Beyonce-itis: Global Epidemic by Raisa Tuzo

Is it me, or are the standards in today’s music industry greatly flawed? The other day my roommate and I were watching a TV One: Beyonce Special on television and to say the least I was not impressed with some of the comments being made about this girl.

One Journalist said, "She's the most beautiful, the most talented and she has the best guy." Another Journalist said, "If you don't like Beyonce, you don't like yourself." Really?! He stated it as if it we’re a fact... and it's not. The most talented? Who are we putting her up against exactly? Have any of these reporters ever heard of Michael Jackson? Whitney Houston? Luther Vandross? Patti LaBelle? Stevie Wonder? Karen Clark Sheard? Donny Hathaway? HELL... JAZMINE SULLIVAN?!?!

As far as people who don’t like Beyonce supposedly hating themselves...well, what a horrible thing to say. The same journalist said at the end "Beyonce represents everything that is pure and wonderful in the entertainment industry." REALLY?!?!!! Some of these comments are unbelievable to me because they make it SO obvious how blinded Beyonce has everyone. She is a great talent and has an amazing voice, yes. But I personally do not think she is everything the media makes her out to be. Beauty is relative in my opinion...so to label someone as the most beautiful is point blank, biased. Mind you, despite my disgust for her I can give her her props because the girl can perform like none other. Her shows are amazing, but when you really look at her behind the scenes, it’s a mess.

One, she is 27 singing about the same things she was singing about when she was 16. First negative. Two, you are married still shaking your behind in videos, (even though everybody knows that dance to single ladies lol). Three, her albums have consistently gotten worse with every new release. Critics and fans alike trashed “B’day” until “Irreplaceable” saved it. And this new CD, well I will just let the critics speak for me again...lol. Itunes has that averaging 3.5 stars...and it's steadily beginning it's fall on the charts...hmm. And four the girl is everywhere, it’s too much. Commercials, tv shows, music videos, movies… I mean REALLY??!

All everybody keeps saying is when you’re the best that's what happens. Beyonce to me is like a lyrical drug, not necessarily good but addictive. And the radios, ads and music channels are our suppliers. If we ingest it enough we eventually get addicted to it, and confuse this as liking it, when in reality were addicts. Now, for all Beyonce fans out there, once again I will admit that she can sing her tail off...but when you aren't SINGING ABOUT ANYTHING than I have a problem with you. When all you are making is bubblegum music, I can't live off of it because I am not being nourished anymore, I am simply tricking my stomach into thinking it's being fed when in reality it isn't.

When I listen to Jazmine Sullivan's cd I get fed. When I listen to Alicia Key's cd I get fed. When I listen to Musiq Soulchild, India Aria, JILL SCOTT I GET FED! Beyonce who??? She needs to sing about something real and than, and ONLY than will she get my respect. I love myself so that comment about not liking yourself if you don't like Beyonce is absurd... And for a reporter to say she is the best thing in the music industry I just don’t know anymore. If she represents everything that is PURE and WONDERFUL in the entertainment industry with her history of stealing other people's song, copyright infringement and lack of penmanship concerning actually writing songs, yet claiming she did...than I just don't know what has become of today's music industry. The only album that will move people 20, 30, 40+ years from now is Dangerously in Love and that's SAD for someone who has been in the music industry more than a decade... All I have to say is SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!! Just because something sells well doesn't mean it's good...

Please note, I do not expect everyone to love all of the same things that I like musically. I just want people to ask themselves is Beyonce really the best of this time? Maybe she is...and I just can't see it...or maybe in reality she isn't...

BLACK GREEKDOM

Is it me or has the importance or relevance of Black fraternities and sororities become more important than ever, especially in the AUC? Even more, has their influence and power at elite HBCUs like Morehouse, Spelman, Howard and Hampton changed what it means to a black college student? I think so; and interestingly enough, the one aspect that makes them important is their committment to service of mankind.

I am not Greek, but what I have seen is how much deferrence is given to Black greeks. For instance, SGA positions are filled with black and gold, pink and green, crimson and cream, purple and gold and blue and white. Why? There is something to be said of the correlation between being greek and being a student. Since most, if not all, fraternities and sororities seek to epitomize scholarship, committment to service, and the furthering of their respective founders' visions and missions, they in fact commit themselves to being professional, involved leaders on their campuses. That's why the "sphere of influence" continues to grow even to freshmen. Moreover, as a freshmen RA, I have had talks with freshmen who come to college with the idea of "crossing the burning sands into Greekdom." Why? They have seen an Omega hop or a Kappa shimmey? No, they aspire so early because they see the influence and relevance and wealth of opportunity with being greek.

I know some say being greek at HBCUs is counterproductive and in fact, the complete antithesis of brother and sisterhood due to its exclusive dynamic. Additionally, they opine that recent incidents of hazing on college campuses have tarnished the legacy and importance of greek fraternities and sororities. While I agree that the past "dark periods" in each organization's history go against their original purpose, their importance remains unchanged. In fact, their importance is increased to rebuild that which seemingly has been torn down. I see more Greeks doing community service, excelling in the classroom and going off after college with a network unlike any other moreso than non-greeks. They bequeath the traditional idea of black communal ties of family and cooperative self development.Thus, if the greater community benefits from the work of a brother or soror and one life is changed positively after encountering a greek, then the fraternity and sorority has served and fulfilled its goal.

While it goes without saying that not all greeks do well, for me the work I have seen them do with uplifting each other and the mission and vision of their respective founders' and institutions forces one to say: yes, Black Greekdom is more relevant than ever before.

So, will you be attending Spring '08 Rush?

Racism, Post Obama: Has Class Become the New Racism?

Commentary by Marquise
I was reading my friends about the President elect Barack Obama and the conversation
posed to me this entry. In my opinion, blatant racism is exists minimally amongst us. We as African Americans no do not have to worry about sitting in the back of the bus, or not being able to vote. One huge example of this land slide victory of president elect Barack Obama. Statistics show, although, African-American voters came out to vote in large numbers, many African Americans did not vote. Obama’s victory was because of white American voters who voted in the presidential election. However, even with the aforementioned, I believe racism exists in more passive ways and forms. For instance, an African-American well qualified advertising company gets turned down by a potential client for its white competitor because the client wanted they’re product to be appealing to everyone and not just minorities.

Today, class replaces race in being the top determinant of one’s socioeconomic
condition. Let’s take for example Will and Jada Smith’s children which of whom are
considered high class. They’re children are more likely to be more successful and better financially well off (independently from their parents) in any profession they choose than a white child whose father is janitor. Class is a big deals our society because it either offers or hinders networking opportunities, college options, career options and information in general. So while the African American boy from the projects of the Chicago can’t get a job, neither can the White boy from the trailer parks of the same city.

My President is Black...and I'm Proud!!!

I'm sure all of you are aware that last week on November 4th, Barack Obama was named Preseident-Elect. That whole night a group of friends and I watched as the state counts went up for both Obama and McCain. We were all so nervous because we voted for Obama and we wanted him to win. At 11:55pm, we all jumped up (in the restaurant we were in) and shouted for joy because we werso excited about Obama's victory. We couldn't believe that he had won finally!! The next day I recieved a chain email from one of the members at my church back home in California. It stated that Obama was a member of the anti-christ and that we as black people should be ashmed of ourselves if we voted for him. I was in shock to read this email, I couldn't believe that someone would actually say that about Obama. Wow. As I continued to read the email, the writer stated that because Obama supported gay rights, abortion, and supposedly silencing the truth, that he was against everything this country stands for. By having this statement, then it would be safe to say that the majority of political leaders are the anti-christ, because of their support. The writer obviously ignored all of the positive aspects Obama stands for and how he wants CHANGE within our country, specifically helping out the middle classes. I think this writer over analyzed Obama's postion to society. And although I am against those three things Obama supports, we cannot ignore all the positive things that Obama supports. I think Obama wants to be able to appeal and relate to everyone. He wants everyone in America to be happy. I can definetly say for certain that I am very happy that he is president, and I don't believe he is the anti-christ. P.S. MY PRESIDENT IS BLACK, AND I AM PROUD
-Whitnee Goins

Is No Child Really Not Left Behind? By Farrah Shelly

The No Child Left Behind Act is hurting more than helping. Sadly, NCLB doesn't care about strong relationships in the classroom; NCLB cannot measure smiles, teamwork, or the overcoming of adversity. It doesn't allow for creative and authentic assessments and engaging activities in the classroom. The only thing that seems to matter, from the state superintendent down to the district office and the school administration, are Standardized Testing and Reporting data. As a result of the federal government's industrial approach to education, certain schools must improve test scores in every major core class-math, history, science, English-and at increasingly high rates. Additionally, every student subgroup-including white, Hispanic/Latino, African-American, Asian, socially/economically disadvantaged, English language learners, special education students-must meet these yearly growth targets regardless of any obstacles. The tests must be taken by 95 percent or more of the students in each subgroup. If just one subgroup fails to meet the performance or test attendance standards of NCLB, the school is put into "program improvement." Moreover, these growth targets must be met or exceeded for consecutive years. .
NCLB is not only impacting certain minority populations; unattainable goals of NCLB are cutting across distinctions in class and race as more and more schools are being labeled as "failing schools." Additionally, in just five years all students in all schools in every state in the nation must pass their standardized tests at a "proficient level." That's right; 100 percent of all students must be proficient by 2014. No Child Left Behind has not been adjusted in any way to fit the reality of education. .
At the local level, we can do something even more important. Educators, administrators and parents can breathe life back into education. We can and must re-emphasize the joy of learning, the rewards of teamwork, the unique qualities of performance, animation, humor, role-playing, individual and group-based projects, and the overall life skills, relationships and memories that students and teachers are exposed to every day in a truly high-quality classroom within a school that cares. After all, students are still kids. They must have fun and they must want to learn in order to compete, collaborate and achieve beyond secondary and post-secondary education. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!

Is It Really Necessary To Ban Gay Marriage? by Justine Burke

One of the most controversial issues of our time deals with homosexuality and whether or not to legally recognize same-sex marriages. Previously, the California Supreme Court had ruled that same-sex marriages were a constitutional right to be given to those who wanted it; however, on November 4, 2008, California voters voted yes on Proposition 8, which over turned California Supreme Court's ruling, and banned same-sex marriages in the state.

But, is it fair to let voters decide what lifestyles others in society can live? Why is it constitutional to permit a voter who is dead-set against homosexuality decide whether or not two men or two women can engage in a legally honorable marriage?

It is my personal belief that gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry and enjoy the same benefits that come with a heterosexual marriage. To me, banning same-sex marriages coincides with the fact that interracial marriages (marriages between blacks and whites for the most part) was once banned in the U.S. Why should the courts and government have any say in what one chooses to do in his/her own personal life? Love knows no limits or boundaries and therefore if one does not agree with homosexuality or same-sex marriages, one has failed to realize that IT IS NOT THEIR LIFE TO LIVE! How will the marriage of Tom and Bob affect your everyday life? IT WON'T! Tom and Bob just want the same rights as Suzie and Jim (i.e. insurance, tax, ownership purposes, etc...).

Opponents of same-sex marriage usually argue that same-sex marriages go against religion or that such marriages will teach children that homosexuality is ok. For one, not all people are Christians, and for that matter, not all people are religious. Christians tend to use the argument that homosexuality is wrong and that marriage is reserved for only a man and a woman because "the Bible says so." And while this may be true, the Bible also "says" that one shall not engage in fornication (nor mark thy body with tattoos because the body is "a temple"), and undoubtedly large numbers of "devout Christians" have done so. Furthermore, the Bible says that no one sin shall not be held above another, meaning that no one sin holds greater weight than another. Therefore, the argument of these so-called "devout Christians" is invalid unless they have never sinned in their lives, which is unreasonable to think.

Others believe that the legalization of same-sex marriages will bring children to believe that homosexuality is right. Who are you to judge what is right and what is wrong? Heterosexuals and homosexuals alike will one day have their own judgement days where their actions will be judged as to what was "right" and "wrong" that they did in their lives. The union of same-sex couple will not make children believe that one sexual preference is better than another. NEWSFLASH! Children know what it means to be gay or lesbian and I believe that people are born gay because I do not believe that people would "choose" to be gay if they knew what kind of hate and ridicule they would endure; therefore, if it was their destiny to be gay, then that is what will happen. In addition, gays and lesbians are born from heterosexual couples! You cannot hide homosexuality from anyone- it is blatant in our society and people will inevitably do whatever they want to do.

Although it will take many years, maybe even decades for same-sex marriages to become legalized in states (especially the South aka the "Bible Belt"), it is my hope that one day it will. People need to realize that gays and lesbians are people too and they cannot control the emotions that they are born with or with whom they fall in love. So what if Tom and Bob want to get married? Who is to say that they wouldn't have a more stable and loving marriage than any other heterosexual couple? After all, in this day-and-age more than half of all heterosexual marriages end up in divorce, which destroys the sanctity of marriage, just like some think same-sex marriages will.

-Justine Burke

Is the Media to Blame?

by Shana Childs
It seems that almost any major event, personal choice, and anything in between is infuenced by the media. As major agent of socialization, the media is a force to be reckoned with. However, at what point do we start taking responsibility in our own lives? I think that the media is an easy cover up for the lack of responsibility of adults. Furthermore, the media is a business, not a tutor or a parent or a preacher. Blaming the media for real problems will not lead to solutions because it is not the cause of these problems. Admitting the problem is the first step towards resolution. Please, stop blaming the media.

And the Count Down Begins by Christina Taylor

Well there are literally only hours left before the next president of the United States is elected (or selected...please forgive my sarcasm). Of course I am anxious and a little apprehensive because any way this election goes, chaos can be started. I am a lot worried about the less educated Americans that exist in our society, the ones that don't believe that government was created for the people by the people. The ones that vote (and haven't voted in years) and then on Tuesday, November 4th are completely disappointed about the outcome of the election. Let's be completely honest here, the nation is looking for a change in government but differs on who can actually bring about that change. As two very viable candidates compete for office my major concern is not only who wins but how the nation will react to who wins.
I was serious in class the other day when I stated that I will not be leaving my dorm on Wednesday, and I have good reason not to want to. Though America has seen some change and progress in regards to race relations, the prejudices in our society are still very obvious though they might not be blatantly expressed. Yes, if you haven't figured it out by now I am referring to the race riots and other dubious acts our country enjoys so much. Call me cynical, call me scary but I am not leaving campus, let alone my dorm until the shock has subsided and business can go about as usual.


Response By Destinee Moore

Assuming that the claim of this argument is that this years election will bring about chaos regardless of which candidate is elected. This chaos is listed as riots that will occur after the winner is announced. This seems to be a fallacious argument. Its make a hasty generalization that citizens will engage in riots based on either presidential candidate being elected. This conclusion is based on insufficient evidence because the argument does not list detailed proof of the matter. Also the argument is guilty of false analogy because it is merely descriptive and doesn't offer proof that links the assumed riots to the election of either candidate. The argument would be more effective if it offered more detailed information of past situations that are similar.