Newspaper Page Text
APRIL 10, 1995
The Panther P5
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
“Not Crying Wolf”
Sexual Harassment On College
Campuses
Many individuals take personal and casu
al interactions for granted even in profes
sional situations. On a college campus one
desires to feel safe and confident in knowing
that because of campus security, there is lit
tle to fear.
For a female student, this feeling can be
very important. Students should be aware
that sexual harassment, as well as date rape,
is prevalent on college campuses.
Whether student, staff, faculty, or admin
istrator, no one is exempt from making a
mistake or being the victim of a mistake.
Such a mistake often requires vast interpreta-
• tion on the part of the offender and the
offended.
I have noticed during my presence here at
Clark Atlanta University, several incidents of
what I call “fresh” or flirtatious language
being used on the part of male campus secu
rity officers when dealing with female stu
dents.
This not only reflects the level of maturity
of the individual; it reflects the lack of con
cern for these types of incidents by the staff,
faculty, administration and unfortunately, the
students.
When we allow ourselves to be referred to
or addressed in this manner, we open the
door to other offenses.
Students, particularly females, should pro
tect themselves at all times when dealing
with staff, faculty and administrators, as well
as other students (See p.30, CAU Student
Handbook, 1994-1995.)
Surely, not all incidents may be prevent
ed, but if you make it known that this behav
ior will not be tolerated, then offenders must
accept the responsibility for their actions
towards others.
For any man (or woman for that matter) to
touch me, a special relationship must exist in
the form of friendship, husband, or relative.
Outside such relationships, there is no need
to get physical!
There is also no need to not ask my name
and use it appropriately, because I am not
your sweetheart, baby, honey, sugar, or any
thing else, even if you are too lazy, trifling or
unconcerned to ask my name.
If this is the case, then a simple “ma’am”
(or “sir”) “sister” (or “brother”) will suffice
and it is definitely not necessary for you to
touch me to get a point across.
In this day and age, it is crucial that in
order to be that which we profess, we must
act accordingly, or get called on the carpet to
prove our claims.
Everyone in this institution should
become familiar with how to act and interact
in a professional environment lest we fall
victim to our behavior and show that we
really are uninformed, underdeveloped and
undereducated at Clark Atlanta University.
Toni Sims-Hill/Doctor of
Arts,Graduate Student/Clark Atlanta
University
Many Black Filmmakers Sell-Out With
Depictions Of The ‘Hood’
By Jimmie Ophelia Woods Jr.
Asst. Editorial Editor
Black film directors should not be allowed to make movies if they don’t conform — if they don’t sprout images that let
us know that black is still beautiful.
Basketball and hood-based n^fratives are plaguing our communities. My community. Crystallized images of ghetto rats-
black and gray. Two legs and four. Prey and predator.
Depiction’s of black people in the 90’s, in many cases, cannot be separated from those recently gone black exploitation
films (“Menace II Society ”) that mirror our faces when we were called coons.
Why? Is it because we have grown as comfortable with these images as the people who created them?
There is truly no distinction between entertainment and education. Is the reason why we laugh at the gross exaggera
tions and stereotypes of ourselves because with us, pain is a verb?
Black film directors not only are responsible, but they are more responsible for creating positive or at least average
images for our parents, our peers, our sons, our daughters. The ability to reach millions of people cannot be wasted any
longer. The time has long passed for our directors to stop hiding behind entertainment, dodging their educating abilities.
Black life is indeed one of the most beautiful aspects of human life, and it should be the focal point of creative story
telling by black storytellers. But it cannot be at the expense of our self-concept. Ninety percent of what you think about
yourself, you were told. As separated as we appear, we are all closely tied to each other. The only things we know, we’ve
been taught by someone, somewhere.
Everything that we come in contact with teaches us. Our teachers teach us. Our families teach us. Our friends teach us.
Our enemies teach us. The media teaches us, even when we don’t want to be taught — taught that we are good at shooting
craps, and dancing, and drinking, and smokin’, and tellin’ jokes, and eatin’ hot wings and killin’.
Some black producers have indicated to us through film that they are only over-tanned whites. I propose that we don’t
patronize films produced by black directors that feature blacks and address black topics if they have received the holy
white/Jewish stamp of approval, indicating that they’re okay.