My most recent experience was just last night. I decided to check out the website of my alma mater, Adelphi University; only to find that the student run weekly newspaper was available online. Imagine my surprise to find my very first published article on a computer screen. You may not think this is such a big deal. Many student newspapers are readily available to view online and have been for quite some time. However, the article was written in 1981; before personal computers. It was typed up using a Smith Corona electric typewriter minus the more recent invention of the correction ribbon. It then had to be manually typeset and proof read before publication.
While not ground breaking journalism by any means, I ask your indulgence as I share with you a transcription of the article. It is my way of making sure one of my proudest moments continues on...on the Internet, of course.
Wednesday, November 4, 1981 THE DELPHIAN Page Thirteen
Do Americans Truly Understand The Cockroach?
BY PATRICIA DELAHUNTY
In years past, we have encountered such crusades as "Save the Dolphin," "Save the Whale," and "Save the Baby Seal." The basic complaint of these crusades has been the senseless slaughter of the animals. I feel it is time we organized yet another crusade. We must fight to save the cockroach.
It has been an American societal ritual to step on and murder every innocent cockroach that is seen scurrying across the floor. The slaughter of these innocent creatures does not stop there. There are many chemical sprays, foams, and other devices which are sold to murder cockroaches "where they breed."
Do Americans truly understand the plight of the cockroach? He leaves his home and seeks food to support his family. The average American goes through the same routine. How would the Manhattan businessman feel if something stomped him to death while he was rushing between office buildings? Americans need more than that to understand the cockroach's dilemma.
How about the chemical attack on cockroaches' homes? How does their home being bombarded by chemicals differ from such Instances as the Love Canal, the Suffolk County dump, or Toxic Waste Disposal? Millions of Americans are fighting for a chemical-free environment, especially in or around their homes. Is it fair to treat the cockroach's home differently from the way we treat ours?
The arguments in favor of the senseless slaughter of the cockroach Include such ideologies as "they're only bugs," "they are dirty and germ spreaders," or "the world would be healthier without them." If I may. I would like to say something about each of these misconceptions to defend the
cockroach.
First of all, it is true cockroaches are bugs, but it is also true that they were the first bugs to Inhabit the earth. In fact, cockroaches were around way before humans. There is now a fight taking place to increase the respect given to the elderly. Shouldn't we also give respect to the cockroach who inhabited this earth longer than my 102-year-old grandmother?
Second, cockroaches are thought to be dirty and germ spreading. Cockroaches clean themselves more frequently in a twenty-four hour period than most adolescent boys. If it's okay to kill cockroaches because they are dirty, then let's kill adolescent males for the same reason. This whole idea of being dirty is a myth. Cockroaches breed in what humans consider filthy areas. If people want to live and breed in sleazy because they want to, then why can't cockroaches be able to choose where they want to breed? Would it be fair to kill all these “motel dwellers”?
Finally, who has the right to decide if the world would be healthier without cockroaches? Is it the research scientist at Dow Chemical that disposes of its toxic waste inefficiently? Or is it the food manufacturers who use more harmful substances than natural food in their products? With the way society is going, it seems that everything we eat, drink, do, and even say, is harmful. Instead of trying to correct any one of these harmful things, why do we pick on the poor, harmless cockroach?'
Cockroaches have acquired a very undesirable reputation over the years. This reputation must be changed. Americans are very concerned about public image and reputation. We are also concerned with the decline in the American family. We are very concerned about how other countries view our family structure and relations. According to family policy makers, the nuclear family must be preserved If the mother or father cockroach is senselessly murdered, what becomes of the rest of the family? Sure, the survivors will probably continue to get by, but without the comfort of the nuclear family. If an American family loses one of its members, whether it be by way death or movement away from home, many emotional and/or financial difficulties may arise. If America wants to revive the sense of the family, it should start with its cockroaches.
Cockroaches are highly discriminated against. The discrimination which they must endure is worse than the discrimination blacks, women and college students must attempt to handle. The senseless murder of cockroaches is the greatest form of discrimination we could ever create. This must stop. We must practice what we preach. We supposedly believe in the value of life, but we contradict ourselves decide if the world would be by killing cockroaches. Is death what the hard-working cockroach deserves? According to the Protestant Work Ethic which helped shape this country, if you work hard, you will receive what you deserve. The cockroach is getting the raw end of the deal.
I propose that we join together and help save this unfortunate creature from an untimely demise. It is time that we begin to any one of these harmful things, think about all creatures on this earth and not only about ourselves. If life is to continue, we must treat all life equally with no exceptions. The world is big enough for both humans and cockroaches to live together in peace.
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