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Perspectives
From one who knows
To the Editor:
I’ve read your article on Mumia
Abu Jamal. I too am a victim of
this American style justice. Iam
not on death row, but I’ve been
punished in the Georgia justice
system. And in the manner of
double jeopardy, I did 127 days in
Georgia jails for not tipping at the
airport while I was at a sports bar,
waiting to board my flight, which
would have left for Memphis. In
some hour and 30 minutes after
purchasing my ticket with
Northwest Airlines, I went to the
bar and purchased a Budweiser
10 percent beer for three dollars. I
went and sat across from a white
gentleman who who already had
two Budweiser beers and was
getting his third beer shortly after
I sat at the table across from him.
The waiter came to both of our
tables and asked if we wanted
another beer. The elderly white
gentleman said yes and so did I.
This gentleman gave them four
dollars; I gave only three dollars.
After he finished his fourth beer
and I finished my third, this
gentleman, after we discussed the
team playing that Jan. 15, 1994
(Denver and a New York team)
and the upcoming players in the
Super Bowl, left to board his flight
and we wished each other pleasant
trips and farewells.
I attempted to purchase another
beer. While the waitress was near,
I waved and was ignored. I sat
there a little while longer and the
waitress was in calling distance
and, after I called out, I was told
I was not at her station. I decided
to go to my gate. 1 stopped by the
bar and spoke to the manager
about the waitress’ actions. The
manager apologized and offered
me a free beer. I refused the beer
and showed him a $50 bill and
explained I wasn’t begging or
soliciting, but I thought the tip
was in the three dollar purchased
beer. The after math, one of the
waitresses saw me talking to the
manager. I was stopped enroute
to board my plane with Northwest
Airline, a ticket I had purchased
some 40 minutes earlier. I was
arrested for supposedly fourhours.
I lost all my luggage, my airport
ticket and $600. My arm was
broke in two places and I was
given the opportunity after 120
days of being jailed to plead guilty
and be released or spend another
120 days in jail. I refused the
guilty plea and original charges
were completely lost, or
exonerated, after my arm broken
and the other injuries I received.
But I went to court in April 27
and 28 and before the jury of six
acquitted me of my new charges
simple battery, obstruction of an
officer and abuse and obscene
language which I was found guilty
of Dec. 12,1994. And these same
charges I felt I might have won,
but the state solicitor made an
illegal gesture and my trial was
postponed until Dec. 11 and the
state court rejected two of my
jurors without cause. And 1 am
still wondering where’s my
airplane ticket, my children's
presents and my money.
And, the officer who is one of
the character’s responsible for my
injuries is also known for crushing
a man’s skull while in his custody
and is known to be a participant in
an alcohol and drug treatment
program.
Thank you.
Anthony Castor
Our Voices,
Our Power
Continued from PI 1
them as a whole or looking at the
strength of that whole. We fail to
see that each of our leaders bring
something different to the table
which points to their
individuality, but actually make
them stronger if they were
combined.
I remember a friend of mine
was doing a presentation in class
on why Black people should vote.
She handed each person in the
room a sheet of paper and then
asked them to tear it, which they
did. Then she told them to go
home and try it with their text
books... Think about it.
We do it to ourselves as well.
We complain about each other,
always trying to bring each other
down. But what we fail to realize
is that we are the future leaders.
Sitting beside us in class maybe
the next Ida B. Wells, Booker T.
Washington, Martin Luther
King, Jr. or Marcus Mosiah
Garvey.
So we have already continued
the trend in helping to separate
ourselves. We are already
criticizing each other and,
thereby, making it impossible
for any strength through unity
now or in the future.
However, there are times when
there is some validity to our
criticism and complaints,
unfortunately we often fail to
back it up with action.
We often complain about
construction, administration,
registration, parking, our
professors... Yet we aren’t
willing to take it further than a
few mumbled words. Instead, we
simply gather in groups and
complain among ourselves. But
what we fail to realize is that by
doing so, we are simply adding to
the problem.
The only way to get rid of a
problem is to confront it.
Some students complain The
Panther newspaper works like a
click, that it excludes a certain
group or always fail to cover a
certain event or issue. But this
too is whisper among ourselves.
We all have phones,
if something is happening The
Panther should cover, don’t
hesitate, just call. After all, its
suppose to be the students’ voice.
It’s good we are voicing and
sharing our problems and
concerns, but let’s take it a step
further and voice it to the people
we are complaining about.
With that said, The Panther is
setting forth a challenge. A
challenge for all students tolook
back on our leaders with pride
and in so doing, strive to build up
each other with the power of our
voices.
Greeks
Continued from P11
and honest people, or do we
choose the party animals? Do we
choose those who know how to
‘talk the talk A AD walk the walk’
or do we choose people who are
full of hot air? Do we choose the
people who meet the basic
requirements or do we choose
those who are close enough to
pull in because they are our
friends?
Who do we choose?
We all have our shortcomings,
however we are not all bad. We
try and that is what counts the
most, but that still does not mean
we do not have a lot of room for
improvement. I believe we can
still be the organzitions we’re
supposed to be by living up to the
principles we were founded on,
mainly the upliftment of the
community. However, we have
to recognize that we have to go
back to the roots of our founders
and try to remember their purpose
for our organizations and what
we are really here for. Once we
have arrived at that stage in
understanding our being, we can
thrive for generations to follow
in the same footsteps.
I challenge all of my brothers
and sisters to prove me wrong.
Every month is Black
History Month but
Get ready for our
exploration of race issue
February 26!
MmBr
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