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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 1994)
Opinion Thursday, March 3,1994 The Battalion Editorial Board y JULI PHILLIPS, Editor in chief MICHAEL PLUMER, Managing editor KYLE BURNETT, Aggielife editor BELINDA BLANCARTE, Night news editor DENA DIZDAR, Aggielife editor HEATHER WINCH, Night News editor SEAN FRERKING, Sports editor TONI GARRARD CLAY, Opinion editor WILLIAM HARRISON, Photo editor JENNIFER SMITH, City editor \ EDITORIAL Shelter shock i to Homeless need realistic help The Dallas City Council needs to wake up and get a firm grip on reality. During one session last week, the council voted to in stall portable toilets, running water and garbage dumps for the homeless people living be neath Interstate 45. Later in the same meeting, it voted to destroy the shanty town and evict the 200 home less people who currently live there. All of the "luxuries" were scheduled for installation March 5, which gives the council's victims about three weeks to enjoy themselves be fore they are evicted March 25. Granted, solutions to a problem that has existed since time began are not likely to be found in one session. Obvi ously, this is a complicated is sue, but Wednesday's puz zling vote seems to point to a lack of any unified effort on the part of the Dallas City Council — not the only gov erning body facing such chal lenges — to deal with the problem realistically. The council did decide to continue plans for a homeless pavilion in the downtown Dallas area. Unfortunately, the ordi nance passed with so many stipulations that no one be lieves the pavilion will ever become a reality. In essence, the council ap proved of a plan to build a shelter which is virtually as sured to fail, and in the ensu ing arguments took away what little the homeless peo ple have left — a bridge. Officials from the American Civil Liberties Union warned the council that the homeless were allowed by law to- sleep in public if the city fails to provide alternative arrange ments. However, council member Glenn Box argued that only one court in Florida had upheld that law, and it is not unconstitutional to stop people from sleeping in pub lic. That filthy, dangerous shantytown about to be de stroyed is the only place those people have to call "home." Now, thanks to political bick ering and a lost sense of reali ty, they won't even have that. The Battalion Page 11 Life's meanings found in many ways Religion, philosophy provide sense of human purpose W arning: This column con tains fairly deep, philosophical, touchy-feely stuff. Most of us lead a very centered exis tence; we must, be cause we are students with important goals. The pressures and di rection provided by this very structured environment lend to us what most people would certainly deem to be "meaning." Anyone on campus might say, "To graduate and get a real job is my meaning at A&M, and if I don't make an 83 on this next test I'll flunk my class and be kicked out for good. I'll be ditch diggin' and eatin' Tuna Helper for the rest of my life." Even though this fear may be common on campus, can just one question on some exam actually have the power to thwart a person's goals in life? It seems quite possi ble. Through a domino effect, a grade may create a serious obstacle to a degree, and thereby a particular desired career. But can a single bubble on a scantron control the real meaning of a life? Surely not. So just what is real meaning? What is it that makes us get up in the morning and live (besides Lucky Charms)? When we ask ourselves why we are do ing what we are doing, or why we have set certain goals for ourselves, it is not difficult to arrive at quick, easy answers. To get mar ried. To get a good job. To make good mon ey. To be financially independent. To live in the manner we would prefer. Most people spend their entire lives chas ing - and many times achieving - these very goals. This chasing seems to be quite the norm actually. But what if, due to some cir cumstance, these goals were bypassed? While sinking in schoolwork, you are of fered the secure job you always wanted — a career requiring only the skills you already possess and offering the money you desire. Would earning a college degree have the same appeal? Winning a $50 million lottery would certainly make these popular, moti vating goals obsolete. What will meaning be then? Although such scenarios are hypo thetical for most of us, they force us to delve deep within ourselves beneath superfluous purpose to find the meaning that can never become obsolete. This is real meaning. Meaning cannot be — as you may have surmised — one particular thing or any thing external. If is different for all of us and is always changing. There are a number of ideologies which provide technique for the task of finding the meaning of human life. Existentialism and religion are perhaps the farthest apart, but both still can remain "true" in their mean ing. Such ideologies are necessary. Man needs a reason to live, and any reason will do. With a reason made powerful enough to die for, man can well withstand the suffer ings of life. The famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche stated, "He who has a WHY to live for can bear almost any HOW." An existentialist viewpoint concerning meaning holds that man invents his own ideals, that the essence of a person is that which he has designed himself. Through the power of their own will, people are free to be happy or sad and to choose whatever they decide will be meaningful in their lives through self-determinism. Essentially, there is no other meaning in life but the life itself. As described to me by a distinguished professor, the journey of ex periences from birth to death is all that is life and is it's very meaning. The process of life is the meaning of life — it occurs every moment, and is the reason to remain living. Although existentialism is regarded as being a somewhat pessimistic manner of thinking, we must remember that included in the journey that is life is happi ness, love, pleasure and the other emotions and elements that make us people. Religious ideologies provide meaning for human lives as well, and are certainly more popular than existentialism. AH of the reli gions of the world (with possibly a few ex ceptions) share what I think are commonali ties. The most pervasive quality of religion is the concept of a form of life after death and the hope of having such a continued life. It is my perception that this hope along with the presence of the supreme being(s) and the individual intricacies of this hope gives those with religious convictions mean ing to their lives. Even though this column may be a far too simplistic approach to this topic, it has still managed to prompt the use of aspirin. Frank Stanford is a graduate philosophy student FRANK STANFORD Columnist Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, administration, faculty or staff. Columns, guest columns, cartoons and letters express the opinions of the authors. The Battalion encourages letters to the editor and will print as many as space allows. Letters must be 300 words or less and include’the author's name, class, and phone number. We reserve the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, style, and accuracy. Contact the opinion editor for information on submitting guest columns. Address letters to: The Battalion - Mail Call 013 Reed McDonald Mail stop 1111 Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843 Fax: (409) 845-2647 New windows smash Academic Building's historic integrity I do not normally get ruffled about many things, but as an Aggie (since 1985) and a student of preservation, I felt compelled to write this after reading a Jan. 24 ar ticle regarding the Academic Building windows. The issue over the window re placement has gone rather unnoticed. There have been only two news arti cles and one ecitorial on the subject. By the time the first article was published during the fall semester, it was probably too late to do anything since the new windows were presumably on order. While the Physical Plant has put forth seemingly justifiable ar guments for the choice, as an architecture student, I find fault with their reasoning. According to David Godbey, associate director for engineering and design ser vices, the windows were chosen not only for their cost and apparent ease of mainte nance, but also for their aesthetics. He claims to have used "computer visualiza tion techniques" to determine how they would look. It does not take computer vi sualization to tell that these windows look crummy. Take a look at the Agriculture Building in front of the Evans Library to see how well the windows weather after a short time. Did the Physical Plant really use the "latest" computer visualization techniques like those in the College of Ar chitecture's Viz Lab, or did they use the computers at a paint store which show col or combinations for houses? If the Academic Building is such a focal building on campus as Godbey suggests (which it really is), then shouldn't it stand out and be maintained as one? The old windows set the Academic building apart from the others on campus: they gave it. character and integrity. Just because old windows have been replaced across cam pus does not necessarily require the same for the Academic Building. Ugly repeated is still ugly! If cleaning the windows is so important, then why weren't the old windows kept clean? The only reason they deteriorated so quickly was because they were not maintained. I doubt the new ones will be kept any better. There are many manufac turing companies who could have dupli- Texas A&M has one of the best historic preservation programs in the country. It is a shame that officials did not consult with their resi dent experts on renovation. cated the existing windows with new, easy to maintain, energy-efficient materials (with little cost difference), which would have at least looked better than those cho sen. Godbey later states that the Physical Plant "... didn't want to turn back the clock to 1912." Preservation is not about turning back the clock, it is about maintaining what exists. According to the Secretary of the In terior's Standards for Rehabilitation for outstanding buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places: • The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The re moval of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided. • Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place and use. Changes that create a false sense of histori cal development, such as adding conjectur al features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken. • Distinctive features, finishes, and con struction techniques or examples of crafts manship that characterize a property shall be preserved. • Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather them replaced. While I acknowledge that these are only guidelines and not laws, and are usually directed towards structures on or eligible for the National Register, responsible deci sions regarding historic buildings should be made in the spirit of these recommenda tions. As stewards of the built environ ment, the University should take better care of its physical resources. Texas A&M has one of the best historic preservation programs in the country. It is a shame that officials did not see fit to con sult with their resident experts in the Col lege of Architecture on the philosophy be hind the renovation. It is also a shame that as a public institution of higher learning, the University does not set a better exam ple, and practice what they preaches. Finally, if the eyes are really the win dows to the soul, what then are the win dows to a building? Perhaps we should add the Academic Building to the next Sil ver Taps list! Scott Clanton is a graduate architecture student SCOTT CLANfON Guest Columnist A&M sells tradition for Big Eight bucks I am thoroughly sick of the thought of our beloved school sneaking out of the Southwest Conference for the Big Eight. It is a move that could possibly be the death penalty for the four left behind. It is sad to think that these schools would turn tail and run for TV money and leave four others to fend for themselves. The SWC is a conference of schools, not individuals. A&M should have waited un til the others had a plan of action before slipping out the door. To think of our uni versity, a place well known for honesty, loyalty, and friendship leaving these other schools out to dry turns my stomach. And we Aggies are big on tradition. Tradition is great, right! How's 80 years of tradition? Gone. Who cares, right? We need compe tition, right? Well, we have only been on top of the conference for a few years now. What would have happened to us if the conference had dissolved back when we were getting creamed every year? Besides, we replace SMU and Houston with Iowa State and Kansas. Whoa! Big step up. So, when we get on top, we wave to the have-nots and head for the bank, care less that the others will now be left in a void with no one of status to play. I will love Texas A&M until death, will bleed maroon until the day they suck it from me, and will follow the team to Nebraska and Colorado even if I have to hitchhike, but what we have done to these other schools is beyond distasteful. J.D. Slaughter Class of'96 Results of Hutchison case misrepresented While walking across campus today, I spotted a pink broadside posted by the College Republicans that read, "Kay Bai ley Hutchison Found Innocent." Either the College Republicans, in their ignorance, have failed to distinguish between "being found innocent" and having a case dis missed on a legal technicality, or they are purposefully continuing their campaign of disinformation. Jerome Lynn Hall Graduate Student Magee myopic about optometry profession I couldn't help but to point out the ig norance and stupidity that I found in Jen ny Magee's column on Feb. 23. She whined about a routine visit to the op tometrist's office as though she had been attacked by hit men. Although I must commend her on her far-fetched imagination and extensive ex aggeration, she has absolutely no knowl edge whatsoever of any ophthalmology- related fields. First, she incorrectly com pares a dilating pupil to an enclosing room (one gets larger while the other gets smaller). Then she continues her tirade of peevish complaints by describing various optical instruments according to the de gree of discomfort they caused her. These instruments detect serious tu mors, diseases and visual acuity problems that may exist. Also, her "retarding near sightedness" indicates a halt to further de pletion of her visual sight. Finally, she states that optometrists are not "real" doc tors. Four years of extensive medical train ing, in addition to four years of under graduate studies, merit some credibility. As a future optometrist, I simply want Magee to open her eyes with respect and appreciation toward the profession. Vu K. Nguyen Class of'95 i. i. f $ | '-T l I * f »i c * 11 ;