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THE COMPASS
Tuesday, December 10,
THE OPINION PAGE
Bad Business
The Oct. 19 shooting of a part-time security officer has
raised serious questions about the ability of the ECSU’s
Police Department to effectively respond to a crisis.
Although 15 policemen were on duty that night, no one responded
to Clifford Shaw’s call for help after he was shot. Chief Mountain
says he has no idea why.
That answer isn’t good enough.
It’s the chief’s job to provide effective leadership of the
security department. It’s the chief’s job to find out why this
problem occurred, and to take the necessary measures to make
sure it does not occur again.
The campus police department’s handling of the entire unfor
tunate incident leaves much to be desired.
Moreover, the administrators of campus security must assume
their share of the responsibility. Hiring a part-time security
officer, and providing him with no gun, no means of identifying
himself, no effective back-up, and no insurance is a pathetic and
inexcusable way to do business.
Policemen hired in this manner face high risks—including
being killed or seriously injured—for small gain. They are human
beings, not cannon fodder, and they deserve better treatment.
Most members of ECSU’s Police Department are hardwork
ing, fair and conscientous men and women who care about doing
a good job. But some officers say morale in the department is low
due to ineffective leadership, favoritism, and job duties which
include running personal errands for administrators. That isn’t
fair to the policemen, or to the taxpayers, who are ultimately
footing the bill.
Chief Mountain needs to get his act together, and work to
improve both morale and lines of communication in the depart
ment. Moreover, the administrators in charge of campus security
need to take their jobs more seriously, and help guide the
department in a more professional manner.
Tammy Hunt
“No, it has been strengthened
because he’s letting the public
know it could happento anyone
due to the fact that he’s highly
respected. Maybe people will
listen.”
Nathan Higgs
“Maybe, to the kids that don’t
understand. When you are a star
like Magic Johnson people forget
that you are human too, and won’t
accept your mistakes.”
Talk ofECSU:
Has Magic Johnsons credibility as
a role model been damaged, now
that he has accounced he has
tested postivefor the AIDS virus?
Dwayne Byrum
“No, I think he’s become more
of a model role now. Because
in the past he was just a role
model on the basketball court,
now he is a role model for the
world.”
Jackie White
“No, I feel that he may not be a
basketball role model anymore.
However, his popularity has
increased not for the worst but
forthe better, because now he’s
a spokesman forthe Al DS virus."
Guest Columnists
Virus
//
P
i*
ress paranoia” is the latest virus to attack ECSU.
“F*ress paranoia” is a mental condition whose vic
tims forget, lose or refuse to release information
;(niainly public records) when talking to reporters.
Granted, ECSU has traditionally received an undue share of
■negative press from newspapers. The bogus figures from a state
‘audit Advanced by one newspaper were disgusting—and bitter
, memories still linger over Mr. Warden’s Observance of our sign
out front as something that resembles a Tastee Freeze add.
' However, our situation did not improve when a local newspa-
•’pef reported a campus shooting during Homecoming three days
'after the fact. According to the article “a spokesperson for the
campus security office said that no information was available
about the shooting.”
One ECSU police officer complimented that remark by telling
! a Compass reporter “I don’t know anything about the events that
■'ni'ght even though I was on duty.”
' ’ Press paranoia gets worse.
The Compass has gone to the top of ECSU’s mountain search-
; ing for information about weapons confiscated on campus and
, was referred to a secretary who said she didn’t have anything.
And then there’s the worst, and most recent case of press
'paranoia. When The Compass tried to report on the financial
affairs of SGA, The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs told The
Compass that the receipts from the Homecoming 1991 weekend
were lost somewhere in his office.
More press paranoia?
Of course, we are thankful for those individuals who are not
afflicted with this malady.
A hearty thanks to SGA President, Miquel Purvis and her
cabinet for cooperating with the student body’s only outlet for
information about their money spent on student activities: The
Compass.
We are also grateful for our more experienced campus police
officers who maintain a good rapport with students and The
Compass.
Thank you. Chancellor Jenkins for maintaining an open-door
policy for Compass staff members—and for always finding the
time in your busy schedule to talk with students.
Meanwhile, press paranoia continues to spread on campus—
prompting us to wonder, what do those ECSU officials afflicted
with this malady have to hide?
THE COMPASS
,,The Editors Craig Avondo, Mark Morris
.Advertising Manager Julie Osmon
.Production IManager Craig Avondo
Staff Artist Kevin Cruz
Photographers /. Jackie Rountree
Ursula McMillion
Staff Writers Gary Brinn,
Sharon Chappell, Lavenia Dameron, Lonnie Davis, Anna Herring,
Renee Knight, Ursula McMillion, Evonne Martyn, Rodney Moore, Tonya
Moore, Julie Osmon, Jody Riddick, Jackie Rountree, DeAnna Rudisill,
Tarick Scott, Mary Ann Pitt, Tarsha White, Kim Whitaker, Robert Wilkins
- and Albert C.F. VVoodley
The Compass is published by Elizabeth City State University students under
the direction of the Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Dr. Anne
■ Henderson, Chairperson, and Mr. Stephen March, faculty advisor.
Ilie Compass welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be sent to ECSU
•Box 815, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. All letters must be signed and include the writer's
..address and telephone number. They may be edited for length, clarity, and taste, as well
' as accuracy and grammar. Because of limited space, not all letters can be published.
Raped slave lost her
By Tonya Gregory
My great-grandmother lived to be
ninety-seven years old. When she was
a young child she was brought up
during slavery. My great grandmother
was the type of woman who wouldn’t
back down to anyone; that’s why it
was hard for her to be a slave. At first
she started out in the fields from sun
up to sundown picking cotton, then
she had to return to her sad house and
find something to stir up for dinner,
only hoping that it would last until
dinner-time the next day.
Although her hands were tough as
steel from picking cotton, my great
grandmother was a beautiful woman.
Her hair was long, black and silky,
and her complexion was chestnut-
colored.
When she first learned that her
master no longer wanted her in the
field, that he wanted her to be a house
wife, she thought she had moved up to
something better. Shepicturedahouse
wife as someone cooking in the kitchen
or cleaning up her master’s house; she
could stay in a nice big ranch-style
house instead of her old shack with
the hard dirt floor.
She lived up to her phantasy for
about two months until one day her
master requested that she come to his
bedroom. There he complemented her
on the good job she had been doing
with the house. After telling her how
beautiful she was, he told her to come
and sit down beside him on his king
sized bed with lace hanging from the
posts. Now my great-grandmother
began to feel a sense of uneasiness,
because he was beginning to touch her
and kiss on her in ways that she didn’t
like. She finally jumped up and told
him that she had to go wash up the
dishes from dinner. He told her she
wasn’t going anywhere. Then he
forced her into taking off all of her
clothes and he had sex with her.
My great-grandmother was aston
ished and hurt, but she refused to let
him see her cry.
That was her place for the next
month or so—to be in his bed when
ever he wanted her to. Fortunately, the
abuse didn’t last long because freeing
slaves was a big issue at the moment
But being sexually abused on an every
day basis made my great-mother look
older than she was. Her hair began to
thin out and was short in some places
and long in others. B ut the most dread
ful part was that she lost all of her
beauty.
My great-grandmother told her
slave story to my grandmother and my
grandmother told my mother, but I
never thought it would get to me. I’ve
heard of a lot of family stories, but I
never thought someone in my family
would live long enough to tell me
about slavery and how blacks were
treated. My mother told me about my
great-grandmother one day when I
came home from school, emphasizing
how my great-grandmother had been
able to survive her ordeal because of
her stfength. I had just begun to date
and my boyfriend and I were having
problems. He would always press the
issue of us being alone and I wasn’t
quite ready for that. After the story
was told to me, I began to look at guys
in a different aspect. Instead of being
self-centered, easy-going and being a
follower instead of a leader, the tables
began to turn. I broke up with the gu;
I was seeing and I didn’t have anotlK
boyfriend until about a year and a hall
later.
Now before I start dating a guy,
first of all look for respect and then
must get to know him before we eva
go out. I feel as though if he can’twai
until I ’ m ready to t)c sexually involv(
with him then he can hit the road. I’l
not saying that I jump into a relatioiil
ship and expect everything to go ni]
way. I’m willing to meet the guy halfj
way, butif he’s not willing to meetrai
then I feel as though I don’t need him!
There is a lot more to a relationship
then sex. Communication should b(
the first priority and then let oth^i
things fall into order. Knowing tlk|
my great-grandmother was sexuajljj
abused doesn ’ t make me hate all met
It has helped me build my self- esteem;
and made me realize that I’m ablelt,'
think for myself. I shouldn’t let aiij'
one male or female, influence me nl
do anything that I don’t want to do, 1
Tonya Gregory is a freshman dM
is from Norfolk, Vd.
Don^t drive a heer can on wheels
By Tom Williams
With what is coming out of De
troit, Germany, Japan, Korea and God
knows where else these days there are
those who will ask themselves, “Do I
want to drive a beer can on wheels?”
There are those who would like to turn
back the clock twenty or thirty years
to a time when cars were made of
higher grade steel and engines had
cast iron blocks, not aluminum. They
want vintage cars.
Here are some tips for the shopper
of vintage cars.
When choosing an old car one very
important factor is your mechanical
skill. If there is no hope for you as a
mechanic you can either give up and
buy a newer car that is under war
ranty, plan to buy a completely rebuilt
and restored car, or plan to spend quite
a bit of money on repair bills.
If you are a mediocre mechanic
find a car that is easy to work on. I
personally recommend a Ford with a
six-cylinder engine. The best of these
is a 223-cubic inch engine. This en
gine offers ample horsepower, fair
gas mileage and simplicity.
The most important thing to look
for in an old car is the body. An engine
or drive train can be repaired or re
placed. A rust hole can be filled by
spot welding metal in its place but a
body can never truly be repaired. Rust
is the first thing to look for. Don’t
worry so much about surface rust as it
can be sanded off and the body re
painted. Look for places where a hole
is rusted through in the metal.
If a car has been painted go over it
with a magnet to look for holes that
have been filled with body putty. A
magnet will not stick to body putty.
Body putty will pop off within a few
years. Look under the door jams for
rusL Don ’ t worry so much about dents
as they can be pulled out.
When looking over an engine first
check the oil. If the car is low on oil
check around the valve cover, head
gasket, base pan and fly wheel cover
for leaks. Run your fingers inside the
exhaust pipe. If there is a residue
grease then it is likely that this engii
bums oil. !
Start the car. If black smoke comej
out of the exhaust pipe that is anotlw:
bad sign. Listen to it run. See if it spii^
or sputters. Drive it. i
Last, but not least, check the '
end for tire wear, but remember: in r
old car you will rarely find a perfed'v
front end. |
A vintage car is a challenge to ojvn
Owning a piece of the past entails a P'
of work and a lot of reward. ButitiJ|'
best to start with a solid choice.
Tom Williams is an EnglishlDr(0\'
major and a resident ofElizabethCitI- '
Protesters intrude on other's rights
Rv rJarv Rrinn 1: . ^
By Gary Brinn
The IRS is at it again. They’ve
seized the house of some Massachu
setts tax-resisters. The tax-resisters,
and their many friends, have responded
by “occupying” the home. Events such
as this have been going on in New
England for years. Just a few states
away, Operation Rescue members are
lying in front of cars, blocking side
walks, and being arrested, in an effort
to prevent abortions.
One group is commonly associ
ated with the “Liberal Left,” the other
with the “Religious Right.” But how
are the two forms of protestdifferent?
Operation Rescue members believe
they are saving human lives. One need
not take sides in the abortion debate to
understand the basis of their argue-
ment When there is any doubt, it is
preferrable to err on the side of life. In
order to protect these lives, the pro
testers are willing to obstruct the rights
of others.
TTie blocking of abortion clinics is
not a passive act of resistence. A
woman’s right to an abortion is pro
tected by the Constitution. Operation
Rescue is effectively depriving others
of their rights with reckless disregard
of the democratic process.
The War Tax Resisters are not
involving other citizens in their pro
test. They also claim to be pro-life, but
the lives they choose to protect are not
the subject of debate. The children
who died in Panama were alive prior
to U.S. intervention there. No ques
tion. For the tax-resisters, the issue is
a personal one. They feel unable to
support the taking of lives, often inno
active form of protest.
The Declaration of IndependeW, ^
is littie more than an arguement df -
fending citizens right to overthrb"'*-'
corrupt government through arn>®^'
resistance. How much, then, doeso"*
have to stretch this principle in
r • i_ r . U115 uiiiicii/iv V*',
nm “JiHsUfyOperauonRescue’sacuo*
not wish to buy bullets and bombers
and ballistic missiles.
Passive resistance has been ad
dressed in Thoreau’s “Civil Disobe
dience.” No better arguement can be
made than that in this classic treatise.
But active resistance is also a part of
tile American tradition. When colo
nists dumped a boat-load of tea into
Boston harbor, it was definitely an
V_/pClilUUIllN.CSCUC
The tax-resisters actions are largw
symbolic. The government does noj
suffer. The harassment and intimi^j
Uon of women seeking abortions, ii> '
volves the rights of others. This seem*!
to be what distinguishes the two fof®*|
of protest. j
J. Gary Brinn, a Junior, is nUJp'
ing in English and Art. , '