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10 | THE MAROON TIGER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2003
Comment
Can we have a serious conversation?
THE MAROON TIGER
The Organ of Student Expression Since 1925
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CHRISTIAN NWACHUKWU, JR, ‘04
TIMOTHY J. CUNNINGHAM, 1)4, Managing Editor
COLIN HOSTEN, 1)4, Copy Editor
NEWS
JAMES PENQLETON, ‘05, Campus News
NICHOLAS AUSTIN, ‘06, Associate Campus News Editor
JONATHAN BLOCKER. 1)6, Associate Campus News Editor
MARCUS NEWMAN, ‘05, World & Local Editor
DEMOND DRUMMER. ‘05, Associate World & Local Editor
JOHN THOMAS, ‘04, Associate World & Local Editor
ARTS
SAM WYCHE, ‘04, Arts Editor
ANTHONY COLN, ‘06, Associate Arts Editor
SWING
SAM BERESFORD, ‘04, Swing Editor
CHRISTIAN NWACHUKWU, JR.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It happened again. You’d think I
would learn. Although the venue
changes (the backseat of a car heading
uptown, passenger seat going down,
driving back to campus, restaurant
booth standing still, or on a couch in
my friend's basement going nowhere)
the result is always the same: there I
am, taking myself
very seriously,
saying something
slightly profound,
and then...I am
informed that
everyone would
rather watch grass
grow than hear me
make points about
nothing.
It's not always
talk of politics (a.k.a.
that nasty little diversion for those
with nothing really important to do
or failed careers in real professions).
Sometimes I try my hand at
international cooperation and
understanding (“Half the world lives
on less than two dollars a day,” I’d
say. “Shouldn’t we reconsider our
position in the world and what we can
do to favorably affect the balance
between haves and have-nots?”)
Nothing doing. At other times, I
make completely misguided stabs in
the dark—"Wal-Mart is coming
under increased fire for working
employees ‘off the clock,’ being
vehemently anti-overtime, under
promoting women, and underpaying
both sexes.” I’ve never tried it, but I
imagine the response could not more
turned off than if I ventured, “Hey,
come look at my festering foot sore!”
Even when I narrow the focus,
thinking that I have increased my
odds of hitting off a successful
conversation, I may as well be trying
to grab a fistful of water—"Two black
Americans were killed by New York
Police Department officers in
reminiscent occurrences: one, an
older woman,
had a heart
attack while
dressing for
work after a
unit stormed
her apartment
under the
pretense of a
‘drug raid;'
the other, an
unarmed
West African
immigrant, while visiting his rented
storage room, was shot by police
during a raid on a counterfeit CD
operation in the area.
And. U.S. firms are still
selling weapons to
warring militia groups
of any side battling in
the streets of Bunia and
Kinshasa. Three
million have died so far
in the Congolese civil
war that makes soldiers
of those as young as 16 and orphans
of all ages." I’m at Morehouse, a
historically black college with 136
years of history. I think. This
information will strike a powerful
chord here. What was I thinking?
I am 21. Contrary to popular
belief, I like my fair share of fun. But
I wonder, where is the belligerent
disinterest toward, say, "Did you see
the preview for MTV's The Making
of a Hip-Hop Band? Did you see that
fight? Who is the real American Idol:
Clay or Reuben? Who is 'prettier:'J.
Lo or Beyonce? Have you seen that
‘Baby Boy’ video? Wow!” I have
not tried, but I have a sneaky
suspicion that I would not have much
trouble walking into a very informed
and intelligent discussion on the finer
points of LeBron James’ game.
Sometimes, I feel like an out-of-touch
Muggle who has stumbled upon
Hogsmeade Village.
1 just cannot shake the feeling
that there are more important things
going on in the world than how
perfect or sublime The Matrix is and
more consequential decisions to
make than what to wear to the Alpha
party. I feel more and more that I am
trapped in a bad B-movie or a good
commercial, where the focus is on all
that
sparkles,
heavy on
the glitz,
and low on
substance.
But in
t h e
meantime,
Ben Afleck
has told the media that Jennifer “J-
Lo" Lopez is simply his “girlfriend"
and not his "fiance'." Hollywood
insiders have yet to confirm the
pronouncement...
SPORTS
KYLE s. YELDELL, ‘05, Sports Editor
AMIN MASSEY, ‘04, Sports Editor
EDITORIAL
SAIDA GRUNDY, Comment Editor
NICHOLAS SNEED, ‘06, Associate Comment Editor
photcxjraphy
ROBERT GAINES, 1)6, Photography Editor
ONLINE
ANTOINE HESTER, 1)4, Online Editor
DESIGN
ASHTON DUNN, ‘05, Layout Editor
JAMIE SWIFT, Graphic Design Editor
P. JUSTIN FORD, 1)5, Cartoonist
FEATURES
MARC MUNEAL, ‘04, Features Editor BUSINESS
LLOYD H. JOHNSON. II. ‘04, Associate Features Editor JEFFREY TATE, ‘04, Business Manager
BRIAN SHIELDS, ‘06, Advertising Manager
LETTERS POLICY
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“Contrary to popular belief, I
like my fair share of fun. But I
wonder, where is the
belligerent disinterest toward,
say, “Did you see the preview
for MTV’s The Making of a
Hip-Hop Band! Did you see
that fight?”
“I feel more and more that I
am trapped in a bad B-movie
or a good commercial, where
the focus is on all that
sparkles, heavy on the glitz,
and low on substance.”
What’s up, Docs?
by Mel Dennis
Every week I read the Maroon
Tiger. Page by page, article by
article, without fail. 1 support my
school newspaper; it is the premium
mode of communication for
students, faculty, staff and
administration at Morehouse.
Imagine my surprise when, in last
week’s issue, I saw an article
submitted by a Spelman College
professor. Quickly scanning each of
the past six issues, I found that not
once had Morehouse’s professors
submitted anything for publication
(except advertisements). I was under
the impression that the Morehouse
faculty would jump at the chance to
be represented in a publication that
serves as a forum for their opinions
and views, as well as mine. I don't
know, I could be wrong. I know that
Morehouse professors have been
asked to submit literary criticisms,
personal studies, and even
commentary on political and
community issues. Yet the first, true,
non-student editorial came from
across the yard.
What is really going on?
Given the number of professors
dying to get published any and
everywhere, one would think that
even a student publication could
serve as an apropos medium -
especially when the publication gets
many kudos weekly from said
professors. They praise its well-
written articles and the diversity of
its topics. The paper’s unbiased
nature welcomes readers of every
race, gender, or social class. Few can
deny that its layout is visually
stimulating. And I have been on few
staffs that have worked as hard as
the Tiger's to produce a weekly
publication worthy of acclaim.
Acclaim that, by the way. is apparent
in the many awards adorning the
paper’s office. Yet despite all the lip
service given, not one article by our
own faculty have I seen this year.
It is the third month of school.
We are in the middle of midterms.
But here I am, like the old lady in
that commercial who couldn't find
the beef. I am searching for an
incredibly large hamburger bun
filled with intensely veiled rhetoric,
but my respite is nowhere in sight.
I, for one, am very interested in
what our faculty and administration
have to say, both in and out of the
classroom. Furthermore, when
professors put their thoughts in print,
they present their ideas to a broader
spectrum of students, faculty, staff,
and random readers, who otherwise
may not have access to information
in a particular field of study.
Moreover, the information is able to
reach a greater mass of people
through the medium of the new
website, maroontiger.net. Yet I am
left asking, “Where’s the beef?”
To Dr. William Jelani Cobb.
Spelman professor and the
inspiration for this commentary,
thank you. You have given a
wonderful example of faculty
support. I only hope that the
instructors of our own great
institution will follow your lead. The
presses are warmed and the ink is
waiting to be laid. Who shall be first?
Mel Dennis is a member of the
class of ‘06.
“The paper’s unbiased nature welcomes readers
of every race, gender, or social class. Few can
deny that its layout is visually stimulating. ”