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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1998)
The Ik Battalion inion Page 11 • Wednesday, October 14, 1998 us injuries, studeniKj Savior" id! ted it to serious® sity pol is,’’ saidi!; ‘Ritalin use harms children, ignores deeper problems veryone remembers that kid in elemen tary school who vas labeled as the “bad dd.” He did not pay at- ention, she always acted 'd of thei ,p or maybe just an ti memte ' when ini .shesaii lireaorw ble force the banc; d and Scd ispendedii hwesteiTi r gettin' if a footbi! int. ELIZABETH STRAIT h swoman rbachev ar hall, exp led beef jn • pavilion, ttleandC! s visit «i opted the re depani: mg royed everyone. Thanks o modern medicine, the bad kid” may belong to he past. Now parents and teachers have a new ool to use in their defense against un- uly children: Ritalin. Thanks to this [rug, when a child is bored, inattentive, ndisciplined, resentful or violent, par- nts just have to pop a pill in the child’s nouth and the problem is solved. Parents need to find a way other than nedicating their children to deal with iisrespectful or disruptive behavior. When a child acts out in a negative vay, something is wrong in that child’s arger world and simply labeling that child is having Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity )isorder, does not solve the problem. According to one study, after taking lie drug Ritalin, children are left exhibit- ng behavior that is isolated, withdrawn nd over-focused. It is not normal for 'oung children to be in a zombie-like late. Children are supposed to talk too mich, ask tons of questions and throw emper tantrums. According to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is more common in loys than in girls. The ADHD occurrence ate for boys ranges between 6 percent ind 16 percent. These statistics alone of- eran argument against the prevalence of his disorder. Diagnosing little boys with ADHD seems to be another method of xcusing behavior in boys that is unac- eptable for girls. Parents should be aware of what they ire giving to their child when they are giving them Ritalin. Ritalin is a form of peed that is classified with ampheta- nines and has many of the same risks nd effects. The Food and Drug Adminis tration classifies Ritalin in category of high addiction which also in cludes amphetamines, morphine, opium and barbiturates. Young peo ple have been caught selling Ritalin to their peers because of its stimu lant abilities. Parents with children that are out of control want an easy way out. They want to hear it is not their fault. So when a doctor tells them their child has a neu rological disorder, the are relieved instead of concerned. Many parents are not spending the time with their children that they should. Divorce rates continue to climb. Parents recognize this and know these unfortu nate situations have consequences and they feel guilty about it. When parents feel guilty, they have a hard time demanding respect from their children. As a result, they have a child that is out of control. When someone tells them it is not their fault and all they have to do is give their child some Rital in, it is music to their ears. Unfortunately, by excusing parents, doctors send children the message that they are the ones doing something wrong. There is a solution. The American Psychiatric Association specifies in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that a child does not exhibit symptoms of ADHD when he or she is “under very strict control, is in a novel setting, is engaged in especially in teresting activities, is in a one-to one situ ation.” In contrast, when a child with ADHD is in an environment “that lacks intrinsic appeal or novelty” they exhibit behavior characteristic of the disorder. Parents have to make time for their children. They must be an example of good positive behavior. If parents respect their children, their children will behave respectfully in return. If parents love their children, they will get love back. Elizabeth Strait is a junior journalism major. BRAD GRAEBER/The Battalion MAIL CALL U! udeii atiofl iristians follow tire scripture •sponse to Lisa Foox’s Oct. 12 inn: am disturbed by Lisa Foox’s as- iption that those who oppose B osexuality must hate homosex- , Granted, this assumption is for some Ags, but not all. lomosexual actions are con fined in scripture (Leviticus 22-30 & 20:13, Romans 1:26- 1 Corinthians 6:9, and Jude But why does Scripture con- pn homosexuality? lomosexual activity is con- ined because it is a sexual re- Jnship outside of the bonds of [ [riage. Sex is to be reserved [forthe marriage relationship. Jtiis argument, homosexuality, ication and adultery are sinful leeyes of Christianity. Is Christians, we are called to i all those around us. Loving srs entails teaching the truth rever necessary. And when we ch others, we must teach pi in a charitable manner we it follow the model that Christ [for us and persist in love. Ray Felderhoff Class of ’99 Bible presents outdated views In response to Oct. 13 mail call: The Bible says slavery is ac ceptable but that does not mean it is right. Give Battalion readers an argu ment besides “it is in the Bible” because the Bible cannot be fol lowed word for word. I cannot do it and I doubt those who condemn homosexuality can either. What I will do, however, is never judge someone just because they are not attracted to the same per son I am. The Bible was written a long time ago by people who had great knowledge and insight, but they could not possibly know what so ciety today would be like. Brian van Staveren Class of ’99 accompanied by 2 signatures Advertisement violates values I was extremely disappointed to see the half-page advertisement for Playboy in last week’s Battalion. I think it is a poor reflection on A&M. What message does this send to them about A&M, its stu dents and what we value? Playboy is nothing but pure pornography. Why would we choose to pollute our newspaper with such trash? Pornography defiles the im age of women. It only corrupts the minds of those who choose to look at it. Sometimes it even results in destroying relationships. Come on, Aggies, we can do bet ter than to advertise pornography in our newspaper. Let us show some common sense and dignity in what we choose to promote. Elizabeth Ambrose Class of ’02 accompanied by 93 signatures The Battalion encourages letters to the ed itor. Letters must be 300 words or less and in clude the author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 013 Reed Mc Donald with a valid student ID. Letters may also be mailed to: The Battalion - Mail Call 013 Reed McDonald Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-1131 Campus Mail: 1111 Fax: (409) 845-2647 E-mail: batt@tamvml.tamu.edu Many student actions treat minority religions unfairly A merica has made great strides in dealing with the discrimination of minority groups. Through the civil rights cru sade of the ’60s, construction be gan on the road to racial equality. Efforts to pass an Equal Rights Amendment dur ing the ’70s led to an increased awareness of women’s issues. And the ’80s and ’90s have brought an increasing willingness to examine issues concerning the homosexual community. But when it comes to religion, most of America is still living in the Dark Ages. Nowhere is this more apparent than here at Texas A&M, a bastion for the religious ignorant. On behalf of every student at Texas A&M who is not Christian and is tired of feeling like their ideas and philosophies are ig nored because they do not come from the Bible, it is time to say the following: Wake up! There is a whole world out there that does not fol low the teachings of Jesus Christ. And unless students start learning about that world, America is doomed to an era of stagnation and isolation. Before readers begin denounc ing this “heathen, hell-bent liberal columnist,” please keep reading. Nowhere is it written that the Christian religion equals igno rance and intolerance. There are many Christians who have taken the time to understand other re ligions and their philosophies. These enlightened Christians are, generally, the ones who are tolerant and considerate of those who do not follow the same be lief systems. It is the other group of Chris tians that is cause for concern. The ones who would sooner de nounce members of other reli gions than take a moment to try and understand their views. The ones who cannot see the vast number of people who want laws based on something more sub stantial than the writings of Chris tian prophets and saints. The ones who would alienate the en tire non-Christian world. Impossible, some say. No one at Texas A&M would conceive of such open hostility towards mem bers of other religions, right? Try and convince every non- Christian who has had a Bible shoved in their faces of that. Tfy and tell that to a non-Christian who has endured the rants of people like Tom Short. The culprit here is not reli gion itself, but ignorance. The ignorance of what kind of an ef fect religion can have on people, their judgment and their values. It is the ignorance of how a reli gious minority can be made to fqel in America. For example, a hot topic these days is prayer in public schools. Many Christians argue prayer will be good for children and will help them become better people. Unfortunately, the prayers that are usually spoken end with a tribute to Jesus Christ before the “Amen.” Despite the fact this kind of prayer is patently offensive to members of other religions, some Christians refuse to give an inch. “This is America and this is majority rule. Deal with it.” Members of the religious ma jority, please take a second to re call high school graduation. Pic ture the excited faces of friends and family. Remember the thrill of finally graduating. Now, imagine how it would feel if the invocation speaker read a prayer petitioning Allah, the one true God, to bless the ceremony and everyone present that day. It does not feel too good, does it? Welcome to the world of the non-ignorant. In America, it is the Chris tians who are the majority and must make the extra effort to learn about minority religions and.consider their feelings. In India, it is the Hindus. In Israel, it is the Jews. Regardless of whoever is in the religious majority, it is their re sponsibility to be tolerant and considerate of minorities. Manisha Parekh is a junior psychology and journalism major. Maroon Out unifies Aggie football fans T he mind blasting cheers have died down, thousands of vis itors and former students have left town and our Aggie foot ball team is al ready preparing for its next game. Time marches on, even for the Fightin’ Texas Aggies who whooped up on Nebraska. But, for anyone who was at the game, for everyone who heard the news and for all of those who enjoyed it, the Texas A&M football team played well in what could be termed the best win ever for Aggie football. It was a victory over the high est-ranked A&M opponent ever. But, on Saturday, there was more than just talent and determination that led to victory at Kyle Field. The 12th Man added something that usually does not accompany a home game. Based on the over whelming sea of maroon. Maroon Out was very in. This university is one of deep tradition and spirit. This fact is es pecially evident at home football games. From the yells to the si multaneous scoring on the field and in the stands, the Aggie foot ball team is always well backed in their effort to win. Although, Saturday’s event proved to be anything but a nor mal game. The plan to encour age as many Aggie fans as possi ble to wear maroon to the Nebraska game on Saturday was an outstanding success. There was even more reason for Aggie fans to be unified, and the expla nation was as simple as the color of their shirts. There are plenty of reasons Maroon Out should become Texas A&M’s newest tradition. The first reason is that Maroon Out worked. More shirts were sold than anyone expected. The class councils had to order more shirts, and they still could not meet the demand. The crowd was as loud as could be and provided the foot ball team with a home-field ad vantage in its truest sense. Even Nebraska quarterback, Bobbie Newcombe said the crowd confused his offense in their all-important last drive. Ob viously, fans would have been excited about the Nebraska game, maroon shirts or not. But ask any football player if they appreciated the unity, and the answer will most likely be a re sounding yes. Maroon Out was also success ful because it made all football spectators feel as though they were a greater part of the game and the Aggie spirit. As a university, any new changes or ideas should focus on unity, not separation. The Greek Bloc seating is a bad idea for just this reason. All sporting events are times for Aggies to come to gether as Aggies and nothing more or less. To separate the Greeks from the rest of the student body di vides the Aggies. If the student body division starts at Greeks, who will get their own seats next? The class councils, MSG committees, the Student Senate? The only distinctions that are acceptable at university events are the yell leaders and the Corps of Cadets who are the ulti mate tradition of this university. Anything more divides the cheering Aggie body. During football games and other univer sity events that demand unity, the greek letters should be stored away in favor of a unifying T- shirt, such as one that reads “Maroon Out.” The class councils are, going to meet to decide where to take Ma roon Out from here. It would be wise, based on the fan response and game out come, to keep this new tradition going strong at football events and even extend its influence to all other sports. If it is not bro ken it should not be fixed. Ma roon Out definitely worked and the student body should make sure it keeps going strong. Andrew Baley is a junior political science major.
