Newspaper Page Text
The Panther
October 11.1993 P.3
Editorial Page
PERSPECTIVES
p
The
Clark Atlanta University
anther
Tara C. Gunter/Editor-In-Chief
K.A. White/Business Manager
Ed Blakemore/Editorial Editor
Commentary
The initial shock should have worn off and accep
tance is occurring. While attempting to reach that
point we must continously rethink his reasoning for
retirement. He said he has nothing left to accom
plish in basketball. If I had helped my team win
three national championships, won three MVP
awards for my achievements in the game, played on
two gold medal winning Olympic teams, and grossed
approximately $30 million a year including endorse
ments I would probably feel that I had exhausted all
career possibilities.
It is important to realize that Michael’s reason for
leaving the game has less to do with his father’s
death than most individuals think. He has always
strived to be the best competitor at every level of
athletics. He knows that he cannot excel above the
standard he set during his illustrious career. If an
individual no longer has anything to prove and
accomplish there is no reason for him to continue on
the same path.
Michael has brought to the NBA what no other
athlete could. Even Magic Johnson and Larry Bird
realize that this man’s influence on the game has sur
passed their own stellar careers.
It was a delight to watch Michael stride to the hoop
with such grace and poise each game. The level on
which he played the game will never be paralleled.
Staff
News: 880-8077
News Editor: Tiana Harrison
News Assistant: Khandra Robinson
News Photographer LaRell R. Lee
Editorial Assistants: Carliss Bradford,
Regina Roberts
Features Editor: Chandra Thomas
Features Assistants: Stacy Adams,
Jackie Collins, Tanishia Grimes
Entertainment I*hotographer. Rondre
Summerville
Lifestyles Photographer: Mario
Herring
Personals Editor: Kimathi Lewis
Personals Assistant: Kellie Wilson
Sports Editor Leslie Johnson
Sports Assistant: Earlyne Greene
Reporters: Malik Adams, Carrie Beard,
Tarsha Burton, Natasha Corbett,
Persephone Crandall, Australia Darden,
Mike Frazier, Nichole McMillian,
Antoinette Ross, Kristie White
Photography Editor: Mark) Haring
Graphics Editor Jamal Caliste
layout StafT: Malik Adams, Kia
Banks, Jcmel Hart, Kristina Kelly,
Bilquis Watts, Kimberly Willis
Adviser: Sabbaye McGriff
Business
Business Assistants: Alison White,
Khadija Gordon
Advertising
Advertising Manager: Franchefla Skikr
National Adwrtiiig Rep: Redefia Shaw
I jckb! Adwrtiang Rep^ Alex Waldrcn
Opinions expressed in The
Panther are the opinions of the
writers and do not reflect the
ideas or opinions of The
Panther staff. All rights
reserved. Reprints by permis
sion of the editor and adviser.
We encourage letters to the edi
tor. Letters should be 200
words or less, clearly written or
typed and double-spaced. All
letters must include the author's
full name and signature in order
to appear in The Panther. The
deadline for all letters is
Monday of each week by 5 p.m.
Letters will run according to
date received and amount of
space available. The Panther
reserves the right to edit for
length, grammar and libelous
material. All submissions once
received, become the property
of The Panther. No letters will
be returned. Address all letters
to:
The Panther
240 James P. Brawley Drive, Box 329
Atlanta GA 30314
or call (404) 880-8077
Guess what? I heard they have installed metal detectors in the schools.
Miller Plan To Alleviate Violence In Schools
By Antoinette Ross
Contributing Writer
After the recent wave of
violence in Georgia
schools, Governor Zell
Miller outlined his six point
$10 million plan to provide
metal detectors, monitoring
devices, and other safety
equipment for Georgia's
public schools.
With 20 percent of all
American students carrying
a weapon of some sort to
school daily. Miller plans to
alleviatethe problem his
first step toward alleviating
violence in and around
these public schools.
In January, he will pre
sent the plan to the
Legislature and attempt to
establish violence-free
school zones. It calls for
the prosecution of 13-17
year-olds who commit vio
lent crimes to be tried as
adults and ban possession
of handguns by youths aged
17 and under.
t The plan will help to
instill the importance of
safety in schools where
stabbings, rape, and even
murder are steadily becom
ing the norm.
It will also help to estab
lish some stability in
schools where teachers and
students are afraid of possi
ble fatal acts of violence.
Although Miller’s strate
gy will not completely end
violence in Georgia
schools, it will help to
decrease it. These problem-
swere not created in one
day, nor can they be solved
overnight.
It will take years to suc
cessfully devise and imple
ment ideas that will reverse
the causes of school vio
lence. Until those plans are
made, steps must be taken
to make schools suitable
for learning again. Miller’s
plan is one such measure.
Lawmakers Fail To Attack Real Gun Problem
By Delicia Brown
Contributing Writer
Federal attempts at con
trolling the sale of firearms
are an insult to American
minority communities.
Although national and
state legislatures have com
mitted to creating laws to
regulate the legal sale of
guns. They have become
experts at ignored the prob
lems of minorities. They
contiously fail to address
the “street trade” of guns.
Although many individu
als perceive the problem of
illegally obtained firearms
as a primary characteristic
of a ghetto environment, it
has now manifested itself
within the most secluded
suburban environments.
National and state legis
latures immediately
responded to the cries of
those in power by attempt
ing to curtail the sale of
guns in stores.
However, their efforts
have been extremely
unsuccessful. Law enforce
ment officials have failed
to stop America’s exten
sive handgun dilemma.
There is a shortage of the
manpower needed to
enforce the regulations.
It is imperative that feder
al and state lawmakers
realize the answer to gun
control does not lie in regu
lating the sale of legal or
illegal guns, but in the ter
mination of the larger out
side forces that have intro
duced and encouraged the
idea of the irresponsibly
and ownership of
firearms.
Where Are Our Men?
By Kristie White
Staff Writer
Perusing through a copy of the Clark
Atlanta University Student Handbook, my
mouth dropped as I came across the statis
tical enrollment data.
When I saw that CAU has a 3:1
female/male ratio it nearly blew my mind!
Considering the plight of so many mis
guided, youno African American males, I
guess I should have been more prepared
for that statistic. It disappointed me to
consider the minimal courtship possibili
ties for CAU females.
"Oh no!," I thought, once again, I am
part of a majority!
Being a native of Norfolk, VA, located
in the Hampton Roads area of the state, I
found this situation rather interesting. It
is a region documented by Ebony maga
zine as having one of the largest black
male populations nationwide.
Jokingly, I thought to myself that if I
could not find my “Mr. Right,” or even
my “Mr. Almost There” in Norfolk, what
are my chances here at CAU where every
guy can has his choice of three females?
That staggering ratio answered all of my
questions about the promiscuity and cheat
ing prevalent around campus. Yet, as a
female, I had to shake my head for all the
really nice "sistas’" that are about to be
played, thinking they are the only one,
when in actuality, they're one of the only
three.
By Jamal Caliste
Bixby's
Battle
An
Inspiration
Ed
Blakemore
Recently while
viewing an episode
of Entertainment
Tonight, I was sur
prised to see a man,
whose character I
once regarded as a
role model, suffer
ing from a dibilitat-
ing illness.
His character
served as an inspi
ration to me during
my childhood. He is
now suffering from
both bone and blad
der cancer.
Bill Bixby, per
haps best known for
his portrayal of The
Incredible Hulk, is
fighting for his life.
During the inter
view, he was appar
ently still suffering.
He has been fight
ing the cancers for
the past two years.
The bout to
overcome his mal
adies has in many
ways mirrored the
overall spirit of the
character he played.
But unlike the fic
tional world of tele
vision, he has been
cast into a role that
does not insure vic
tory.
continued P.8