
obscene may be another's definition of
art.
Individuals can decide for
themselves what they find offensive.
They do not need someone else telling
them what is immoral.
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College Station police wanted to
instil] a sense of safety and trust for
Southgate residences when they
opened a police substation at a
neighborhood apartment complex one
year ago.
In the year that has followed, the
substation and its officers have done
much to cut down on the crime that
had given the area such a bad
reputation.
"Southgate village has changed 100
percent," one resident said. "There are
no more fights, no more druggies
around. There's trust here now. It's
safe, just like a normal residence."
At their one year anniversary
Thursday, College Station police were
congratulated for a job well done for
their work in reducing the amount of
crime that occurs in and around
Southgate.
The Southgate area, residence to
many low-income families, has seen
an increase in the number of crimes
reported, while seeing a decrease in
the amount of crimes committed.
Police officials were originally
afraid that residents would resent the
police being in the complex, but the
majority of residents welcomed the
police to the neighborhood and
appreciate what they have done
iected
7/05;
Ids.
Police substation helps to calm fears
towards curbing crime in the area.
More than 1,200 people have visited
the complex's police substation, and a
reported 100 incidents were handled
as a direct result of an officer being on
duty at least six hours a week in the
office.
The office, located at 143 Luther St.,
was provided by the complex free of
charge and every patrol officer has a
key to it.
The substation has provided
officers the chance to become directly
involved with residents, an aspect of
patrolling that many other police
forces often overlook.
The College Station police have
taken and shown a concern for the
community and taken public
protection to a new level for a small
town such as College Station for which
they should be applauded.
Other larger cities have failed to
take steps such as this one in order to
protect and inspire a sense of trust
between the police and residents.
Such measures should be adopted
by other cities and taken more
seriously by other police forces around
Texas and around the nation. Just as
they have decreased crime in the
college station area, such steps may
decrease crime around the nation.
Anas
Ben-Musa
I ts almost time . . . what a hard day.
What time am I supposed to break
my fast, again? 'Oh yeah . . . 6:30.
Its only 6:15. . . and I'm so hungry. 1
don't know how I made it. God was
with me today, he gave me strength
and will. 'Oh, its time- Bismillahir
rahmanir rahim
(In the name of
God, most
gracious , most
compassionate) . .
. some milk and
dates to break my
fast and then I
have to pray.. .
Allahu
Akbar(God is
great).
I feel like this
almost every day
during the month
of Ramadon. I am
hungry, but after a certain point food
is a secondary nourishment. I am not
starving myself or on a mystical trip.
Ramadon just teaches me how God is
the most important aspect of my life.
Ramadon is the ninth month of the
Islamic year and the fourth pillar of
Islam. The Islamic year is based on
the lunar calendar. Ramadon started
this year on March 5 and ends the
beginning of April. During this
month over a billion Muslims in the
world fast or "sawm."
The term "sawm" means to fast,
but it has a broader meaning. It is not
a simple abstinence from food or
water but to control the love of
comfort and passions. From sunrise
to sunset a Muslim cannot drink, eat,
smoke, ingest anything
nourishing(vitamins) or have sexual
relations. It teaches Muslims what it
is like to feel hunger and to thank
God for what they have. The practice
of fasting during Ramadon is for God
and to show obedience to him. It is a
specific act of worship that is unique
compared to other acts of worship in
Islam. Only God can really know if
you are fasting throughout the day.
Ramadon is a difficult month, yet
in my experience it is the most
enjoyable and soul-searching time of
the year. Many Americans don't
realize the far greater importance of
this month. Ramadon is the month of
forgiveness, of getting closer to God,
and most importantly, a month of
Jihad.
The term Jihad has been
misinterpreted and misunderstood
by Muslims and Western society.
Americans who even recognize the
term understand it to mean "holy
war," but that is only a secondary
definition. Lunatics like Saddam
Hussein and Mohammar Khaddafi
have totally distorted and
misrepresented the true
understanding of Jihad. In the
process, many Muslims along with
Western society came to adopt the
distorted meaning.
Jihad simply means, "to try one's
utmost." Jihad is a personal struggle.
A constant process that is concerned
with establishing "Ma'ruf"(good) and
removing "Munkar"(evil) from one's
life and society. In addition. Jihad
demands the use of all our energies
and resources to remove "Munkar."
In the process, the need to give up
one's life might be necessary. That is
where "holy war" can be interpreted.
But even this definition is
misunderstood. Muslims are not a
bunch of lunatics that plan kamikaze
attacks. To fight and die for the cause
of Islam is considered by God the
greatest sacrifice a human can make
and in turn is rewarded in the
hereafter. There is no fear of death for
those who truly believe.
Unfortunately, many Muslims
believe causes that are not just or
right.
The importance of Jihad during the
month of Ramadon cannot be
emphasized enough. To me. Jihad
means never being satisfied with
myself. Each day I try to say to
myself, "Am I really doing my best?
Can I do better?"
I admit that some days I try harder
then others, but that is an incentive to
push myself more. It is a time to
reflect upon the past year and learn
from one's mistakes.
Most people would consider
fasting a whole month impossible.
For me, it helps to go home during
the weekends. I can enjoy a home-
cooked meal and the pleasure of
being with my family. My family
usually invites our closest friends to
eat dinner together with us. We stay
up long into the night and eat, drink
and talk.
I hope my understanding of
Ramadon and experiences clarify
some misunderstandings.
It is important that American
society as a whole begin to
understand the importance of Islam
and its practices. There is over six
million Muslims in the United States
alone. By the end of this decade,
American scholars predict Muslims
will be the second largest religious
population. Furthermore, Islam is the
fastest growing religion in the world,
including the United States.
It is the process of Jihad that has
allowed this incredible growth. To
spread the word of Islam is a nart of
Jihad. It is a resource of all Muslims.
It can be done by word of mouth, by
being a good example, or the use of
the pen. I have tried to be all three.
As a columnist, each time 1 write and
try to explain Islam, I try to help the
cause of Islam. However it is not my
purpose to convert or co-opt. My
purpose is for clarification and
understanding.
America needs to realize that Islam
is a part of this great nation and will
not go away. Ramadon is a great
month to understand and learn about
the Islamic way of life. I might sound
really corny, but that is Islam. Islam's
power is its ability to affect each
individual in a different way. In turn,
it creates a diverse society of devout
worshipers. Just ask my fellow
Muslim brothers and sisters from
Indonesia, India, Western Africa or
the United States.
Ben-Musa is a sophomore
history and journalism major
Thank you for
grad insurance
Graduate assistants received health insurance
benefits for the first time last September, and I
want to publicly thank the administrators and
others who had the courage to support this new
policy at a time when state and university
budgets were being slashed. Without your efforts,
I probably would have become an invalid within
year.
Just before the start of this semester, I began to
notice a slight pain in my left hip. Normally, I
would not have done anything about it, but
through the health plan, a visit to the physician
only costs $5. I decided that just satisfying my
curiosity was worth the $5, so I made an
appointment. At first, the physician wasn't too
worried about the cause of the pain either, but he
advised me to get an X-ray just to make sure the
problem wasn't serious. I told him I didn't have
enough money to pay for an X-ray that I didn't
absolutely need, but the X-ray cost me nothing.
The X-ray led to a Magnetic Resonance Imaging
scan (a $1000 picture which again costs me
nothing). Three weeks later, I was in surgery for a
bone graft that only a few specialists in the
country have ever performed.
I've been diagnosed with avascular necrosis at
the tip of both femurs (the same problem Bo
Jackson had). Fortunately, I was diagnosed in
time for a surgical procedure that may help my
body heal itself. The point is, however, that
largely because of the health benefits for graduate
assistants, I have a good chance of making a full
recovery from the disease, and the cost to me for
the surgery, hospitalization and everything will
come to $5, my co-payment for the first office
visit.
Without the health insurance benefit, the
following would have almost certainly been my
fate: the pain in my left hip would have gotten
worse, no bad enough, but soon enough, so that I
would have been willing to pay for an office visit.
At some point, I may have gone to the Beutal
Health Center. Maybe they would have
recognized my disease from an X-ray, maybe they
wouldn't. Nevertheless, 1 would not have been
able to cough up $1000 for a MRI scan, which is
what I needed to clearly expose the disease before
it caused permanent damage. Thus, not having
the money for state-of-the-art treatment, I would
have to hope for recovery without treatment (the
odds of that happening are less than 1 in 10.)
Eventually, the disease would have progressed to
the point where I could not walk, much less do
work I am familiar with. Unable to work. I'd
finally qualify for Medicare. (I'd have to make less
than $500/month and be classified as disabled to
get Medicare.) By this time, the only treatment
would be to give me an artificial joint in both
hips, and these new joints would have to be
replaced about every ten years for the rest of my
life.
I cannot find words to fully express my
gratitude to all of you who fought to get health
insurance for graduate assistants. I remember that
people asked me to help push for the benefit, but I
only had "time" to sign a petition. Thanks to your
efforts and courage, 1 have a good chance of
enjoying a physically active life, and I've only
recently begun to appreciate being able to do just
that.
David Kriewaldt
Graduate Assistant
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