The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 29, 1997, Page 2, Image 2
13ie (E
Serving
Edit<
Chris Dixc
Adam Snydi
Nikki LaRocqi
Stephanie Sonnenfeld
I
NAACPb
"Little Rc
Your school
is under par.
Your books
are outdated and
splattered with
misprints, the rejects
of the publishing
world. NAAi
Your science lackofr
equipment may ,?
consist of a few
broken beakers
and some explanatory
posters
or, perhaps, nothing
at all.
What's more, to get to this
supposed place of learning, where
your mind is supposed to be growing
and challenging ideas, you
have to walk a mile out of your
way.
Because, you see, you can't
go to the good school down the
block that has the fresh, new, updated
books, the colored maps of
the world, the chemistry sets and
microscopes. You are not allowed.
But let's say the law is
changed. You can go to the better
school, but only if you can endure
shouts and taunts, spitting and
slaps, shoves and slurs coming
from the students and silence from
the teachers and no recognition
from the administration.
Could you endure that? Could
you learn in an environment like
that?
Forty years ago, nine students
in Little Rock, Ark., did. They
climbed stairs into a school, their
school, through an angry mob, defying
the National Guard, sent by
then-Governor Orval Faubus and
protected by 1,200 Army troops,
sent by then-President Dwight
Eisenhower.
These students started the
beginning of the end of legal segregation
in September 1957.
On September 25, watched
by the student body, President
Clinton and Gov. Mike Huckabee
held the doors open for the original
"Little Rock 9" as the adults
symbolically climbed the stairs
and entered Central High School,
according to an article in Friday's
edition of The State.
The celebration of the end
of legal segregation was obviously
important enough for the governor
and the president to attend.
Yet there was a very important
factor missing. Hie State and local
chapters of the NAACP refused
to attend the event, although they
did keep members from picketing.
How could an organization,
devoted to helping African Americans
and ending racism, not consider
this celebration worthy
enough of attendance?
Student Media Russell Hous
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Carolina and is published Monday, South Carolina.
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Opinions expressed in The Game- dia is its parent or]
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5amecock
use Since 1908
arial Board
in, Editor in Chief
?r, Managing Editor
ue, Viewpoints Editor
, Assistant Viewpoints Editor
oycotts
O"
rvn 7
Moreover
what was the
negation point of boycotting
the event? What a
slap in the face
7T5TTn7T7M to the "Little Rock
" * 9."
OP showed By boycotting
espect with celebration,
r ,n.?? the NAACP effecboycott
tively told these
people, "Your determination,
the
first steps you personally
took to end
segregation, do not amount to anything
40 years after the event."
Dale Charles, the president
of the state and local chapters, explained
in the Arkansas Democrat
Gazette, "In our minds, we can
see very little progress in the last
40 years with regard to African
Americans."
Perhaps he should tell that
to the people who were hosed down
and hnmharHpH urit.Vi faar craa in
Southern streets as they peacefully
marched for civil rights.
Perhaps he should say that
the faces of the men who were
called "boy" or the children referred
to as "pickininnies" or the people
derogatorily laughed off as "nothing
but niggers."
Maybe Dale should tell that
to the African Americans who are
CEOs whose grandfathers were
sharecroppers. Maybe he could tell
that to the blues singers whose
music was first enjoyed in juke
joints, but is now celebrated and
loved across the country.
Maybe he should just tell the
little black and white children who
run around the playground together
or to the happily married
interracial couple.
Dale is wrong. There has been
a drastic change in race relations
in the last 40 years. There is still
much more change to be done, as
well. Laws have been passed. It is
now time for mainstream culture
and entertainment to reflect those
laws. That is where the change
needs to be made. The interracial
couple need to be accepted.
More black women need to
walk down more runways and
show how beautiful black is. The
corporate ladder needs to be filled
with more African Americans to
accurately reflect the demographics
of this country.
Yes, there is much to be done.
But to say that there has been
"very little progress" in the last 40
years is ignorant. And by boycotting
the celebration of the bravery
of nine young black teenagers
in 1957, the NAACP has rendered
that action insignificant and unimportant.
a U8C Columbia, SC 29208
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VIEWI
fPL
r
US
Florida i
I Columnist |
What do you consider the South?
Better yet, do you consider Florida
a Southern state? A few weeks back,
while I was at work, someone asked
me these questions. At first I was kind
of thrown by the question, but quickly
my answer was decided. No, Florida
is not a Southern state.
Why? Well, look at it this way. Do
Floridians possess a "Southern" demeanor?
Do they even have a Southern
drawl? Yes, they're located in the
Southeast United States, but as far as
culture and mannerisms, I don't think
they"re qualified. I would quickly consider
Texas a Southern state compared
to Florida.
Maybe it's because their population
is, to a large percentage, made up
of Northern people. Florida is the retirement
capital of the country. Also,
there is an disproportionate percentage
of elderly people in Florida compared
to the Southern states. So, what
do I consider Southern states? Well,
for starters, South Carolina, of course.
Popularity
| Columnist |
I was an insecure kid back in high
school.
I wasn't very good at making
friends, and I kept to myself for the
moat nart. hanmnp around mv pIosp
circle of friends I had known since
kindergarten. I suppose everyone has
trouble in the teenage years with low
self-esteem and insecurity, but if s hard
to see it while it's happening.
Every now and then, someone
comes along who makes us break out
of our shells.
Rebecca Simpson was the most
popular girl at our high school, at least
in the 10th grade. She was the head
I cheerleader, on the volleyball team
and sophomore class president.
I found myself in her English
class, which was the last class of the
day. I envied her popularity, her friendliness
and her outgoing nature.
I wanted to be like that, but I was
GmoWa
To the editor,
I agree with your editorial about
Lino Graglia's blatant bigotry.
You may be interested in knowing
that Graglia also has appeared on
CNN and the Today show, still propounding
his tactless, anti-affirmative
action stance. My friends and I are still
baffled that Graglia, a master of
rhetoric, did not even attempt to hide
his racist agenda on national television.
Let me add to your editorial that
the University of Texas administrators
should have publicly confronted Graglia
about the basis of his remarks.
*
'PINTS
r/cxfe "TJ/e
?$$? *A'T uisTiL- AFn
ss To E/WPry -tUe t[
r ?u'fc O^E- cf oui
'XiNWiy SlUPEMT
VA
"We were all
>C volleyball setter junior As hie;
lot part
After us there are Georgia and No
Carolina just next door. Followi
them, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississ
pi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisia
and Virginia. As far as Texas, sor
times I consider it and then sometin
I don't. It's just so different as far
climate and its cultural make-up. B
I would definitely put it before Flc
da.
Northerners, i.e. Yankees, do
usually understand this idea of wl
makes a state, or to be more preci
a culture Southern. It consists of ma
things. The primary thing would ha
to be the character of the people. Sou
erners are brought up with certi
mannerisms or types of etiquette (
ferent from other cultures. Fm not a
ing that others don't have manne
but it just isn't displayed in the sai
way or to the same degree that it
here in the South.
Manners like opening the door
a lady and allowing her to walk
before you. Smiling when you me
someone even if you have had a b
day is another characteristic of t
South ("Smiling Faces, Beautii
queen cr
too shy to even speak to most peop.
Early on in the school year, I wi
moved to the front of the room in th
English class, right next to Rebecc
uTTi PVo/l " cVtn aais? arr?ilinrr at
sat down next to her. I was able
make some sort of response, but mos
ly I was shocked that the head chee
leader would even speak to me.
She told me flat out that she w;
going to get me to start talking to pe
pie. She did just that over the cour
of the year, and we became goc
friends.
We talked on the phone for hou
some nights, and we even went out
couple of times.
She was a cheerleader, and I w;
in the band, but she would come i
and visit me in the stands at footbs
games Friday nights. She even a
tended a couple of band contests th;
year. We talked so much in clas
instead of listening to our teacher ta
about Beowulf and Grendel, that ever
one assumed she liked me. Whenevi
old present
While I do not believe Gragli
should be censored, much less fired fc
his opinion, I personally have writte
to the University of Texas chancellc
to have Graglia present data (shoul
it exist) that allows his public derogi
tion of other ethnic groups.
Alexander E. Olvido
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Biological Science
Graduation on wrong day
To the Editor:
I am writing to announce that I believ
the Graduating Committee of this Un
?
1
y
-ji
(DO 0
1v 77f^
saying, 'never say die."'
Y Edlund, on having to overtake
of Solid
rth Places"). The South also has its i
ing cuisine. Anything from shrim
lip- grits and Frogmore stew on the
na to hog pick'ins and fried chick
ae- land, we know how to eat. It ma
ies be the healthiest food, but it sure
as good going down.
u^' Another distinguishing cl
teristic of the Southern culture
obsessions with tradition, histoi
n * the old ways of life. Whether
ia^ sweetgrass basket or the Confec
se' flag, we're always trying preser
^ past. And, though it may be mei
lised, paved over and invaded b
er cultures, it has successfully rel
its relaxed Southern pace we (
ay_ Together, this combines to
rs the Southern way of life. It's not
me ty, but rather an honor to be p
js this demeanor, and that's how
Southerners feel about it. We're;
for to be Southern. We recogniz
n history and try to live accordi
;et Maybe that's Florida's pre
ad ? it's never been part of the Sou
he culture in the first place. It was a i
'ul ish colony up until it was given i
acks insee
le. anyone in the class would ask hei
as would just turn away and not say
at thing.
For a short while, even I dai
3 * believe that she might have a s
to crush. I know I certainly did.
jt"
!r_ I started to look forward to [
to school for the first time in mj
^ She used to say this about herse
0_ day without Rebecca is like a day
ge out sunshine."
>d I began to believe this as my
ness for her grew.
rs I never asked her out. For tc
a rejection from her would have
much too painful. I'm not much
18 gambler, and I wanted to keep h
lP a friend for as long as I could.
Ill
I'll never know what she w
at have said if I had asked her out. V
Sj I played it safe and never riske
Ik jection, I also never gave myself a
y- portunity to see what might have
jr pened.
t data supp
a versity deserves a fine round o
>r plause for their outstanding cho:
n day for commencement exercises
"jj After finding out it has bee
" cided that Monday, Dec. 15 is th<
for graduation, I was delighted h
cover that my sister and her hus
in Georgia can't afford to take off
that day to come celebrate with
was even further enamored by th(
that my niece and her mother in 1
8 da cannot miss school and will re
fully not be able to make it.
Above all, I was happiest wl
learned that my parents will ha
make a six-hour journey back c
.e to Florida that night after the cer
i
5 |P^
J*
leading UGA
i's culture
inique United States. Thus, it never experip
and enced the same history. It wasn't a
coast, massive part oftheCivilWar.lt didn't
en in- get carpet-bagged, or reconstructed
ay not like the Southern states. Its history is
tastes different.
Because of this difference, it nevlarac
er derived the same styles that the true
! is its Southern states possess. Without those
y and experiences to shape its culture, it's
it's a lacking the most important Southlerate
ern characteristic ? an enduring spirye
the '^ie strength demonstrated by surtropo
viving a horrible time and putting itself
y back together again. Part of that
strength is born into each individual
miov *n South. I do recognize all Americans
have a tremendous amount of
1 *orm strength, but the strength possessed
a du" by Southerners is different. How is
art of hard to explain, but it is.
most That's why Florida will never be
P a Southern state in my mind. Put it
e our up there with New York or New Jern?
y- sey. The Yanks will like that. Florida
iblem is just out of luck. Maybe California
thern will adopt it. Hey, you never know.
Span- But, as far a being Southern, it's got a
to the long way to go.
xirity shell
r, she A few months before school endany
ed that year, she started dating a football
player. I would never have a class
e(j ^ with her again for the remaining two
vears in high school.
mall '
Ifs been six years since I sat across
from Rebecca Simpson, but I heard her
>omS name just this past summer. She got
r life, married to the football player who is
If: "A now in law school.
I saw her in-laws in the store
where I worked this summer shortly
fond- after her and her husband returned
from their honeymoon.
i face They said that the newly-weds
been were doing fine and that they had just
[ a gotten back from taking Becky out to
eat for her birthday. I had forgotten
8 her birthday.
I am not jealous of her husband
at all, and I wish them both the best
vhile 0f juck However, I would like to see
^ re" her sometime and thank her for helpn
?P" ing me break out of my shell in 10th
hap- grade and discovering that I actually
have a personality.
orting claims
f ap- ny because they have to work the folice
of lowing Tuesday.
I believe that the ladies and genn
de- tlemen of the Graduating Committee
3 day should get a strong bravo for choosing
3 dis- a weekday for graduation, when countband
less loved ones from across the nation
work will not be able to be in Columbia heme.
I cause of work, school, etc.
s fact Thank you for making the most
^ori" important day of my life sharable with
my entire family.
len, ^ Tim Durkin
veto
lown Marine Science Senior
emot
> *