AMY Phipps -- Editor-in-Chief
DOUGLAS CLARK, jR. - MANAGING EDITOR
SHARONDA WiLCOX - ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Louquender Robinson - Sports Editor
Dr.Valerie S. Saddler — Advisor
Voting Power
September’s Career Day here at Winston-Salem State
University brought many interesting speakers to our
campus and classrooms in an effort to recruit bright young
students. One such speaker visited my public relations
class and made a lasting impression.
After working in upper administration for Shaw
University, Phil Mason joined the United States Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA). His work experiences have
brought him into contact with many different types of
people and put him into many different political and
cultural situations. From students at Shaw University to
Chinese diplomats to African politicians. Mason has seen
, a lot. Not the least of which is the United Stales
government in both covert and non-covert operations.
A fellow student asked Mason a particularly relevant
question. “Mr. Mason, what do you say to recruit those
black males such as myself who don’t feel that the
government has our best interests in mind?”
A good question, I thought to myself. Why would
someone want to work for a system which doesn’t seem to
want the system to work for its members? Seems like a
tough one, right Mr. Mason? Not at all.
“Son, you are the government. If you don’t feel the
government is working then you need to get involved and
change it. At the very least, go out and vote!”
Mason couldn’t be more right. All too often U.S.
citizens worry and complain about how poorly the
government operates, but don’t make the effort to monitor
its progress. If you don’t like the way the current
majority-Republican congress is treating the issue of
minimum wages, or welfare or taxes, then at least you
should attempt to vote them out of office. Or if you feel
that Clinton’s policies are too costly or too liberal, then
once again you need to voice your choice.
By voting we do not ensure outcomes - we ensure that
our interests are appointed representatives. And without
that representation we have little if any chance to see
that government operates with our best interests in
mind.
Please vote!
Am\) Phipps
Friday, October 11,1996
is the last day
to register to vote.
The News Argus is the student newspaper at
Winston-S^em State University. We welcome your
views o^ sfiy public issue. Faculty, admmistrators,
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Hall Patterson, 750-2327.
ISSUES G flnSWERS
ARGUS MAILBAG
Tupac Shakur
Gangster rapper Tupac Shakur
died on Friday, SepL 13, in a Las
Vegas hospital after sustaining
several gunshot wounds to the chesL
What can be said about this
controversial performer?
Many people say that Shakur’s
death was simply a reflection of the
negative lyrics in his songs. Others
may look at Shakur as somewhat of a
martyr. The rapper may have died
for what he believed in. As one
student put it, “He went out like a
soldier.”
However, did Shakur actually
“go out” like a soldier or was this
death just the senseless death of
another black man? We may never
know!
Indeed, some of Tupac’s lyrics
did advocate meaningless violence,
but too much emphasis is placed on
the rapper’s negative image. Songs
like “Picture Me Rollin’,” “Gangsta
Party” and “Thug
Life” do contain
lyrics with violent
overtones.
However, truth be
told, the rapper did _____
not exclusively
advocate violence in his lyrics.
Some of the artist’s works were
positive - very positive in fact.
Songs such as “Keep Your Head
Up,” "Dear Mama” and “Brenda’s
Gotta a Baby” aimed to uplift black
women in their struggles. The
media does not cover these good
points. Instead of the media
constantly trying to condemn a
person for their wrong-doing and
concentrating solely on the negative,
COLUMNIST
Stephany Cousins
it should take time to look at a
person’s entire character.
Society needs to take this lesson
into consideration. Let us leave
judgement to the “one” being that
truly knew Tupac Shakur, his Lord
and creator.
Health Services and Fees
“Because you're an adult,” said
Ametta Hauser, head nurse at A.H.
Ray Health Center, when she was
asked why shouldn’t a student be
excused from class when they are
diagnosed with Conjunctivitis (pink
eye).
She said, " You're suppose to
know that you wash your hands
every time you touch your eyes. You
should know not to shake peoples’
hands and to carry a wash cloth
around with you.”
On Sept. 6, 1 woke up to find
my eyes were severely irritated and
red. I went to the health services
where Dr. Harvey Allen agreed I had
pink eye. It was such a severe case,
he thought I had a virus. So he sent
me to a ophthalmologist in Winston
Salem, Dr. James D. Branch.
The doctor treated, released and
sent me back to campus with a
prescription. He told me to take it
the school’s health center. When I
got to the health center the nurse on
duty said, “This ain’t no drugstore
baby. You gotta take that to Revco.”
So that’s what I did (The
prescription was almost S40.00). I
didn’t have the
money. So I called
Dr. Branch’s office
to see if he had any
medicine on stock.
His nurse said she
would call the
health center to see
if they could give me a different
kind of medicine.
The health center only had one
bottle of the medicine that I needed
and the nurse said I couldn’t have it.
Why not, I wondered?
I’m a full time, boarding
student here at WSSU. I’m in pain!
The necessary medicine was
available; but I couldn’t get it? Why
I wondered? As boarding students,
we pay a $201 for Health Services
fee. ($68 for health services and $35
for insurance per semester). Since
we are paying for a service, does this
not cover medicine prescribed by
off-campus doctors?
According to Hauser, “the
health center is not a pharmacy,
because of specific regulations and
fees the university would have to
See Health, page 3
COLUMNIST
Danielle Prophete
STAFF WRITERS FEATURE WRITERS LAYOUT STAFF
MONICA ALEXANDER
MARQUIS CARTER
DOUGLAS CLARK
STEPHANY COUSINS
DANIELLE PROPHETE
QUEN ROBINSON
RECHELLE ROUSE
SHARONDA WILCOX
MONICA ALEXANDER
DOUGLAS CLARK
AMOR GLEE
ANDREW MEANS
PRESLYN YOUNG
MONICA ALEXANDER
DOUGLAS CLARK
AMY PHIPPS
PRESLYN YOUNG
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