The Bennett banner : bulletin of Bennett College for Women. online resource (None) 193?-current, October 13, 1989, Image 2
PAGE TWO
THE BENNETT BANNER
Friday, October 13, 1989
Campus attempts at safety fall short
I would like to commend Bennett for its attempt at improving the campus
security. It is a relief to know that some changes are taking place to upgrade
campus safety.
However, it seems to me that the measures being taken are not very effec
tive in keeping unwanted visitors off the campus. Rather, it seems to me that
they are designed to keep the students on campus.
For example, the fencing in of the campus and parking lots — what is the
purpose? If anyone wants to get on campus for any reason, he is still able to
do so. The fencing around the campus is not high enough to deter anyone from
climbing over it. In fact, a 12-year-old child could probably scale the fence with
no problem.
Also, the gates, located near Cone Hall and the Black Hall parking lot, do
not have locks. Therefore, all anyone who wants to get on campus, has to do, is
open the gate and walk through. If the fencing is supposed to keep outsiders
out, don’t you think it should be high enough and with enough barbed wire at
the top to deter anyone from climbing over?
Now, as for the parking lots, the locked gate really does nothing but lock
students who are coming and going, from getting on or off campus. Anyone
planning to do anything illegal on this campus most likely would not be dumb
enough to park his car on campus for possible identification, anyway. Also, it
would probably not make any difference if the parking lot is locked, since anyone
Democracy: an unjust
Just think . . . Chinese students were willing to stand in Tienamen Square
opposite tanks and armies and be executed for it. The Polish want to use it to
elect officials fairly. Lack of it makes East Germans climb over a wall to West
Germany.
Americans have become world evangelists in order to spread its grace and
glory. What is this thing called a democracy? Just what does it do?
It allows there to exist the new wave of Pan-African Awareness Asse-oops
(Not “Assembyy.” That’s another editorial). People wear their awareness on
their shirts: “It’s a Black thang. You wouldn’t understand.” It’s a human thing;
we all need to understand. It (democracy) allows people to wear red, black and
green medallions dangling from their necks and know little about pass laws,
apartheid, Mansa Musa, Afrikaans, Timbuktu or the Bantu tribe. Somewhere I
hear a movement approaching, and it’s peopled by rebels without a cause or a
pause.
It lets a Supreme Court composed of males (O.K., so there’s one woman) to
sit around a table and come to some justified conclusions about whether or not a
could easily hide in the shadows of this p)oorly-lit campus, and simply walk to
his car parked on a nearby side-street such as Gorrell or Washington Street.
And yes, this is a poorly-lit campus. The areas by Memer Hall, the Annie
Memer Pfeiffer Chapel and between Barge and F^eiffer Halls are very dim at
night. If security is to improve on this campus, extra lighting should be a
priority.
Although I have heard that there are supposed to be new security stations
built at various locations on the campus, it seems to me that they should have
been completed earlier in the summer before the students arrived. I understand
that most of the security changes are a result of the rape incident which oc
curred on campus in July, but I would think that because of the incident, the
improvements in security would have been completed immediately afterwards.
However, it seems as though Bennett has once again waited until the last
minute to do anything.
Nevertheless, I am glad that Bennett is attempting to improve the safety of
its faculty, staff and students. Yet, in order for any new security measures to
work, they must be effective enough to keep unwanted visitors off of the campus,
without restricting the freedom of the students. I understand that changes were
in order, but they should have been well-thought-out in advance, so as not to
waste valuable time and money on fences that are too low and gates which lock
the students in more than they keep anyone out. (Yvette Freeman)
system’s reality?
woman should decide whether or not to have — give birth to — a baby that she
harbors within the confines of her own body.
It permits a New York mob of whites to chase Yusef (Yeah, he was black),
beat him, kill him and escape unpunished.
It approves of a “Mr. President of the United States” saying that there are
no iniustices against blacks but that these so-called injustices were “created” in
an effort to continue the existence of civil rights leaders. Hmm.
It is what makes America act like Wonder Woman . . . always coming to the
rescue of those who have not asked for help and ignoring the cries for help of
those who want and need it. That is our right, though. We’re a democracy.
It supports the prison sentence of a woman who wants to protect her daughter
from a father who molests her.
It is why I can write this and you can read it. Why you can say aloud, if
you’d like, “She’s just trippin’!” But ami?
Just think, what is this thing called a democracy? . . . and where would we
be without it? (Cherryl Floyd)
A masterful author’s “record”
An al
Angelou sings through words
a column
by Cherryl Floyd
She is a songstress, and yet
she does not record her voice
on albums. She is a melody
maker of words; she records
her voice on paper. She is
Maya Angelou.
Angelou is an exquisite
autobiographical writer. As
she reveals the eventful mo
ments of her life, the reader
cannot help but feel that her
life is a song which rings out
the praises of triumph and
overcoming the odds. Her
books, I Know Why The
Caged Bird Sings, Gather
Together In My Name, Sing-
in’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’
Merrif, Like Christmas, The
Heart of a Woman and All
God’s Children Need Travel
ing Shoes reveal that Maya
Angelou did not just happen;
she evolved.
Even her name is indica
tive of her evolution. She was
born Marguerite Johnson, and
that is what she was called
as a young girl growing up
with her grandmother in
Stamps, Ark. Her brother,
Bailey, though, whom she
loved dearly, affectionately
called her Maya. Later, after
she was grown, had a child,
and was singing in San Fran
cisco, at a nightclub called
the “Purple Onion,” a talent
scout and his wife (Don and
Jorie) gave her the name
Angelou (pronounced “An-
geloo”). Don and Jorie’s sug
gestion of the name Angelou
was not entirely original,
though. It was derived from
the name of Marguerite John
son’s first husband, Tosh
Angelos.
Angelou has lived her life
in stages, which is why there
had to be five separate auto
biographies with five differ
ent names rather than one
large volume. In each stage,
she exhibits a strong-willed
innocence, and becomes naive
only in her relationships with
men. Perhaps her naivety is
present because there always
exists her willingness to per
form what she obviously does
best, love unconditionally. She
has triumphed over rape,
poverty, low self-esteem, fear
of lesbianism, prostitution, a
confrontation of African tra^
ditions, male domination and
TTlc^e'nnell^^
Editor-in-chief Yvette N. Freeman
Associate editor Cherryl Floyd
Reporters Miji Bell, Chandra Farrington, Joycelynne Hodges,
Rehan Overton, Erica Salter
Advisers Mr. Michael Gaspeny
Opinions expressed in essays, columns and letters to the editor belong
to their authors, not to the staff of the Banner, whose ideas appear in the
editorials at the top of this page.
Send letters to the editor to Box 2, campus post office. All corres
pondence must bear a handwritten signature and must be acknowledged
by the author. Letters are subject to editing according to newspaper
style and demands of space. No anonymous letters will be published.
by the end of the fifth volume
has learned to love herself
unconditionally.
The autobiography master
is also a poetess extraordi
naire. She has published three
volumes of poetry, which are
sometimes sold in one volume.
These poems are so poignantly
brilliant, so bluntly honest,
that they should be another
volume of her autobiography.
Among these poems is the one
that Bennett College loves so
well, “Phenomenal Woman.”
To simply say that Maya
Angelou is only a autobio
graphical writer and a poet
is to disregard the fact that
she is multi-talented. She is
the actress who starred in
“Cabaret for Freedom” and
“The Blacks.” She is the
musical score and screenplay
writer for “Georgia, Georgia.”
She is the broadcast journa
list who interviewed guests
for “Assignment America”
on the Public Broadcasting
System. She is the producer
and author of “Three-Way
Choice,” a CBS miniseries,
and author of the screenplay,
“The Sisters.”
Speaking of the word
“sisters,” I must assert my
only “personal beef” with
Maya Angelou. In a May 1986
issue of “Essence” magazine,
Angelou stated that she was
offended when a young wom
an on the street about 18
years old approached her and
called her sister. She did not
feel that this 18-year-old
could possibly have enough in
common with her since she
couldn’t have possibly had an
even slightly similar struggle
as Angelou has. My point is
Angelou couldn’t possibly
have known. Recalling the
events of Angelou’s life and
assuming that a common
struggle establishes sister
hood, I’d dare to say that I
am her sister.
Sister or not, though,
Angelou is p»owerful. She is
now the Reynolds Professor
of American Studies at Wake
Forest University. Her life as
it is written is a universal
statement of what is possible
in the realm of the human
soirit and how a woman (I
did not mean “lady”) can
evolve .... because Maya
Angelou did not just happen.
She evolved.
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SUPPORT
BENNEH COLLEGE
SPORTS
n alumna s aavicc
To the editor:
My fellow Bennett Sisters: It
was only a couple of months ago
that I was wearing the same shoes
you are walking in now to that
long and difficult road of success.
There were certainly a lot of rocks
in and under my shoes which hurt
me in many ways, but with deter
mination I conquered the pain the
rocks threw in my direction.
I feel that it is my duty to give
you advice which is important for
your success at Bennett and once
you leave Bennett. The world of
work is not an easy one to adjust
to. It is not like being a freshman
and having to deal with a room
mate and college life in general.
It goes deeper than that. It’s an
adjustment one must make
quickly.
No more hanging out in the
late morning hours, no more skip
ping that 8 or & a.m. class and no
more taking advantage of being a
college student. Once you grad
uate, the day after, your life
chEinges completely. From now on
you will not hold the title college
student, but your new title will
read responsible adult (hopefully).
And it is up to you, to follow
through on your new title. Do not
prove yourself wrong.
I guess what I am truly trying
to say is, make the most of your
four years at Bennett; take ad
vantage of everything. Study long
and hard, but while you study,
retain aU of that information, for
you wiU not know when you wiU
need it again.
Be pleasant, honest £ind, most
of aU, truthful. This wiU get you
through a lot of situations that
may be difficult to overcome. But
most all, enjoy Bennett while you
have the chance.
I am realizing now how much
Bennett means to me now than
When I was attending. I was ready, •
willing and able to get out.
I wish you aU the best of luck
in all of your future endeavors.
Remember study hard and enjoy
yourself.
Love to you all,
Audra N. Washingrton
Class of ’89
