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Page 2 • SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT November, 1986 Editor’s Notes by Lori Boyer Happy Homecoming! The time of year that we’ve been waiting for oh so long has finally arrived. The Morehouse-Spelman/Howard weekend promises to be full of fun and games and other exciting events. Take advantage of all the activities but we still have to take care of our homes. During our matriculation at our respective campuses, we must consider them to be our homes. One thing that we have to start doing is keeping our houses in order. To be more specific, we have to keep our campuses clean. Glass alcoholic beverages — beer bottles and others — have been a part of Homecoming for as long as 1 can remember. 1 am not suggesting a ban on alcohol. I strongly urge those who decide to drink throw the bottles away in the proper facilities. Glass decorates the parking lot used by Atlanta Univer sity Center Students. Glass sparkles in the grass adjacent to the stadium. Let’s not add to the glass collection in the AUC. Have a good time this weekend. Please don’t litter. And please, don’t drink and drive. Happy Thanksgiving! „ Spelmrn r <paruGm V y THf VOICt Of BLACK WOMANHOOD Editor-In-Chief Jennifer L. Satterfield Associate Editor Lori P. Boyer Editors News editor Teri Lee News assistant Darralyn Hutson Feature editor Leslie Sykes Feature assistant Gretchen Cook Literary editor Melanie White Literary assistant Rhonda Kaye Smith Political editors Stephanie Mclner Sharia Jackson Political assistant Kamela Heyward Circulation manager Triphenya Zachary Art editor Annamary Parker Photoghraphy editor Kathleen Tait Office managers Kimberly Smith Annamary Parker Reporters Mike F. Weaver Stephanie Mclver Sharia Jackson Sharne Jackson Sherrie McGee Les Smith Jada Keye Kamela Heyward Caroline Washington Tara Addison Stephanie Adams Lynn Hobbs Julie Alexander Donna Thompson Linda Churchwell Melanie Cook Milanie Grant Natalie Minor Dolores Garcia Triphenya Zachery The Spelman Spotlight is a monthly publication produced by and for the students of Spelman College. The Spotlight office is located in the Manley College Center, lower concourse, of Spelman College. Mail should be addressed to Box 1239, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia 30314. Telephone numberis 525-1743. SGA president talks about mutual respect By Kim Russaw It is not easy trying to come up with a timely subject to speak on every month. The Spelman community is so diverse and her members do so many different types of things over the course of a month, it is very difficult to pinpoint one topic that affects everyone at the same time. I had decided to use academic excellence as the topic for this month’s column. I decid ed that November would be a good month for this topic because people would have settled into their classes taken midterms, and would have settl ed into their classes, taken midterms, and would be heading for the academic “home stretch.” The last lap is often the most difficult, so 1 figured my perspectives would serve as an energy booster for many, if not an inspiration. Sure, academic excellence is important, but as your leader and peer I am compelled to speak on another topic this month. The topic for this month is RESPECT. I would venture to guess that at this point many readers are allowing their eyes to scan the paper for another, more appeal ing column to react. No, this is not a “happy” topic, and I would suggest that those who divert their eyes from the printed word are undoubtedly ignoring the reality of the situation, and in this instance ignorance is not bliss! After attending numerous pageants sponsored by various classes I am very disheartened. Everytime I go to a pageant it seems somebody, or group of bodies,lose their mind. Why do 1 go? I feel it not only my respon sibility as SSGA President, but more importantly as a Spelmanite to support my sisters. As a senior 1 feel even more obligated because at this stage in our Spelman careers we tend to be concerned with the reputation and prosperity of our institution. So I went, 1 viewed, I clapped where either ap propriate or inspired, I co- ingratulted, and 1 left. I was not however, uplifted or happy. I was not at all pleased with the vents on the whole, and the au dience “participation” left much to be desired. Many concerned students ap proach me at these pageants saying things like “Kim, they’re being so rude. Would you please go out there and tell them to be quiet!?!,” and “They have no respect,” or “I don’t see how the girls can do it! I wouldn’t get out there on that stage for anything?” At that time I would simply smile at them and explain that it really wasn’t my place. Heckling, demonstrations of discontent through obscene words or gestures, is not necessary. We all like to coin sider ourselves to be adults, yet the behavior displayed at these activities does not demonstrate any great degree of maturity. This type of behavior is not on ly prevalent at pageants, but other presentational activities whether they be talent shows, step shows, or the like. If you are not satisfied with the quality or nature of any presentation, leave. Leaving can be a very respectful way to show one’s discontent. If you are total ly against the recurring nature of these presentations, do not come. You are probably not the only person displeased. Get together with others like yourself and intelligently voice your discontent. Speak with those in dividuals directly responsible for the activity if the nature of the activity bothers you. Approach those responsible for the activi ty if the nature of the activity bothers you. Approach those responsible for the outlandish behavior if that bothers you. Do not merely divert your attentions from the matter. “If not you . . who?” Now, some would argue that before we can demand respect from others, we must first show respect for ourselves. I used to be a staunch believer in this ideology, and still do base much of my argument on self-esteem and self-respect as being a prere quisite for mutual admiration and respect. We should, however, be able to do both at the same time; cultivate greater respect for ourselves while re quiring it from others. Clearly it is going to take more than a couple of newspaper editorials, non-violent protests, and trips to the balcony by SSGA officers. Those of us that are concerned must be respon sible enough to let our voices be heard. Sure, our voices may be small at this point but we must become a “vocal minority.” It has worked in the past, and it can work again. The Spotlight Staff is disap pointed that fa culty and ad ministrators did not respond to the October editorial on GRE testing conditions. Is this lack of response an example of the apathy on our campus? Ms. Jennifer Satterfield, Editor The Spelman Spotlight Spelman College Atlanta, Georgia 30314 Dear Editor: 1 wish to congratulate you and your editorial staff oin the Oc tober issue of the Spelman Spotlight. It is excellent. The experiences of the Foreign Exchange Students abroad were extremely in teresting. It is to your credit that you have featured them in this issue. I look forward with pleasure to other excellent editions of the Spelman Spotlight. Thank you. Sincerely, Dr. E. W. Githii