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The sixth annual International Festival — belly dancers and all

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Early voting rally at NCCU starts youth election push

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VOLUME 104, ISSUE 4

Campus Echo

USA’s “climate silence”

BY ERIKA BOLSTAD MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS (MCT)

WASHINGTON — For the first time since the topic surfaced in a presidential race in 1988, nominees made no mention of climate change during the primetime television debates this year between the presidential contenders themselves or their running mates.

Debate moderators also

chose not to ask President Barack Obama or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney about the issue, despite a clamor by climate activists and some not-so-gentle prodding on the part of pundits and scientists.

The national hush on climate change — which became a toxic political issue after a capand-trade bill collapsed in Congress in 2010 — became so

deafening this election year that some activists dubbed it “climate silence.”

Some environmentalists struggled to summon enthusiasm for the Democratic president’s re-election campaign until Obama’s assertion that “climate change is not a hoax” brought delegates to their feet at the Democratic National Convention.

Even former Vice President

Al Gore, whose film “An Inconvenient Truth” swayed public opinion on global warming, made mention of it during Monday night’s debate on foreign policy.

“Where is global warming in this debate?” he asked on Twitter. “Climate change is an urgent foreign policy issue.”

But no matter who takes office in January, the next

Climate activists with the Power Vote campaign demand the presidential candidates address climate change in Boca Raton, Fla., Oct. 22.

n See CLIMATE Page 5

BRUCE BENNETT/Palm Beach Post (MCT)

Geer cemetery languishes ‘Resting place’ overgrown and crumbling under lack of attention

Youth with degrees vote

BY MATT PHILLIPS

In the 2008 presidential election, 62 percent of ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF eligible college educated youth Some 18-29voted, as comyear-olds vote, pared to only 36 some don’t. But percent of those division isn’t along party The Battle for America: who were eligible, but who had lines or race or religious Part four of a four-part no college eduseries cation. affiliation.

N.C. Central Instead, the major predictor of whether University social work freshyoung Americans will vote is man Kendra Jones said she already has made important education level.

Youth voters with either a decisions about the upcompartial or a full college-level ing presidential election.

“I know who I’m voting for. education vote at almost double the rate of those who I’m strong-minded about have not attended any coln See VOTE Page 2 lege.

Geer Cemetery, resting place to over 1,500 African Americans, some of whom were community leaders, is neglected and needs landscaping. Many of its tombstones are either broken, or have fallen over.

MATT PHILLIPS/Echo editor-in-chief

BY MONIQUE LEWIS ECHO STAFF REPORTER

A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, respecting and remembering a person’s life. And the place where someone is buried is traditionally a dignified setting.

But at Geer Cemetery in

North Durham, the reality is a resting place that is in tatters.

The entire cemetery is overgrown.

Trees need to be trimmed or removed. Gravestones are tipped over. Some are broken, perhaps vandalized.

Some seem to be missing altogether.

“There’s so many people buried here and there’s so much covered up, literally,” said Jessica Eustice, secretary and vice president of the Friends of Geer Cemetery. “I mean figuratively covered up — that isn’t in the history books — and literally covered up by dirt and leaves, that we

don’t know.

“Who knows how many headstones were made of wood that are gone today?

To me it’s a symbol of America’s denial,” Eustice said.

Geer Cemetery, on four acres of farmland once owned by Jesse Geer, is one

Jackson calls all to register and vote

n See CEMETERY Page 2

Zombie apocalypse a legit fear?

What precautions need we take in anticipation of the End Times?

BY ALEX SAMPSON ECHO A&E EDITOR

From talks of colliding planets to the arrival of the Anti-Christ, human beings have attempted to predict when the End of Times will occur since before the Common Era (AD).

Fast-forward to 2012 and the Earth still stands.

Despite each failed prophesy, the public is persistent in its search for the End. Current word on the street is that the Mayans predict Dec. 21, 2012 to be Doomsday. Skeptics believe that day will come and go, as have all the other socalled Doomsdays.

And then the “Miami

Zombie” happened.

On May 26, 2012, Rudy Eugene chewed off 80 percent of Ronald Poppo’s face in an unprovoked attack.

The police speculated the street drug “bath salts” was involved; however, toxicology reports only identified the presence of marijuana.

The event and incidents

that followed seemed to come straight from horror film director George A. Romero.

One man in New Jersey stabbed himself 50 times and threw bits of intestine at police.

In Maryland, Alexander Kinyua killed his roommate

n See ZOMBIE Page 2

The Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke at the Get-O Out-tthe-V Vote rally at NCCU. In the background are the Rev. William Barber and State Representative Henry Michaux.

GABRIEL AIKENS/Echo photo editor

BY JAMAR NEGRON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Civil rights leader and Obama supporter the Rev. Jesse Jackson visited N. C. Central University Friday to

rally students to vote early for the presidential election.

Using his classic call-andresponse interaction, Jackson had the audience

n See JACKSON Page 3

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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Annoying alarms False fire alarms dangerous, costly

BY JADE JACKSON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

From a hold on your account to life-threatening injuries, false alarms on campus are creating major problems for students, their safety, finances and peace of mind.

Between May and October there have been more than 31 false fire alarms in N.C. Central University’s 10 residential halls.

And the Durham County Fire Department has shown up for every one.

This increasingly inconvenient safety precaution frustrates NCCU students.

Fire alarms continue to go off and, according to the students, these false alarms are not only an irritation, they are costly.

“The thing is these alarms are going off between 12 and 3 o’clock in the morning,” said Brittney McPherson, executive secretary for Eagle Landing Residence Hall.

McPherson serves as the liaison between the Residential Life Office and student residents.

“Residents are expected to be out of the building in less than four minutes.”

As a resident of Eagle Landing, which houses 408

beds, McPherson has been fined for these false alarms that rush her out of bed during the wee hours of the night.

“They do fine us. And we will get holds placed on our accounts if we don’t pay the fine. I’ve lived in New Res II since 2009,” said Christopher Nelson, a mass communication junior.

New Residence Hall II, located on East Lawson Street, has one of the highest numbers of incident reports for fire alarm pulls on campus.

“Sometimes alarms go off twice a week,” said Nelson.

“Usually it’s because people are smoking or cooking in their rooms.

“When one smoke alarm goes off, the entire building is expected to evacuate.”

Nelson accepts the disruptions as a normal part of dorm living. He said he doesn’t mind evacuating because it is in everyone’s best interest to continue following procedure every time the alarm goes off.

“I would just think people would have more respect for their own living space. It’s just a sign of immaturity on their part,” he said.

“We have surveillance cameras at the fire alarm pull

stations because sometimes students are the ones pulling the alarms without valid reasons,” said NCCU Emergency Management Coordinator Sergeant Robert McLaughlin, adding that there is about a 50 percent chance that campus police will catch the individuals who pull false alarms.

“When they are caught they are fined and charged with a misdemeanor for pulling the alarm,” said McLaughlin.

But when they are not caught, residents are collectively held responsible.

“It costs the school $100 every time the Durham County FD comes out. In turn we charge the students,” said Jennifer Wilder, director of residential life.

Even more upsetting for Wilder is that some students disregard the alarms, false or not.

“People need to take fire alarms seriously,” she said, adding that failing to evacuate is a life-threatening decision.

“If they don’t evacuate, they could die.

No one wants to call that student’s parents to say, ‘Your child is dead because he refused to evacuate the building.’”

ZOMBIE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CEMETERY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of the oldest AfricanAmerican cemeteries in Durham.

A story told to Roberta Hughes Wright and Wilbur B. Hughes III, the authors of “Lay Down Body: Living History in African American Cemeteries,” states that before the cemetery was established, Geer used the land to bury an 11year-old African-American boy who had been dragged and killed by a horse while working on Geer’s farm in 1876.

A year later, Geer sold the land to Willie Moore, John Daniels and Nelson Mitchell for $50 to be used as a cemetery for African Americans.

The cemetery, located at 800 Colonial Drive, is home to many prominent African Americans, including the Rev. Dr. Augustus Shepard, pastor of White Rock Baptist Church from 1901 to 1911 and father of James Edward Shepard, founder of N. C. Central University.

Also buried there are Margaret Ruffin Faucette, founder of White Rock Baptist Church, and Edian Markham, founder of Saint Joseph’s African Methodist Episcopal Church, two pillars of Durham’s AfricanAmerican community.

“Many of these people built Durham, and it’s a part of Durham that should be seen as a monument,” Eustice said.

But today’s Geer Cemetery, which has over the years been called City Cemetery, Old City

Cemetery, East Durham and Mason Cemetery, can hardly be described as a monument.

It has been neglected since it was closed in 1944 by the Durham County Health Department due to overcrowding.

The problem, Eustice said, is that nobody really knows who owns the land.

“I try to help take care of it,” she said.

“It’s across the street from my house so I’m always going to feel a sense of responsibility for it.

“Even if we move I’ll feel a sense of responsibility for it.”

The Friends of Geer Cemetery was formed in 2003 to help clean up the cemetery, establish ownership and advocate for maintenance.

The group also has also worked to catalog the names of the burials in the cemetery.

In October 2010, a new Geer Cemetery monument that reads “Geer Cemetery 1877-1944” was installed, with stone donated by Durham Marble Works.

Triangle Brick donated bricks and Nathaniel McLaughlin and William Turner did the installation.

The new monument replaced an old metal marker that had fallen and was covered by underbrush.

There are 1,532 documented burials in the cemetery, but many are undocumented because Durham County did not

begin issuing death certificates until 1908.

The cemetery has a long history neglect.

In 1900, under the headline “Colored Burying Ground North of City Needs Attention,” a reporter wrote: “The colored burying grounds, or cemetery, just beyond Mr. F. C. Geer's, out on the Roxboro road, is in rather bad shape.

“Numbers of the graves have sunken in, and in some instances not a thing can be seen to even indicate exactly where some of the graves are located.”

In 1989, a Durham city council member made a motion to have the cemetery cleaned up each year during Black History Month. This, Eustice says, has not been done lately.

The last major clean-up the cemetery has received was last May when Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc. did what they could in one day.

According to Eustice, many questions remain about how to restore the cemetery.

She wonders: Can you put stones back together?

Can the names be found for unmarked graves?

“These are all questions that come to my mind when I think of how it really ought to be,” Eustice said.

“The cemetery needs a serious commitment of money, energy, and equipment to clean it out.

“I don’t know if that will ever happen.”

Members of the undead at the sixth annual Durham Zombie Lurch.

ALEX SAMPSON/Echo A&E editor

and proceeded to feast on his heart and brains.

A less morbid but equally disturbing case occurred when students and teachers at a Florida high school were transported to a decontamination center because of an inexplicable rash.

Software developer David Criswell is one of many zombie fans who thinks these unfortunate circumstances are more than coincidences.

“I think it’s radiation from nuclear power plants,” said Criswell.

He said that law enforcement’s inclination to blame drugs and mental health issues for disturbing activity is probably part of a coverup.

Criswell said he has been

a fan of zombie lore since he was a kid. When he saw “Dawn of the Dead” (1978), his fascination with the undead began.

His interest in the living dead can be seen in his daughter, Alicia Criswell.

She said the graphic novel of the “Walking Dead” is what piqued her interest.

The younger Criswell said that in the case of a zombie invasion, her weapon of choice would definitely be an axe.

“I’d prefer close combat,” said Criswell. “If you use a gun, you might miss.”

Citizens aren’t the only ones gearing up for a zombie infestation. On Oct. 31, hundreds of military and law enforcement officers will participate in a simulated zombie apocalypse.

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The purpose of the summit is to counteract terror from living beings rather than zombies.

"No one knows what the zombies will do in our scenario, but quite frankly no one knows what a terrorist will do," Brad Barker, president of the security firm Halo Corp., told the Associated Press.

The CDC and U.S. Department of Homeland Security also have hopped onto the bandwagon. Last month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying, “The zombies are coming!” as part of a health awareness campaign.

On the CDC’s blog, “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse,” one tip reads, “Plan your evacuation route. When zombies are hungry they won’t stop until they get food (i.e., brains).”

Though government agencies are taking a humorous approach to the fictional issue, zombie survival tips may prove useful – in both supernatural and natural disasters. The theory is that if people are wellequipped to handle one catastrophe, they will be prepared for another.

If the hype turns out to be just another false alarm, people will not have wasted their energy on unnecessary resources – unless they replaced their hands with chainsaws.

Many of the Geer Street Cemetery tombstones are unreadable, but some retain their etchings.

MATT PHILLIPS/Echo editor-in-chief

VOTE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that,” Jones said.

The issue that tipped the scale for Jones was women’s rights. Threats and attempts to limit women’s access to abortion services solidified her decision.

She said that abortion should be available for all women to use at their discretion, but they should be responsible in doing so.

“Abortion should not be treated as birth control,” Jones said. “There’s too much free birth control available to do that.”

Criminal justice freshman Destinee Winstead said she is most concerned about the escalating cost of education, and the candidates’ positions on that will influence her vote.

Winstead said she hopes to become a police detective, but by the time she finishes her undergraduate program at NCCU she may be forced to consider graduate school.

The financial accessibility of higher education may determine her future.

“A high school diploma

does not get it anymore,” Winstead said.

“I’ve always been interested in law. I’ve always watched ‘Law & Order,’ ‘CSI.’” Jones agreed with Winstead about the importance of ensuring the affordability of advanced degrees.

“You can’t really be successful without education,” Jones said.

“I know a master’s can get you a much higher salary, can get you a supervisor position.”

Crysta Cox, a staff member at the “WOW” restaurant in the Alfonso Elder Student Union, bucks the trend of non-college educated non-voters.

Unlike almost 75 percent of non-college educated 18to-29 year olds, Cox says she is definitely going to cast her ballot.

Cox said she plans to vote because she doesn’t like the way the working class is being portrayed as dependent on government handouts.

“I’m part of the middle-

class. I’m not dependent on the government, but the ones who do get help, we don’t want to stop the little help they get.”

Cox said she recently had a baby girl and will factor her child’s future into all voting decisions. She added that her vision for the future is to own a home.

“Right now it’s kind of hard getting a house,” she said.

“I want it to be easier for her to get a house. That’s everybody’s dream — a house. I know I want one.”

Eddie Jenkins, accounting and finance junior, said he plans to vote for Barack Obama.

Jenkins said he will do more research as the election nears, but so far former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney hasn’t swayed him.

“If you don’t vote you’re giving up your voice,” Jenkins said.

“The way the government is structured it’s the most equal way to get things done.”

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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Passionate caf manager loves job Shelita Nelson fell into her job by chance, but she enjoys every minute

BY TRAE SPELLER ECHO STAFF REPORTER

On the second floor of N.C Central University’s W. G. Pearson Cafeteria sits a tiny office all the way in the back of the building.

The office’s walls are filled with birthday cards, awards, pictures of staff and students who have graduated.

The office belongs to Shelita Nelson, Sodexo area general manager.

Nelson, who began working at NCCU four years ago, has more than 22 years of experience.

She has worked at Valdosta State University, Florida A&M University, and the University of Chicago.

“Do I have to give all my background history?

“I’ve worked at a lot of universities,” said Nelson.

Nelson said her parents worked to instill a positive work ethic.

And she thanks them for that today.

“My parents were always there and always motivated me no matter what I wanted to do in life,” said Nelson.

Nelson, who was born and raised in Louisiana, ended up in food service by accident.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from

“I got to this position by being nosey and asking questions. What other people were doing and how they were doing it always interested me.”

SHELITA NELSON SODEXO AREA GENERAL MANAGER, W. G. PEARSON CAFETERIA

Xavier University of Louisiana in accounting.

She then relocated and found a job as an administrative assistant, which led her to her current position.

She is amazed that the one opportunity she received a few years after graduating college left her in the position she is in now.

“I got to this position by being nosey and asking questions,” said Nelson.

“What other people were doing and how they were doing it always interested me.”

Nelson is married and has two children, 24 and 29.

In the kitchen, Nelson is known as “boss lady.” When she walks in, everybody gets on their best behavior.

“Mrs. Nelson is a no nonsense kind of woman,” said staff worker Bianca Evans.

“You want something done immediately, that’s who you go to.”

“She works hard to keep everything in order.”

And work hard she does: “In a 24-hour day I’m usually working 16 of those 24 hours.

“My day consists of emails, phone calls, texts and Web mail.

“Only free time I have is at home,” said Nelson.

Nelson oversees other dining services for Sodexo, including those at Bennett and Wesleyan colleges.

Along with NCCU, these colleges report contracts, customer service issues, employment relations, menu schedules and sales to her.

She said she’s privileged to have 12 managers at NCCU helping her keep things straight.

“I was fortunate enough to have good role models in my life and also a supporting family,” said Nelson.

“My main goal in life is to help others like I was helped when I was younger.

“I want to be able to bring at least one person per year into this field, career or management.”

Sodexho manager Shelita Nelson, right, with staff server Doris Ayala.

MORGAN CRUTCHFIELD/Echo staff photographer

Student to be featured on HBO

BY ANDRE LEE-MOYE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Kabreeya Lewis is a student concerned about the health choices of her peers, and she is being recognized nationally for her efforts.

She’s getting an HBO special, coming in 2013.

In a special episode of its “Weight of the Nation” health series, HBO will document Lewis’s efforts in an episode called “Weight of the Nation: Kabreeya’s Salad Days.”

Lewis, an incoming freshman from Goldsboro’s Wayne School of Engineering, grew interested in student health during her freshman year in high school.

“It was just me being cautious about my health as far as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure … my family has a history of those things,” said Lewis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America.

The Department of Health and Human Services also states that African-Americans are 40 percent more likely to contract diabetes and 50 percent more likely to contract

Kabreeya Lewis used passion and determination to advocate for better food choices at her high school.

ANDRE LEE-MOYE/Echo staff reporter

high blood pressure than their non-Hispanic white counterparts.

After polling the student body to get ideas about how to improve her and her peers’ opinions on the substandard cafeteria food they were being served, she came up with an idea that sparked a drastic change in school nutrition policy: a salad bar.

A simple concept, yet one that was met with a surprising amount of resistance. “[There were] just a lot

of nos as far as me not being able to get the salad bar because they were saying — this was not the majority of Wayne County or Goldsboro saying they want a change,” said Lewis.

With a little more research and an unlimited supply of passion, Lewis did bring her salad bar to the Wayne School of Engineering, as well as to Goldsboro High School.

“She always had prosperous spirit and because of that spirit, doors that may have never appeared

were opened to her and she took full advantage,” said Gary Hales, principal of her high school.

“Kabreeya was able to influence others to embrace a lifestyle that emphasized health and hard work,” said Hales.

“We are very proud of her and know she will continue to thrive.”

But Lewis wasn’t in it alone.

Like any good college student, she gives credit where credit is due.

A flagship member of the Wayne County-based agriculture awareness group SWARM, Lewis received the support of not only her peers, but also adults who were on a mission to get “food justice.”

Lewis’s goals are as lofty and admirable as her past achievements.

She plans to become an inspirational speaker, and is already working on an autobiography and a book of poems, each entitled, “The Art of Me.” “I hope my actions can become a chain reaction, and that others can be as positive and as motivated as I am to do whatever they want to do and make a difference, not only for the world, but for themselves in general,” Lewis said.

JACKSON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 repeat such affirmations as: “I am somebody. Respect me, protect me, never neglect me.” and “I can vote, I will vote, I must vote.”

Jackson summarized the history of the black suffrage movement, and the efforts he and many others put forth trying to free the South from segregation and unequal standards.

“In so many ways, I have struggled to make this a more perfect union,” said Jackson.

“You have a burden to make a great nation greater.”

Jackson said the voter’s role of uncovering injustices and calling for them to be fixed is the role of the canary in the mine, or the truthtester.

Jackson also paid homage to the deceased members of the civil rights movement.

“We are a better nation today, made better by the martyrs,” said Jackson.

Jackson asked audience members to stand if they had any association with Pell grants, financial aid, relatives in jail or foreclosure.

Almost everyone stood for at least one of the associations he mentioned.

“There is no reason whatsoever for an NCCU student not to be registered to vote,” said Jackson.

Among Jackson’s specific reasons students should vote were Pell Grant preservation

and the preservation of governmental affirmative action programs. “[Affirmative Action] for blacks and women is not just a matter of equality, it is a matter of justice,” said Jackson.

“We must be actively involved to protect our rights.”

Political science senior Jeron Hayes said the speech was great.

“You’re more likely to come out to vote if someone of importance is speaking,” said Hayes.

Senior Charlotte Jackson said that Jackson’s speech helped reinforce the significance of the upcoming election.

“This is one of the most important elections we are ever going to face,” Jackson said.

Belinda Jones, adjunct public health instructor, said it mattered that Jackson was both a political activist and a man of faith.

“Being a person of faith does not negate your responsibility to be an active participant in politics,” Jones said.

Mass communication department chair Charmaine McKissick-Melton said the speech was inspiring, and she hopes that students do not take the ability to vote lightly.

“We as a people have died for the right to vote,” said McKissick-Melton.

STUDY ABROAD

Important dates from your Office of International Affairs Coming Soon!

2012 International Education Week Nov. 12 -16.

If you would like to participate in the week’s celebrations, please contact the Office of International Affairs.

• Monthly study abroad general information session First Thursday of every month at 10:40 a.m. in Room 202, Lee Biology Building (Nov. 1 & Dec. 6) • Application deadline for students planning to study abroad in fall 2013 or academic year 2013-2014 is February 1, 2013.

• Application deadline for students planning to study abroad in spring 2014 is January 25, 2013 • Application deadline for students planning to study abroad in summer 2014 is February 7, 2013 Contact: Olivia E-M Jones at ojones@nccu.edu Tel. (919) 530 7713

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NCCU pool looking good, but where are the swimmers?

Greek life builds student community Brothers, sisters share camaraderie B Y TAIQUAN U ZZELL ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The N.C. Central University pool reopened last summer. Annual pool maintenance runs about $60,000 a year.

MORGAN CRUTCHFIELD/Echo staff photographer

BY JONATHAN ALEXANDER ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

Money.

That is what Thornton Draper, associate professor and aquatics director, said it will take to prevent another shutdown of the N.C. Central University swimming pool.

“Maintenance, because the biggest problem the facility has had is lack of money to maintain the facility,” Draper said.

“That’s the problem we have all over campus.”

Virginia Politano, physical education and recreation professor and chair, agrees.

For 12 years she said she

requested maintenance funds for the University’s swimming pool but her requests were never answered.

“This year we got support from the administration,” Politano said.

“Students complained.

When students complain things get done. When I complain nothing happens.”

According to Politano, Facilities Management has come up with $60,000 for this year’s supplies and maintenance.

The pool now has a $2,000 service contract covered in the budget that she hopes will help continue to maintain the pool for the future.

For three years, students waited for the NCCU

Olympic-sized (50 meters) swimming pool to reopen since repairs closed it down in 2009.

The pool reopened in June.

However, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation and Facilities supervisor, Willie Thomas says nobody uses it during the free time.

The pool’s hours are 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Thomas, one of the pool operators, said he’ll see about two people on average come to the swimming pool in the morning and very few in the evening.

“If this was a white school, we’d have way more

people coming to the pool,” Thomas said.

“We could get more out of that pool if we rent it out to swim teams, but the school is primarily for the students.

They don’t use it.”

He said there are six life guards getting paid $10 an hour to watch water.

Thomas thinks it has to do with students fear of swimming.

Next semester Politano says the department plans to implement water safety classes to train students to become life guards.

Campus recreation does offer a free water aerobics class on Tuesday and Thursday which Thomas says mostly faculty use.

Amondre Smith, N.C. Central University public health and pre-medicine junior, joined a Greek organization for the camaraderie.

“One will obtain a sense of authentic brotherhood and sisterhood,” said Smith, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. “Other organizations neglect to illuminate the importance of those two words.”

Fraternities and Sororities are Greek letter organizations.

According to the NCCU website, there are currently nine Greek letter organizations on campus — The Divine Nine.

They are comprised of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, Alpha Phi Alpha, Iota Phi Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi. Alpha Kappa Alpha Cquadayshia Harrington, social work graduate, encourages students to research Greek Life and talk to other Greek Life members if they have an interest in an organization.

All organizations hold events, such as informational programs for students and the local community.

Both sororities and fraternities encourage students to join their organi-

zations with recruitment events throughout the semester.

“I joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., for several different reasons.

Kappa Alpha Psi matched my personality the best,” mass communication junior Dennis Meeks said. “I liked what the kappa’s were doing around campus my freshman year.”

Greek membership continues after graduation.

“When you join a fraternity or a sorority, you are making a lifetime commitment,” Harrington said.

Harrington said one of the hardest parts of being in a Greek organization is managing her time wisely.

She recommends students have a good balance of school, friends and their organization.

Greek organizations have the opportunity to give back to their community and participate in community service events.

“Kappa Alpha Psi does several community service projects around Durham,” Meeks said.

“The main two are the Brother to Brother mentoring program and Highway Clean-up.”

Greek life assists students at NCCU as they begin their career after college.

“By networking through your fraternity or sorority you possibly have endless amounts of people you can connect with to begin your career,” Meeks said.

Domestic violence — ‘The worst kept secret’ The criminal justice and law departments try to raise awareness for domestic violence in October

BY J ONATHAN A LEXANDER ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

More than two million women and men around the United States are assaulted by their partners annually — and most will not say a word about it.

Throughout October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Alpha Phi Sigma, the criminal justice honor society, has been collecting cell phones and other item donations for the Durham Crisis Relief Center.

“We collect phones because they give them to the women when they are

leaving the shelter as their first tool if they call the police to seek assistance,” said Lorna Grant, assistant criminal justice professor and adviser of Alpha Phi Sigma honor society.

She explained that most of the time, abusers will take their partner’s phone to keep them from contacting anyone. As a result, abusers gain control over their victim.

Domestic violence is when two people get into an intimate relationship and one person uses a pattern of coercion and control against the other person during the relationship and/or after the relationship has terminated,

according to the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence website. It often includes physical, sexual, emotional or economic abuse.

In a panel discussion on Oct. 9 in the Albert Whiting Criminal Justice Building, hosted by Alpha Phi Sigma, Corporal Thaddeus Ochman said there were 2,400 domestic violence cases in Durham in 2011.

He also stated that every year there is a 10 percent increase in domestic violence in Durham.

About one in three American women have been physically or sexually

abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.

However, some of these victims still do not leave.

“On campus there are students that have been victimized and are fearful to talk about it,” Grant said.

“They do not know how to seek help and many believe they are by themselves when it comes to that.”

Assistant Clinical Law Professor and Attorney Deria Hayes said she believes it’s an emotional attachment. Leaving, she said, is the most dangerous time for the domestic abuse victim.

“The problem with domestic violence is that it is very secretive in nature,” Hayes said. “People don’t talk about it.”

Hayes said it’s important to be aware because it affects others and could result in death.

She points to the shooting in Milwaukee where a man walked into his wife’s workplace, after being ordered to turn over all his weapons after a domestic dispute, and killed three women and himself.

Hayes has hosted a threepart panel discussion of her own in collaboration with five other HBCUs to discuss

domestic violence.

“In having the discussion I’m trying to make sure people have access to legal information they may not otherwise have,” Hayes said.

“I’m making sure I’m engaging students in the conversation about how we can address domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, but also how we can be a part of the solution.”

Grant echoes the same sentiments.

“They need to be given the knowledge base or be aware, then they can share the knowledge to those they know are being abused,” she said.

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Beyond NCCU

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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CLIMATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 administration will have to take bold steps to address global warming and its consequences, environmental experts say.

Already, sea levels are rising in some places, and sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean fell to the lowest extent in satellite history this summer.

Emergency managers have begun grappling with more intense hurricanes, drought and other extreme weather that could be tied to changing global temperatures.

In contrast to their lack of discussion on climate change, both candidates have talked extensively about developing domestic fossil fuel energy during the debates, with Obama disappointing some environmentalists by not turning his back on traditional sources of energy.

The question isn’t whether anything must be done on climate change after the election, said Andrew Steer, president of the World Resources Institute, an environmental think tank.

The question instead is what must be done and whether it’s too late to adequately address global warming, he said.

“We are at the moment in a period in American history when, for various reasons, there’s been a confluence of factors that combined have led to this astonishing unwillingness to grapple with what clearly is a huge issue for the future for us all,” Steer said.

“I’m not confident that it will change. It’s a very serious and extremely discouraging situation right now.”

The time spent on the issue may have been eclipsed by the economy and increasing gridlock in Washington.

But in 2008, presidential candidates devoted 10 to 15 minutes to debating climate change, said Brad

Johnson, who helped launch the “climate silence” activist website for Forecast the Facts and Friends of the Earth Action. But there is one sign of progress for those tracking the issue.

A Pew survey released last week found that the percentage of Americans saying that there’s solid evidence of global warming has steadily increased over the past several years.

Pew found that 67 percent of those polled believe there’s solid evidence the Earth’s average temperature has been getting warmer over the past few decades, said Leah Christian, a senior researcher for the Pew Research Center.

That’s up 4 percentage points since Pew asked the question last year, and up 10 points since 2009, a low point for American attitudes toward global warming.

It remains unlikely, though, that Congress will have the bipartisan wherewithal to once again take on global warming. The Pew poll shows that Democrats are more likely to believe the Earth is warming.

“We continue to see a wide partisan gap on this issue,” Christian said. “The partisan gap hasn’t really shifted a whole lot.”

That may be why much of the work to address climate change is happening outside of Washington, said Steer, who pointed to California’s plans in January to launch its own cap-and-trade program for large polluters and utilities.

Reducing emissions doesn’t have to be a partisan issue or one of big government, he said. With a framework in place, he said, much of the work can be left to the private sector or state and local governments with creative ideas.

“In the meantime, we

Quito, Ecuador’s capitol city, is located in the Andes Mountains of north-central Ecuador. Like about 95 percent of major Latin American cities, Quito is planning for climate change, compared to 59 percent of major U.S. cities.

ANNIKA MCGINNIS/MCT

may need to rely on leadership elsewhere,” Steer said.

And the election may prove a turning point, say environmentally minded political strategists.

It can be a winning issue on the campaign trail, said Betsy Taylor, a political strategist who works with environmentalists.

She teaches candidates and advocates to talk about putting American ingenuity to use to address global warming, rather than focusing on science. They also need to focus on the impacts of extreme weather, she said.

In that context, people see climate change as their problem, not a faraway global one. “It’s here,” she said. “People believe it.”

If you are a healthy non-smoker who does not currently have heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you may qualify for the Awareness of Risk Factors for Heart Disease and Diabetes Research Study. Participants will be compensated up to $450. 16540

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The Rev. William Barber II, North Carolina president of the NAACP, spoke to students at the get-out-the-vote rally.

GABRIEL AIKENS/Echo photo editor

N.C. Central University sophomore Norman Jones marched with a sign toward the voting booth.

GABRIEL AIKENS/Echo photo editor

Sophomore Jasmine McClaine and the Eclipse dance team performed during the get-out-the-vote rally.

SAIGE BROWN/Echo staff photographer

Obama supporters were out in full force at N.C. Central University on Oct. 18.

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n Oct. 18, N.C. Central University students flocked to Brant Street to kick off the first day of early voting. The area between Eagle Landing and Ruffin Residence halls looked like a Political Block Party. Radio personality Wade Banner manned the turntables and people showed up with Obama shirts and voting signs. The Marching Sound Machine

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played selections to keep the crowd hyped. The Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP, chronicled the struggle African Americans have faced fighting for the right to vote.

After that he changed his tone.

“Who’s heard that song ‘The Wobble’?” asked Barber. DJ, play that song for me because we’re going to ‘wobble’ to the polls!”

Once Banner played the popular song by V.I.C. the crowd ignited and people started to wobble and march towards the Alfonso Elder Student Union.

The band and members of Student Government Association and Royal Court led the crowd of hundreds to the Alfons Elder Student Union to cast their votes.

Early voting ends Nov. 3 and Election Day is Nov. 6.

Freshman Lashonda Smith assisted in registering students to vote.

GABRIEL AIKENS/Echo photo editor

Mr. NCCU, senior Steven Cannady, showed his support of President Obama.

GABRIEL AIKENS/Echo photo editor

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Dress code woes Students take advantage of weak regulations

BY A LEX SAMPSON ECHO A&E EDITOR

As students transition from high school to college, the line between professionalism and inappropriateness often becomes blurred.

In primary and secondary schools, dress codes range from light regulations like no hats to strict regulations like mandatory uniforms.

Though public colleges sometimes have dress codes, students are treated like adults and expected to know how to dress.

Some, however, take advantage of this freedom.

Without constant supervision from parents and staff, the hems rise and the waistlines lower.

N.C. Central University was no exception.

So Charlie Nelms, former NCCU chancellor, began a movement to discourage what he called “suggestive, revealing clothing, by men or women,” along with sloppy clothes and nightwear.

But the impact did not last.

Darlene EberhardtBurke, interim chair of human sciences at NCCU, is one proponent of college dress codes.

She said she has seen a lot of men sagging, women with exposed breasts and other questionable attire on campus.

“I was in the cafeteria one day and I saw a boy with a naked woman on his Tshirt,” said EberhardtBurke.

She said students may be emulating media and other cultural influences.

“On predominantly white campuses, it’s more casual,” said Eberhardt.

“You won’t see a lot of micro-minis or 6- inch stilet-

tos.”

She said that inappropriate clothing not only gives an unprofessional impression but also presents a safety issue.

“You can’t tell the difference between a student and a street thug or street walker,” said Eberhardt-Burke.

“That’s the reason for a lot of crime.”

Though the campus does not have a dress code, some departments do.

The department of sociology forbids tight shorts, hats, sagging pants and low-cut tops.

Annette Bailey, adjunct instructor, supports the department’s regulation.

“This is supposed to be a place that is preparing people to make a place for themselves in the world,” said Bailey.

“College is a practice ground.”

Bailey is concerned that when students pursue jobs, they won’t be able to transition their method of dress.

She said that some young people may not realize they’re being judged and will consequently be turned away.

“What is that need to be so revealing? What is the message and who are you trying to send it to?” asked Bailey.

One particular trend that Bailey wants to see disappear is sagging trousers.

She said that though she doesn’t see it much now, it’s still a problem.

Bailey pointed out that the controversial trend began in a less-than-fashionable institution.

In prisons, the combination of ill-fitting uniforms and lack of belts led to convicts wearing their pants below the crotch.

“You’re in college, so why would you emulate a group of people who’ve been deprived of their freedom?” asked Bailey.

While she’s aware that times have changed since she was in college, she wants young people to distinguish between media and reality.

“I don’t want us to make that jump from dressing casually to dressing like we’re all on TV in an MTV music video,” said Bailey.

“I want my students to be clean and not looking like they’re going to a nightclub.”

Psychology sophomore Jasmine Green does not support dress regulations but agrees that club attire is unacceptable.

“There shouldn’t be a dress code but you should know what’s appropriate,” said Green.

She said that some students take it to the extreme with see-through tops with their bras out and crude graphic T-shirts.

When she sees people dressed like that, she feels that they have no selfrespect or moral standards.

Terry Huff, coordinator of Dimensions of Learning at NCCU, said that the way a student dresses does not define who they are, but may give them a negative reputation.

“Our students are very intelligent and in tune,” said Huff.

“It’s just that some of their choices may send a misconception.”

Huff doesn’t want his students to feel pressured but he said they should know there is a time and place for everything.

“I’m not saying students should wear neckties, but there are ways to dress appropriately,” he said.

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Photos record major marches

BY C HRISTA WATSON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The Hayti Heritage Center’s exhibit “One Million Strong” captures unity in seven human rights marches.

The exhibit includes photographs of marches from 19952005, starting with the Million Man March and ending with the Millions More Movement March.

Katina Parker, filmmaker and photographer, created the exhibit to show how people unified for a common cause.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Parker.

“Each march was different and it was amazing to see thousands of people gathered together at four in the morning for a cause they were passionate about.”

Parker was initially one of 12 artists selected for last year.

“Last year we called for artists and we chose her work as one of the exhibits, but because she needed time for preparation, we postponed her exhibit until now,” said Janella Sellars, interim director of the Hayti Center.

“She has wonderful work and we wanted to use it.”

Parker has been working on this project for 10 years, since she was a senior at Wake Forest University.

“My family participated in civil rights movements and I knew that I would do something in terms of that as well,” she said. “So when I heard about the Million Man March, I wanted to go and experience it.”

Although Parker has a long list of titles, including teacher and writer, she loves photography and filmmaking more.

“I started off drawing and writing when I was around 7, then I received a camera when I was 13 and from there it’s been my calling,” said Parker.

Five special programs at the Center encourage people to see the exhibit.

The next program, “The People United Part II -- A Post-Election Strategy Session,” will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. will encourage everyone to vote — not just for president, but for state legislatures.

“It’s important that people

vote for state legislatures and council members because those are the people that affect us more directly than the president,” said Parker.

The Hayti Heritage Center is also raising money so the exhibit can travel. Their goal is $10,000; so far they have raised $7,000.

Parker is excited at the prospect of having her work known in other places, and hopes that people get a sense of unity from her work.

“The purpose is to remember a time when people gathered for a common agenda,” said Parker.

“It shows that looks don’t exceed our common goals to accomplish what we need to.”

One of the marches she photographed was particularly significant to Parker.

“The Million Youth March spoke more to me because while people were there for their cause, there were a lot of police officers there as well to control it, and I saw the police’s aspect along with the people,” she said.

After photographing the Millions More Movement March, Parker decided to put her pictures together.

“At the Millions More Movement March, there were some that seemed tired of protesting, although others were still showing their passion,” said Parker.

“Then it seemed that people were using the marches for profit by selling propaganda, and it felt like people lost sight on what marches are really for, so I’m not sure if I would’ve done another one after this.”

The “One Million Strong” exhibit has been shown around N.C. and in Los Angeles, and according to Parker, it has had a good turnout so far.

“Groups of people have come to check it out and have great feedback to give me,” she said.

“I’m always curious for their opinion because I lived it, and hopefully they see the passion in my pictures.”

The exhibit runs through Nov. 30.

More information is available at www. indiegogo.com/onemillionstrong.

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B Y A LEX S AMPSON

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“It’s important to see that we have a lot of internationalization on campus.”

ECHO A&E EDITOR

Students, staff and community members celebrated diversity at N.C. Central University’s sixth annual International Festival last week.

The crowd gathered in the Alfonso Elder Student Union for the multicultural event, which included a variety of music, food and culture from Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Nursing freshman Fantasia Blue was volunteered at the event.

Blue and six other students from Tita HunterHerod’s Spanish II class assisted with the Asia table.

Blue said that a lot of preparation went into the event.

“It took three hours to

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Mastewal Gezahegn performs a belly dance at the sixth annual International Festival.

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#FTW (For The Win)

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Fest celebrates diversity

Kendrick Lamar

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Kendrick Lamar took the world by storm on Oct. 22 when he released his highly anticipated Interscope label debut, “good kid, m.A.A.d city.”

The Compton MC has developed a widespread buzz in hip hop circles with projects like O(verly) D(edicated) and his debut

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN SPANISH JUNIOR, MEMBER OF VOCES UNIDAS

prepare the egg rolls,” she said.

Blue said she especially looked forward to the food tasting.

The arrangement included “arroz con pollo,” beans, tortillas and red velvet cheesecake.

The popular Indian dessert Rasmalai was donated by English professor Kuldip Kuwahara, who is from Punjab, India.

Kuwahara said that food is one part of raising the level of peace consciousness on campus.

“We need food for thought,” said Kuwahara.

“Once there’s food, people will sit down and talk

studio album, “Section 80.”

Lamar, who is known for his thought-provoking and conscious lyrics, presented a new style — the ability to tell stories through his music, like the great hip hop storytellers Eminem, Biggie and Nas. In GKMC he tells the story of a good kid (himself) experiencing a mad city (Compton, Ca.) through a lyrical movie.

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JOIN US! Get involved with Campus Ministries today!

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together.”

Kuwahara dressed in a traditional Indian dress known as a Saree, or Sari complete with a bindi, a forehead decoration that represents the third eye aor inner eye.

A Saree is a length of material – Kuwahara’s was six yards – draped around the body.

Sarees are draped differently in different regions of India.

After eating, the crowd settled down to view the performances, which opened with a dance by the Association of Students for a Better Africa.

Other highlights were a Lamar, also known as K.Dot, opens the album with the track “Sherane A.K.A. Master Splinter’s Daughter.”

Sherane is a girl K.Dot who met at a house party during high school.

Hoping to hook up with Sherane, he borrows his mother’s minivan to drive to her house.

As the song nears an end we hear a voicemail on K.Dot’s phone left by his mother.

From the message we learn that Kendrick was supposed to be home in 15 minutes and that Sherane is one of the neighborhood’s “hood rats”— hence the song title.

The first part of the album chronicles the perils of Compton, with songs like “The Art of Peer Pressure” and “M.A.A.D. City.”

Deep down, K.Dot is a good kid, but he gets sucked into the evil things Compton had to offer when his friends pressure him to take drugs and participate

belly dance by Mastewal Gezahegn, singing by Vitavious Wilson and dancing by the Spanish club, Voces Unidas.

Students from the Bushido Judo School also demonstrated martial arts techniques with audience participation.

Hilarity ensued when audience members were pulled onto the floor to dance to the Korean hit “Gangnam Style.”

Spanish junior Erin Mclaughlin, a member of Voces Unidas, performed to a song that translated into “Where I Come From.”

Mclaughlin said she was pleased to see different cultures come together and have fun.

“It’s important to see that we have a lot of internationalization on campus,” she said. in gang violence.

With lines like “Look at me I’m usually drug free but I’m with the homies,” K.Dot lets us know that this isn’t the usual for him.

He’s smoking marijuana because his friends are.

Later we find out that K.Dot smoked marijuana laced with PCP, or angel dust. Which is where “m.A.A.d.” comes from: “My. Angels. on Angels.

Dust.”

In the end, the death of a close friend’s brother leads Lamar to a realization, which becomes the theme of the end of the album.

He finally understands himself, and learns he must love himself.

On the track “Real,” Lamar plays with the many different meanings of the word. Are you “real” because you represent your hood (The Gang Banger)?

Are you “real” because you try to escape life to make something of yourself (The Good Kid)?

GKMC is an example of what hip hop should be.

Real.

— Trenton Little

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Moton seeks next hardwood leader With three starters gone, Eagles face a daunting second Division 1 season BY

JONATHAN SPRUILL

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conference honors.

Willis and junior guard Emanuel Chapman will give the Eagles a solid chance in the MEAC. Their playmaking ability should be a major part of what the Eagles do early in the season, as they look to build chemistry and find other emerging talents.

One of those emerging talents will be junior guard Jeremy Ingram.

“I used last season as motivation to come back and do the things for the team that I didn’t do as well as others, and at the same time do the things I did well even better,” said Ingram.

The chance to erase the memory of a loss at the buzzer in the quarterfinals of the MEAC tournament is finally here for the N.C. Central University Eagles.

Head coach LeVelle Moton has not forgotten about the game-winning shot that ended his team’s season, but he is ready to move on.

This year could go either way for the Eagles, who are seeing a lot of turnover on their roster.

Losing three starters from last year, Moton is confident in his team “This team will be I n g r a m but knows became a led by committee. ” that there key conwill be a LEVELLE MOTON tributor to bit of a HEAD COACH, MEN’S BASKETBALL the Eagles’ learning last season, curve. averaging “ T h e 9.3 points team is per game.

He also scored a young and inexperienced 27 points — with that comes immatu- career-high against Howard University. rity,” said Moton.

The Eagles are looking “This team will be led to build upon last year’s by committee.”

There will be more com- fifth-place finish in the petition among the players MEAC, when they posted an for playing time and the impressive 17-15 overall role of “team leader” with record.

Moton said there’s a lot the departure of senior forof parity among the teams ward Dominique Sutton.

Last season, Sutton led in the conference, and is the team in scoring at 16.4 very excited about the points per game, while also upcoming season.

The Eagles will be tested leading in rebounds (7.4) early in the season with and steals (2.2).

“We lost a monster,” said away games at North Carolina A&T University Moton.

“If anyone made a mis- on Dec. 1, and a matchup take, [Dominique] was with the Golden Eagles of Marquette University on there to bail them out.”

Among the players to Dec. 29.

The season kicks off Nov. watch on this year’s team is 10 when the Eagles travel senior guard Ray Willis.

He finished last season to Wichita State University.

The first home game is second in scoring and in minutes on the court, Nov. 12 against Johnson & receiving second-team all- Wales University.

Jeremy Ingram drives to the bucket against Howard University.

Photo courtesy NCCU Athletics

Dawn of ‘Super Teams’ – death of NBA?

W

ith the NBA season tipping off this week, most fans are on the eager to take in the opening-day match-ups.

O n Oct. 30, t h e Boston Celtics will take on the Miami H e a t , Trenton and the Dallas Little Mavericks will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers.

I approve.

I am one of those fans anticipating the return of basketball.

However, I must admit I

do not like where the NBA is headed.

Since LeBron’s cowardly decision to take his talents to South Beach and join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the new norm is for all-stars to look for other allstars to team up with to make a super team.

Carmelo Anthony fled Denver to unite with Amare Stoudamire and Tyson Chandler.

During the off-season this summer, the Lakers added Dwight Howard and longtime rival Steve Nash to create their own super team.

Who’s next?

Yeah, there are fans and analysts out there who like the “Super Team” theory and think it’s good for the league.

I disagree to the fullest extent.

Michael Jordan never would have joined a team with Larry Bird or Magic Johnson because of his will to compete.

Likewise, I do not think Magic Johnson or Larry Bird would have wanted to join the Bulls with Michael Jordan.

They wanted to be known as NBA greats.

You can’t be the greatest when you’re playing alongside players who are arguably in that same conversation LeBron.

Pave your own way, LeBron.

The trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh accounted for 70 of the Heat’s 98.5 points per game,

with each player averaging more than 20 points per game.

So how can Lebron be considered the greatest ?

I’m no Skip Bayless — I just want to see the best basketball the NBA has to offer and the “Super Team” theory is not it.

Super Teams in the NBA wipe out the small market teams, like my hometown team, the Charlotte Bobcats.

Attendance was so poor at their games last season that the Bobcats were forced to give away tickets.

The only time the Time Warner Cable Arena was near capacity was— yeah, you guessed it—when the Lakers or the Heat came to town.

The more Super Teams in

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the NBA, the fewer small market teams, which means fewer NBA teams overall.

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said it the best: The super team theory doesn’t allow the small market teams to compete on the same level playing field that the large market teams have.

The only option small market teams have is in the NBA draft, he said.

“Small-market teams must draft smarter, because thats the only way they can compete,” said Cuban.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is a small-market team that made it to the finals last season.

They have been able to compete because of their recent success in drafting

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka.

Cuban is the owner of a large-market team, but knows the ins and outs of business in the NBA. Large-market cities like Miami and Los Angeles offer athletes who become free agents more revenue and amenities small-market cities can’t match.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder have been successful, the large-market vs. small-market team debate in the NBA will end in one way.

In the end, the issue of losses and money will be too much for a small-market owner to take.

The NBA is about money.

If you aren’t making money, you’re dead.

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Opinions

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Jack needs his own pill W

hen it is intentional having children can be a wonderful experi-

ence.

Science has given us the choice to have some control over when we want to have children or not by creating birth control.

I am a big fan of birth control.

We are all adults, but falling in love Angel does not mean Brown we want to bring children into the picture just yet.

I had an interesting conversation with some of my male friends discussing the controversies of male birth control.

I am so for it!

No objections whatsoever.

Women have had the awesome choice of birth control for the past 52 years. So why not include our male counterparts?

I’d like to see equal responsibility between men and women when it comes to preventing childbirth.

On another note, would a man keep up with taking his birth control?

Maybe. Maybe not.

I think emphasizing the benefits of birth control would encourage men to take it.

As a woman I have plenty of options to choose from. I think men would be open to the concept of having this choice available to them ... will they be responsible enough to remember to take the pill?

Benefit No.1, preventing the fertilization of the female egg by sperm.

Researchers have been working on a drug called JQ1, which is supposed to create amnesia for the male reproductive system, tricking the body into forgetting how to produce sperm.

Researchers have only tested male mice for efficiency.

The positive side is it can prevent reproduction and also be reversed when the male and his partner have decided they are ready to rejuvenate his baby making machine.

They have not solidified using this drug yet because of the risk of mutation to other cells in the male body. It was originally discovered through cancer research.

The next benefit is the great balance of contraception responsibility. Instead of the argument , “You said you were

on the pill!” being the insulting accusation thrown at the woman, let it now be a responsibility shared by both parties.

Of course it should be anyway, but realistically who catches the blame when we are the only ones using birth control?

Women.

Society’s blame game continuously leans more towards women when it comes to unplanned pregnancies.

I think male birth control would be a groundbreaking barrier for male responsibility.

I do not support what some may perceive as a benefit: reckless fornication. I repeat I do not support reckless fornication, but for those of you in long term relationships we have to be considerate of reality.

Couples tend to become very comfortable with each other, especially after being intimate

for a long time.

Not many will talk about using the pull-out method. But it happens.

It’s not something looked down upon either, secretly that is.

So what do you think the benefit of a male birth control pill would be for a crazy in love couple wanting to enjoy each other more fully?

Unprotected sex?

Let’s hope not, because birth control doesn’t prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. So many different perks to a male birth control pill, but I feel that I’ve mentioned the most important ones.

Outside of a vasectomy there aren’t many options given to the male species for preventive care.

As a woman I have plenty of options to choose from.

I think men would be open to the concept of a having this choice available to them.

The main thing that concerns me is if they will be responsible enough to remember to take the pill or even honest about being on it?

In conclusion it’s still worth the inquiry. More research scientists!

Create a pill for Jack and not just Jill.

Letters to the editor Vote darn it!

Dear Editor, At a time when this country desperately needs to move forward, politicians are trying to drag us backwards by targeting the voting rights of AfricanAmericans, like me, and other vulnerable populations.

While they say the goal is to stop voter fraud — which is important — their intentions have more to do with trying to manipulate the system for political gain.

As a college student at N. C. Central University, I make up one-fifth of the electorate — 44 million eligible young voters — and we will not be silenced.

The Declaration of Independence states all men are created equal.

To live up to that ideal, we must prevent misguided lawmakers from blocking eligible

Americans from voting.

All who are eligible must be allowed to vote.

Recently, the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, or SNCAE, has

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been doing all it can around the state to ensure that all eligible young voters will have a voice in North Carolina.

They have had voter commitment campaigns, where

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members would ask as many people as they could to just commit to vote because registering is not enough.

Later on in October there will be trick or vote campaigns, where members will go out into the community and knock on doors and remind people that November 6, 2012 is Voting Day. Even here at NCCU the local SNCAE chapter held watch parties advocating voting and ensuring that voters were knowledgeable about the candidates.

Know your state laws and correct polling location.

Your vote is needed to keep our democracy strong and our nation moving in the right direction.

Donavon Harbison Secondary Math Education Major SNCAE State President

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question: What Homecoming event are you looking forward to the most?

“I’m looking forward to the Marvin Sapp Concert. I need Jesus!”

—DeAnna Epperson

“I want to see the Stepshow. It’s always the livest event, and I like to see all of the organizations showcase their stepping talents.”

—Jamila Johnson

“Lil Duval at the Comedy Show. I think it’s cool that he’s coming to NCCU.” —Kemar Lee

Sound Off By Ciera’ Harris

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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Letters Support the Sound Machine!

Dear NCCU Alumni, Students and Friends: Yes indeed, the NCCU Marching Sound Machine will be out numbered at approximately 2.5 to 1, confident and undaunted, when it proudly performs against the approximately 375 member band of BethuneCookman University (B-CU) Marching Wildcats.

Although B-CU has one of the best marching band programs in the United States and the world, our band students will proudly make the trip to support and lift the spirits of our outstanding NCCU Eagles football team, alumni, students and fans this weekend, in Daytona Beach, Fla., as the musical ambassador and voice of NCCU’s “Eagle Pride, Amplified”!

Last Sunday, at the Adrian Carroll Battle of the Bands at NCCU’s O'KellyRiddick Stadium, NC A&T’s Blue & Gold Marching Machine displayed approximately 225 or more band members for this year, during their performance. The NCCU Marching Sound Machine also performed in the same Battle of the Bands.

NCCU only has approximately 150 marching band members for this year, via — in my personal opinion — a very shortsighted NCCU administration,has refused to plan effectively for the pressing resource needs and growth development of our marching band, over the last five years or more.

The NCCU band director works wonders and tirelessly with what he has, and often has made very positive and award winning differences in many band competitions over the last 11 years, with his very faithful

and dedicated band students and faculty assistants, coupled with volunteer band staff, who work with him.

However, the NCCU administration — in my personal opinion — has continued to be unresponsive towards the total needs of growing the NCCU Marching Band into a respectable Division I membership size, comparable with its national MEAC peers and State of North Carolina Division I (FCS) rivals like NC A&T, Western Carolina and Appalachian State, to name a few.

Something has to be done to bring the NCCU Marching Sound Machine into respectable Division I standards with its MEAC peers — FAMU, B-CU, SC State, Norfolk State and NCA&T. The top 5 Band programs in the MEAC, range from about 225 to 400+ in band student memberships. NCCU is the 4th largest student population sized school in the MEAC, but nowhere close to 4th in the MEAC regarding marching band student membership. Something seems to be wrong with that picture.

NCCU can and must do better regarding the much needed support and funding for its marching band.

It has become very concerning to many of our alumni, students and friends, regarding our band program, being constantly outnumbered against the top 5 band programs in the MEAC. During the Circle City Classic this year in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Marching Sound Machine was outnumbered more than 2 to 1, via the South Carolina State’s Marching “101” Band.

NCCU can do much better. No one is saying that NCCU needs a 300 membership marching band at this point and time. But, there is

no excuse why the NCCU Marching Sound Machine should not be funded for a minimum of 225 - 250 band membership — about the size of NC A&T and Norfolk State.

It is time that NCCU alumni, students and friends start to speak out, regarding the much needed support for the band. Our band students should never be put at any resource disadvantage, regarding NCCU's lack of appropriate marching band support, as they are now and have been subjected to, over the last two years or more.

Think about it Eagle Nation. You know that I am speaking the truth!

Please help NCCU to financially support and grow our band.

If you feel the same way as I do, please let our NCCU Marching Sound Machine band students know that you are proud of them, and support them, with your advocacy on their behalf, by writing the NCCU Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, the Chancellor and the NCCU Board of Trustees and let them know how you feel about additional support for our Band.

Your financial support via the NCCU Foundation, targeted for the NCCU Marching Sound Machine, or your active membership within the Sound Machine Booster Club, would be greatly appreciated by our marching band students.

Additional information regarding the Sound Machine Booster Club may be obtained at: http://NCCUsmbc.com.

Thank you for your support of our NCCU Marching Sound Machine band program and its student membership.

Yours in Truth & Service, Dennis W. Ellis NCCU Class of 1977

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