Recycle The Maroon Tiger

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The Organ of Student Expression Since 1925
The
MAROON TIGER
Morehouse College • Atlanta, GA
November 2 - 8, 2011
UNBOUND: A Festival of
Student Plays
Volume LXXXVI, issue 7
Morehouse
Mourns Loss of
Professor
Lance Dixon
Managing Editor
ldixon2012@gmail.com
M
Jordon Nesmith
Associate Campus News Editor
jnesmith17@gmail.com
T
here is a lot of drama in
some of the plays in this
upcoming weekend’s production, but nevertheless the
show must go on. Unbound
Playwrights Workshop will
present “Unbound: A Festival of Student Plays,” which
features the artistic visions of
AUC students who write, direct, act, and more.
Take for example the play,
“Miss Appropriated Funds,”
which is written by Morehouse graduate, Patrick A.
Jackson. The play itself has endured multiple changes from
the director and cast, and has
finally come to form literally
a week ago. Spelman College
senior, Latasha Bullock, and
Morehouse College sophomore, Michael Thevenin, are
still managing to work seamlessly as the show’s opening
quickly approaches.
“Our director and friend
Jireh approached me about
two weeks ago and asked me
if I could help him out with a
play in Unbound and I didn’t
hesitate to say ‘yes,” Thevenin
said. “He warned me of how
hectic it was going to be since
we only had two weeks to prepare, but I told him that’s fine,
I love the pressure.”
Jireh Breon Holder, a Morehouse College senior and Unbound creator, recalls putting
the show together this year a
lot smoother. Although many
details came together with
more ease, certain aspects
of putting the show together
had more specialized requirements.
“One piece required actors
who could dance,” Holder said.
“It was a choreoplay, so finding
males who could dance and
act required some time.”
Last week’s tech rehearsal
for the play was definitely an
indication of what Holder
was referring to. The rehearsal
process alone lasted about two
hours and was very repetitive
and reflected an exaggerated
recital.
“Although these are the steps
that lead to a perfect performance, nobody ever enjoys
taking them again and again,”
Thevenin said. “You’re just
happy when it has all been said
and done, and looking forward
to everybody who stayed out in
the lobby after the show just to
tell to you ‘great job;’ you could
never turn down a little glory.”
Unbound
Playwrights
Workshop has given students
the opportunity to showcase
their theatrical talents in the
AUC for three years and plans
to continue do so in the future.
“I just really hope that people come out for the evening
and support,” Holder said. “So
much art in the AUC, but there
is a greater need for proper exhibitions of theatre.”
The festival will take place
from Thursday, Nov. 3 through
Saturday, Nov. 5 in Spelman
College’s John D. Rockefeller
Fine Arts Building.
Strolling for Child Cancer
Donnell Williamson
Contributing Writer
donnellwilliamsonjr@yahoo.com
T
he annual St. Jude Stroll Off took
place this past Thursday in Archer
Hall on Morehouse College’s campus.
Two Spelman and four Morehouse residence halls competed for the two respective crowns and, more importantly, to
support the children of St. Jude.
Each hall made monetary contributions, which factored into their final
score. The fraternities and sororities
of both colleges were present with
representatives to act as judges and to
stroll between the freshmen performances.
Kappa Alpha Psi also made an additional contribution to the program.
“The initial mission of St. Jude correlates directly with the motto of Kappa Alpha Psi, service to others,” Oluwa Abney,
senior history major and president of
the Grand Pi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc., said. “If we don’t help the
community, what’s the purpose of having
a fraternity?”
The members of the Alpha Rho chapter
of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. were
also present and vice president Charles
Wilkes commented on the Alphas in-
volvement with St. Jude.
“[The reason that] Alphas stand out
[when giving back] is the fact that we
are not limited in what we do,” Wilkes,
a junior mathematics major, said. “Our
motto, which is ‘Manly Deeds, Scholarship and love for all Mankind,’ holds us
to a high standard. Due to this, we are
challenged to do as much as possible.”
Wilkes also stated that Alpha Rho
chapter would be making a donation to
St. Jude as well.
The freshman class was collectively
passionate in support for their respective
See STROLL, page 2
requirement, she instructed
numerous students outside
of the English department.
These students noted that her
teaching style left a lasting
impact on their perception of
Franks and on the English department in general.
“The English department
is full of some of the most
nurturing professors that
Morehouse offers, and I truly
believe this is because of the
influence of Dr. Franks,” Tyree
Alexander, a senior business
major, said. “The environment that she cultivated in
her classroom was so welcoming, I often forgot the hassle I
experienced to arrive to her 8
a.m. class on time.”
Franks’ influence also extends to students that she
mentored as well as those she
advised. Many of those students were not aware of her
onday, Oct. 17, was the
first weekday of Homecoming activities with a fashion show and hip-hop concert
scheduled for that evening,
leaving the campus abuzz
with school spirit. However,
juxtaposing the celebratory
atmosphere was the reality of
the loss of one of Morehouse’s
professors, Dr. Parthenia
Franks, who died on Saturday,
Oct. 15, after suffering a massive stroke.
Franks was a professor in
the English department who
taught courses in Professional
Communication, among others, and was well-liked by students and fellow faculty members.
Because Franks was among
professors who taught a
course that is a graduation See PROFESSOR, page 2
WHAT’S HAPPENING
ON CAMPUS?
5
1
2
3
6
7
8
4
November 3-5 Spelman College Theatre program
presents “UNBOUND: Spelman
College Festival of New Plays”;
Spriggs-Burroughs Theatre, 8 p.m.
November 4 The Office of Housing and
Residential Life presents the
Phallus Chronicles
November 13AUC Orchestra Fall Concert;
Sister’s Chapel, 7 p.m.
Nov. 14-19 Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Week; sponsored by
the Bonner Office of Community
Service
Nov. 24-25 Thanksgiving Break (No School)
Nov. 28
Resident Advisor Applications
deadline; due to the Office of
Housing and Residential Life
December 2-4 Morehouse College and Spelman
College Glee Club Christmas
Concert; King Chapel, Sister’s
Chapel
To have your event placed here, email all information to anderson.trevell@
yahoo.com by Saturday to have it printed in the following week’s issue.
inside track
News.....................1 World & Local......3 Business & Tech......4 Features.................6 Opinions..............8 A&E...................10 Sports..................12
AUCypher Premiere
p. 6
So You’re Single…
p. 9
The Club Tie
p. 10
on the web
www.themaroontiger.com
www.twitter.com/themaroontiger
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saturday
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2
NEWS
THE MAROON TIGER
Nicolas B. Aziz ’12
Editor-in-Chief
nickbaziz@yahoo.com
MANAGEMENT
Lance Dixon ’12
Managing Editor
ldixon2012@gmail.com
Jeffery Taylor II ’12
Chief Layout Editor
jefferydtaylor@gmail.com
Ahmad Barber ’13
Photography Editor
ahmad.barber@gmail.com
Jourdan Shepard ’12
Chief Copy Editor
jourdancshepard@gmail.com
Charlie Williams IV ’12
Associate Copy Editor
cwmsiv@gmail.com
Sierra Stokes SC ’13
Associate Copy Editor
sstokes6@scmail.spelman.edu
EDITORS
Tre’vell Anderson ’13
Campus News Editor
Jordon Nesmith ’12
Associate Campus News Editor
Dannieka Wiggins SC ’13
World & Local Editor
Nicholas Bacon ’13
Associate World & Local Editor
O’Koyea Huff-Boone ’12
Business & Tech Editor
John Yates ’14
Associate Bussiness & Tech Editor
Darryl Hawkins ’12
Features Editor
Kobi Ansong ’12
Associate Features Editor
Christian Saint-Vil ’14
Opinions Editor
James Williams ’12
Associate Opinions Editor
Taylor Williams ’12
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Katryna Mahoney SC ’14
Associate A&E Editor
Curtis Jackson ’14
Sports Editor
Max Tyler ’13
Associate Sports Editor
MULTIMEDIA
O’koyea Huff Boone ’12
Webmaster
okoyeahb@gmail.com
Spencer Greene ’12
New Media Director
sgreene.savvy@gmail.com
Jihad Kheperu ’12
Tiger TV Producer
jihad_kheperu@yahoo.com
ADVISER
Ron Thomas
Men of Morehouse Aim to be Well
Balanced in Honda Challenge
Christian L. Saint-Vil
Opinions Editor
csaintvil03@yahoo.com
O
n Sunday, Oct. 30, 24
Men of Morehouse went
head-to-head in the 23rd
Annual Morehouse Honda
Campus All-Star Challenge
(HCASC) campus-wide tournament. Over 85 Morehouse
students were tested in the
HCASC Power Search Test
administered by English professor Charles Walton’86, but
certain scholars surpassed
the results of their brothers
and were funneled into eight
teams of three to take part in
the competition, which was
held in Morehouse’s NabritMapp-McBay Hall .
The questions for this tournament were all preselected
by the company, The College
Bowl, and the subjects ranged
from mathematics to ancient
history. Facilitators Eugene
Finley, Eric Finley, Daniel
Driffin, and Professor Walton
saw few changes in the way the
tournament was held in prior
years. In past tournaments,
facilitators read questions that
were printed on paper, however, this year the program
took on a more modern approach with the use of laptops
and a white board to conduct
the tournament.
This year’s facilitators had
the role of flipping through
questions and creating a controlled environment, but they
formerly played a greater
role in Morehouse’s history
in the national tournament.
Eugene and Eric both played
for Morehouse in the National HCSAC tournament
in prior years and Driffin has
played for our neighbor Morris Brown as well. Currently,
Euguene is the Campus Coordinator/Institutional Representative for the Morehouse
HCASC Team, while Professor Walton has held the role
of coach/advisor for the team
for the past four years.
Dr. Anne Watts, the Associate Vice President for
Academic Affairs, has also
lent her hand to help the
Morehouse HCASC team.
She oversees the Morehouse
PROFESSOR of English mourned by
students and faculty; memorial planned in
her honor
continued from front page
death until late in the day on
Monday and had to face the
reality that they would suddenly have a new adviser. For
many of her students, Franks
was more than a professor
who simply signed a sheet to
remove an advisement hold.
“I met with Dr. Franks a
week before she passed, because I wanted to study abroad
and needed to ask her a few
questions,” Jordan T. Jones,
a sophomore English major,
said. “I was stunned when I
heard that a relationship that
I had taken for granted had
suddenly been taken away
only a few days after.”
Many students sympathized
with Jones’ sentiments, noting
that although Dr. Franks’ personality seemed to be changing slightly in the days before
she passed, her kind spirit was
still intact.
“Dr. Franks was the epitome of a teacher,” senior English major Quinterrence Bell
said. “She cared about all of
her students and always found
a way to compliment everyone she encountered. [Her]
legacy will definitely live on in
my life, especially when I start
teaching. I will always try to
be as understanding as she
was with students.”
Bell, along with Franks’ colleagues Dr. Maureen Dinges
and Dr. Leah Creque, are
planning a student presentation, which will include a dramatic reading of “Go Down
Death” by James Weldon
Johnson and the singing of the
Negro spiritual, “Steal Away
to Jesus.” The presenters hope
to provide a Morehouse-centric tribute to one of its own
and to commemorate Franks
through spoken words, a skill
she thrived in. This event
is tentatively scheduled for
Thursday, Nov. 10.
Franks’ funeral services
took place on Oct. 29 in Dinwiddie County, Va., where she
was born. She is survived by
her son, Robert Franks, and
by a host of family members
and a large and extended family on the campus of Morehouse College.
HCASC program and allocates funds for the Annual
Morehouse HCASC campuswide tournament in hopes of
producing a team for the National HCASC Competition.
“In the past, Morehouse has
done quite well in the National
HCASC Competitions,” Walton said. “In fact, Morehouse
has won the National Title
(and the grand prize award to
the institution of $50,000.00)
four times. (Morehouse won
in 2001, 2002, 2004, and
2006.)”
While all 24 contestants
deserve recognition, the first
place winners of the campus
tournament were Jared Loggins, Wiley Davis, and Matt
Kemelek. Ron Williams, Mat-
thew Kelley, and Evan Turnage finished in second place,
while James Nichols, Paul
Adamson, and Darius Blakeney placed third. The first
place winners received a $100
American Express gift card,
second place received $50,
and third received $25.
“With the campus tournament, I think that the cash
prizes are a big motivation
for students to come out and
play,” said Walton. “Quite
frankly, not all students take
to an intense trivia contest like
the HCASC competition. My
ultimate goal is to see Morehouse once again win the National HCASC Tournament.”
STROLL competition raises
funds and awareness for child
cancer
continued from front page
halls. The competitive nature
for each hall was different, but
strong. However, the recent
restraints placed on strolling
for Morehouse by the Residence Hall Association made
the experience more interesting.
“The event was great,” Michael Gatewood, a freshman political science major,
said. “I believe if there were
fewer limitations placed on
the halls, they could have
brought more to the table,
but at the end of the day, SpelHouse successfully helped
raise money for the children.”
The 2011 winners of the St.
Jude Stroll Off were Morehouse’s White Hall, which
collected $22.86 in addition
to their tickets sold, and Spelman’s Living Learning Center
1, which collected a total of
$5 in addition to their tickets
sold.
After suffering a loss at the
Kickoff Jam during homecoming, White Hall recovered
and returned to take the Stroll
Off title for the third consecutive year.
“The memory of the keys
ringing in our ears [at the
homecoming stroll off] was
the motivation for us to take
home the victory,” Joshua
Kent, a White Hall stroll team
member, said. “Since we lost
the first stroll off, it motivated
us to work harder and continue the tradition of winning
the St. Jude Stroll Off.”
Students Give Suggestions to Improve
Homecoming Experience
Karlton Mitchell
Contributing Writer
karltonmitchell@gmail.com
L
ess than 24 hours after the Homecoming
football game, the streets
of Morehouse College were
plastered with empty bottles, vacant tents, candy
wrappers, and mountains
of trash. This sight was perhaps an accurate indicator of
how well Homecoming week
went for the community of
people present. Students,
however, are already thinking about ways to improve
for next year.
Numerous students at both
Morehouse and Spelman Col-
leges had strong recommendations regarding this topic.
To kick off Homecoming
week, all Spelman students
benefit from a fall break, while
the Men of Morehouse are still
required to attend class.
“We need a fall break,” Eric
Boyd, a Morehouse sophomore economics major from
Inglewood, Ca., said.
“It
would help us unwind after
midterms.”
While this idea sounds
promising, several students
feel that a break after Homecoming would be a great idea
too.
“Everybody is tired from
Homecoming,” Asia Allison, a
Spelman mathematics major,
said. “All AUC schools should
be closed the Monday after
Homecoming.”
Students also reflected on
how concert artist choices can
improve in the years to come.
A comparison between the
two Homecming concerts indicates distinct areas where
the hip-hop concert, which
featured Future, Ace Hood
and Kendrick Lamar, can be
improved. The neo-soul concert appeared to have a more
nationally known artist, R&B
singer Miguel. Some students
felt the hip-hop artists did not
have the same level of popularity.
“We need more established
hip-hop artists rather then
people who are not nationally known,” Dorian Boyd, a
Morehouse junior psychology
major from Atlanta, said.
Michelle McNeil, a junior
biology major at Spelman,
agreed.
“Students are from all over,”
she began. “We need hip-hop
artists who are nationally
known, with current songs. If
they are able to do that for the
neo-soul concert, they should
do it for the hip-hop concert
also.”
The staple of the Homecoming weekend is the Maroon Tiger football game and
tailgating. The vast majority
of people attend the tailgate,
a time when most alumni re-
turn to relive the past glories
of their college years at the
two institutions.
“More free food at the tailgate would recruit more people,” Liz Smith, a junior history major at Spelman, said.
Imagine Morehouse and
Spelman College Homecoming next year with a few
different changes, perhaps
a break, an established hiphop artist, a wider variety of
free food, and many other
additions. While this does
sound promising, it is a
common belief that the one
thing that should remain
the same is the camaraderie
felt throughout the entire
week.
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in for information on how to become part of our staff.
3
WORLD & LOCAL
Mayor Reed Opposition to HipHop Festival in Woodruff Park
Sparks Heated Protest at City Hall
CAU Spearheads Work in
Domestic Violence
Ta’Tiana Miles
Staff Writer
tnm92@yahoo.com
I
n 2000, the Bureau of Justice Statistics
Special Report found that women between the ages of 16 and 24 are involved
in relationships that exhibit domestic and
sexual abuse. The data reports that one in
five college women will experience some
sort of dating violence in their relationship.
Clark Atlanta University has taken the initiative to bring awareness to this domestic
violence epidemic. Last year, CAU started
the annual “The Call to True Beauty” campaign to help bring more attention to domestic violence and to lift the shame and
silence the victims of dating and domestic
violence endure.
On Oct. 21, Atlanta City Councilman, C.T.
Martin, designated CAU as the community
resource zone in the crusade to end dating and domestic violence. The councilman
then proclaimed that same day as “The Call
to Beauty Day” in Atlanta. The official declaration came during CAU’s second annual
“The Call to True Beauty” press conference
in observance of the National Domestic
Violence Awareness Month.
The state of Georgia is ranked sixth in
terms of being the most violent state in the
nation for single-perpetrator, single-victim
crimes by men against women.
During the aforementioned press conference, there were two presentations
made. The first was led Fonda Kay Smith, a
woman who received the “Survivor of the
Year” Award. The audience may have rec-
ognized Smith’s voice because she is also
the voice of every morning and afternoon
traffic advisory on The Jazz of the City on
WCLK 91.9 FM. In October 2010, Smith
stood in front of live TV cameras, her colleagues, and peers and shared her personal
story of domestic abuse.
The second presenter was Harold Watkins and he received the “Advocate of the
Year” Award. Watkins previously worked
with Avon Products Inc. for 29 years and
he is now passionate about providing opportunities and resources for both the
youth and victims of domestic violence.
Watkins is also responsible for the development and establishment of the Avon
Scholars and Ambassadors Program, CAU’s
dating and domestic violence peer education and prevention program. Through his
work with Avon Products Inc. and serving
as a board member of The Partnership
Against Domestic Violence for three years,
Watkins is responsible for raising more than
$250,000 in resources to aid survivors and
victims of dating and domestic violence.
CAU’s Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs, Dr. Joseph H. Silver Sr.,
said, “CAU is not overwhelmed by reported incidences of dating and domestic violence. [It] does not mean that we should
be any less than diligent in our efforts to
help eradicate this crime. Our goal is to
create a spectrum of research, instruction,
student education, awareness, advocacy
and behavioral standards that can be modeled by university campuses across the nation, especially among the nation’s HBCUs.”
Dannieka Wiggins
World and Local News Editor
dwiggin1@scmail.spelman.edu
S
ince when did having a festival in a public
park become against the law? Mayor Kasim Reed is arguing as of Oct. 24, when Occupy Atlanta, dodged proper planning procedures for an Atlanta hip-hop festival.
Atlanta residents are sternly exercising
their first amendment rights to assemble
and protest after a heated debate arose between Occupy Atlanta organizers and the
mayor during a hip-hop festival in Woodruff
park in downtown Atlanta.
After Mayor Reed reprimanded Occupy
Atlanta organizers for hosting a festival with
promoters of a hip-hop concert that did not
have city permits, organizers and festival attendees then began to protest the Mayor’s
actions.
Channel 2 News recorded Occupy Atlanta organizer Tim Franzen’s livid response
as being, “They’re scare tactics. This is sneaky,
this is dirty, and we know it’s coming right
from the mayor’s office.”
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC), the encampment at Woodruff
was initially given permission to occupy state
property in the park because of a mayoral
executive order, which permits activity in the
park between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. However,
Mayor Reed insisted that there was still a procedure that Occupy Atlanta was supposed
to follow while planning the event that they
did not adhere to, which forced him to withdraw his initial promise to allow the group to
gather there for a whole month.
Earlier that Monday, protesters left their
camps at Woodruff Park, with intentions of
proudly returning to march to the front of
the Federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
It has been recorded in a statement released in pieces by the AJC that the protestors believed that the protest would, “confront the inequalities in race and class in a
judicial system that seems to protect the
richest 1 percent and corporations at the
expense of everyone else, especially communities of color.”
However, Sonj Dade, a mayoral spokesperson insisted that despite the fact that Atlanta
Occupy violated the city’s park regulations, it
was untrue that crowds were asked to leave
their encampments. Dade told AJC, “There
has been no such order. That is not true.”
Franzen stated that the mayor began
yelling upon immediate arrival to Woodruff Park, and when questioned in an interview by Channel 2 News, Joe Beasley of
the Rainbow Push Coalition, insisted that
he saw a side of Mayor Reed he’d never
seen before.
Officials from the mayor’s office told
Channel 2 News that promoters never paid
a mandatory $2,500 permit fee for the concert and failed to submit a security plan. Also,
a generator was being used that could have
posed a fire hazard, which was against city
fire codes.
Occupy Atlanta is currently apart of a national protest against corporate greed and
lack of job creation, and the group hoped to
expand its network by hosting the hip-hop
festival.
“We are here until the civic problems
that brought us here are changed,” Franzen
vowed Saturday. “I wish he [Reed] would be
more angry about the civic reasons why we
are here.”
4
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY
Unthink.com
Encourages Users
to Own the Web
O’Koyea Huff-Boone
Business & Technology Editor
okoyeahb@gmail.com
S
tar t up Unthink.com,
which bills itself as the
“anti-Facebook,” now boasts
a registered user count of
100,000, and is doubling daily. Star ted by Natasha Dedis,
a mother who refused to
agree with Facebook’s terms
of ser vice, Unthink.com is
a social revolution, as it is
called, that is built around
a marketing campaign that
bashes Facebook. Dedis
seeks to create a more
open, and more honest form
of social networking.
“Unthink’s message is about
what it is not: it’s not another
social network, it’s a social revolution. Unthinkers are not users,
they’re owners. Unthink is not
in control, you are,” Dedis said.
With Facebook, all of your
social networking activity is
used to provide advertisers
with a route to target certain
demographics. Some praise
this system, but for others, like
Dedis, feel it is exploitive. After signing up for a profile on
Unthink, a user can choose a
brand to sponsor their page,
and those who do not want to
select a brand have the option
to pay for the service instead.
Instead of a news feed, social
contacts are slit into casual,
professional, and brands. Users
can decide what companies
they communicate with, what
type of messages they receive,
and how often they want to
receive them. In response to
interacting with the brand,
points are rewarded and can
be redeemed for discounts
and offers for the brand in
question.
Armed with its creed, deeds,
and manifesto, the main goal
is to emancipate social media
and spark a world-changing
revolution. Despite the heavy
anti-Facebook focus, Dedis
states that she also aims to
eventually undermine all other
social media sites.
“If we want to be free, we
have to control our own communications…we have to
claim that power.”
Don’t Call it a Comeback!
Blockbuster makes a return to the
consumer market after years of low
productivity
Kamille Shine
Staff Writer
kshine12@gnail.com
I
n the 1990s and early 2000s,
the brand of Blockbuster was
known in every household.
Over the course of many
years, Blockbuster has had an
outstanding relationship and
reputation with its dedicated
customers who would flock
to their locations for a variety
of movie selections, magazines,
and movie theater concession
stand amenities.
For many, it meant family
movie night, renting a video
game or two, and the occasional popcorn and a movie
date night. As time went on, its
reign of the home video and
video game rental services industry slowly began to diminish with the dawn of a new
competitive advantage within
the market. As VHS gracefully
took its cue to exit, the DVD
age took center stage and
marked its territory.
Established in 1997, Netflix
was known to many as a rising competitor for Blockbuster.
After years of building a stable
foundation and reputation, in
2009 Netflix offered a selection of 100,000 titles on DVD,
which caused significant revenue losses for Blockbuster.
Netflix originally began as a
provider of on-demand Internet streaming media, but as
its competition weakened, it
took its competitive advantage
to new heights and became
America’s number one movie
rental and home media rental
service.
During the summer, MSNBC
reported Netflix’s announcement to expand into the European markets beginning in
2012 in Spain. Additionally, in
September, Netflix completed
the launch of streaming-content services in Latin America
by launching in the Caribbean,
Mexico, Central and South
America. Within a reasonably
short time span, Netflix has
surpassed Blockbuster and
taken its favored position in
households across the country,
and possibly the world. However, the only amenity that
Netflix lacks is its ability to offer games.
So where does Blockbuster
lie in this equation? The brand
many know and love has taken
time off to reexamine its target consumer market and develop a new marketing strategy. Blockbuster has arisen from
the shadows and is now providing an assortment of new
features to the services we
all have become accustomed
to. Currently, Blockbuster is
providing more than 100,000
movies and TV shows on DVD
and Blu-ray, including unrated
movies and 3,000 video games.
Also, new to their services are home mailed movies,
which mimic Netflix’s service,
but with a twist. Mailed discs
can now be exchanged at one
of the many in-store Blockbuster locations for a new
tittle and some exclusive titles
are also available 28 days before Netflix and Redbox. With
the introduction of the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Kinect,
and many other gaming systems, Blockbuster has placed
itself back in the race of home
entertainment rental companies. It has also continued to
expand its services to areas
such as the United Kingdom,
Denmark, Brazil, and many
other locations. Blockbuster is
eagerly thriving in these testing times and will continue to
grow as “The Movie Store At
Your Door.”
6
FEATURES
Genesis: A New Beginning of the Arts AUCypher
Premiere: A
Conscious
Hip Hop
Documentary
Darryl Hawkins
Features Editor
mr_hawkins18@yahoo.com
M
Kobi Ansong
kobi.ansong@gmail.com
T
he AUC is a hub of
artistry. There are an
overwhelming number of
talented poets, painters, photographers, graphic designers, etc. One student decided
it’s about time these talents
are displayed in a national
publication.
Genesis is a new literary
journal that hit campus during Homecoming week. It
features poems, photography,
drama, and short stories created by AUC students and
students around the country.
“You hardly walk around
campus and see people reading books or reading jour-
nals or newspapers. Because
of that lack we wanted to fill
the void,” Morehouse senior
Alonzo Vereen said about the
inspiration behind the name,
Genesis. “We wanted it to be
a rebirth like our President’s
Renaissance.”
Last Fall, Vereen started
recruiting talent for his new
journal. He enlisted, Junior
English majors, Adrian Evans, Terrel Champion, and
Paul Maga to contribute as
editors. In the spring, he
met with the dean of humanities and pitched him a
completed copy.
The closest thing to Genesis that Morehouse has seen
is The Catalyst. Morehouse’s
original literary journal,
which is trying to make a
comeback this semester, has
been inactive for three years.
Genesis is a bi-yearly publication. The editorial process
behind Genesis is extremely
rigorous in order to ensure the
publication produces nothing
less than excellence. The subject editor edits the first draft,
the Editor-in-Chief edits the
second draft, and an advisor
edits the third draft.
“Some pieces were rejected.
They were not of the quality
or caliber that we do present
in Genesis,” Vereen said. “If
your piece has potential and
it follows the theme and it
looks as if you took time to
produce it, then you have a
great chance.”
Each volume has a theme in
which all pieces must some-
how align with. This semester’s theme was birth and
death and next semester’s is
spirit and soul.
“Hopefully, 15 years from
now we can look back on
the first editions of Genesis
and see names who have received Pulitzer prizes and
have become head of departments or who are leading fortune 500 companies
or leading major Broadway
plays,” said Vereen about
Genesis’ future.
Genesis is the beginning of an artistic awakening around campus. If you
want to be a part of it pick
up a copy of Genesis In
Brawley Hall in front of the
English department or the
writing lab.
Class of 2012’s Last Hurrah
Kobi Ansong
kobi.ansong@gmail.com
H
omecoming
breezed
by as swiftly as it came.
Most SpelHouse students
can always look forward to
next year. Whatever concert
an underclassmen may have
missed, or number they failed
to retrieve, there is always
next year. Sadly, this is not the
case for seniors. Homecoming 2011 was the last hurrah.
So did their last homecoming
live up to the hype? Did they
do it big enough? Are they
really “bout that life” as their
shirts boast? To answer these
questions, it was necessary to
take it to the streets and ask
some SpelHouse seniors.
“The $30 package made it
much easier to attend everything,” Michaele Evans, a senior economics major, said.
“My expectations were set
pretty high and I can honestly
say that this year was my best
homecoming thus far. This
may be because our senior
class is very close and we all
experienced it together, or
maybe because I went extra
hard knowing this was my last
opportunity to do so.”
Clarence Jefferson III, an
accounting major, added his
own sentiments.
“I enjoyed homecoming.
It wasn’t my favorite one, but
as a senior I was happy to do
it all with my brothers from
freshman year one last time,”
the Detroit native said. “I just
wish they had better concert
headliners.”
“I’m completely satisfied
with my last homecoming. I’m
usually busy during homecoming week, but this year
I went to most events,” Borley Quaye, a psychology major from Hartsville, SC, said.
“Everything was a production
and it took hard work. It made
me proud to be a part of the
SpelHouse community.”
“Every homecoming has
been great, but this one topped
them all, because it was my
last one,” Arshon Howard, an
English major from Dover,
DE, said. “I didn’t want it to
end at all.”
Kendall Rouse, an English
major from Pasadena, CA,
added a similar comment to
Howard’s.
“Homecoming was a lot of
fun. It’s our senior year, our
last homecoming. We had to
go out with a bang and that’s
what we did. There is nothing
like SpelHouse”.
Kenley Hargett, a political
science major from Louisville,
KY, summed up what a lot of
other seniors truly believe
“Homecoming this year
was very memorable. To see
the people you started with
four years ago was amazing,”
said Hargett. “We have experienced the highs and lows of
the AUC and built relationships that will last a lifetime.”
One day the class of 2012
will make the pilgrimage back
to the SpelHouse Mecca for
homecoming as CEOs, politicians, directors, novelists,
magazine editors, doctors,
lawyers, and whatever else
their hearts and minds desire.
They can reunite, reminisce,
and undoubtedly know that
Homecoming 2011 was done
the right way.
orehouse College very
rarely has a movie premiere for students, but the
Morehouse Filmmakers Association (MFA) is looking to
change that. Founded in 2010,
MFA has made great strides
in providing a functional outlet for filmmakers and those
interested in film.
MFA recently held auditions for its first major project, which is entitled “AUCypher: A Conscious Hip-Hop
Documentary.” Many hip-hop
awards shows tend to have
segments such as a cypher,
which showcases a collection
of rappers’ freestyling ability.
“The focus is to showcase
a documentary with cautious
rappers performing their best
work,” said senior Stephen
Love, founder of MFA. “We
looked for lyrical prophecy.”
Auditions were held in
Kilgore in early October and
the turnout was tremendous
with participants from each
AUC school. Love along with
other representatives from
MFA, CASA, The Maroon Tiger, and Illyterati comprised
the judging committee who
sought to crown winners
from each respective school.
Evan “Culture” Brown was selected from Morehouse, Desiree Booker from Spelman,
and Kimeray Wells and Sierra
Wimberly from Clark Atlanta
University. The incentive for
the winners is exposure to
students within the AUC and
to industry professionals that
MFA has made contact with.
This month, MFA will host
a private premiere for selected
members of the organization
and other special guests. The
project has received major
support from industry veterans such as Morehouse alum
Spike Lee and Christopher
“DJ Premier” Martin, a member of the rap group Gang
Starr. The tentative premiere
for students is set for the week
before Thanksgiving in the
Morehouse Bank of America
Auditorium. That same evening, a private reception for
the MFA crew members, special guests, and administration will take place.
“I believe the cypher has
been hyped up to a great deal,”
Briana Adams, vice president
of programming for MFA,
said. “I want people to recognize how talented and forthcoming the Morehouse Filmmakers Association is. We
want students to know that
we are serious about making
documentaries and movies.”
After the premiere, MFA’s
next major project this year
will be the Rare Impressions
Film Festival (RIFF).
“We started RIFF last year
as the only AUC-wide festival,” Love said.
The festival will include a
campus movie festival that includes screenings and workshops.
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8
OPINIONS
Leading by Misleading:
A Talk about Sex
Choose Getting Tested
Over ‘Sex Without Latex’
Garrett Ransom
Staff Writer
g2ransom@aol.com
U
Christian L. Saint-Vil
Opinions Editor
csaintvil03@yahoo.com
I
magine a young Man of
Morehouse blindly walking into a classroom full of
boys whose ages range from
12-17 and are at different
stages of puberty. He arrived
to do what he thought would
be mentoring. He, only a few
years their senior, is told that
the topic for discussion is sex.
Immediately, he gets a sense
of discomfort and bewilderment, not with the subject,
but the audience.
Looking around at an audience that leans towards
age 12, he thinks to himself,
“What could these kids possibly know about sex, or need
to know?”
However, he has to look
past his discomfort in talking
to children about sex, because
we live in a society in which
a boy is likely to be called a
“weirdo” by his peers if he has
not lost his virginity by the
first time he puts in his combination to open his locker
door. The children of our gen-
eration, regardless of our discomfort, are having sex and
they, too, are going into this
action almost blindly.
So we need to have these
honest conversations with
them about sex so they know
that it is not OK, or better to
“strap up twice.” Consequently, in these conversations we
are playing the part of our
hypocritical parents in reciting the play, “The Birds and
the Bees.”
To stand in front of a group
of young men and say, “We
know you are having sex, but
you really shouldn’t because
you are not ready,” and later
add “I lost my virginity … ”
demolishes the whole purpose of the conversation.
Now, this statement is not to
critique anyone, but to point
out a problem we face in having these conversations.
A mentor should mimic
the very thing he seeks in
his mentee. If you want your
mentee to abstain from sex
because he isn’t ready, telling
him when you lost your virginity, no matter if it’s at age
45, annihilates your efforts.
In my eyes, teens see sex
as something everyone does
when they get to a certain age.
Whatever truth there may be
to this statement, they see us,
their mentors, having sex and
say to themselves, “What am I
waiting for? So and so does it
quite frequently and he is only
a few years older than me.
Why should I wait till I’m his
age? I’ll be better. I’ll lose my
virginity when I am 12!”
It may sound ridiculous
to you, but look at the world
around you. Do we not live
in a society where we seek to
gain the same or better advances as our elders, but earlier than they did? This is the
same for children of our generation. We, as well, want to
have everything that our parents had, only before the age
they got it.
We want to have had a job
before the age our parents got
their first job. We want to start
driving before the age our
parents got their license. We
want to hold positions at our
family firm before the age our
parents held their position as
partner. This theory includes
sex as well. We want to have
sex before the age our parents
started having sex or even had
their first child.
Does this mean we should
not have sex so we can ensure
that our younger brothers and
sister abstain from it? To even
consider that would be somewhat foolish. Sex for some is
like that new blazer you were
saving to wear for a special occasion. Once you wear it, you
wear it over and over again almost without caring because
it has been worn before. So,
honestly, why should you care
about preserving it?!
I’m definitely not saying
not to talk about sex with the
children you mentor, but let’s
just focus for a second on how
hypocritical this conversation
could be, and if it is hypocritical is it being effective? Probably not.
The youth, in their eyes,
aren’t doing anything that we
are not doing!
Leading by example when it
comes to sex may be impossible for some, but it might just
be the only effective way.
pon arriving in Wheeler
Hall, you’ll usually see at
least one person staring at what
seems to be a board filled with
sticky notes. This board doesn’t
just symbolize “notes to self”;
it is a board filled with relevant
and sometimes hilarious comments provided by Morehouse
students.
The comments provided are
based off a weekly subject called
a Taboo topic. Each week a new
topic is on the board, and by
the end of the week, the board
is completely covered with responses. Although students
sometimes write amusing and
comedic responses, many Taboo topics are serious matters
that should be handled with
delicate sensitivity.
Last week, while walking
through Wheeler, I happened to
see one of the most controversial topics I have seen during my
time at Morehouse College. The
topic was simple, yet thought
provoking; it was simplistically
named, “Raw Dawgg.”
It is a term describing sexual
intercourse without using any
protection. Throughout the
week, a multitude of students
left their thoughts about the
topic. Some approached the
topic with sincerity; others took
it as an opportunity to provide
comedic relief for students
walking by.
Though this topic can spark
entertaining comments by students, there is a distinct necessity to realize the topic’s significance to a college campus,
especially a predominantly
black campus. What are the
risks to having unprotected sex?
A large portion of the AUC student body knows the risks, but
chooses to be naïve about the
possible consequences of unprotected sexual encounters.
The black community as a
whole is aware of the frightening HIV statistics. We are the
race with the most recorded
instances of HIV positives.
Knowing this statistic often is
not sufficient enough reason to
keep many of our youth from
having unprotected sex.
Many of us rely on the fact
that she or he “looks” clean to
decide whether to use a condom, or not. Others rely on
the “pull out method” where
the male exits the vagina before ejaculating. This method
in itself is irrelevant in terms of
fighting sexual diseases and viruses.
I pose a question to all who
partake in unprotected sex:
How many people on this Earth
would you take a bullet for? Essentially, each time you have
“sex without latex” you are risking your quality of life, or life in
its entirety.
How do you know if he or
she is clean, then? Next time
you find yourself getting your
groove on at the club with
someone attractive, ask for their
test results! Maybe it should be
mandatory for club owners to
require test results before we
can get in the club!
All jokes aside, sex is something that should be taken with
great precaution.
Many of us college students
are not saints, nor do I believe we should be expected
to be; but we should definitely
be logical thinkers. Logically
speaking, having unprotected
sex is like playing Russian roulette. Choose who you practice
shooting with wisely.
Though this advice seems
taboo, going to get tested with
your partner is always a smart
decision. If you don’t feel comfortable asking someone about
getting tested, you probably
shouldn’t be having sex with
that person at all.
In the movie “Forrest Gump”,
Forrest compared life to a box of
chocolates, but I think a box of
chocolates can be similar to unprotected sex as well. You never
truly know what you are going
to get. Be careful with who bites
into your chocolate and make
sure their hands are clean.
Garrett Ransom is a freshman
business administration major
with a concentration in finance
at Morehouse College. He is from
Antioch, Calif., enjoys writing
and one day aspires to become
an entrepreneur.
The Middle Ground: Between ‘Me’ and ‘We’
Jovel Phillips
Staff Writer
jovel@the-no-names.com
I
n my first article of the semester, I proposed an interesting truth: people judge
each other and stereotype.
While this is not a groundbreaking discovery, we often
tend to minimize the role that
we play in this process. As we
move further into the 21st
century, a time that seems
to be smeared with a new
wave of prejudice and closedmindedness, a new position
of responsibility is appearing
that urges us to find the middle ground between the me
and the we.
By the “me,” I am referring
to that sense of individuality
that we each desire. Although
there are plenty Men of More-
house who do not mind
blending into the crowd, there
is another amazing group that
I consider game-changers.
They are the guys that strive
to stand out among the average; they live by a different set
of standards.
The “we”, on the other hand,
is all about the common demographic and psychographic threads that tie us to each
of our personal subcultures.
Race, gender, age, sexuality,
hometown, career and even
one’s interests and hobbies,
like playing football or listening to hip-hop, all play a role
in segmenting us into different categories; many of which
may seem to contradict one
another. So where does the responsibility come in?
Humans are observant
creatures and we pay far more
attention to others than we
would like to let on. When
one person does something
“socially unbecoming” it can
affect, to some extent, the
perception people have of all
other members of that subculture. Think about it.
When you see that one linebacker hop to the front of the
line in Chivers, do you ever
start to think of all football
players as inconsiderate jerks?
What about when you see
that guy on campus walking
around in floral bloomers that
clearly belong on Spelman’s
campus? You start thinking
that all gay people carry themselves the same way, right?
Or when you’re the one
black guy at an event and your
white colleagues say, “Well,
look at you in a suit. Aren’t
you just the cutest thing?
Wow...” It makes you think,
even if just for a second, that
all members of a “certain
race” can be condescending.
I am certainly not promoting
such narrow-minded and oldfashioned thinking, but it is a
disability that not all, but several of us, suffer from.
Are you starting to see
where I am going with this?
Nobody likes having stereotypes thrown upon them, but
we seem to be in a period
where people either completely validate or outlandishly contradict them. There
is a middle ground that we all
need to start searching for; a
middle ground that allows us
to be ourselves without carrying ourselves in a manner
that starts undesirably impacting the way others are
viewed as well.
The key is to take just a
second to consider how the
small decisions you make affect the larger groups of people you represent. Imagine
how someone who visited our
planet from another world
would form their original perception of black people, men,
or Americans as a whole if
you were the first person they
met. Would it paint the right
picture?
Now, think about your
friends who walk around
cursing all day, talking about
sex and drugs with their
pants sagging. Do they represent you the right way? Do
they represent your father or
your mother, as a fellow black
American?
I think if you ask anyone
that knows me, they will tell
you that I am very much
against conformity. However,
I do my best to determine
my limits and stay within
appropriate boundaries, so
that my personal brand is
well received and that people
will view others that I represent (whether it is people in
the fashion industry, people
from Houston, or Men of
Morehouse) in the right way.
It is an area that I call the
middle ground. It is an area
of responsibility. Where are
you standing?
Jovel Phillips is a senior
business marketing major/
psychology minor from Houston, Texas. He works in brand
planning and development
and is co-founder of The No
Names, a lifestyle blog featuring rising brands and trends
in popular culture. [http://
the-no-names.com]
9
OPINIONS
So You’re Single…
A Letter to the Faculty:
We Thank You
James A. Williams
Associate Opinions Editor
james.willi@yahoo.com
W
Jaleel Johnson
Staff Writer
jaleeldjohnson@gmail.com
D
on’t panic. Graver occurrences have been documented.
More times than not, you’re
obsessed with the idea of having a significant other rather
than with the reality of being
in a relationship. Either it’s
“cuffing season” when cuddling and other displays of
affection are more prone to
occur, or every one of your
close friends are “boo loving”
in front of you.
It’s nothing to be ashamed
of, though, as we have all been
there. But what is foolish and
should be avoided is “talking to” everyone who’s “bad”
or is the proverbial “bait.”
Such behavior will lead the
masses to believe that you are
1) “thirsty” or desperate for
emotional and/or sexual release and 2) promiscuous and
carrying one of those ____ing
infections. (Insert four-letter
word of your choice.)
Please understand that every enticing embodiment of
excellence which passes you
by is not the ideal partner.
There are many more requisites to a girlfriend, besides
generous
measurements,
and a boyfriend, aside from
any biceps or body build.
You could end up falling in
love with a gold digger! The
reality of it all is that even if
you were to pursue her, she
could disregard you as easily
as you do these articles for
20 Questions.
Another important aspect
to this trying time of yours
is to know your range. Let’s
face it, someone like Sanaa
Lathan will never, ever give
someone like Dennis Rodman play. (Unless she’s a
hood chick who’s on the
low looking for a “gangsta
gangsta.”) Please don’t be
that guy looking like Flavor Flav on a bad day who
seriously approaches the
girl who’s starring in everybody’s dream.
In other words, aim for
someone who’s intellectually, spiritually and physically
compatible with you. Think
before you speak. But on a serious note, if you aren’t able to
bring anything constructive
to the table, it might be best
for you to skip the meal.
A commonly committed
mistake I see people make
on their journey to jubilee is
squandering their solidarity.
That saying, “You Don’t Know
What You’ve Got Until It’s
Gone” applies perfectly to this
situation:
Imagine you are at the club
kicking it with your boys, a
few drinks in when “Back
That A$$ Up” comes on. You
hurriedly survey the scene
for a lady who hasn’t been
bum rushed and hopefully get
lucky. After a light sprint, you
are mid-twerk on the dance
floor! You stagger back and
forth a few times before you
establish your rhythm. Congratulations.
Low and behold, this
seemingly harmless twerk
leads to a surprisingly
free-flowing conversation
(blame it on the ah-ah-ahah-ah-alcohol) that in most
cases translates into an exchange of digits. If you
were in a relationship, the
rules of exclusivity and your
conscience, I would hope,
would not permit you to
take her number, or in some
cases, even dance with her
to begin with.
You didn’t embrace the
freedom you had while
you were single, when you
were single. The single life
does have its advantages.
You can lust over every bad
chick you see without being
yelled at for “disrespecting”
anyone. You are able to focus on your own maturation and self-improvement
without the constant pleas
for attention and periodic,
meaningless argument. You
can be as free as your heart
desires. You will have to explain your actions to no one
but your God.
So yes, you are without a
girlfriend. But you are also
without the headaches and
the potential heartbreak. But
don’t worry, they’ll all come
crashing into your life when
you least expect it.
Remember: Just because it
may be the “season,” it doesn’t
mean you have a reason.
Jaleel Johnson is a junior international studies and Spanish major at Morehouse College. He is from Silver Spring,
Md., and aspires to be a refugee coordinator with the U.S.
State Department and serve
third-world countries.
e have all had one.
That one professor
whose class you dread attending. Day in and day out, you
look for reasons not to show
up. You rarely speak to him or
her, opting instead to make a
mad dash for the door as soon
as class lets out, and when you
absolutely have to speak about
something – you consider
sending an e-mail instead.
Avoidance is necessary, passing the course is essential, and
you figure the less contact the
two of you have, the better.
It only takes one bad professor to make you appreciate all
the good ones you have encountered in the past.
Here at SpelHouse, we have
come to terms with the fact
that the money we pay for tuition may not necessarily be
reflected in the aesthetics of
the campus, or the effectiveness and efficiency of certain
administrative departments.
We may not like it, but we
understand that is not exactly
what you pay for when you attend the likes of Morehouse
and Spelman.
Instead, we like to say the
amount of money we pay in
tuition and fees is a reflection
of the quality in our education, the bond we are able to
establish with our colleagues,
and the personal relationships
we are able to form with our
instructors and the heads of
our various departments. We
believe the brotherhood and
sisterhood we share as undergraduates extends to the faculty and parts of the administration that assist in running
the colleges. Where else are
you able to have full dialogue
with the president of your institution or be able to refer to
one member of the staff simply by their hairstyle and have
everyone know exactly who
you are talking about?
We pay for the closeness,
the feeling of family away
from home.
This is the reason why it
is always a rude awakening
when you come across professors who seem to have absolutely no concept of the one
thing that makes these institutions special. Instead, they are
rude. They are dismissive with
40
QUESTIONS
Justin Fever
The Rock of the Line
toomanyapesinthejungle@cheatinggirlfriends.com
1. Hasn’t it been a while since you’ve read some of
these?
2. Why so long?
3. Did you enjoy our homecoming magazine?
4. Did you enjoy the SPOTLIGHT’s homecoming magazine?
5. Have you enjoyed any of their ISSUES this semester?
6. Is it true they’re not even printing anymore?
7. Is it too LATE to talk about homecoming?
8. Why such a LACKLUSTER concert line up?
9. Is LEGAL really to blame?
10. Wasn’t the COMEDY SHOW the best event?
11. What happened to TONY ROCK though?
12. Did he realLy need to jumP on stage and choke the
coMedian?
13. Did she get a restraining order after the show?
14. Why wAs she dancing so hard during Coronation?
15. Was she trying to outshine the QUEEN?
16. What was with that random a%$ “intermission” before her performance?
17. Why won’t they stop talking about how they were
“CHEATED” at the step show?
18. Do they think anybody else ACTUALLY cares?
19. But the IOTAS, really?
20. Were some of the alum dawgz really trying to jump
the KARATE KID because of the point deductions?
21. Do they get a PASS because they donated all that
money?
22. Is it ever THAT serious?
23. Were they on line At the step show beKause they
didn’t Actually pledge?
24. How many canes dropped and broke ON STAGE?
25. How many canes dropped and broke BACK STAGE?
26. Wasn’t tailgate a little turnt DOWN?
27. Did you feel the WIND?
28. Will that wind be able to push them to KAPPA
LAND?
29. Were you at the miss spelman info session?
30. Is anyone from 2013 fit to be the next queen?
31. Speaking of miss spelman, where was her CARRIAGE
during the parade?
32. Is it going to be a COLD November?
33. Won’t there be a little TOO much black and gold on
the yard?
34. Why don’t any of them look HURT?
35. Didn’t we have this same issue LAST fall?
36. Is he really DOIN DAT?
37. Speaking of DEM, when’s he going to figure out she
been doin dat for a while?
38. Can you believe the semester is almost over already?
39. Are you still walking in MAY?
40. Were you ever REALLY walking in may?
Got questions? Submit them anonymously to mtiger20questions@gmail.com
your concerns and only teach
when they have to. These are
the members of the college
faculty who you will never see
at a campus event and spend
more time making class that
much more difficult for you
than helping struggling students achieve.
And God forbid they have a
doctorate.
For them, they are the professor and you are the student.
They could care less about
your struggles or personal
life. It is simply a business
transaction to them: you pay
for tuition, they get paid, and
they teach as much as they see
fit. The only stock they have
in you as a student is your enrollment.
As students, with the constant hustle and bustle we find
ourselves engaged in, we tend
to forget to thank the professors and doctors who consistently show they care. This is
an address to them:
Your hard work does not go
unnoticed. We see you spending long hours on campus to
help us; going above and beyond to ensure we, as your
students, understand the material. We are thankful when
you adjust your syllabus to
accommodate our learning
and we greatly appreciate you
when you genuinely ask us,
“How are you doing?”
We appreciate the interaction, the level of comfort in
being able to joke with you;
to be able, for a moment, to
forget about the demands of
college.
We are grateful for your participation in our events, for
your words of encouragement
when we are struggling as students, and for your interest in
assisting in our growth not
just as students, but as future
leaders; as men and women.
You all are the reason we do
not become discouraged, even
though we often complain.
You all are the reason we
stay focused on fulfilling
the promise we made when
choosing to attend Morehouse and Spelman.
And in a lot of ways, you all
are the reason we choose to
remain at these institutions.
Caring and Concerned Faculty and Administration: We
Appreciate You.
Signed,
Us.
The Maroon Tiger is published weekly
during the academic year at Morehouse
College. Our goal is to maintain an
independent editorial policy. Opinions
expressed in The Maroon Tiger are solely
the views of its staff and do not necessarily
reflect the opinion of Morehouse College,
its administration, or The Maroon Tiger
advisors. Commentaries solely represent the
views of the author and are not necessarily
the opinion of The Maroon Tiger. We believe
all advertising to be correct but cannot
guarantee its accuracy or be responsible for
its outcome.
The Maroon Tiger welcomes your views on
any public issue. We routinely edit letters
for space and correct errors in spelling and
punctuation. Letters as well as commentaries
must be 300 words or less, typed, signed and
should include a full address and telephone
number.
10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Upcoming Shows and Concerts:
November – December 2011
FUN IN THE FALL
Taylor Williams
Arts and Entertainment Editor
twili26@gmail.com
November
11/5 Chrisette Michele at the Columbus Civic Center, all ages. $34.20 - $50.55
The R&B songstress is making her Georgia stop on her “Love and Laughter” tour with
special guests Jon B and Chico DeBarge along with comedians Vanessa Fraction and Atlanta’s BPhlatt. The show is happening outside of Atlanta in Columbus, but for all fans it is
worth the drive.
11/6 Immortal Technique at The Masquerade, 18+. $15.00
New York rapper, Immortal Technique, is bringing his socially conscious rap style to Atlanta.
A rare stop for the rapper, this show is guaranteed to be one to remember.
11/9 The Foreign Exchange at The Masquerade, all ages. $25.00
The Grammy-nominated group is making their Atlanta stop on their “Authenticity” tour.
Backed up by a live band, this show is good for anyone looking to have a nice night out
with their significant other. Phonte and Nicolay will be performing songs off of their latest
release, “Authenticity.”
11/13 The Smoker’s Club Tour 2011: Part Deux featuring Curren$y, Method Man, and
Big K.R.I.T., 18+. $28.50
The Smoker’s Club tour is back and is headlined by New Orleans rapper ,Curren$y,
Wu-Tang Clan member, Method Man, and the Mississippi-bred rapper, Big K.R.I.T. All fans
of good hip-hop will definitely enjoy this one. Also performing are Smoke DZA, Fiend,
Corner Boy P, and The Pricks.
11/20 Lykke Li at The Buckhead Theatre, all ages. $30.00
The Swedish artist will be performing at the Buckhead Theatre.
11/25 Mary J. Blige at The Tabernacle, all ages. $65.00- $125.00
The queen of hip-hop soul will be performing her critically acclaimed album “My Life” in its
entirety along with some of her other hits. This show is a bit expensive, but Blige is worth
every penny, for those who have it of course.
11/26 Mac Miller at The Tabernacle, 18+. $22.50
The “Blue Slide Park” Tour is making its way to Atlanta. Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller will be
performing songs off his upcoming album “Blue Slide Park.”
December
12/8 Wale at The Tabernacle, 18+. $20.00
Maybach Music Recording group rapper, Wale is making his last stop on his “Ambition”
tour in Atlanta. Known for bringing many special guests, this show is definitely one you will
not want to miss.
12/11 Big Sean at the Masquerade, all ages. $20.00
The Detroit rapper is making his Atlanta stop on his “Finally Famous” tour. G.O.O.D. Music
label mate, CyHi Da Prince, and Los Angeles rapper, Shawn Chrystopher, will also be performing.
Music Executive Steve
Stoute Visits Spelman
Katryna Mahoney
katryna.mahoney@gmail.com
S
teve Stoute, a former music executive, CEO and
founder of his marketing
firm--Translation, and also
author of “The Tanning of
America: How Hip Hop Created a Culture That Rewote
the Rules of the New Economy,” visited Spelman last Friday, Oct. 28.
Cosby Auditorium was
filled with AUC students
and faculty waiting to hear
Stoute’s insight about hip-hop,
the genre’s culture, and how
it influenced the economy
through marketing and advertising.
“Hip-hop was the first art
form that unapologetically
said ‘I come from nothing,”
Stoute said.
“People need to celebrate
their heritage and aspire
for more, rather than allow
their history to be a setback,”
Stoute said.
Stoute told many stories
of how he has contributed
to Fortune 500 companies,
for example, Estee
Lauder, and also
in through individuals creating
businesses in their
own homes, like
Carol’s Daughter,
all through Translation.
One piece of
advice that Stoute
offered was, “You
must always evolve
stories. You must
always find ways to
reinvent yourself
or else you risk being out of cool.”
In addition to that piece of
advice, Stoute said what’s important is to understand the
process rather than jumping right into your passion.
Stoute spent three and a
half years as an understudy
in marketing, which later
helped him to become one
of the leading marketing experts.
“The thing that we try to
ignore is the thing that will
make us great,” Stoute said.
Stoute, an intelligent and
down-to-earth guy, was very
Taylor Williams
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Twilli26@gmail.com
Katryna Mahoney
katryna.mahoney@gmail.com
A
utumn has arrived, and as the temperature continues to drop it’s making those
impromptu trips to Piedmont Park and Atlantic
Station less enjoyable. Here is a short list of indoor activities to enjoy while the cold chills are
here.
Kickbacks
For those of you who aren’t familiar with
the term “kickback,” it is a small get together
amongst friends consisting of music, drinks, and
food (sometimes). Kickbacks are great for cold
weather; it allows you to enjoy a good time
with some of your closest friends in the comfort of your own home or dorm room.
Movie Theatres
Along with the holiday season, there will be a
plethora of great movies coming out. It is probable
THE CLUB TIE
James Jeter
Staff Writer
Jamesmjeter@gmail.com
A
relatable and candid in his responses.
When asked by a student
what three words he would
use to describe “marketing”
Stoute responded, “Clear, direct and emotion. If you are
able to evoke emotion in a
direct and clear matter, your
mission will be successful.”
At the end of the discussion with Spelman College
President, Dr. Beverly Tatum,
Stoute held a book signing
session in a packed Cosby
Lobby.
that you have already visited the theatres to see
scary movies. Take a trip to Regal Atlantic Station
with your significant other or with some friends!
Cafés
Cafés are a great place to visit anytime of the
year, but there’s something about going to a
café when it’s cold outside that makes it more
special. Whether you are doing homework or
just enjoying a latte and good conversation
with friends, cafés are amazing during the autumn and winter months. Aurora Coffee, Octane Coffee, and Caribou Coffee are some of
Atlanta’s top cafés.
Basketball Games
It’s basketball season and some of your favorite teams will be playing at Phillips Arena, which
is located about five minutes away from the
AUC! Buy a ticket with your friends and enjoy
an exciting game.
Aside from the above activities, there are
hundreds more. If you’re in the mood for some
food and fun, go to a bowling alley or skating
rink. If you’re looking for a chill night, visit a jazz
club or even a museum. Don’t let the chilly
weather get in the way of entertainment!
s it begins to become
colder, it’s time to upgrade your coat.
We all know that there are
guys who love to sport their
North Face jacket more than
everything they wear. As
your brother, I’m asking you
to please not be that guy.
From a style perspective, one has many options
to choose from without
necessarily conforming to
one look in the realm of
outerwear. However, there
are a few styles within this
realm that are imperative to own during one’s
journey to becoming welldressed. One such style,
which is perhaps most
prevalent among boys aspiring to be men, is the
pea coat.
Though the pea coat is
considered a staple, there
are alternatives to the pea
coat that will upgrade your
closet and very much distinguish you from the next
aspirant.
The toggle coat, or duffle
coat, for example, owes its
roots to the British Royal Navy, as it was used in
World War I and World
War II in order for soldiers
to easily fasten and unfasten
their coats while wearing
gloves (and the coat itself
was very warm being made
from the same material as
duffle bags). What these
soldiers didn’t know was
that their design was timeless and would be worn in
environments outside of a
militaristic setting.
Which brings me to my
next staple, the military
jacket. (Side note: throughout history, the military has
contributed a lot to the style
world.)
Quick fact: the khaki pant,
which today is ubiquitously
worn throughout the world,
was first used by the British
Indian Army in 1846 in attempts to create uniformity
among the troops, which,
prior to, had not been the
case.
The military jacket is perhaps the most versatile of
the jackets that I will write
about. This jacket can be
worn in all four seasons, and
it is also compatible for many
different styles. The military
jacket is definitely a timeless
piece that one should own
until one expires.
The next staple is the
three-quarter-length topcoat,
which should hit just above
the knee, and is the best coat
to wear when wearing a suit.
This coat should be cut slim
and fall straight down along
your legs.
Lastly gentleman, no matter what coat you decide on
wearing, if you’re with a lady
and she’s cold or even looks
cold, you should always offer
her your coat, which is personified in the quote stated
before, “being well-dressed
exceeds far beyond clothing.”
-Dress Well
12
The New Bad Boys of Detroit
Chris Womack
Staff Writer
cwomackmj@gmail.com
T
he Detroit Lions’ Ndamukong Suh has become the
leader of a strong and steadfast defense that has been a
major part of the team’s emergence this season. Suh and
his teammates are gaining a
reputation for dirty play and
outlandish trash talking in a
city that is already thought of
as tough and full of resolve.
This is not the first time the
city of Detroit has seen this
type of play from one of its
professional sports franchises.
Some have thrown around the
idea that Suh is resurrecting a
new version of the 1989-1990
Detroit Pistons, who were
known as the “Motor City
Bad Boys” for their hard and
dirty play. That Pistons team
was also known to have worn
black practice jerseys adorned
with skulls and crossbones
given to them by Oakland
Raiders general manager and
part owner, the late Al Davis.
The supposed new-age bad
boys are beginning to embrace
the legacy created by the Pistons. Suh, the unquestioned
leader of the defense, has already been labeled with a
reputation for dirty play. Suh’s
play is comparable to that of
the NBA Hall of Fame forward and member of the infamous ‘89-‘90 Pistons team,
Dennis Rodman. Rodman
had a reputation for committing overly aggressive fouls as
SPORTS
What 2
Watch 4
Thursday, Nov. 3
ESPN 8:00 p.m. Florida State Seminoles at Boston
College Eagles
Friday, Nov. 4
ESPN2 8:00 p.m. - Central Michigan Chippewas at Kent
State Golden Flashes
ESPN 9:00 p.m. - USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes
Saturday, Nov. 5
FX 12:00 p.m. - Texas Tech Red Raiders at Texas
Longhorns
ABC 3:30 p.m. - Stanford Cardinal at Oregon State
Beavers
CBS 3:30 p.m. - Army Black Knights at Air Force
Midshipmen
Game of the Week: CBS 8:00 p.m. - LSU Tigers at
Alabama Crimson Tide
well as getting into skirmishes
with opposing players. Also,
Suh and Rodman alike have
been at the brunt of many unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
Suh’s most notable unsportsmanlike penalty came during
this preseason when he violently took down Cincinnati
Bengals rookie quarterback,
Andy Dalton.
Recently, Suh and his defensive lineman teammate, Cliff
Avril, were accused of taunting Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, when he was
lying on the field with an apparent injury. Falcons receiver
Roddy White stated that Suh
proclaimed, “Get the cart, he’s
done.”
The Lions players are not
the only ones getting into controversial situations. Lions’
head coach Jim Schwartz has
even gotten into a post-game
skirmish with San Francisco
49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh, following a 25-19 loss.
Even though these bad boys
have not had the shelf life or
won as many championships
as the Pistons, they seem to
be following a similar path as
their predecessors. If the Lions are anything like the Pistons, then the city of Detroit
and the Lions fans alike are in
for a great season.
Sunday, Nov. 6
FOX 1:00 p.m. - Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts
FOX 4:15 p.m. - New York Giants at New England
Patriots
FOX 4:15 p.m. - Green Bay Packers at San Diego
Chargers
NBC 8:20 p.m. - Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh
Steelers
Monday Night Football, Nov. 7
ESPN 8:30 p.m. - Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
MOREHOUSE Against The Odds: A Recap
L A C R O S S E of the 107th World Series
Xaundrae Tingling
Staff Writer
xaundraet@gmail.com
I
n American sports culture, lacrosse
has never enjoyed the immense
popularity that football, basketball,
and baseball have become accustomed to. Here at Morehouse, that
feeling remains the same.
Morehouse has always catered to
the widely praised sports, which has
led to creating an athletic program
with a rich history of competitive
teams from football to track and field.
Two innovative students are attempting to popularize lacrosse not
just at Morehouse, but within the
AUC. Joshua and Branden Muse, two
brothers from Washington D.C., have
formed an official lacrosse club that is
open to all students with varying skill
levels.
Joshua, a junior philosophy major,
first learned to play lacrosse during
his senior year in high school and his
passion has continuously grown.
“Me and my brother used to just
walk around with our sticks and just
throw the ball to each other,” Joshua
said. ”People would see that and tell
us to start a club.”
After the idea was passed on to
both brothers, the Muses decided to
form a club in April, however, they
encountered unexpected difficulties
since the club’s inception. Branden,
the younger brother and president
of the club, found it difficult to find
other local competitive teams to play.
“Last spring, we were only able to
scrimmage a volunteer firefighter
team,” Branden said. “Even worse, I
felt like we were not getting enough
support from the school initially.”
Although the beginning was not
encouraging, Branden refused to discontinue his efforts and is still looking for a more competitive schedule
for the lacrosse club.
“It is my goal for this season to join
the Deep South Conference, so that
we can play other teams throughout
the south,” Branden said.
According to their website, the
Deep South Conference has 10 members and is one of the oldest and most
prestigious lacrosse leagues in the
south.
As the club awaits the Deep South
Conference’s invitation, the club
has already secured games for next
spring. The club has confirmed three
road games against Valdosta State
University, Reinhardt College, and
the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The club will also look to
participate in a tournament against
Morgan State, Howard, and Hampton; the only other HBCUs that field
lacrosse teams.
Even though the obvious goal of
the club is to remain afloat and popularize lacrosse at Morehouse, Joshua
feels lacrosse can be used to serve a
higher purpose.
“For me, being that this is an allmale African-American institution,
Morehouse should be open to all avenues because lacrosse isn’t a major
part of our community,” the older
Muse said. “Hopefully the school gets
behind it to show people that lacrosse
can be our sport.”
Curtis D. Jackson
Sports Section Editor
curtisdj3@aol.com
T
he St. Louis Cardinals had
been on the ropes throughout the regular season, as odd
makers gave the Cardinals a 0.2
chance of making the playoffs.
Beginning on Sept. 5, the Cardinals began a journey to erase an
eight and a half game lead held
by their National League East division rival, the Atlanta Braves, to
earn a postseason berth. Beating
the Philadelphia Phillies and the
Milwaukee Brewers in the first
two rounds, the Cardinals found
themselves on the ropes again
against the Texas Rangers and
facing their second straight elimination game in the World Series. Fortunately for St. Louis, the
2011 Cardinals defied the odds
once again and won the franchise
its 11th World Series title.
“We believe in ourselves,
from the bullpen to the starting
pitchers to our offense,” Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols
told reporters. “When everyone
was thinking we we’re done, we
bounced back. It was incredible.
A lot of things are going through
my head, and a few weeks from
now I’ll sit down and say, wow,
look how far we came.”
To the Cardinals surprise, an
unlikely hero emerged during this
World Series, St. Louis native, David Freese.
Freese was not fearful of the
prime time as he batted .348 with
one home run, had eight hits, and
drove in seven runs during the
series. Freese’s performance in
game six showed to be one of the
most clutch moments in sports
history. His triple in the bottom
of the ninth brought in two runs
to tie the game, and his walk-off
home run in the bottom of the
11th inning will be remembered
for ages by Cardinals fans.
“He’s got it,” Cardinals outfielder
Lance Berkman said to Yahoo!. “I
don’t know what ‘it’ is, but he’s got
it. He’s one of those players that
can perform when it matters the
most. The moment is never bigger
than he is.”
“I’ve had plenty of days of my
life where I thought I wouldn’t be
even close to being a big leaguer,” Freese told reporters after
the series. “I’m here because of
everybody around me. They’ve
put so much trust in me to accomplish not only baseball but
just stuff in life, and to do this
is — I’m just full of joy, finally.”
Although Rangers manager
Ron Washington gained a lot of
popularity during this series –
thanks to ESPN reporter Jemele
Hill’s Twitter trending topic,
“#UncleRon”- he still gave the
Cardinals credit for fighting back
and winning the series.
“One thing in this World Series that I’ll look back on is it
being so close, just having one
pitch to be made and one out
to be gotten, and it could have
been a different story,” Washington told reporters. “But, you
know, when you’re a champion
you keep fighting, and St. Louis
fought, came back…and they deserve it.”
“I’m trying to soak this all in,”
Freese said. “You have to because
you never know if it’s going to be
your last attempt at a title. It’s
going to take a little bit to realize
what we’ve accomplished.”

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