Thursday, February!
OPINION
lursday, February 24, 2000
THE BATTALION
Page 13
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By Amy Choi
(U-WIRE) EVANSTON, Ill. - The thing about being gay
is dial some great, vast majority of people think you're wrong,
you're just plain wrong no matter what you do. It doesn't mat
ter what the source of your "problem" is. You could have
made a wrong decision to be gay. You could have been turned
away from heterosexuality by some traumatic event, so it's not
necessarily your fault you're so mistaken. You could just be
some sort of genetic freak and have been born wrong. But in
the end, what matters is that you're abnormal. You're strange.
You're different. You're wrong.
Or you could be bisexual. You could be half-wrong. You
could be indecisive. You're still weird. There's still something
not quite right about you.
met my friend Tina last summer. She's funky, hip. intelli
gent and, to put it plainly, cool as hell. 1 met her girlfriend,
Mary, a few' months later. My friend Jack told me in July he'd
been sleeping with guys for months but just hadn't told any
body, especially not any of his good guy friends. (Ironically, it
was and still is easier for Jack to talk about being gay to com
plete strangers than it is for him to come out to his friends.)
Another friend Mike came out of the closet a tier graduating
college, having know n he was gay for nine years. Imagine!
Nine years of being "right" but always being wrong!
don't like being wrong, not about anything. That's one of
the ilinny quirks about being a reporter: It's our job to get
things right and expose and reprimand those who do things
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Maybe it's just that my
mindset has been wrong all
along, and just never
thought so myself.
wrong. But there I was, with my first gay friends, really, and
feeling a little strange. I was suddenly surrounded by "wrong
ness," but for them, at least, coming out had finally made
everything "right."
Or maybe it's just that my mindset has been wrong all
along, and 1 just never thought so myself. I've always been
proud of being a liberal, but when have I ever had gay
friends or experienced the gay community? I live in an up
per-middle-class, frat-boy world, where the words "fag"
ft and "gay" are tossed around to describe anything negative.
U They are defended as purely adjectives, not homophobia,
by those who use them. Anything can be gay, they say. It
just means it's stupid.
When I brought Jack to a friend's party, sex and dating
inevitably became the topics of conversation, as they almost
always will among a group of college students. He started
talking about his last fling — with a guy.
Later, friends mentioned him to me, but never by name:
"Hey, how's your bi-friend? He turned out to be an OK guy."
These are not backward, uneducated people. And their
uncertainty and curiosity aren't character flaws. But that
itching feeling that something alien has suddenly stepped
into a very safe, homogenous and "liberal" world is unset
tling. I was unsettled. I was weirded out the first time Tina
and I had a sleepover and changed our clothes in front of
each other. It was odd for me to watch her kiss Mary hello
and goodbye. And in some ways, I got a little jealous of
their relationship and thought of those women who have
captivated me, whom I've admired.and even been infatuat
ed with. But I've never wanted to be "wrong."
1 don't know if I'm "right" now. It shocked and upset
me to feel those little waves of disturbance at learning
that the girl soon to become my best friend is bisexual,
that I wasn't immediately completely open and accepting.
1 don't know about a lot of things, and, like many others
our age, started questioning my own sexuality.
But after 20 years of being so absolutely "right," can I
be "wrong" after all? I'm not sure, but when I asked Tina,
she just kind of gave me a funny look and giggled. Then
all she said was that if it counts for anything, she would
never be attracted to me. I'm not offended. I wouldn't date
agood friend anyways. It's just not "right."
Amy Choi is a columnist for the Daily Northwestern at
Northwestern University.
Aggies who lie, cheat and steal
Students who ignore $pde of honor damage University reputation
T he Aggie Code
of Honor states
that “Aggies do
not lie, cheat, or steal,
nor do they tolerate
those who do.” Few
academic institutions
across the nation have
an honor code similar
to that of Texas A&M.
The existence of this self-imposed ethical
standard is commendable, but the question
of whether students abide by it is another
matter entirely.
A&M students are known to comprise a
respectable and friendly student body. Un
fortunately, though. Aggies in fact do lie,
cheat, steal, as well as assault others, abuse
alcohol, drive while intoxicated and commit
a number of other crimes. The Aggie Code
of Honor represents positive intentions but
does not necessarily speak to the truth of stu
dent behavior.
All students have cheated on a test, seen
someone else in a class w ith mysterious tem
porary tattoos on their hands or a convenient
microscopic study guide. The fact that this
occurs at A&M is not altogether shocking
because it is regrettably something that hap
pens on all college campuses. If A&M is to
retain its sense of integrity, Aggies must real
ize the detrimental effect that is inflicted
upon the University reputation.
If freshmen enter A&M with the expecta
tion that the students on this campus are dif
ferent than at other institutions, they may
quickly become disillusioned by the same
existence of scholastic dishonesty on the part
of their peers.
The Aggie Code of Honor is a declara
tion of morality, yet students do not always
live up to this standard. The frequent sight of
the solitary chained bicycle wheel is disap
pointing evidence of the theft of private
property. Students have purses and wallets
stolen from benches and lounges, books
from classrooms and clothing and money
from dormitories. Cars are burgled in cam-
%
pus
parking lots,
and vandalism
is not altogeth
er infrequent.
In the first
two months of
the Fall 1999
semester, 44
misdemeanor theft
incidents and another
64 incidents dealing
with bicycles only
were reported. These figures may not
initially seem overwhelming. However,
in comparison to the fact that the totals
for these two categories of misde
meanor were 43 and 88 respectively
for the entire 1998-1999 school year,
it appears that crime problems on *00
campus are becoming worse. In ad
dition, also reported in
September and Octo
ber were 16 cases
of harassment as
opposed to 15
for the '98-’99
academic year.
The value of
property lost by
students, faculty,
and staff in the first
half of Fall ’99 was
$42,595 and only 9 percent
of this was recovered by the Uni
versity Police Department.
The crime statistics tal
lied by the UPD are
sufficient to prove
that not all Aggies
are model citizens.
There are many in-
LJH fli
stances
in which stu
dents lack the proper
evidence or documenta
tion to prove victimiza
tion. As a result, the offi
cial numbers are not
representative of reali
ty because of the ten
dency to not report
incidents.
A disadvantage of the -
existence of the Aggie Code
of Honor is the false sense of
’M y security that it tends to promote in
students. Aggies are more likely to
be susceptible to theft or other crimes if
they are naive to the fact that not everyone
abides by this honor system. Female stu
dents run a higher risk for harassment, assault
and rape if they do not take into consideration
that Aggieland does not always live up to its
portrayal as the perfect, safe environment.
The Corps of Cadets participates active
ly in the attempt to make campus a secure'
place with the existence of services such as
Corps escorts. However, if the integrity of
A&M is to improve, the entire student body
must take an active role in making class
room environments more honest and cam
pus safer.
The excuse that society is becoming in
creasingly less respectable cannot be suffi
cient to explain the increasing problems
at this University. Aggies
pride themselves on being
different, and they must ; -
stand by this belief to pre
serve the virtue represent
ed by the Code of Honor.
If A&M is to retain
the reputation it holds
for being a place of
great esteem, Aggies
must make a con- '
scions effort to up
hold the promises of
the Code of Honor.
Students must begin
to hold one another ac
countable for their ac
tions to better this institution. Other
wise, the Aggie Code of Honor will
become as empty as an 8 a.m. class on a
Monday morning.
RICHARD HORNE/The Battalion
Summer Hicks is a senior
English major.
Mandatory anthrax vaccine hurts military morale
T
MELISSA
JOHNSTON
*he Department of Defense is
walking a road paved with good
intentions, but those intentions are
no match for angry military personnel
and public dissent. Division over the
Pentagon’s mandatory anthrax vaccina
tion program has sparked much debate in
the past two years, and a recent House
subcommittee report has added fuel to
the fire. Though the government should
certainly be concerned about the well-being and safety of its
troops, it should also realize that this sort of controversy could
result in an even more immediate crisis than the threat of bio
logical warfare: destruction of military morale.
In 1998, the government made it mandatory for all active
duty and reserve military personnel to receive a six-shot vacci
nation regimen for anthrax. Anthrax, a naturally occurring bac
teria that can be spread by airborne spores, is 99 percent lethal
when inhaled. A person receives no indication of exposure to
this bacteria, and death within a few days is inevitable.
Though anthrax has never been used as a weapon, it is not
something to be taken lightly, and in that vein, the Pentagon is
getting in the game. At least seven potential enemies of the
United States have admitted to developing capabilities for
weaponizing anthrax. In fact, Iraq’s military has already mas
tered these capabilities and currently produces and weaponizes
the bacteria.
Secretary of Defense William Cohen used a five-pound
bag of sugar to demonstrate how much anthrax would be nec
essary to wipe out one-half of the population ol" Washington,
DC. The government does have a right to be cautious—peo
ple’s lives could be at risk.
Since the vaccine was made mandatory for soldiers in
1998, more than 400,000 troops have received 1.5 million
shots. However, the past two years have not gone as smoothly
as the government might have hoped. To begin with, there
have been 620 adverse reactions among military members
who received the vaccine. Many complained of fevers, muscle
pain, and dizziness; all of these are symptoms of the actual in
halation of anthrax itself. Due to these reactions, as well as a
ROBERT HYNECEK/The Battalion
general lack of government information on the vaccine, around
350 military members have refused to be vaccinated since
1998 — not exactly the best representation of military unity.
The Flouse Government Reform National Security Sub
committee, chaired by Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn), re
cently released a report stating that the vaccine is based on a
“paucity of science.” The report voices concern that little re
search on anthrax inhalation has been conducted and con
cludes that the vaccine should be an investigational drug, re
quiring troop approval prior to its use.
The Pentagon, of course, disagrees. Cohen has ordered
vaccination to continue, declaring that it would be irresponsi--
ble to send troops into combat without proper protection, ap
parently regardless of the amount of research that has or has ’
not been done. The report also suggests that the vaccine,
which is supplied by one manufacturer in Michigan, is prone
to supply shortages and price increases. Perhaps the Pentagoii
feels that adding a bit to the national debt is a small price to.
pay, and it probably would be, if only the infonnation the gov
ernment released to its troops would outline these possibilities.
The government is trying to suggest that its commitment to
protection and its responsibility for military safety are reason
enough for its current actions, but going about it in this fashion
is practically causing more problems than the bacteria itself. -
By labeling those who refuse or doubt the vaccine as paranoid
and irrational, and not providing reasoning or infonnation on;
its opinion, the government is setting itself up for a fall. The
Department of Defense originally made the mistakes of refus
ing to answer critics’ questions in a straightforward manner >
and of not widely publicizing research on anthrax. What the
House report calls “heavy-handed propaganda” has dominat
ed the government’s vaccination promotions and has become!a
point of tension and distrust among many troops and other crit
ics.
According to both the Pentagon and the House Committee,
the vaccine does provide some measure of protection to those
who receive it, but the costly results of its mandatory imple- *
mentation have begun to weigh heavily against the possibility
of its need. Military members deserve more than good inten
tions: they deserve infonnation and choice, and the govern- ’
ment has turned a blind eye to both.
Melissa Johnston is a senigr
English major.
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Austrian domestic
politics their business
i response to Jill Riley’s Feb. 21 column.
The West has decided to flex its might
when it is not needed. The Austrian peo-
elected 52 members of the far-right
Freedom Party to its 183-member Parlia
ment; but America and our allies have de
cided that we should once again infringe
on another nation’s democratic rights.
The Freedom party then merged with the
People’s Party to form a coalition govern
ment in charge with 104 of 183 seats in
} Parliament.
Joerg Haider has been severely criti
cized for some things that he has apolo
gized for; and that is wrong. If anyone
Would read the planks of the Freedom Par
ty, they could never compare them to Na
tional Socialists (Nazis). One of the main
themes of the Freedom Party is “Freedom
is the most precious possession people
have.” Freedom means the utmost degree
of self-determination exercised in a re
sponsible way.
Freedom excludes any oppression,
whether physical or mental, religious, po
litical or economic and, above all, rules
out any kind of state despotism. That is
taken from Chapter 1, Article 1 of their
program. The main theme of National So
cialism is government control of all major
aspects of society. I encourage everyone
to find the Freedom Party’s Web site and
read their ideas.
Other nation’s intolerance to this situ
ation is its biggest problem. A Jewish or
ganization has stopped a program that
they were doing in Austria teaching about
openness and acceptance because of
this.
To conclude, I suggest that we let
Haider’s Freedom Party start dictating na
tional policy; because they stand for free
dom, free education, fair market
economies, and Christianity.
David Hettick
Class of ’02
Resistance is logical
In response to Melissa Bedsole’s Feb. 17
column.
While Bedsole’s article regarding the
unity within the Aggie family holds some
truth, it is illogical to suggest that Aggies
should condone and tolerate all groups,
regardless of their beliefs. I think if she
were to seriously consider the point, she
MAIL CALL
would agree that if the Klu Klux Klan or a
group of Neo-Nazis decided to express
their beliefs on our campus, they would
meet much deserved resistance. Simply
because we share an identity as Aggies,
we should not allow that to supercede our
moral beliefs and convictions.
Aggies for Life's presence at Rudder
Fountain during last week's gay/lesbian
weddings was centered around promoting
unity as a means, not a goal. The mes
sage being sent was one of love, hope and
encouragement. The white ribbons pro
moting National Chastity Week and the lit
erature regarding the sanctity of marriage
were distributed in a peaceful and loving
manner. We were seeking to better unify
our campus around that which is both true
and good.
Amber Matchen
Class of ’OO
McCain not a hypocrite
In response to Mark Passwaters’s Feb. 22
column.
Has McCain been contradicting him
self? A careful observation of McCain’s
behavior shows that the Senator did not
make an about-face heading into the pres
idential nomination.
Can McCain be against a repeal of Roe
v. Wade? He calls for abortion exemptions
in case of risk of life, incest, or rape, and
he probably feels these conditions con
stitute freedom of choice. It should also
be noted that the Christian Coalition
stopped endorsing McCain once he
reestablished the exemptions of his abor
tion policy, which were irrelevant when the
Senate was debating partial-birth abortion
and state abortion funding.
If one visits the Senator’s campaign
site (www.mccain2000.com), one can
read details about McCain’s involvement
with the infamous Charles Keating. Ac
cording to McCain, his experience with
Keating is strongly responsible for his dri
ve for finance reform; he doesn’t want his
tory to repeat itself. As of now, no other
major presidential candidate has made a
pledge to eliminate all soft money, the
largest loophole that allows individuals
and organizations to contribute an unlim
ited amount of money to a campaign, the
same loophole that Charles Keating ex
ploited in 1991.
It should be noted, though, that McCain
bases much of his reform image on his
plan to cut tax breaks for several corpo
rations. He plans to slash “Corporate
Welfare” (a subject thoroughly covered by
the November 9-30, 1998 editions of
Time) in order to pay off the national debt,
shore up Medicare and Social Security
and reform education. Bush promises
a similar policy, but without eliminating
the corporation tax breaks. Not only is
Bush’s plan economically risky, but-it
does not reform like McCain’s plan.
As little of a reformer as McCain may
appear to some people, it should be not
ed that Bush, who claims to be “the real
reformer,” is even less of one.
Matthew Mendicino
Class of ’03
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length, style, and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in
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Letters may also be mailed to:
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