Newspaper Page Text
Spelman Spotlight February 25, 1980
Page 2
T*- c r"
C -K- "Mi
THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMANHOOD
Editor-In-Chief - Kolonda G. Watts
Associate Editor - Pamela Denise Moore
Editors
Advertising Manager-Phyllis Sawyer
Art Editor - Ellen Robinson
Arts Editor- Claire Henry
Business Managers - Trevonia Brown
Angela Nickerson
Circulation Manager - Lavita J ohnson
News Editors - Kiron Kanina Skinner
Adele Sheron Newson
Photography Editors - Ruth Cauthen
Pamela Scott
Public Relations Manager - Sheron Covington
Religion Editor - Angela Benson
Literary Editor - Michelle Dacus
Photographers - Kirby Ayers
Collette Laviolette
Samuel Matchette
Reporters
LaRonda Morris
Kiron Skinner
Cynthia Williams
Samuel Matchett
Sharon Snead
Sheron Covington
Angela Cumberlander
Melony Matthews
Angela Benson
Robin Barnes
The Burden Kennedy Faces
By LaRonda Morris
What lies behind Senator Ed
ward Kennedy’s lessened
popularity in the public opinion
polls? Last. J uly he was the
favorite 2-1, now he is the un
derdog. Even before his
statement on the Iranian issue his
decline in popularity had started.
Now questions are being raised
about his reasons for running,
along with his lackluster cam
paigning. According to updated
polls, the main reason for his
rapid decrease in popularity is
the smoldering issue of Chap-
paquiddick.
It has been more than a decade
since the incident of Chap-
paquiddick took place. It was in
July 1969 that his car hurtled off
the Dyke Bridge in the tiny
Massachusetts island of Chap-
paquiddick, killing 28-year old
Mary J o Kopechne. According to
polls last spring, most Americans
seemed willing to forgive and
forget. However, a poll taken of
Democrats and independents by
the Gallup Organization showed
that Chappaquiddick is still a
serious issue, which is hurting
Kennedy’s strength, where as
Iran is helping Carter to rebuild
his image as a leader. Since
doubts have been risen about
Kennedy’s behavior in the situa
tion, there is reluctance in people
to vote for him.
The main reason Chap
paquiddick has caused problems
and contradictions for Kenndy is
because the media highlighted
this incident just before his for
mal announcement of candidacy.
On another survey taken, people
that followed the case closely felt
that his behavior was improper.
Therefore, people who harbor
these doubts are reluctant to vote
for Kennedy.
Despite the seriousness that
Chappaquiddick has played on
Kennedy’s campaign for
Presidency, it was indicated in a
Newsweek poll that he may still
run strong against Carter if and
when he looses the boost he has
gained from the Iran crisis. The
survey also showed that Kennedy
still rates higher than Carter on
his leadership qualities.
Black History is Featured Efoery
Week in The Black Press •
A Letter to the President
Dear Mr. President,
I can not begin to tell you how
appalled I was when I learned
that you had asked Muhammad
Ali to represent the United States
on a “sensitive mission” to Africa,
a mission in which, he would try
to persuade these countries to
not participate in the Moscow
Olympics.
Without even getting involved
in the issue as to whether anyone
should be trying to boycott the
Olympics or whether it is wise for
the United States to engage in
what one may call a revival of the
Cold War. I think that it was
highly distasteful for the United
States to send a person as un
diplomatic and flamboyant as Ali
on a “sensitive mission”.
Mr. President, I understand
how hard it is for most whites to
distinguish one black from
another. We all look alike to y’all
(you all in Northern talk). But for
the record, allow me to clarify
this once and for all:
Muhammad Ali is not a
diplomat or an expert in foreign
affairs. He never has been and it
is doubtful that he ever will be.
Now, Don’t get me wrong—us
blacks jes love Muhammad Ali to
death. He is the greatest (boxer)
and he will always be the greatest
(boxer). BUT, I don’t want him
representing me or my country
on any diplomatic mission.
Just listen to the kinds of
remarks he has made:
“They didn’t tell me in
America that Russia supports
these countries.”
“Maybe I’m being used to
doing something that ain’t right.”
“You all have made me feel
funny with your questions, like
I’m a traitor.”
The U.S. and USSR are “the
hottest two white men in history.”
If these two white men start
fighting, all us little black folks
are going to be caught in the mid
dle.”
Obviously, Mr. Ali appears to
be quite ignorant in this im
portant area, and what makes it
worse is that YOU, Mr. President
of the United States, YOU ap
pointed him! He would not have
been in Africa if he had not
received your approval!
In summation Mr. President,
this is all that I have to say to you:
Obviously, Mr. President, your
sensitivity toward and respect of
the black peoples of the world ap
pears to not amount to very
much. I know that it may very
well be true that you and ol’
Cyrus feel threatened by the kind
of power and prestige that Andy
Young had amassed through his
personal appeal. Consequently, I
can understand why you chose
not to send him to Africa.
Nevertheless, your selection of
Ali to do the job was a slap in the
face to all intelligent black
Americans, for we know that
there are others capable of doing
a good job on such a “special
mission”. Needless to say, Tan
zania’s President J ulius Nyere did
the right thing when he refused to
meet with Ali and instead direc
ted him to the Minister of Youth
and Culture.
Your friend,
Pamela Denise Moore
P.S. I realize that you may
possibly wish to take issue with
some of the points made in this
letter and that you may want to
defend your actions. If this is the
case, feel free to call me. I will
immediately send my good
“friend” Evil Kneivel to
Washington to represent my
views and position in regards to
this important matter.
Letters to the editor
Morehouse-Spelman Players
Dear Editor:
I was simply appalled by the
Morehouse-Spelman’s produc
tion of “Cabaret.” In my eight
years in Atlanta I have been an
avid supporter of every More
house-Spelman Players perform
ance, but this year I was shocked
at the lack of substance in that
production. (Dr. Baldwin Bur
roughs would never have let such
a catastrophe hit that stage.)
In remembering excellent More
house-Spelman Players per-
S.S.G.A.
“I pay $90.00 a year for an ac
tivity fee; where is my money
going? This is a question which
many Spelman students ask of
the S.S.G.A.
The Spelman Student Govern
ment Association received an
allocation of $50,000 for the
1979-1980 academic year. These
funds were distributed among the
classes, dorms, clubs, yearbook,
newspaper, and the Student
Government Association. The
respective figures were published
in our October Newsletter and
are available to students in the
S.G.A. office.
The aims of the 1979-1980
S.S.G.A. Cabinet have been to
provide students with a balance
of cultural, social and
educational experiences. Our
community dialogues on women
have featured Eartha Kitt, Mrs.
Jean Young, and Michelle
Wallace. Our Ball and
Coronation were a success. A
delegate will be attending the
United Negro College Fund Con
ference in February. We have
sponsored movies and will con
formances in the past, I wonder
what has happened.
I always'thought that the qlot
of “Cabaret” dealt with the
political overtones of the Hitler
era in Germany. Because of the
constant fear of war and the ever
present threat of the Holocaust,
many of the Germans, silly
Bowles and Cliff Bradshaw
sought refuge in the Cabaret tp,
help alleviate the agony] of this
fear. The political overtones qf
the play were never properly
Budget
tinue to have them this semester.
We are sponsoring Ira
Goodkin, a concert pianist who
performed January 31, 1980
at 11:00 a.m. in Sisters Chapel.
Black History Month will be
celebrated extensively through
out the month of February with
numerous speakers, displays,
and seminars.
Plans are presently being made
to co-sponsor a benefit Concert
for the United Negro College
Fund with Clark. We will also
have our second annual Greek
Week in March.
All of these activities must be
financially supported. Many
students do not choose to take
advantage of these activities and
therefore proclaim that their
money is not being used wisely. If
you are finding the variety of
programs which the S.G.A. is of
fering unsatisfactory, please feel
free to offer your suggestions.
If there are still questions con
cerning the S.G.A. budget, please
come to the S.G.A. office and
speak with either myself or the
treasurer. Toni Skipper.
brought out of this production ■
Did the director not rejad this
play? Did he not understand it? I,
can’t imagine a director not being
aware of this more thartibbvious
theme.
The play does not end happily.
It is not a happy play. Did the
director not understand that
either? I was shocked at tl|e “Hip-
hip hoorah”, way the play ended;
I’m sure the playwright o£
“Cabaret” would have been
shocked as well.
And the acting left even more
to be desired. Surely Spdftnan
College has produced better ac
tors than I saw on thqt Stage
opening and closing nights.
And what, pray tell, ytats the
problem with the music? Not
once were the actors and the
music together at all times.
This is by no means saying that
everyone involved with the
production had problems,
however, all in all, I thought
“Cabaret” was a flop. “Cabaret” is
my favorite musical and I think
Spelman’s Drama Department
did the show quite a disservice
due to an obvious lack of direc
tion. In the future I hope the
department will stick to shows it
can handle and not waste the
public’s time with amateurish un
professionalism.
Signed,
A Concerned Critic
Dear Critic:
I greatly appreciate your can
dor and concern. I, too, agree
that “Cabaret” was a “flop”.
Hopefully with the recent shift in
the administration of the Drama
Department, the Morehouse-
Spelman Players will recapture
the dramatic excellence that you
remember.
Editor-in-Chief
