Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Oct. 29, 1985, edition 1 / Page 2
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October 29. 1985 Black Ink 2 IN PERSPECTIVE by Marjorie Roach Assistant Editor Now, more than ever, security is a major issue on college campuses. The scandals of the infamous Percy Moorman and Chris Washburn of North Carolina State Univer sity set University officials in motion to tighten up security. Thus, stricter visitation policies v/ere added in response to the ever-growing security concern. As it stands now, in three N.C. State dorms visitation is allowed for only those in vited by the resident, who must identify and sign in the person. Overnight guests are permitted only if they are registered by the resident by 9 p m. The rules apply to members of both sexes. Here at UNC, extra precautions for security have also been taken. Dorms have tightened up their visitation policies. New additions to the policies include signing overnight guests in, restricting guests of residents of the opposite sex from entering the dorms after 1 a.m. on week days and 2 a.m. on weekends, locking doors at 10 p.m. on North Campus, and installment of new security doors. Although some students may grumble about the new restrictions, most feel they are necessary. The murder of Sharon Stewart, a UNC graduate student, shook up the University and opened everybody’s eyes to a tragedy that could happen to anyone. Not only have the dorms added extra security precautions, but campus security has improved as well. There are plans for further improvement in the near future. There is no need for women to walk alone on campus since Rape Escort service has been extended to South Campus. The number to call for assistance is 93.S-7602. There has been some progress made to improve lighting on areas of campus that need it. Recently, lighting was approved for the area between Frat Court and Granville South. The Campus Governing Council sent out questionnaires to students to assess the need for more security. As a result, a special committee headed by Jimmy Green and Wyatt Closs formed a Campus Watch project. The purpose of this project is to get students to take more initiative for protecting themselves. Police officer Ned Comar is scheduled to talk to different Residence Areas on important security pointers. Although measures have been taken to secure all University students, we must remember that security begins with the individual. It is up to us to take precautions to ensure our own safety because it is — “Better safe than sorry.” VIEWPOINT I know, we’ve got so damned much going on at this university, we don’t really need something else to occupy our time. God knows, even as I write this, I wonder how I'm making time for it. And then 1 realize, it’s because 1 care. And I want everybody else to care, too. Half a world away. South African blacks, a group that makes up almost seventy- five percent of that country’s population, are being suppressed, oppressed, and even killed by order of the whites who control the apartheid system. These whites con stitute a mere sixteen percent of the population. None of this touches us. I know no people, save a couple of South African exiles in Orange County, who even know anybody in that country. So logically, it has no bearing on our lives. Or does it? Less than thirty years ago, our fathers and mothers fought to escape the stigma of “lim Crow ” and “separate but equal.” No one I know denies that this has got to be some of the biggest BS ever. Imagine then, how your average South African black feels when he realizes that he isn’t even entitled to the “equal” portion of that doc trine. The white minority owns over eighty percent of the land in South Africa, com pared with less than twenty percent owned by the blacks (most of which, by the way. is wasteland and prairie). The white youths enjoy state-financed education, amon^ the best in the world, while the blacks must pay for theirs, often using third- rate hand-me-down materials. Blacks in South Africa have no right to vote, so they have no representation, and no voice in their futures. And even if a black is lucky enough to get a job, he can only expect to make somewhere between ten and twelve percent of what the average white worker makes. However, all this shows is that conditions in South Africa are at best, bad; at worst, unspeakable for the black population, The question arises, “So what? What has that got to do with me?” My answer is, absolutely nothing. Your coming to our rally last Friday, or making our meetings, or participating in our teach-ins does little for the overall picture in South Africa. Nonetheless, by working with the UNC Anti- Apartheid Support Group, or any organization dedicated towards trying to help end this racist regime, you might possibly make a difference. The goals of the UNC Anti- Apartheid Support Group include helping the university recognize that it would be better for all involved parties if they divested all of their holdings in South Africa. This action could do much to influence the businesses in the Chapel Hill/Research Trianle area to also divest. If Raleigh, our state capital, pulls out, who s to say that won’t be an example to the state, and then . . . well, I can get carried away sometimes. The point I’m trying to make is this: No man is an island. Likewise, no man is a mountain, so we need everybody’s support and aid to make a legitimate case for our opposition to apartheid. 1 would hope that everyone feels great rage and indignation that somewhere, anywhere, people are having their rights denied, that they are degraded, beaten, even killed, simply on account of their race — enough rage so that, even if one cannot devote the time to work directly with the group, that he will stay aware of developments here, in Washington, and in South Africa. To be truly strong, we need everyone’s help. Eric V. “Wacko” Walker UNC Anti-Apartheid Support Group 414 Ehringhaus FROM THE MAILBOX How many times have 1 heard black people on this campus say, “You’ll never make the cheerleading squad here because you’re black,” or, “They have their quota of blacks on the cheerleading squad, so you (a black candidiate) won’t make the squad”? 1 think these accusations have been made one time too many, yet there is no hard evidence to prove them. Well, the time has come for someone who has ex perienced being on the cheerleading squad to speak up! Sure, there have been many cases where a less talented white candidate has been chosen for a position on the cheerleading squad over a more talented black candidate. I’ve seen this happen a number of times and I’m almost certain that my judgment is just as good, if not better, than those who judged. With seven years of cheerleading experience, three of which are under the professional supervision of the National Cheerleaders Association of Dallas, Texas, I honestly feel that some talented black cheerleaders should have made the squad here at UNC before some of the white can didates who were chosen instead. I alone cannot change the way the system is here, but I can give you some obvious reasons why this has been happening. I would also like to add that unfair selection happens to white candidates, though more blacks have been victims. As 1 have observed and participated in cheerleading tryouts for the past three years, I am not certain that some candidates have been chosen for reasons related to the judging criteria. In some cases the judges knew some individuals who were trying out. Whether this has a bearing on a candidate’s selection, I will leave up to the general public who attend tryouts each year to decide. Personally, 1 feel that a graduating varsity cheerleader, no matter how qualified, should not be allowed to judge varsity cheerleading tryouts because they have cheered with some of the can didates. And who is to say that favoritism does not play a role here? There have been cases where less talented girls have made the squad over more talented girls because they weighed less, which is ridiculous. Last year I felt that judging cheerleading tryouts was not up to par, and in all honesty, I think this year’s varsity squad was chosen on talent, though 1 really do not think this was the case with J.V. selections. Two girls, one white and one black, should have made the squad but did not. One ex cuse I was given by one of the judges was that one candidate needed to cut her hair another way and change her appearance; appearance only counted for 5 percent of the total number. The other girl was ranked in the top five after the first round of cuts and her final tryout was even better than her first. Yet, for some reason she did not make the squad. Might 1 add, she was the black candidate. I am offering a solution to anyone who feels they have been treated unjustly at cheerleading tryouts. For one, contact the head judge to find out what your score was and in what areas you are weak. If you feel that you were strong in an area where they said that you were weak, ask questions. Next, I offer a solution that in volves me. Ask for help! I am still the same black person I was when I made the cheerleading squad three years ago. I am sure that any of the black cheerleaders are very willing to help you if you are honestly interested in cheering. So when tryout time rolls around again, ask for help! That way you can have a cheerleading tryout that is unquestionable. Finally, be so good that they can’t tell you, “Sorry, better luck next year.” Quentin Alexander
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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