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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2000)
Wednesday, March 2!,) linton 'esses rpeaa ' DELHI, India (AP). l or restraint, PresidentCli India’s assurance Tuesi re is no threat of war” w despite crackling tensic the two countries andm xi in Kashmir. But India; inton's call to slow its nucls program. president was pressing i; dnuigcr lies with Indiainj icfore a joint session ofh Ins last appointment in is icfore heading into fanic if this vast land. ia\ e neglected this relate- lore than two decades,”Ct lifer talks with IndianPr": \tal liihari Vajpayee.“itisti: t to ever fall into disrepr idia aligned itselfwiththev n during the Cold Warwi I States tilted toward Pakiitr resident joined Vajpayeei ng the massacre of dozens! Kashmir and promised; point to Pakistani leader- to India — that violences Motion to their disputed! lay an territory, ugh India is one of the pop ics in the world, Clintons ,ed to the gritty side ofNo •oking out from his annori , he saw instead a city oftrei Icvards and lush gardensas gated mansions and coW He also stopped to pay it I drop rose petals at a marts to Mohandas Gandhi, ts ucifist and freedom leader, tig New Delhi, Clinton be days of sightseeing. He» aj Mahal, go tiger watchir .■ preserve and perhaps ns nt at a historic palace, ee called die killing of40v- Kashmir an act of “ethri and said, “We have lb d the will to eliminate tbs India blamed die massacre® backed separatist organ® c groups denial inu^vani, [ n said he would urge mil Pakistan to respect the fe that separates the portions^ icld by India ;uid Pakistan.ts aim and to “stand against v- store the dialogue.” an has asked the Unite; 7 to help settle the Kashiff it India has rejected outside . In Islamabad, Pakistai linister Abdul Sattarsaidh nton could use his “healint tlnd a peaceful resolution, a expressed reluctate! ing deeply involved. T® to be dragged into some- first of all, that India doer- s to be part of. And second- got dragged into fr®; Acts of violence. I just don't s right.” >ioUvS tuition rates, undergraduate e convenient 16 7 ust 11 ' website below. OPINION Wednesday. March 22.2000 THE BATTALION Page 15 Ritalin, Prozac and kids, Prescribing young children mood-altering drugs a dangerous, careless policy ROBERT HYNECEK/Thf. Battalion oh my! T wo-year-olds are ener getic. They also have very distinct moods. When given a toy, they are ec static and believe there is noth ing better in the world than their new treasure. If the toy is taken away, they are crushed and often extremely angry. This is normal two-year-old behavior. In adults, such actions might be evidence of obsessive-compulsive disorders, hyperactivity or outright madness, but children can hardly be held accountable to adult standards. It follows, then, that children cannot be psychoanalyzed in the same way as adults. Unfortunately they are, and doctors are more likely than ever to place preschoolers on drugs such as Prozac and Ritalin. These drugs pose potential dangers to the health of small children, and they also make chemical dependents out of kids, doctors and parents. Three weeks ago, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that psychiatric drug prescriptions among preschoolers (children ages 2- 4) increased by 50 percent from 1991 to 1995. In " one study, this meant that 12 out of every 1,000 preschoolers surveyed were taking some kind of psychiatric medication. These numbers worry doctors because the ef fect of drugs like Prozac and Ritalin on small chil dren are still virtually unknown. A possibility ex ists that the drugs impede brain development. Further, in some cases where the sleeping pill Clonidine was prescribed to kids, they experi enced fainting and slowed heartbeats. Dr. Joseph T. Coyle of Harvard Medical School adds that there is no evidence that psychiatric drug treat ments even work on young children. Pills are becoming a temporary quick fix to seri ous problems. Prozac, for example, is being pre scribed more and more to people who struggle with short-tenu depression, rejection, self-esteem and grief. As long as the patient takes a pill, he or she is able to remain positive and functional. But, when the stupor wears off, problems remain. Pills only provide an illusion of normalcy and strength. The same is true of the drugs prescribed to chil dren. Ritalin has long been prescribed for hyperac tivity. However, it is becoming a replacement for discipline and self-control. Kids are subdued by Ri talin, instead of by a knowledge of how to behave appropriately. It is disturbing to think what these children will be like when they are finally taken off the drug. Because the chemical balance of their sys tems is so dependent on Ritalin, kids may become uncontrollable. Further, their bodies might shut down completely as they go through withdrawal. Psychiatric drugs also serve as a crutch for par ents who do not know how to deal with their high ly active children. They may be unwilling to in vest the time and patience that it takes to teach a child the right way to act, or worse, they may in terpret the energy and curiosity of children as an illness. Too often, parents think that there is some thing wrong with a healthy, energetic child who runs through the house and colors on the walls. Their misconcep tions are corroborated by doctors who prescribe stimulants to slow these children down. In this way, parents, children and doctors are becoming chemically dependent. Kids count on drugs to calm them down, which enables them to completely side-step learning self-control. Parents get out of teaching discipline when they administer pills, and doctors make their jobs as easy as writing a prescription. What is the effect on children when they start taking mood-altering daigs as early as two years old? They leam chemical dependence, but they also form a habit. If they are taught to pop pills daily in order to be the person society thinks they should be, what will prevent them from continuing the habit as they get older? Two-year-olds are learning the fast way to be fun, and a new generation of addicts is created by doctors and parents. The dangers of drugging children are numer ous. Parents risk stunting the development of their children and turning them into addicts. They also miss out on the joy and challenge of teaching kids how to be noble, functional people. It seems that doctors and parents are looking for the easy way out when it comes to behavioral problems. But the problems are just beginning. If the prescription trend increases, society could end up with a dysfunctional, chemically-depen- dent generation still living at home and popping pills in 20 years. Heather Corbell is a junior English major. Pills are becoming a temporary quick fix to serious problems. EDITORIAL '"BATTALION mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmv:.%- 4 *.<.*rvo n v.*<::in*; Editorial Board MARIUM MOHIUDDIN EDITOR IN CHIEF Editorials appearing in The Bat talion reflect the majority view of the editorial board members. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the Texas A&M student body, regents, adminis tration, faculty or staff. Columns, guest columns, car toons and letters express the opinions of the authors. BEVERLY MIRELES MANAGING EDITOR STUART HUTSON CAMPUS EDITOR ERIC DICKENS OPINION EDITOR KYLE WHITACRE AGGIELIFE EDITOR DOUG SHILLING SPORTS EDITOR JASON BENNYHOFF RADIO PRODUCER JEFF KEMPF NIGHT NEWS EDITOR GUY ROGERS PHOTO EDITOR RUBEN DELUNA GRAPHICS EDITOR BRANDON PAYTON WEB MASTER . MEREDITH MIGHT COMMUNITY EDITOR MARIANO CASTILLO OPINION EDITOR VERONICA SERRANO AGGIELIFE EDITOR DAVE AMBER SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR JASON LINCOLN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR NON! SRIDHARA ASST. RADIO PRODUCER CRISTINA PADRON ASST. NIGHT NEWS EDITOR JP BEATO PHOTO EDITOR ROBERT HYNECEK GRAPHICS EDITOR BRENT BARKLEY ASST. WEB MASTER Looking for answers Bonfire firm's theory spawns more guesses Last week, representatives from McKinsey & Co., a consulting firm overseeing the Bon fire Commission, announced to the eager ears of press and public that they found the cause of the collapse of the 1999 Aggie Bonfire. However, the firm said they wanted to further test their “answer” with outside engineers, and they would wait until May to make an offi cial announcement explaining the collapse. Not willing to wait until then, many anxious Aggies have begun guessing about what the conclusion might be. This past Sunday, the Austin-American Statesman listed a catalog of speculatory reasons for bonfire's collapse. While it is understandable, and even commendable, that McKinsey & Co. want more time to test their theory, by making a premature announcement and telling the press they found the cause of the collapse, the firm brought the issue into the spotlight once again and has given rise to more rumors and conjecture. At a time when Aggies are looking for solid answers and certain facts about the fall of bonfire, McKinsey & Co. are leading the public to fruitless guess-work. The firm should, with out question, continue to test their theory. However, they should keep further conclusions a private matter and avoid even more public speculation. In many Aggies’ mind there is a question as to what caused the fall of bonfire. McKinsey & Co. should not tell the public they have the answer before they have finished testing their theory. ILL BRIMS P16MIH TO THE WHITE HOUSE No rAPOTER WHfNT IT TPvKES fV\E TO (3ET THERE. 1 Declaration symbol of unity, not derision T he New Jersey state legislature recently dis cussed a bill that would require children in grades three through 12 to daily recite a sec tion of the Declaration of Independence. Students reciting “All men are created equal” would normal ly be considered a positive occurrence in a typical American school. Instead, the j phrases from the Declaration have turned into “fightin’ words.” The bill’s goal is to saturate chil dren’s minds with democratic values, according to the Associated Press. The bill, sponsored by New Jersey Sen. Ger ald Cardinale, R-Demarest, ran two votes short of passing the legislation in this most recent session. However, Cardinale said he will try it again —■ not surprising, consider ing the bill has been floating through New Jersey’s legislature for 13 years. “If the America we know is to continue in its mission, our children must have a clear grasp of this mission statement,” Cardinale said. Whether the Declaration truly includes all men constitutes the largest protest over the bill. When the document was written, the United States still accepted the practice of slavery. Therefore, opponents say, African-Americans were not included when the document states, “all men are created equal.” “I would never have my grandchildren stand in a class and repeat these words when at the time they were written they didn’t in clude them,” said Sen. William Bryant, D- Fawnside. “It is clear African-Americans were not included.” This racial argument should be consid ered invalid in the year 2000. Slavery has been abolished for more than a century, and most Americans have come to the conclu sion that all men, no matter their color, have the same unalienable rights and deserve to be treated with equal respect. The Declaration does not make clear its application to women, either. However, the term “all men” should be considered to in clude all of humankind. Turning the mean ingful philosophy of the Declaration into a bicker over two words is petty. At the time the Declaration was written, political correctness had not been extensively outlined as it has in the present day. Writers of the RUBEN DELUNA/The Battalion Declaration did not have many sources telling them that using the word “men” to imply “hu mankind” might be offensive to some. The United States has made a lot of changes during its existence, and dismissing the Declaration of Independence because some feel it to be racially and sexually bi ased would be a mistake. “These words belong to all of us and not some of us,” said Sen. Norman Robertson, R-Clifton. For the time being, independent schools in New Jersey have the power to decide whether to make the recitation a daily one. The Golden Door Charter School in Jer sey City, N.J., requires students to recite the sentences, but the students say “all people are created equal” instead of “all men.” “We need to get past [the race issue] and not neglect the importance of the ideas,” said Golden Door principal Karen Jones. Changing “men” to “people” would not be necessary if teachers took the time to sensitively explain the history of the document and why such ideals are so ^ T important. Children coming from homes where equality is not taught can learn from the Declaration. They will verbally participate in furthering the idea that all men are created equally. They will also learn that even though not all men are treated equally, they should be. That each person is born with unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Positive words such as these can do no wrong. The legislators in favor of recita tion hope the bill will open eyes and aid acceptance. Americans should not shun the Dec laration of Independence. It is a historic document that still holds an important place in America’s future — a promising future where one day, all men will be both created equally and treated equally. Students in New Jersey should recite words reinforcing the basis of America — democracy. And the entire nation should join in. Jill Riley is a senior journalism major. MAIL CALL Harvard election scandal overrated In response to Nicholas Roznovsky's Mar. 21 column. A college student cuts some corners in his school election and Harvard becomes "just another cesspool of corrupt poli tics and moral depravity?" Maybe the student wasn't as strictly disciplined as Roznovsky would have liked because it was such a trite issue. Last week my friend's bike was stolen, so does that make Texas A&M a "School of Corruption"? In fact, A&M has had its share of issues that make Har vard's little scandal look petty. Rape charges in the Corps, haz ing everywhere and drinking at the Bonfire site all out-shine a Harvard student going over budget during his campaign. I definitely understand that Harvard made a mistake, but Roznovsky went overboard in his criticism. Calling Harvard's respectability a "myth" and claiming they attempted to mask their scandals with "fancy Latin phrases" is so ridiculous that if any Harvard student gets his hands on the article, A&M would become a laughing stock in the Crimson. Casey Friesenhahn Class of'03 The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the author’s name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, afrd accura cy. Letters may be submitted in person at 013 Reed McDonald 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: 1.3.13 Fax: (409) 845-2647 E-mail: battletters@hotmail.com