Newspaper Page Text
February 1981
Spelman Spotlights
Page 3 - EDITORIALS
Our View
A New Era Is Here
Reagan is here. Inauguration has come
and gone. We are now faced with a
Republican Presidency.
But what exactly does a Reagan,
Republican presidency mean? As black
students, and as a race it means more than
we may know, or even wish to know.
However, the significance of this “New
Era” must be discussed.
First, the new administration has
already sent out signals that the interests
of the poor, the black, and the oppressed,
are not nigh on the list of priorities. What
this in essence means is that we still have
our historical task of demanding a spot
on the national agenda.
Our place on the national agenda can
only be recognized through our actions.
We not only have to work as a group,
mobilizing our thoughts, and if need be,
our bodies, but we have to stay on the
very conscience of white America. We
must make it known that we will settle for
nothing less than full equality.
In this time of national and
international uncertainty, we can not
afford to be remiss in our social and
political awareness. Individually and
collectively we must analyze the decisions
and the decision-makers of our land, and
be sure that we are included in this
process.
The time is not here, it never has been,
where we can sit back, satiated with the
notion that our interests and concerns
will be taken care of by a particular party.
Our race is the guardian of our race; to
expect any more. jorJess is.profound.
ludicrousness. American party politics is
not designed to meet the needs of our
race, or any third world group, for that
matter. Therefore, it is our job to make
our more than rightful place in the
American political arena recognized.
It is truly a shame that in 1981, the
Spotlight has to write to its readers on the
importance of staying aware, of being
ready because a new era has come. It is
truly a shame that in 1981, a Republican
president comes along who really does
not know that racial problems and
assumed racial superiority are what this
country was founded on, and what the
Americas was exploited by. It is truly a
shame that the Spotlight has to tell its
readers that once again a new era has
arisen, and that we must be ready. It
seems to the editors of this publication
that previous editors have said the same
thing.
And what is so perplexing to us, is that
every generation, actually every half
generation, is giving the same message. Is
anyone listening? This time we’d better
listen. Tims is running short. Reagan does
not mean to play. And if we do not act
now, it may very well be too late.
To the ladies of Spelman, to the
students of the Atlanta University Center,
to the black race of America, the
Spotlight would like to say, “be ready.”
To President Ronald Reagan, we wish to
say, “Good luck, because if you intend to
exclude or ignore the oppressed peoples
of this nation, and the third world peoples
of this globe., you will need it.”
Spelman Women Must Strive For The Best
I am writing in response to the article
“Our View, We Must Examine Sex
Roles” that was published in the
December issue of the Spelman
Spotlight.
It is a saddening experience to read an
article which addressed the Spelman
population concerning occupational
apathy and educational stagnation. It
seems ironic that a black womans
institution, such as Spelman, whose
design and original foundations were
established to encourage excellence and
ambition of black women, felt the
necessity to examine the sex roles of its
own student body.
I wish to take this opportunity to
express an opinion to the author of this
article. It is my firm belief that the
continuing trumpet songs in the tune of
“Strive to do Your Best, and Be The
Best”, should never be deafened for it is
this very song that is an inspiration to
many Spelman students.
It is of equal importance, however, to
encourage extra-curricular activities that
will help enhance the individuals to
become both civic minded and socially
aware.
It is a gross misunderstanding of the
author to suggest that organizations such
as the Angel Organization of Spelman
college and other orientated clubs are
facets of intellectual growth problems
and limited career aspirations. These
organizations in conjunction with the
many enriching fine arts, academic, civic,
and social groups have enabled Spelman
women to realize their potential as strong
minded leaders.
The nebulous desire to excell, revealed
to us by Dr. Jacquelyn Fleming is indeed
an issue that we, as women of a Spelman
sisterhood, will have to come to terms
with.
A positive step will be one based on the
recognition of the link between strong
academic determination so as to build
intelligence, and the participation in the
extracurricular endeavors of ones’choice.
This step will assist in implementing the
experience, knowledge and wisdomofthe
individual.
Having accomplished this goal,
Spelman women will have experienced a
pride and awareness of self that will never
leave us susceptible to settling for “second
best” in our predominately male oriented
society.
Diane Ford, junior
Psychology Club Series
Issues In Black Education
By Kamau Dawud Shabaka
Morehouse Psychology Club
The Mental Development Committee
of the Morehouse Psychology Club is
dedicating itself to the task of
understanding the problems and
solutions of our existence as Afrikan
descendants in America. The
complexities we are faced with in life,
work to divide our numbers, our energies
and our thoughts to where our essence
and output become feeble expressions
useless against the enormous task before
us. As a people we should remember the
strength we are part of.
Thirty million people make a
formidable force. We as students are part
of such a force. There are those who say
that we as Morehouse students represent
the “creme de la creme” of our people.
That because of the opportunity afforded
us to attend this institution, we have the
enviable position of acquiring the rare
tools necessary to improve the lot of our
people, over thirty million strong. I
disagree. I disagree with the notion that
we are the icing on the cake. We do not
represent some special breed within a
breed, but rather, we are all of a special
breed, a gifted Black breed. You find us
gracing not only the halls of Gloster and
Dean Sage, but also Coca Cola, Georgia
Regional, the Pentagon and Attica. Each
representative institution containing
specific (specified) proportions of
Afrikan-Americans whose minds are
potential fields of knowledge and power,
of benefit to us as a people. We do not
hold a monopoly on knowledge.
Moreover, we do not hold a monopoly
on wisdom. I disagree that we have rare
tools. The acquisition and retention ~ e
information is one thing, the synthesis
and application of knowledge in reality is
another. The assumption with regard to
schooling is that information learned is
information used. However, too many
examples within our individual lives show
that the realistic process is the reverse.
Therefore, the hands-on experience of
our numbers who work and utilize their
knowledge and perceptions daily,
develop tools much too valuable for us to
deny by thinking that we as students are
special. We may be privileged to survive
without regularly punching a time-clock
(though a good number of us must do just
that), but we still need to understand the
pressing responsibility we have to align
ourselves with our brothers and sisters in
congealing our power.
It is to this end that the members of the
committee have encouraged one another
to present open letters to the community
we are all a part of. The articles that
follow this one will be the personal views
of the committee members. As you read,
keep in mind our collective view is for
communication first. Once we can
understand the positions we each have,
then we can begin a concensus, a united
front.
On behalf of the committee, I wish to
encourage feedback and comments either
in written form or by verbal exchange.
The Mental Development Committee
currently meets every Wednesday
afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in the lounge of
Dansby Hall, Morehouse College. The
Morehouse Psychology Club meets
weekly on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. in the
same location.
We are making a beginning in a very,
very long process. It is time for all of us to
ee the need and join.
