The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, March 30, 1999, Image 7

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    (
Opinion
Page 7 • Tuesday, March 30, 1999
oad hazards
port utility vehicles, light trucks pose
afety hazard to passenger cars, themselves
hey are intimidating,
deadly and are the fastest
growing class of vehicles
America. Fatalities are more
ely when this kind of vehicle
[involved in a crash. They are
is cats ^ \ heavier and ride higher than the
5he«ec775-5755 a\ erage car, making them mo-
1, CFA ragistefW Tib le killers. And most people
>93-0239 M-j ve them because they seem
C registered Rian fe;3f0 > ”
call Shawn at 776-t-;
Manisha
PAREKH
ESTATE
They are light trucks and sports utility vehicles.
Based on a report released by the National
& i„v»stos"highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
.•« man9<* r* Ji ne 1998, these seemingly “safe” vehicles are
canAndrsws-c f or everyone on the road.
■■■Hjll Passengers of cars involved in side-impact
dMATES ^ as hes with sport utility vehicles and other light
wied to<m»iirsKiSucks suffer more injuries than car-car crashes.
■vafd $33o.»>: every seven deaths caused by car-car collision
3( car drivers died after being struck by a light
Apartmens mm.’ fr,,,.],
e ton summef smssfi ^ , . . , ... , . ,
| Furthermore, drivers of sport utility vehicles are
R- y AAMT-wui just as likely to die in crashes as passenger car dri-
a inspiratws Pot ^, rs due to roll overs. In fact, according to indus-
——By consultants Athan Malliaris and Kenneth
^is^^ ligges, sport utility vehicles are four times a's like-
;ei summecy;":- 'v t0 r °ll over ' n f ata ^ crashes as passenger cars.
o- 764-«»t I; So why are these vehicles allowed on the roads?
99 anuw fa-sow>^hy aren’t automobile manufacturers taking steps
^6^9oT t0 correct these safety problems?
——-r—1? The answer is money.
-nd onelof FreAlmH - . . . , 7 , . , ,
■ Light trucks — a class that includes trucks,
woodtxook cm;:- sport utility vehicles and mini vans — are the
MinguMw csM-, fastest growing class of vehicles in America. Ac
cording to the Automotive News Data Center, over
JD percent of the vehicles sold in 1997 were in the
1 ght-truck class.
iiowhouMContowf However, despite the proliferation of these vehi-
ales, automobile manufacturers are still slow in
- working on making them safer for everyone on the
rbdd.
$192 50/mo, ♦!'
wtr/ht MikeTtO-"
ith houSA, C.Si Of
unities 76MW
The problem with light trucks lies in design,
hey were designed for heavy work or off-road
3bdrm®«tr •- Conditions, not for daily passenger use. As such,
amu 764 s. SUgy are heavier stiffer and ride higher than pas-
VICES senger cars, which leads to disastrous results,
fj I When a light truck impacts a passenger car,
i discount frT more energy is transferred to the smaller car than
i-8pm) HrirS' ■m-i' 1 ••• ■ .
Nations* «WYf' ’ nk! *' v ’ rv m i
price ' ' " ' ' wo * ' ' '
is absorbed by the larger truck. Also,
since many light trucks have bumpers
that are much higher than other vehi
cles’ bumpers, the impact of the colli
sion can be hardest in areas that are not
reinforced for collisions — areas such
as door windows.
Further, because sport utility vehicles
ride so high, their center of gravity is
also higher, which leads to roll overs.
Unfortunately, the automakers are not
in a hurry to modify the trucks’ designs
in order to make them safer. As of March
1998, automakers still did not have the
correct test dummies to run test crashes.
Also, in order to make sport utility
vehicles safer and less likely to roll over,
automakers would have to lower the ve
hicles — which might lead to fewer
buyers. The features that make light
trucks appealing — heavier materials,
higher road clearance — are the same
ones that pose the safety problems.
And based on remarks by Barry Felrice
of the American Automobile Manufactur
ers Association, it would appear that
money is more important than lives.
“... Not a lot can be done. You can’t
repeal the laws of physics,” Felrice said
in an ABC news report.
Felrice added that consumers buy
light trucks for a reason.
Apparently, safety should not be one
of those reasons.
Despite Felrice’s pessimism about
changing light trucks’ safety record, Eu
ropean automakers have taken steps to
ward making them safer. Mercedes-
Benz is working on producing sport
utility vehicles that have a second, low
er bumper designed to absorb more col
lision energy.
Apparently, some automakers are
willing to spend the money that can
make light trucks safer. Now it is up to the con
sumer to make sure other automakers do not
brush the issue under the rug.
Consumers need to voice their concerns using
the language manufacturers best understand —
money. Consumers should not settle for second
best. They need to lobby for higher safety stan
dards for light trucks and buy cars from automak
ers who are willing to spend money on making
light trucks safer.
If the automakers are willing to sacrifice lives in
MARK MCPHERSON/Thii Battalion
order to have a strong bottom line, consumers
must be willing to sacrifice “style” in order to have
a safe bottom line.
Manisha Parekh is a junior psychology and
journalism major.
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Church's recent action against homosexual
arriages will follow historical precedents
n
EDITORIAL
Aaron
MEIER
t’s against na
ture,” “It’s against
God’s law,”
fThey will burn in hell
for these acts! ” These
are all validations for
what was a terrible con-
T LOSS iloversy less than 50
/vamed S ' ye , ars a S° - Interracial
ecommended.iii'ij relationships. The idea of
1279-9899, ^ m j x i n g of two races ■■■■wiMnniMBrmii!
———-d Was deemed inexcusable to many religions
ise energy 30*1 and even today the issue still touches a nerve
Ji society. At the turn of the millennium
is. Enjoy sunlit however, religion has a new abomination de
-ergy booster-sii i- j our — homosexual relationships.
i 3 c 0 ash 9 cCsCF f In the past week, the leaders of the
Methodist faith have found themselves
y 4®r"Aii naiT" forced to examine the issue of homosexuals
ted Fteecow* in Christian religions with two cases.
I Last week, the head of the California-
. i".-' Nevada United Methodist Conference filed a
mplaint against 69 pastors who participat-
in the “holy union ceremony” of a lesbian
uple that had been together for 15 years.
The other case, just yesterday found an
plinois pastor guilty of performing a holy
nion ceremony for two men, one of which
the son of a Methodist minister.
Now facing the punishment phase of the
led, Christiii
.waiting a fc
re, and spoil
notionally sec
3th of us ate
U. Stay-at-fiC
Dad. Lovinf-
/aiting thisc
.shlee toll-fo
35-8307, pin 1 -'
-xpen,., Resurrection Week
equals intolerance
“Resurrection Week” has be
rime so much a part of Aggie tra-
litions that it could easily be mis-
^ken for an official event. But
piile the Protestant majority at
sxas A&M University makes joy-
preparations to celebrate the
Insurrection of its savior, the dark
Tide of Resurrection Week is the
religious intolerance for which it
Stands.
Resurrection Week is the cele-
jration of a single, particular and
limited doctrine. So far from being
Tiiversal, triumphant, and eternal
}uth, it is not even believed by
nany Christians—to say nothing
§f non-Christians. Yet for the next
Iw days the doctrine behind Res-
ijrrection Week will not merely be
najority opinion on campus but
like a bullhorn, it will drown out
Tvery other voice. The right to be
different will evaporate into the
widespread unthinking assump-
trial which could result in the revocation of
Rev. Greg Dell’s credentials. Dell, the minis
ter who performed the ceremony, said, “I
didn’t feel I was being disobedient to the or
der and discipline of the United Methodist
Church. On the contrary, I felt the only way I
could be obedient was to conduct that ser
vice. ”
Why is it so difficult for religion to accept
the homosexual community? What is that
you say? The Bible? Ah yes, the eternal an
swer to this perplexing question. However,
after over four years on this campus, I have
yet have anyone be able to quote me the ex
act chapter and verse where this abomina
tion of nature lies. Commonly cited answers
include, “I think it’s why Sodom and Gomor
rah fell, but I’m not sure,” or “It’s in Leviti
cus somewhere, my minister told me so” and
finally the ever-impressive response “It’s just
there, allright, that’s all that counts. ”
In the case of the of the Methodist mar
riage ceremonies, one third of Dell’s congre
gation is gay or lesbian. Whether it be
through God, or Buddha or the Great Pump
kin, just as interracial marriages are now
considered commonplace and socially ac
ceptable, a time will come when homosexual
marriages will be considered worth nothing
more than a double take.
MAIL CALL
Not only are homosexuals trying to fight
for their right to celebrate the love in their re
lationships, but also the clergy of not only
the Methodist religion, but other religions
across the world support gay relationships.
The 69 ministers and even the bishop who
filed the complaint oppose the Methodist
church’s ban on recognized homosexual re
lationships. The bishop called the ban an
“act of injustice” and said he filed the com
plaint with “sorrow and regret.”
Over the past year, a Shinto shrine in
Japan has performed what is thought to be
the first marriage of two men. An American
Catholic priest has been performing “friendly
blessings” of homosexual couples, the Angli
can church of Canada has embarked on a
two year study of gay marriages and a dio
cese of New York Presbyterians has voted to
allow ministers to perform “holy union cere
monies” as long as they are not confused
with marriage ceremonies.
It is just a matter of time before homosex
ual couples from Ellen and Anne to the gay
couple down the hall are accepted and then
where will religion turn for their new abomi
nation de jour.
Aaron Meier is a senior political
science major.
The
Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the
views of the editorials board members. They do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of other Battalion staff
members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, ad
ministration, faculty or staff. Columns, guest
columns, cartoons and letters express the opinions of
the authors.
Editorials Board
AARON MEIER
Editor in Chief
KASIE BYERS
Managing Editor
MANISHA PAREKH
Opinion Editor
BETH MILLER
City Editor
More than beer nuts
Proposal to force Northgate bars to install
kitchen facilities misdirected, ineffective
tion that everyone on campus be
lieves fundamentally the same.
Or ought to! Not only for
Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists and
Jews, but for Catholics, Mormons
and black and “liberal" Protes
tants, Resurrection Week repre
sents little more than the reli
gious majority’s celebration of its
majority status.
The doctrine behind Resurrec
tion Week is that of Christian
supersessionism. Also called dis
placement theology, this is the
view that God rejected the Jews
because they rejected Christ. As
a consequence, God nullified the
covenant with the people of Israel
and made Christians the sole and
rightful heirs to his promises. Al
though the Jews have suffered
most from this teaching of con
tempt, anyone at all who dis
agrees is, according to the doc
trine of supersessionism, not
merely mistaken but eternally
damned.
Fortunately, the supersession-
ist logic of convert-or-burn is not
shared universally among Chris
tians. Under John Paul II, the Ro
man Catholic Church has aban
doned displacement theology.
Rome has dedicated itself to pur
suing what the Pope has de
scribed as his own “communal
feelings about the Jews.” It
should surprise no admirer of this
Pope that Rome now considers
supersessionism a variety of the
Marcionite heresy.
Some Protestants have also
begun to distance themselves
from the myth of displacement.
The evangelical theologian Hal
Lindsey has warned that supers
essionism is (in his phrase) “the
road to Holocaust.”
When a celebration of religious
sameness overrides and con
ceals the plain fact of religious
pluralism on this campus —
when it is arrogantly assumed
that God listens with favor only to
one’s own confession and con
demns everyone who believes dif
ferently— then religious intoler
ance has replaced the quiet
sincerity of faith. One of my
Catholic students described Res
urrection Week as “that time
when Protestants start rejoicing
about the risen Christ while the
Catholics are in the deepest
mourning over the events leading
up to the Crucifixion.” And no
wonder. For as I understand
them, those were events of reli
gious intolerance.
David G. Myers
Associate Professor, English.
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
77843-1111.
Campus Mail: 111.1
Fax: (409) 845-2647
E-mail: batt@tamvml.tamu.edu
As a part of recent efforts to
limit the harmful effects of alcohol
on Texas A&M University students,
the A&M administration is working
with the City of College Station in
requiring that bars earn a certain
percentage of income from non-al
coholic products.
More accurately. President Dr.
Ray M. Bowen said, at the Jan. 26
Student Leader Advisory Board
(SLAB) meeting, the administra
tion would request that Northgate
area businesses that serve alcohol
also serve food as well.
In implementing this plan, the
administration is placing its faith
solely in statistics that show pa
trons of establishments that serve
food as well as alcohol are in
volved in fewer drinking-and-dri-
ving-related deaths.
What the administration fails to
recognize in relying on these sta
tistics is that not all Northgate es
tablishments are setup to support
kitchen facilities.
The shot bars Coupe de Ville’s
and Dry Bean are cramped quar
ters as it is. Forcing them to install
kitchen facilities would most likely
cause these businesses to shut
down — a result that is not only
unwanted but unfair as well.
Furthermore,the administration
is naive in thinking that simply be
cause the option of eating while
consuming alcoholic beverages is
available to students, the effects of
alcohol will be less severe.
Regardless of whether food is
available or not, students who are
at the bar to drink and socialize
will not eat if they do not want to.
Also, in targeting only North-
gate area establishments, the ad
ministration is overlooking an
even larger negative effect of alco
hol— drinking and driving. For
many students, Northgate is a sim
ple jaunt across campus and drink
ing and driving is never really an
issue. However, there are many
more bars and nightclubs in
Bryan-College Station that require
students to drive home from after
a night out.
If the administration wishes to
work with the city to reduce the
harmful effects of alcohol, then
maybe the students would be bet
ter served if it pushed for the es
tablishment of a designated driver
program in the area.
While the effort of the adminis
tration is well intended, it simply
is neither a business-friendly or
feasible one.
If the administration truly wish
es to decrease the harmful effects
of alcohol on A&M students, the
resources that have been devoted
to this plan could be better utilized
by focusing on a broader scope of
prevention — alcohol awareness
and education.