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Thursday, March 5,1998 - Page 8 COMMENTARY Consider This Outlook February is known as Black History Richard Smith reflects on the is still discrimination between the races, even Kate Hampson asks students to Month. It is a time when different programs importance of teaching black in education. stop complaining and involving black people are usually taking history. For instance, when examining some col- take action place throughout the United States. leges' standards for completion prior to It supposedly acknowledges black people graduation, one might find that a common A lot of complaining goes on at this who have made an impact in- America and pression that black history is all about Dr. requirement is completion of a heritage se- school. Students and faculty alike, myself also allows blacks to feel some sort of pride King and slavery. Although this is a part, quence. This heritage sequence is designed included, are always whining about some- through a month of learning about their heri- black history is much richer than this. Over to have students learn about their common thing or other. Whether it's the food, the so- tage. 60 million black people have died trying to western heritage. cial life, or just 100 much work, there's al- However, after the month is over, black obtain the same rights their white oppressors It happens that these sequences teach pri- history is placed on a shelf until the next fought to preserve for themselves. marily of people and subjects of European ways a topic under discussion. to WMC; complain- This is not particular February. Too many blacks have had their ideas descent. It is rare to encounter a person who ing takes place in all aspects of society. II's Black History Month does not have much wrongfully taken from them, hidden from is of African descent in these courses, yet it healthy to vent your frustrations and have a of an impact unJess it is used to effectively public view, andlor used by white people for is the only history that has been mandated good moan. It releases stress and means that educate people about black history. What financial gain. for students to learn within these heritage there is always something to talk about. most people know about black history is a For example, a lot of people do not know sequences and complete in order to gradu- However, all this complaining does not little something about Reverend Dr. Martin that refrigeration and cooling units (Freder- ate. lead to much if no action is taken. What's Luther King and slavery, which is okay, but ick McKinley Jones, 1892-1961), the cure The fact remains that even though black the good of whining about an issue if you not enough. <' for glaucoma (Percy Lavon Julian, 1899- people have contributed so much to the don't do something to change it? In elementary and secondary schools, 1975), the carbon filament (Lewis Latimer, America of today, they still are not given the Take Glar for example. A common source teachers usually go' through the routine of 1848-1928), "the real McCoy" lubricator respect due to them by having their part of of complaint among students, it is an easy putting up pictures of black people on bulle- cup, the lawn sprinkler, the ironing table history treated as more than just a tangential target. Institutional food always sucks and tin boards accompanied by brief descriptions (Elijah McCoy, 1843-1929), the gas mask, option in American history. it's never going to be mum's home cooking. of what they have done. Sometimes a speaker the traffic light (Garrett A. Morgan, 1875- If there is going to be a month dedicated Even if were gourmet food, people would might be invited to speak on Dr. King, a choir 1963): the farmer's almanac, the wooden to just black history, shouldn't it do just that? still complain about it; part of college life is might sing spirituals, and a play may even clock (Benjamin Banneker, 1731-1806), and There is too much of one side of the story, not liking the food. be performed. the sugar refining process (Norbert Rillieux, while the other side of the story is left unad- But what if students actually took action In college, the responsibility is given to 1806-1894) were invented by black people. dressed. to change things in Glar? Instead of just say- the black student organization to arrange dif- Black History Month has not been very People do not realize that black history ing that it's below standard and perhaps writ- ferent programs during Black History Month. effective in teaching history, but it has been is just as important as white history. Maybe ing a napkin note to that effect, tell them spe- This takes the pressure off the other organi- effective in letting people know publicly that this is because people fear that black history cifically what's wrong and how you would zations in the college to think of something, it is not a part of American history. will reveal the importance of black people like it changed. or even 10 acknowledge the fact that it is The fact that it is called Black History and display the disingenuous nature of rac- Black History Month. does not mean that only black people can ist, white people. Why don't other groups organize and pro- benefit by learning this history. Conse- In any case, everyone in America needs What's the good of mote some programs for this month? Is the quently, this is exactly why courses in Ameri- to realize that Black History does exist and whining about an issue if reason for their disinterest because black his- can History, from kindergarten all the way that it is important that this history be taught. tory is not as important or as relevant to their through graduate school, are missing a sub- If people in America do not recognize and you don't do something to lives, and therefore it does not need to be stantial part which is extremely necessary in understand their own past, how can they ex- change it? recognized? order to insure that the whole story is told. pect peace, joy, and success in the future? Many people leave school with the im- This situation in itself proves that there Another major gripe on this campus is the social life. How many times have you Sexual Harassment heard people say that they're bored, that to nothing there's to do here, and nowhere go? Well, all it lakes is a bit of effort. Balti- more is only 45 minutes away and easy to These days, sexual harassment is a ma- Megan Martin reflects on the ing a comment or action out of proportion, get 10. If you don't have a car you can use jor issue. Questions about what exactly con- degradation of being is twice as bad. the Saturday shuttle service and take the stitutes sexual harassment abound from the sexually harassed It's the same as being victimized all over metre from Owings Mills. White House down through grade schools, again. Even if nothing actually occurred, the Or join a club. There is a wide range of and something definitely needs to be done accuser obviously needs help. different organizations here on campus, about it. this student in an extracurricular activity The second point may be less obvious. enough to keep you busy from morning till Harassment occurs when one person re- where I was the student head. I am assum- The actions of the student at my high school night. If there isn't a club you like, then start peatedly torments another person to the point ing the problem was the almqst nonexistent troubled me and made me feel uncomfort- your own. It's easy to do and there are sure where this person feels threatened or uncom- power differential between the two of us, but able. I was troubled not for my own sake but to be other people interested in joining. fortable. The harassment becomes sexual I could be wrong. because I foresaw future problems for this No money? Make use of the alcohol free when comments and actions focus on sex, a The student teased me all year, but he young man. activity grants and get pizza and a movie with person's sexuality, or parts of a person's crossed the line when he grabbed me by the I never meant for the matter to go as far a group of friends. You can even sign up for body. shoulders and asked me a question about a as it did. I thought maybe he did not realize one of the Hill Hall rooms so you can watch With sexual harassment, the motive is certain part of my body. I found this inap- the problem and wanted him to do so. Oth- it on the big screen. generally power. propriate, and it made me uncomfortable, so erwise, he might do the same thing to some- The point is, to make a difference you The first step in gaining this power is the I complained to the advisor. one else and was slapped with charges or a must take action. Don't just sit and complain degradation and humiliation of another hu- I only wanted her to know about the situ- lawsuit. about something but solve the problem. man being, male or female. Power over the ation and explain to the student why his ac- Something should be done about sexual Our parents' generation tried to change other is achieved when the person is so bro- lions were inappropriate. When his mother harassers. They should not gel away with things and succeeded in accomplishing a lot. ken that she cannot stick up for herself. decided she wanted to meet with the advisor their offenses, and the victims should receive Are we to be known as the whiners, the ones Sexual harassment is not always planned and I, the matter was taken to the principal. support. who went to college because there was noth- or motivated. Sometimes a person says or This was the worst part. The mother told AI the very least, a first-time offender ing else to do? does something, without thinking or being me that I was a silly, overreacting, lunatic of should be sent to sensitivity training. r think I am not advocating going back to the sensitive, that causes another person to feel a girl, the student said not to flatter myself, that would be a beneficial experience for sixties and revolting against society, but we uncomfortable or embarrassed. As long as and the principal gave me no support. anyone, especially a sexual harasser. can at least try and change our college into it is perceived this way, it is sexual harass- There are two points to be taken from this. At any rate, it would be better than get- what we want it to be. ment. The first is that an accusation of sexual ting away with it, getting suspended, getting And if you do nothing else, write a letter Speaking from experience, sexual harass- harassment should be taken seriously, no expelled, or getting fired. to the Phoenix and let the campus know ment is a touchy and difficult subject. matter how hard it is to prove that such an Save the greater punishments for repeat about your concern. When I was sexually' harassed during my offense look place. The humiliation of sexual offenders. They are the ones people should last year of high school by an underclass- harassment is enough, but to have gone worry about the most. man, it was about power. I had worked with through it, just to be told that you are blow-