t 7 y 26,1993 ■ed Mon- ^o much in said. ! 'g Mud- i for bot- ing shut ice in I down- —ity, vva- acco rais- ng town on •nd to take lemocratic i potential etter. 2nt is that quire new t out, Sen- n a dozen committee ing. tants were no on the re anyone The point for their ion tropolitan e's no way has made f cities all ve similar sewage, overflow ved while k a $6 bil- wer user aukee pro- [ohn. as received o wait until ion so their f name, mni have :ures on a ange. The it students a addition, n various Residence f over 900 ot support laintiffs in raying the laking the don. ut of the ;sville and sponse. nions only said. iffarini, D- :he Senate ie right to its system able or in- s up, you lase said, il aid de- rvey each rage costs bases its ies repre- irvey in- ersity of Texas e Univer- rth Texas Studies to Arts, said on P ublic /( he said, enter will ie LBJ Li' d the fact ial. , ot part of operation ved mam- ice presi- !t the end amended litted 300 00, Texas f-campus iows," he 1 be very Opinion . Monday, July 26,1993 The Battalion Page 5 Most Texas businesses don't comply with Disabilities Act Tuly 26 marks the third an niversary of tne passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Yet three years later, Texas busi nesses and gov ernment agencies have yet to come anywhere near full compliance. Indeed, the : Equal Opportuni- t)'Employment | Commission has f received more ; complaints from Texas than any other | state about discrimination against ] workers with disabilities. Disability | groups in Texas estimate that only 30 1 percent of Texas businesses and gov- ! emment buildings comply with the ; ADA's accessibility requirements. This massive non-compliance wTth , the law is shameful and unacceptable. 1 Indeed, estimates are that over 70 per- ; cent of the modifications needed in the business sector for the ADA cost under 1500; tax credits are available. i To help remedy this abysmal situa- | tion, Advocacy, Inc., a non-profit legal ^ services program for people with men tal and developmental disabilities, has undertaken a statewide litigation pro ject on behalf of aggrieved individuals and community-based disability groups. Advocacy has offices in I Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Pharr, El Paso and San Antonio. The suits involve public and private employment, government services and j accessibility to health facilities, chain convenience shops, malls, recreational programs, attorneys' and doctors' of- 1 flees, theaters, government agencies, ; colleges and universities, clothing ; stores, large, restaurants and banks. The suits are filed on behalf of ag grieved persons with disabilities, but : only after the business or public accom modation is requested in writing to vol untarily comply and chooses not to do so. To date, about 85 percent of busi nesses come into voluntary compliance when requested by Advocacy. The oth er 15 percent refuse to do so even though the ADA required compliance 18months ago for large businesses and six months ago for smaller enterprises — after an 18 to 30 month grace period from the time the ADA was enacted. Advocacy began its project in June. Cases so far include alleged discrimina tion by an oil company for terminating an employee who underwent short term voluntary treatment for mild mental illness during his vacation. Suits have also been filed against a car rental agency for refusing to furnish an automobile equipped with hand controls for a person in a wheelchair and against a number of chain stores. One case challenges the failure of the Texas Mental Health and Mental Retar dation and the Department of Criminal Justice to provide proper services for prison parolees. Advocacy estimates that, given the pervasiveness of the problem, probably about 50 suits will be filed as of mid- September all around the state. As a matter of policy. Advocacy avoids suing small "mom-and-pop" en terprises, but rather focuses on chains and large entities that have the finan cial wherewithal to comply with the ADA. Besides, influencing change in a sizeable business or government agency benefits more people and gives greater impact with limited resources. Non-compliance with the ADA in Texas is worse than most other areas of the country, but Advocacy is deter mined to help turn Texas around. Peo ple with disabilities are the only group still routinely denied admission to pub lic accommodations due to architectur al or programmatic inaccessibility and in some cases patently discriminating policies (e.g. day care centers refusing to take children with disabilities). Although we no longer tolerate ex clusion of individuals from restaurants, stores, theaters, banks, professional of fices, and so on, because of race, sex or age, we continue to accept and thereby sanction such exclusion based upon one's status as a person with a disabili ty. This reality gave rise to the ADA. Advocacy will do everything it can to ensure that Texas business and gov ernment understand and fulfill their duty to comply with the ADA. The dis abled community in Texas expects and is entitled to no less. James C. Harrington is a regional litiga tion attorney for Advocacy, Inc. in Austin GUEST COLUMN JAMES C. HARRINGTON The perfect body: dying to be thin Anorexia and bulimia threaten young women's lives I'm too fat. . . I'm too fat. . . I'm too fat. . . I'm so thin now... I'm so thin that my bones are seeping through my skin. But I won't eat. Because... I'm too fat... I'm too fat... M ore and more young women today are suffering from two eating disorders of life- threatening nature. Anorexia nervosa, a disorder in which young women starve them selves, affects one in every 200 college-aged women. Bulimia nervosa, a disorder that can occur with anorexia or by itself, propels its sufferers to take in massive amounts of food and then purge themselves of the contents, usually by self-induced vomiting. It affects approximately 5 million people in America — mostly women. Neither disorder has any physiological basis. Anorexia has its onset in adolescence, usually about the time that girls start to menstruate. The girls who suffer this eating disorder will go on a diet that eventually begins to extend way beyond any reasonable amount of weight loss. Consequently, amenorrhea, a condition of at least three missed menstrual cycles — develops. Five percent of all anorexics starve themselves to death while twenty-five percent of the others have relapses after two years of treatment. It is an affliction that can follow the victim throughout her lifetime. Anorexics exhibit the following signs: • A refusal to gain weight (they are usually at least 15 percent below normal body weight for their height and age). • An intense fear of becoming fat, even though they are underweight. • A distorted body image (they feel fat even when they are extremely thin). • The absence of three consecutive menstrual periods. Bulimia, a condition similar to anorexia, is also extreme ly harmful to the victim. She goes on a great eating binge and then expels the food from her system by self-induced vomiting or an excessive laxative intake. A typical binge can consist of two packages of cookies, a loaf of bread, bags of chips and snacks, several sodas, a pie, a cake — all in one sitting. Bulimics are much harder to detect than anorexics be cause they usually maintain a constant weight and do their binging and purging in secrecy. Bulimics exhibit the following symptoms: • Recurrent episodes of binge eating. • Regular self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives or diuretics to prevent weight gain. • A minimum of two binges a week for at least three months. • Persistent concern with body weight and shape. Anorexics and bulimics seem to be attempting to exert some form of control over their lives. Anorexics tend to be perfectionists and children of controlling parents. By refus ing to eat, they are removing some of the control that their parents extend and placing themselves in control. It is a strange, inconspicuous way of fostering self-competence. Bulimics take control of their bodies by indulging to the fullest extent and then subsequently ridding their bodies of the guilt and calories their overeating creates. They then have control over the form of their bodies and other aspects of their life. For instance, a bulimic who is severely afraid of rejection may subconsciously allow herself to become too obese or too thin in order to remain unattractive. This way, men will not approach her and she does not have to face the possibil ity of failure or rejection. These disorders are indeed life-threatening and need to be treated immediately. Self-competence and self-esteem do not evolve from starvation and weakness and sickness. It comes from facing what is feared and persevering any way. Active coping styles identify and correct problems; but passive resistance only serves to enmesh the person deeper and deeper into incompetence. Stop starving. Start eating. That's being good to yourself. Jones is a senior psychology major TRACEY JONES Columnist H6ERAL-CONTROLLED MEDIA HUHOR,,, THE UH&AlteM WILL UOT #e T<7KJl6rUT, PUE TE ^E£N AT 'TUH? TlHE. TWAVJ£ YOU." bin'll lim*/ t \ "I l KIM.'. I . |..I n ,^1 I. VJII I,.... . I-/. .I. ■■ ■ «■ - A&M must face up to past to achieve justice On July 20, James Hudson and Mark Feed offered arguments for the Corps of Cadets' continuing value to A&M. Ihese arguments are easy enough to ac cept, provided that the Corps remem bers its place as a part of the University community and that A&M zealously Pursues and punishes wrongdoing within the Corps. However, the University's half-heart ed effort to investigate alleged offenses (combined with its wholehearted at tempt to ward off the Attorney Gener is office) leaves this skeptic with little hope that a proper balance of the Corps' rights and the rights of the stu dent body will be achieved before Ar mageddon. What most puzzles me about Mr. Hudson and Mr. Feed's letters was nob defense of the Corps, but their hopelessly clouded view of American history. Hudson seems to doubt that the Confederate States rebelled against the united States; he even says that West Virginia "rebelled" against Vir ginia. For his part, Fecci all too willing ly accepts the official deification of Lawrence S. Ross as "Soldier, States man, and Knightly Gentleman." A passage from the United States Constitution should help clear the air. Article III, Section 3, defines the crime of treason as follows: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adher ing to their enemies...." By definition, lacking a constitutional provision for secession, the Confederate States were in rebellion. Moreover, Confederate diplomats sought to draw Great Britain and France into the conflict and bring foreign powers against the United States. Military officers and elected of ficials who either joined the Confeder ate army or repudiated their oaths to the United States constitution were trai tors. This includes Robert E. Lee, Jeffer son Davis, and yes, Lawrence S. Ross. Fecci praises the Corps' devotion to "love of country" and no doubt, love of country stands out as an attribute of the CT. It seems, however, that love of country demands a better understand ing of its past than lies in the grasp of either Fecci or Hudson. We must face up to the ugly truths lying beneath the surface of A&M's past, so that we may pursue justice in the seamier aspects of A&M's present. Ricky Floyd Dobbs Graduate student Must A&M 'protect' us from nude photos? This is in response to the recent con troversy about the removal of the Czechoslovakian photos in the MSC Vi sual Arts Gallery. I have a question for Wynn Rosser, the chairman of the AggieHostel. Does Mr. Rosser think that members of the AggieHostel don't look in the mirror at home? Maybe he is worried that since the AggieHostelers are all over 65, they may get too worked up if they see some skin in a picture. Does Mr. Rosser follow the members home and protect them from going into the Hastings magazine section? I won der if he warns them about what cur rent movies have nudity in them. I was lucky enough to slip into the exhibit before it was shut down to pro tect the AggieHostelers. I thought the exhibit was fascinating, and it was far from the pornography the Mr. Rosser might have been expecting. I was not forced into the exhibit against my will, but went on my own accord. Does the AggieHostel program force its mem bers to see every gallery, every sight the campus has to offer? Maybe Mr. Rosser could instruct the gallery to put up a sign that says "CAUTION — Nudity Ahead" and put it in front of the door. Since the AggieHostelers are 65 and over, they have probably seen more than enough nudity in their lives that a photograph of a breast or penis would not cause them any undue harm. Finally, I think the MSC Visual Arts Committee should thank Mr. Rosser for all the publicity he has provided free of charge. Attendance to the exhibit should increase when the exhibit re opens. If we could only get those Czech photos to an Aggie home basket ball game.... Trey Morton Class of '93 Groff best choice for A&M athletic director Why make a mountain out of a mole hill? Wally Groff meets all of the quali fications as presented to the 12-member search committee for A&M's athletic di rector by A&M President Mobley last April. Wally Groff meets all of the five qualifications plus many more impor tant ones, especially to Aggies. W ally is an Aggie (we don't nee Rice, University of Miami, Maryland, or 'Podunk' com ing here to divest Aggie athletics.) Wally Groff is tried and true with in tegrity and has a heart for what is best for A&M and the SWC. No "off-campus" expensive travel in terviews are necessary. Wally is right here. Speak up, let President Mobley know how you feel (he will make the final de cision). Let him know Wally Groff is the only one for athletic director for A&M. No need to make a mountain out of a molehill. Helen Pugh College Station Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of the editorial board. Theiy do not necessarily reflect the ctainions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, administration, faculty or staff Columns, guest columns, and Mail Call items express the opinions of the authors. The Battalion encourages letters to the editor and will print as many as space allows in the Mail Call section. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the author's name dass, and phone number. Contact the editor or managing editor for information on submitting guest columns. We reserve the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, style, and accuracy. Letters should be addressed to: The Battalion • Mail Call 01 3 Reed McDonald /Matt stop 1111 Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843