Page 2, October 1,1993
C
Editorials
3
Must Our Heroes Fall?
As I watch the news and the tabloid news shows Hard
Cqpy, Curroit Affair, and Inside Edititm, I notice how mudi
attrition is paid to Afiican-American superstars.
I find it amazing that in some way sh^ or form,
Michael Jackscm and his family show iq) on Mie or two of these
shows every week. Why is there so much attention paid to the
personal lives of him and his family?
When Midiael Jordan and his father’s faces danced all
over foe newsp^rs and television screens for about a month this
summer, I wondered how Michael Jordan and his widowing
mother must have felt It is bad aiou^ to lose someone, but to
have the constant reminders from the media and foe public must
have bear tou^ And when foe media speculated as to whether
his father’s death had anything to do with Mchael’s gambling
debts, everyone looked at Jordan a Me negatively, whether
intentionally or subliminally. I did so myself. And I was dis^
pointed with myself whai foe killers were cau^t and confessed
to a “random act of violaice.” Did everyone else feel as guilty as I
did, or did they still have differait views of Michael Jordan?
Whai Mike Tyson was soitenced for foe charge of r^,
did foe puUic really believe that he was guilty? Was the judge
really fair? Had this beeai some “great white hope” of boxing,
would his saiteice have bear as severe? And just fois week he
was denied parole and must re-^ply at a later date.
> Now for foe last mcMifo, foe same shows have been
covering every detail possible on foe investigation of Michael
Jadcscsi and his alledged child abuse. And with foe aUegati^
alone, his reputation is being smeared everyday by foe media, by
foose believe and evai some who don’t. By foe time foe c^ase
makes it to court and if he’s found not guilty, will it matter? Will
foe home films and allegations of fois child and his father turn
Michael’s loyal fans away?
I ask myself these questions whai I watch the tabloids
and foe tabloid television shows do their rain dance on our
Afiican-American heroes. I honestly do not believe that stars of
equal public appeal and Caucasian decent would receive foe same
attrition by the media.
So is “The Fall of 3 Michaels” something that we should
take li^tly or do we have a choice? We must realize foat being
Afiican-American and successfiil means being as much of an
upstanding individual as you can be. Because, whether we like it
or not, we are always going to be in foe spotli^iL
Brofoers and Sisters, stay strong. Stay positive.
Vision Teaser
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Voice
of
NCCU:
What should students,
faculty and staff do to help
curb the rise of violence on
NCCU's campus and in
the community?
CaU 560-6S04 and mlk
to the "Voice of NCCU"
about your feelings.
Monday-Sunday, 9:00
a,.ni. to S;bo p.m.
Dear Editor,
Is there a higher value
placed on the lives of whites as
compared to the lives of Blacks?
I often ponder this question;
and I am lead to believe that,
yes, there is higher value placed
on foe lives of Caucasians than
of those of an African descent.
Recentmediaheadlines (or lack
of), seem only to re-enforce my
conclusion.
First, take the event foat
took place on September 19 in
Raleigh when two white Food
Lion employees were mur
dered. This event headlined
the local news for more than a
week. Yet, foat same night a
twenty-three year old black
male was murdered in Duiham,
and the incident seemed to be
brushed off by local media
giving the story only a few
seconds of sound byte. In my
opinion, the loss of this black
individual’s life was just as
tragic as the loss of the two
Food Lion employees’ lives.
Secondly, following
the deaths of foreign tourists in
Florida (all of whom were
white), the media was quick to
illustrate the horror of these
crimes. I’m not discounting
the atrociousness of these
crimes against these tourists;
but Blacks are being killed
virtually everyday in the streets
of Miami, and in big cities and
small towns all across the U.S.
The witch-hunt, if you will, by
Florida law-enforcement offi
cials against young black males
fitting a particular description,
in order to find the assailants,
was demoralizing. Some of
whom werehauledoutof school
in police cars, without the
consultation of foeir parents.
Can you imagine this happen
ing to young white kids?
In Angola, (a country
in Africa for foose who may be
deficient in geography), a civil
war has claimed the lives of
several Angolans. Butwhyisn’t
the media reporting these
atrocities? I’m assuming that
since these people are black,
and they are killing themselves;
headlining this stoiy is not as
germane as a “Jewish” soldier
being wounded in the Gaza
Strip.
Although the informa
tion above is only an example
of the different values assessed
to human lives; I think these
examples are sufficient in sup
porting my conclusion. The
value of human lives is assessed
differently all over the world.
The sad fact remains however,
that as in most instances Black
lives are still considered ex
pendable.
By Cliff Dowell
Senior Business Major
The Campus Echo
Co-Editors- Maurice Crocker and Dezmona Mizclle
Associate Editor-Reggie Jones
Business Manager- Johnnie Riddick
Entertainment Editor- Tracey Marbiiry
News Editor-Ronda Robinson
, , Fashion Editor- Kim Hood
, n T Photographer- Nancia Odom ,
''Reporters- Geraldine Ndiforchu, Robyn Hacklcy,
Robert Hunter, Valeric Braccy, Terri Boykin, Vanessa
; Abernathy, Truitt O'Neal, Robert Thornton, Bianca
Barnes, Greg Lewis, Donna Lee y
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