Newspaper Page Text
Spelman Spotlight
Study in Spain: a broadened perspective
Page 10
Photo: Jocelyn R. Coleman
Lori Robinson. C’90
By Lori Robinson
Lori Robinson, a senior English major,
studied in Spain for the 1988-89 academic
year.
First and foremost. I must acknowledge
that I have been very blessed. My study
abroad experience was very positive in al
most every aspect of my life. I am lucky not
only to have had the opportunity to study
abroad, but also to attend an institution where
students are encouraged to do so. I especially
want to thank Dr. Ganz for her tireless encour
agement and support from pre-departure to
re-adjustment.
As citizens of the States, we are very
sheltered people. It took living abroad for me
to realize there are other ways of life that
function just as well as the one to which 1 am
accustomed. In gaining appreciation for the
importance and characteristics of various
cultures from country to country, and from
region to region within a country. I have
learned not to generalize about cultures as is
so often done in this country. I have learned
to respect culture.
I had considered myself to be one of the
few Americans that was open to other cul
tures. Then I found myself making compari
sons to home, misinterpreting cultural and
social differences, good and bad. according to
what was familiar to me. 1 finally came to ap
preciate Spain, as well as the other countries
I visited, for the uniqueness of each culture.
I learned so much about Spain. I had
been guilty of making assumptions about
Spaniards based on their classifications as
European and Hispanic, and on their once-
powerful colonial strength. I discovered
vestiges of colonialism in paternalistic atti
tudes towards my Puerto Rican friends, and in
racism towards Gypsies. Another clue: Chris
topher Columbus is still one of their most
celebrated national heroes.
I also saw a side of the Spanish com
pletely new to me. The effects of a very tragic
civil war are still felt. Spain is a democratic
infant, still struggling to function smoothly
without an autocrat. Due to these two factors,
they are a people of wounded pride, not yet
fully accepted as Europeans culturally or
politically by the rest of the continent. I
witnessed classism functioning without ra
cism. The working class and the newly formed
upper class, all white people, all striving to be
as “European” as possible.
My time abroad sparked my interest in
international affairs by exposing me on a
personal and human level to what would
ordinarily be foreign, removed, and there
fore, unimportant to me. Now. I am interested
in what is happening in the world. I do not
skip over the international section of the
newspaper any more. I read not only about
the places I visited, but about most foreign
issues. 1 feel an interconnection of people,
regardless of language and cultural differ
ences.
The process of communication is some
thing else taken for granted in this country.
One of the reasons we do not compete as well
as we could in international markets may be
our inability to communicate with foreigners.
I gained an appreciation for the importance of
learning a language other than one's own. It
is something children learn at a young age in
other countries, something that should be
required learning here.
I learned about the power of the media
and realized how far-reaching and powerful
the American media is. I found that so many
of the prejudices and misconceptions about
different races, most specifically Black people,
have been shaped by American movies and
television programs. I was personally af
fected by the "exotic" myth, and witnessed
assumptions about Blacks, crime and drugs as
three naturally interrelated concepts.
I expected to gain knowledge of other
people and other cultures, but it never dawned
on me that I would learn so much about
myself. I began to recognize just how respon
sible I am. Exploring an unknown place
where a language foreign to me is spoken,
gave me a sense of independence which I
think is unique to that type of experience. It
is quite a feeling to be confident about my
ability to take care of myself just about any
where.
While abroad. I changed in ways I doubt
I could have by staying here. Being taken out
of my familiar "context", being comfortable
with myself when everything around me was
foreign gave me a new spirit of self-confi
dence. Learning to speak, as well as under
stand Spanish, is something I do not think 1
could have done without being immersed in
it. By learning the language. 1 have a whole
new insight into Hispanic cultures. Now
when in Hispanic countries or neighborhoods,
my experience will automatically be more
enriched than someone who does not speak
Spanish because language is such an intrinsic
part of culture.
My study abroad experience has made
this world both smaller and larger for me.
Seeng places I never thought I would see.
meeting people from places I may never have
heard of. made other worlds real. Coming
face to face with so much “new" humanity
makes the world seem smaller. Then, the
more I learn about different people and places,
the more I realize there is more to learn the
world seems infinite.
WAGA examines racism in TV special
By Aretha Hankinson
In Souls of Black Folk (1903), W. E. B.
Du Bois prophetically stated that “the prob
lem of the Twentieth Century is the problem
of the color line". Eighty-seven years later in
1990, America has yet to come to terms with
divisions and discord in society based solely
on race.
Due to recent events such as the mail
bombings in the south, the Hawkins murder in
New York and the Stuart murder in Boston,
national attention has been placed on race
relations in America. The main thrust of dis
cussion is directed towards whether Blacks
and whites are living next to each other,
visiting each other — in simple terms, do
African-Americans and whites like each other?
Atlanta television station WAGA set out
to examine racial attitudes in the metro area
through a special forum, "Atlanta in Black
and White". Set in the format of a town
meeting, the special consisted of an invited
audience and a panel of guests. The panel
included Spelman professor Dr. Mona Phil
lips, NAACP regional director Earl Shinhol-
ster, Atlanta columnists Jeff Dickerson and
Dick Williams, and former Klan leader David
Dukes.
Through clips prepared by anchors
Brenda Wood and John Marler the audience
was shown a neighborhood in Stone Moun
tain that has taken few steps toward racial
harmony. Elementary age children inter
viewed for the special revealed peer pressure
against socializing across racial lines; real
Acquaintance Rape: A hidden
(continued from page 1)
Students at Black
Colleges are not Immune
The Howard University Hilltop reported
that a vendor previously contracted by several
University organizations was arrested on
November 30, 1989 for the rape of a Howard
freshman in late September. Dwight Bell, 27,
was arrested after the police department’s sex
squad branch gathered statements from sev
eral students who accused Bell of similar
attacks. According to the Hilltop, all of the
victims said the attacks occurred after a date
with Bell. He is suspected of assaulting some
12-15 women on campus.
What about on Spelman's campus?
According to Rosemary Allwood, interim
director of a counseling service at Spelman,
few students come to the counselling center
with reports of rape. She says this does not
mean that only a few people have had this
experience. “Women are reluctant to report
this kind of crime because they are ashamed
or embarrassed. They blame themselves and
don't tell anyone because they feel like they
have done something wrong."
Ms. Allwood gives some advice for stu
dents who have undergone this traumatic
experience. "Talk to someone you can trust.
Go to the counselling center or to a rape
support group." She admits that this advice
may be difficult to follow because many rape
victims have difficulty trusting anyone enough
to tell their stories. Furthermore, she urges
them to go to the hospital for a physical
examination, which allows them to be treated
for any injuries and tested for any sexually
transmitted diseases. Also, once the victim
has undergone the examination, there is a
record of the assault.
Friends of the victim should be aware of
the effects of rape.
* Many victims blame themselves.
estate brokers explained the "white flight"
phenomenon in racially mixed neighborhoods.
All in a city “too busy to hate." and where,
according to Dick Williams, "race relations,
historically, are better than they've ever been."
Dr. Phillips was careful not to fall into the
trap of focusing simply on the surface issue of
interracial relationships, and instead chose to
bring attention to the systems that encourage
and promote racial strife. At that point Lou
isiana Senator Dukes blasted the panel as
“liberal hypocrites", engaged in a shouting
match with Shinholster, and demanded equal
ity for white people —all in a successful effort
to redirect discussion of institutionalized
racism.
I sat in the audience of "Atlanta in Black
andWhite,” annoyed with what was going on
around me. In one corner Dukes was garner
ing too much attention for his educated big
otry, and in the other Dr. Phillips was rele
gated to talking to herself about issues the
general public is unwilling to face. Host and
WAGA anchor Brenda Wood stated that she
knew no solutions would be found in a one
hour show, she just wanted to "spark conver
sation". Talking about the issue is good, but
when are we going to stop talking and start
acting? We need to realize the more we talk
about what is wrong, and not look for solu
tions, specials like “Atlanta in Black and
White" will be with us into the twenty-first
century.
epidemic on many campuses
Friends should try to remind the victim that
she is a “good person to whom something bad
has happened."
* She may have trouble trusting anyone,
even close friends. These is because she no
longer considers herself to be a good judge
of character.
* She will have considerable difficulty
being comfortable dating.
* She may have fear of going out alone.
* She may have trouble relating to sexual
partners.
If it happens to you
Victims of rape should realize that the
only way to deal with the trauma and pain
which comes as a result of rape is to see a
counsellor or to join a rape support group. "If
you are uncomfortable with group therapy,
you may come for individual counselling."
stresses Ms. Alwood.
She also acknowledges many people’s
reluctance to seek a psychologist. She asserts
that “it is a sign of strength to seek help, not a
sign of weakness." She says that seeking
counselling is analogous to seeing a dentist.
"When you have a toothache, the time comes
when you realize that home remedies just
aren’t working. At this point, you rush to a
dentist without any hesitation. Well, some
times you have a problem and after weeks of
trying to work it out, you still feel pain or
stress. Then it's time to get some help.
The Counselling Center is located in
McVicar Infirmary. The number is 681 -1322
or 681-3643. ext. 496. If you need help, just
call. Someone will probably be able to talk
with you immediately. If not. you can make
an appointment. Remember, the counsellors
are here to help you.