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The Justice Department is sched
uled to file a memorandum urging
the Supreme Court not to review an
extremely important case involving
the reduction of the insurance bene
fits of persons diagnosed with cost
ly illnesses such as cancer and
AIDS.
The case involves a Houston
man, John W. McCann, whose maxi
mum health insurance benefits were
cut from $1 million to $5,000 after
he was diagnosed with AIDS.
Under a 1974 law companies
which serve as their own insurers
are allowed to slash employee cov
erage after the employee contracts a
disease.
Statistics indicate that more than
half of all employees in the United
States work for companies which
seif-insure, or use their own assets
to pay health insurance claims.
Often employees are not even
aware of this fact because their em
ployers contract with insurance
companies to handle the paper
work.
The major benefits of self insur
ance for companies include the fact
that there are very few regulations
on such plans and that a company is
exempt from state taxes on premi
ums.
The Justice Department position
against reviewing the law has been
opposed by the American Medical
Association, the American Hospital
Association and the National Com
mission on AIDS, among others.
This case appears to be little more
than a breach of contract, and
would be considered as such under
state insurance regulations.
However, since a self-insured
company does not fall under state
regulations and, indeed, is practical
ly unregulated, the company in
question was acting within its legal
rights according to the Justice De
partment.
If the Supreme Court refuses to
review this case, they will be paving
the way for further abuses like the
revocation of McCann's insurance
benefits. It is too late for John Mc
Cann, who died in June of 1991.
However, it is imperative that the
Supreme Court review this law or
that the Congress amend it to pre
vent such flawed insurance agree
ments from hurting the millions
who are covered by them.
Allowing self-insured companies
to slash benefits after the fact of ill
ness amounts to nothing more than
condoning bad-faith contracts and
must be stopped.
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MAIL CALI
Will take education,
action to end racism
I am tired of the unnecessary hostili
ty which lurks on the Texas A&M cam
pus. I am tired of people disliking oth
ers simply because of the color of their
skin. I am tired of racist remarks and
"racist themes."
It is time for us to discontinue this
hostility. Racism is unnecessary, invec
tive, insensitive, and damaging. Fur
thermore, it hurts all people and its ef
fects can be permanent.
Additionally, I have vowed to no
longer remain silent about this negative
situation. I will educate myself and my
peers so that we can conquer racism
and not allow it to continue to conquer
us, because I strongly believe that "If
you are not part or the solution, then
you must be part of the problem."
Further, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
strived to unify all races and died at
tempting to demolish racism, but as we
know, it continues to exist. Dr. King,
your deed will not be held in vain. 1,
and many others, will continue to
spread your ideals and philosophies in
a nonviolent manner until these mali
cious walls ... walls of racism ... come
tumbling down.
Tamica Gaines,
President,
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Coordinating Committee
Unfair to jump to
conclusions of guilt
In reference to the past week's letters
in Mail Call, I feel that many people are
jumping the gun in accusing Sigma Al-
ha Epsilon of beingjracist. When I
ear people who were not even present
at the party jumping on the bandwagon
of accusation, I have a difficult time be
lieving that they (the accusers) know
what went on at the party.
By no means am I defending Sigma
Alpha Epsilon, but as a non-Greek stu
dent here at A&M, I feel that as Aggies
none of us have the right to charge any
one of being a blatant racist without
substantial evidence. The social func
tion at the house may have had racial
undertones, but no one has the right to
accuse anyone of the basis of hearsay.
Let Joe Salem and the one or two others
who were present and complained pre
sent their case showing why Sigma Al
pha Epsilon is a racist organization.
If in fact the party was racially moti
vated, then I think the fraternity should
receive adequate punishment. On the
other hand, I also feel that in the mean
time the Aggies who were not present
at the function should refrain from ac
cusations of racism until the proper ac
tion or decision is handed down.
Andy Edwards
Class of '95
Racial hostilities turn
to fighting at party
After reading Tiffany McEachern's
letter in the Oct. 12 issue, I must say
that I am disappointed, but not sur-
rised by the blatant disrespect shown
y Aggies, due to an experience I had
the night of Oct. 3. I was at a party in
Treehouse Village when, all of the sud
den, I found myself in the middle of a
racial battle zone.
Apparently, two black guys and a
white guy were asked to leave the party
because they were causing trouble, and
they agreed. Well, one guest could not
be satisfied with that, so he took it upon
himself to bash one of the black guys
over the head with a bottle. When tne
black person retaliated in defeVise, it
started an all out racial war between
various other members of the party
The Battalion
Page 9
Ideas, not actions define racism
Unintentional acts minor next to malicious motives
R acism comes in many colors.
Once it was a simple issue, as
plain as black and white.
These days it's a gray matter, requir
ing careful thought to avoid inadver
tently exhibiting racism simply out
of ignorance.
Last week an A&M fraternity
came under fire, accused of racist ac
tivity at a jungle-themed party where
potential members, called "pledges,"
painted their faces black and carried
spears. One outside observer said
the fraternity's active members
chased the pledges around, re-enact
ing an African slave-hunt.
After the fraternity's activities
were reported in The Battalion, the proverbial poop hit the
fan, causing a big stink. The Interfraternity Council (IFC)
was inundated with calls, and The Battalion with letters,
denouncing, condemning, supporting and defending the
fraternity's actions.
The fraternity was fined $1,000, and it received sanc
tions placing the fraternity on probation through 1994 and
eliminating mixers for 1993. The sanctions must be ap
proved by University administrators.
Discussing the events of the week, an IFC representative
said the fraternity members were not to blame. He said the
fraternity merely exhibited an ignorance of racial sensitivi
ties, common in today's melting pot society. He suggested
that the University was to blame; maybe even parents were
responsible for the actions of the fraternity members at the
party. Education, he said, must be provided to prevent fu
ture racial indiscretions.
Maybe he's right. My parents never taught me about
racial differences. They taught me to say "please" and
"thank you" and to be polite to others. But they never told
me that black people and white people were different.
They taught me to consider other people's feelings be
fore I said or did anything that might offend them. But
they never told me there was a difference between Latins
and Asians.
In fact, my parents never referred to people as "Mexi
cans" or "Anglos." It was on a trip to Georgia where I
learned that some people were considered different be
cause they were bom with different skin colors.
I was 10 years old when a 14-year-old boy called me a
Puerto Rican idiot. I was completely caught off guard. I
stood there, quietly wondering what he meant. I had heard
the word "idiot," but what did he mean by "Puerto Rican?"
My mom and dad once told me that my grandma's mom
moved to Texas from Mexico. Did that mean that I was
Puerto Rican? My education in racial differences grew
slowly from there.
I've heard, surely, all the jokes about Mexicans. "What
did the Mexican do with his first 50-cent piece?"
"He married her."
"What is the most confusing day in Mexico?"
"Father's day."
I've been called everything from "spic-and-span" to
"white trash." And that was by my friends and family. I
usually laugh at the jokes. Do you know why? Because
they're usually funny — and often too ignorant to be taken
seriously. Raised as I was, and talking with the friends I
choose, race is usually not an issue. I've met a lot of people
from various backgrounds who consider race a "non-is
sue."
I don't look for racism, I often overlook it; some might
say too often. But I know it's still out there. Standing in
line to use a phone on campus, I once heard two guys,
standing two feet behind me, begin telling a Mexican joke.
I couldn't understand it because they were drunk, and
though their slurring was clearly audible, their words were
unclear. I turned to see who they were — maybe I knew
them. They started laughing and ran off. I didn't laugh. It
wasn't funny. All I saw was their white T-shirts with
Greek letters on the back.
Given the problems caused by the jungle-themed party,
fraternities are wondering what's allowed anymore.
Should they cancel Fiesta parties? Is an ethnic theme neces
sarily an insult to that ethnic people?
I say no. What people wear and mimic doesn't concern
me; the ideas and sentiments promoted and encouraged by
a large group of peers does. Those two drunken sprinters
learned sometime, somewhere to tell racial jokes behind the
backs of strangers. As the fraternity representative said,
education is important.
When my mother was a child, racism meant watching
her father being turned away from a restaurant as the fami
ly waited, wishing to eat there.
These days racism means listening to jokes and wonder
ing more about motives than actions. The gradual decline
of racism displays a growing sense of awareness, but
racism still stinks.
Exactly what is it that the various ethnic groups want?
Pretty much what the fraternities have expressed by quick
ly correcting a thoughtless incident. Consideration, under
standing and respect — that's what everyone wants. Why?
Because they're only human, just like you and I.
Vasquez is a senior journalism major
ROBERT
VASQUEZ
Columnist
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who were not even involved in the ini
tial skirmish. I could not believe my
eyes. There were about four or five dif
ferent fights breaking out all down the
street! All these stupid drunk guys
were walking around without their
shirts on cursing and threatening every
one and everything.
After being quite involved in Fish
Camp, where we tell the freshman what
a diverse and great place this is to be, it
ticks me off when a few bad apples give
the freshmen the wrong impression of
what Texas A&M is. In my opinion, 94
percent of this institution is fine; the
other 6 percent need to head the other
direction on Highway 6! And one more
thing ... I hope you not so pectoral
studs caught a cold from walking
around without shirts. On the bright
side, at least you weren't at yell practice
running across the field!
Tiffany Barnes
Class of '94
Christians cannot
accept other religions
If one is to follow Christ's teachings,
then one must accept the statement that
Jesus himself made claiming clearly to
be the only way to God. "I am the way.
the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me." (John
14:6) For me to claim Cnristianity and
yet to also believe that other religions
are equal would force me to hold a
double standard. On the one hand I be
lieve that Christ is the only way, as he
said, and on the other hand I should re
main open to believing that there are
other ways, as you say that I should?
This is a contradiction. I am not one to
try to force others to believe as I do, but
do not call me "blind" or "intolerant"
just because I will not hold to a double
standard.
Neil Burleson
Class of'92
Gay advertisement
self-contradictory
Yes, there are different things for dif
ferent people, but who are you to tell
the rest of us what is right or wrong?
Gays are constantly preaching to soci
ety how they are discriminated against
and how no one understands them.
When you start telling people what
they should believe is rignt or wrong,
we believe that you are slightly over
stepping your bounds. While we real
ize mat you are entitled to your right of
free speech, we do not believe that you
should be telling us how we should be
lieve. Society is made up of many dif
ferent people; that is what makes our
society unique. It is not our goal to put
down your lifestyle, or to offend you in
any way, but we think that you are cre
ating a double standard. You are con
stantly stating how society should ac
cept your beliefs and your actions.
Now, through the picture published in
Wednesday^ Battalion it would seem
to us that you are trying to force your
beliefs upon us. This would seem to go
against everything that you stand for.
Kirk Loren Weindorff
Class of '94
Jeff Zander
Class of '95
Accompanied by 17 signatures
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of
the opinion page staff and editor m chief only. They do not
represent, in any way. the opinions of reporters, staff, or
editors of other sections of the newspaper.
Columns, guest columns, and Mari Call items express the
opinions of the authors only.
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor and win print
as many as space aflows in the Mail Call section. Letters
must be 300 words or less and include author's name. Social
Security number, class, and phone number.
We reserve the right to edit letters for length, style, and
accuracy.
Letters should be addressed to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald /MaB stop 1111
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77343