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THE BLACK INK
March, 1973
•MowoiTTwromr
Get Together
By Relating
If 1 have had a main point to make as an editor this year, it has
been the need for communication among Blacks. We have got to
know and relate where we are coming from. It seems to me this is
essential to our liberation struggle.
I have watched with fluctuating anger, apathy, frustration,
pity and empathy UNC’s Black population. I have alternately
discussed, thought about, and dismissed the behaviors, attitudes
and habits of the constituents.
My own behavior, attitudes and habits have fluctuated
sometimes in opposition, but all too often in resignation to the
masses of our collective.
It seems logical to me that my feelings may reflect those of
many of you-Central Committee members, others in positions of
responsibility, and members of the BSM at large. We all from time
to time talk about the apathy which permeates the Black student
population, and yet we are all from time to time guilty of
numerous counter liberation activities.
The fact is that most of us on this campus do not FEEL
CONSCIOUS oppression; this is understandable in as much as we
have led sheltered lives and because we are victims of an often
subtle and sly oppression. The thing is to make this oppressed
state visible and real for Blacks on this campus as it is for our
fighting brothers and sisters across the nation and world.
(So, brothers and sisters, we here at UNC are all in the same
boat—“leaders” and “followers” alike. We must make an effort to
mutually communicate this reality. To quote Larry Neal, Black
writer, “Black people know how to relate to white people; that
part of the survival kit is cooled out. But us relating to each
other, that’s another thing. We have still to get that together.”
Riot Rimes
No. 82
Yes, white and black are sisters and brothers.
Just ask my mother’s mother’s mother.
I go three centuries of grief
That wants relief,
Raymond Patterson
Lately a lot of shit has been
coming down within the ranks
of the BSM. We had our first try
at elections-and what a sham it
was. The results were invalidated
because of a plentitude of
technicalities which the Central
Committee decided to insist
upon for a change (better now
than later).
It befuddles me how the
Black students—600 strong—fail
to offer enough candidates to fill
all the offices. It is particularly
discomforting to see four
candidates of varying calibre
running for Chairman, and
Vice-Chairman and all other
offices either uncontested or
unpetitioned. Maybe it indicates
something of our
Essay On Toilet Paper
character-bull-headed beyond
belief.
One would also think that
election time would encourage
intense interest, campaigning,
serious discussions, and a display
of Black Student leadership at
its best. Bullshit! We at Carolina
do just the opposite; minimal
interest, maximum controversy
over minor issues for faked
issues, and all-around displayal
of poor low-grade ability to
follow, not lead.
Shit for toilet paper.
To leave elections alone for a
minute, one needs to take a
good look at the functioning of
the BSM at present—the
situation now. Precautionary
note-prepare your nose for full
BLACK INK
Valerie Batts
Editor in Chief
Emma PuUen
Associate Editor
Doris Stith
Managing Editor
Gwen Harvey
Feature Editor
Angela Bryant
News Editor
Leonard Lee
Sports Editor
Ida Dew
Lay-Out Editor
Milton McCoy
Photography Editor
i
Mary Lacewell
Minister of Information
BLACK INK, published monthly by the UNC BLACK
STUDENT MOVEMENT. All unsigned editorials represent
the opinions of the editor. All columns represent only the
opinions of the individual contributors. Letters to the
Editor may be addressed to BLACK INK, 261 8, Carolina
Student Union, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
N.C. 27514.
I
I
attack.
For a start, one should
consider the Central Committee,
especially since it insists on
being in control of everything.
Walk into a meeting, take a seat.
Look and listen closely. Witness
our Chairman haphazardly
proceed down the improvised
agenda. Listen as one hears
snickers, private jokes, or comic
dismissal of this or that point.
Watch as you begin to realize
that this center of all
committees does not in reality
know too well just what is going
on. Listen as you hear some say
“the students on this campus are
so and so,” or “they have worn
out my enthusiasm,” or better
yet “I stUl don’t know exactly
what I am supposed to be
doing!”
Watch how a program gets
put together a week in advance.
Notice how this planning
committee offers up no sound or
effectual policy Statements on
anything. See how a fellow
Black student is asked to appear
to testify as to why Upendo was
opened for Law Day students
without prior consultation or
even notification of the officers.
And he refuses to come, on the
grounds that he has to watch for
election returns in his dorm.
More shit for toilet paper.
Next, dig on our newest
attraction to Black
Carolina—“Black Sounds” on
WCAR. Cut on your radio, and
dig on the brothers flipping
disks, dig on how the sisters
work together to broadcast
Black Sounds News. Everything
beautiful - outasight - until you
realize that all the brothers
emanate from the same
core-that a group called Dog
Phi Dog has instituted itself
behind the turntable, and no
more needs to be said.
One may have been suffering
under the false pretense that the
radio program was designed to
help bring together diversified
segments of the Black student
populace here at Carolina. You
might have thought that
Blackness in all its political,
social, and varied cultural forms
would be projected on the
airways-not just lover egos, love
triangles, and duos, and
singles. . .
More shit for toilet paper.
Now tip on over to Upendo
and take a look around.
Hmmm-like what do you see
lay-out-wise? Why are the chairs
stiU in such a disarray-choir
practice was held two days ago.
Take a look at how efficiently
the Upendo workers don’t do
their job.
Say that the place is supposed
to be opened at 3:00 in the
afternoon. That’s funny, seems
like that’s never the case. Say
what?—You came by at 7; 15
and the place was just opening
up? Mop the floors, remove the
chairs, help set up a meeting.
But, where are the workers?
Better yet, WHO are the
workers, how do you get these
jobs, when and where do you
apply for them? Hmmm-good
questions, but mute points as
one realizes that these jobs were
given out long ago to those who
knew about it-and they,
unfortunately, were of a small’
clientele.
Shit and more shit for todet
paper.
Now 1 hate to complain and
criticize all the time, but some
things demand to be talked
about. I mean, after all, we of
the BSM should/must be about
building a broad base of Black
solidiarity here on campus. It
irks the Hell out of me to see
people disdain the BSM because
of clique orientations and
animosities. Its time we, as Black
students on this campus, began
building up a strong Black
Student Movement—a solid
edifice upon which no white
disease can prevail. We must
begin to provide a sense of
direction and power in relation
to the realities of Black life at
Carolina and the immediate
surrounding community. Its
time that all our leadership and
followship potential, as well, be
put to task to make the BSM
what it should be—first among
campus organizations.
We are a voice to be heard
and articulated at UNC. We
should begin to instill such
values as Black selfconfidence
and respect for one another. We
need to become challengers of
the unknown and the untried.
We need to MOVE aU over this
campus—bringing back to it the
life and vitality it once had.
And, above all, we need to
discipline ourselves to the art of
surviving and prospering and
transforming those around
us-particularly whites.
All the old shitty toilet sheets
of the present BSM need to be
flushed out. The new leadership
must be broader-minded ini
scope and projections. We, as
Black students, should expect no
less from ourselves—the future is
ours, if we wish to take it. As
Garvey once said
“ARISE YOU MIGHTY
RACE AND ACCOMPLISH
WHAT YOU WILL!”
Larry Mixon