Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / March 25, 1991, edition 1 / Page 9
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Point After Touchdown By Chris L. Brown Double TANdards A couple of weeks ago, I humbly left thispocketof the world that some call Blue Heaven for a cross-continental journey, my end destination being sunny, fimny, gunny (if you drive on the free way) Los Angeles, Califoniia. You know, they put Nmth Carolina to shame culturally, but that’s an other column. I’m here to ask you onequestion: Whath^4>pened?To the people here, that is. Upon ar riving back on campus, I was shocked and amazed to see people, to be more specific, our peers of lighter hues and largCT wallets (OK, closer to shriveling up and dying from skin cancer — you get the picture. Allow me: “OhmyGOSH, Mel, you, like, kx)k like a golden brown muffin hotoutof the oven!” “Like, thanks, but like, Molly, you are the Cqqjertone cover girl fw July!! Whae’d you vacate to?” “Cancun. Like, my parents de cided not to splurge on me this year. And you?” “Bahamas. It was, like, the beach to for! Hunks galore!” ... And aftCT I recovered from my sudden rush of nausea, I real ized that something strange was & Entertainment that’s not fair) who looked as if the sun itself bounced down in the middle of the basketball court and baked any Non-Black for miles and miles! Tans! Every freaking where I look, tans! I have never understood this phenomenon, and let me explain why. I have often eavesdropped on tanversations: that is, comparison of skin hues, who’s daricer, who’s going on. Let me get this straight. I always thought Public Enemy’s Chuck D captured it best when he said, “If you’re light, you’re al right, brotha you stay back.” I mean, look at, generally speaking, who is more easily accepted in the white community: Asians, Span ish,, French, basically anyone whose skin tone difference is not clearly of African origin (unless you wear a jersey or hold a musical microphone—OK, that’s not fair, either). Yet, it seems that the Na tional White Pastime is getting as dark as possible ! That’s no lie. If they looked at it on a closer scale, the ease at which people tan should tell them something. What’s different about the climate of Afri can nations? Closer to the equator, maybe? More sun, maybe? Darker generational pigments, maybe? Suggesting that our differences are truly based on those differences skin deep, maybe? And that as easy as a switch of climate zones, they could be using a substance called Afro-Sheen, maybe? I’m sorry, I lost it — asking people think on a level that deqp—where do I think I am, a university or something? Solution time! It was hard coming up with this one, ‘cause I didn’t think brothas and sistas would be too hype about putting on beachwear and invading Con nor Beach during SpringfesL Most definitely out of the question is doing “opposite tans”: whenever someone near you compares how dark their tans are, grabbing the Bilal By Lem Butler 4 (WMec-orr.' closest AfAm and comparing who’s lighter (Yow! A touchy subject in the black community.. . let me drop this hot coal!). But, there is one thing. . . drum ma chine pump, please. . . entering contests. Tan contests. That’s right, because if the idea is lo get dark, who do you think has the best and most pure dark hues in the world? Cathy Ireland is tan, but she wouldn’t stand an Ice Cube’s chance if we kicked Whoopi Gold berg in that mugg! I’m serious. Have you ever seen n announce ment for a tan contest that said “For Whites Only” (you better not have)? 1, personally, am going on my Brotha Tan tour this summer, hitting Myrtle Beach, Daytona Beach, Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks. Whew! I should be a rich brotha after that. And that’s my plan. Author’s Note: A Hearty CONGRATS and Heartfelt Dap Slap to Erika Campbell and Gai Wright for breaking the old record ofBlackInk Issues in one year, 18, with this issue! Mmm, mmm, mmm! Y’all gon’ make me git up an’ DANCE! There Is No Beauty In Ignorance. A Fashion Show to Benefit AIDS Perry Ellis, HaUton, Willie Smith and Patrick Kelly have all shaped the fashion consciousness of the world. And they all died of AIDS But on Tuesday, March 26, there will be an extravagant yet educational fashion show to commemorate these designers and others in the Union's Great Hall at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students, $5 for the public and are available at the Union Desk. Presented by: The Carolina Union Special Projects Committee and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in conjunction with the Carolina Union Current Issues Committee. S&B Discount Beauty Supply We have a large selection of hair care products 304-BEast Main St. Carrboro,NC 932-3070 Open Monday-Saturday, 10:00a. m. -6:00p. m. 2 ST vr 2 n
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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March 25, 1991, edition 1
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