Newspapers / The voice : Fayetteville … / Sept. 26, 2012, edition 1 / Page 6
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(i Tin: Void:, F»r Students, Hv Stu(U‘iit.s Features Sc[)t4'iiil)cr '^(i, 'iOl'i Poetic Underaround Coursety o/bellogigglesxom Underground Poetry scene from the moive She's All That. By Nicholas Phlpps-Evans “Poetry is an expression and a way of escape,” said Julian Grant, FSU sopho more, as he prepared to read his poem during the first amateur poetry slam. Julian and a group of students, hosted a poetry slam Sept. 15 in Bronco Hall as a gateway to a hopeful poetry club at FSU. Due to the school-sponsored events and their restriction requirements, the event was created to allow students more fi'eedom over their work. “1 feel like they don’t allow enough freedom,” Grant said. “At these poetry nights, you can only say this word if you really want to express this one, or you can't say certain profane words just be cause it isn’t socially polite. If you feel like saying man *r this and all that, then it’s expressions, so it’s appropriate.” Marcus Moore, a co-founder of the event, expressed that he is tired of hear ing ‘in order to be a poet, one must...’ and is looking for people who love the art, and are willing to flood the room with their emotions. “Other organizations that utilize poetry only utilize rhyme schemes and things of that nature, when in actuality, poetry is everything,” Moore explained. “It is what we breathe, think, see, eat. I don’t have to rhyme at all in order to express my love of life, or why I am sad, or even why I want to fight.” There were only seven people who attended the “slam,” so each speaker was able to freely express his/herself in abundance. There were even opportuni ties where each speaker gathered their thoughts, composed a poem on the spot, and read the unedited version before the audience. One student's poem did not turn out exactly as he wanted it,but he expressed relief when those in attendance supported him. The crowd's approval helped build his confidence and provided a comfort able working environment. When ques tioned later, the students said, “It is pretty cool not having to worry about everyone laughing. We are all here for the same thing. That commonality alone is enough to make me want to do this again.” One of the people who attended as a form of interest, Omari Lucas-Thomas, a junior at Fayetteville State, agreed with the idea of starting a poetry club. “It’s pretty cool to have this under ground poetry thing going. Not many people our age take the time to gather as fnends and read,” Lucas-Thomas said. “I see a lot of people write and wait until the next available talent show to show off their work. The real heart comes when you are among fnends; no regulators, no prize on the line, and you can say what you really want to say.” Moore is uncertain when the next slam will be, but said that he has already initi ated contact with the some of the poets at the school. “Hopefully we can convince them to bring friends as soon as possible so the club stays hot,” Moore said. “Eventu ally, it can turn into a scheduled event, then hopefully an official club here at the school.” Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternitv. 1 ncof^oratsTd. i oim. 'W Voting is our Weapon!! By; Shlmere Truss and Jalynn Jones : “You have to make a connection to yourself and your community,” said co-founder of the Blank Panthers Bobby Seale at an SGA held event Sept 22. Seale spoke to FSU students about the importance of voicing their opinions as young black , Americans. The SGA 2012-2013 motto, “The World is Y.O.U.R.S., Your Objective: Unite in j Raising the Standard,” collaborated to bring Seale to speak during this pivotal election year j Coverage of the Black Panther party, including documentaries and books, have formulated i a great deal of negative attention and distorted the truth about the real Bobby Seale, calling hisj organization violent and ‘thuggish’. According to Seale, they were not a riotous group without reason. They only shot weapons when they were targeted or when racist attackers unlawfully beat someone. j Bobby Seale grew up with a father who was a carpenter and by the time Seale was 18 years, old, he was a mathematician and a well-disciplined architect. He even exclaimed that before he ever heard Malcolm X speak, he was highly inspired by the speech given by the late Dr Rev.' Martin Luther King Jr Disciplined by X and inspired by King, he helped build the Black PantherJ Party with the objective to end institutionalized racism. Seale quit his engineering job of three years and partnered with the late Huey Newton to form a powerful militant organization. With ■ a 10-point platform program, the Black Panther Party stressed the manifestation of purpose in a powerful movement. ^ Stressing the importance of being informed, retaining history and knowing the law, Seale spoke to the FSU family with authority exclaiming. “Electoral empowerment is the most profound ^ - necessity.” 'f Seale also pointed out the misleading tactics and dicet of the corporate politician. An open fo rum was held so that audience members were able to ask questions to Seale and a panel, including Dr Stanley Johnson and Dr Tom Hennessey both whom specialize in Afncan American studies. Voice Photo Bv Zarcharv Johnson L-R: Bobby Seale (founder of the Black Panthers), Cimmeon Q. Terry (con tributor to the Voice) with Seale's book Seize The Time. P 0 e T y They say... They say I’ve changed but when 1 look in the mirror I still look the same When I listen to me talk I still sound the same When 1 look into my heart it still beats and feels the same way Only thing that changed about me is my mentality They say I talk white They say I act different They say I think I’m better than them I say no I'm not white just because I take in my education and wisdom and make it knowledge They say I'm not who I use to be and yea that true that’s called maturity Instead of acting ignorant like you and your crew That’s never been cute to me To lower my myself just to fit in I never thought I was better than u You just decided to stay back and do nothing and u expected me to do the same as you So me being better than u is just a figment of your imagina tion as though I owe something When at the end of the day the only one that owes you some thing is you You need to stop waiting for handouts and believe in you So me trying to better myself didn’t change me It just changed you -Brittany Warren
Sept. 26, 2012, edition 1
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