VA
Campus
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The Battalion
Wednesday, April 21,1
African-American Forum promotes cultural awareness
History of Islam distorted by Europeans, professor says
Racism used to justify inhumane acts, professor says
By ANAS BEN-MUSA
The Battalion
The United States' dominant ideology remains
"biologized" - where people's thinking or beliefs
are a result of certain physio-
logical factors, a Texas A&M ^ wav of
professor of anthropology said J
Monday night. dehumanizing certain
Dr. Duncan Earle said, "Bi- i . • „
ologizing a race is a way of pOpU-iatlOnS.
dominating," by which a per-
Southeast Asians.
"You call them 'Cooks', they cease to be humans,
instead they are beasts," he said. "Of course, this is
something that can be seen in (the history of) U.S.
slavery."
Biologizing has no scientific
basis. A person's beliefs are cul
tural not physiological, he said.
"It contradicts what we know
as scientist's as the unity of the
(human) species," Earle said.
Despite the great deal of em-
son judges cultural integrity
through biological history.
"Racism of this sort, claim
ing the difference between in-
— Dr. Duncan Eavie, phasis that some people place on
racial differences, biologically we
anthropology professor are extremely similar. People
who deal with other groups of a
dividuals are a result of biological qualities, has
been used for many centuries," he said. "It's way
of dehumanizing certain populations."
Earle described this dehumanization as "Gooki-
fication." Earle derived the term from the word
"Cook," used during the Vietnam War to describe
different race, in fact, are not dealing with the race
but a different culture."
Earle spoke in Rudder Tower in the First
African-American Forum sponsored by Griot Soci
ety. The Griot Society is a student organization
promoting African and African-American culture.
By ANAS BEN-MUSA
The Battalion
The history of Islam in Africa
has been changed and distorted, a
history professor said in his lec
ture, "Translations of Islamic
scholars account of early African
civilization."
Dr. Mohammad Sharif said,
"There are many historical fallaci
es that come from the Africanist
point of view which says Islam
was a foreign invasion of the
African continent and the Euro
pean academia fallacy of Islam,
that describes it as Arab cultural
history."
Islamic history was believed to
be a panorama of Arab dynasties
by Europeans and some misguid
ed Arabs, Sharif said.
The fallacies were initiated by
the European intellectual commu
nity, he said.
"They had two reasons," Sharif
said. "The European intellectual
community wanted to colonize
Africa and strip Africa of its
wealth. In order to do that they
had to intellectually create the
idea that Africa was incapable of
self-governance."
He said the history of Islam is
where an Emir, or ruler, is
checked by jurists.
"Islamic history is a series of
repeated manifestations of Islamic
government, where the ruler
would answer to a body of re
sponsible jurists who govern ac
cording to the book of God (the
Koran) and the practices of
(Prophet) Muhammad in his early
community, Sharif said.
"Islam was recognized bt
Africans as continuation of an an
cient way, which Africans
been acquainted with since GoJ
revealed his message to the
man, who was in no doubtaj
African."
Some of the followers
prophet Muhammad wen
Africans or of African descent, be
said.
"From the very beginningo:
the emergence of Islam in theAra
bian peninsula, Africa embraced
Islam and Islam embraced
Africa," Sharif said.
The lecture was partoftbe
African-American Forum, spon
sored by the Griot Society.
Sharif studied at the Ahliyyia
University in Omdurman, Sudan
He is currently at Texas Southern
University in Houston.
Campus News Briefs
National group elects
local director president
Live senatorial debate
to air on KAMU-TV
A&M professor gives
annual Abreu address
Dennis Corrington, director of Texas
A&M University's department of recre
ational sports, was elected president
elect of the National Intramural Recre
ational Sports Association (NTRSA) at its
national conference in Houston.
The conference featured a number of
speakers who relayed the importance of
having diverse recreational and wellness
programs with a vision toward the future.
Corrington, who has been director of
the department for 19 years, will be re
sponsible for 19 of the group's 48 nation
al c
"The Texas Debates," a live, one-hour
special that will present the major sena
torial candidates in a debate format, will
air on KAMU-TV at 8 p.m. Thursday.
The candidates are bidding to replace
Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen.
The election will be held on May 1.
Other senatorial candidates will be in
vited to appear in an additional forum
that will air prior to the election at 3 p.m.
on April 25.
al committees,
Dr. Robert Wells, director of Texas
A&M University's Albert B. Alkek Insti
tute of Biosciences and Technology, de
livered the 1993 Abreu Memorial Lec
ture at the University of Texas Medical
Branch (UTMB) at Galveston.
Wells, an expert on DNA structure
and gene regulation, spoke on "DNA
Structure, Triplet Repeats, and Human
Diseases."
The Abreu is presented each year as
part of the 34th Annual National Student
Research Forum at UTMB.
In addition to serving as director of
the Alkek Institute, Wells holds the
Robert A. Welch Foundation Chair at the
Institute of Biosciences and Technology.
Wells also is a professor of biochem
istry and biophysics in Texas A&M's
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Summer clinic to aid
students with math
Texas A&M University's Center for
Science and Mathematics Education is
sponsoring a clinic this summer for stu
dents with learning problems in mathe
matics.
provided for a limited number of partici
pants.
Following the diagnosis, individual
instruction by trained clinicians will be
provided for each student in the clinic.
The testing will be scheduled during
the latter part of June, with the instruc
tional component occurring during the
month of July.
Students from third grade through
early high school years whose progress
in mathematics has been slower than ex
pected are encouraged to apply.
For more information call 845-8396.
Individual diagnostic testing will be
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AGGIE ANTHROPOLOGISTS
in conjunction with
THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY
if
present , ,
"The Legacy of the Maya:
Past and Present Worlds"
Dr. Linda Scheie
| World Renowned Maya Scholar i
a? from the University of Texas
irlloL .j
Author of
■ \ 1 \ 1 1
Stoop.of Krugs; Dynasty and Ritual in Maya_Art
AND
A Forest of Kxngs: The Untold Story or the Ancient Maya
Thursday, April 22, 1993
7:00 pm
Halbouty Bldg, Room 101
FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE!
For More Information, Call
SttdWd @ ©13=44^©
771
r
MATHEMATICS CONTEST
Annual Freshmen and Sophomore
MATHEMATICS CONTEST
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1993
7:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
Room 317 Milner Hall
It is intended to award at least five prizes:
1. $1 50 for paper judged to be the best overall
2. $1 25 for second best
3. $100 for third best
4. $100 for best freshmen paper not among first
three
5. $100 for best sophomore paper not among first
three
Contest problems will cover topics up through Math 151
(Engineering Calculus I) for Freshmen, and through Math 251
(Engineering Calculus III) for Sophomore contestants.
For purposes of this contest, freshmen are first-year
undergraduate students, and sophomores are
second-year undergraduate students.
A
The Battalion
STEVE O'BRIEN, Editor in Chief
JASON LOUGHMAN, Managing Editor
STACY FEDUCIA, Opinion Editor
KYLE BURNETT, News Editor
DAVE THOMAS, News Editor
TODD STONE, City Editor
DON NORWOOD, Sports Editor
SUSAN OWEN, Lifestyles Editor
DARRIN HILL, Photo Editor
Staff Members
City desk — Mark Evans, Chery) Heller, Juli Phillips, Jennifer Smith, Gina Howard, Stephanie Paltillo, Robin
Roach, Jeff Gosmano, Jason Cox, Kevin Lindstrom, Mary Kujawa and Shelia Vela
News desk - Belinda Blancarte, Lisa Borrego, Corey Eagan, Lance Holmes, Elizabeth Lowe, Jennifer Mentt,
Ravoe Villafranca and Heather Winch
Photographers — Kevin Ivy, Robert J. Reed, Billy Moran, Joseph Greenslade, Richard Dixon, Craig Fox, John W.
Barlram, Nicole Rohrman and Mark Ybarra
Lifestyles — Anas Ben-Mosa, Dena Dizdar, Melissa Holubec and Jenny Magee
Sports writers - William Harrison, Michael Plumer, Matt Rush and David Winder
Columnists - Julie Polston, Toni Garrard Clay, Matthew Dickerson, Chris Whitley, Robert Vasquez, Rich
Henderson, Dave Brooks, John Scroggs and Janet Holder
Cartoonists — Thomas Deeny, George Nasr, Clay Welch, Boomer Cardinole and Jeff Crone
Graphic Artist - Jennifer Petteway
Clerks- Julie Chelkowski, Darra Dees, Wren Eversberg, Carrie Miura and Mary Beth Novak
The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Mondi
Monday through Thursday during the summer session
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lay through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and
(except University holidays and exam periods), at Texai
Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University,
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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 845-3313. Fax: 845-2647.
Advertising: For campus, local ond national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, col
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Ofooroy! (foodJob! CongratuCations!
T<7 2lCCfR&cmtCy ‘Elected Officers!
fhlgzu is the time to [earn everything you need to iqiozv
about running a successfuf organization.
Student Organization
Officer ‘Workshop
‘Thursday, Tipril29,1993
6:30 - 9:30 pm
Oiegistration ZndffCoor tRudder Tower
Sponsored By the ^Department of Student Activities
Tor More Information, Caff 845-1133
J
Aggie Ring
Orders
CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS, JR. ALUMNI CENTER
DEADLINE: APRIL 21,1993
Procedure tQ-Qtxler a ring;
1. You must come to the Ring Office no later than Wednesday,
April 21, 1993 to complete the form for an audit of your
transcript. (One-two days are required to process your
audit.)
2. After your transcript audit is approved, the entire ring price
is paid in cash or by check no later than April 23, 1993.
Undergraduate degree seeking students may place an order if:
1. 30 credit hours were completed in residence at A&M in the
Fall of '92 or before if you were a transfer student. (Hours
in progress are not completed.)
2. 95 credit hours are completed/will be completed at the end
of this semester. (Should you be Including enrolled hours
for the Spring '93 semester, only hours in progress at A&M
may be counted:)
3. A 2.00 cumulative grade point average at A&M is reflected on
your transcript (after your most recent final grades).
4. Your transcript does not have any blocks for past due fees,
loans, parking tickets, etc. ,
Graduate degree seeking students may place an order ifL
1. You are a May '93 degree candidate. (Your order will be accepted
contingent upon your May '93 degree being conferred.)
2. Your transcript does not have any blocks for past due fees, loans,
parking tickets, etc.
MEN’S RINGS
10KY - £280.00
14KY - £381.00
WOMEN'S RINGS
10KY - £163.00
14KY - £188.00
•There is an ^8.00 charge for Class of'92 and before.
The approximate date of the ring delivery is August 4, 1993