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Spelman Spotlight
November 14, 1983
Editorials and Other Thoughts...
New Hope In 1984
By Karen M. Burroughs
Editor-in-Chief
I address this week’scolumn to
the issue of Rev. Jesse Jackson
running for president of the
United States. Now that he has
officially announced his can
didacy, there is no doubt in my
mind that I will sincerely and
enthusiastically support his cam
paign. However, apparently, all
of the students in the Atlanta
University Center do not feel as I
do. Since Jackson announced his
presidential aspirations, I have
heard comments ranging from
uncertainty to absolute negativi
ty-
It infuriates me to hear a
student remark that they aren’t
going to vote for Jackson
because “he’s not going to win
anyway.’’ This is the most
ridiculous statement that I have
ever heard. How can Jackson
even think of winning if people
are harboring such pessimistic
attitudes? I honestly believe that
if every black person of voting
age in America voted for
Jackson, he would most certainly
be a formidable contender for
this country’s highest office. It
gauls me that black mayors of
major cities including Chicago,
Detroit and Atlanta, have chosen
to support Walter Mondale.
Another comment that I have
frequently heard is “we’re not
ready.” I ask these students
when will we be ready and what
has to happen to make us ready?
Eleven years ago, when Shirley
Chisolm ran for this office, the
same comments were voiced.
Surely, in eleven years, we, as
Black Americans, have advanced
to the point where we can pool
our Support behind one can
didate. I realize that it may
appear to be an “impossible
dream,” but the mayoral race in
my home town of Chicago is
proof that such things are possi
ble.
I have also heard the opinion
that Jesse Jackson is not qualified
for this position. It may be true
,, that Jackson has never before
| held an elected office, but one
=• cannot ignore the vast ex
periences he has encountered
over the past two decades with
his work with SCLC and Opera
tion Push. In addition, he is well
versed on the political issues of
the day. After all, what qualifies
one for public office? Our last
two presidents were a peanut
farmer and an actor before they
ventured into the world of
politics.
Finally, it has been said by
some that there are other black
leaders who would be more
suitable to run for this position.
This is a statement which I cannot
dispute. However, these esteem
ed black leaders are not running
for president —Jesse Jackson is. I
implore you, brothers and
sisters, to come together as a race
and as a people and support the
only candidate who will be truly
concerned about our best in
terests, If Jesse Jackson has the
courage t6 run for president,
surely we can have the courage
to vote for him.
by Jasmine Williams
News Editor
Now that it is almost sure that
Ronald Reagan will declare
himself a candidate for re-
election in 1984, black college
students nationwide should be
asking certain questions of
themselves, 1. How effective has
the Reagan Administration been
for the black community, 2. Are
blacks and other minority per
sons better off today than they
were 4 years ago? A negative
answer to each of these
questions means that it is time for
a change.
It means that we can no longer
afford to take a “back seat”
attitude towards politics. Black
Americans and other minorities
need to come out in record
numbers to vote in ’84. We need
to insure that Ronald Reagan is
not re-elected as President of the
United States.
The concerns of the black
community are no closer to
being addressed than they were
during the height of the Civil
Rights Movement in the 60’s.
With the Reagan Ad
ministration’s attempt to protect
the tax-exempt status of racially
discriminatory schools, the
hesitation to make Dr. Martin
Luther King’s birthday a national
holiday, and the reluctance to
renew the Civil Rights Act, ft
becomes increasingly apparent
that we still have not been
awarded the recognition that we
have fought long and hard for.
Not voting at all is a vote for
Reagan. Voting for an indepen
dent candidate is a vote for
Reagan. Voting Republican is a
vote for Reagan. And as
tomorrow’s black leaders, the
major responsibility rests in our
hands. We need to question
where we will find ourselves 4
years from now if Ronald Reagan
is re-elected. We heed to ques
tion what state this country will
be in 8 years from now after the
Reagan administration is gone.
We need to question whether or
not we want our children to live
in a society where our leaders
aren’t concerned with looking
our for their interests.
Politics is our only answer and
politics is the key to economic
recovery. Get rid of Reagan and
the economy just might turn
around. And let us not fool
ourselves, the minority vote will
insure a Democratic victory if the
voter turnout is high.
So, I am urging my Spelman
sisters and classmates AUC-wide
to vote, not only in the Presiden
tial election next November, but
also in the primaries. We must
work collectively to keep Ronald
Reagan out of office. The time
has come, the responsibility is
ours. Bring "new hope” in ’84.
Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor,
I am deeply concerned about
the recent incident where two
A.U. Center police officers used
their batons instead of their
brains to bring a simple situation
under control. Because, these
two gentlemen wear blue suits,
they are not being held to
account for their unsound
reasoning. But are they really
responsible? No, says Spelman’s
Administration. They say thatthe
two sisters are responsible for
attempting to incite a riot, and
has subsequently placed them
under probation. These people
who made this decision are
acting as incompetantly as the
two security guards. I wish
someone would bring a law suit
against the A.U. Security Police,
so that all this mess may come to
light. Solidarity by other students
in the form of formal protest is
necessary in order to help pre
vent future incidents, and help
keep our administrators from
putting their feet in their own
mouths.
I think that the people who
hire, the A.U. Security guards
ought to utilize scrutinizing
applications for these security
positions. I dare one of them to
hit my sister.
A man at Morehouse
Ivan A. Holsey
Dear Editor,
I am a Spelman student from
out of state who was forced to
live off campus because there
were not enough dorm rooms.
This problem worked out well
for me because I was blessed
with an aunt who lives in the
Atlanta area. Most girls are not so
blessed. My feelings are that
Spelman should not accept more
students than it can accomodate,
then seniors would not have to
sacrifice a dorm. I realize that we
as young adults must learn to
take care of ourselves, but some
girls have never lived on their
own before and this is an
awkward way to start.
By living off campus one is
automatically excluded from
many college activities. I have
honestly tried to get involved (in
response to the article in a
previous school paper) only to
be excluded more. I’ve ap
proached a couple of people,
which has done no good, I've
even signed up for activities,
never to be called. I don't want
to be popular, only recognized. I
have no desire to be on the
Spotlight. I was strongly en
couraged by my family and
church members to get a taste of
the “Southern Hospitality” that I
would still love to encounter. I
came to Spelman to "Escape" the
unconcern that the white
college I used to attend showed.
The Security guards didn't abuse
students there ... was my move
for nothing? I’ve been dis
couraged but the Lord told me
not to give up. I really like
Spelman.
No ways Tired
Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter to
express my frustration on the
matter of on campus parking
stickers. There are many people
with on campus parking stickers
that don’t live on campus. This
can not be confirmed because
these stickers were purchased by
students on campus. There
m
Hi
The Spelman Spotlight
staff apologizes for the
delay between the last
issue and this one.
Despite the delay, we
are continuously work
ing to represent your
voice and we hope you
appreciate our efforts.
Enjoy the issue! The
Spotlight Staff.
should be some solution to this
problem. Instead of in
conveniencing students on cam
pus with cars the administration
should develop new methods to
combat this problem.
Signed,
A Concerned Senior
1i
Coming
Events
November 17:
Convocation:
Speaker: Vy Higginson
Sisters Chapel
7:00 p.m.
November 19:
Party
“The Funky Turkey”
Place to be announced
m
•;
I >
November 22:
Thanksgiving Rally
Sisters Chapel
11:00 a.m.
November 24:
THANKSGIVING
November 30:
Movie:
48 Hours
Howe Hall
6:30 and 9:00