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4 » The Red and Black » Wednesday, February 28, 1990
■ QUOTABLE
OPINIONS
"It Is the safest and most effective method to ever become
available, even compared to the pill.” — Dr. Robert Hatcher, di
rector of the Emory University Family Planning Program, about
Norplant, a new method of birth control.
The Red & Black
Established 1893—Incorporated 1980
An independent student newspaper not affiliated with the University of Georgia
Charlene Smith/Editor-in-Chief
Amy Bellew/Managing Editor
Robert Todd/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Mayhem
The University and thousands of students are lucky
that no one was hurt in Sunday’s battle for tickets to
the LSU game. Poor planning created hassles for
everyone involved and could have led to serious
injuries.
The whole thing could have been avoided by just
holding a lottery. It didn’t have to be as sophisticated
as the usual University lottery. Numbers out of a hat
would have sufficed. If Turtle’s can do it on the spur of
the moment, the University can.
Ticket officials say they didn’t foresee the huge
demand for tickets.
It was only the biggest game ever to be held at the
Coliseum. It could mean the first conference title ever
for the Georgia basketball team. The game was played
on a cold Sunday afternoon when nothing else was
going on in town. Why would they think anyone would
want to go to the game?
Granted, no one expected that large of a crowd. But
precautions should have been taken. Many ticket
buyers commented on the lack of a police presence. And
surely one more Coliseum employee could have been
found to man the vacant sixth ticket window, even on
such short notice.
A temporary rope maze could have been set up with
little trouble, and would have forced people to stay in
lines, preventing the crush of the mobs outside the
windows.
Tickets are going to be in heavy demand for next
season, especially if the Dogs win the SEC crown this
year. Now that we know how many people could
possibly want tickets, let’s find an orderly way to sell
them.
Progress
February has been a month of progress for many
sectors of the University community. Organizations on
campus are opening up and students are working
together to solve campus problems. Congratulations to
the following organizations and individuals for their
service and accomplishments this month.
• The University’s fraternities started a glass
recycling program to benefit the homeless in Athens.
• The University Council on Intercollegiate
Athletics decided to continue its study of the academic
progress of student-athletes.
• Judicial Programs finally started releasing
details of the cases handled by the Student Judiciary,
getting the word out that students caught breaking the
rules will have to answer for their actions.
• In the spirit of collegial openness, the University
of Georgia Foundation Board of Trustees voted to open
its meetings.
• Head Football Coach Ray Goff and his staff
brought in an excellent recruiting class, putting
talented players on the roster for 1990 season.
• The Black Affairs Council and Hillel held a
program to promote understanding between the
Unversity Jewish and black communities this month.
February is Black History Month as well as World
Jewry Month.
• The Demosthenian Society let the student voice
be heard by organizing a student vote on whether the
University should switch to semesters or stay on
quarters. (The quarter system won).
• University President Charles Knapp brought
attention to the Macintosh computer crunch by visiting
the lab at the main library and promising to look into
the situation.
• Alec Kessler was SEC Player of the Week for his
efforts against LSU. Neville Austin sunk the ball when
it counted and gave the Dogs the sweet taste of victory.
STAFF
NEWS: 543-1809
Raw* UK or: SuMn Hill
Sport* Editor Gene William*
Ertertakwnant Editor Qlon* BowtxXhnm
Asaodata tow* Editor* Rand Pearson. Jennifer
Rarrpay
Front Pa pi Copy Editor: Cla* Mubeard
bwid* Copy Editor*: David Johnaton, Travor
Padgett,Margate' Weaton. Jennifer Wilkin.
UOA Today/Wlra Editor: Robert Alula
QrapMca Editor: D«na O’Keeffe
Pt*o«o Editor: Peter Fray
CMof Phot opr ipf>e» Wayne Jachaon
Staff Wittara: Geyi Barrett. Water Colt. Maria
Edward*. AnneAtarie Fanguy. Chna Grime*, Joel
Groover, Oara McLeod. Michael McLeod. Sandra
Stephen*. Jennifer Squlllante
Sport a Writer: Chrtt Lancrtt*
Spaelrd Section#/ Trande Edffor: Beth Graddy
Aaatataat Special Section a/Trend* Editor:
Andy Roger*
FdHorlff Aaalatant: Moilio Baft*
ADVERTISING: 543 1791
Student Advertlatng SSaaapar*.
Knell Burnham. Beverty Taylor
Advertla!ng Aaalatant*
Scott Donaidaon. tort Thurman
Senior A Overt! tin* Representative*: Scan F^an.
Knchelle Malualam, Julie Reynold*
Advertising Representative* Craig Dekahemek*.
Joy Denton. Knatjn Giude, Karen Maync*. Laura
Hudgcna, Rick Hi^gm*. Greg Kollia. Leigh Riffc. Salty
Young
Aaalatant Editorial Prod Manager: Cnttma Feindt
Aaalatant Advartlelnc Prod Manager: Manana
Martin
Production Stall: Andy Ard, Laura Friedrich, Andrea
Manaour. Lonn Mann. Elizabeth Mautz, Laura Miller,
Stacy Stenberg. Michelle Wegcrt
General Manager: Harry Montevideo
Advertising Director Robm Stoner
Ofllco Manager: Mary Straub
Production Manager Judy Jordan
Claael Roda/Recaption! at: Beverty Vaughn
Credit Manager: Chuck Lyon*
Clerical: Joanna Horton. La*ley Wachtei
The Rad and Stack >• published Tuesday through
Friday during th* regular school year and each
Thursday during summer quarter, with the exceptions
of holiday* and turn period*, by The Red and Black
Pubtiahing Company Inc. a non profit campu*
newspaper not affiliated with the University of
Georgia. 123 N. Jackson St.. Athena. Ga 30001
Third data pottage paid at Athan*. Ga Subscription
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Opinion* expressed la Th* Rod and Black other than
unsigned aditonal* art th* opmnna of the enter* of
tgned columns and not nacetsanty those of The Red
and Black Publishing Company Inc. All right*
reserved Reprints by permission of the editor*.
Study of black history needed all year
Black History Month is a time set aside every
year to celebrate and acknowledge the many
achievements that African-Americans have
made in this country. It is infuriating to hear
people question the need that this month fills,
or to hear people ask the ludicrous question: “
Why don’t we have a white history month?”
How ignorant or narrow-minded can a person
be? Whose history do we study in history class,
with little exception, anyway? How many Af
rican-American figures have you studied in his
tory or English class in the past year? 10 years?
The contributions that black Americans have
made to this country are numerous. Along with
the European settlers who founded this
country, black Americans tilled and harvested
the fields that were the backbone of the
economy. With the exception of American In
dians, African-Americans have been a part of
this country just as long as white Americans.
However, black history is not incorporated into
the curriculum in the public school system or at
the college level. Programs like the African-
American Studies program, are a positive step
toward providing the voice black America de
serves. One month is not enough. There is far
too much African-American history to condense
to one month, which happens to be the shortest
month of the year. Everyone knows that George
Washington was the first President of the na
tion, but too few people know that George
Washington Carver was a talented research
scientist and botantist.
For too long history has been told from a
white male perspective, which has resulted in a
one-sided portrait of American history. Two
mfyor changes are needed:
• More history books that include the plight
and accomplishments of black Americans — not
just the brief “honorable mention” that has be
come the norm.
• More history books in which the discussion
of black society is done by black individuals, not
what the white author believes that black
Americans think.
To blacks as a race, black history is espe
cially important. Due to the lack of emphasis
that is put on black history, most of the youth,
including adults, know little about our own his
tory. Knowledge of the past successes and fail
ures is important for a positive future. The
youth especially need to know their past. They
need to be told about the enslavement of our
race and people like Harriet Tubman and Fre
drick Douglass who, despite enormous odds,
made gains during this period in history. They
should be well acquainted with such prolific fig
ures as Ida B. Wells, an outspoken, turn-of-the-
century journalist, and W.E.B. Du Bois, the
Harvard-educated founder of the NAACP. Our
youth must know the “ truth” about the black
leaders of the past, such as Malcom X and
Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as black
leaders of the present such els Jesse Jackson,
Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder, and New York
Mayor David Dinkins. As adults, we must take
it upon ourselves to learn about our history and
pass this information to our childern until
black history is truely incorporated into the
general curriculum and a special month is no
longer necessary.
In a multi-cultural society, the contributions
of all of the members are equally important. It
is important for us to learn about our past and
about one another.
Richard Martin is a columnist for The Red arul
Black.
Better the pet world: Get them fixed
I used to think that people either cared or
didn’t care about animals. I have since realized
that most people fall into a gray area.
These people cannot be labeled “animal
abusers,” yet they tire the main cause of our
huge pet overpopulation problem. They may
even profess themselves to be great “animal
lovers,” yet their very actions generate hun
dreds of thousands of homeless, starving ani
mals each year.
On paper, there are some excellent laws
against cruelty to animals. However leniently
they are applied, courts are beginning to recog
nize animal cruelty as a serious offense. There
are national organizations and individual activ
ists speaking out and pressing for change.
There are many responsible pet owners.
They are the ones who have their animals
spayed and neutered and abide by leash laws,
prohibiting the unchecked wandering of ani
mals in the streets and on people’s property.
They provide veterinary care and take the nec
essary steps to ensure that their pets are
healthy and safe.
Then there is the huge segment in between.
These people are not overtly abusing their ani
mals. Many love their pets and appreciate ani
mals in general. Many take their pets to the
veterinarian for routine checkups.
Yet, they see nothing wrong with letting
their pets produce offspring.
They refuse to have their pets spayed or neu
tered. They want their children to see the “mir-
Jennifer
Wilkin
acle of birth.” They want to breed their dog to
"get their money back.” Maybe they let Bowser
or Tu-Tu Kitty out at night to get some exercise
around the neighborhood.
Their cats are the ones who come to your
house to get extra food or to have another litter
of kittens. Their dogs dig in your yard and get
into your garbage. You are awakened by the
mating wails of their cats at night.
They don’t listen when you try to explain
about pet overpopulation. They will tell you
about all the wonderful homes they have found
for their pets’ offspring. It’s not (sniff) their ani
mals who end up in shelters or lie on the streets
in a bloody heap.
Or so they think.
Next, we have the soft-hearted, weak-willed
people who refuse to take homeless or un
wanted animals to a humane shelter. They feed
all the strays, thinking they’re "giving them a
chance.” Soon, the animals are reproducing, the
problem escalates and the number of homeless
animals is suddenly overwhelming.
The chances of suffering from disease, star
vation or death at the wheels of a car are about
the only “chances’ these animals have.
Last on the list are people who get pets and
later decide they don’t want them. Or they take
in an animal before they are settled and later
realize thay can’t keep it.
A prime example is Samantha, the dog that
was recently abandoned with a note around its
neck that read, “Please don’t take me to the
pound. I don’t want to die." The sheer stupidity
and irony of this is that its owner left it on the
streets, then made a cowardly, feeble excuse of
an attempt to “save its life." For too many
animal shelters only had to deal with the
overtly abused animals. The irony is, it is the
pet owners who are too ignorant to realize their
action, or lack thereof, is causing the ineffec
tiveness of these shelters.
I can’t stress the importance of this enough:
Spay and neuter your pets. Not only will you be
doing the world some good; you’ll be doing your
pet a world of good.
Jennifer Wilkin is a copy editor and columnist
for The Red and Black.
Make dog gone for good
■ FORUM
So, UGA IV is dead.
At this sad moment in history,
would it not be possible to free the
University from part of its football
stigma, simultaneously striking a
timely blow for animal rights, bv
declining to replace the poor, hid
eously deformed animal with yet
another? Bulldogs have become
hopelessly inbred and suffer
chronic respiratory, eye and skin
disease because of the artificial se
lection imposed on their breeding.
Bulldog bitches are commonly un
able to give birth normally, be
cause of the disproportionate size
of their pups’ heads. In any case, I
understand that the original Uni
versity mascot was actually a bull-
terrier— equally degenerate, but
quite a different breed!
I suggest as a compromise that
instead of a replacement being
sought, UGA I Vs mortal remains
be stuffed in some way or another,
so that the Athletics Department
would still be able to have some
thing to parade around, take to
bed, etc. Alternatively, might not
the mascot job be offered to Ath
letic Director Vince Dooley himself,
stuffed or otherwise?
Jon Hughes
grand wizard, Mu Delta Alpha
□ The Red and Black welcomes letters to the editor and prints them In the Forum
column as space permits. All letters are subject to editing for length, style and li
belous material. Letters should be typed, doublespaced and must include the name,
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and Black's offices at 123 N. Jackon St., Athens, Ga.
Sigma Chi deserves to keep fraternity house
Concerning the editorial “No
body’s Home” which appeared in
the Feb. 22 issue of The Red and
Black: In the editorial you stated
that the Sigma Chi house should
be turned over to one of the black
fraternities or sororities at the
University. I agree that these
groups are at a disadvantage as far
as housing is concerned, but I do
not agree with your statement that
Sigma Chi “doesn’t deserve access
to the property" that our house
now stands on.
You suggest that the fair thing
to do would be to allow one of these
groups to occupy our house while
we serve out our suspension. You
state that these groups are more
“deserving” than the Sigma Chi
chapter. A brawl between two
black fraternities in front of Memo
rial Hall was the University’s ex
cuse to implement the “asinine
open party policy.” Do you consider
this "deserving” behavior?
I sympathize with the problems
that black social groups must face
at a school with a legacy of segrega
tion and racial discrimination, but
I do not agree with editors who try
to pit Sigma Chi against other
Greek organizations. Perhaps you
should re-think your position to see
whether you deserve access to an
editorial forum.
Joe Brasher
senior, political science