The Collegian (Hurst, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 16, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 13, 2002 Page: 2 of 10
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Opinion
page 2 • February 13, 2002
The Collegia:
Collegian Ofiinian
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Don’t Tread on Me
Value system
not deserving
of life sacrifice
The Collegian is a weekly student publication serving the Tarrant County College District.
Editorial statements and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the TCC admin-
istration.
Letters to the paper should be 150 words or less, free from libel and poor taste and include the
writer’s name and social security number. Letters may be brought to The Collegian office (CAB 120,
NE Campus), or mailed to: The Collegian • 828 Harwood Road • Hurst, TX 76054 • Phone: 817-
515-6392 Fax:817-515-6767 e-mail: tcceditor@lycos.com
Check out The Collegian online at: www.tccd.net/collegian
TCC is an equal opportunity institution that provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of
merit and without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status or disability.
Let’s look at this reasoning for a minute. Those who
want the privilege of parking in the handicap space need to
be handicapped; cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, stroke
or any other health problem guarantees people a privileged
space in front of the store.
Few people want such health problems just to park up
front. It is not hard for able-bodied people to park where
they are supposed to and walk a few extra steps. This issue
is very personal to me.
I have family members in wheelchairs and another who
cannot walk without a cane. Therefore, it upsets me when
perfectly healthy people park in the handicap space without
a sticker or card.
My niece has been confined to a wheelchair her whole
life. She cannot stand, walk, run, skip, hop or jump.
My niece would gladly Hade her condition to anyone
wishing to live in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
I know what it is like to have a child in a wheelchair
because my niece spends summers with me.
A trip to the store goes like this: first I pick her up and
Next, I must take the wheelchair apart and put it in the back
of the truck and drive to our destination.
Upon arrival, I put the wheelchair together and place
her in the chair. We are now ready to go into the store.
On paper this sounds easy, but in life, it is a real chore
to do something as simple as going to the store. My niece
is 18 years old now, and going to the store is harder. She is
only 10 pounds lighter and just as tall as I am.
The painted area around the handicap parking space is
necessary, and don’t get me started on the handicap stalls in
the bathroom.
I feel blessed or lucky that I can stand, walk, jump,
skip and hop anywhere I want to go. I do not mind parking
out in the north 40 and walking, because I can.
This issue upsets me even when older people park in
these spaces without a sticker. I know it will take them
longer to walk because they are slow, but they can still
walk. My niece can’t.
Those who can walk should consider handicap spaces
off-limits, even for a quick run into a store. In fact, those
who can make a quick run should never use a handicap
space.
Besides the game itself, the best
thing about the Super Bowl is the ads.
Commercials seem to be the main
subject Monday morning after the big
game. This year Bud Light looks like
the winner with several hilarious ads.
The best had to be the beer-retriev-
ing falcon commercial. Patriotism was'
also a big theme for the game and ads.
One thing that bothered me was
abundance of messages from players
and celebrities thanking the troops over-
seas for “fighting for our freedom.”
Our troops are not fighting for our
freedom at all. Is there any proof that
Afghanistan posed a serious threat to
the lone superpower in the world? They
harbored terrorists, but did anyone truly
expect a full-scale invasion by Taliban
troops on the beaches of California?
It does sound kind of silly when it’s
actually put into perspective.
What our troops are fighting for,
however, is revenge. I’m all for getting
revenge, but let’s call it what it really is.
Our freedoms were never under at-
tack by Bin Laden. Our civilians were,
because most of the world considers our
government evil.
The only group to attack our free-
doms in the last year is our own govern-
ment, especially since Sept. 11.
We are so obsessed with revenge '
and paranoia we immediately started at-
tacking other Americans. First, it was vi-
olence against anyone of Middle Eastern fi
descent; then it was discrimination i
against Arabs on planes. Now the United
States has decided to take out its anger
on a young man—John Walker Lindh. '
Is Lindh really the one we want, or
is he just a sacrificial lamb to appease
our anger over the attack on our nation?
Why would anyone attack America?
We are right and our way is not only the
best way, but the only way, right?
That might have been true 50 years
ago, but now we are consumed with our
own greed and other selfish desires.
People hate Lindh for rejecting
American values, but were those values ■-
that good in the first place? Greed, arro-
gance and religious persecution now
seem to be the values we admire most. 1
And that’s why Lindh should die. r‘
Not because he rejected our values, but
because he showed us that our values
aren’t that good.
Chris Taylor
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Chris Taylor, editor-in-chief • Shannon Harrison, managing editor
Bernie Scheffler, ne news editor • Lauren Crider, nw news editor
Mary Barrera, south news editor • Brian Shults, se news editor
KC Jones, feature editor • Jamie Beck, photo editor
Ashley Clark, Diana De Leon, Eric Hooker, Melissa Lee, Paul D. Matson,
Nick Nance, Melissa Sanchez, Alida Stokman, Michele Whitehead, reporters
Rueben Gonzales, James Robert Jr., photographers
Raphael Elizalde, computer assistant • Jennifer Piorkowski, web designer
Stacy Luecker, business manager
Eddye Gallagher, Diane Turner, advisers
• All-American • * Pacemaker •
The Collegian
I
the community is an individual who forwards an agenda at
the expense of another’s constitutional rights.
The Rev. McKissic’s qualms are moot. The Gay-
Straight Alliance is not attempting to teach morals. The Al-
liance can exist as a student organization simultaneously
with Martin students, who define their own morality. Stu-
dent organizations are voluntary; nothing is coerced. The
Alliance would no more force its ideology on other stu-
dents than the Baptist Student Organization does; individ-
ual morality and student organizations can be mutually ex-
clusive. Ironically, after Brown revealed his sexual orienta-
tion, Martin’s Christian student prayer club, Seekers, asked
him to relinquish his leadership position.
Individuality and the expression of individuality are in-
valuable assets to the community and the nation. Individu-
ality breeds strength and virtuous people.
Yet, public schools continually have a tempestuous re-
lationship with individualism among students in the name
of avoiding disruption in the educational environment.
Body piercings, dyed hair and baggy clothes can be modes
of expression regulated by the school. Teachers must dis-
rupt class and spend time enforcing these asinine rules.
Administrations set guidelines for the students’ appear-
ances. Anything contrary is considered a disruption. Fre-
quently, the disruptive qualities are not given a second
glance by the younger generation they are imposed upon.
A nose ring does not threaten them, but it does some adults.
Thus, they pass judgment and make rules, which conceiv-
ably cause the disruption they are intended to prevent.
Our community should strike a tone of acceptance. We
are recovering from a heinous act of terrorism. Do we want
to allow outdated prejudices to corrode our unity?
Bigotry makes me tired.
An article in the Star-Telegram
Jan. 6 stated Martin High School in
Arlington was doing its best to qui-
etly quash a student from forming a
campus organization out of fear of
what “the next-door neighbors
might think.”
In an effort to restrain student
Jesse Brown from forming a Gay-
Straight Alliance, the principal,
Laura Jones, said the school would
likely shut down all non-academic clubs if he formed the
organization. According to the article, Jones also pressured students. Not only would it interfere with all students’ edu-
the Alliance’s faculty sponsor to step down to “maintain cation, but others would probably blame Brown for causing
good relations with the children, parents and the communi-
ty.” One might infer it was a matter of job security.
Approximately 1,000 Gay-Straight Alliances exist in
this country. The clubs begin as a forum for gay and non-
homophobic students to promote tolerance in their schools.
In 1984 Congress passed the Equal Access Act, stating
public schools that allow non-curricular organizations must
also allow student religious groups to participate equally.
This First Amendment victory for free speech and assembly
applies to all organizations, religious or otherwise.
The Equal Access Act allows groups such as the Baptist
Student Organization orjhe Muslim Student Organization
to confer on school grounds, on a voluntary basis, without
violating the establishment clause. Everyone in the school
or the community may not agree with their ideology. Nev-
ertheless, it is their constitutional right.
So it goes with the Gay-Straight Alliance. After confer-
the shut-down. Brown, a senior this year, probably does
not want to graduate being viewed as an adversary by his
classmates. And it appears the school administration did
not shy away from exploiting these potential outcomes
when discouraging Brown with its public comments.
The Rev. Dwight McKissic also expressed his disap-
proval of the organization in the article.
“Moral values should be taught by the parents and the
church. That (the Gay-Straight Alliance) would be a shame
and a blight on the citizenry of Arlington that would de-
serve the community’s outrage,” he said.
I disagree.
A blight on our community is bigotry. A blight would
be not allowing students to meet and form a voluntary
Christian organization. A blight would be stifling individu-
ality by using the school system as a blunt instrument of
questionable integrity to teach moral values. A blight on
£ 5
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Diana De Leon
reporter
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Brian Shults
SE NEWS EDITOR
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Viewpoints
School tries to side step student freedoms
ring with attorneys (presumably at taxpayer expense), ad-
ministrators found the club is not in conflict with district
policy and has a constitutional right. This realization
prompted Jones to inform Brown that if the organization
was formed and she deemed it a distraction to the educa-
tional process, she would terminate all student organiza-
tions in order to stay within the scope of the Equal Access
Act. The school administration believes it can ensure equal
access by barring any access and can accomplish all this
while fostering a healthy learning atmosphere. Not likely.
Imagine Brown did begin the organization; then imag-
ine the school abolished all extracurricular clubs, and then
imagine the disruption that action would cause to the other
Handicap spaces so labeled for a reason
Parking in a handicap space is a
privilege some people want more
than others, and it’s amazing some
people think a handicap sticker re-
striction does not apply to them.
What kind of people park in the
handicap space without a sticker?
Are they jerks, idiots, morons,
lowlifes or just plain stupid people?
I get mad when I see people
park illegally when they know they
are wrong and breaking the law.
Texas law states that to park in
a handicap space legally, one must have a handicap license
plate or card hanging from the rearview mirror.
Parking illegally in a handicap space carries a fine of
up to $200; I think this fee is too low for such idiots.
I have walked up to these morons and told them they
had to move, and, yes, I have called the cops on them too. I
know this action is dangerous.
I am dealing with idiots, and they reason differently put her in the wheelchair; then I wheel her to the truck,
from us. Next, I pick her up and put her in the seat of the truck.
Majesty, heroes open Olympics L O f
It was a swell occasion-just the right sentimentality. In a true American moment. Bush stood among the My | <. W/V
patriotism and chutzpah—and yes, political correctness. American athletes to watch the proceedings. An ice < ( JV k / V
The opening of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City skater, talking to her mother via a cell phone, promptly
over the weekend saw America at its best. handed her phone to the president and asked him to say
The weather was beautiful, although cold. The wind hello. He agreed.
even cooperated and allowed the festivities to continue The skater told the media she asked the president if he
without hazards. was going to hang around and watch the games. Bush
It simply was memorable. John Williams, filmdom’s said he had a war to run, but he promised to watch the
musical guru and Steven Spielberg’s tune master, led the games on television.
orchestra and Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a moving ren- Much speculation centered on who would light the
dition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Fortunately, we were torch in the Olympic stadium. The planners of the cere-
not subjected to a Mariah Carey’s seven-note slur at the mony could not have brought more drama and joy with
end of each line. their selections.
Solemnity reigned as the American flag from the Just about anyone who might have been selected to
World Trade Center was carried in by a host of dignitaries, have the honor took some part in the torch lighting: Peggy
including John Glenn and, yes, even Steven Spielberg, Fleming, Dan Jensen, Dick Button, Scott Hamilton,
who said it was the greatest honor he had ever had. Dorothy Hamill, Picabo Street and Jim and Jimmy Shea.
Tears were barely wiped away before the hoopla Those of us who guessed the honor would go to the
began on the ice rink especially constructed for the occa- Miracle Hockey Team that beat the Russians and won the
sion. gold medal in the 1980 Olympics were right.
Viewers were treated to a host of willowy animals— The men were collectively joined for the first time
horses, bison, and birds—designed by the man who has since their 1980 win to hold the flame to the torch that will
gained fame for his Lion King animals. stay lit for the duration of these games.
Breaking from tradition, the athletes parade into the Perhaps a little long and a bit schmaltzy, the opening
stadium came near the beginning of the ceremony to allow ceremony brought a great relief to the American public so
the participants in the games to see the activities. on guard from the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
President George Bush welcomed the crowd along Television ratings showed 72 million people—or one
with Francois Carrard, International Olympic Committee in four Americans—tuned in.
director, and Mitt Romney, Salt Lake Olympic chief. It indeed was a healing spectacle we all could enjoy.
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The Collegian (Hurst, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 16, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 13, 2002, newspaper, February 13, 2002; Hurst, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1315533/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarrant County College NE, Heritage Room.