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The Panther
May 2. 1994 PH
Arsenio Deserves Credit
By Ed Blakemore
Editorial Editor
with Malik Adams
Staff Writer
After hearing that Arsenio Hall was choosing, of his own volition, to dis
continue his late night television show I was relatively apathetic. Now that I
have had more time to think over the ramifications of his actions, I was very
disappointed to realize how this would affect the exposure of Black Americans
via the media.
Luckily, one of my friends brought this to my attention because I had defi
nitely been negligent in not recognizing Arsenio’s significance. During the
several years his show has been on television, he has sought to give us an
opportunity to express ourselves whether it be through speech, music, or come
dy.
It is a frightening thought to contemplate how black males and females will
attempt to gain the exposure necessary to begin and further one’s career,
regardless of the profession. It is difficult for me to imagine the remaining
night talk show hosts: David Letterman, Jay Leno, or Conan O'Brien allowing
major artists and thinkers like Prince, Ice-T, or Louis Farrakhan to appear on
their shows.
It is also discouraging to think about the loss of internships for young aspir
ing black male and females directors. Who will fill that void?
I would like to give Arsenio a special thank you note. Although I believe
his interviewing skills could have been greatly improved, his show was worthy
of note. With his imminent departure from the talk show circuit our access to
artists of the black community is severely hampered. Arsenio should be com
mended for having the integrity to run his show in the only manner possible,
his way
I am especially proud of him for knowing when to begin and stop his show.
He has accomplished all that he set out to do. Since he had nothing left to
prove, he has decided to leave. Arsenio, I wish you the best with your new
pursuits. Thank you for being there.
Georgia Flag Needs
Io Be Taken Down
By Kellie Wilson
Contributing Writer
The Georgia state flag
should be removed from
:he state capitol as a col
lective symbol of the
state of Georgia. The
Confederate battle
jmblem affixed upon a
United State’s flag is a
:ontradiction. The
Confederate flag, when
observed from a holistic
perspective, represents
treason, racism, slavery
tnd rebellion— and the
federal government’s
support of those con-
:epts.
The Georgia state flag
is offensive to not only
Africans here in Georgia,
Put also poor Europeans;
who were not part of the
bourgeois aristocratic
planter society that
reaped all of the benefits
af slavery. A state flag
should not support an
jmblem that alienates
and dehumanizes a group
of people that it suppos
edly represents. Those
who truly support that
emblem are truly lost
somewhere in
“Dixieland.”
Those who support
that state flag argue that
it represents “a lost way
of life.” Persons who
defend the flag say it
represents “the Lost
Cause” or opposition to
federal authority in car
rying out racial integra
tion. Every one of these
arguments are an affront
to a disregard of the mil
lions of Africans in the
South who suffered end
lessly from that “way of
life,” that “Cause” and
“racial segregation” and
are still suffering today
because of those “days of
Dixie.”
It is a bit strange that
the flag flies so valiantly
over the Georgia State
Capitol carries an
emblem that is the ear
mark of the Ku Klux
Klan. It is, of course,
common knowledge that
a great number of
Georgia’s white middle
class are Klan members.
In fact, the Klan was
started by “good white
Christian folk who did
not want n to get too
uppity.” I am not imply
ing that all whites hold
this view.
The desire to have the
Confederate symbol on a
United States flag is
somewhat understand
able, considering that
Georgia, at one time, did
secede from the Union.
However, it is downright
insulting to both
Africans and the federal
government (though not
much sympathy is
offered to the govern
ment) to have the
Confederate emblem not
only on the flag, but tak
ing up most of it. The
symbol on the small
remainder of the flag is
insignificant compared to
the magnified battle flag.
Now that Georgia is
under close scrutiny,
because of the 1996
Olympics, the
Confederate emblem is
now becoming “unac
ceptable.” It has now
become crucial that the
world see Georgia as it
should be and not as it
truly is today. The group
of individuals who
protested the flag prior to
the Olympics must be
insignificant when com
pared with international
criticism. But maybe
that criticism is good,
because it does seem to
be bringing light to an
issue that has always
been kept in the dark.
Maybe the flag will not
be taken down from the
state capitol, but it defi
nitely needs to be.
Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Us!: By Jamal Caliste
They Played Themselves
By Ed Blakemore
Editorial Editor
“You think you made it. You’re just a
lucky man. Guess who controls your des
tiny, fans. But you dis em, cause you
think you ’re a star. That attitude is rude,
you won’t get far. Cause they’ll turn on
you quick, you’ll drop like a brick.
Unemployment’s where you’ll sit. No
friends, caused you dissed em too. No
money, no crew, you’re through. You
played yourself. ”
Ice-T recorded these prophetic lyrics so
eloquently years ago, but unfortunately,
some people were not listening.
Need I say more than the word Hammer
to evoke images of someone who has lost
his mind? He has gone from a no crotch
baggy pants popular dancer to a gangster
rapper who wears zebra print bikini briefs
while being very happy to be amongst
several black females. He had adoration
from the white community because his
message was pleasant and his raps repre
sented pure fun. By altering his image to
satisfy his detractors, he lost the respect
of his audience. We should learn from
Hammer that while it is important to take
into account the criticism we receive, we
should not compromise our ideals in
response to other’s critiques.
After having relatively successful
movie roles in Juice and Poetic Justice
and an album that featured his first hit
singles, rapper/actor Tupac Shakur has
truly played himself. He came to Clark
Atlanta University and disrespected his
fans. He has subsequently been charged
with shooting two off-duty policemen in
Atlanta. He has also been charged with
aggravated sodomy in New York. He
demonstrated that he is the gangster he
claims to be. His behavior is very disap
pointing considering he is the son of a
prominent member of Black Panther
Party.
Martin Lawrence was, at one time, a
very good stand up comedian. Someone
erroneously thought he was worthy of his
own television show. He has recreated
the coon and minstrel acts of the early
1900’s. Those roles could be understood
then because that was the only way an
actor or actress, could make a living.
Lawrence does not have to suffer such
degradation. His wide eyed, big smile,
minstrel act is very old. All the people
who watch his program and have subse
quently made it a hit should think about
why they are willing to support such a
whore. He has sold himself to the highest
bidder: White America.
The Daisy Duke Syndrome
By Natasha E. Corbett
Contributing Writer
Why won’t some women put their
clothes on? Dressing halfnakedly is not
appealing. In fact, it only disregards the
part of a woman that should be exposed,
her INTELLIGENCE. Although we
should not judge a person by their
appearance, but instead by their actions,
we as human beings can’t help but to
react to what we see. Subconsciously,
our minds judge people by their appear
ance.
I’m not in anyway forgetting about
personal freedom. If a woman chooses to
dress this way, so be it. But, do take into
consideration the problems created after
the fact.
Although “daisy duke” is a growing
syndrome, my opinion deals with
provocative attire as a whole. When a
person (mainly women) wears clothes
that make the imagination useless, it
kills the suspense. The tight blouses
and short, tight shorts have got to go. In
1994, women are trying to gain respect.
For too long, women have been seen as
objects of desire. We will never progress
as long as our wardrobe allows everyone
to see all.
Like any syndrome, there is no desig
nated cure. With this in mind, I have a
suggestion. When going shopping in a
clothing store, ask yourself, “Would
Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, or Oprah
wear this?.”
I’m not encouraging anyone to be like
these women because we are all creative
individuals. But, these ladies are
women of power. They possess what
women everywhere hope to find. We
did not achieve this power by revealing
our anatomy. We must force others to
view our minds first and foremost.
Women, please set an example for the
ones that follow in hope that they won’t
have to grow through the same circum
stances.