·H E Metropolitan~ State College of Denver student newspaper serving the Auraria Campus since 1979 VOLUME
15,
ISSUE
21
FEBRUARY
12, 1993
DENVER.COLORADO
Black History Month Tenth Black World Conference explores vital African-American issues
Panel discusses police actions· actions--0r inaction. "Irresponsible officers should go to jail," Plummer said. "I don't think we Police business is public business, should have a bunch of white police says Denver·city councilman Hiawatha officers patrol black neighborhoods. Police Davis . should be in close touch with the needs of Davis, a member of a panel the people they are supposed to protect." discussion Feb. 4 at MSCD, said that a ~ Other members of the panel were civilian review board would lessen the Jackie Wilson, professor of criminal antipathy between the public and the justice at MSCD; Norm Early, Denver district attorney; Wazir Ali Mohammed, a police and would improve public safety. "We invest more power jn the police Denver attorney; Nick Walker, Aurora than any other institution," Davis said. community activist; and Cecil Owens, "Police have been given the power to kill criminal justice expert. and abuse. If we have to change the Wilson, who called herself "a child of community, we m~st embrace the the Race Riot of 1943" said she saw police community." brutality from The panel, her window in titled "The 'We invest more power in the police Harlem. Black Com- than any other institution. Police "Since munity and the have been given the power to kill 1840, what we Police: After- and abuse. If we have to change the have been doing math of the community, we must embrace the is confronting Rodney King community.' ind iv id u al s• affair," was within the law part of the -Hiawatha Davis enforcement, " Tenth Black Wilson said. Denver City Councilman " We need to World Conference held at look at a culture St. Cajetan 's Center on the Auraria that gives rise to a Sgt. Koon." Sgt. Stacey Koon is one of three Los Campus. Davis added that a civilian review Angeles police officers who are on a board would help curb police brutality federal civil rights trial in the beating of King. against civilians. Wilson called on everyone to join the Last year, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb created a police review board civilian review board because in this comprised of five civilians. However, the country, law enforcers are answerable only board cannot conduct independent probes to an executive, such as the mayor, the governor or the president. or interview wimesses and police officers. Davis said a police review board that Early said people shouldn 't think has subpoena powers but lacks people such as Shawn Slater, a Colorado investigative powers amounts to the police Ku Klux Klan leader, l\fe the only racists. He said African-Americans should investigating themselves. He said both powers are needed for the civilian review start looking at the culture rather than the individuals. board to be effective. William Plummer, 22, an MSCD ''The purpose of this board is to make student and panel member, said it's time sure that police services are rendered for police to become accountable for their efficiently to all people," Davis said.
Chris Ozor
The Metropolitan
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Dominic Chavez/The Metropolttan
Spike Lee visits the Aurarla Campus Wednesday as part of Black History Month. Stories featuring the controversial director will be In the February 19th Issue.
History a guide to solutions Elva L. Pellouchoud The Metropolitan
Our understanding of America and the world is incomplete without the knowledge of the Black experience, said C.J. White, an MSCD professor of Intercultural Studies, at the Tenth Black World Conference Feb. 4. "We must use our history as our guide, as our road map, as we move forward," White said. "Mistakes can be prevented, solutions to problems can be presented based upon our knowledge of the past." White was among the 150 students, faculty and community leaders gathered to examine trends and issues facing the African-American community at the conference at St. Cajetan's Center.
Conference activities included a keynote speech by William King, associate professor in the Center for Studies of Ethnicity and Race in America at the University of Colorado-Boulder, and two panel discussions; one examining the conditions brought about by the Rodney King affair and a second, consisting of a dialogue of topical issues by five AfricanAmerican students. The student panelists presented different perspectives but all held to the notion that a historical education was important to all African-American students. "Lack of knowledge can be both damaging and perhaps even detrimental to our struggle to regain oilr sense of Black see HISTORY, page 6
Students visit Mexico to observe U.S. companies page4 African-American gospel heritage celebrated during Black History Month page 10,11