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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 29, 1992)
The Battalion Campus Wednesday, July 29,1992 Page Scholar discusses plight of Muslims By Anas Ben-Musa The Battalion Politics are a fact of life and as essential to Muslims as air, a prominent Islamic scholar said. Invited by the Islamic African Relief Agency to lecture in the United States, an Islamic scholar. Dr. Ahmed Nofel spoke to the Is lamic community in Bryan-Col- lege Station last Wednesday. Dr. Hosame Abu-Amara, assistant professor of electrical engineering at Texas A&M translated Hofei's lecture. Nofel is a Muslim scholar working as a professor in Islamic Sharia, jurisprudence, at the Jor danian University in Amman, Jor dan. Nofel discussed the problems and plight of many Muslim na tions dealing with the changing political views and influence of western countries. His lecture ex pressed the feelings of many Mus lims in relation to the United States and European countries. Ironically, Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States. Many studies re ported in newspapers and maga zines, such as the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek, predict Islam to become the second largest religion in the U.S. by the end of the decade, surpassing the Jewish religion. There is an opportunity for the Islamic movement to gain political power. Yet Nofel was cautious in his outlook about the Islamic move ment in the United States. "There is a big difference be tween Islam and Judaism in America," Nofel said. "America treats the Jews with great generos ity." All Muslims are treated as if they are terrorists, Nofel said. In fact, Nofel witnessed several Americans converting to Islam. "Muslims have no qualms with the American people," Nofel said. "We only have a problem with the American government." However, Nofel denounced the use of violence against the U.S. "We have nothing to fight them with even if we wanted to fight," Nofel said. "We are only advo- See Scholar/Page 6 Walnut boxes play war hymn By Tanya Williams The Battalion Aggieland students are used to hearing the familiar tune of the Aggie War Hymn blared with meticulous perfection by the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band at Aggie sporting events. Now, students and former students can listen to the soft chiming of the war hymn in a music box de signed by Robert Brooks of San Angelo. The music boxes, made of walnut, are hand-produced by Brooks and his wife, Karen, un der their company name. De signs in Wood. Brooks, who did not attend Texas A&M, has a son, Marc, who is a member of the Aggie Band. Brooks said he got the idea before his son began attending A&M. "We came down to A&M in December of 1988 for the Texas game and bought the War Hymn music at the campus bookstore, and it gave me the idea to make a music box/'Brooks said. In 1989, Brooks got a colle giate 1 icense on campus to pro duce A&M paraphernalia. The rest is history. He sells the boxes for $77.50. Now, Brooks orders his music through an importer in Japan. He and his wife make the boxes and finish them by hand. "We produce about 20 to 25 a week," said Brooks. "And they're all personalized." The box that Brooks had with him Tuesday was personalized for his son, hut he said he has made many for both current and former students. This week he was in town to give the Brazos County A&M Club a box for their silent auction. He has pre viously given personalized music boxes to seniors in the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band as well as to coaches on campus. ■'These music boxes are gifts to give to someone important to you," Brooks said. You're not going to find these in retail stores. "If someone cannot find some thing to fit their bill, this is it" DARRIN HtlU The Balfe Robert Brooks poses with one of his handmade jewelry boxes. Olym many A cross tests c durar man beings, tive native g; their intestin their country an inch and 1 upper hand, out, plans ar Welcome Olympiad, B The game ready some < around them field. In volleyt match on Me pleted Sund< States. The J< decision and Summer Fun Keeps Youngster On His Toes MICHAEL MARSHALL/The Battalion Four-year-old Christopher Contrez eagerly awaits the softball Christopher says that he likes to play softball with his friends to be thrown home while playing ball at Fairview Park, during the afternoon. Schizophrenia explained Expert details mental illness By Robin Roach The Battalion Contrary to what many people may believe, people who suffer from schizophrenia do not suffer from split or multiple personali ties. Schizophrenia is a biological disorder which involves a chemi cal imbalance in the brain. It is characterized by drastic changes in one's usual pattern of living and personality traits. "It's a thought disorder that af fects someone's behavior and causes them to behave in unpre dictable ways and it can cause their emotions to change," Byron Cargill, staff psychologist at Men tal Health Mental Retardation (MHMR) Authority of Brazos Val ley, said. "They may experience what's usually known as more psychotic features — hallucinations and delusions." Although the causes of schizo- phrenia are not known for sure, it is believed to have a biological or genetic connection. Although one's chances of suf fering from schizophrenia in crease if a person is a child of schizophrenics, the illness is usu ally caused by a stressful or tragic event in one's life. "It (schizophrenia) tends to be more common in large urban ar eas and low SES (socioeconomic status) areas," Cargill said. "But there is certainly a substantial number of people in this area who suffer from schizophrenia." ife "It's a cross-cultural non found all around the woil which is not true for a lot of me tal disorders." Schizophrenia is equally mon in males and females. 1 tend to develop the illness in late teens to early twenties w! females develop the illness slightly older age — in their raid dle-to-late-twenties. Medication can be used the symptoms of the mental diffl der in many cases. Early treatment is the best pi vention of permanent mental bilitation. "Medication is not effective(f 100 percent of the schizophrei population," Cargill said, third of the population will completely, one-third will ex ence minor episodes throug their life, and one-third will severe symptoms throughot their life." The MHMR Authority of Bii zos Valley is sponsoring a suppoS group for families who are cops with a schizophrenic relative. Each Thursday for the nex three weeks, the MHMR suppot group will meet from 7:00 pm 8:00 pm. MHMR Authority of Brazo Valley offers services for the mas ic depressed, major depresset mentally retarded, schizophreni and substance abusers. The family education and s port group, "Understanding: Coping with Schizophrenia,' free of charge and open to public. For more informationci! 822-MHMR. Angola s infinite wisd Basketball A defense. Mi: prove him ri "Dream Teai ball over 30 I tims of a 46- the United S By the wa defense then Pippen over! took excepth ment betwet Some Oly In the mi< as he is pron Barkley. "Si Angolan pla nical, and th derstanding Taking the GMAT? The Princeton Review offers the most succesful prep courses avail able anywhere! Our courses feature: •Small classes: 8-15 students. •Expert, quality instruction. •Computerized diagnostic testing. •Comprehensive feedback. •Average score improvement: 85pts. We are currently enrolling students in our fall classes, so call now to reserve your space. the 'jam Call ±B£i£E10N^pi_ 696-9099 ETS and Princeton U. are not afEltatod with The Princeton Review The Battalion TODD STONE, Editor-in-Chief MACK HARRISON, Opinion Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor JAYME BLASCHKE, Lifestyles Editor MARK EVANS, Asst. City Editor MEREDITH HARRISON, News editor DOUG FOSTER, Sports Editor HEIDI SAUER, News Editor ROBERT REED, Photo Editor Staff Members Reporters — Robin Roach, Chris Carroll, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Christ! Ray, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Susan Westmoreland, Ursula Simms, and Erin Bradley. Copy editors — Kyle Burnett, Kenneth McWatters, Ali Steere, David Thomas and Lauri Reysa. Photographers — Darrin Hill, Sandra Alvarado, Nick Pena, Michael Marshall, and Huy Nguyen. Lifestyles writers — Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Kim McGuire. Sports writers— Michael Plumer and Don Norwood. Columnists — Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, John Deshazo, and Paul Greco. Assistant to the Editor - Darra Dees Editorial Cartoonist — William Harrison Graphic Artist — Jennifer Maxwell Clerks - Allison Lewis, Shelley Rowton and Carrie Miura. The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except university holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. . POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the contributor and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, administration, faculty or staff. Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408. Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611. MSC Dinner Theatre & The Aggie Players present A(an Bailey's nfoke On July 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, & August 1 Dinner 6:30 - 7:30 Rudder Exhibit Hall Performance at 8:00 Rudder Forum Dinner 8c Show $15 - $18 July 23 8c 30 TAMU Student Nights-Only $10 Menus Ranging From a New York Deli to an Italian Buffet For More Information, Please Call The MSC Box Office at 845-1234