Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 October 2000 — Page 9
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2000 ■ PAGE A9
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By Kristin Roundtree
North Central High School
Recorder Intern
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Have you ever noticed when you , turn on the television, you always see , a Black person that has committed a crime? Why does it seem as if all < Blacks have a reputation for being murderers, thieves, or other vicious criminals. In our society today, there are so many examples show that Blacks truly have a negative reputation. This will probably go on and on for many generations to come. All African*
American people are NOT bad.
' ’ Shayna Gordon, a sophomore at ‘ ( North Central High School said, “I am '< (1 not influenced by what is presented in „ the media or what happens in society. ,1 have a ton of Black friends. No, I do . not think all Black people are bad.” A 16 year old, who will like to be anonymous said, ”1 must be honest, I do not think some Blacks are bad, but some are. I don’t really trust Blacks around my things. The media makes
Blacks seem so horrible. “
Not only in the media is discrimination shown, but in our schools and o.tjier public places as well. A mother
li ^ to be anony *
mous said, "It is very visual that Caucasian people think Blacks are all bad people. I am not racist, but half of the crimes that Blacks commit, whites
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The Big Black Picture ”it is very visual that
Slacks are all bad people. I am not racisti but naif of the crimes that Blacks commit, whites commit also. It is true. Who was real ignorant and went up to their high school and took Innocent lives just because they hated! the world, two white
teenage boys.”
commit also. It is true. Who was real ignorant and went up to their high school and took innocent lives just because they hated the world, two
white teenage boys.”
Sally Martin, a mother of three said, “I think it is a disgrace that Blacks should be judged just because of some of the violent acts some other Black people do. All African Americans are not bad. Our Black society is judged, based on what a few ignorant people do. I think it is unfair for young people. When young people go shopping or just hanging out at malls they are easily accused for shop lifting or for just doing something
bad, period.”
Another person that will like to be anonymous said, “I worked at the Gap at Circle Centre Mall and we wore head sets. Every time a Black person would walk in, they would tell all employees to watch their every move. I’m Black myself and I felt so bad that my boss would make us watch every African American that walks in
the store.”
Serina Ratcliff, a student from Arsenal Technical High School said, “One
day, me and my friends went shopping PthgT^eofilA^ho heardwere whispers. I 1 asked if there wfert that occurfe
was a problem. The store clerk said no just hurry up and buy. I tried to keep my cool but I guess I just started
to act ignorant. I do not have a reason at all to go in a store and steal something. All Blacks are not
thieves.”
“One day I went over my friends house to use her phone. She wasn't there and her mom answered the door. It took a while for her to answer the door. Then she finally answered and asked me, ’What do you want?’ I just wanted to use your phone. Then she told me to go home and use my own phone and slammed the door in my face. I felt terrible. She had me outside standing in the cold because she thought that I was going to steal something. That was so wrong,” said Kristie Young, a sophomore from North Central. “A lot of Caucasian people look down on African Americans because of how some African Americans present themselves,” said 17-year-
old, Leigha Perkins.
“If Black people do not want for others to think low of them and discriminated them, then why do some choose to go about as they do in robberies and murders? There are tons of white, Hispanic, Asian, and
o do the same thing, icty, the other looks or example, the car d near North Cen-
tral High School when two AfricanAmerican boys stole a car and almost ran people over with it, was some-
• i. . ot.i, 'tibu'oi-*' - “r 1 ;;. ,v f thing in which thp Africah-Aniertiilin ^ryone. If one does hot want to be community would not be proud. Defi- thought badly of, then t^t pertain nitely, something should be done, someone needs to realize how much This does not go out towards the wrong he will do to the others around Black community- it goes out to ev- him,” she continued.
Blacks: Are we at war! I I . . V, 7:' Why are Blacks at war with each other? I By Robert Russell what has happened. I think it is racism Not being able to come together was a crime committed, and there fear of one another. Mistreating and Shortridge Middle School against each other. As a community an d talk is one problem. The reason was someone running around the doing wrong around other people Recorder Intern yes we are at war with each other. It’s why I say this is because when there neighborhood trying to break into causes this fear. One of the basic the use of drugs and guns violence. a problem in the community there people’s houses and other stuff? things that separate us is our minds The reason why we cannot get along would only be a few that would come Would you look the other way or find and our bodies. Because if we are in Why are Blacks at war with each with each other is because we are too out to see what is going to happen to a way to help your neighbor? our right mind then we can do the other? Most Blacks want to know worried about what someone else the community and what is going to Another problem that keeps people right things, but if we are not then has and not what we already have. change. What would happen if there in the Black community apart is the there is trouble.
Transition from high school to the world
By Ta Shawna Williams Broad Ripple High School Recorder Intern During our lifetime .we are constantly in transition. It is natural for us to evolve, and it is expected. However, some transitions present more of a challenge than others. Going from diapers to kindergarten on through high school has seemed automatic. Now, we seniors are expected to stop and make decisions that will change the rest of our lives. For some it is a smooth transition to go from crawling in your parents sight, to walking on unfamiliar ground. For others it is a disaster. Which leaves us naive ones wondering, “What is the best way to make the transition
from high school to the real world?” When this question is asked many veterans are confident that they can give sound advice. Army recruit Sgt. Prentice Williams believed the Army puts one in the state of mind of being responsible, and this was the best way to combat that question that haunts every class. Though his decision was strongly influenced by those that had gone before him, he felt the army made a young person independent. Pastel Howard, a senior at Broad Ripple High Schools, is at the crossroads to the real world. Following in her mother's footstep she will go directly to college and major in the arts. Howard makes it perfectly clear that college is not the real world. “High school gets you ready for col-
lege and college gets you ready for the real world,” she said. “College right after high school is not for everyone,” she stressed. “It all depends on the individual," said Mrs. Cumberlander, a teacher at Broad Ripple. TaNeshia Williams a freshman at Indiana State University , who had to make this tough decision just a few months ago, she seems optimistic that she had made the right choice of going to college immediately after high school. .She was also quick to share that turning 18 and graduating “forced" her to be independent, something she was not altogether ready. “Going to college right after high school is the best choice, because learning, and the love thereof is stilt fresh in your head,” she said.