THE STUDENT VOICE OF FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY
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Monday, February 21, 2011
City still divided by race JASON LAWRENCE METRO NEWS EDITOR The Fair Housing Act was adopted 42 years ago to combat racial segregation. However, analysis of new five-year data from the American Community Survey, an entity within the U.S. Census Bureau, suggests that residential segregation is alive and well, especially in Tallahassee neighborhoods. On Jan. 18, Remapping Debate, a public policy journal at Columbia University, released an interactive map on its website displaying America’s most racially segregated Census Block Groups. It revealed that of the 12.1 percent of America’s black
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Sherrod advocates green SASHA GUNTER STAFF WRITER Shirley Sherrod outlined her journey from growing up in rural Georgia to becoming a U.S. Department of Agriculture official, at the opening of SoGreen summit Friday. “Growing up on the farm was a good life but all we could see is hard work,” Sherrod said. “The last thing I wanted to deal with is farming and agriculture after high school.” She later had a change of mind when the tragic death of her father lead her to realize that she could stay in the South and give up her plans to contribute to the change that was going on in the deep south. Sherrod said she then began to work with farmers in the rural area by training them on how to farm peanuts, cotton, vegetables and much more, helping them increase their income. The summit titled, “Embracing
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Aria Aaron The Famuan Sherrod speaks to an eager crowd in Perry-Paige Auditorium on Friday about agriculture, living the “green” lifestyle and the importance of environmental sustainabilty.
Septic inspections hit troubled waters CHRISTOPHER QUINN II STAFF WRITER Florida lawmakers may repeal a mandate passed last year intended to make the state a safer, cleaner place. The law called for mandatory septic tank inspections. These inspections are to take place every five years to ensure that property owners are maintaining septic systems. Just weeks ago, Senate Bill 2A passed without the governor’s signature, delaying the implementation date of the inspection program from Jan. 1 to July 1. Ben Grumbles, assistant administrator of the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency, said people
underestimate the importance of checking septic tanks and many problems can arise when they fail.
“Proper septic system maintenance is a commonly overlooked responsibility. Failing systems are a significant
threat to our health and our water quality. Property owners
E-books offer cheap, portable alternatives to paper
Photo Graphic by Jeffrey Morris E-books have become popular among students and in general.
With technology constantly evolving, the Florida A&M bookstore now offers electronic books. Manager for Corporate Communications at Barnes & Noble Karen Gonsor DiScala said that earlier eTextbooks were not very popular as they came with limitations. They often could not present images on screen and they were not very engaging. Students could only read them and not interact with the content like they would with a printed book. “eTextbooks were essentially
just text on a screen,” said DiScala. Today, DiScala is seeing a significant growth in students interested in eTextbooks. “One of the main reasons students are becoming interested in eTextbooks is because the new generation of eTextbook readers is bringing this new format to life,” said DiScala. CourseSmart, a provider for FAMU’s eTextbooks, said that students and faculty are choosing their books over traditional ones because of savings, convenience and efficiency. E-BOOKS
Sports
Lifestyles
Florida A&M faces new opponent in Atlanta Classic and the Jaguars of Southern University are it.
FAMU’s Essential Theatre premieres “Black Widow,” an original production by alumnus James Web.
Sports | 6
Lifestyles | 4
UNIVERSITY
SEPTIC 3
Graphic by Jeffrey Morris The above graphic depicts what could happen in the absence of septic tank inspections.
JASMINE BROWN STAFF WRITER
NEWS BRIEFS
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The candidates running for SGA president will have their knowledge tested on the issues Monday at 6 p.m. in Lee Hall. Breyon Love will face the student body unchallenged, as he answers questions on the most pressing issues affecting the university. So far, no one has declared a run against Love and his runningmate Troy Harris. Love is expected to win the election by default. THE FAMUAN STAFF
WEATHER Wednesday
77 56 Thursday
78 44 Friday
72 47
2 Calendar
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Monday, February 21, 2011
Events and Announcements Announcements Join The Office of Counseling Services every Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. in Truth Hall (Basement) for weekly discussions. For more information, contact Rachelle Jean-Louis, LMHC via email at rachelle.jeanlouis@famu.edu. Gamma Alpha Chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority Inc is seeking talent for our upcoming talent show on Feb. 25, 2011. If you can sing dance recite poetry, or have any other talents please contact Shanese Stewart at 954-612-6386 or via email shanese.stewart@yahoo.com Active Minds will be having an Interest Meeting on Monday Feb. 21, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. in Sunshine Manor. For further information, please contact Omi Taylor at 850-599-3145.
The School of General Studies will be hosting a Change of Major Fair on March 2 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom and on March 3 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. For more information contact Claire Smith, Coordinator at 850-561-2400.
To place an announcement in the Calendar, e-mail your submission to famuancalendar@gmail.com at least two days prior to the desired publishing issue. All submissions must include the student organization along with information in paragraph format to include “who, what, when and where.” A contact number to be published with the announcement, indicate so in your e-mailed submission and provide an alternate method for readers to obtain more information. If you do not follow the paragraph format then your submission will not be able to be published.
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Corrections In the Feb. 9 issue, The Famuan incorrectly identified Verian D. Thomas. For corrections please email Famuancalendar@gmail.com.
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But Craig Gurian, editor of Remapping Debate, believes civil rights policies like the Fair Housing Act include language that, in the end, benefits a specific group population, 30 percent live in Census and hurts others. Block Groups that are 75 percent black “Indeed, the treatment of a single policy or more. direction as something akin to a natural The map also shows that 75 percent phenomenon conceals the fundamental of blacks live in only 16 percent of the fact that each policy put or kept in place country’s Census Block Groups and does reflect a decision that serves some that 50 percent live in neighborhoods interests more than others,” said Gurian. that have a combined black and Latino Cynthia Cook, assistant professor population of 66.85 percent or more. of sociology in FAMU’s Sociology and In Tallahassee, residential segregation Criminal Justice Department agrees is largely geographic, with most of the with Gaston and Gurian, and said city’s black residents appearing to live other explanations exist for residential in areas near Florida A&M, around segregation. the city’s southside, the historically “The segregation depicted on the map black Frenchtown neighborhood, a few is a monument of the ‘Old South,’ where enclaves in the city’s northwest extremes. people may be living in houses they’ve The city has six Census Block Groups inherited in segregated neighborhoods,” in which no blacks reside, these groups Cook said. include: the Betton Hills neighborhood Cook believes income may play also a on Thomasville Road and the Old Town crucial role in residential segregation. neighborhood near Leon High School. “You also must consider income Juanita Gaston, director of the FAMU distribution among blacks in Tallahassee. Census Information Center and associate People generally live in neighborhoods professor of Geography, said she is not they can afford.” surprised by the data. Blacks have a medium income of $39,879; and approximately 35.4 percent live below the federal poverty line, according to the most recent numbers released by the Census Bureau in 2008. “Research shows that blacks of all economic levels are highly segregated from whites. I believe that numerous factors play a role from preferences to differences in purchasing power,” Gaston referring to a non-technical review compiled by Mark Fossett, a sociologist in Texas A&M University’s Racial and Ethnic Studies Institute. Cook, who like Gaston was not shocked by the data, said she believes segregation would diminish as time progresses. “I think [segregation] will change with the years. As more people move in, the social climate of the city will change,” said Cook, who added that she lives in diverse neighborhood. So too, did Tallahassee resident Sheryl Hamm, who according to the map, lives in a mixed neighborhood off of Kerry Forest Parkway. “I grew up in Houston and I think this [segregation] is something you see Courtesy: Remapping Debate Remapping Debate released a map of the entire country showing the most everywhere. I do think it will change segrgated neighborhoods based on data from the American Community though,” Hamm said. Survey. However, Gaston said residential “Considering the limitation of the map, segregation is a major barrier in the “If we examined the distribution of the black population in the decennial an appropriate question may be : What economic progression of blacks and said censuses from 1930 onward, this [map] changes have occurred in residential the map’s data speaks to the general would probably mirror those censuses,” segregated over the past decades? Has social attitude of America. “In King’s speech in August 1963, he it lessened or become more intense? If Gaston said. Historically, blacks have not always we look at the data, we would probably stated ‘One hundred years later, the life lived in near-exclusive neighborhoods. find that residential segregation has of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the According to George Metcalf’s, “Fair decreased for blacks, but is still relatively manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination,’” Gaston said. Housing Comes of Age,” a book analyzing high,” said Gaston. “Today, we find that blacks are still One of the key goals of the Fair Housing the implications of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, blacks were “scattered” throughout Act, championed by former president crippled by residential segregation, for their educational and employment predominantly white neighborhoods in Lyndon Johnson, was “to provide opportunities are restricted by their opportunities for all persons to reside the South prior to the Great Depression. place of residence.” This changed however with the in any given housing development, Read this story and more emergence of cheap public housing regardless of race, color, religion, sex, in-depth content from projects targeted toward non-whites, disability, familial status, or national The Famuan at www. along with a large exodus of blacks from origin.” thefamuanonline.com/news. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of the South from 1916-30; and with the “White Flight” from urban cores to then- 1968, which is commonly known as the developing suburbs following World War Fair Housing Act was signed into law just one week after Martin Luther King Jr.’s II. JASON LAWRENCE Although a large number of blacks left assassination. FAMUAN.METRO@GMAIL.COM
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SEPTIC system evaluation is meant to make sure that septic tanks in the state are maintained properly to avoid contaminating other water sources. These inspections can cost a couple hundred dollars, compared to the thousands it costs to have a septic system replaced. Some lawmakers, like Sen. Don Gaetz thinks the inspections would impose unnecessary costs on citizens. “We are one step closer to repealing this law that would cause a tremendous financial burden to Floridians already suffering from the worst economy in generations,” said Gaetz in a press release. The recent law gives policy-makers a chance to evaluate if they want this mandate to take effect. They have the option of holding public hearings to decide whether they would like repeal is feasible. There are over 2.67 million septic tanks in the state, according to the Florida Department of Health. If the mandate does not get repealed then those property E-BOOKS “Students who purchase eTextbooks can save an average of 60 percent off print textbook costs and eliminate the mystery of buyback at the end of the semester, while also providing them instant access to course materials when other retail options may be closed, out of stock or need a few days to ship a book,” said Assistant Account
the South during the “Great Migration,” Gaston said that many stayed in the region, which mirrors what current data tells about where large Black populations are concentrated. “True, blacks started leaving the South in the early 20th century moving to ghettos in the north, Detroit, Chicago, New York. etc., but the majority stayed in the south in or near areas in which that they are presently concentrated,” said Gaston. After close analysis, despite the map’s apparent accuracy depicting residential segregation, Gaston said the map has limitations. “The range of 3 to 50 percent black is too wide and may conceal some changes in the concentrations of blacks in the block groups,” said Gaston. “For example, if the 3 – 50 percent category were broken into three groups, one may note some changes in the concentration (residential segregation) of blacks since the last Census.” And as expected by Remapping Debate, the map raises some questions according to Gaston.
owners will have to add another expense to their budget. Bernithy Robinson owns property in Tallahassee and said she sees the good and the bad with the idea of having inspections, but she doesn’t like the fact that it would be mandatory. “I understand that we have to maintain our tanks to make sure that they are working properly, but I don’t think that we should have to get them checked if there is nothing wrong with them,” said Robinson. Robinson also mentioned that she did have problems with her tank a long time ago but has not had a problem since then. She hopes that if this mandate is implemented, it will not be more trouble than it is worth. “I know there might be some things that as a regular person I might not be able to see or check but it shouldn’t be mandatory.” The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1. CHRISTOPHER QUINN II FAMUAN.METRO@GMAIL.COM
Executive for CourseSmart Nicole Bassaleh. Manndola Dorsilon, 19, a second year vocal performance student from Orlando, agrees that the electronic books are more convenient. “I feel positive about it because everything is electronic anyways and I think it will be easier to access,” said Dorsilon. “I don’t have to come here to
GREEN Our Traditions of Partnership” was brought together to address the subject of agriculture for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the 1890 Land Grant institutions over the long term. Sherrod spoke at the Southern Green Network during the opening ceremony located in Perry Paige Auditorium. She talked about her beginning stages of being a farm girl in the South.
Aria Aaron The Famuan Sherrod speaks on the importance of farming and agriculture.
order my books, I can just go online.” Dezmond Moore, 21, a senior engineer student from St. Louis, said that print books are easier to navigate. “I don’t want to have to feel obligated to carry around my computer,” said Moore. “If I had an electronic book, I would have to do that. Plus, if I needed to print something from the electronic book, than it would be like having
News 3 FSU Bake Sale spawns public political debate ARIA AARON STAFF WRITER An affirmative action bake sale at Florida State has caused controversy and is now setting the tone for an upcoming debate between the Florida A&M debate team and the sale’s organizers on Feb. 24. According to a Facebook event page, the College Republicans held the affirmative action bake sale on Jan. 25 at The Union. Cookies were given out for free but portions varied upon race. Blacks and Latinos received a whole cookie, Asians received a half cookie and whites received a quarter cookie. The event’s controversy has added much excitement and publicity to the debate. As students look forward to the showdown, FAMU’s debaters are motivated because of the ability to tackle such an issue. Lucas Melton, 22, a senior political science student from Columbus, Ga. and a member of the FAMU debate team, said that he anticipates “the chance to take on another ideological side head-on in a public format with civility.” The excitement is only additional though, because the sale is not the reason for the debate. The FAMU debate team actually challenged the College Republicans last semester, but the group has just accepted the invitation. According to Melton, the debate team intends to only argue politics and not racial issues to symbolize political mobilization. Affirmative action is only one of the political topics that will be debated. “Affirmative action was and still is in some respects a United States policy when it comes to legislation, so that’s why it’s being debated,” said Melton. “We’re not debating black versus white. We’re not debating black supremacy versus white supremacy because neither exists.” Alex Davis, 18, a first-year history student from Tallahassee, said that politics and race couldn’t be separated due to historical racial oppression through politics. A statement written in the bake sale’s description on Facebook seems to corroborate College Republican’s expectations. “It’s time to make some noise on campus, College Republicans, and what better way to do it than to have an ‘Affirmative Action Bake Sale’ in the Student Union.” Kayla Westbrook, executive director of the College Republicans, wrote. The debate will be held at FSU’s HCB building near the Oglesby Union in room 102 at 7:30 p.m.
ARIA AARON FAMUANNEWS@GMAIL.COM Part of Sherrod’s speech stressed the importance of getting young people involved in farming and agriculture. “We have to realize it is not just growing cotton and collard greens, it’s growing fresher foods for generations to come,” Sherrod said. Students, faculty and attendees gathered to hear Sherrod outline the history of farmers and landowners in the region and her personal experience in working with this important community. Breshell Smith, 18, an accounting student from the Virgin Islands, came to the event for extra credit and left with extra knowledge about farming and agriculture. “I now realize the importance of farming and how food just does not come from anywhere. It comes from the preparations of farming and agriculture,” Smith said.
SASHA GUNTER FAMUANNEWS@GMAIL.COM
a paperback book. That defeats the purpose.” Bassaleh said CourseSmart’s eTextbooks offer features and functions that students simply cannot get using traditional print textbooks.
JASMINE BROWN FAMUANNEWS@GMAIL.COM
The Famuan
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Monday, February 21, 2011
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Lifestyles 4
Questions linger after ‘Widow’
File Photo The Famuan “Black Widow,” which is based on James Webb’s childhood, wowed patrons of the Charles Winter Wood Theatre.
ASHLEY WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER People filled the seats at Charles Winter Wood Theatre on Friday and Saturday night to watch “Black Widow.” Written by alumnus James Webb Jr., the play intertwines spirituality, religion and superstitions, all while revealing how people can hold on to and carry life’s burdens by passing them down to their children.
These “chains,” as they are referred to in the play, have symbolic meaning to the psychological bondage that often follows depression. Webb also raises questions of generational curses and being bound to these curses from one generation to the next. “Black Widow” is based off the playwright’s life growing up. The play is set in Mississippi, Webb’s home state. James, the main character, is motivated by similar circumstances
from Webb’s childhood. Lil’ James, James father in the play, had a tense relationship with his son after his son’s mother leaves. James finally leaves his father’s house and moves to New York City. James returns home after some time to find his father in emotional turmoil, never having fully healed from his mother’s abandonment. Webb adds an unusual twist in the plot when he takes the audience to the
afterlife to meet James’ grandmother and grandfather. Waiting on God to call them to heaven, the spirits have been watching over their son and grandson. The couple serves as the comedic relief in an otherwise dreary and tense situation. Some actors still had scripts in their hands, but the emotions were still on display. “Black Widow” left many people with questions of what was going on in the play. The audience members had an opportunity to ask those questions in a post-production Q & A with Webb. “Black Widow” is in its development stage writing and production, which allows the playwright to get feedback from the audience about scenes they liked or didn’t like. He then makes revisions for the next production. Webb said he appreciates the constructive criticism and that this is a part of the process of developing a great, well-written, well-performed play. Audience members said they liked how the play was thought-provoking and how it touched on generations of one black man to another. Other audience members questioned the name of the play and the meaning behind it. “If I answered the questions all in the play, you would forget about it tomorrow,” Webb said. “I want people to still be thinking about it for days later.” ASHLEY WILLIAMS FAMUANLIFESTYLES@GMAIL.COM
Civil War heroes honored Glover taps for for Black History Month Tally students
Courtesy to The Famuan Savion Glover will be performing his latest production tonight.
TANYA GLOVER DEPUTY LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Graphic By Kenya Mawusi
KELLE’ WYATT STAFF WRITER
John Anderson and Jarvis Rosier’s impersonations of Fredrick Douglass and an everyday black soldier in the Civil War captivated the audience with eyewitness accounts of struggle, fear and courage. “The slaves were a part of the natural order of things and they had the same skills as white Americans had,” said Anderson, the Douglass impersonator and a 2nd infantry regiment USCT. “Fredrick Douglass played a profound role in the Civil War. He represented a number of things that are kind of misunderstood. He showed this country that not only are we human beings but because of our presence here, our participation, our labors, our skills and our intelligence, we deserve to be a part of this country.”
This year the United States begins its five-year celebration of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. The sesquicentennial anniversary will show the mass contributions of blacks and their role in the military. Friday, Florida A&M University’s Student Government Association teamed with the Carrie Meek- James N. Eaton Sr. Black Archives Research Center and Museum to bring students and the community together in celebration of Black History Month. Commissioner William Proctor and Ola S. Lamar, faculty administrator & director in the Department of Research Communications, presided over the event. “It was such an humbling privilege to preside over the event,” said Lamar. “It is important for our students to
be inspired to come to these events so they can expand their knowledge and learn outside of the classroom.” “Forever Brave: A Community Celebration of the AfricanAmerican Military Experience” celebrated and recognized the black contributions to the war through music, historical re-enactments and dramatic interpretations. Also on Friday, the revealing of a new and special exhibition, “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: African Americans during the Civil War,” opened. The exhibition is an educational tool for students as well as citizens. The purpose of the event was to honor and expose, share the contributions, and sacrifices African Americans have made for this country for so long. KELLE’ WYATT FAMUANLIFESTYLES@GMAIL.COM
Glover has also appeared in major motion pictures, such as “Tap” with Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1988. In “Happy Feet,” he was choreographer and central motion-capture dancer for the role of the main character, the penguin Mumble, in 2006. In “SoLo iN TiME,” Glover’s latest production, he explores the connection between tap and flamenco with a live flamenco band and flamenco dancers. Today at 2 p.m., Glover, along with three of his dancers, are scheduled to host a lecture in Lee Hall. The event is open to all students. Photographing and recording are allowed during that time, but not allowed during the performance later on tonight. Tickets are available at the FSU Fine Arts ticket office, and are $10 for FAMU/FSU students with valid IDs. For full coverage of the event, visit www. thefamuanonline.com.
Savion Glover is often referred to as the “greatest tap dancer in the world.” Tonight, he will appear in Lee Hall Auditorium at 8 p.m. as part of the 20102011 Lyceum series, copresented by FSU’s Seven Days of Opening Nights. Glover has performed on some of the biggest stages around the world, including the Moulin Rouge, Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Institution, Carnegie Hall Editor’s Note: There and the White House. When Glover was 22, he is no relation between Glover and starred in the show “Bring Tanya da Noise, Bring Da Funk,” performer Savion Glover. which revolutionized tap dancing on the way to winning Drama Desk, TANYA GLOVER Outer Critics Circle, F AMUANLIFESTYLES@GMAIL.COM Drama League and Tony Awards.
Monday, February 21, 2011
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: jordan1.culver@gmail.com Jordan Culver
COPY DESK: copydeskchief@gmail.com Julian Kemper
OPINIONS EDITOR: famuanopinions@gmail.com Khristanda Cooper
LIFESTYLES EDITOR: famuanlifestyles@gmail.com Clarece Polke
SPORTS EDITOR: famuansports@gmail.com Royal Shepherd
Top 9 pet peeves about student elections
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Opinions 5
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TheFamuan
famuanopinions@gmail.com
Why should Wisconsin matter to us? The State of Wisconsin is in political turmoil. Thousands of public employees flooded Madison, the state capital, to protest Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal. Walker plans to limit collective bargaining for most public employees to wages only.While municipal law enforcement, state troopers, fire and emergency medical service employees will be exempted, Walker’s proposal have infuriated many people, some of whom have converged on the Capitol to protest. The protesters were waving signs calling him a bully and comparing him to Scrooge and Hitler. The governor
said the changes would help the state save $30 million in the last three months and reduce the state’s $3.6 billion deficit. Under his plan, state workers would pay 5.8 percent toward their pension and 12 percent of their healthcare benefits, thus reducing their retirement benefits. Once again we have another story of political backlash. The federal government is straddled with a huge national debt. The same problems trickle down to the states. Wisconsin is not the only state that is facing conflicts of governor’s budget plans. Florida, Ohio, Texas and Arizona are in a similar position of relying on budget cuts to eliminate the massive deficits that
grew during the recession. Unfortunately, these cuts come at the price of hardworking taxpayers who are dealing with the high cost of living, along with the uncertainty of their health and retirement benefits being reduced or eliminated. The 55,000 Wisconsin demonstrators have every right to be angry at their government. It is easy to understand the looming financial problems states face. But at the same time, it’s unfair for underpaid and underappreciated teachers, fire fighters and other service employees to have their bargaining rights taken away. This crisis involves
every political group-the Democrats, the Tea Party and the President and his staff. Democrats and union leaders say they are willing to compromise on benefits if Republicans back off on their bid to weaken collective bargaining. The political debacle in Wisconsin will set the stage for the nation as we head for the 2012 presidential election. Unions defend the rights of the middle class. They deserve a place at the bargaining table. Aaron Johnson for the editorial board.
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EDITOR IN CHIEF: jordan1.culver@gmail.com Jordan Culver
COPY DESK: famuancopydesk@gmail.com Julian Kemper
SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR: famuannews@gmail.com Matthew Richardson DEPUTY SCHOOL NEWS EDITOR: Simone Wright METRO NEWS EDITOR: famuan.metro@gmail.com Jason Lawrence
OPINIONS EDITOR: famuanopinions@gmail.com Khristanda Cooper
Political Takeout
HARASSMENT ON THE SET: Clearly I have on headphones and I’m waiting on the bus... I do not want to talk to you or hear what you have to say, but, I will take that zebra cake off your hands.
DEPUTY OPINIONS EDITOR: Aaron Johnson
LIFESTYLES EDITOR: famuanlifestyles@gmail.com Clarece Polke DEPUTY LIFESTYLES EDITOR:
2.
Tanya Glover
AGGRAVATING FACEBOOK INVITATIONS AND WALL POSTS: No, I’m not going to your event, nor do I want to accept your group invite. Decline. And by the way, if I declined you once I’m going to decline you again.
ASSISTANT LIFESTYLES EDITOR: Ivan Marchena
SPORTS EDITOR: famuansports@gmail.com Royal Shepherd DEPUTY SPORTS EDITORS: Cameron Daniels
3.
EMAIL INVITATIONS: First of all, how did you get my personal email addresss, and second of all, just because I declined you on Facebook does not mean I won’t spam you in my yahoo, gmail, or hotmail inbox.
4.
BLOCKING BUILDING ENTRANCES: You may not have class at 12:30, but I do, so move.
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NOISE OUTSIDE BUILDINGS: Disturbing the peace anyone?
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LIES, LIES, AND MORE LIES: Most of the candidates don’t live up to their campaign pitch anyway. Sound familiar? (Cough... last election...cough)
7.
CAMPAIGN VS. POPULARITY CONTEST: Is this for the betterment of students on campus or is it just about you?
8.
LAME SLOGANS: It is bad enough real politicans do it, but seriously, some of these candidtates are going to get caught up in some kind of copyright lawsuit one day.
9.
PHOTO EDITOR: famuan.photos3@gmail.com Keenan Doanes DEPUTY PHOTO EDITOR: Jasmine Mitchell
Monte Woverton, Cagle Cartoons The state of Wisconsin has had enough of being stepped on by its government, whose next in America?
You put all your time into elections...for what? JASON LAWRENCE METRO NEWS EDITOR I can remember my first election week on the Hill four years ago like it was...well, four short years ago. Logging onto Facebook on a dull night browsing through statuses, seeing one that read, “No eat, no sleep, it’s Campaign Week!,” I thought, “Hmm...this week might be fun.” Much to my surprise, I had no idea how extreme the candidates could get. When I opened the door to leave my Palmetto North apartment the next morning marking the beginning of Campaign Week, a candidate literally shoved a breakfast starter in my mouth and demanded that I vote for her or else she would shed the blood of an innocent child. Okay, that didn’t really happen. But after enjoying the admittedly delicious breakfast, I was chauffeured to my class in B.L. Perry, by a Miss FAMU candidate in a brand new, orange 2008 Ford Mustang - that actually happened. She unselfishly had her people driving orange Mustangs all around campus offering shuttles to students. After such an experience and being a wide-eyed freshman at the time, I
decided to indulge myself that week. And why not? For the entire week I made sure I was at every candidate’s event, especially at those where I’d be promised real food instead of my usual Ramen noodle diet. I collected T-shirts from every candidate and danced to music at free parties for candidates I couldn’t even vote for. I did all of this and, when Tuesday arrived, I casually walked past about five precincts. You see, my intentions were not to vote, even though I looked a number of candidates in the eye promising them I would (some of these individuals were actually dear friends of mine, and I must say I felt awful about not voting). I was simply swept away in the camaraderie of Election Week. And until this day, I have yet to cast a vote in school elections. Sue me. By the way, whichever lawyer is representing you in the Court of Hypocrisy had better be good, because you’ll be suing about three-fourths of the student body. That’s right, oughly 2,000 people vote on election day, according to an editorial written by Brandon McCaskill, Mr. FAMU 2008-2009, in The Famuan on Feb. 24, 2010. The editorial was an attempt to persuade
the Student Senate to pass a bill putting a cap on how much candadites could spend on elections. The former Mr. FAMU pushed this bill after learning some of his opponents were pouring tens of thousands into campaigns for school elections. So, if the student body is so overwhelmingly indifferent to elections, why do candidates funnel so much money into something, as numbers indicate, so futile? It’s far too late for this year’s candidates to frugally promote themselves. Many of them have funneled laughable amounts of money into their campaigns, for T-shirts to be worn and food to be eaten by people who won’t bother to vote on Tuesday. But for those considering a run in the future, take notes from McCaskill who was able to beat his competition on a budget. Spending too much money for campaign week could land you in the same position as the beautiful young lady who gave me a ride in that flashy orange Mustang in 2008: standing on the Set in tears Tuesday night, not only because you lost the election, but because you’re “in the red.” JASON LAWRENCE FAMUANOPINIONS@GMAIL.COM
LITTERING:
So, I see more fliers and brochures than grass on campus now. If you care so much about FAMU, then why don’t you clean up all the fliers that you pass out and we drop on the ground when you are not looking. FAMUAN OPINIONS FAMUANOPINIONS@GMAIL.COM
Are you going to see Savion Glover? A) I wish. B) Who? C) Absolutely!
VISUAL EDITOR: famuangraphics@gmail.com Jeffrey Morris GRAPHICS EDITOR: famuangraphics@gmail.com Kenya Mawusi
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Sports 6
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Monday, February 21, 2011
New rivalr y MICHAYLA COX CORRESPONDENT Since the game’s inception in 1989, the Bank of America Football Atlanta Classichas been a part of the Florida A&M football team’s great history. FAMU will now face a new opponent in the event. The organizers of the classic, the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, announced Wednesday that Southern University would take the place of Tennessee State University. The change hopes to restore the prestige of the Atlanta Classic. The committee believes the presitge of the teams, and the bands, could help revive the reputation. President James Ammons was present at the press conference on Wednesday and encouraged the sponsors that the schools chosen would generate excitement through the town and among the fans. “I don’t think there is a match-up that will bring more excitement to this city than the Rattlers and the Jaguars,” Ammons said. William Pate, president of the Atlanta convention and Visitor’s bureau, agreed with Ammons sentiments. “The addition of Southern University continues the rich tradition of highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities at the Bank of America Football Classic,” Pate said. Every year the game brings in more than 60,000 fans
to downtown Atlanta and generates $26 million in economic impact according to Pate. Only four teams have played in the classic: FAMU, TSU, Southern University, and South Carolina State University. FAMU played in the first two against TSU and split the series 1-1. The Tigers have played against the Rattlers 15 times and have won only four of the contest. The Rattlers had a seven year layoff from the event from 1991-1997. Southern and FAMU have never faced each other in the classic in previous years. In 2007, the teams signed a four-year contract to play each other. The deal was cut two years early due to scheduling conflicts between the two conferences. Players are amped about the change in schedule and the renewal of the rivalry. “I’m excited to face them in the game,” middle linebacker Alvis Graham said. “We didn‘t get to play them last year, so this will be one of my most anticipated games for my last season.” Coach Joe Taylor shared his excitement as well, citing the respect of each university as his primary reasoning. “You’re talking about wellrespected universities, wellrespected coaches and wellrespected bands,” he said. Not only do the teams have
File Photo The Famuan
Ashley Melson, a senior cocaptain said, “I’m looking forward to see how this game turns out. We’ve been working hard and I believe it will pay off.” The Lady Rattlers took third in the bowling tournament two weeks ago, but plan to have a turnaround game later. “Sometimes you have to take a lost in order to build yourself back up as a team,” Melson said. The Lady Rattlers couldn’t stay down long, they have to prepare for their next couple of games, before the championship game in March.
Wrestling
Courtesy to The Famuan The Rattlers will not square off against familiar foe Tennessee State in next season’s Atlanta Classic.
a rivalry, but coaches Joe Taylor and Stump Mitchell have one as well. John Grant, CEO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, made it clear that off the field success played a vital role in the decision of the teams. “The new lineup with FAMU and Southern University will provide a fresh rivalry with
schools known for excellence on and off the field,” Grant said. For more information regarding the new schedule, check out thefamuanonline.com
MICHAYLA COX FAMUANSPORTS@GMAIL.COM
Teams improve at indoor meet CHARMAINE PETERSON CORRESPONDENT The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference indoor championship provided a measuring stick for the team’s progress in preparation for outdoor season. First-year men’s head coach Wayne Angel talked about the opportunities the weekend’s meet brought for his team. “Although we didn’t come out and win, we are not going to hang our heads because we
know that we competed and gave it our all,” Angel said. Senior Leon Hunt said the team was a little too loose for the event. “We were too relaxed and that hurt us somewhat,” Hunt said. “We will know what to expect the next time we are in this situation.” Hunt, a long jumper from St. Croix, VI. has already jumped further than 25 meters in a meet last month. He also holds his islands record. The jump landed Hunt in
Bowling
the NCAA’s national top 15 rankings at No. 11. Hunt continued his recent surge in the long jump. He claimed first place with a final jump of 7.69 meters. Demarius Carrol earned a fifth place finish, posting a time of 8.11 in the 60-meter hurdles. “Leon, Demarius, and Shuaib Winters have continued to get better and their leadership will help the rest of the guys,” Angel said. Winters competed and
File Photo The Famuan
earned third, fourth and sixth place finishes in the 5K run, 3K run and mile run, respectively. “I really wanted to win, but the competitors really showed up in the races. It became more of a mental thing at the end of the race,” Winters said. The women improved on last year’s performance, finishing seventh out of 11 teams. “It was a tremendous performance by the young ladies,” head coach Darlene Moore said. The team scored in 10 of the 16 events at the competition, after not scoring a point in last season’s championship. Six of the Lady Rattlers had top ten finishes. Jasmine Pleasant, Rateema Stanley, Latoya Wright, Ariel Allen, Nichola Listhrop and Clarricia Golden all had top ten finishes. Moore also praised the efforts of her relay teams. Both the 4X400 meter relay and distance medley relay finished fifth. “My relay teams were outstanding,” Moore said. “They made me proud and will only improve the rest of the way.”
CHARMAINE PETERSON FAMUANSPORTS@GMAIL.COM
File Photo The Famuan
Roland and Richard Pitts share more than just a last name and wrestling. The twin brothers share the passion to make each other better. Richard, a 20 year-old junior sociology student at FSU, and Roland, a 20 year-old junior criminal justice student at Florida A&M, were born nine minutes apart. The brothers are a part of the FSU-FAMU wrestling team, the only joint team between the two campuses. “They’re disciplined. I can always count on those two guys to be on time and handle whatever I’m asking of them,” coach Snowden
Tennis Florida A&M’s men’s tennis team kicked off its weekend with a 6-1 victory against Alcorn State in New Orleans. The Rattlers have gone 4-0 in their last four matches. “The team as a whole played pretty consistent,” coach Carl Goodman said. “Throughout the match they executed well in significant moments and closed out the match strong getting us another good win.” Alcorn State’s team currently holds the No. 2 spot in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in HBUC athletics. “Beating them showed how much of a power house we are in HBCU tennis,” Goodman added. Full coverage on thefamuanonline. com
File Photo The Famuan
Baseball team wins two of four games at JSU Tournament BARRINGTON MIZELL STAFF WRITER The Florida A&M baseball team completed its first action of the season as the team split four games during the Jackson State University Baseball Tournament. The Rattlers competed against the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Prairie View A&M and tournament host, Jackson State, during the competition. Pitcher David Duncan was credited with a loss when the Rattlers dropped their first game of the tournament 13-4 to JSU. Duncan allowed 11 hits, six earned runs and struck out three in three and one-third innings of work. The Rattlers rebounded in their second
game, using a four-run seventh inning along with great pitching from Tim Jones and Steven Dollar to capture a 5-2 victory against UAPB. Two RBI’s by Oscar Santalo and Cory Franklin helped ignite the Rattlers seventh inning offensive outburst. In their third game of the tournament, the Rattlers lost a 2-0 contest to Prairie View in what turned out to be a pitcher’s duel between FAMU’s Heath Blackburn, and PVAMU’s Michael Listi. The Rattlers managed only one hit during the contest as Listi produced seven strikeouts in seven innings. A decisive 7-3 win was the result of the Rattler’s last game of the tournament, as the team completed the sweep of UAPB.
and gave up only one earned run in five innings of work against the Golden Lions. The Rattler’s offense bounced back from a forgettable performance in the previous game against PVAMU. Scott Sheplak and Tobi Adeyemi sparked the team’s offensive performance. FAMU will return to action as they host Mercer University in its home opener on Wednesday Feb. 23 in a doubleheader at Moore-Kittles Field at 4 p.m. Players and coaches could not be reached for comment. File Photo The Famuan
Pitcher Thomas Barwick won his first collegiate start. Barwick struck out four
BARRINGTON MIZELL FAMUANSPORTS@GMAIL.COM