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P-8
October 5, 2010
The S pelman —
SPOTLIGHT
lUillii ii i
Volume 47,
The Voice of African-American Womanhood Since 1957
Issue 4
This Mecca is not for Muslims
Laini A. Davis
Staff Writer
September 11, was supposed to be a
commemorative day for Atlanta’s Muslim
community, as it marked the end of the Islamic
holy month of Ramadan. Two Muslim music
promoters, Morehouse alumnus Basheer Jones
and partner Nardin Jihad, planned to host a
concert at The Fox Theatre to celebrate the
end of the fasting period, but were turned
down by the popular venue due to their
religious affiliation. What was meant to be
an opportunity to put on an event to inspire
the youth, turned into another example of this
group’s battle for basic civil rights.
Since 9/11, Muslim Americans have dealt
with an onslaught of prejudices and consistent
harassment; in the workplace, in train stations,
and of course - in airports. After the incidents
that occurred on that horrific day nine years
ago, Muslim Americans across the country
relinquished their basic rights in the name
of the protection of the greater population.
If asked to be searched by authorities, these
citizens are forced to comply - or risk being
treated as a terrorists.
So, here we are, nine years later, and the “land
of the free” still fails to provide the freedom
promised to all. America has developed such
a collective hatred toward Muslims that no
one thinks twice about denying this group the
right to celebrate in a private venue. While the
Fox Theatre argues that a scheduling conflict
is the real reason why Jones and Jihad could
not host their event on September 11, the two
are not convinced and have filed a lawsuit in a
state court in Atlanta.
A Job to Die For
Faith Porter
Staff Writer
Firefighters, police officers and soldiers
risk their lives everyday in order to provide
a service to their communities. While the
hazards associated with being a journalist are
less commonly thought about, they are just
as real and deadly. According to the official
website of the International Press Institute,
54 journalists around the globe have lost their
lives since January. Although 4 less journalists
were killed in 2010 that 2009, this number
is still disheartening. The IPI, a global
organization dedicated to protecting free press,
calculated that casualties in the Americas
contributed most to this “Death Watch,” with
20 reported journalist deaths. Asia was named
the second most deadly region for journalists,
with six killed in Pakistan, three killed in the
Unfortunately, when one considers the
events that have taken place over the past
few months; plans to burn the Qur’an, rallies
against the building of a Mosque and Muslim
center near the remains of the World Trade
Center. It is hard to believe that the Fox
Theatre rejected this event due to a scheduling
conflict.
Jessica Dinac, a junior, understands why
some Americans believe it is unjust to expect
society to immediately accept a group of
individuals who had a devastating impact on
Americans all over.
“You don’t want to discriminate, but people
don’t want to let their guards down,” Dinac
said.
Making my way through Atlanta’s airport
security on my trip home for summer break,
a young Muslim behind me in line, about
17 years old, was removed from the line and
taken into a private room for a full body pat
down. We both had one too many overstuffed
bags, but our religious beliefs and ethnicity
separated us, and the actions of individuals
almost a decade ago - to whom she most likely
has no relation whatsoever.
While the reasons behind these cautions
are fully understood, no one wishes to relive
the horrors of 9/11. Perhaps, it is too much
to ask Americans to simply allow Muslims to
reenter this society on a leveled playing field.
That purpose being to provide equality all
across the board? So what message is America
sending to its citizens when it fails to practice
what it preaches?
It appears that, America is gradually closing
its doors on more people - moving further
and further away from the model it originally
Philippines, two killed in Afghanistan, and
several other deaths documented in Thailand,
Indonesia, Japan and India.
The death of these innocent journalists, all
of whom were simply attempting to report
the truth, posed an important question: Why
were their lives lost? Alison Bethel McKenzie,
interim director of the IPI, made the following
statement at an IPI meeting in Vienna:
“Journalists continue to systematically lose
their lives to conflict, militants, paid thugs,
governments, drug dealers, corrupt politicians,
unscrupulous security officers, and others.” In
most cases, the more war or violence in the
area, the greater the chances that a journalist
will be killed in his/her efforts.
One such example is the slaying of Luis
Carlos Santiago, a Mexican photojournalsit
and the wounding of his colleague, Carlos
Manuel Sanchez in Ciudad Juarez. According
The Fox Theatre, based in the heart of midtown Atlanta, is architecturally influenced by great mosques of the
world. Yet, rejected a Muslim event supposedly due to “scheduling conflicts.”
provided as the ideal home for all individuals;
regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic
background. When the Fox Theatre closed its
doors to Jones and Jihad, it only contributed to
perpetuating the hatred some Americans have
towards Muslims. It starts with one venue, and
it catches fire until all the venues in the city,
every city in the state and every state in the
country has a closed door policy. If we’re lucky,
this won’t be the case, but it is our job to ensure
that every citizen in America is treated fairly.
to Globe Newswire, Santiago was shot and
killed on Thursday, September 16 in a mall
parking lot. Santiago and Sanchez had just left
a photography workshop and were on their
lunch break. While the shooters’ identities and
the exact motive for the crime remain unknown,
it appears that the two journalists (both of the
daily paper El Diario) were targeted as part
of an “ongoing wave of violence,” started and
perpetuated by rival drug cartels. These acts
of violence have plagued the city since 2008,
the year in which the first journalist was slain
in Juarez. According to the Committee to
Protect Journalists, an excess of 30 journalists
have been killed or disappeared in Mexico
since 2006.
Such chilling statistics pose a second
question: What is being done to help? One
form of aid is the IPI’s “Justice Denied”
campaign. This crusade seeks to tell the stories
of journalists who have been killed, injured, or
wrongly imprisoned simply for doing their jobs.
“Justice Denied” ensures that the public
and key decision-makers stay continually
informed about the cases of such journalists.
It also pushes decision-makers at all levels of
government to act on behalf of the journalists,
and provides support for their family and
friends.This campaign also charges individuals
to act by publicizing cases through his/her
own media outlet, speaking out against the
wrongful imprisonment, injury or death of
journalists, and donating to the campaign.
MARTA Money Problems Affect Our Wallets
Morgan Clark
Staff Writer
On Sunday, Oct. 3, MARTA increased
their prices, and reduced bus and rail routes
on Sept. 25 in order to make up for a $69.34
million budget deficit for the 2010-2011 fiscal
year. MARTA increased the cost of most of
their day passes. A one way ticket will still cost
$2.00 and a one day pass will remain $8.00.
However, 2,3,4,7, 30 day and mobility passes
rates increased.
MARTA has also enacted a 10.2% reduction
in bus service and a 14.2% reduction in rail
service. Out of the 131 routes that MARTA are
currently operating, only 91 will remain active.
MARTA is even eliminating 734 positions
and laying off a minimum of 300 employees.
All of this translates into even longer waiting
times and lower customer service for those
who ride the MARTA. Davida Pete, a student
at Spelman, says, “Yes, I will be doing a lot less
traveling on the MARTA,” when asked if this
increase in fare price and time waiting for the
bus will affect her traveling. However, often
times it turns out that MARTA is the easiest
or only way to commute to campus. Our AUC
shuttle is great, but it only goes so far. Taxis are
also a viable option for students, but they can
be pricey, especially if you want to go a long
distance. They also aren’t as useful if you are
going out with a large group of friends.
Yet, even with these increases and cuts, it
seems that Marta is hemorrhaging money
needlessly. 57 Marta laptops have seemingly
disappeared, out of an original 316 and the
two employees who were supposed to be
overseeing them were fired. They are valued
at $55,000 dollars at used value and $127,000
at new value. This summer Marta was forced
to pay a $79,000 fine to the state because their
vehicles went thru the G.A. 400 Cruise Card
lane without paying the toll. While the total
amount for regualar sized vehicles that went
through the toll without paying only added
up to $2,600 this year. The assistant to CEO
Beverly Scott was fired in August due to
alleged abuse of her MARTA issued company
credit card. So all together, MARTA lost about
$134,000 worth of money that could have
contributed to decreasing the deficit. This lack
of oversight and continued loss of money is
coming out of the pockets of the customer.
On the other hand, Monae White, a
student at Spelman says that “I think that
it is an understandable action considering
their current position,” in response to
MARTA increasing the cost of passes
and cutting off services and routes.
Harold Buckley, MARTA board member
said, “I would say that 99.9 percent of our
assets, I can absolutely unquestionably say that
we can know where they are, we have control
over those things.” Yet, the 1 percent of their
assets that they can’t find cost them $134,000.
With all these fare increases, who will be able
to afford MARTA in the long run?
marta's ,
price changes
2 Day Pass
S11.00
3 Day Pa s '
$13.00
4 I) y Pa -
SI 5.00
efficnvc 0a
7 !) . Pi: -
$17.00
:«rr . 2 .'
Mo.ml.7y
$68,00
Mobilitv
$115.00
for more information visit:
itsmarta.com
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