MARCH 31, 2016 | @THEHILLTOPHU | VOLUME 100 ISSUE 30
Changing the Culture
2 Howard University entrepreneurs continue to build CRANIUM clothing line
RUSSELL SCHILLER
Jazmin Goodwin
Senior Campus Editor Two Howard University sophomores are paving the way for entrepreneurship and craftsmanship. Brandon Skot Welch, 19, and Siddiq Kancey, 19, launched their clothing brand CRANIUM “to express and embrace individuality.” As spring approaches, Welch and Kancey are preparing for the release of CRANIUM’s 2016 spring/summer collection. “We want to have our own lane, but of course we’re trying to get to the magnitude of Billionaire Boys Club (BBC), Supreme or BAPE. They really put in the work to get to where they are. We want to get there, but we understand that it takes time,”
Welch said. Incepted in 2013, Cranium’s first official collection was launched in the spring and summer of 2014. Last October, the two unveiled parts of their 2015 fall/ winter collection during “Noir,” which was Howard University’s Homecoming Fashion Show. The collection contained outerwear pieces that included hoodies, crewnecks and “dream” tees. The two believe the homecoming release motivated them to release CRANIUM’S full collection for customers in the following weeks. “The greatest success we’ve had so far has been the fashion show,” Kancey said.
“Knowing the legacy of Homecoming, it was great to be a part of the experience and to also create it. The amount of support we received was conviction of what we’re doing and who we are. It allowed us to show our growth and development as a brand,” Welch said. Despite the continuous success the clothing brand continues to attract, Welch and Kancey are no strangers to the unpredictable results that they may encounter as entrepreneurs. Although CRANIUM has gained its fair share of supporters, the two thought their clothing line would have more sales. “For us we don’t see the immediate results but that’s not going to stop us from doing. In every business, there are very few
that just drop and go crazy. You really have to take the time out, plan it, work on it, and focus on how to make it better,” Kancey said. Selling out of a product is not uncommon among the world of entrepreneurship and sheds light on the misconception that a great idea and support is all that it takes to be successful. In order for any idea to be successful, Kancey and Welch believe that in order to acheive the idea of success, action is required. “Dreaming is so big and so large. It’s a paradise, the ultimate thing. It’s healthy to dream, but in our generation you have to focus on the make it happen part. None of those things can stand alone,” Welch said.
Kancey and Welch strive for the clothing brand to be a motivator to others to take the required action to fulfill their dreams. Kancey and Welch both speak to a youth culture accustomed to instant gratification and hope to counteract this belief by showing that anything you believe you can do, can be done. “We all can win. I want to see someone make their dreams happen, as much as I want to see my dreams happen. It’s all love right now, and that’s all it's going to be,” Welch said. Through passion, drive and the committment to succeed, Kancey and Welch are prime examples to the youth that nothing can stop a dreamer from doing or inspring others in the process to do the same.
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LEANNA COMMINS
PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Is it time to let that class go?
SENIOR COPY CHIEF
6 questions to ask yourself before dropping a class
SYLVESTER JOHNSON III ASSISTANT COPY CHIEF
RISHARA JOHNSON GRAPHICS DIRECTOR DESIGN@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
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AMBER BROADEN ASSISTANT EDITOR
CAMERON CLARKE ASSISTANT EDITOR
MAYA KING ASSISTANT EDITOR
Brooke Baker
Contributing Writer As April 1 approaches, the deadline to withdraw from classes is quickly sneaking up. Whether or not one should drop from a course is a daunting and stressful experience as these decisions influence credits, GPA and transcripts. So many factors of one’s educational journey are altered due to the decision of whether or not to drop a course. How do you make this important decision? How does one come to the conclusion as to whether said course is worth the risk to further pursue or would playing it safe be the more attractive decision to make? Here are six questions to ask yourself when you find yourself in this predicament: 1. What would be the positive and negative impacts of dropping the course? Fully weigh your options
before withdrawing from the course. Monet Booth, a sophomore sports management major from Chicago, Illinois, said, “Before I would drop a class, I would get a sheet of paper and fold it in half. Then I would write the good and bad effects on separate sides of the paper. Then whichever side outweighed the other would make my decision.” Laying out the consequences of withdrawal can be a huge help in making the decision on whether or not to retract from the program. 2. Do you believe that your professor is willing to provide you with the opportunity to pass the course? Speak to your professor. Communication is the key when dealing with such academic decisions and the professor in charge of your fate with the course would be a prime contact consultation would be best with.
3. Have you spoken to your academic advisor? Your academic advisor can provide detailed insight into not only what decision you should make but also what would be the next steps afterwards. Academic advising can provide solutions to your educational questions concerning credits, transcripts, and provide professional academic advisement. 4. Is the course mandatory? Some courses have alternative courses a student can take rather than the initial course. This provides students more opportunities to branch out and explore the academic lessons offered by the institution while also fulfilling their academic responsibilities. 5. What changes would occur that would provide a more positive outcome if the course was retaken? Ask yourself, what about the next time around with this class
would I do differently to ensure a more positive outcome? Perhaps, time management, refocusing and prioritizing would be helpful. If nothing about your circumstances are changing, the time spent retaking the course would only bring forth the same results. See yourself in the future and whether it would be more appropriate. 6. Will dropping the course affect my financial situation? Ensure that by dropping the course, you are not affecting your financial aid situation or anything else that can heavily impact your future Howard career. Cover your bases before dropping from a course. To drop or not to drop. That has been the decision that has plagued so many college students in the past. The age old mystery question has now been simplified. Dropping a course is a crucial decision we all are faced with sometime during our college careers. Make it wisely.
CAMPUS
DROP: Malcolm Wyche Contributing Writer
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’m always hearing about Howard women this and Howard women that. People that don’t even go here have this certain attraction for Howard women that sometimes I don’t understand. Don’t get me wrong Howard women are great but are they really all that? The answer is yes. But there’s more to it. I’m going to explain and if you get it then salute this is for you.
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I love Howard women for this one thing... It’s personal growth, growth in your talents, and growth in your mentality about the world we live in. Everything changes. You gain new perspectives, new survival tactics, and have to make adjustments in order to succeed. Now that I’m here, I’ve been able to watch the dynamics of the college experience on guys and girls. And I’ve noticed one thing. Howard women know how to find themselves.
The greatest thing I’ve realized about college is how much growth it awakens. College puts you in situations that you won’t face anywhere else. It’s these situations that have made me love and hate college at the same time.
Amongst all the clutter, all the drama with men, collegiate struggles, financial issues, and everything else Howard women find a way to focus on themselves. This is the single factor that stands out to me the most.
You really have to grow during these four years. You have to adapt and you have to tap into yourself like never before. If you come to college and don’t grow then you’re not doing it right.
I’ve watched countless women at Howard do a total transformation from freshman year to when they become seniors. I’ve watched Howard women struggle with their place in life and graduate with full
careers and life plans. They start to realize that everything else isn’t as important as finding yourself. What’s more important than figuring out your purpose?
"Their display of confidence is too much for some people to handle."
It’s truly a beautiful thing to witness. Howard women are some of the most independent, strongwilled, fierce women I know. They don’t take no for an answer, they don’t settle, and they come for everything. Once they reach this stage, Howard women are in full position to take over the world. It’s something that most guys don’t pick up while on campus. It’s a quality that gets appreciated as time goes by but if you pick up on it sooner than later then you realize how great it is to have a Howard women by your side. And when Howard women make that transition from the clutter to focusing on themselves, they get cold. They get distant and sometimes this is interpreted the wrong way. I’ve heard Howard women described as stuck-up and
rude. “They think they’re better than everybody else” is a phrase that is often used. Their display of confidence is too much for some people to handle. But they’ve learned they do stand a part and they have the right to. Only the strong survive at Howard and if you’re a woman, we all know that the ratio makes life even harder with the constant catcalling and antics. You have to give it up for the women at Howard who battle against the odds and focus on themselves. They really learn on how to hold their own. This is the quality of Howard women that I will always love and respect.
Howard University students selected to the Peace Corps selections mark Howard’s 5th consecutive year as top volunteer-producing HBCU Maya King
program’s Youth in Development initiative.
H
“Serving others has always been something I’m passionate about; I also feel that it is very important to be a global citizen and step outside of one’s everyday surroundings,” said Claybrooks. “Peace Corps combined the two—I get to serve others and be a part of a global community.”
Assistant Campus Editor oward University’s Office of Communications announced on Wednesday, March 23, that three students have been selected to serve as volunteers with the Peace Corps. The students, officially selected this week, are now part of an undergraduate alumni network of 16 volunteers who are currently serving countries in need all over the world. College graduates who serve with the Peace Corps are known for making a lasting difference in the lives of the people they serve. Volunteers are able to take advantage of benefits like student loan deferment, technical skill development and heightened leadership skills. The students selected to represent Howard understand the great honor and responsibility that comes with being a Peace Corps volunteer. This is especially true of senior political science major Gia Claybrooks, who will be serving as a life skills teacher in Peru as part of the
Since 2014, the Peace Corps has made extensive efforts to expand its programming in order to accommodate more students of color. This has proved especially positive for the Howard community, as all volunteers selected have played a large role in maintaining the university’s #1 spot among the top volunteer-producing historically black college and universities in the nation, surpassing HBCUs like Spelman College and Florida A&M University. “When Howard students and alumni travel to other states or around the world as Peace Corps volunteers, they represent and live out Howard’s motto of Truth and Service through education and service,” said president Wayne A.I. Frederick in a
statement released by the university. “They return with a greater understanding of the world around them, which builds upon the foundation of their education achieved at Howard.” More, a number of Peace Corps volunteers, too, feel their Howard education owed in large part to their willingness to serve. “Howard’s motto is engrained in truth and service, and I felt the spirit of service everywhere as an undergraduate student,” said Jalina Porter, a Howard alumna
who served in Cambodia from 2009-11. “Howard students strive to make an impact of positive social change, and my time there was a natural stepping stone to my Peace Corps service.”
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NEWS
PHOTO COURTESY OF JAZMIN GOODWIN
OP-ED: Our national stupidity on sexual assault Cameron Clarke
Assistant News Editor If I hear one more man respond to a sexual assault allegation with, “Well what did you expect?” I’m going to tear out my locks. If I hear another justification or rationalization for rape, whether it begins with a description of the victim’s clothing, a mention of her intoxication, a reference to her behavior or a denigration of her character, I’m going to explode. There is a disturbing consensus in our society, one that paints consent as something complex and byzantine, one that presents the act of having consensual sex as something that is awkward or uncomfortable. I don’t buy it.
There is nothing difficult about consent, and our collective indulgence of those who would suggest that there is, is damaging our society and our sanity. For those of us who are still uninformed: if she doesn’t say yes, freely and willingly, if she’s intoxicated or unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, then you do not have consent. It doesn’t matter if she told you to come through anytime. If you did not get consent in the moment, then you do not have consent. It doesn’t matter if she told you to come over today. If you did not get consent, right there, from her mouth, then you do not have consent.
The modern discussion around consent often revolves around how to break down the concept of consent to our young men. It’s a disingenuous, and frankly, demeaning starting point, and we treat it with an inanity that we repudiate when we discuss any other crime. We don’t pretend there’s anything complicated about concept of robbery when we explain it to our children. We’re able to grasp that doing something to someone’s person or possessions without their permission is never acceptable, and we learned that life lesson before kindergarten. So why is it that we treat sexual assault with the type of childish stupidity that diminishes the
intelligences of everyone involved? Why do we provide women with crash courses in self-defense and situational awareness, while taking great pains to explain to our men that rape is a bad thing? Why do we place the burden of not getting raped on potential victims while treating potential aggressors like lumbering slabs of id? In framing consent as something perplexing or confusing, we provide cover for the rapists in our midst. We allow them the benefit of the doubt to skate by on a feigned ignorance, while harming their very real victims with our well-meaning condescension. It’s this ridiculous framing that forms the foundation for all
the foul, vile, victim-blaming arguments that get thrown around at survivors of sexual assault. It’s the implied assumption: “She shouldn’t have been dressed like that. She shouldn’t have been at that party. She shouldn’t have drunk so much. She shouldn’t have been acting so flirtatiously.” Rapists will always exist, just as murders and thieves and other criminals will. But if we, as men, continue to treat consent as though it is so difficult to understand, then we will continue to enable the culture of rape acceptance in which these individuals thrive.
NEWS
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NOAA
End of near century-old Naval mystery brings family together Leanna Commins
Howard University News Service WASHINGTON –Edward Wilson, a mere 19, was one of several African-American crewmembers aboard the USS Conestoga when it mysteriously disappeared at sea after it departed March 25, 1921, from San Francisco for Hawaii. For nearly a century, what happened to the 56-member crew has been a puzzling footnote in U.S. Navy history. Williams’ relatives, Annika Cropper and Cynthia Thomas, barely knew he existed, much less his fate. Now, the 95-year-old mystery has been solved. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced during a special memorial for its crew in Washington last week (March 23) it has found the shipwreck off the coast of San Francisco. Ironically, the USS Conestoga was one of the first times African Americans were ever allowed on
a Navy vessel, a retired general at the event said. Cropper and Thomas were the only African Americans among the crowd of crewmembers’ families sitting in the memorial’s Naval Heritage Center. Cropper, who works in Los Angeles, happened to be in Washington when NOAA reached out to inform her that the ship on which her great uncle disappeared so long ago had been found. She said she knew very little about Wilson, other than the fact he and her grandmother were close. “My grandmother actually named one of her children Edward and called him Eddie,” she said. “I’m sure she always wondered what happened to him.” Like Cropper, Thomas knew very little about her great-uncle. Her grandmother was only around 12-years-old when Wilson left for the Navy, she said. Still, Thomas said was very happy to find what she called closure because of NOAA’s discovery.
“The first thing I told NOAA when they notified me is that they gave me and my family the closure that was needed,” she said. “I just hate that [my grandmother] wasn’t here to hear it herself.” Officials said they did not know the exact reason why the boat sank, but they speculated it could have been a storm. The boat was bound for Tutuila, American Samoa, by way of Hawaii, officials said. The Navy didn’t know it was missing until it failed to arrive in Hawaii. The Navy carried out an expansive air and sea search, but only a battered lifeboat with the letter “C” on its bow was ever found, hundreds of miles off the expected course. While NOAA could not provide much information on the personal lives of the crewmembers, NOAA Deputy Administrator and Vice Admiral Manson Brown spoke kindly of the crew and their legacy. “To the officers and crew of
Conestoga who slumber beneath the ocean waves, your names are now etched in our hearts,” Brown said. “Your legacy of service and sacrifice are forever recorded in the annals of American history. You will not be forgotten. Rest in peace, shipmates.” Cropper said she didn’t anticipate feeling emotional at the event, despite the closure for her family, because she never knew Wilson, but, she said, she was wrong. “When I got there, they gave me a nametag that has his photo on it, and I actually got emotional, because my grandmother was very close to him, and it’s a family history I don’t know much about,” she said. Thomas said the fact that the black sailors were racial trailblazers was important to her. “That was a real accomplishment for them to have been able to be a part of this event,” she said. “It made me feel as though he was a hero in a way, because that was a barrier he crossed that other
African Americans now had the opportunity to follow.” Perhaps one of the best parts of NOAA’s discovery for both Cropper and Thomas was the reconnection of family. The women, who are second cousins, met for the first time and vowed to bring their sides of the family together. “I think this will actually bring about more unity in the family because Edward Wilson had multiple siblings, and I don’t know many of their families,” Cropper said. “I think this will bring the family closer, and I think everyone’s going to start connecting again.” Thomas felt similarly, excited at the prospect of expanding her family. “My mother also feels like we’ve found out information that was always a question in the back of our minds,” she said. “It took them 95 years, but the answers have been found and it’s done. It’s a closed door for us.”
NEWS
THE HILLTOP
MARCH 31, 2016
OP-ED: Women’s decision in 2016: Capturing the anxiety vote
Will Fuller
Senior News Editor
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nxiety – a single word that holds a galore of significance in presidential elections. The subtle and natural form of mental uneasiness presumably has a staggering influence on women and has often dominated the cohorts’ affinity for political candidates. The plague of anxiety on women is more likely to provoke a conservative, holistic view on economic, national and security issues. National security, a vehement topic in several 2016 political discourses, has been a key concern for anxiety driven women, specifically Republican candidates. Domestic issues like gender and LGBTQ equality, education and healthcare are more likely to be the focal point of Democratic candidates and the Democratic Electoral College, often consisting of minority groups like Asian-Americans and African Americans. Surprisingly, such issues are less important and less likely to be confronted by members of the Republican Party. Media have had a significant impact on such fears and
anxieties. Recurring visuals of the nation’s tragedies like 9/11 serve as a sheer reminder to citizens that America must find a person to govern our country that can manage national security issues. The more media are consumed in the wake of tragedies, the more Americans, especially women, are concerned with of the fate of America. With women’s anxiety’s being duly noted, it’s paramount for candidates of both the Democratic and Republican party to appeal to women. With a previous track record of having citizen’s trust on issues like national security, most republicans in the 2016 Presidential Election are using such trust as a billboard to influence the views of the members of the electoral college. The tactic has seemingly worked for many Republicans. For instance, Republican candidate Donald Trump has been receiving praise on his promises to save our country. But when asked how he would implement such promises, the leader’s “passion” to save the country was enough for voters and citizens. However, just because America’s trust often lies in the hands of Republicans doesn’t
necessarily mean that Republicans in the 2016 election are more experienced on those issues. And even though the previous secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, has been one of the strongest national security leaders in the field, that hasn’t been enough for many. Women are concerned about their rights and equality, but more concerned about the fate of our nation. Although Hilary Clinton is a compelled champion that strives to alleviate stereotypes placed on women, the candidate has receiving a recent, unexpected decline in polls compared to other candidates.
WASHINGTON POST
With democratic candidate Hilary Clinton vying for president against other male candidates, it’s proven that the women candidates must exude a lessfeminine bravado, but still nevertheless appeal to their public with genuine authenticity. Also, they must come harder, wiser and more prepared than male candidates. Women play an influential role in voting elections. It is irrefutable that the 2016 candidates must appeal to women and tackle issues that suffice the needs of the anxious public. ESSENCE
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NEWS
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Willie Lynch is dead William Jelani Cobb
white.
T
But given the variation in size of farms, number of enslaved workers, region, crops grown, law, gender-ratios, religion and local economy, it is unlikely that a single letter could explain slave policy for at least 151 years of the institution and its ramifications down to the present day.
Truth Be Told News
here are many problems with this document — not the least of which is the fact that it is absolutely fake.
I long ago stopped listening to sentences that begin with “The problem with black people is,” or end with “and that’s why black people can’t get ahead now,” which partly explains my initial indifference to the now-famous William Lynch Speech. In the few years since the speech on how to train slaves first appeared, it has been cited by countless college students and a black member of the House of Representatives, along the way becoming the essential verbal footnote in barbershop analysis of what’s wrong with black people.
Considering the limited number of extant sources from 18th century, if this speech had been “discovered,” it would’ve been the subject of incessant historical panels, scholarly articles and debates. It would literally be a careermaking find. But the letter was never “discovered.” Rather, it simply “appeared” on the Internet— bypassing the official historical circuits and making its way directly into the canon of American racial conspiratoria.
The rapper Talib Kweli laments on the song “Know That,” “blacks are dyin’/how to make a slave/by Willie Lynch is still applyin’,” and one professor at a Midwestern university made the speech required reading for her class.
On a more practical level, the speech is filled with references that are questionable if not completely inaccurate. Lynch makes reference to an invitation reaching him on his “modest plantation in the West Indies.”
Of late, the frequency of its citations seems to be increasing— at least three people have asked me about it in the last month.
While this is theoretically possible — the plantation system was well established in the Caribbean by 1712 — most plantation owners were absentees who chose to remain in the colonizing country while the day-to-day affairs of their holdings were run by hired managers and overseers.
According to the speech’s preface, Master Lynch was concerned enough with the fortunes of his slave-holding brethren in the American colonies to present a lecture on the bank of the James River, explaining how to keep unruly servants disunited. The old, he argued, should be pitted against the young, the dark against the light, the male against the female and so on. Such disunifying tactics “will control the slaves for at least 300 years,” he guaranteed. And that, it seems, is why black people can’t get ahead now. As a historian, I am generally skeptical of smoking guns. Historical work, like forensic science, isn’t some flashy field — it depends on the painstaking aggregation of facts that lead researchers to the most likely explanation, but rarely the only one. Slavery was an incredibly complex set of social, economic and legal relations that literally boiled down to black and
“It is unlikely that a single letter could explain slave policy for at least 151 years of the institution and its ramifications down to the present day,” says William Jelani Cobb. (Photo: Public Domain) But even assuming that Mr. Lynch was an exception to this practice, much of the text of his “speech” remains anachronistic. Lynch makes consistent reference to “slaves”— which again is possible, though it is far more likely people during this era would refer to persons in bondage simply as “Negroes.” In the first paragraph, he promises that “Ancient Rome would envy us if my program is implemented,” but the word “program” did not enter the English language with this connotation until 1837 — at the time of this speech it was used only to reference a written notice for theater
Divisions among African Americans, such as the “wannabees” and “jiggaboos” depicted in Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” have been traced back to the Willie Lynch letter, which historian William Jelani Cobb deems a fake. PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES)
events. Two paragraphs later he says that he will “give an outline of action,” for slave-holders; the word “out-line” had appeared only 50 years earlier and at that time was only used as an artistic term meaning a sketch — it didn’t convey its present meaning until 1759. Even more damning is his use of the terms “indoctrination” and “selfrefueling” in the next sentence. The first word didn’t carry its current connotation until 1832; the second didn’t even enter the language until 1811 — a century after the purported date of Lynch’s speech. More obviously, Lynch uses the word “Black,” with an upper-case “B,” to describe African Americans more than two centuries before the word came to be applied as a common ethnic identifier. In some popular citations, Lynch has also been— inexplicably — credited with the term “lynching,” which would be odd since the speech promises to provide slave-holders with non-violent techniques that will save them the expense of killing valuable, if unruly, property. This inaccuracy points to a more basic problem in understanding American history: The violence directed at black people in America was exceptional in the regard that it was racialized and used to reinforce political and social subordination, but it was not unique. Early America was incredibly violent in general — stemming in part from the endemic violence in British society and partly from the violence that tends to be associated with frontier societies. For most of its history, lynching was a non-racial phenomenon — in fact, it most often directed at white people. The term “Lynch law” was derived from the mob violence directed at Tories, or British loyalists, just after the American Revolution. While there is disagreement about the precise origins of the term — some associate it with Charles Lynch, a Revolution-era Justice-of-thePeace who imprisoned Tories, others see it as the legacy of an armed militia founded near the Lynche River or the militia captain named Lynch
who created judicial tribunals in Virginia in 1776 — there is no reference to the term earlier than 1768, more than half a century after the date given for the speech. Given the sparse judicial resources (judges were forced to travel from town-to-town hearing cases, which is where we get the term “judicial circuit”) and the frequency of property crimes in the early republic, lynching was often seen as a form of community justice. Not until the 1880s, after the end of Reconstruction, did “lynching” become associated with African Americans; gradually the number of blacks lynched each year surpassed the number of whites until it became almost exclusively directed at black people late in the century. (Nevertheless, between 1882 and 1944, Tuskegee University recorded 3,417 lynchings with black victims— and 1,291 lynchings with white ones.) The Willie Lynch speech would seem to give a quick-and-easy explanation of the roots of our much-lamented “black disunity.” You could make similar arguments about the lingering effects of a real historical document like the 1845 tract, “Religious Instruction of Negroes” — written by a proslavery Presbyterian minister — or the British practice of mixing different African ethnicities on slave ships in order to make communication — and therefore rebellion — more difficult. But this too is questionable — it presumes that whites, or any other diverse group, do not face divisive gender issues, generation gaps and class distinctions. Willie Lynch offers no explanation for the white pro-lifer who guns down a white abortion-provider or white-on-white domestic violence. He does not explain political conflicts among different Latino groups or crime in Asian communities. Unity is not the same as unanimity and in the end, black people are no more disunited than any other group of people — and a lot more united than we give ourselves credit for.
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VARIETY Public figure, no private life Sydney Davenport Variety Editor
I
n entertainment news media, the boundaries between one’s public and private life are blurred daily. Terry Bollea, Hulk Hogan, just won $140 million dollars after suing Gawker Media for releasing a sex tape of Bollea and his best friend, Bubba Clan’s, wife. The lawsuit brought the discussion of what is newsworthy to the forefront of discussion. Nick Denton, founder of Gawker Media, justified the release of the sex tape by saying Bollea is a character, Hulk Hogan, and stories about his character are newsworthy. He also, in a statement made on Gawker Media’s website asserted the lawsuit was about the racist remarks made about his daughter’s
African-American boyfriend Bollea made in one of the tapes, not invasion of privacy. Despite the true purpose for the case, the decision made was based on the release of the obtaining and release of the sex tape. Someone’s personal activities in the bedroom are where a line should be crossed as far as what “news.” is. In this case, Denton’s justification ignores Bollea as a person and prioritizes his character, Hulk Hogan. Many media and the people who watch the media do the same thing to celebrities daily; they forget the celebrity is not the person they present on stage and justify watching media which intrudes on their personal lives. The public is too focused on gossip and scandal as is; yet not
as concerned about the state of the country. The media, especially media focused on celebrities, increasingly diverts attention away from hard news by fueling it with things such as sex tapes. There should not be a decision made about whether to watch Hulk Hogan’s sex tape or the latest presidential debate. However, this is the state America has become. Bollea says, in an exclusive interview on the View, Gawker Media is the ultimate bully. Bollea is not alone in his desire to see celebrities’ private lives more respected by the public and the law. Jennifer Lawrence, after having her own personal photos stolen and posted on the internet, spoke about being afraid
NEW YORK INSIDER
and anxious as a result of lack of privacy in an interview with AP. Even if they are a character in the public, the time they are in the privacy of their own home or
behind closed doors, not aware of public eyes, is when they should not be intruded upon, even if it is in the name of “news.”
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SPORTS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Men, Women 4X100m Relays Prevail; Women Remain Strong in Field Events HU Bison College Park, MD---On a beautiful afternoon at the University of Maryland, the Howard University Bison Track and Field program took full advantage of the great weather. Competing against the host University of Maryland as well as Coppin State, George Washington, UDC, and several other schools, the women finished with 108 points, good enough for second place behind the Lady Terps. The men finished fourth overall
In what Coach Harrison calls "as close to a home meet that we can have at this time," the meet began with a bang. With action starting on the track, the 4x100m relay teams set the tone for the meet by winning on both the men's and women's side. The relay team of Sydne Vanhorse, Skylar Buchanan, Aliyah Hale, and Michelle Cole edged the Lady Terrapins at the line and defeated them on their home track. The men followed suit and
won impressively. The quartet consisted of Malik Dennis, Kenneth Chigbue, Basil Niccolls, and Kahe Kaye. Their performance brought the crowd to its feet when the baton crossed the finish line. The Throw squad was not to be outdone as MEAC Indoor Shot Put Champion Dominique Bynum-Cooper opened her season with a victory in the Javelin. Michelle Cole joined the fray as she won the 400 meter dash in dramatic fashion.
There were several outstanding performances and personal records set throughout the day. The meet concluded with a down-to-thewire finish, with the Howard men getting edged at the tape by the home team Terps in the 4x400 meter team. "It was an exciting finish to a great meet! We lost by .11 of a second and we didn't have our best race by far. We will continue to get better." noted fourth year Head Coach Marc Harrison.
The Bison have a short week to prepare for the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, FL. The meet begins on Thursday and the Bison have several individuals who have qualified to participate. This is all toward the goal long of trying to position themselves for post-season this May at MEACs, ECAC/IC4As, and the NCAA Championships.
SPORTS
THE HILLTOP
MARCH 31, 2016
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Daniel Receives Another Post Season Honor HU Bison KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 25, 2016) -- James "J-Byrd" Daniel, 111 has been named to he The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) 2015-16 NABC Division I All-District 15 team. The teams are selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC and represent the best in their respective districts. Daniel led all players in Division in scoring with 27.3 points per game. The 5-11 junior guard from Hampton, VA broke the school record in scoring and was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection. Daniel led the nation in free throws and free throws attempted.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Bison Spotlight: Olujimi Scott HU Bison The Howard track and field team is filled with talented and intelligent athletes, but one in particular must be recognized for his outstanding achievements this past year both in the classroom and on the track. Olujimi Scott is a junior mechanical engineering major from Georgetown, Guyana and a leader on Howard's track and field team. Scott recently traveled to Boston to race in a highly competitive track meet and ended up placing 7th overall in the 400 meters. According to Scott, he came into the meet thinking everyone he was racing was faster than him. He believes that the tough competition is what drove him to drop his time and place so highly. Head Coach Marc Harrison agrees that Scott embraces competition and he is especially proud of what he has accomplished academically and on the track: "Ojay (Olujimi) is a success story for us," said the fourth year head coach. "He came to Howard
as a walk-on and now has made himself elite. He possesses that HU combination of academic and athletic excellence that I preach about to them every day. He loves to compete, and that will take him far in life." Due to his high ranking in the meet, Scott was named as a part of the All Eastern championship team and awarded a certificate for the accomplishment. Living up to his title as a student athlete, Scott has also been making strides with his academics. Recently, he was recommended for the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Student Leadership in Athletics, an award that gives national recognition to outstanding minority students in engineering for their efforts in and out of the classroom. Winning out over several other recommended student-athletes across the country, Scott was more surprised than anyone else to receive the award: "This award was a real shock to me because I remember going to the conference last year and wishing I could get one," he recalls. "When the CEAC's
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
secretary recommended me, I didn't expect to win."
As his junior year is coming to a close, Scott continues to perform well during outdoor season as well
as in all of his classes in order to prepare himself for a relaxing final year here at The Hilltop.