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2012

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????S??? EXPRESSIONS Magazine is East Carolina University's minority publication that strives to provide an alternative voice to address the special concerns and problems of minority groups on campus. The definition of "minority" is ANY group of students that feel outside the norm or "mainstream The student's sense of neglect may be the result of belonging to a specific ethnic or religious group (for example. Native American, Asian American, Hispanic, or African American). The lack of being in the mainstream may also be due to a student's special concerns that other publications are not adequately addressing (for example, international students, non-traditional students, physically challenged students, or veterans). The responsibility of Expressions is to present the opinions and attitudes of vari- ous minority voices, to inform, entertain, and affect social change and understanding. Expressions is not a publication solely for minorities. We hope to cover issues of con- cern to students belonging not only to ,1 minority group, but also those students that other campus forums have left unfulfilled DP VW lflSTAND? Okl Cafeteria Complex 2nd Floor, Student Publications Bldg. East Carolina University Expressions@Studentmedia.ecu.edu www.expressions.ecu.edu 252.328.6927 WZMH Thursdays 7pm-8pm F.XP2 Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters -Abraham Lincoln ' g I 1" ' ?' Table of Contents 04 StafT 05 Welcome: From the General Manager 06 ECU Intercultural Organizations 09 Poetry 14 Literacy of Patriotic Politics 16 The Non-Traditional Student 18 Public Policy and the Homosexual 19 Black Politics 20 Islam and Democracy 22 Justin Bua: A personal account 23 Revolving Current Events 24 Calender of Events 26 Quotes Wright EXP3 (Jencral Manager Michael Ashby Managing Editor Gary R. Redding Art Director Napoleon Wnght Stall Writer Nyimah Boles Stall Writer Knick Dixon Stall Writer Anieena Mohyiiddm Staff Illustrator Lionel Williams Web Designer Marcus Jackson Faculty Advisor Reginald Watson EXP4 Welcome to the newest issue of Expressions. As students and student leaders, we are entering a new season of the 2004 political election. We have reason to exercise our youthful magnanimity and intellectual wit to read and study the issues that affect our daily lives, and to actively participate in the election process. As young Americans we have a distinct identity in language, personal creativity, and political value. Register to vote. Be aware of registration deadlines in whatever state, county, or municipality you are eligible to vote. Let's all be apart of a national dialogue on such issues as cutting college tuition, affirmative action, "Leave No Child Behind racism, freedom of speech and individual rights. ? We welcome your letters and comments. We look to your contributions of articles, poetry, and art work. Let's enter this semester with a sense of mission for the new political season, dedication to excellence, and the discipline of good conduct and making our parents happy with good grades. Sincerely, Gary R. Redding Managing Editor EXP5 If your organization is not represented on this list, just call us at 328-6927. We will be sure to include your organization in our next tahlokl edition. For more information on these organizations please contact the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center at 328-1680. Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Amnesty International Anthropology GSO B-GLAD BSW Student Association Black Student Union Buddhist Meditation and Study Group Circle K The Coalition Delta Sigma Theta DROPHEAVY ECU Gospel Choir East Carolina Native American Organization Epsilon Chi Nu Expressions Magazine Folk and Country Dancers Iota Phi Theta Independent Movement of Independent Thinkers Intercultural Student Senate Italian Club Habitat for Humanity Japan League Ladies Elite Minority Association of Pre-Health Students Model United Nations Club Muslim Student Association NAACP, ECU Chapter NC Rural Health Coalition National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. National Society of Minorities in Hospitality Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Omniance Modeling Omicron Delta Kappa Phi Beta Sigma Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Omicron Epsilon Sisters in Transition & Revival Student Association of Latino-Spanish Affairs Student Government Association Student Planning Association Student Union Cultural Awareness Committee Swing Dance Club Thespians of Diversity Visual Art Forum Zeta Phi Beta EXP6 "A healthy family is sacred territory ? Unknown mtm Photo by Napoleon Wright i-XP7 HEGEMONIC ORWEU. fco VOO UpRSTMD? "We, as individuals, are fast losing our reputation for honest dealing. Our nation is losing its character. The loss of a firm national character, or the degra- dation of a nation's honour, is the inevitable prelude to her destruction ?William Wells Brown, Abolitionist author and playwright KX?8 7 v "Cary, NC: Fourth Safest Place to Live in America (Newspapers Report) by Jennifer Clift A shrill ring wakes Sue. She rises, stepping over an American history book. A haughty voice laughs And advises her to retrieve her prize in her boutique Downtown. Sue numbly unveils: hundreds of wedding dresses slit with razors, stolen money. masturbating stick figures on the furniture, black swastikas on every wall, saliva plastered on the front door- dripping, oozing. Uniforms sluggishly arrive: "Sorry it took us so long Flash bulbs pop. Fingerprint samples "They probably used gloves The coffeemaker gurgles in the sewing room. DNA from saliva? "The State won't pay for the test Smells waft in from the bakery next door. Hate crime? "Surely not here, across the street from the police department Papers are shuffled and notes arc taken. Calling the press would only cause more trouble. Insurance pays its duties then denies her. Nausea solidifies to outrage. Outrage liquefies to tears. Tears trickle to sweat- in an attempt to rebuild. Sue's culpable sins: Not owning an SUV. Not being married. Having a foreign accent. Living as an American. Worshipping as a Muslim. Still praying for her family. Remaining a native Iraqi. Illustration by Jonathan Graham EXP9 I've Learned by Tina Rodgers-James To depend on me for the happiness I desire within. To praise myself no matter If I lose or win. To truly love who I am and Not care who you desire me to be. And just accept myself and be free. I've learned not to look to another for their love Or acceptance. But, how to take what they do or say, As obstacles being placed in my way. i Ibstacles, I'll just push my way through. Because at the days end I've learned to accept, love, and depend On me and not you. E?W Hyphen by Andre McDowell I'm stuck between two rocks and neither of them wants me around sounds of the Ivory Coast beckon me Home where the heart isor at least should be Absolutely ready for the Serengcti Ready to ripen myself on Nile water to prepare for my trip through the desert to the pyramids but even though the land itself screams my name the sentiments of the people might not be the same it is though they hate me because of my complacency my ability to conform to a system structured to hold me down hate me because I won't REBEL! I'm stuck between two rocks and neither of them wants me around sounds of Jazz and a black renais- sance beckon me Home Where one can feel safeor at least should be Where the streets are paved with gold Or is it milk and honey? Whoevcr's heaven you've heard of will suffice Where ballpark hot dogs can be the best meal in town Where technology is at the fore- front of every storefront Where all men are created equal So long as equal equals male, Christian, heterosexual, republican, wealthy and white But if you're like me then you are equal BUT different And in that case will never quite be What the ones who are equal want to see Bottom line; they too hate me Hate me because of my strive for equality For my militant nature in the face of fallacies Hate me because I REBEL! Pain in Full by Akanimo Mike Ikpe The midnight thirsts for cool Knees are lead to nppled reflections At the shore of continuity Where Musa met George. Gentle gazes into the deep waters; Hyes mirrored reveal the image Of One-tlic soul of many brothers Hoat across the ripples under the Cool moon; the acknowledgment Of crimes committed against an African commencement antonymoui And synonymous, they drink from The pool of ambivalence to atone For syndication that bled a nation Aid nppled its children across an ocean? A confederate nation. I am an African-American An African HYPHEN American Stuck m between Africa and America Wondering if I'll ever find a home. EXP11 m & HAS HOUR soo 52?? "Ji the wiwo V "The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses -Malcolm X, Activist and Black Nationalist EXP13 The Literacy of Patriotic Politics Language is merely a tool for expressions of facts. Wlxocver insists on language sacrifices the truth and will be confused forever. For instance, if a rock is thrown at a dog, the dog unit go after the rock; but if a rock is thrown at a lion, the lion will go after the person who threw it. Wlicn investigating the language of Zen, you should be like the lion and not the dog. -Zen Insight LANGUAGf is a communicating in- strument used to express and refer to lite ami the web ting of passive and active actions ib.it instigate reactions Alejandro Portea, .1 Professor ol Sociology and 1 km i iln- I iepartmeni ol Sot iology ai fohns Hopkins wrote how this affects cultures: "US history does nni register .1 single case of 'negoti ated' ethnicity I inguistically differentiated ethiiu groups have therefore only emerged through the two other alternatives conquest and immigration" 'Si hmid). I anguage spreads in foui different fashions through initial i olzation ol an unoccupied region, diver gem e, convergence, and language replai einenl How then has the English spread throughout Amen, 1 America's founding fathers believed the English language was superior and the most at curate way to express American lite. John Jay wrote in the Federalist Paper, "Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same languagl professing the same religion, attached to the same prim iple- of government" 1S1 hmid). I he pressure to assimilate and lo have English as the nation's primary language is an unofficial re- quirement to become aii American citizen. Benjamin Franklin expressed a similai opin ion the Pennsylvania colony by stating. "Why should the Palatine boors be suffered to swann in our Settlements, ami by herding together, established their I anguage and Manners to the exclusion ol ours? Whv should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony oi Aliens, who will shortly he s, numerous as to Germanize us instead of our anglifying them" (Schnnd)? Franklin here is quoted in a blatant xenophobic (fear of different cultures) remark geared towards the assimilation of any culture or language that was is not of Anglo descent, franklin later realized the error in his thinking and deleted this passage from his col- lection of essays referring to language. It is im- portant to understand when someone omits a statement, the omission is often more important then the statement itself "From the onset. Europeans did what diey could to eradicate Native American languages. The .olomsts set out to civilize and Christianize the Indians, toning them to assimilate to West em . ivilization and to speak English explained Carol Sclnnid, author of The Politics of lan- guage. Ihe government even liquidated fifteen thousand dollars per veal in order to bring the Native Americans into the ways of An- glo-American cultural identity. Since they were considered to be uncivilized, the extermination tit these barbaric people seemed necessary to in- sure national security. In fact, tribal groups have always been a problem for civilization because they require an abundance of land and typically do not SUCCumb to absolute authoritarian control without conflict and resistance. Ihe United States government passed null tiple laws concerning the Indigenous people in the Western Territories In 1830, Congress voted for the Indian Removal act, which tin derhandedly stole the land from the Indigenous Native Americans west of the Mississippi River. They were plated on land reservations with barely enough sustenance to maintain the hunt er-gatherer's existence In IXro, the Nw Perce signed a treaty with the American government, granting the Native Americans most of the tern KXP14 tory that was lost in the Indian Removal Act. A couple of years later, the Gold Rush was announced and thirty thousand Anglos hurried into the Western territories. The government soon came to the conclusion to reduce the Na- tive American's territory once again. The Government thought this reduction of territory was in the Native American's best interest be- cause of the United States inability to protect them from incessant attacks by white settlers. These Acts were the first steps, whether conscious or unconscious, in the assimilation of the Na- tive American's heritage. The early Americans thought it was their destiny to civilize and con- quer the New World. General Sherman, one of the key members of The United States Military said, "the sameness of language is produced through the sameness of sentiment and thought, customs and habits are molded and assimilated in the same way, and thus in the process of time these differences producing trouble would have be gradually obliteratedIn the differ- ence of language today lies two-thirds or our trouble" (Schmid). The hegemonic ideals imbedded within these words are the misconcep- tion of Sherman's reality, diluted by supremacy and the lack of humility. Through the underlining political agenda that has been seen throughout America's history in relation to language and colonization, it is not surprising that after the Mexican-American war in 1848, large amounts of land was handed over to America, including parts of Colorado, New Mexico, California, Arizona and Texas. As a result, all indigenous people within this territory automatically became American citi- zens. In 1849 at the Monterey Constitutional Convention in California, a vote implemented that all legal documents would be written in Spanish and English. A year later, the Gold Rush spread over the western part of the nation. This, in effect, increased the white population to become the majority in several states, including California. In 18'J4, California inundated new- laws announcing that only citizens who could read and write the English I anguage would be aloud to vote. Obviously America's view on national identity in the 19th Century was based on language and belief structures During this time Spanish culture, newspapers, and bilingual schools were flourishing, but California still was not providing an equal disbarment of funds to all United States citizens. The Anglo school children would receive 51 dollars pure child, were as the Mexican student would receive 35 dollars in state funding. In 1884, the New Mexico public school population was a mere 5 white and 69 His p.iiiu . yet 26 of the students were bilingual. By 1912 the Anglo population exceeded the Mexican population Only then did New Mex- ico become a state in the United States. Carol Schmid highlighted this population fluctuation in The Politics of Language. "Thc emphasis on English-language instruction was part of the broader struggle over land, which was develop- ing between the English-speaking white settlers and the Mexican Americans in New Mexico With the loss of one's native tongue comes the loss of particular words, the change in semantics, and the eradication of a perception that is dis- tinct from other cultures. According to the original Spanish Education laws in New Mexico, each voting district would make the decision on which language would be taught in the local school system - Spanish, Eng- lish, or both. However, in 1910 the Enabling act was passed, which required English to be taught in public schools legal documents were published in Spanish for another twenty years, but like many other languages in America's his- tory, Spanish ceased to be used in legal docu- ments. America has a long line of forced and socially situated pressures that have helped in conquering the Western territories. About this tune students who spoke Spanish on school grounds would receive detention and possibly beaten. Between 1870 and 1920 the Native Americans had similar experiences. Seventy- seven boarding schools were established simply for assimilating the indigenous cultures, their languages, their clothes, their spiritual practices, their sociological makeup, and their knowledge of wisdom. Not only were they forced into these schools, but they were also punished for not cutting their hair, wearing their own clothes, and using their own dialect. They were hog-tied for hours, tied to stoves, made to stand out in the blistering cold, and beaten with sticks for any insubordination. The idea of having bi- lingual studies accessible for Native Americans was not at all considered because they were seen as barbaric, uncivilized, savage people who needed to be saved. When Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States after the Spanish American war, it became the next in line to be assimilated into the Anglo way of life. Some political leaders thought it was for Puerto Rico's benefit to become part of the United States. Explains Schmid, "There was a conscious policy of 'Americanization with the intent of convening the island's Span- ish speakers into Anglophones. The principle vehicle of this change was the public education system" (Schmid). Most of the education during 1903 to 1949 was delivered in English. Even pa- triotic exercises such as Mag raising, saluting, .mil singing the national anthem became a common spectacle on the Island of Puerto Rico. Dennis Baron once said, "language in Puerto Rico has always been more a politic.il issue than an education one. tied up with issues of statehood or independence, cultural pluralism and Ainen Canization In the I950's political unrest started to escalate as Puerto Rico began to crave a sense I of nationality independent of the United States. To this day, Puerto Rico is still an independent nation. The veil that covers the Eye of Horns (Horns is the ancient Egyptian god that rep- resents wisdom, health and prosperity and is represented by a single eye, which is depicted on the back of the dollar bill) illustrates the multi-cultural perception, which is negated in the justice and freedom inherendy present m rational thought. We, as citizens, must critically examine language and our attitudes towards language. It is important to understand where the facts are coming from, not just the facts themselves. Failing to insist upon multiple historical accounts and relying upon books and politicians to produce answers leaves us open to hegemonic perceptions of reality. It is the job of United States citizens to see the inequality that is hidden in-between the lines and draw our own lines, if necessary. If we don not watch the hand that writes the laws and watch the people who write the books, this manifest destiny that covers our eyes, mind, and soul will continue to pol- lute the creativity of life. Work Cited Schmid, Carol L. The Politics of Language New York; Oxford University Press. 2001. Illustration by Lionel Williams F.XIM5 The Non-Traditional Student By Gary R. Redding Today in the United States, sm- dents deemed nomraditional, disadvantaged, and disabled are often perceived as not having the ability to intellectualize or am. ulate the world around them. Many people have ami would probably define my domestic upbringing as "disadvantaged because my three sisters and I grew up in a single parent home w nh no indooi plumbing, electricity, or telephone. We were all graduated from the Halifax County School System, which is rated as one of the woist public school systems in the si.ire and nation We were stimulated from conception with my mom's own great philosophy of womb adjudication: meaning the sot io ideologic al grounding of self education, self-reliance, and self-empower nient. without the a use involvement ol 11 ithei or the external features of a connecting support system. As children, materialism and the eco- nomic reality ol our community sas traded tor the dynamics ol being together, self-discipline, and reading aloud to each other tor 45 minutes a day from such great masters as Will Du- Bois, ham Panon, Imn Morrison, Aristotle, and many more We enjoyed such communal events as Sunday brunch on our small kin hen table positioned on the edge ol the cotton held liisi outside our back door, dressed scith a pretty tablecloth and with our best china and silver wire Even at a young age, this was the lime' set aside to engage each other about local politics, our latest reading initiatives, strategies lor sur- vival, and the horizontal dimensions of church. The money we saved to install a magnificent bathroom was instead used to lake the family to Sweden to witness Nelson Mandela receiving the I'WO Nobel Peace Prize. I was nine years old and what an experience. When we finally got a telephone and a television, our interpersonal relationship with friends was delayed until after the evening news hour Some of the consequences of our rich educational and . ultura upbringing is that the oldest sister is a court judge, we continue to enjo) reading and eat b other's i ompany, and as my Mom likes to add. "None of us have any cavities lhe average American has no idea about the poverty experienced by many black, Native American, and poor youth. Many gel through high school not ever basing read a complete book, having no conception of the relationship ol llicn home aiea to the geography of the rest ot the Unmd Stales, not having a positive rela- tionship with a father or male figure in lhe film ly or community, having no idea of the sacrifices made on behalf of parents and the ancestors, and n.n being able to list the names of the governor and 01 out political representatives To sum up the situation: Even though most students are ic ally good people and know how to have a good Photo by Nvimah Boles tune, we are the generation of pain, contempt, illusion, and a prolific mire of neglect, depres- sion and other health problems. The structural differentiation of education lor whites and blacks, and other minorities in tins country is sometimes appalling. I attended school with hundreds of disenfranchised black students who never had access to books other than outdated textbooks, to a school library, or to a proficient English teacher. Most of these students were direct descendants of a local slave heritage and of grandparents who were denied the tight to read and write by Jim ("row" laws. Many of the parents of these students struggled also with economic despair and lack ofpolitic.il power and awareness. The spirit of educa- tion was also stagnated by a lack of welcoming involvement in the school system and by the authoritarian and inhibiting moral law of their local church. Subjugated and colonized minds often turn to group creative ways of expression and new and sometimes unhealthy insights by way ot hip-hop music, strange fashions in cloth ing, and by becoming single teenage parents. ( rune, drugs, and an increasing appetite for un- safe sex are also products of subjugated minds I Respite the notion in some quarters that the probability ofnontradition.il students succeeding is little 01 none, the dominance of this country in music and the creative arts would not be what it is without then contributions I luce monu- mental examples of people ssho have overcome unhealthy and desolate circumstances include: (I) Wilma Rudolph was born poor and with polio, an acute infectious disease that attat ks the spinal cord, often resulting in muscular paralysis. Rudolph, a native ot Tennessee and Tennes- see State University graduate, bravely learned to walk, transforming herself into a young promising track athlete. In the 10 Olympics, Rudolph sprinted herself into the record books by be- coming the first American woman runner to win three gold medals. Before her untimely death in 1994, Rudolph served as a track coach, an athletic consultant, and assistant director tit athletics for the Mayor's Youth Foundation in ("Imago. (2) Stevie Wonder is an award winning musical prodigy who was born blind. Wonder's heightened awareness of sound devel- oped into a comprehensive model ot" musical genius and a political energy addressing serious racial, social, and spiritual issnev Wonder's dis- cography includes 4o albums, many written, arranged, and produced by linn;Sherman Alexie, a name of the Spokane Indian Reserva- tion, m Wellpuut, Washington, and a gradu- ate of Washington State University, was born hydrocephalit with water on his brain Even though doctors predicted that he would live with severe mental retardation, Alexie learned 10 read by age three and has become a world renowned novelist, poel. and movie producer. To date, Alexie has published fourteen books, produced two movies, and recorded five CD's. All three of these great Americans of color turned their physical challenges into creative vehicles of magnetism, achievement, and a monetizing system to not only take care of themselves and their families, but to employ others and bring joy and understanding to the world. Whatever your physical, mental, or eco- nomic and cultural challenge, we owe it to ourselves and to the ancestors to make a better world. The 2004 national political election is approaching. If you are eighteen years old or older, yon have the responsibility to register to vote, and then be sure to vote The Hush administration has cut billions of dollars from programs and services for the mentally and physically challenged and for non-traditional Students Small communities, colleges and uni- versities, and the society at large now face the consequences of these monumental cuts Every human person has indisputable value, influence, and significance. This value is tied to the responsibility of involving ourselves in new strategies tor a better world and to each of us dedicating ourselves lo being the best person we can be. Public Policy and the Homosexual by Nyimah Boles AJoJ (Jo frfi'OG- fc CK CL- Ellen DeGeneres, Eleanor Roos- evelt, James Dean and Richard Chamberlain: A prominent co- medienne, the political helpmate to the former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and two well known and re- spected actors despite their backgrounds, each had one thing in common: homosexuality. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans- gender community lias been prevalent in the United States for over 30 years but has seen very little progress in legislation concern- ing their "civil" rights and their well being. This lack of legislative progress is due to lnnumerous obstacles, a few being: the widespread misconception held about homosexuality being a mental illness, and current public policy concerning sodomy and marriage. Prior to 1973, homosexuality was con- sidered a diagnosable mental illness. The misconception that homosexuality is a mental illness has contributed to the lack of legislative progress for the Lesbian, Ciay, Bisexual and Transgender community. This assertion has been linked to problems like substance abuse, depression or an inability to be a happy and fulfilled individual. It wasn't until 30 years ago that the American Psychiatric Association removed homo- sexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, this misconception has had negative and positive effects on public policy concerning sodomy and marriage. Generally, sodomy laws restrict or prohibit sexual behaviors such as oral or anal sex, even between consenting adults. Public Policy, as of July 2002, states that in 26 states and the District of Columbia, sodomy laws had been repealed through legislative action. In nine additional states the courts had declared the laws uncon- stitutional and unenforceable. Four states Kansas, Missoun, Oklahoma, and Texas) have sodomy laws that target only same-sex behavior. Though rarely known, these sodomy laws punish a category of sexual behavior and in turn punish a particular sexual orientation. The discrimination based on sexual orientation is also seen in current same-sex marriage policy. Housing discrimination disputes are a consequence of lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Though states set sodomy and same-sex marriage at their own discretion, the federal government hasn't made an initiative in support of same-sex marriage and the benefits of such a union. In fact, President George Bush, Jr. was quoted as saying that he "would support a bill that would ban same-sex marriage if it had to come to that The inability of homo- sexuals to marry a person of the same sex prohibits them from the benefits of a legal union such as: the ability to file joint tax returns. Social Security benefits, Veterans benefits, access to Medicare, the right to visit a spouse in the hospital and a host of others. Though public policy is just one of the attributes that continues to put a halt on the progression of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, it does hold a very large weight. Once public policy begins to let go of the reins that are binding the homosexual community, their forward movement would possibly occur more rapidly. rli &&& ' EXP18 J Photo by Tcnesha Sistrunk Black Politics By Knick Dixon For the past couple of years I have followed U.S presidential election campaigns in utter misery and disgust. I have been forced to sift through publicity stunts by the President select, and biased media outlets politicizing human atrocities as acts of heroism. Yet I am not positive if it's the theatrics associ- ated with a candidate's campaign rally in inner cities or my dedication to Dr. King's teaching that keep me engaged in a political world that seems to care nothing about the Black man. Blacks have been integral cogs in American society, since they first arrived in Jamestown in 1619. However, despite the remarkable achievements Blacks have made in this country, they arc considered insig- nificant until Election year. As November 7 approaches presidential candidates are stroked with an intuitive grasp of reality that forces them to lobby for their only chance of victory-the Black vote. My ex- perience as a voter and as an intern with Democracy South, a non-profit organiza- tion that seeks to eliminate special interest in elections, has led me to believe that the Black vote is essential for a candidate's victory but means nothing a day after the election. This will be the second public elec- tion that 1 will participate in, not because I have faith in any of the candidates but simply because it is a right my forefathers died for. Again this year I will vote not for the best candidate but for the man or woman that will do my community the least damage. You see I am a member ot a segment of Black voters who suffer from political paranoia exacerbated by memory; we remember the "Great Communicator Ronald Reagan, greatly eradicating years of gains in Civil Rights. In 1982, President Reagan planned to reinstate tax-exempt status to private institutions that discrimi- nated against African-Americans. His vice- president and successor George H. Bush and Dan Quayle's assertion that the L.A. riots and intcrgcncration.il poverty were a result of loss of family values as opposed to years of social inequality and misdirection in the way of race relations by the last three Republican administrations. Quaylc said "the intergencrational poverty that troubles us so much today is predoniinandy a poverty of values Lest we forget President Clinton, widely hailed as the "First Black President because he played the saxophone, and displayed coolness around minorities that had never before been seen. However Clinton failed to lessen the sentence disparity between Black and White criminals and could not ossify a commission on police brutality or reparations. George W. (Who, What, When, Where) Bush has totally neglected the "color line" in favor of undermining at least three- rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, (due process, free speech, and search and seizure), in the United and Strengthening America Act also known as the Patriot Act. What is pa- triotic about a document that infringes on civil liberties? I could easily conjecture that the Ameri- can government is a racially biased insti- tution without regard for anyone but White America. But to speak of the government as the progenitor of one mind, body, and soul, would demonstrate a shallowness of opinion. Therefore, I will assume that the United States of Amenca is ambivalent to the demands of Black America. Our Black political and intellectual leaders have not vigorously demanded any- thing of this government since the 60's and 70's. This crisis in Black leadership and the lack thereof in our churches, college institu- tions, and community have led to a denigra- tion in Black politics. With the exception of one political rhyme artist and frizzy haired activist, Black leaders have ceased to demand anything from those who have a stranglehold on politics. Most of our Black intellectuals situated in academia spend more time decid- ing which Ivy League institution to call home- instead of feverishly demanding solutions "to race" the problem we have in America. Until Black leaders and "Blacks that lead concoct a meaningful Black agenda we will forever be swallowed up in the veil of inulticulturalism. Thus the problem of the 21st century will re- main the "color line Maynard Jackson, the first Black Mayor of Atlanta, suggested in a conversation with Randall Robinson, founder and director of TransAfnca, that a Black Race Card be cre- ated that had a list of questions tailored to the needs of Black people. The card would be dis- tributed to all Black voters at the time of their registration. Each time a candidate, White or Black solicited the Black vote, someone would whip out the card and inquire about their stance on affirmative action, record on civil rights legislation, police brutality, domestic terrorism, AIDS, sentence disparity between crack and powder cocaine, economic stimulation in Africa, trade with third world coun- tries, educational resources (aside from testing measures that only seek to cat- egorize the student population with minimal efforts to improve the qual- ity of teaching), and REPARATIONS! The card never came into fruition but one can only guess how few candidates would have been deemed worthy of the Black vote. To some, going against the po- litical norm seems hopeless and will turn the clock on the racial progress we have made. In response to these nay says, I commission you to study the roots and personality of the American, French, and Bolshevik Revolutions, or the resistance movement in South Africa. You will find that working outside of the box has resulted in some of the greatest social revolutions in his- tory. So it is time for Blacks to follow in the footsteps of the former "La Raza Unida" and create a viable third political party. La Raza Unida was a Mexican- American faction bred out of the Chica- no Civil Rights Movement that forced the federal government to pass the first Farm Labor Union Act in United States History. Their success is encouraging to those of us who are fighting small battles in the inner city with hopes of landing the ultimate victory of racial equal- ity. I am convinced that until a grass mots contender pushes forth the principles of the Black agenda built on the founda- tion of attaining racial equality and racial healing, equality will remain an elusive concept. A political party centered around, but not limited to Af- rican-American issues is essential for all Americans to understand the history of plight of African-Americans. As Caesar Chavez stated, "our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others-in the strugglc-for their sake and for our own However, too often Black Republicans and Dem- ocrats are forced to compromise what is considered a radical position on race. A Black political party would be able to promote dialogue among the races without having to compromise the goals of their agenda. EXP19 Islam and Democracy A Theoretical Perspective By Amtcna Mohyucklin Is democracy the whims and desire! t the tyrannical rulers or their cronies? Is it a pine to jail and incarcerate its fighi ers and a place to torture us proponents? I Ins notion stretches across the oceans as world leaders stray from the true meaning dcnioi rai v Democracy's original meaning has been lost and in tins day and age it has transformed into something almost tyrannical As the world has changed, governments have fallen and changed and so has democracy. It has become entirely difficult to bring about change without coups and bloodshed. Throughout history, the concept of Islamic law (along with other cultures and societies) has been argued and debated over ten the simple purpose- ot understanding whether or not it can be practiced under the structure ot democracy. II the Islamic states adhere to democratic behav- ior, would tins action benefit the states them- selves, as well as the remainder ot the world, or would tins action cause tot more violent out- breaks ac tiw tiit- globe? rhough we can understand that the princi pies ot democracy have so far been successful in most western nations such as the United States. Canada, and Sweden (to name a few), we must also recognize that democracy was formulated at a tune when dictatorship was despised and society was willing to go towards great lengths to flee the authoritarian system. It is compre- hensible that democracy has a possibility to "rule the entire world including the Islamic world and not just the western world; for the further betterment of all mankind. As democracy focuses on ruling by the people, the reputation of Islamic states infer that decisions are based on the decision ol a few elites, and not by a majority rule. However, the Muslim belief system agrees that consultation is a must when it comes to selecting a potential leader for a nation stale The principles of a true democracy can be ap- plicable to the constitutionality of Islamic law, and theoretically speaking, could possible lead to the benefit of the Islamic state, as well as the remainder of the world. Democracy has been known to be the form of government that could possibly be the cornerstone ol a stable society. Based on its formal definition, a form of government m which the supreme power is retained by the people, but is indirectly exercised through a system of representation anil delegated author- ity periodically renewed ,the essence of the meaning is truly what a modern society needs in order for there to be a civil sense of freedom and impartiality for all mankind. However, once viewed through the lenses of diverse ways of life, from religion to culture, can this demo- cratic system of governance truly suffice to the attitudes of all individuals from different parts of the world, or is it fit for only certain divisions of humankind? Democracy was first established as a system of authority and ruling for the Greeks during a time of anarchy and unstable society in the 6th century, BC. Liberty, majority rule, and equal- ity are all important aspects of democracy in the sense that society needs these basic rights in order to survive in a fair manner. The true es- sence of democracy continued onward into the Roman Empire, as well as toward the Middle Ages (despite the outburst of Feudalism), and finally in Europe, which paved the way to what we know now as the modem democratic system of governance. Rousseau claimed that all people should have an input in how their government should function. There are a few essential characteristics of a legitimate democracy, whether western-based or not: it is the people who are chosen, not the leaders, to freely make choices without govern- ment intervention; when electing the leaders, it is essential that every vote must represent in an equal manner, hence, one vote for every person (adult), for this equality to occur, all people must be subject to the same laws, have equal civil rights, and have the allowance to freely ex- press their ideas. Minority rights are also crucial in a legitimate democracy. No matter how un- popular their views, all people should enjoy the freedoms of speech, press and assembly. Public policy should be made publicly, not secretly, and regularly scheduled elections should be held. Since "legitimacy" may be defined as "the feeling or opinion the people have that govern- ment is based upon morally defensible principles and that they should therefore obey it then there must necessarily be a connection between what the people want and what the government is doing it legitimacy is to occur. Today, the United States recognizes a system of representative democracy, which embodies the three branches of government for equal representation. As other nations use the principles ot democracy to help manage their government, it must be noted that not all sys- tems are exactly alike. Some democratic Euro- pean nations still exercise monarchies, however, and use parliamentary procedure to assist people in having more power to rule. Thus, democ- racy is essentially universal, allowing room for interpretation for all nations, cultures, and soci- eties (i.e. the Islamic World). I he principles of Islamic law are now referred to as the Shari'ah consisting of rules de- veloped by Muslim jurists through the process of consensus and analogy. Of the Shari'ah beliefs include the idea of changes in circumstance and tune and how those changes may result in further interpretation of Islamic Jurisprudence. The idea of public interest also goes in accor- dance with Islamic law, further approving the idea that democratic principles can be applied to the governance of an Islamic state. The pro- cess of consultation (shura) must be applied to the rulings of any Islamic state, regardless of the structure taken. Muslims also believe in the fact that God is the head of the state; however, His followers are not necessarily His representatives. As far as shura and democracy are con- cerned, it can be understood that the process of decision making is a requirement for an Islamic government. The Quranic verse: and con- sult them in important matters. Then, when you have taken a decision, put your trust in God and execute it, for God loves those who put their trust (in him)" (3:159). Implying the ob- ligation of consultation within an Islamic state. In order for the success of the Islamic state, the exercising of shura implements a compatibility between Islam and democracy, which further guarantees a civil society among the eastern and western worlds The notion of consultation led to a peaceful form of interaction between most societies at the time; consequently, the process of shura could possibly lead to the democratiza- tion of the Muslim world. The shura itself as open to interpretation because the word of God has never been denied. At the time of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon Him), he was chosen as the leader for the followers and from there after, several suc- cessors were elected in a similar way. This idea was adopted over generations of nilings, however, historically speaking; there are no claims of rules by divine right. The process of selecting leaders is called bay'ah, which literally means "selling" (al-Hibri 68). In a sense, this idea refers to the process of declaring and accepting a ruler. Even so, the process of consultation comes into place as a group of individuals come to a consensus, thereby nominating the individual most fit for the position of a leader. Secondly, the general public then gives their bay'ah to the selected individual. This, therefore, infers that a majority must accept the potential ruler after he makes the declaration, thus further proving that Islamic law is potentially able to function in a demo- cratic fashion. Tins was in no way, a form of authoritarian rule, even though in the present day we see an abundance of these authoritarian rulers across the Middle East. Authoritarian rulers came into existence basically through the process of istikhaf. This literally means, "choosing your own ruler (al-Hibri 69). This form of authoritarian rule occupied some of the Muslim world after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon Him), as Muslim communities grew and there was a necessity to develop new ways of selecting the potential caliphs. Since the Quran does not give a precise view of how exactly to select a leader, interpretation was left for the Muslims and therefore gives them the authority to decide how to choose the caliph (as long as consultation is exercised). Caliphs have the responsibility of several major world leaders today. The caliph must acquire certain characteristics, such as charisma, wisdom and faithfulness, which not many individuals attain today. The Islamic ummah (community) refers the Muslim citizens of the world. For this reason, a caliph of the Mus- lim ummah would not qualify as a democratic principle, so the necessity to modify the role of the caliph was adopted so that there could be a caliph representing each nation-state as opposed to the ummah as a whole (al-Hibri 70). This further supports the notion of a democratically structured Islamic, state, through the idea that a leader does not make all decisions on his own, as he also consults with cabinet members and the like. Islam itself is a religion based on the peace- ful submission to God. As the religion relays peace, so does the governmental system, democracy. With this simple statement in mind, it may not be completely convincible that Islam is obviously compatible with democracy. The authentic Islam is friendly to human rights and freedom of conscience, which in turn are com- patible with democracy, and prone not to war and violence but to the quest for justice and peace (Sachedina). Democracy, a form of government in which freedom is thoroughly defined, cannot be any- more definable than what shura is to Shari'ah. This brings us to the major similarity between Islamic law and democracy: the process of con- sultation. Along with the other characteristics of Islam that make it compatible with democracy, including consensus and public interest, shura is the single most important factor that implements the principles of democracy into an Islamic form of government. Islam believes in the general, pure Quranic teachings that are the basis of a mutually understanding democratic relationship among Muslims and non-Muslims. A society where all people can reunite in a euphoric state of mind, when civilians value each others dignity and human rights is what democratic pluralism at- tempts to thrive on (Sachedina). With everything said, it can be noted that Islam, a religion of peace with a belief system in equal human rights, can apply its law to the structure of a basic democracy with almost no questions asked. As democracy implies rule by the people, Islamic law entails consultation as the first step in leading a society. Shari'ah con- forms to the democratic system of governance based on Islam's ability of interpretation of the general guidelines given in the Quran and in the Hadith into specific laws suitable for each society's specific customs and needs. Illustration by Lionel Williams Bibliography al-Hibri, Azizah. (1999). "Islamic Constitutionalism and the Concept of Democracy Border Crossings: Toward a Comparative Political Theory. Maryland: Lexington Books. al-Khomeini, Imam Sayyid Ruhollah al-Musavi. Islamic Government (Hukumat-i Islami). Available: (http:khomeini.hypermart.nethukumat http:library.thinkquest.org26466historyofdemocracy.html Ghannouchi Rachid. "The Participation of Islamists in a Non-Islamic Government Available: http:www 1 jaring.mypasharakaha 19981012 IOI9b3e21.html Sachedina, Abdulaziz. (2001). The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism. New York: Oxford University Press. BUA A Personal Account Never has there been a more influential art- ist of this era other than Justin Bua. His ability to distort everyday realism with urban themes has made his artwork some of the most popular today Not only have his paintings received recognition all over the world, but lus art work is among the best selling on college campuses. Having been a professional breakdancer, it is no surprise that some of the rhythms and move- ments of this dynamic dance would be prevalent in his art. For example, in the piece entitled The DJ, his use of light and movement through the DJ's arm into the turntables is extraordinary. It is as if the DJ is becoming the record. "The influ- ence is huge! The way I paint, 1 rarely sit when I work. I get up, move around, kick a move its huge Politics is the theme of this issue of Expressions, and we were granted an interview with Bua before his scheduled visit to the ECU campus, sponsored by the Ledonia Wright Cultural Outer Bua commented that poli- tics play a major role in creating his art. "I've always been a political person says Bua, "I'm working on a painting right now as a matter of fact called The Artist It's about a Graff writer looking back .it the public space claiming what is his 1 Igging is frowned upon and isn't seen as an art form M, art has always been in- dicative of a culture whether it be jazz, b-boyin, I Ming - I'm growing more political Like any artist, in order to grow one must i ? Minimally take risks and try new things. Be- coming great at one thing is not enough. Be- ing able m make mistakes and learn from them only makes you a stronger artist of life. Bua explained, "I find myself evolving and getting inure compositions Painting bigger ? just bet- tering myself" Hip-Hop music has also been .111 influence on Bua and Ins style of art. He shared that, "Hip Hop isn't about the money, girls or any other materialism thing. It is a universal oneness It allows people to .nine together from all walks of urban lite Having gone from tagging the trains in New York City, to attending the High School of Performing Arts where he stud- ied visual art to getting accepted into the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, to now being a prolific professor at the Uni- versity of Southern California, the transition was an event in itself. Bua admitted that, "It was kind of weird because I'd like to say that I look young and it's funny because the kids are like Who's this guy? They look at Graffiti as being weird as well, but I find that I can relate to them Bua has created a style of painting that is all his own and he is constantly getting better with every stroke of the brush. From Jazz scenes to urban environments, Bua's prints appeal to everyone from all walks of life. For more in- formation on Justin Bua and his prints, visit his website at www.justinbua.com. EXP22 Me, ? ? ? u5 ? . EXP23 Calendar of Events Ledonia Wright Cultural Center Spring 2004 February, Black History Month 1 Chinese New Year 2 Student Union Visual Arts: An Exhibit of Prints by Justin Bua, Menden- hall Student Center, through February 27 3 Justin Bua Slideshow and Poster Signing, 7:00 p.m Hendrix Theatre 4 Summer Opportunities and Co-op Internship Fair, 10:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m Bate Building 4 Slam Poetry Contest, Mendenhall Student Center 5 African American Movie Night, K:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 6 African Storyteller Shindana Cooper, 7:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center Great Rooms 7 The 5 Elements (A Hip-Hop festival) featuring a DJ, MC, DROPHEAVY. and Oraffiti Art, 9:00 11:00 p.m Pirate Underground, Mendenhall Student Center 8 Sexual Responsibility Week, through 14 9 Dialogue on Diversity; topic will be HIVAIDS, 6:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 12 Industry and Technology Fair, 9.00 am - 1:00 p.m Willis Building 12 Poetic Expressions: Readings. Rhymes, and Rhythm featuring a guest host from the Triangle-area, 7:30 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 13 Jazz at Night, X p.m Mendenhall Student Center, Great Rooms 13 Decision Science Career Fair, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m third floor. Bate Building 14 Contra Dance. 7:30 p.m. (lesson), 8:00 -10:30 p.m (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 15 National Brotherhood and Sisterhood Week, through 21 15 History of the Negro Spiritual featuring Dorthea Taylor and Dr. Louise Toppin, 5 p.m , Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Hooker Rd? Greenville, NC 16 Emanue! Cleaver, 3:30 -5:00 p.m SZ-307 Science and Technology Building 17 Random Acts of Kindness Day 19 The Grapes of Wrath. 8:00 p.m. Messick Theatre, through 24 19 African American Reading Day, 2 - 4 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 19 Carnivale (Mardi Gras: Around the World). TBA. Mendenhall Student Center (Sponsored by Partners in Campus Life) 19 Writers Reading Series, Theresa Williams, 3:00 p m Science and Tech- nology Building, room 309 and at 7:00 p.m Sheppard Memorial Library 20 Salsa Dance, 7:30 p.m. (lesson) 8:30 - 11:00 p.m. (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 23 Orthodox Lent begins 24 Dat Phan and Ant (Comedy Series) 8:00 p.m. Hendrix Theatre 25 Ash Wednesday 25 Tango y Tango, Afro-Cuban dance group, 7:00 p.m Wright Auditorium 26 African-American Movie Night, 8:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 26 Town Hall Meeting: Community and Domestic Violence in the African- American Community. 6:00 - 9:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center 26 Education Career Day, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Mendenhall Student Center 27 Day of Reflection- Culture and Consciousness: Gender and Ethnicity, Sistah Dr Pamela K. Safisha Nzingha Hill, 7:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center 29 Dances of Universal Peace, 4:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center. 244 March, Women's History Month 1 National Women of Color Day I Ladysmith Black Mambazo. 8:00 p.m Wright Auditorium 1 Eating Disorder Awareness Week 4 David Byre-Tyre, Art exhibit and reception, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 4 Swash Improve Group (comedy), 8:00 - 10 p.m Pirate Underground. Mendenhall Student Center 5 Celebration of Ledonia Wright Cultural Center featuring Ms. Susan L. Taylor, Editorial Director of Essence Magazine, 3:00-6 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center and Mendenhall Student Center 5 Jazz at Night, 8 p.m Mendenhall Great Rooms 6 Kellin Watson (Women's History Month Concert), 9:00 - 11:00 p.m Pirate Underground, Mendenhall Student Center 8 International Women's day 8 Kris Betts, Universities at a Peek into the Crystal Ball, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m SZ-307 Science and Technology Building 8 Russell Simmons Def Poetry on Broadway, 8 p.m Wright Auditorium 10 Harriet Tubman Day 10 Ledonia Wright Cultural Center Meet and Greet Social, 7:00 p.m. Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 10 Women's History Movie Night, 8:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 11 Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, 8:00 p.m Wright Auditorium 13 Contra Dance, 7:30 p.m. (lesson), 8:00 - 10:30 p.m. (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 14 Spring Break, through 21 15 Second Annual Diversity Week, School of Medicine, 12:30 - 1:30p.m Brody Building, through March 20 19 Salsa Dance, 7:30 p.m. (lesson), 8:30 - 11:00 p.m. (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 22 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 22 Dialogue on Diversity, topic TBA, 6:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 26 Cinderella, Moscow Festival Ballet, 8:00 p.m Wright Auditorium 27 Pow Wow, bottom of College Hill, sponsored by the East Carolina Native American Organization (call 328-1680 for details) 30 Writers Reading Series, Ethelbert Miller, 3:00 p.m Mendenhall Stu- dent Center, Social Room and at 7:00 p.m Willis Building April 2 Student Union Visual Arts: Illumina 2004, call for entries, 3:00 - 8:00 p.m Great Room Mendenhall Student Center 4 Daylight Saving Time begins 5 Student Union Visual Arts: Illumina 2004 Exhibit, Mendenhall Gallery, Mendenhall Student Center, through April 22 6 Passover 6 Nonprofit and Volunteer Career Fair, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Multipur- pose Room Mendenhall Student Center 7 World Health Day 9 Good Friday 10 Contra Dance, 7:30 p.m. (lesson), 8:00 - 10:30 p.m. (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 11 Easter Sunday 12 Dialogue on Diversity, topic TBA, 6:00 p.m Ledonia Wright Cultural Center 14 Social Justice Institute 2: Brown vs. Board of Education: Fifty Years Later, lecture by Juan Williams, journalist, 7:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center 16 Salsa Dance, 7:30 p.m. (lesson), 8:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. (dance), Willis Building (tickets at the door) 17 Bolcom and Morris, 8:00 p.m Wright Auditorium 19 Ambassador Fredrick M. Bush, Scholars and Scholarship in a New World, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m SZ-307 Science and Technology Building 21 Student Union Visual Arts: Illumina 2004 Awards Ceremony and Closing Reception, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center 22 Earth Day 22 Clothesline Project at Barefoot on the Mall 25 Dances of Universal Peace, 4:00 p.m 244 Mendenhall Student Center 26 Classes end 27 Reading Day 29 Ledonia Wright Cultural Center Open House, 12:00 noon- 2:00 p.m. May 1 National Day of Prayer 5 Cinco de Mayo 6 Baccalaureate Ceremony, 6:00 p.m Mendenhall Student Center 8 Commencement 9 Mother's Day 18 First Summer Session classes begin EXP25 Quotes . "A viohrust had a violin, a painter his palette. All I had was myself. was the instrument that I must care for ?Josephine Baker Singer and dancer "One is responsible to life: It is the small beacon in that terrifying darkness from which we come and to which we shall return ?James Baldwin Author "1 think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it ?Alice Walker Author "Our creator is the same and never changes despite the names given Hun by people here and in all pans of the world. Even if we gave Him no name at all, He would still be there, within us, waiting to give us good on this earth " ?George Washington Carver Educator and innovator in the Agnc ultural Sciences "Impossibilities are merely things of which we have not learned, or which we do not wish to happen ?Charles W. Chesnutt Author "Like snowtlakes, the human pattern is never cast twice. We are uncommonly and marvel- ously intricate in thought and action, our pro'u lems arc most complex and, too often, silently borne " ?Alice Childress Actor, director, and playwright "Pride, like humility, is destroyed by one's insistence that he possess it ?Kenneth B. Clarke Writer and psychologist "When you educate a nun you educate an individual, but when you educate a woman, you educate a nation ?Johnetta B. Cole First black female president of Spelman College "Anger and humor are like the left and right arm. They complement each other. Anger empowers the poor to declare their uncompro- mising opposition to oppression, and humor prevents them from being consumed by their fury ?James Cone Theologian "The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class. It is the cause of human kind, the very birthright of humanity ?Anna Julia Cooper Educator and author "Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo - obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other ?Angela Davis Radical Black activist "Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops with- out plowing up the ground. " ?Frederick Douglass Orator, author, journalist, and antislavery leader of the 19th century "If the 1st Amendment means anything, it means that the state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in lus own house, what books he may read or what films he may watch ?Thurgood Marshall American civil rights lawyer, and first Black justice on the Supreme Court of the United States "It is a peculiar sensation, this double-conscious- ness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused con- tempt and pity W.E. B Dubois Author, educator, and activist "The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination, as are intelligence and necessity when unblunted by formal education ?Maya Angelou Author, poet, and entertainer "Racism systematically verifies itself anytime the slave can only be free by mutating his master? Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin Activist "Politically I beg to differ in the views of freedom. We are victims of a capitalist system. As workers we are exploited. As people we have no power over our own lives. No self-determination and no ability to reproduce the things we need for ourselves. So we are dependent in people who historically have beaten us, jailed us, lied to us etc. I don't see any freedom in that ?Stic from Dead Prez Rap lyncist EXP26 "I'm going to introduce legislation to have universal military service to let everyone have an opportunity to defend the free world against the threats coming to usI'm talking about mandatory serviceWhen you talk about a war, you're talking about ground troops, you're talking about enlisted people, and they don't come from the kids and members of Congress think, if we went home and found out that there were families concerned about their kids going oft" to war, there would be more cautiousness and a more willingness to work with the interna- tional community than to say, 'Our way or the highway ?Rep. Charles Rangel, D-New York Politician, Korean War Veteran " In this time of war against Osama Bin laden and the oppressive Taliban regime we are thankful that OUR leader isn't the spoiled son of a powerful pol- itician from a wealthy oil family who is supported by religious fundamentalists, operates through clan- destine organizations, has no respect for the demo- cratic electoral process, bombs innocents and uses war to deny people their civil liberties. Amen ?Aaron McGruder author of the "Boon- docks" comic strip "A wise person speaks carefully and with truth, for every word that passes between one's teeth is meant for something Molefi Kete Asante, writer and philosopher EXP27 1- exPKESl?NS I iemoi ra y's original meaning has been lost and in tin's day and age it has transfonned into something almost tyrannical. Anieena Mohyuddin Printed in Greenville, North Carolina by The Daily Reflector on 501b. newsprint.