Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Nov. 23, 1992, edition 1 / Page 3
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I NOVEMBER 23, 1992 OPINION Letters To N ' S is The Struggle Continues "If you re not going to let us build our building, then put on your hood and robe" (Rev. J. Bevil). The building of the Black Cul tural Center has faced many stum bling blocks placed on it by those who do not support the idea. Time and time again, the concept of a fi ee-standing BCC tends to emerge from the abyss that the opposition tried to enslave it in. Once again, the issue of the free-standing BCC is trying to be enslaved by the slave master. Will it follow history or will it break the chains of oppression once and for all? Recently, the issue of the free standing Black Cultural Center or DCC has become the topic of many debates. Although the issue seems relatively new, the idea of a free standing BCC was first conceptual ized in the late 60s. Because Afri- ran Americans were, and are, a mi nority on the University’s campus, they felt a need to have a place where they could congregate, com municate and educate themselves about each other as well as about other races. The administrators at :hapel Hill heard their cry, so they renovated the old snack bar in the Student Union for the purpose of housing the Black Cultural Center. However, according to the laws governing the S tuden t Union, a non student organization may not oper- ule under their domain. The Student Union is for student organizations and activities, while the BCC falls under the Division of Student Af fairs. So, knowing this, the admin istrators at UNC agreed to a Black Cultural Center,while presently al- owing the newly renovated space to be known as the BCC office in order to abide by the laws. Time passed, and still no BCC. The Uni versity seemed to be stalling, hop ing that the leaders of this cause would graduate. They did graduate, but the problem “re-enrolled” at ONC. So more African-American students picked up the idea. Once again the great University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seemed to be procrastinating, but instead of students’ concern decreasing it has now snowballed into a revolution, as termed by the opposition and supporters. Throughout history, African- Americans have been promised cer tain unalienable rights, only to have the deal reneged upon. Under the Emancipation Proclamation, every black man was promised 40 acres and a mule, but they did not get it. The blacks at Carolina were prom ised a free-standing Black Cultural Center, but unlike the previous deal, this deal is non-negotiable. Chan cellor Paul Hardin was issued a deadhne or a D-day to agree to construction of the BCC, which was Nov. 13,1992.1tisnotthepanther’s nature to attack anyone first, but when he is attacked and backed into a comer, he will respond viciously and wipe out the aggressor. Thus, if blacks are continuously backed into the comer they will take the BCC by any means necessary. Derek Crowson Freshman It Has to Start With You About three weeks ago, I moved onto North Campus. While every one seemed nice and friendly, I soon realized differently. My room mate, who is white, told me some information about some of the stu dents at Carolina. He told me the racist jokes they had madeabout the black cultural center and other rac ist comments in general. Needless to say, I was upset and badgered my roommate for weeks lo get the per sons’ names who had said it. Now, I realize that I do not even need to know. You know why? There isn’t any point in finding out who said it. What am I going to do? Beat the racism out of them? Curse twenty years wcHth of racist thoughts out of them? You and I know that no matter what I say to them, I will always be seen to them as an ape or a dumb nigger. I told one of my friends about this incident, and he really gave my roommate hell about find ing out who said the racist com ments. But why was knowing so important? To show these racists how angry they can make a black person? Well, all I know is that I am going to get my degree regardless of what those racist students say. This is not about getting something that was mine, it is about knowing that I don’t need their(whites) so- called respect to be happy. We only have ourselves to look for support, but what is sticking together for a short-term obstacle when we can’t stick together al ways as a people? Time after time, we criticize each other on the basis of our clothes, money, status and apj)earance. Wake up black people! How long is it going to take for us lo reahze that fighting for a BCC or some form of discrimination isn’t all that it takes to free ourselves from oppression? We have to re spect each other even before and after a crisis. Not to say that we shouldn’t fight for our BCC or AFAM curriculum, but we need to keep this brotherhood among our selves even after the fight is over. You know something, I agree with Michelle Thomas when she says “I’m tired of being tired.” I know that after a day of fighting for the BCC, I would be pissed off too if I had to fight my own people. Black people, free your minds, but don ’ t look down upon someone else for freeing theirs. It seems that there are so many divisions within our community, Greek vs. non-Greek, football team vs. Greeks, rich vs. poor, educated vs. non-educated, fair-skinned vs. dark-skinned and attractive vs. non- attractive, etc. I would go on, but my hand is getting too tired. Then you have other divisions within these divisions! No, I’m not criti cizing the Greek organizations or football team for being in these groupings, but what I am doing is putting the blame on all of us for letting this trivial shit divide us. No, we don’t all have to belong to the same frat or do the same thing, but we still must respect each other for what we are, what we stand for (individualistically speaking) and what we do. But until we come to the point of doing this, all I can say is that we(you and I) need a wake up pill! Jonathan Hairston Junior North Campus Invitation I am a freshman at UNC where I am desperately seeking answers to ex plain the many questions 1 have about my life and the lives of the people around me. The question that sparked my interest for writing this editorial is one that 1 have been asking myself for years. Why do blacks and whites, with few excep tions, always seem lo separate them selves from one another? More specifically 1 ask, why are there so few blacks hving in my North Campus resident hall? The fact is that there are more African- American students on average in my classroom than there are in my entire dorm. A uend has developed that most blacks live on South Cam pus, and are reluctant to move north of the Student Union. To my African-American read ers and peers, especially those who reside on South Campus, 1 urge you to put these inhibitions aside and open your minds to the proposal I am presenting to you.l invite you to move to North Campus. The oppor tunity now exists for you when it may not have existed in the past 1 hope to belie any stereotypes that you might have of North Campus residents. You will realize that there is more to North Campus beyond the fact that there are more while residents than other minorities. There are indeed fewer African Americans living in the north re gion, but about 97 percent of Asian and Native American students al ready reside in this area. Thus, a larger number of African-Ameri- can residents are needed on North Campas to fulfill a racial and cul tural balance. The University is stressing a multicultural commu nity that should have suong roots lo the residence halls. We are all hu man, and we must learn to live together in order to preserve the human race. Don’t worry, 1 am not so gung-ho on my invitation that 1 have forgotten to consider how this area can benefit you. It is rather obvious that North Campus is significantly closer to classrooms, libraries and Franklin Street Indeed, it is only a four to 12 minute walk lo almost any class room. North Campus has larger dorm rooms, balhiubs and have at most five fioors. More rooms on North Campas have air condition ing than in the south. The r(X)ms in my domiitory have sinks. The hall system caters to a le.ss “crampcd” feeling that onemay experience liv ing on South Campus. 1 believe, as does the Residence Hall Association and the adminis- U~ation, that all students, regardless of race, have the right U) ch(X)se which area of campus they want to live. I am one white North Campus resident who desires a more cultur ally diverse community in this area. I cannot tell or force anyone U) move to North Campus, but 1 can hope that I have provided you with information and evidence that will f>ersuade you to consider the move north. If you are interested in the racial diversity plan and areconsid- ering the move to North Campas, contact the Hou.sing Departmentand request information about the pro gram, and they can send you an application. There are plenty of available slots for next fall, so go for it You, the African-American individual, are in control. Cynthia Toms Freshman // / / /// ///, Black/nk letter / / / / /////^ / // The Blackink gla^ly^^^pt^all letters of C9nihnent^|^ criticisiTi, %^rd9rt^insur^publishi«em pj^aje guidelines: " / //z/Z // / /w ^ // ♦I^ers shouid be ahcp suggest^ leng^s no more than^4{X) wc^i 4iii letters are.M)ject to te:^ted foi^sps taste J
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Nov. 23, 1992, edition 1
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