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April 29. I98j
The Compass
Letters
Opinion
Page
^ L L. "
April apathy
Only 590 of ECSU’s 1590 students turned out to
vote in the April 21 election.
The low voter turn-out comes at a time when ECSU is
becoming more politically involved in the community it
serves. Not only are three ECSU employees seeking
public office, but the voter registration drives led by the
newly formed Students for Jesse Jackson, have re
sulted in more than 500 new registered voters.
The right to vote is a precious freedom, a freedom
enjoyed by a relatively small minority of the world’s
population. And it is vitally important that people exer
cise that right, even in a campus election.
ECSU’s lower voter turn-out sends a disturbing mes-
sage-that a large number of students are apathetic to
the entire process of student government.
SGA’s new elected officials have called for more stu
dent involvement in campus government and activ
ities. We commend them for their intentions, and will
support their efforts. But the elected leaders can only
do so much; the rest is up to ECSU’s students.
The Student Government President represents the
students to the administration, the faculty, the Board of
Trustees, Board of Governors and students from other
schools. And the SGA President has broad powers over
legislation, money matters, and appointments. It is the
SGA President’s responsibility, for example, to appoint
members of the student court, and to appoint the stu
dent court’s attorney general.
The elected officials of SGA-including the Vice-Pres
ident, Secretary and Treasurer--are committing their
time, energy and talents on behalf of the students and
the University. And even if students don’t want to get
involved in the day-to-day activities of government, the
very least they can do, is exercise their right to choose
the individuals who will represent them.
In his speech to ECSU during the Black History
Month Assembly, Jonathan Jackson told ECSU stu
dents, “You are in the priviledged seats. The real chal
lenge is what you will do, and what you are doing,”
Jackson continued. “I challenge you to fulfill the work
of generations that have died to help make your oppor
tunities possible.”
The opportunity to vote is the lifesblood of a free so
ciety.
This is a statement that bears repeating-especially
to the 1,000 students who were too busy, or too indiffer
ent, to exercise their right to vote April 21.
V*0 *T*E
The Staff
Editor Robin Sawyer
Photography Director Richard Mclntire
Photographers Tanya Kenyon
Richard Mclntire
Leamon Pearce
Graphics Consultant Diane Patterson
Staff Writers Pam Brown
Lavette Washington-Bias
Deborah Carr
^ Lynne Chapman
Shawn Everett
Dwayne Collins
Monique Thomas
Tracy Godbold
Beverly Johnson
The Compass welcomes letters to the editor. Jeanne Leigh
Please send letters to Box 815, Elizabeth City Travis Manuel
State University, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. Becky Overton
The Compass has been published by ECSU students Robin Pincus
since 1959 under the Department of Language, Nancy Porter
Literature and Communication. Dr. Anne Henderson, Sylvia Purvis
Chairperson. Faculty advisor: Stephen March. Johnny Reid
Mike Whitehurst
Hazing column:Readers react
Carter unfair
to Greeks, says
sorority member
To The Editor:
Martin Carter’s article in the
last issue of The Compass advis
ing freshmen to consider the
abuses of hazing before pledging,
was not only misleading, it also
accused all campus Greeks of
abusive hazing practices. As a
member of a Greek organiation
for the past three years, I want to
clarify several points.
First, although several Greek
organizations have been reported
in the past for abusive hazing
practices, these have not been as
frequently-or as abusively as
broken arms, legs, and ribs-- as
Mr. Carter suggested. Campus
Greeks have usually conducted a
disciplined pledging process,
whereas the pledgee must be
willing to submit his time and en
ergy to learn the facts and his
tory of the organization, as well
as perform service projects for
the community. In his article,
Mr. Carter seems to be advising
Greeks of their responsibilites
and duties, when we already
know our responsibility as cam
pus leaders, especially with re
gard to hazing.
We know we have a responsibil
ity to bur Greek organization that
condemns hazing practic es; to
our University that has a dicipli-
nary policy against hazing; and
to the State of North Carolina,
that has enacted a state law mak
ing hazing a crime punishable by
law.
As Greeks, we realize if we
don’t live up to these responsibili
ties we will have to face the con
sequences of suspension that will
ban the pledging process alto
gether.
Greeks try to demonstrate a re
sponsible leadership during the
pledging period, and during the
entire year. I have talked with
many freshmen who have heard
the exaggerated claims of
hazing, like Mr. Carter has
heard, but I advise them to learn
more about the Greek organiza
tions, by attending Rushes and
Smokers, and by talking to the
members individually.
Secondly, I think Mr. Carter’s
comment that Greeks do little or
nothing to maintain a true broth
erhood and sisterhood was un
fair. On the whole, Greeks have a
close-knit relationship, more so
than the Greeks at neighboring
campuses. And as far as main
taining a true sisterhood and
brotherhood in our individual
Greek organization, there is, and
always will be, a special bond be
tween its members. Therefore,
Mr. Carter should not comment
on what he knows nothing about.
It is hard for Greeks to keep up
a positive image when articles
such as Mr. Carter’s, focus on the
negative aspects. ECSU Greeks
have performed many service
projects for the commimity, such
as collecting food, assisting and
entertaining at nursing homes
and hospitals, working at Albe
marle Hope Line for Battered
Women and Children, and assist
ing in national programs such as
the Red Cross and the Salvation
Army.
ECSU’s administration has
given us the platform we need to
continue to foster responsible
leadership without being closely
monitored, or subjected to strict
limitations, and the Greeks hope
to continue to wolrk hard and to
strive to be the best yotmg cam
pus leaders as they can be.
LaGina 0. Frink
member of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority.
ECSU, stand up
to abuse, says
Greek advisor
To The Editor:
Your article on hazing was read
with great interest. As graduate
advisor to Delta Chapter of Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority (along
with Ms. Myrtle Johnson), I want
you and your readers to know
that I am totally against any
form of hazing. They know that
hazing is not part of the pledging
process and that it is strictly for
bidden. I have made it perfectly
clear that such actions will not be
tolerated. Pledging is not a war
so there should be no casualties.
It is quite unfortunate that
these high incidents of deaths and
mangling of individuals have oc
curred in sororities and fraterni
ties that represent the epitome of
black women and men. It is the
advisor’s responsibility to re
inforce to each undergraduate
chapter the policy on hazing and
the price they must pay should it
occur (suspension, revocation of
charter, etc.) Each national of
fice has made it clear to each un
dergraduate chapter and each
advisor that hazing will not be
tolerated.
Wake up, advisors! Wake up
Panhellenic Council! Wake up,
undergraduates! Wake up, Grad
uate Chapters! This is the dawn
of a new day. If individuals wish
ing to join your particular sorori
ty/fraternity must pay with
blood, then let it be the rushing
blood of a “pumped-up” kid who
has become excited over making
the Chancellor’s List; if he/she
must pay in sweat, let it be sweat
from his brow because he has
toiled long and hard over a diffi
cult class assignment; and if
he/she must pay with tears, let
them be tears of joy, because
he/she has contributed some
thing worthwhile to society, and
can take his or her rightful place
among the ranks of those who
exemplify sisterhood and broth
erhood.
As was stated in the column,
hazing is not just a local prob
lem ; it is a national problem. But
in order to improve on the na
tional level, we have to first clean
up our back yards. Much of what
was stated in Martin Carter’s ar
ticle has indeed occurred on our
campus. It is time for pledgees to
recognize that you don’t have to
take the physical abuse in order
to gain your rightful “respect.”
Nowhere does it state in the
guidelines, procedures or
chapter by-laws that you have to
submit to a “board” or “a foot,”
to gain respect. The mere fact
that you were accepted is respect
enough.
Have respect for yourself,
pledgees; if you don’t, no one else
will.
I truly hope that at this pledge
time each sorority and fraternity
will do their best to make this pe
riod and enjoyable and pleasure
ble time. Pledging is meant to be
a “memory” not a “memorial.”
Jeanetta H. Hicks
Graduate Advisor
Delta Theta Chapter
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc
LETTERS
Letters to the editor must be signed
and include the writer’s address and
telephone number. They may be edi
ted for length, clarity and taste, as
well as for accuracy and grammar.
Because of limited space, not all let
ters can be published. Concise letters
have the best chance for publication.
Send letters toThe Compass, ECSU
Box 815, Elizabeth City, NC 27909.
Guest Columnist
Blacks’ fortunes are intertwined
By Chukundi Salisbury
Guest Columnist
In order to improve the lives of
the Black imderclass, middle
class Blacks must first under
stand that they are bonded to the
Black imderclass in such a way
that neither will truly succeed un-
tU they are unified.
Many members of the Black
middle class feel superior to
poorer Blacks, and they often feel
they have no responsibility for
helping them. These middle-class
Blacks are re-enacting an atti
tude prevalent among certain
Blacks during the days of slav
ery. The favored Blacks who
worked in “the big house” often
felt they were better than the av
erage slave who worked in the
fields from dawn to dusk.
Still other members of today’s
Black middle-class feel a sense of
obligation for their less fortimate
brothers and sisters, but these
successful Blacks give money to
their churches-to be used for
low-income Blacks-instead of do
nating their time and energy.
Giving money is fine, but these
more fortunate Blacks should
also socialize with poorer blacks
at churches and community fimc-
tions, in order to achieve a
deeper level of understanding of
their problems. This will also
help cement the emotional bonds
between the two classes. By
learning to understand and re
spect the problems of the Black
underclass, middle-class Blacks
will be better equiped to help
them overcome their problems.
These problems include crime,
drugs, poverty, broken homes,
and a low-level of self-esteem
among many black youths--a
lack of faith in their ability to pre
vail in the economic mainstream.
To help solve these problems,
the Black middle-class can help
the imderclass organize more
community block watches, and
community awareness commit
tees. The middle-class should
also actively support local orga
nizations, such as the YMCA, the
YWCA and the Girls and Boys’
Clubs of America.
By doing this, the Black mid
dle-class can help get our young
people off the street and into tuto
rial programs, community action
groups, and on recreational
sports teams.
The Black middle-class can
also help by going into low-in-
come communities and volun
teering their time at community
and recreational centers as
coaches, advisors, and assis
tants. They should not think of
this work as charity, but as an
investment in the community.
The Black middle-class has the
financial means, the education.
and the business skills to make
difference in the lives of th
Black underclass. The Blac
middle-class should work in tlf
trenches of the low-income Blad
communities, helping thei
brothers and sisters by offeric
their time and emotional suppor
instead of trying to forget abci
their suffering.
By becoming more involved
the low-income communities, tl
Black middle-class can serve i
positive role models to help W
income blacks believe in th^ii
selves and resist the temptatipi
of drugs and crime.
Since their economic and poli
cal fortunes are intertwined, U
two classes must be united!
their efforts to survive and su
ceed in America. Only by hel[»
others less fortunate, can tl
Black middle-class truly his
themselves.
Viewpoint J-
you think there is an internal prejudice among blacks?
Kenneth Sumter
Patterson, N.J.
“We should look at each
other as who we are, not as
how we want others to be, act
or look. The internal part of a
person is just as important as
the external.”
Loretta Thomas
Plymouth, N.C.
“Yes, because foreigners of
darker skin tones dislike
Black Americans. They re
sent the fact that Blacks in
this country do not seize the
opportunities here, that they
were never even given in
their home countries.”
Dr. C.C. Jones
Director of ECSU’s Honors
Program
“Obviously, there is. It’s
rooted in the human condi
tion. Prejudice is based on
fear and answers the ques
tion that all need to be or feel
superior to others.
Charles Jennings
Goldsboro, N.C.
“Yes, there is. Because y
not only see black and whij
prejudice, but that same af "
tude between lighter
darker skinned blacks.”