Opinion

A Forgotten Figure of the Civil Rights Movement

Continued from Front Cover

modern America. Colorism is defined as “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group.” Essentially, even among the black community, among most minorities, the lighter skin you have, the more opportunities get thrown your way. Light-skinned people have more options than dark-skinned people. We see that in our screens in who gets roles. We see that in whose music is based on whose music gets popular. That doesn’t mean that the lighterskinned artists are not talented. It means that other talented darkskinned artists aren’t getting the hype and the attention they deserve. Another theme in her story that speaks to modern America is classism. There is this persistent belief in America that if you are poor that automatically you’re lazy, you don’t deserve any help, and if you wanted, you could stop being poor at any time. However, this mindset fails to recognize that poverty is cyclical and often is not fixed by a simple lifestyle change. Many issues surrounding lowincome families are historical. Continuing to live in neighborhoods with poor schools because the houses cost less, the schools have less disposable income due to them being funded by the neighborhoods taxes.

And there is also the belief that poor people are less intelligent than and less valuable in society. But in reality, many poor or low-income jobs are essential to humanity. Grocery store employees, fast food workers, factory workers, teachers, and many other positions are undervalued, especially considering how much they do to keep the world turning. Finally, there is Colvin’s pregnancy. It’s hard being a young unwed mother now. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be a young unwed pregnant black girl in the south in the 1960s.

It is another demonstration of how we currently need more comprehensive sex education in the states. We also need to be doing more to protect young women from men who could take advantage of them and their lack of experience. The father of the baby was ten years Claudette elder. And the way men still talk to young women is despicable. The way men creep on minors’ Tik Tok accounts or flirt with women who are the same age as their granddaughter is disgusting and something that was a society that didn’t do enough to prevent it. I work at a grocery store and still have had men old enough to be my dad try to touch my hands. But this behavior is rarely condemned. Final Thoughts While Claudette was not a figurehead of the movement, she was the spark that lit the fire. Even in her youth, she held on to what she believed was right even when it was not popular. She stood by her history with pride and lived out her morals. I strive for to look at trouble in the face and stand firm. I hope to have half of Claudette Colvin’s conviction. And that’s why she is one of my favorite figures and unsung heroes of the civil rights movement. It is my hope in that maybe in hearing her story we can inspire others to stand up for what they believe in. Its also worth noting that we come so far and still have so far to go in achieving quality. Yes, minorities have the right to vote now, we don’t live in Jim Crow era America. Which is fantastic. But, we still have more we need to accomplish and address in 2022. We need to think critically about the how black people are policed. We need to start addressing some of the systemic injustices that effect people of color in the justice system. We need to be doing more to make sure schools have the resources they need. We need to make sure that everyone is able to vote for politicans that represent them. We have come so far in America, but the work is not finished.

Even though these things happened 60 years ago, these are issues that still affect modern America.

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Fargo Man sentenced to 60 Days in Jail following Drunk Driving Accident

Abigail Faulkner

Opinion Editor

This week another news story popped up in my news headline. “Man sentenced in deadly Fargo crash”; another drunk driving accident. A man drove home from the bar drunk, and his friend in the passenger seat died.

This story is one of many in the area and the state. I know of the drinking culture in the state from personal experience. Having lived in several other states before living here, I had a perspective that allowed me to see and compare the way kids talked about alcohol in other states to how it is spoken about here. I know underage drinking and drunk driving are a problem here. I am not a party kid, but I got invited to and knew of kids partying and drinking in high school. I have even been offered to drink with older people on several occasions. My dad has always had a pretty strict curfew since I could drive, especially in high school. Even as an adult, he asks that I be home before midnight (before people start leaving the bars) and since I live with them throughout college, I honor that. And he hates when I am out driving on New Years. It took me a long time to understand why he did this. I thought for a long time that he was afraid of me getting in an accident, not because I was drinking, but because people die all the time because drunk drivers hit them. And let’s be honest, we all know that people at NDSU drink, duh. And I don’t have an issue with drinking as long as you’re doing it safely and don’t harm anyone. I am taking issue with the drinking culture in North Dakota overall. North Dakota is ranked number 4 in the states with the worst DUI problem. Many refer to it as the “Drunkest State,” and when I ask my peers about what to do around here, they tell me there is nothing to do but drink. But there are consequences to drunk driving. Jail time, license suspension, community service, and probation are possible consequences. But I think those all pale in comparison to the emotional tole these can take. Elijah Viestenz was sentenced this week for the accident that killed his passengers. He said in court, “I believe I deserve whatever punishment I get for the crash that I created,” he said. “I caused the death of one of my best friends, and I’ll have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life.” He was 19 at the time and had just left the Cactus Juice Saloon. The jail time will pass relatively quickly for him. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 1000 hours of customer service. What he will have to live with is the victim’s statement of his best friend’s mom for the rest of his life. Even though his record will be sealed and there is hope for redemption, he will likely never be the same after this accident. So, to my peers, please be so careful. Get a Lyft or an Uber. Don’t risk it. The roads are already so dangerous this time of year. So be wise. Make the smart choice.