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P10 Mav 2. LQM
The Panther
Black Women Deserve Respect From Black Men
By Tarsha Burton
Features Assistant
Recently I was out one Saturday
evening with a group of friends. The
evening started off well- a trip to Lenox
Mall, dinner and a trip to Underground-
but, ended with a night of disaster.
While at the Underground waiting for
the MARTA bus I was approached by a
young black male. He, surrounded by a
group of five friends, stopped not three
feet away from me and proceeded to stare
me up and down. Thinking that if I acted
in the same bold manner he would be
intimidated and leave, I mimicked his
action. When this tactic did not work I
turned toward my friends, who were obliv
ious to what was happening, and ignored
him in hopes that he would walk away.
However this was not the case. He contin
ued to stand there and stare at me. When
he failed to regain my attention, he
grabbed my elbow. I turned towards him
and told him in a clear and calm manner,
“Don’t touch me.” His reaction: he stuck
his middle finger in my face and said: “B,
you ain’t all that. I’ll pull out my gun on
you.”
At this point I panicked. My heart
vehemently pulsating against my chest, I
asked myself, “where are the MARTA
police when you need them?” Fortunately,
after he had spoken, he walked away. Still
in a state of shock, I turned toward my
friends, who were ignorant to the whole
incident, and said nervously “lets go.”
Never in my life had I experienced such
humiliation. I found myself angry about
the whole incident, and enraged by the
black male! He verbally attacked me with
his abusive words as if I was wrong for not
wanting him, a total stranger, to touch my
body!
Assuming he was not attending college,
I found him to be ignorant and repulsive.
His willingness to solve his problems with
a gun confirmed this assumption.
I am upset over the ignorance of some
young black males and their lack of
respect for the black woman—especially
when many are raised in single parent
households, in most cases headed by black
women! I tried to fathom a plausible
explanation for his ignorance, but failed.
I attempted to blame his attitude on his
lack of education, yet I find that here on
the AUC many black males disrespect
young black women in much the same
mannerism. 1 cannot count the number of
times, since I’ve been here,that I have
been referred to as a B, trick, ho, or
houchy while walking down the street just
for ignoring a black male’s negative
approach to getting my attention. I’m
tired of being ogled at like a piece of meat
when I walk pass a group of males on the
street. As a young black female I feel I
deserve respect! I’ll concede that there
may be some women who prefer to be
treated this way but I feel the majority of
intelligent women, like myself, would pre
fer to be treated respectfully.
Black males often preach of their love
for their nubian Queens, yet rappers like
Ice Cube , Snoop Doggy Dog, and Easy E
continue to exploit us by referring to us in
negative terms. And then there are those
who claim “if you know you’re not a trick,
ho, b, or houchy, then don’t sweat it.”
Pure ignorance is one of the main prob
lems facing black males. I should not be
subjected to this type of treatment from
my male peers. Moreover do not ask me
five minutes after we have just met if I
want to come to your apartment for a
drink, to “just chill, and relax.” This is an
insult to my intelligence.
Why is it so hard for some black men
to drop their “hard” image and show that
they can be sincere and possess some
sense?
The Editorial Board
would like to thank everyone
for their various forms of feed
back. We would like to wish
you a great summer and look
forward to your continued
participation next year.
Staff
News: 880-8077
News Assistant: Lisa Flanagan
Features Editor: Chandra
Thomas
Features Assistants: Stacy
Adams, Tarsha Burton
Entertainment Photographer:
Rondre Summerville
Sports Editor: Kevin Donalson
Personals Editor: Kimathi
Lewis
Photography Editor: Rondre
Summerville
Graphics Editor: Jamal Caliste
Adviser: Sabbaye McGriff
Business
Business Manager: K.A.
White
Advertising
Advertising Manager:
Franchella Slater
National Advertising Rep.:
Redelia Shaw
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Panther are the opinions of
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Can Blacks Be Racist?
By Michael J. Hudson
Contributing Writer
In these times the question of all
questions seems to be: Can a black
person be racist? As an emotional
black man in America, my answer
would have to be no; a black person
cannot be a racist. But as an intellec
tual black man in America, my answer
would have to be yes, a black person
can be racist.
My emotions tell me that there is
no way I can be like the white man in
America; and, it is absurd to even sug
gest such a thing. The white man in
America has used tactics on myself
and my people that I could not have
done to him. As an oppressed person
in America I could not possibly be
racist because I do not have the power
necessary. Racist attitudes can only
be afflicted upon me, not derived from
me.
On the contrary, my intellect tells
me that being a racist only entails
believing in something. To be a racist
1 must believe that the attributes of
another race makes them inherently
inferior to my race. Thus, my racist
attitude can materialize into racism.
What must be understood is that the
word racist implies belief, while the
word racism implies action. A com
munist is one who believes in the
advantage of a communal government,
and communism refers to the applica
tion of that belief. Racist and racist
attitudes work in that same manor.
Therefore, as a black person I am
capable of believing anything just as
my white counterpart. If I believe that
all white people are devils, then I am a
racist whether I do anything or not.
So the question is not: Can a black
person be racist? The question is: Are
black people exercising racism? On a
large scale, impossible. On a small
scale, possible but very insignificantly.
Keep in mind that one does not have
to be a racist to exercise racism. Men
do not really believe that women are
female dogs, but, unfortunately, they
are called that anyway.
The fact of the matter is that black
America is angry, but the anger must
be channeled and not spilled out from
the sides. The anger must be sub
sumed in our intellect so our emotions
will not lead us astray, because that is
what white America is waiting for.
When we slip, white America is not
trying to break our fall. White
America will exploit anything black
America gives them.
They will push the blame off them
selves and onto black America at
every turn. If we say angry rebellion,
they say racism. If we say stand up
strong for our liberation, they call us
radical militants with a potential for
violence. Give them an inch, they’ll
take a mile. Give them a Caribbean
island, they’ll take North America.
Give them Khalid Abdul
Muhammad’s bold anger, they take
Louis Farrakhan and bury him under
claims of anti-semitism.
In closing, if they say you're a
racist, check your beliefs. If they say
you’re exercising racism, check your
action. If they say you’re an angry
militant, stay in control and push on.
44
South Central” Falls Short
By Nicole McMillan <
Staff Writer
The words “South Central” instantly
evoke the image of a violent area con
sumed by gang banging, gun slingin’, lazy
black and Hispanic men and women. If
this is the case, why give that name to a
television show that is not about the ever
famous, South Central, California; but,
about the joys and pains of a single parent
household living in the urban area.
South Central aired April 5 on Fox
Television. This was the first of many
episodes to come; but, already there are
holes in a potentially entertaining and edu
cational show.
The first is the profanity of the eldest
son, a sixteen year old, black male who, is
walking a fine line between street life and
manhood. If his character is to be an
extension of the black community then
profanity in front of your parents must go!
An additional fault was the relative
ease with which the mother gave up on an
argument with him about having a pager.
This was supposed to be an argument over
an issue she felt strongly about; yet, she
asked him three times and then gave up
quickly to go and sulk with a friend. That
was real convincing.
For those of us who were raised solely
by our mothers, it was very unrealistic
that the boy's mother gave up so easily.
What about the fact that they just threw
the dead brother into the scene without
any knowledge of who he was or what
happened to him. It was an incomplete
thought and showed haste on the writer's
part. The only mention of him is when the
mother said his name accidently and then
again later when she said, “Those mon
sters killed my baby.” This person’s iden
tity is never well explained.
I think that this show needs realistic
emotions, better scripts, and more impor
tant subject matter, not episodes on beep
ers!