Opinion
THE BATTALION
7
Tuesday, January 15, 2002
EDITORIAL
Vote for Bonfire
Students speak out
The democratic process will be tested in Aggieland this week,
land it is up to students to see it through. Participating in the
Student Government Association's Bonfire survey is the only way
to preserve a key element of Bonfire tradition: That students have
a say in the planning and construction process. There comes a
time when students need to stop complaining and start taking
action about Bonfire 2002. This week the time has come, as the
deadline for student input for Bonfire is Friday. Students have the
opportunity to give as little or as much input as they would like
- the most important thing is that everyone contribute.
This week, students with a Neo email account can go to
http://vote.tamu.edu and enter their opinions online. Locations
jacross campus will also be set up for student voting. Questions
Ivary from the Bonfire design to how much of a role they want to
Iplay in preparing for next fall's Bonfire.
I For students who feel that casting their vote is irrelevant, forums
lare being held today in 292 MSC at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. This
listhe type of responsibility that administrators and Bonfire activists
[have been urging students to assume and this is the last chance.
|The decision to have Bonfire this fall has been left in the hands of
(students, but if students do not log on to a computer or go by a
(voting site, then they do not deserve the role they have been given.
| The opportunity to attend the last forums before the Jan. 18
(deadline should not be underrated. The best opinion is an edu
cated opinion.
( Not only is this the last chance for student input, but officials
(involved have said that if student participation is lacking, plans
(may be hindered for Bonfire 2002. Students should not be hin
dered by their own laziness. They should speak out and not allow
(anyone to take anything away from the tradition of Aggie Bonfire,
(it is time to put away the egos and bitterness about how Bonfire
lonce was and take a stand for how Bonfire will be.
THE BATTALION
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor in Chief MARIANO CastIU.O
; Managing Editor
Opinion Editor
News Editor
News Editor
Brian Ruff
Cayi.a Carr
Sommer Bunce
Brandie Liffick
Member
Member
Member
Member
Melissa Bedsole
Jonathan Jones
Jennifer Lozano
Kelln Zimmer
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or
lless and include the author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor
Ireserves the right to edit letters for length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submit-
Ited in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be
(mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
177843-1 1 1 1. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebatt.com
:artoonoftheday
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MAIL CALL
lake a statement,
lelp keep the fire
(Fellow Aggies, this week could
our final chance to save
;gie Bonfire. The steering
Jimmittee has worked hard to
foduce a plan that will safely
Wisfy the administration's
jquirements.
This week we have a chance to
low our support for this amaz-
(g tradition by answering the stu-
?nt feedback survey.
(I know many are disappointed
|ith the changes made in
infire's design. But, the current
jsigns, presented on the Bonfire
(ebsite, are the safest and most
(actical available to Texas A&M.
(if you have never experienced
infire then you have missed
it on an extraordinary tradition
(at has changed the lives of
jgies for the past century,
(ease show your support so you
id future Aggies can continue
share this tradition.
iBonfire veterans need to let the
iderclassmen know what Aggie
infire is all about. There is defi-
tely something lacking at Texas
without this great tradition,
(ease show your support by
jiswering the student feedback
survey. It only takes a minute and
it could save 90 years of tradition.
Matt Warner
Class of 2002
Uncartoon has
bigoted view
In response to Jan. 14 uncartoon.
1 know The Batt is supposed to
make us question the norm, and
the desire is to raise eyebrows
and to shock us. However, I think
that the editors neglected their
duties when they allowed yester
day's cartoon. Yes, it’s shocking.
Yes, it raises eyebrows. Yes, it's
racist. Yes, it could bring the full
force of the NAACP down on the
University and The Battalion. And
the image of the dumb Aggie is
perpetuated.
So much for distinction of
being known as a world-class
University, where all the great
minds wish to be.
More like a world-class bigot
school where all the great red
necks wish to be. For the first
time ever. I'm ashamed of this
school.
Eric Irwin
Class of 1989
JESSICA CRUTCHER
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a.
Just compensation
Sept. 11 funds should be used elsewhere
S everal months
after the Sept.
1 1 terrorist
attacks, discussion
has turned to mone
tary issues. The
United States gov
ernment has proposed approximately $1.5
million settlement to each of the families
affected by the attack, on the stipulation that
they agree not to sue the government. In light
of the situation, this offer seems more than
fair. However, a few of those affected seem
less than grateful for attempts to ease the
situation, complaining that the settlement
is not comparable with their lost family VRfl^H|Pf!gjjHH(|^|
members’ earning potential.
Although this may be true, these com
plaints seem negligible when viewed in the
larger picture. The attacks brought an out
pouring of funds from Americans of all
walks of life. Families that will never see
$100,000. let alone $1 million, donated
their money in an attempt to ease the suf
fering of the affected families. The money
was not meant to be spent helping the
extremely rich maintain a selfish, wasteful
lifestyle. As Callie Ann Martin said in The
Dallas Morning News, “I sent in my
money so families would have food — not
to keep up some millionaire’s Mercedes.”
The irony in the situation is that the less
affluent families, those who could really use
the help, are not the ones who are complaining. u.
The people who are dissatisfied are those who are J
used to a lavish lifestyle. Predictably, they argue the gov
ernment should pay in proportion to the income of the
deceased loved one.
The United States is the richest country in the world,
and it is highly unlikely that, with the amount of aid
being offered, the families affected by the attack are
going to starve. Even the poor families in America are
only poor by comparison, as chances are they have got
ten to use heated, running water and electricity at some fCK, HL-d L 1' Ail I
point in time — a chance many people in underdeveloped
countries will never have.
The ungrateful reactions of some families illustrates
that much of Americans’ money would have been
more useful if donated elsewhere. Give $20 to the
average American, and it will buy him or her dinner.
Give it to a Third World family, and it will be more
money than they will see in a year. It may very well
save someone’s life.
If someone wants to donate money to a charity,
there are plenty of legitimate groups that provide
much-needed aid to people who will not complain that
they were not given enough money to pay the mortgage on
their mansion. Net Aid is an organization that provides sup
plies and education to combat the AIDS epidemic in Africa.
The United Nations Children’s Fund combats childhood ill
nesses, provides care and fights for the rights of children
around the world.
However, there are countless American charities that deserve
just as much help. Most cities have privately run homeless shelters
and battered women’s shelters that are constantly in need of aid.
Nationwide organizations such as The Salvation Army also provide
help to those in need, although some donors legitimately worry about
their money getting lost in the bureaucracy of the company.
It is regrettable that some of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have turned
out to be so mercenary in the face of generosity. After all, $1.5 million may not put a person
on a level with Bill Gates, but it is a generous way to help someone start his or her life over.
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DIANE SUAREZ • THE BATTALION
Jessica Crutcher is a senior
journalism major.
Discrimination at work
Courts should not limit scope of Disability Act
O n Jan. 9, the
Supreme Court
narrowed the scope
of the Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA) of
1990. The Supreme
Court, in a unanimous
decision, decided that work-related dis
abilities, such as carpal tunnel syn
drome, is not a major life activity and
therefore does not allow a person to sue
under the ADA.
The case arises from a worker, Ella
Williams, at a Toyota manufacturing
plant in Georgetown, Ky., who devel
oped the repetitive motion injury while
working. Toyota first accommodated her
by changing her job assignment, but
when new tasks were added to her
assignment, her disability became a
problem again. She was fired, and in
turn, she sued under the ADA.
While carpal tunnel syndrome may
not be a disability that affects impor
tant daily activities, by narrowing the
scope of the law, the Supreme Court
has caused a catch-22. These workers
have a limiting disability in the work
place that could lead to discrimination,
but they are left outside the umbrella
of the ADA with no protection from
this potential discrimination.
BRIEANNE PORTER
While many agree that
caipal tunnel syndrome does
not follow the normal defini
tion of a disability, it is a
work-related injury, and peo
ple should be protected from
losing their job's.
A New York Times editorial argued
that suffering from this type of disability
should not make these people unemploy
able. The fewer people unemployed, the
Those who suffer from these
ailments are willing to
work, but they require a job
that will not aggravate
their injury.
better it is for the economy today.
Those who suffer from these aliments
are willing to work, but they require a
job that will not aggravate their injury.
This decision will make it harder for
these people to fight for a job they are
qualified for and able to do.
The companies need to take the ini
tiative and work to find a reasonable sit
uation, for both the company and the
person. If it means changing their job
assignment or additional training for a
new job, both parties should work to
find a solution.
In a Boston Globe article, the presi
dent of the American Association of
People With Disabilities, Andrew
Imparato, said, “the ruling was one
more in a recent series by the court cre
ating more hoops for people to jump
through to prove they are disabled.”
This decision by the Supreme Court
will cause more people who are physi
cally or mentally disabled to be discrim
inated against and will make it much
more difficult to prove they are disabled.
By limiting the scope of the ADA,
the Supreme Court decision has caused
many disabled workers to be unprotect
ed in the workplace.
While the disability does not affect
major daily tasks according to the
Supreme Court decision, many people
view their jobs as a major part of their
lives. Congress should take the initia
tive to create a law that protects these
workers and fills in the open spaces
that were created by the ADA and the
Supreme Court.
Brieanne Porter is a senior
political science major.