The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 12, 1996, Image 11

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FRIDAY
April 12, 1996
Opinion
Page 11
University doesn’t have to look far to find the needy
T here are a
lot of easy
ways to
earn five bucks an
hour. Doing custo
dial work for the
TAMU Physical
Plant is not one of
them. There are
opportunities for
advancement — but even experi
enced workers still earn well un
der six dollars an hour.
Is it unjust of the University
to pay essential and hardwork
ing employees so little? Not in
the grand scheme of things. Jan
itorial work requires herculean
patience, but no special skills or
knowledge. Although the mini
mum wage is ridiculously low,
there’s no reason to pay custodi
ans much more than the law re
quires. But what the University
should give all low-income work
ers is the opportunity for ad
vancement through education.
Currently, all University em
ployees who choose to enroll
qualify for waivers for the stu
dent services, student center
complex, health center and gen
eral use fees. This amounts to a
significant reduction in the cost
of attending classes.
But the problem with the cur
rent policy is that it doesn’t benefit
many of the University’s poorest
employees. Although all laborers
qualify for fee waivers, many don’t
qualify for admission because they
lack high school diplomas.
Also, the policy seems to be
designed to help employees who
already have college degrees, be
cause University staff members
are limited to four credit hours
per semester. So an ambitious
Ttime Food Services employee
who enrolled this fall might be
able to graduate
with the Fightin’
Texas Aggie Class
of 2016.
The University
could change this
unrealistic situa
tion by extending
fee waivers to the
families of the
lowest-income employees. That
way, people like Barbrannette,, a
Physical Plant custodian, might
be able to see their children be
come full-time students.
The current benefit package in
cludes impressive medical, retire
ment and life insurance consider
ations for the families of employ
ees. But adding educational op
portunities to the program could
help improve the outlook for de
pendents of workers.
“That’s mostly why we work,
for the benefits,” Barbrannette
said, “And I’ve got some girls
who could use an education
program like that.”
Lon Hulsey, Manager
of Administration and
Services for Physical
Plant, said educational
benefits programs have
met with success at oth
er universities.
Years ago it was pos
sible for low-income
workers to provide a col
lege education for their
children. My grandmoth
er, who had an eighth
grade education, worked
long hours in a depart
ment store to put my fa
ther through four years
of engineering school.
Today, however, even
public colleges and uni
versities are priced above
the capabilities of most
families near the poverty line.
So while politicians quibble
over the welfare state where
one- and two-parent families are
dependent upon government
handouts, the plight of the
working poor goes largely unno
ticed. Undereducated parents
feed children who graduate from
high school often to find that
they are confined to the
same job opportunities
as their parents.
In the aftermath
of Hopwood vs.
State of Texas,
the challenge
for colleges is to maintain diver
sity while making admissions
and financial aid colorblind. To
accomplish this, schools should
focus on helping the most quali
fied underprivileged students. A
program that offered assistance
to the chil
dren of the University’s poorest
workers would be need- and not
color-based. And it would likely
promote that much sought after
ethnic and racial diversity.
The success of an educational
benefits program on a small
scale could illuminate a
new path for gov
ernment aid
programs. By providing new
ways for lower-class individuals
to obtain an education, we might
find a way to streamline assis
tance programs so that they em
power, rather than debilitate,
the recipients.
An educational benefits pro
gram would offer the Universi
ty’s low-income families the two
Es — education and employ
ment. These are the two greatest
medicines against poverty and
the best prescription for prevent
ing dependence on public assis
tance. Texas A&M could test a
form of aid that breaks the
poverty cycle, making people
more independent and soci
ety more productive.
v k 3WWUi 1
Jeremy Valdez is a
senior chemical en
gineering major
Hate exists on both
sides of the debate
On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.,
I walked passed Rudder Foun
tain and I was disgusted. I
guess that means that my per
sonal moral convictions are dif
ferent than those that were cele
brating homosexuality at Rud
der Fountain. I also suppose
that many will feel that I am the
stereotypical “homophobic” who
adds to problems of oppression
and hate.
However, after reading
Thursday’s Battalion, I feel that
the blame for these problems
should not rest entirely on us
“homophobics.” Obviously, with
expressions like “Beat the hell
outta homophobics,” it seems
that the homosexual community
is equally susceptible to being
hateful. Also, according to Becky
Petitt, if “It is important to em
brace and honor their life choic
es,” what is so wrong about ex
pressing my life choices? I don’t
think “homophobic” is a proper
term for people like me. Phobia
implies fear, and I am not afraid
of homosexuality, I just don’t
like it. That is my life choice.
There is nothing wrong with not
liking what other people believe,
it is everyone’s right. Just as
they are entitled to their beliefs,
everyone who disagrees with
them should be entitled to what
they feel is ri^ht.
Darrell S. Abramowitz
Class of’97
Christians should
help others first
As Jeff Anderson’s letter in the
Battalion on April 11 pointed out,
it is unfortunately true that many
Christians hatefully y judge homo
sexuals. I believe that hate is a
sin, but I also believe that homo
sexuality is a sin. The Bible tells
ts, as believers, that we are not to
judge non-believers and that they
cannot judge us because they do
not understand the Holy Spirit
who lives in us. As Christians, we
are called to “correct, rebuke, and
encourage” each other (2 Tim. 4:1-
5). Therefore, homosexual Chris
tians have a duty to gently rebuke
those who are hateful; just as I
have a duty to gently rebuke those
who are homosexual and boasting
of the fact.
Romans 14:23 says that if a
person has doubts as to whether
something is sinful and acts on it
anyway, he is not acting in faith;
and anything that does not come
from faith is sin. There are many
Christians who believe homosex
uality is sinful but still struggle
with it. Please consider the fact
that by boasting of your homosex
uality, you are causing others to
stumble.
God warned us that we would
have to defend our faith and that
nonbelievers would not under
stand us. He never warned us
that Christians would have to de
fend their sexual preferences to
each other.
All of us, whether hateful or
boastful, need to consider those
who we may, by our actions, be
causing to suffer or stumble.
Jennifer Cox
Class of’96
Batt doesn't act to
fight voter apathy
I cannot understand why the
Batt has chosen to ignore the 8th
District Congressional race. Yes,
Texas A&M is in this district, and
yes, Jack Fields is retiring.
I have read numerous Batt ar
ticles on voter apathy, political
naivete and lower turnout. Yet,
when the Batt has an opportunity
to lower apathy and increase
turnout by simply acknowledging
the fact that there was a Congres
sional race, or by reporting who
the winner was, it chooses to
amuse the campus with stories of
vending machine profits, herbal X,
and space shuttle apathy.
Before The Battalion choos
es to write another “political
apathy” article, maybe it
should consider its responsibil
ity to inform its readers with
pertinent information.
Glenn Janik
Class of’99
The Battalion encourages letters to the
editor and will print as many as space al
lows. Letters must be 300 words or less
and include the author's name, class, and
phone number.
We reserve the right to edit letters for
length, style, and accuracy. Letters may be
submitted in person at 013 Reed McDon
ald. A valid student ID is required. Letters
may also be mailed to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
77843-1111
Fax: (409) 845-2647
E-mail: Batt@tamvm1 .tamu.edu
Human nature depends on our action
David
Taylor
T he Greeks argued
about it ... then the
Romans ... later the
Philosophes discussed the is
sue. Even Thomas Jefferson
got into the act ... but no one
has resolved it.
The question: Is man, by
nature, good or evil?
Not being a philosophy
major, I feel somewhat ill-equipped to ar
gue the relative merits of Voltaire vs. Aris
totle (where is Frank Stanford when you
need him?). All I can do is look out into the
world and throw in a few observations.
The past week started poorly for one
Canadian woman.
As she walked the streets of Montreal,
she was mugged. She didn’t suffer much
battery, but basically everything she
owned was in her purse.
It wasn’t much: just a few Canadian dol
lars and a one-way bus ticket. The money
was meant to — hopefully — find a roof for
the woman and her only son.
The bus ticket? Well, the woman has
terminal cancer and only a few months to
live. The ticket was for the boy. She
planned to send him to live with his grand
parents after she died.
When the citizens of Montreal heard the
story, they acted. Not with any great fan
fare, but with simple action.
The people began to stop by the downtown
police station and drop off money. In most cas
es it was only a few dollars, but it added up.
At week’s end, when — at the
woman’s request — police
Wfr if asked people to stop donations,
about $90,000 (Canadian) had
been collected.
She had never even asked
for help.
No one knew her name. The
police released no pictures or
descriptions. We don’t know if
she was white or black, Anglo or Asian.
But it doesn’t matter ...
Sunday night a tearful woman appeared
on Montreal TV — with her face hidden.
All she could say was, “Thank you.”
It’s ironic: Man shows his worst side
only to reveal his best.
Tens of thousands are dead from the civ
il war in the former Yugoslavia. We are al
most numb to the pictures by now.
Five years ago, a young couple decided
to leave Sarajevo. The two met while at
tending a university there. They planned
to get married as soon as they graduated.
Then came war.
The Serbs attacked, the Muslims
counter attacked. During a lull, the young
man had a chance to leave. He wouldn’t
unless she could come, too.
The problem: He was a Muslim, she was
a Serb. Finally, they spotted their chance.
One night the two tried to run across a
bridge out of the city and into freedom.
Two snipers’ bullets ended their dream.
On Tuesday, the two were laid to rest in
a Sarajevo cemetery — side by side. Some
how, only after tragedy and suffering can
people remember what is truly important.
I work for a newspaper, a radio station
and a television station. I’ll confirm your
fears: sometimes, this world really sucks.
Those media-types are cynical for a reason.
Every so often, however, some people re
mind us that a sick world is a reason to
work for a better one, not an excuse to
make it worse.
Why should the people of Montreal care
about one more mugging? What do two
more dead people mean to a city hardened
by the deaths of thousands more? It means
opportunity.
No one will ever accuse me of being the
intellectual equivalent of the ancients, but
I think they all missed the point. It’s not a
question of whether we are inherently good
or evil, it’s a matter of choice.
There will always be those who choose to
cause misery — we will never be able to
stop them. If there is some good to come
from tragedy, however, it will be in how we
choose to react to it. Sometimes it takes
unspeakable cruelty, sometimes just a
mugging, but in all cases we can choose to
affect the outcome.
Now before everyone runs to join the
Peace Corps — which isn’t bad, I guess —
hear my main point. It’s not how we are
created that makes mankind good or bad,
it’s what we do with life.
So, for gosh sakes, do something with it.
Dave Taylor is a senior management major
Sometimes counselors need the counsel
L ogic versus
emotion. I’m
an extreme
ly stoical person.
Because of my
reasoning abili
ties, I’m the one
friends open up to
when they have
problems.
The tables have turned.
On April 22 my dad gets a
bone marrow transplant.
For nearly two years he has
been sick. Over spring break, he
told me the diagnosis.
Myelodysplastic syndrome, or
MDS, developed in his system
without any known cause.
As my secret support group
awaited my emotional break
down, I responded, “Well, at least
they found out what’s wrong. And
thank goodness it’s curable.”
A couple of weeks later, my
mom told my dad that she didn’t
think I understood how serious
this was. So, on March 24, an ear
ly Sunday evening, my father ex
plained to me exactly what hav
ing MDS meant.
MDS is called “smoldering”
leukemia. It is a disease in which
the bone marrow does not pro
duce enough normal blood cells.
In my dad’s case, he will undergo
chemotherapy to destroy his sick
bone marrow. Then he will have a
bone marrow transplant.
My optimistic father explained
how everything is
going in his favor.
Luckily, he lives in
Seattle where the
best cancer treat
ment center, The
Fred Hutchison, is
located. He has
the top doctor. My
aunt is a nearly
perfect match as a bone marrow
donor. And he’s young and “has
his health.”
Yes, everything’s great, he
cheerfully said. “Don’t worry. Two
out of three live through the
whole operation.”
This is when my confusion was
clarified. I was under the impres
sion if this didn’t work, they’d just
try again. Not so.
This is a one shot deal, in
which 33 percent don’t make it.
I had to get off the phone. I
couldn’t talk to him any longer.
I couldn’t talk to anyone. All
alone, I realized there was no
one I felt comfortable confiding
in. I’ve seen everyone at their
worst, so how could they make
me feel better?
Who can console the consoler?
Advise the adviser?
No one could tell me anything I
didn’t already know.
I turned to the one friend who
knew my situation. She tried to
remedy the problem by giving me
a taste of my own medicine — by
using optimistic logic. But, while
there’s logic behind the cure,
there’s nothing logical about the
disease. Or why my wonderful fa
ther should suffer so much.
Then she pointed something
out. All she said was: “Erin, we’re
lucky. We have two of the most
incredible daddies.”
That didn’t make anything bet
ter, but it made me realize why I
was having uncontrollable emo
tional outbursts.
My dad and I are two peas in a
pod. We haven’t always been,
since I really only lived with him
for a few consecutive years. But,
as I began college, we both went
through positive changes in our
lives. As we did, we grew closer.
Our friendship began around
the time of my high school gradu
ation. My father decided to begin
a new life. His excuse was simply,
“I’m not happy.” He left his posi
tion as executive vice president of
a huge advertising firm and be
gan to make changes.
Since then he’s begun his own
advertising and strategic market
ing company. He teaches gradu
ate students at Seattle University
and the University of Washing
ton. He’s president of the local
community center. He even finds
time to volunteer twice a week at
my brother’s elementary school
and coach pee-wee league.
My dad is my role model.
His persistence pushes me.
He’s the one who made me so
strong and contin
ues to do so. When
ever things go
wrong, he tells me
to take control.
When things go
smoothly, he tells
me to shake things
up. Nothing slows
us down, and
there’s no such thing as spreading
yourself too thin.
A parent could not be more
supportive. I’d be half the person
I am without my father.
Now he’s sick and I’m faced
with losing my father, my close
friend. Yet, he tells me to look on
the bright side — to look at all
the things in his favor. He’s
strong. My dad is looking fear
straight in the face, telling it he
will beat MDS.
He expects me to do the same.
So, the only thing I can do is
try ... try to be more like him.
Erin Fitzgerald is a senior po
litical science and
English major
Erin
Fitzgerald
Columnist
I was under the impression if
this didn't work, they'd just try
again. Not so. This is a one shot
deal, in which 33 percent don't
make it.