Black Ink
Asa Bell
Asa Bell stated that in order to carry
on Martin Luther King’s leagacy, blacks
need to remember what King stood for
and what the civil rights movement was
all about.
“There’s a lot of apathy around here
and we’ve seemed to have forgotten
where we’ve come from,” Bell said.
Bell, 21, is a senior political science
major from Wadesboro, NC. He is a
member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity,
Soident Government Executive Assistant,
and an emergency medical technician for
South Orange Rescue Squad.
Much of what King was up against
still exists, he said.
“We need to tackle these problems
head on,” said Bell.
With minority recruitment, Bell said
the administration did not do all it could
have.
“Now that the consent decree is over.
there is no one except black students on
campus who will be concerned about
recruitment, ” he said.
According to Bell, if apathy persists
on campus, the interests and concerns of
black students will be “pushed under the
rug.”
It is important that issues do not go
unnoticed and untackled, said Bell. “If we
are to stay here, then attitudes will have
to be such,” he said. “We will have to
let the administration know that we will
not settle for non-existence here. We will
not let a 7.9 percent population dwindle
down to 1 or 2 percent,” Bell said.
Bell said that he hopes more blacks
will participate in Student Government.
Civil rights go hand-in-hand with politcial
participation, he said.
“UNC’s future for black students can
be bright if we make it bright,” Bell said.
“But we cannot let this apathy persist.”
(photo by Reubena Whitted)
Cassandra Butts
Cassandra Butts is a 21 year old
senior political science major from
Brooklyn, New York. She is a student
government executive assistant, a member
ot the UNC Anti-Apartheid Support
Group, and committee chairperson of the
newly formed Black Women United.
“One of my favorite quotes is King's
’An injustice anywhere is an injustice
everywhere' ”, said Butts. Butts said she
believes that we should strive for civil
rights internationally, as well as on our
own campus.
■'It is important that we look abroad,
just as King did,” she said.
The abuses of human rights go on all
over the world, said Butts. On many oc
casions, King spoke out against Vietnam
and Apartheid, she said.
"We have to look not only in our own
backyard, but across the fence also,”
Butts said.
Upperclassmen should strive to make
UNC a better environment for blacks, ac
cording to Butts.
“Coming in as a freshman can be
very intimidating,” she said.
Butts saidf she believes that the
university should still be concerned with
black enrollment.
She suggested that the university look
for the resons why UNC does not attract
more black students. She said that the
university should also strive to improve
the situation of the blacks on campus now.
“Getting us here is one thing; keep-
inn us here is another , she said.
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(photo by Rcuheita Whiticdj