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The Battalion
Page 4B • Thursday, April 8,
Diversity through an
MAIL CALL
If you don't like it, do
something about it
inclusive plurality
In response to an April 7 mail call:
War for diversity being fought on campus
U niversity
President Robert
M. Gates penned
a New York Times edito
rial last week to elucidate
higher education con
cerns related to home
land security inefficien
cies. As one example
given, major barriers to
enrollment have devel
oped for international students at
universities in the United States
and, as a consequence, foreign
universities are now systematical
ly seizing the recruiting high
ground. Embedded within Gates’
argument is the necessity for
America to “win the war of ideas”
through education. This senti
ment was applied to the world
stage, yet the concept can be
adapted to describe diversity-relat
ed inefficiencies present at our
University. Moreover, if the war
for diversity at Texas A&M is to
be won, all members of its com
munity must work to establish an
inclusive plurality.
When we speak of wars, there
are usually well-defined partici
pants. Like the war on terror, the
war for diversity has many unseen
enemies. To counteract this uncer
tainty, we must often seek out and
address less-perceived threats
with an assumption that a connec
tion to the unseen exists. Events
such as affirmative action bake
JOSH
PESCHEL
sales and local political
campaigns represent quies
cent surface phenomena,
hiding a much darker
undercurrent, but it is the
inaction and silence of oth
ers that speaks volumes.
The so-called “silent
majority,” who support
only a diversity of ideas,
will undoubtedly find fail
ure in the same manner as poorly
carried out affirmative action pro
grams; however, that does not
mean merit should be sacrificed.
We have simply not reached the
point in our evolution as a society
where equity abounds to support
such a philosophy. Ignoring the
idea that racial, gender or socioe
conomic inequities exist does
nothing more than perpetuate
them. Protests of this idea are
certainly constitutional, but that
does not mean they possess any
validity. Furthermore, though
these protesters may not pull the
trigger on unspeakable events,
their dissemination of specious
propaganda certainly loads the
gun for other individuals.
Religion, another form of diver
sity, is a personal and cherished
method of expression.
Unfortunately, it too is misused in
our community. Countless politi
cal campaigns, ranging from stu
dent leaders to district judges,
attempt to sell religious affiliation.
In many cases, supporters claim
that their candidate is a Christian
and thus, the superior choice.
What astonishes me is their lack of
insight into the implications of
such a statement. How is this not
a modern-day version of saying,
“My candidate is white, therefore
he is superior?” Elected leaders,
and especially members of the
judiciary, should never seek an
advantage because of membership
in a particular religious category.
Otherwise, any complete notion of
equality and fairness in their deci
sion-making is lost.
Race, gender and religion are a
few battles being fought in the
war for diversity on our campus,
but there are others. Until the
informal gatherings behind closed
doors and the feelings in our
hearts are free from dark-sided
hypocrisy, we will be unable to
win the war for diversity and ulti
mately, provide an inclusive edu
cational environment for all stu
dents. Perhaps one day we will
finally eradicate the sentiment
“Highway 6 runs both ways” and
instead proclaim, “All roads lead
to Aggieland.”
First and foremost, Michael Seely has
every right to be disappointed by the lack
of coverage on an Aggie soldier's death.
This was undoubtedly a regrettable over
sight and a story that warranted legiti
mate coverage.
However, Seely's disappointment
turned into an attack of the entire jour
nalism department at A&M and The
Battalion staff. This is unfortunate, as
such blanket statements are a detriment
to the valid point Seely intended to
make. Many A&M students take their
"award-winning" newspaper for granted,
not recognizing the exorbitant amount of
work required to produce the publication
each day.
Certainly, the story in question
deserved more coverage, a mistake The
Battalion should somehow work to cor
rect. On the other hand, perhaps the stu
dents who complain about The Battalion
on a regular basis should fill out an appli
cation to join its staff. Maybe then, they
could be part of the solution to the prob
lems they perceive instead of simply
pointing them out.
new program that evening withfreefooj
and one of the resident adv
announced an upcoming meeting,
none of the hall staff seemed surp
by the alarm, I can only assumetha!
knew about and supported such u
the fire alarms.
Please, if I have to endure that screeeJ
ing noise while coming down fourfli^l
of stairs, make sure it is for safety^
poses only and not some shortcut to
publicity for the latest program.
1st
David Hoeka iolcl1
Class ol® :
VIP candidates musthavi
already been admitted
ocke<
ioler
In response to an April 7 mail cat
Re
finis
plan
ithdi
ollec
aferp
chie\
Sh;
lantli
jaza
Michael Crow
Class of 2003
The alarm is working,
but where's the fire?
Josh Peschel is the p rest eien t of the
Graduate Student Council
I'm glad that my dorm has a fire alarm.
In case of a fire, I am certain it will come
in handy. I also endorse the fire drills that
happen twice a semester, as I appreciate
that they check to make sure the system
is working and that residents know how
to respond.
However, what I do not appreciate is
the blatant misuse of the alarms. When
the alarm sounded in my dorm (Hart
Hall) on Tuesday evening, I found that
there was no fire drill, much less a fire.
Instead, someone was announcing a
Ms. Roberson, I must now add p
the list of people who don't underste
the VIP program. You write that it is a spt
cial program that assists applicarts
being admitted to Texas A&M Univerx
Did you read the story in The BattJ] ents
about the VIP program? The sew
paragraph said: “The Very Importi"
Prospect program caters to stute
who have been admitted to i
never had the opportunity to
campus ..."
Pay close attention to the words: ti
been admitted.” Your very premise. Mi
Roberson, is flawed, making the resid
your argument erroneous. There is in
chance of “ ... rejecting more
applicants just because of their skinccti
...” because students who benefit tar
the VIP program have already be’
admitted to Texas A&M.
You then have the audacity to writefe
President Gates has put usonthepaf
to race-based admissions. How rife
lous is that? Dr. Gates wastheonei
decided last fall that the admission
process at Texas A&M would be ta
solely upon merit.
Rabeat) fli
Class ol 2d
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology
Join us for
Career Conversations
with
BRUCE LEANDER
President of Ambion
“The RNA Company”
Wednesday, April 14 @ 12 noon
Koldus 110
^■f^AREER Center
htt p ://careercen ter. tamu ,ed u
L—J Texas A&M University
209 Kokins 845-5139
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