The Pilot
Fridd
107
Page A3
Opinions
Handle cultural and color differences with care
I
By Matt Tessnear
matthewtl984@earthlink.net
The difference between
black and white isn’t as big
in Boiling Springs as it is in
Inglewood, Calif. I’m not
talking about crayons or the
shade of an automobile. I’m
referring to race.
Recently, I saw a movie
that makes me think about
race relations, and the prob
lem that those relationships
are causing in our country.
After months of wanting
to see it, I finally got around
to renting “American His
tory X” last week. The 1998
film details the problem of
the growing ethnic diversity
in our country. Edward Nor
ton stars as Derek Vinyard,
a white man popular among
his peers for his “white
power” sentiments and gang
leadership in suburban Los
Angeles.
Vinyard, who leads anti
black and anti-Jewish ral
lies in the Los Angeles area,
gets prison time for shoot
ing two black men who try
to rob his vehicle.
After spending three
years in prison, where he
becomes friends with a
black man, Vinyard leaves
jail with a new outlook on
race relations. He aban
dons the gang activities
and white power rallies that
he had long championed.
He ultimately realizes that
violence is not the answer
when his brother, played by
Edward Furlong, is killed by
a black man in a high school
bathroom.
The film reminds me
of “Crash,” which took the
2005 Academy Award for
best picture. “Crash,” which
also displayed the powerful
problems of ethnic diversi
ty, also took place in the Los
Angeles area.
These films, which por
tray Los Angeles as a place
with a racial battle on every
comer, do not reflect the
racial conflict in our own
community.
1 don’t
know of any
substantial
gang activ
ity in Boil
ing Springs,
but I still
believe ra-
Tessnear hatred
occurs, even
if it’s on a smaller scale.
Take Casar, a town in
northern Cleveland County,
for example. Casar has long
been known for organized
anti-black groups. In terms
of racial hatred, Casar might
be Los Angeles on a smaller
scale, but it’s not the only
problem in this area.
We’ve all been in situ
ations where we’ve seen
someone upset at a person of
a different race, who might
express it using a racial slur.
Slurs are a way of express
ing that irritation. We see it
in line at the grocery store.
We see it in restaurants. We
see it at traffic lights. Usu
ally we shrug such situa
tions off.
I’ve had a tendency to
do the same thing with all
racial issues. I’ve never had
much interest in politics and
the “platform” issues that
public officials discuss.
Honestly, I rarely think
about racial diversity, immi
gration or ethnic differenc
es. When 1 look at someone,
I don’t see a black woman
or a Hispanic man. I notice
personality before 1 notice
color.
I guarantee a lot of you
think my lack of interest in
racial issues is due to me
being Caucasian.
“White people don’t
have to fight like blacks or
Hispanics do,” you might
say.
rd disagree with that
statement. Furthermore,
“American History X” and
“Crash” make me realize
that dealing with racial di
versity is a serious problem
in our country. Sure, both
films are products of Hol
lywood, but they chronicle
the current racial landscape
in this country.
They also make me real
ize that I do have opinions
on such issues.
The United States has
long been a “melting pot” of
different races and cultures.
It’s a cliche to say that peo
ple have moved here from
other countries because this
is “the land of opportunity.”
I believe that’s true;
however, the land of op
portunity seems to apply to
anyone but U.S. natives.
I have no problem with
equality for those who have
been in this country |•tong
periods of time. l^P ra
cial groups in this country
are, indeed, true “natives.”
Even the two races I believe
are still most prominent,
white and black, came from
“across the pond.” Whites
came from Europe and
blacks came from Africa.
These two groups, and
many others ethnic and ra
cial groups, have long been
part of our country. Most
also are here legally. I have
nothing against anyone of
any race who lives in our
country and abides by our
rules and laws.
I do have a problem
with anyone of any race
who comes into our country
illegally and isn’t willing
to speak our language and
obey our laws. That’s where
I draw the line.
So don’t jump on me for
proclaiming my djtf ^ of
a certain group o^Kople.
After all. I'm not Tim Hard
away.
I'm not suggesting that
the government place a
locked fence around this
country, so that no one can
come in and no one can go
out. However, I would like
to see a tighter lock on who
is allowed to live among
us.
For example, anyone
who has been in the area for
two years and \Uen-
tion to the news kn*. who
Scott Gardner is. Gardner
WISDOM ON WHEELS:
March Madness: It’s the most
wonderful month of the year
By Jacob Conley
jacl2U@gardner-webb.edu
There is so much go
ing on in my world these
days, but none of it seems
worthy of an entire column.
Therefore, I’ve decided to
cover a wide range of topics
in hopes that my scattered
thoughts can come together
in a cohesive column.
As usual, my thoughts
revolve around sports.
I was flipping through
the channels the other day
and came across the Atlanta
Braves’ first spring training
game. The announcers made
mention of the team’s new
owners. Liberty Media.
If I’m not mistaken. Lib
erty Media has ties to the
adult film industry. I can’t
double check this because
every time I type “adult
films” into Google, the
GWU firewall kicks in. Oh
well.
It will be interesting to
see what changes the new
owners make. Some people
are worried that this will
negatively affect baseball.
How?
It’s not as if game pro
grams are now going to be
covered in dark plastic and
only sold in a back room.
But just in case they are.
I’ve already got my tickets
for opening day.
The dominant sport in
March is college basketball.
Conley
It’s the most
wonderful
time of the
year. Bas
ketball will
run from
noon until
midnight,
beginning
on Thurs
day with the ACC Tourna
ment, through the end of the
month.
I’m not a doctor, but I
think I’m going to be sick
today with a horrible dis
ease called March Madness.
The prescription is no class,
lots of soft drinks and Little
Debbie’s snacks.
To put in the vernacu
lar of a Visa commercial:
Enough junk food and soft
drinks to give Willy Wonka
a buzz, $25.00. Batteries for
my portable radio to listen to
on bathroom breaks, $6.00.
Missing a day of class, one
point off of my class aver
age. Watching every min
ute of the ACC and NCAA
tournaments, priceless.
Speaking of college bas
ketball, I was so proud of
Gerald Henderson for break
ing Tyler Hansbrough’s
nose.
Because I’ve been play
ing a lot of Mortal Kombat
lately, I yelled “finish him,”
stood and cheered. Then
gravity took over and 1 end
ed up on the floor.
There was nothing more
beautiful to me than that red
blood flowing on that baby
blue floor. I don’t care that
Henderson was suspended.
The incident brought
back memories of Christian
Laettner’s stomp against
Kentucky in the early
1990s.
The elbow showed that
Duke is still Duke and they
will not be pushed around.
On a serious note. I’ve
never been more proud to
be a Bulldog than I was this
week when I saw GjtfT|out-
play and out-hustle KJmont
in every facet of the game.
To see the effort was
Rudyesque. It’s just sad that
the effort was not rewarded
with a victory,
I was also happy for
Chris Gash. He’s had a great
career here at GWU and he
had a large contingent of his
family cheering at his final
game in Tennessee at the
Atlantic Sun Conference
tournament.
Chris also demonstrated
the hustle and never-say-die
attitude. He fouled out of
his final game because he
refused to give up an easy
bucket.
After the game he also
demonstrated class in the
post-game interview in the
midst of extreme disap
pointment.
Chris Gash, th||lyou
for your heart and reader-
ship. You will be missed.
was killed in a car accident
while on vacation, with his
family in Myrtle Beach,
S.C. The man driving the
other car was Hispanic, here
illegally and drunk.
Again, I’m not knocking
on Hispanics specifically,
but he casts a bad light on
Hispanics. The man also
had a previous record of
drunk driving in the United
States.
Why can’t we do some
thing to keep repeat of
fenders from re-entering
our country? In a day of
advanc^ technology, we
shou^^rve the capability
to tra^Kuch people.
Our government needs
to more effectively screen
people coming to live in our
country, and to stop illegal
immigration.
I realize there could be
an argument that I'm pick
ing on Hispanics. Asians,
blacks and whites are con
victed of drunken driving,
manslaughter and other
offenses, too. But most of
them, at least, live here le
gally. That’s the major dif
ference in my eyes.
Accidents like Gardner’s
are a tragedy, regardless of
who is involved. But it up
sets me more when some
one who doesn't even live
here legally breaks our laws
and kills our citizens.
I'm not advocating vio-
lenc|J|jiween races and eth
nic l^ps. 1 also realize it's
almost impossible to expect
complete peace between all
races. However, guns and
fists are not the way to solve
these problems. “American
History X” and “Crash” are
evidence of that.
We also have a respon
sibility, as U.S. citizens, to
calmly approach racial and
ethnic diversity. We’ll never
separate into race-specific
communities. Cultures and
colors will mix in our melt
ing pot, so this issue is never
going away.
Therefore, regardless of
race, we need to be aware
of it and handle it with care,
something not done by char
acters in “American History
X,” and real people on some
streets in our country.
The Pilot
Bob Carey and Nancy-Pat Dire
Faculty Advisors
Matt Tessnear
Editor and Chief
Krystina Sigmon
Designer
Rachel Lloyd and Katie Bryant
Photo Editors
Jared Graf
Sports Editor
Ashley Chatham
All Cunningham
Karl Kakadelis
Staff Writers
Haley Black
Ashley Carter
Kate Gazaway
Kay ley Potter
Rachel Tucker
Staff Photographers
Phone Number: 704-406-3533
P.O. Box 5192
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