18 Mar
Posted March 18, 2009 at 11:52 am
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:15 am
In my opinion, these issues should not be taken lightly. Yes, Spring Break is a time to let loose, but not completely lose your mind. You want to have as much fun as possible on these trips, so therefore there needs to be some kind of precaution and planning. There’s no shame in planning early for next year.
Students wait around all year for Spring Break and make elaborate plans to far away cities to cause mayhem. Going to Panama City and Daytona Beach is fun and safe, as long as you travel in groups. Traveling in groups create a larger network of people to look after each other and take care of each other if something were to go wrong. If you consider yourself and independent traveler that is fine but, it’s a big world out there and you are only one person. Travel with friends, it makes life so much easier.
Another safety trip for traveling would be to watch your alcohol intake. I say this at the risk of being a Debbie Downer, but it needs to be said. I know that college students get grilled from every direction on the dangers of alcohol, but some things are worth listening to. I’m not saying do not drink at all, just limit your intake. There are a lot of people out there who do not have your best interest at heart. If they see that you are vulnerable they will strike.
An acquaintance told me that they didn’t remember five of the seven days of spring break because they were so drunk. In that time they lost their cell phone, credit card and a very important piece of jewelry. My solution for this would be to designate one of your travel mates a “Sober Person of the Night.” This may sound lame, but designating a person or two to look after all of the intoxicated friends will come in handy. This will make sure you get back to the hotel in one piece and with all of your belongings.
So if you are nominated as “Sober Person of the Night,” do not think of it as a dent in your fun, but a way to protect those you care about. None of you want to end up in the hospital or at the police station.
One issue I hear about concerning Spring Break traveling is money. It always seems as if one person doesn’t have the money or they didn’t pay their share. Travel with friends you can trust. If they are really your friends they would pay up front and not try to manipulate you into paying for them.
Also, start saving money early. It’s not a very good idea to go somewhere far away from home and not have the money you need. I would also try to save a little emergency money because you never know what can happen.
For your next trip always carry a cell phone, or be by someone who has a cell phone. Having a cell isn’t just a luxury anymore, it’s for safety. If you are stranded all you have to do is call someone and the problem can be solved. If you have no phone and all of the stores are closed, you are pretty much on your own. We can all imagine how scary that would be. Make sure your phone is charged and ready to go anywhere with you.
It is also a good idea to let the people back home, like you parents, know where you are. As college students we are adults and see ourselves as completely independent at times. No matter how sure you are of yourself you still need to let people know where you are. If you turn up missing or something strange happens on your trip, you will have people back home to verify where you were. If no one knows then there is a smaller chance that you will be found.
I am not saying all of this to scare anyone or make them stay close to home on Spring Break. Spring Break is a time to have fun and explore new lands, but try to be safe while doing it. We have all seen stories on the news of missing people. Some have yet to be found. You would not want your parents to have the same sad expression on their faces as the parents on the news who have lost their children.
When the next Spring Break rolls around, take the proper precautions. Have fun, but do not forget to stay level-headed. The best part of Spring Break is coming back and telling stories, right? You can’t do that if you endanger yourself. Plan thoroughly for trips like these, they will prove to run smoother in the long run.
18 Mar
Posted March 18, 2009 at 11:50 am
Last modified on August 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am
The weather outlook for Saturday appeared to be rainy, cold and glum for most, especially for those that happened to be driving in and out of Raleigh. However, that did not stop hundreds of people from all over the city and Wake County from preparing for and attending the “Hillsborough Street Renaissance,” a green or environment friendly arts and music festival.
Hillsbourough street, one of the busiest streets in Raleigh, was shut down for an entire day for the first time in over 200 years. Several local bands, vendors from nearby businesses and activities for all ages were present for the street festival.
Over 400 volunteers from all over Wake County, including N.C. State, Meredith, and Peace colleges, helped out in setting up the event. Some of the local venues were also sponsors for the event. Some included, but were not limited to the campus Union Activities Board, Two Guys Restaurant’s Mobile Catering, NCSU Fashion Week, BB&T. Students didn’t just volunteer with setting up the vendors, clean-up and running the entire event with ease. The university chapter of Alpha Tau Omega sponsored a Pig-N-Pie contest and shoe drive, while the student organization Engineers without Borders took part in showcasing alternative fuel vehicles featuring biodiesel, electric, hybrid, even and solar-powered vehicular systems.
Some of the main attractions of the Hillsborough Street Renaissance involved the promotion of organic food. The “Organic Iron Chef Cook-Off” featured chefs representing several restaurants in Raleigh, including Porter’s on Hillsborough Street and Sushi Thai. The food made in each round by the chefs involved created positive responses from many of the attendees who passed by.
Breguita Rogers, a senior attending Meredith College, helped volunteer for the Iron Chef competition.
“I thought that the winner (Dan) had more flavor than the other chef, John [of Porter's]. The chocolate covered bacon was a big hit.”
EarthFare was another big hit with others, especially with N.C, State students. EarthFare is a wholefoods market located in the Briar Creek section of Raleigh that sells and distributes mostly organic food and produce. The market gave samples of organic tomato soup and apple cider from the stand, which served as both a healthy snack and a way to warm up for many of those in attendance.
“Everybody seemed to be really happy about it,” said Rory Pavalones, an employee of EarthFare. ”I’m amazed about how educated the students are about being eco-friendly and bettering themselves.”
Another of the main attractions involved environmentally friendly fashion. Coordinated by MorLove; American Vintage Clothing and Classics; and Triangle Green Builders, “ReDress Raleigh” featured fashion designs made from previously recycled material and, in turn, made eco-friendly yet unique clothing.
Ashley Tucker, a junior in textile and apparel management, was one of 20 designers whose worked was profiled in the fashion show.
“I’m so happy that people came out to see us and the fact that we had 200 people come out to support us,” she said. ”I think everyone did amazing. We’re all so different and so creative. I can only imagine what it is going to be like next year.”
The proceeds for the event will go towards several non-profit community service programs throughout Wake County that specialize in renewable energy research and sustainable development. According to the festival’s web site, the following charities will receive a portion of the proceeds: Engineers without Borders, MorLove, and Soles4Souls.
18 Mar
Posted March 18, 2009 at 11:49 am
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:16 am
To say that “March Madness” is not upon us now is a real misjudgment. It is that time of year when impossible is the normal and there is always something left to leave on the court and giving less than you’re all is unexcusable. It is the time when athletes have to push themselves and realize that every game can be their last. On March 12, 2009, a game went beyond these goals, when something so unforgettable, so outstanding, so physically mind-boggling occurred that most people would probably never believe that it actually happened unless they saw it in person. Get ready for heart-stopping voyage.
In the legendary Madison Square Garden, where the major legends of basketball have laced up and brought down the house, the Big East Tournament began when two of the conference’s biggest rivals, the Huskies of Connecticut and the Orange of Syracuse, tipped off at 9:36 p.m. What occurred over the next batch of hours became intense. Back and forth the two teams went and with just 1.1 seconds left on the clock, one call, one shot turned into history. It was Syracuse’s Eric Devendorf who launched a three pointer which looked like, and was called by fans, the game winner. The referees convened and said, “No good.” The game would have been 74-71 in favor of the Orange, but that would have been too easy and predictable.
It took more than just one or two overtimes to settle the winner, try six, one short of being the longest game in college basketball history. Three hours and forty-six minutes of sheer highs and lows that led to eight players fouling out and unable to play, 43 total turnovers, 82 field goals, 143 rebounds, 244 points, and 6 double-doubles. All of players on both teams received some level of playing time, even those who hadn’t played all year. Some like Scottie Haralson and Donnell Beverly got around one overtime’s worth of playing time, while others such as the aforementioned Devendorf, Huskie A.J. Price, and Flynn each gained over sixty minutes total, with Flynn playing all but three minutes of the seventy minute epic. He had a game high 34 points and 11 assists to help put away the powerhouse Husky squad and their all-star giant, Hasheem Thabeet.
To put into perspective how great of a feat this is, realize that this game was incredibly long, three hours and forty-six minutes worth of back and forth game time, but it was worth the extra hour plus to watch. If you didn’t want to watch the game you could make it from Raleigh to Asheville in the west, to Columbia, South Carolina in the south, to Charlottesville, Virginia in the north, or maybe even Virginia Beach in exactly that time, if you wanted to get away to somewhere nice. You could easily watch a football game or even “Titanic” with some extra time to spare. You could watch 4 episodes of “Baldwin Hills”, “For the Love of Ray J”, “American Idol”, or even the new season of “College Hill” minus the commercial interruptions in a row. For me personally, I could just sit in either of my education classes plus another math class back-to-back, but I would honestly rather watch sports.
To see the back-to-back-to-back overtimes and see the anguish and pain from so much running and so much hope left on the courts truly gave insight to how much both teams wanted the victory. Sadly, someone had to lose. All I can say is that this game will go down in history and it will never be forgotten.
18 Mar
Posted March 18, 2009 at 11:48 am
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Just when you thought there could not possibly be any more good ideas left to base a reality show on, Candy Girls premiered on March 8. America loves drama, and this is inevitable when seven head-strong video vixens are documented. Candy Girls is the name these women have been given because of their appearances as “eye candy” in videos from Jay-Z to Kanye West. Even though these women have been in their share of videos that often come along with negative connotations, there is a bigger picture. This new hip-hop documentary/drama aims to give insight into the music business aspect of these women’s lives, which I think is positive.
However, since it is reality entertainment, throughout the season, the bound-to-happen cat-fights and egos could possibly diminish the positive light the show could bring to their lives. People will tune in, but will it have the effect that it could potentially have? This show could be the opportunity for video vixens to show they have beauty and brains, but the reality of the show is it is reality television which needs drama to thrive, not insight into the music industry through a lady of hip-hop’s eyes and mind.
The E! Channel has deemed this group of women “the first ladies of Hip-Hop,” and the focus of Candy Girls is the Momma Fox, Danielle, who is head of “Bella,” a talent agency that provides for the music industry video line-ups. If you tuned in to see the premiere, you noticed the “I’m about my business” vibe that Danielle presented. Terricka, Bianca, Brooke, and Olivia are all represented by “Bella.” Danielle works hard to provide these girls with jobs to help them make progress in their career. The show is very interesting as far as job distribution by Danielle, and how the models treat her and each other.
Terricka and Danielle recently had a dispute over restrictions that Danielle gave Terricka about what she could and could not say on set. The argument they had after Danielle’s restrictions was a rush of, “You’re a this and you’re a that.” Those are the usual words which are used on reality television, but due to the controversy of the “b-word” in the music industry to refer to women, this argument did nothing for the women of hip hop. There you witness on television the video vixens themselves calling each other the very names some women are complaining about in the lyrics of the videos in which they star. Even though there are some arguments and downfalls to the show, there is no denying that the women work hard to reach fame and fortune. One example is April, a stylist, and according to E! television, the eyes and ears for Danielle when she can not be around. April is very popular, and has worked with celebrities such as Bow Wow, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. She is the mother of one child, by well-known model Tyson Beckford, and I have to say, she knows how to get to the top. She has been the stylist for more than 100 videos! The entire cast of Candy Girls are all putting forth notable efforts towards making their dreams come true in the music business. Danielle is an admirable CEO; she has turned her talent agency into the “go to” place for models seeking work in the industry.
Hopefully, this show will turn out to be a good series with lots of drama along with some positive insight into the modeling world, but the reality television angle of this show really could misconstrue the potential this show could have to give video vixens a new image.
18 Mar
Posted March 18, 2009 at 11:42 am
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Weight rooms are places to find dumbbells, machines, mats and males in search of the perfect body. But, rarely are women found. Why?
Strength training in women yields benefits that are equal to or greater than those in men. Benefits that can improve the quality of life as well as self esteem. Most of the benefits are unknown and not taught.
According to Medical Health Online, “strength training is defined as the use of resistance and weights to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles.” Strength training can be doing exercises with free weights as well as the use of weightlifting machines.
Women in this day and age seem to be more concerned with their weight and personal appearance than ever before. Almost every magazine targeted to women is filled with beauty and weight management tips. This concern with personal appearance has turned to an obsession: an obsession over topics like hair, skin and working out.
Women center their workout routine on cardiovascular exercises to lose weight. Strength training can increase metabolism, which aids in weight loss and improves the use of muscles. Through studies performed by the American College of Sports Medicine and from my personal experience, I have found that a workout routine which incorporates both cardiovascular exercises as well as strength training yields more results.
For women, strength training can have even more substantial increase and improvements. The National Osteoporosis Foundation defines the illness as a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Osteoporosis is caused by a lack of bone strength or bone density. The National Osteoporosis Foundation also states that strength training can increase bone density, which can help prevent osteoporosis. By adding strength training, osteoporosis can be slowed or even prevented. This can, as a result, increase a woman’s lifespan.
Osteoporosis degenerates and deteriorates the bodies of millions of women and it can be prevented or slowed. Strength training can improve posture, muscle symmetry, and rehabilitation after injury. Rehabilitation after injury can be applied to women specifically in terms of pregnancy and the birthing process. Mayo clinic online states that “a woman who participates in strength training can recover from childbirth as well as accidents like falls or slips quicker because of the increase in strength and flexibility.”
Besides the medical benefits, strength training can also produce psychological benefits. Strength training can be a very practical and enjoyable stress relief mechanism, as well as a self esteem booster for women. Women account for more incidences of severe stress and have overall higher levels of stress. Stress can lead to common health problems like obesity and high blood pressure and mental health problems like depression and suicide. Stress can even lead to a shorter life span and can increase the visual and mental rate of aging. Lifting weights releases chemicals that can help with relaxation and the exertion of muscles can aid in releasing bottled up stress.
From personal experience, when I am feeling stressed out, lifting weights feels like a release on all of my negative energy.
Also, with the quicker results and increased muscles tone, women are becoming happier with their physical appearances. Feeling good and looking better is essential to enjoying every other aspect of life.
Most women enjoy going to buy clothing and it look great on their bodies or wearing a swim suit on the beach. Personally, I can say that strength training has improved my overall appearance and has built a great sense of confidence within me. The feeling is wonderful and more women should experience it. Hopefully in the future, more women will utilize the weight room as a source for physical and mental development, prolonging rich and enjoyable lives for women.
27 Feb
Posted February 27, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:18 am
“We must come together and grow as one, regardless of race or gender. Expressions. Both Sides of the Mirror.”
Cierra Pearson, senior in Spanish and interpersonal communications spoke these motivational words during her “Who Am I?” introduction of Expressions. This event, which was an exploration and restoration of race, gender and class, was held last Thursday, by the Black Students Board and co-sponsor, the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Hosted by senior in biochemistry, and president of Eta Omicron, Lamar Crawford, this event consisted of nine incredible performances by students, followed by a marvelous performance by Jazz artists Galen Razzaq and Band. Before the performances identical twins Michelle Alvarez, a sophomore in microbiology and Leslie Alvarez, a sophomore in communication came together hand and hand, as looking into both sides of the mirror, to define the Expressions.
The initial performance was by sophomore in mathematics education, April Gaddy and sophomore in the first-year college Telesha Heilig, of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” originally written by former slave-ship captain John Newton. Following, junior in communication John Craig presented an original poem entitled “Love,” which expressed deeply what the joy and pain of love truly is, through the eyes of everyone and provided a better understanding of love through a sense of different sexualities. Rikkia Miles, freshman in biological sciences expressed her desire to spread the awareness of poverty within youth by performing a dance to “Stand Up For Love” by Destiny’s Child.
A poem called “Black Before I Knew It,” which provided feelings and expressions of what it is like to be black, and how blacks are placed into a social class by their skin color, was performed by freshman Janiece Cooley, major in biological sciences along with interpretive dance by freshman in biochemistry Aki Asressahegn and freshman in biological sciences Keandra McNeil. Sophomore in communication, Keyuntae Ward, along with Heather Gavin, performed an original song called “Just Fine.” The song represented realistic issues many people have with relationships, in which despite the problems people may have in a relationship, they still love each other and want to be with each other for a lifetime.
The sixth presentation was the speech “Ain’t I A Woman?” by abolitionist Harriet Tubman, which was well addressed by freshman and major in electrical engineering, Shanequa Winstead. The speech was about the treatment of women and blacks, back around the times of the American Civil War and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Subsequently, junior in business administration Candace Payne and sophomore in electrical engineering Zack Credle danced spiritually to the inspirational song by gospel recording artist Byron Cage, “Broken, But I’m Healed.” This performance was quite emotional to the audience, and the aim was that we can make it out of our struggles and through our obstacles with faith and strength. “Lyfe” presented a spoken word called “Was It Me?” in which he said “the struggle of African-Americans is shown through the epitome of the single black mother.” It was written for his own mother, who passed away from a stroke, as well as being a representation for all the single mothers who strive in order to make sure their children make it into the right direction in life. And finally, to wrap up the student expressions, Issac Owolabi II, senior in aerospace engineering flawlessly cited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s sermon, “Drum Major Instinct.” Dr. King delivered this incredible speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, two months before his assassination.
For the second part of Expressions, one of the most popular artists for performing at campuses and universities, jazz musicians Galen Razzaq and Band, performed for the audience, as well as giving the audience a touch history on jazz music and composers. The turnout for this event was ecstatic. There were more than 230 people at Expressions, and the seating ran out within ten minutes before the show actually started. Freshman in communication Jason Cooper said, “I am so surprised to see how many African-Americans are supporting this event and Black History Month…finally!” Cooper is right when he says this, because it is important that African-Americans come together to acknowledge their roots and the reason that they all stand today, as well as staying informed on where they come from. Freshman in business administration and marketing,
Marcus Pollard, a freshman in the transition program mentioned, “There are a lot of African-American people here as well as other races, together for one cause; people of different races, genders and classes, all here to express themselves.” Expressions definitely turned out to be a very successful and enjoyable affair.
27 Feb
Posted February 27, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Professor Dayna Matthew was this year’s Clark Lecture guest speaker. Matthew is the associate dean for academic affairs and professor of law at the University of Colorado-Boulder and specializes in evidence, health law. Her resume extends to the universities of Kentucky and Virginia instructing tort courses that focused on civil procedure, products liability and public health sections that were primarily devoted to bioethics and medical malpractice procedures. Professor Matthew has written articles on health and antitrust law topics which have appeared in the Virginia Law Review, Houston Law Review and the Wake Forest Law Review the Indiana Law Journal, the Kentucky Law Journal and the St. Louis University Law Journal, as well as the American Journal of Law and Medicine according to her biography on the University of Colorado Law site. Matthew has also written a number of articles to educate people about her plans to regulate America’s discriminatory health care system. This plan seeks to provide minority groups, in many cases underrepresented African-American populations, within the health care system by providing the patient with quality care at an affordable price.
The presentation outline consisted of the implementation of the fiduciary medicine policies. Fiduciary medicine is a way of combining law practices with health care policies to create a means for underrepresented groups to have the same access to quality health care as other non-minority groups. In some ways socialized medical practices have been the norm but this model suggests that regardless of socio-economic status and affordability of quality care, all Americans should have equally accessible treatment and prescriptions regardless of financial determinants. In Matthew’s model she addressed concerns for morality issues within the health care industry tackling the pharmaceutical and insurance providers and discussed the lack of awareness within these communities. Her model holds these institutions responsible for good faith attempts while serving these populations, the best efforts to provide skill applications and holding medical providers accountable for risk management concerns.
Additionally, Matthew stressed the importance of the trustee, beneficiary relationship as it relates to medical care.
The beneficiary is a legal term that is defined as the recipient of goods or services, and the trustee is the providing entity of that good, service or care. In this case, the trustee acts as the medical physician and the beneficiary is the patient, receiving the care.
“It is important to recall legal practices as it relates to health practices,” said Matthew. She also said, “We entrust our most valuable possessions with attorneys in legal issues, and we do the same as is relates to our health.”
Her methods seek to mirror the goals of the Hippocratic Oath, that practicing doctors adhere to during their tenure and recite during their white coat ceremony, which swears them into the medical profession as capable yet moral practitioners.
“Medical malpractice does not address discrimination,” said Matthew. Warren Rhem II, senior in agriculture business management asked Matthew about how patients could seek legal counsel pertaining to malpractice if unable to afford lawyer’s fees. Her response was merely advocating that we need to “put bad doctors out of business, we don’t want to preserve them.” She also pointed out that students need to become lawyers and reach back out into these communities and “become advocates.” When Marquis McCullough asked about the models ability to address insurance companies that deny claims, Matthew admitted that her “model falls short in that regard,” but she can fix it.
“The insurance industry is financially driven,” said Matthew. “The 46 million people that are working, in many cases still don’t have health care, and that’s a problem. Our government has an obligation to return these services to its country men and women. Annually, this event is held to honor the Dr. Lawrence Clark, a former associate provost and mathematics instructor of N.C. State. Dr. Clark was a 20-year tenure employee for the University and created the African-American Advisory committee. He was also instrumental in the development of the African American Cultural Center.
“It is always exciting to be presented with a new aspect of some topic that you had not previously thought about. Coincidently, I am taking business law so I was able to draw from her lecture some things we talk about in class. It gave me a better understanding of what she was speaking about, I may even want to be a lawyer now,” said Kadeem Myrick, junior in business management when asked about the importance of the lecture. Antoinette Russell, junior in communication-public relations said, “She made it very clear that there were several injustices in the medical system even in 2009 that people don’t always recognize because it is not as obvious as the racist practices were in the 60s and 70s. However, applying fiduciary law to the medical field is not the solution to the problem. Its goals were impractical and unacomplishable. I do admire the time and effort that went into her solution, and it is comforting to know that there are people working hard to ensure that my rights are protect you can make it sound better if you want.”
27 Feb
Posted February 27, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:19 am
November 5, 2008 will stay in the minds of N.C. State students as being a dark day in campus life. The hurtful messages that were displayed on the Free Expression Tunnel pulled at our heart strings and caused an uncomfortable feeling around campus. People got angry. Others began to question who their friends really were and their intentions. Who really are our friends and how do our classmates truly feel about us?
To ease the tension around campus the Campus Culture Task Force was created. The group consists of faculty, administration and students that have taken it upon themselves to evaluate student conduct and potentially create guidelines for the Free Expression Tunnel. The report that the task force issued is open to all N.C. State students to comment on, but there seems to be a lack of response. Even though it seems that things were heated around campus and there were various opinions thrown back and forth, few of them made it to the task force. When great displays of hate are made one would think that everybody would be lined up at the door to speak their mind on the matter. In a way it surprises me that students have not responded. On the other hand, the lack of response isn’t that outrageous to fathom.
First of all, I feel as if the survey was a very impersonal way to reach people. We answer surveys all the time (i.e. class evaluations) and it gets rather routine and boring after a while. Granted, what was sent out concerning the task force was of the upmost importance although it wasn’t very appealing. It is hard to reach a large population of people in a short amount of time if the surveys are not sent through e-mail. I am just making a point that because of this it is easy to just not pay attention to it.
I believe that there was a lack of response because students feel as if nothing is going to be done about it. Yes, we can talk all we want, but what is going to come of it? You can compare this to people not voting in national elections. They have lost faith in the national government just as N.C. State students have lost faith in our university administration. This is in no way the students fault. One cannot blame someone for ignoring something they feel will have no effect.
There was also the question of the chancellor taking the matter seriously. We have all known or heard of people in power just sweeping things under the rug and hoping that it will go away. I am sure he is a much more concerned than people think he is. This type of situation could, if handled improperly, be damaging in the long run.
I feel that the chancellor does have our best interest at heart and that he was also offended by such messages. Although, since he is a man of power and prestige he has a reputation to uphold. If he went too radical on the issue then how would others see him? The student body would probably appreciate a radical outburst from him, but higher authorities might not. So I feel as if he is going through a dilemma and has yet to come to a decision.
On the other hand, some students believe the Task Force to be a step in the right direction. One student who wished to be quoted was Rene Norman a junior in psychology. She says, “I think the task force has a positive impact on the University. It’s reinforcing the stance that the University has taken against the hate speech on campus. If the suggestions of the task force are implemented, I think they will be well received since the task force isn’t just made up of administrative personnel, but students as well.”
Overall, I believe the Task Force will only be effective with more student comments and input on the issue. All of the technicalities of it may not be the most exciting pieces of information, but it will help students now and in the long run. I am under the impression that the majority of students would be sad to see the Free Expression tunnel be done away with. It is one of the symbols that the student voice does matter and I could not imagine the University without it. So, get involved so this problem can be resolved.
27 Feb
Posted February 27, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:19 am
People should take time out to look at the world around us and how divided it is. There are many divisions in the world such as class, race, and gender, but I would like to focus on the main division that has always had America in chaos: race. Think about it, when you walk into the Atrium you see people sitting with their ethnic group. This is something that I call “self-segregation,” because we tend to separate ourselves from others who look different than we do, choosing instead to sit with people who look just like us. It is not such a big deal to most people I guess because it comes so natural, but yet we are not taking advantage of the dream and hope of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other equal rights activists. I know that we feel more comfortable talking to people who we believe can relate to our situation, but in reality we all have the same problems. Everyone is so much alike the only difference is our skin color and personality. We should not let these differences keep us divided, because deep down we all go through the same problems, such as exams, relationships, schedules, and classes.
From my observation self-segregation still exists in college, but not as much as it did in high school. In high school a person could walk into a cafeteria or classroom and if the seat were not assigned, then the self-segregation is very obvious. You will see the white people in a section, the black people in a section, etc. and this is because people enjoy sitting with their friends. The problem is we choose to only be associates, as in not very close, until situations occur where different races are forced to come together.
For example, in college you may be roomed with someone who is not the same as you, but you are forced to get to know that person and the things they like and dislike. Then you find out that you have something in common with that person. That is how the world needs to be, excluding not having to be forced, it should come naturally.
We need to get out of our comfort zone and try and do different things. America is known for being a “melting pot” meaning that everyone and everything is united. However, if I had to describe America I would call it a toss salad. Given that when you look at a toss salad you can see the different things that it is made of, but if you want you can sort it out. That is what we are doing on a daily basis whenever we self-segregate ourselves. We are taking the tomatoes putting them together; taking the cucumbers and putting them together, but we all fail to notice that they all have something in common: the dressing.
America is diverse, but has issues with promoting diversity. No matter how hard people have fought or made speeches the solution lies within the people and the decisions they make. All of those things that were spoken by equal rights advocates in our past were words of encouragement and wisdom. It is the choice of the people to come together. Yes, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, that one day all black and white children would walk down the streets hand in hand. We do associate with people of different ethnic backgrounds, but not to the point where we need to be as people.
People need to forgive, but never forget the past. We all need to progress because we can not change our past, but it is never too late to change the future. We need to get rid of the stereotypes, and get to know different people for ourselves, but I guess that is not the American way.
27 Feb
Posted February 27, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Last modified on August 10th, 2009 at 10:20 am
In light of reactive responses to discrimination, lack of resources, and hate speech issues that occur on campus from year to year, people are beginning to wonder whether or not the infrastructure of this campus’ minority population are creating an uproar only after major events take place, rather than prior to its occurrence.
Take for instance the hate speech incident in November 2008 when students wrote hate filled slurs across the Free Expression Tunnel. Students on the Campus Culture Task Force committees have actively sought to make the proper recommendations to avoid crude instances of this behavior on public-campus property. However, when students have written racial slurs and stereotyped students based on their sexual preferences, we didn’t raise these issues until they directly affected our population. Even when the noose was hung from a campus facility complex we rallied, complained and demanded action from administration to rectify the situation and console the students scarred by the evoking of a painful, historic past. In response, we got the same results, media coverage, on and off campus, public forums including campus officials and still we have the same problems to reflect upon.
Has anything really changed? Are we taking the possible preventative measures to ensure that future students won’t have to advocate as much for the same exact problems that continue to reoccur. Why must someone be hurt to implement change?
The reactive behavior that continues to plague this campus is what is going to eventually lose its steam. People get tired of the same few people fighting a fight for many. This goes back to prior stories I have written to discuss whether or not our leaders are truly leading and whether or not we are self-serving or serving a greater entity, the entire minority population. We must continue to make our voices heard, but we have to exhaust all of our options. The current student leaders are worn out over worked and in some cases only meeting minimal expectations because of the mental overload they tend to endure, because other students aren’t aiding in the success of these organization or this community. People must realize that it takes an extreme amount of time and effort on behalf of the committees that are formed, and administration that is sought out to implement the change we desire, but it starts with us, not some, but all.
For example, in the last issue, I talked about task force committee updates. It saddened me to only report that fewer than 100 N.C. State students had responded to the link provided by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and campus leaders who read each of the responses to the tunnel incident. The majority of those concerns were addressed to the tunnel’s further use rather than the true issue, the poor regard for civility amongst a campus of diverse students.
Task force updates were written by the Technician and the Nubian Message, which doesn’t limit the opportunity for students to respond with their suggestions to change the campus legislation to further prevent these acts on campus not simply talk about them. The phrase “talk is cheap” is true in this respect. Many of the same students who submitted bills to punish these students are some of the same students who don’t attend the forum meetings scheduled, respond to the outreach task force site, or even educate themselves on the polities that restrict any punishment deemed by campus administrators. I ask you to be the judge and really think about whether we are truly reactive or proactive in reference to campus-wide issues.
