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NOVEMBER 16, 2015 | @THEHILLTOPHU | VOLUME 100 ISSUE 20
Rickey DavisContributing Writer
The Food & Friends organization D.C. will be continuing their annual tradition of preparing and delivering warm meals to nearly 3,500 people Nov. 23-26 for the Thanksgiving holiday season.
“Volunteers will be delivering Thanksgiving food to people all over the D.C. area to ensure that everyone has a great holiday,” said Stacey England, Associate Director of Development of Foods & Friends. “The food [at the event] will consist of turkey, dressing and other traditional Thanksgiving foods.”
Incepted in 1988 by the Westminster Presbyterian Church, the Food & Friends Organization was executed to shape an inclusive, festive Thanksgiving holiday season for individuals living with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other major challenges. The event will be fostered by a wide-range of volunteers, including elected leaders, public officials and D.C. sports teams.
The staggering HIV/AIDS rate in America is one of the reasons the organization prides themselves in providing services to victims of HIV/AIDS. According to the Washington Post, more than 16,000 District residents lived with HIV in 2012, representing a steady rise that city official’s attribute to more thorough testing, better treatment and rising survival rates. The statistic is far from alarming
to Howard students like Monica Daniels.
“[The statistic] is sad because I’ve lost a lot of people I know to this disease,” said Monica Daniels, a sophomore psychology major. “I was born and raised right here in the nation’s capital, and the HIV rate has continued to grow now in 2015 going into 2016.”
Not only will Food & Friends’ eventallow students, leaders and citizens to help others, but it could also ignite feelings of gratefulness and humility. “Giving back to the community helps us acknowledge that [Americans] need to be more thankful,” said Shannon Wyatt, a sophomore nursing major.
Although the initiative is very popular, England still need volunteers and is eager to find people that are willing to make an impact in their community.
“The spots [to volunteer] are limited,” England said. “If anyone wants to volunteer, they should check the website for more information.”
To sign up to be a volunteer for Food & Friends, sign up on their website foodsandfriends.org.
“Holidays are known for bringing families together and everyone deserves to be able to enjoy the holidays with food, friend, and love ones,” England said.
Food & Friends to prepare and deliver 3,500 Thanksgiving meals
COURTESY OF FOOD & FRIENDS
CAMPUSFind out who the new Rhodes Scholar Finalist is.
PAGE 3
NEWSRead the Hilltop news staff’s response to threats on campus.
PAGE 6
VARIETYWe have some fun activities to get your mind ready for finals
PAGE 8
SPORTSCheck out Jacob Bennett’s letter to Missouri players.
PAGE 9
2 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP
C AMPUSThe Hilltop Editorial Offi ce2251 Sherman Ave. NW
(202) 806-4749
STAFFTAYLOR TIAMOYO HARRIS
NILE KENDALLBUSINESS MANAGER
DELORES TERRYASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER
LEANNA COMMINSSENIOR COPY CHIEF
SYLVESTER JOHNSON IIIASSISTANT COPY CHIEF
JAZMIN GOODWINCAMPUS EDITOR
WILL FULLERNEWS EDITOR
DIANDRA BOLTONVARIETY EDITOR
NKECHI NNOROMSPORTS EDITOR
RISHARA JOHNSONGRAPHICS DIRECTOR
CRYSTAL SMITHPHOTO EDITOR
WILLIAM FOSTERMARKETING DIRECTOR
JAILYN ANDERSONDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
MALCOLM WILLIAMSWEB MASTER
COURTESY PHOTO
Gregory RobinsonContributing Writer
Howard University junior political science student and U.S. Department
of the Interior intern, Chris Hill, is making sure that the message of “Brown Lives Matter Too” is being heard. As the founder of his own non-profi t “Soul of Nations,” Hill is just beginning his journey to broadening and enhancing the educational opportunities for Native American youth nationwide.
Soul of Nations’ mission is to advocate on behalf of Native American youth who are faced with limited resources, living on reservations in downtrodden communities.
“I started Soul of Nations my senior year of high school with a friend of mine after I revisited the Navajo reservation,” Hill said. “I had been going on mission trips with my dad since elementary school, and my last trip my senior year in high school changed my life.
From the ground up, Hill has built a mechanism that will provide awareness, opportunity and change for the most impoverished Native
Americans. “Soul,” as Hill refers to it, realized the need to begin by “[focusing] and mentoring students who have creative business endeavors.”
In addition to the previous efforts of Soul - including a $5,000 scholarship to a tribal college student - the organization recently sponsored a business professional clothing drive earlier this month raising over $7,000 in clothing items.
The goal is to help these children reimagine their reality. Through the lens of an entrepreneurial sprit, Hill plans to cultivate not only college graduates, but the next business leaders of the world.
“We want to focus on students who have creative business endeavors. I want the children on reservations to ‘do.’ You hear a lot about federal and non-profi t organizations who kind of coddle, but I want to inspire change. It all starts with a thought,” Hill said.
Hill and a small team of two others recently fl ew to the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and hand delivered the proceeds to blissful students who had never owned a pair of dress clothes prior. The three-
day excursion allowed Soul to steer its fi rst fi eld project and is referred to by Hill as “Soul’s most rewarding feat, yet.”
Howard University French major and business partner Darnelle Casimir refl ects on her visit to the Navajo Reservation.
“I am still in awe at the response from the students,” Casimir said. “I had hoped that they would be excited, but they weren’t just excited - they were in love.”
Once taken into account the fact that the percentage of Native Americans over 25 who have obtained a Bachelors degree is less than half of the overall Native American population, one might better understand the dire need for authentic and relevant support.
President Obama has honed in on this issue, as well, by launching Generation Indigenous, a recognition that tribal communities thrive when their youth are safe and healthy, have access to a quality education, housing, and meaningful job opportunities, and can learn their native languages and cultures.
”[Native Americans] did their
part to build our nation. They were the Einsteins and the Carnegies, but also the men and women...who built this country hand by hand, brick by brick,” Obama said.
But even though the nation’s fi rst black president is on board, there is a disparity in African American support of Native American communities.
“There are never any blacks supporting Native American issues, mostly white people,” said Hill. “I fi nd it really crazy because in a way we experience the same oppression. Not the trans-atlantic slave trade, but we were and still are both oppressed by one race. If more African Americans helped out, I think that would be more impactful.”
Hill’s aim is to bring people together to provide a voice for Native American communities and their youth.
“Our mouths are so powerful. People call it advocacy, but its really just spreading the truth. Being able to bring other people along is the best part, I have so much fun. “I know not everyone is going to dig it, but this is something that is right. Just not common.”
“Brown Lives Matter, Too”
THE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 3CAMPUS
Jazmin GoodwinCampus Editor
Howard University continues to cultivate students of academic scholarship and black excellence.
Senior English major Joel Rhone has been named a Marshall Scholar Finalist. Rhone has reached the final stage of the selection process with an interview on Friday, Nov. 13 at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. Scholarship winners will be announced in December.
The Marshall Scholarship is a post-graduate scholarship available to American students. Along with the Rhodes scholarship, it is considered one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. The post-grad scholarship is the most selective graduate fellowship available to American undergraduates with only 3.2% of 970 university-endorsed applicants ultimately securing the scholarship in 2015.
Rhone has remained hard working and diligent throughout his matriculation at Howard University as a COAS honors student, serving as former President of the Sterling Brown English Honor Society. The Fullerton, California native expressed an interest in researching African-American literature, more specifically its impact and depiction on the African American church.
The Hilltop talked with the Marshall Scholar Finalist about being given the honor and his plans for the future.
HT: How did you feel after receiving the
announcement that you were a Marshall Scholar Finalist?
Rhone: Being a finalist is a big deal. Only 16% of applicants get chosen for an interview. Being a Marshall finalist is an achievement in itself, holds weight on a resume and is a highly respected award.
HT: What influenced your passion for African American literature and its impact on the African American church?
Rhone: My relationship to the church has been one of my most prized possessions in how I developed as a man. My father was a pastor, and authors like James Baldwin, Chester Hines and Langston Hughes helped me to retroactively understand and navigate through moments in my life. It has also helped me to reinterpret how I see myself in the church.
HT: How do you plan to use your passion for African American literature to make a difference in the black community? Rhone: I want to help people of color further understand how the church operates and fits into black life in America.
HT: Where do you see yourself in the future?
Rhone: I see myself as a University English professor and administrator lecturing here within the United States and abroad.
Congratulations to our fellow bison for upholding the standard of truth and service!
Jazmin GoodwinCampus Editor
Senior English and psychology major, Alexis Grant has been named a finalist for the Rhodes
Scholarship. The prestigious scholarship is an international postgraduate award for selected students to study at the University of Oxford. Scholars are chosen for their outstanding scholarly achievements, character, commitment to others and the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever direction their careers may lead.
If chosen, Grant will pursue a Master of Philosophy in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Innovation to learn intervention strategies to address mental health issues. The COAS honors student is set to embark on the next step of the selection process with an interview with the Rhodes Selection Committee in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 21.
The Hilltop sat down with the Farmington, Massachusetts native to talk to her about her feelings about being name a finalist and her future plans.
HT: How did you feel after receiving the announcement that you were a Rhodes Scholar Finalist?
Grant: I was shocked and wasn’t expecting it! I had applied for the
Marshall and Mitchell scholarship, but didn’t get them. I did a double take when I got the email.
HT: If chosen, how do you plan to use your Master of Philosophy in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Innovation?
Grant: I want to work as a consultant in school districts to integrate mental health and put psychological research in the education system. The problems I currently see with mental health are tension for payment to access services, especially young people because they are afraid to be labeled as “crazy” or “the weird one.” I also want to do upper level policy work within state and local governments.
HT: Do you have any advice for prospective applicants at Howard University who are thinking about applying to becoming a Rhodes Scholar?
Grant: My word of advice would be to not underestimate yourself. I definitely wouldn’t have applied if Dr. Kari Miller [of the Office of Undergraduate Studies] had not pushed me to apply. Being selected as a finalist., helped me to realize that people will see your potential, if you sell yourself well. You can’t win if you don’t apply.
Congratulations to our fellow Bison for this prestigious achievement!
On A mission to Marshall: Howard University’s Joel Rhone named as
Marshall Scholar FinalistReaching for Rhodes:
Howard University Senior, Alexis Grant named Rhodes Scholar Finalist
4 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP CAMPUS
Ubiquity hosts #ThisIsOurHouse: Reclaiming Black space on The YardJazmin GoodwinCampus Editor
Threats made against Howard University were found by the FBI on the popular website, 4Chan,
on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The chat thread, made by what appears to be a disgruntled University of Missouri student, threatened “to kill any “n*****s” found on Howard University’s campus after 10.”
Many teachers canceled classes, while some students opted to stay off campus and inside for the day. As the university, local authorities and the FBI investigated the threats, students made plans to unite together to not only defend their campus against hatred and racism, but to stand in solidarity with Black students at Missouri State University in lieu of the university’s racial tensions surfacing.
At 7 p.m. on the Yard, those plans came to fruition with over 200 students and members of the Howard University community gathering to stand in solidarity and reclaim the campus from fear. Ubiquity, Inc. organized the event.
Ubiquity, Inc. is a non-profi t community outreach social organization that works to uphold the African concept of the extended
family as well as the Seven Principles of the Nguzo Saba. Through the three pillars of brotherhood/sisterhood, community service and academic excellence, the organization seeks to exchange their wealth of knowledge and ideas in organized forums.
Members of the organization, fellow attendees and Ferguson protestor Clifton Kinnie spoke out to the audience, making profound statements of next steps and
calls to action for all blacks on all college campuses.
“It was necessary that we let it be known, both to our people and to our adversaries, that we will not be moved. We came together and showed that we believe in the power of us, the power of Blackness,” President of Ubiquity, Inc. Darrell Johnson said. “It is this faith and this power that will keep us steadfast as we continue to progress
this movement for our people at Mizzou, here and worldwide.”
Ubiquity closed out the event with a traditional ritual practice called the Umoja Circle.
“The purpose of this unity circle is to emphasize our dedication to strengthening the bonds between our brothers and sisters. We unite in arms to express that we are united in struggle,” Jalisa Goodwin, Ubiquity, Inc.’s historian said. “We affi rm our commitment to our people by reciting our Ubiquitarian oath of pledge, using this platform to affi rm our connection to our communities and to reaffi rm that our collective spirits, like our circle, will remain strong and unbroken!”
While brave students linked arms and hands within the Umoja circle, kisses on the cheek were passed down to each participant. Howard University students then began to break out in chants of “Throw that love in a circle” and “Pass on the love.”
“Tonight’s event was interesting. As an oppressed group of individuals we are stronger connected,” Freshman journalism major Breon Perry said. “Strength and change comes in numbers.”
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CHAPEL
Join us this Sunday…Rev. Dr. Dharius Daniels
Founder and Senior Pastor, Kingdom Church
Ewing and Burlington, New Jersey“Deeper in Faith – Wider in Community”
Help Alternative Spring Break’s Social Media Campaign
To kick off the campaign, the hashtag #HUDreamingPast9 has been created in honor of
Tyshawn Lee, whose life was cut short at 9 years of age.
The HU Community is asked to post a picture of their younger selves beside a current picture. The caption of the picture will share a past and current dream. The caption will end with the hash tag HU
Dreaming Past 9.
Alternative Spring Break Applications Looking for a way to serve the community even
during Spring Break? Apply to be a participant of ASB!
Applications are available at huasb.tumblr.comEarly Participants due November 23rd
COURTESY OF NORMAN HARRIS
THE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 5
NEWS
News of the weekWill Fuller News Editor
GRUESOME ATTACK ON PARIS CONCERT VENUE: MORE THAN 100 DEAD
A lively, leisure-filled evening swiftly turned into a night of horror for many residents and tourist in Paris last Friday, Nov. 13. According to CNN, terrorists-some with AK-47s, some
reportedly with bombs strapped to them-attacked sites throughout the French capital and at the stadium where a soccer match between Paris and Germany was underway. With more than 100 dead, the incident marks the second deadliest attack on a Western City since 9/11.
A CALL TO EQUALITY: BARACK OBAMA TO APPEAR ON COVER OF LGBT RIGHTS MAGAZINE
Barack Obama took a rather heroic, unprecedented action this past week in the news media. The leader was recently featured on the cover of OUT Magazine, a gay fashion and lifestyle publication. According to OUT, the move marked a historic moment in a historic year. “I am a man of faith and believe deeply in religious freedom, but at the end of the day, nobody is above the rule of law—especially someone who voluntarily takes an oath to uphold that law.
That’s something we’ve got to respect,” Obama said.
MALICE OUT OF MICHIGAN: MICHIGAN TECH STUDENT ARRESTED FOR CYBER THREATS AGAINST BLACK
STUDENTSA student at Michigan Technological University was arrested for posting a threat to Black
students through Yik Yak, a social media app that allows users to posts anonymous messages. The online threat was directed at Missouri State University students on Thursday
and only marks one of threats Black college students have received thus far. The suspect has not been identified and is scheduled to appear at the Houghton County District Court on
Friday. His arraignment has been postponed to an undetermined date.
HBCU’S ROSLYN ARTIS APPOINTED TO TAKE ON SECURITY EPIDEMIC ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES:
An African-American higher education champion recently got a major appointment this week amid recent death threats to African-Americans students. Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis,
President of Florida Memorial University, has been appointed to the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC). The organization’s purpose is to refine homeland
security issues on college campuses.
HBCU ALUMNUS CORRINE BROWN CREATES BILL TO RESTORE HBCUS:
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, a distinguished HBCU alumnus, has established an act that, if effective, could restore the financial hardships of many Historically Black Colleges and
Universities nationwide. If passed, The Land Grant Opportunity Act will address disparities in state funding for HBCUS and require a match for HBCU land grants. “Year after year, states
have fulfilled their obligation to meet the one-to-one match requirements for their 1862 schools, which are predominantly white. Yet, many states continue to underfund their 1890 schools, forcing them to apply for a waiver, which allows them to retain federal funds when
the states fail to match funds disbursed by USDA,” Brown said.
COURTESY OF WORDPRESS.COM
COURTESY OF OUT MAGAZINE
COURTESY OF THE HABARI NETWORK
COURTESY OFJACKSONVILLE.COM
6 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP NEWS
“The hatred; the malice; the anger – all things we are getting from some, not all, members of the Caucasian community. But
such hatred is far from unprecedented; it has been prevalent for centuries. We [Howard students] are doing nothing but amending,
protecting and confronting this sheer epidemic of racism and white supremacy. Although you
never know the capabilities of a person, I stand on the premise that the young man that
spewed deadly threats at Howard students didn’t really desire to kill or harm. He has
rather been prescribed and influenced by his counterparts to do things like this. Do I blame him? No. I blame his parents, his culture and his background. I blame this society. Right now, it’s considered acceptable to torture,
marginalize and discount African-Americans. Society lacks a champion, a pioneer and a
trailblazer to abolish the tainted perceptions of this society. As HBCU students, I think it is admirable for us to stand up for our non-HBCU Black community. But I think that it is
heart wrenching for HBCUs are struggling to stay open while Black students are flocking
to PWI’s where many of them are merely tolerated. Death threats wont stop Bison,
it won’t stop African-Americans. We will not continue to be scapegoats for your ignorance.
#ProBlackDoesntMeanAntiWhite.”-Will Fuller, News Editor of The Hilltop
“Upon review of the hate-filled shooting threat
directed at Howard students from an anonymous online bigot, I believe I was
not alone in my fear for both my life and the life
those around me. Although extremely terrifying, this
situation was unfortunately not unusual. The threat of violence against Howard
students from those outside out community is evidence
of an increasingly hateful world that hasn’t ceased targeting our students of
color. In its wake, I commend Howard’s students for
responding not with fear, but with strength and
vigilance. It’s imperative that we, as benefactors of
a historically black legacy, continue to speak truth
to power and protect our institutions.”
-Maya King, Staff Writer of The Hilltop
“Being from another country where things like this don’t
happen I feel like it’s time to take the rose colored glasses
off. Where I am from racism is not as prevalent as it is in America. My first reaction to the death threat was shock. I was shocked that something
like this could possibly happen at Howard, at a place I came to to get an education. Then, I felt the fear. I was scared for my life. I was scared for the lives of my friends that were here I was scared for
everyone on and around campus, regardless of their skin color. I no longer feel safe in a place I should feel safe. Then, I felt anger. I’m angry that someone would take it upon himself or
herself to write something like that and disrupt the flow of hundreds of people’s lives. I
am angry that someone would even consider taking someone’s life simply because they think they are better than us. These
threats need to stop.” -Aesha Atherley, Staff Writer of The Hilltop
NO STOPPING US NOW: The Hilltop News Staff responds to recent Yik Yak threats on campus
THE HILLTOP NEEDS WRITERS!!!We are currently preparing for our 2016 staff!
If interested, email the Editor-in-Chief
THE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 7
VAR IET Y
Toni BennContributing Writer
Imagine preparing to witness a production centered on the emotions and thoughts of Martin Luther King
Jr. the night before his assassination. The curtains separate, the stage is assembled like a 1960’s hotel and silence falls over the theatre. Suddenly, a white man walks onto the stage that we soon realize, after a few moments of speaking, is Martin Luther King Jr. This was the experience of many playgoers at Kent State University’s amateur production of The Mountaintop by African American playwright Katori Hall.
After Hall was notified of the situation, she immediately told her agent who then contacted the Dramatists Play Service (DPS) – the Dramatists Play Service is one of the leading play-licensing and theatrical publishing agencies in the world. The DPS sent a letter to Kent State’s theatre department informing them of the misinterpretation of her works.
“While that might be considered an interesting experiment, it is also- quite clearly- not what the author wrote or intended,” The DPS said in their letter.
The play’s director Michael Oatman, who
is also African American, said he double casted both a black and white actor as an experiment but the black actor was never even listed on the school newspaper’s website. Oatman claims he wanted “to explore the issue of racial ownership and authenticity,” according to The Guardian.
He hoped to further explain his reasoning, stating, “I wanted the contrast… I wanted to see how the words rang differently or indeed the same, coming from two different actors, with two different racial backgrounds.”
Hall responded to his comments calling his actions disrespectful and noted that he should’ve gotten her approval beforehand.
The Mountaintop is a story for a people who truly understand the hardships civil rights activists and leaders endured to ensure the current rights and freedoms we have today, could ever exist. Expecting to gain empathy or understanding solely from the emotions evoking from the characters, is impossible. Being black in America is an experience one can never be taught. African Americans are born into a world where there are predispositions set upon our character. The color of our skin is as definitive as our height.
To coincide with that notion, Hall’s inspiration for the play came from her mother’s encounter with Dr. King at one of his marches. Her strongest recollection of that moment was the beauty of his chocolate skin. Casting a white actor to play the role of a man, who stood at the front lines fighting, and risking his life for racial equality, is blasphemous to the civil rights story.
Aspiring black actors/actresses should be aware of these types of incidents occurring within the industry they are hoping to enter. Color-blind casting is happening at a frequent and steady pace in theatre allowing for directors such as Oatman to make these decisions. But it is our responsibility and duty to end the production of plays telling a story ABOUT us WITHOUT us.
Diandra Bolton Variety Editor
Ahead of the official 2016 opening, the African-American History Museum is beginning the countdown to their official opening.
Starting November 16, the front of the African American museum will be transformed into a viewing screen for moving images, for the first event called “Commemorate and Celebrate Freedom,” from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prior to the film, the event will also include a program including music, performance and poetry in addition to brief remarks by Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congressional Delegate to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton and Museum Director Lonnie Bunch III.
The event pays homage to three important eras to African-American history: the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865, the end of the Civil War in 1865 and passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. It will feature images of pivotal moments relating to slavery, abolition and Reconstruction, the Civil War and the civil rights era. Poetry and other
narrative works from popular figures in each of time periods including Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.
The south and west exteriors of the building will be transformed into a five-story-tall, one-block-long 3-D canvas for the seven-minute long video. The video will
play for three nights continuously for the three and half hour time span. In addition the north and east sides will also have special lighting and static images to add to the effect.
Prior to the film, a live program will occur featuring a performance by gospel legend Bebe Winans, composer Darin Atwater accompanied by his 55-member Soulful Symphony; and the Heritage Signature Chorale directed by Stanley J Hurston. Actor Erik Todd Dellums will act as the host for the night’s program.A pop up shop will also be open from 3:30 p.m. and feature souvenirs that will be in the museum once it opens.
“This will be a dynamic event for the entire community,” said Bunch, the founding director of the museum, in a release. “In addition to celebrating the completion of the external construction of the museum, the image mapping will also initiate the public countdown to the museum’s grand opening in fall 2016. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate historic moments where the African American experience has had an impact on expanding the rights and freedoms of all Americans.”
Kent State University Casts White Actor to Play Martin Luther King
African-American History Museum debues opening event
The white actor Robert Branch cast to play MLK takes the stage along with one of the supporting characters as they rehearse before opening night. COURTESY OF
COURTESY OF TUMBLR
8 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP VARIETY
5
3 5 9 2 6
6 9 5 2
7 8 3
3 1 2 4
2 8 7
1 6 4 3
3 4 6 7 9
1
Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.71)
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Nov 15 20:12:33 2015 GMT. Enjoy!
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THE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 9
SPO R T STHE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 9
Dear University of Missouri Football Players,
As a college student and as a young black man in America, I want to say thank you. Your recent protests at the University of Missouri in light of racial tensions on campus have made a breakthrough in the African American community. I recognize that it is not easy what you all did. I’m sure it wasn’t easy deciding to fi ght against racism by agreeing to not participate in any football related activity until the president of the university was removed. But on behalf of myself and many other black Americans, I say thank you.
Amidst all of the recent events in America that have sparked outrage in the black community, which have led to the Black Lives Matter movement, no demonstration or protest has been as eff ective as what you guys did last week. Football is America’s highest grossing sport, which means millions of Americans pay to watch professional, and collegiate athletes battle it out on the gridiron every year. As you all know, Missouri’s football team is the largest grossing athletic program at the university and black athletes make up a large portion of the team.
As a current student athlete for Howard University’s football team, I can tell you that there is no bigger statement than college athletes deciding to take a stand on social issues. The statement that you all made last week sent shockwaves throughout the nation. It showed America that as black athletes, we have the power to change the world if only we come together for a united cause.
Imagine if every weekend when college football games are played, there aren’t any black athletes on the fi eld. For many years, black athletes have brought excitement to the football fi elds, basketball courts and other sporting venues. The headlines you guys made sent a message that no American can ignore. That message is that as black American athletes are one of the most infl uential groups of people in the nation.
When you all decided to stand up and fi ght for justice, imagine the impact that it sent across the nation and maybe even the world. Who knows what can happen next? Not only did you guys make a statement for black American football players, but also you all have infl uenced black athletes across the nation. Imagine if all of our black professional and collegiate athletes decide from now on that they won’t play any time they want to create change. We have that power because Americans love sports, and when you take away many of the sports best players, then people will do anything to see those people get back on the fi eld.
I just wanted to let you guys know that as a black college student-athlete, I appreciate your courage and your resilience. We have the power to change the world and now everybody knows. You have inspired me and many others like myself. You have broken the barrier for change in the black community and have made an impact that no one will forever forget, and for that I say thank you.
Jacob BennettStaff Writer
An Open Letter to My Black Colleagues
COURTESY OF TWITTER
10 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP SPORTS
Brittany WebbStaff Writer
In recent months, the NFL has faced scrutiny due to its response in
regards to players who have been involved in domestic violence disputes. The most recent case is that of Greg Hardy.
In July, Hardy was found guilty of brutally beating and threatening the life of his then-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, on May 13 of last year in his Charlotte, North Carolina apartment.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Holder claimed that Hardy “flung her from the bed, threw into a bathtub, then tossed her on a futon covered with rifles” apart from dragging her and putting his hand on her throat.
Hardy’s defense for the incident argued that Hardy was the victim. His defense alleged that Holder was the perpetrator and inflicted injuries upon herself. However, the accusation of him pulling her out of the bathroom was true. According to Hardy’s attorney Frank Maister, Hardy was “worried she’s going to kill herself in his apartment. “
Initially, the then 6-foot-4, 265-pound Carolina Panther, received paid suspension for a season and a four-game suspension as consequences.
In recent days, pictures from the incident has placed Hardy, a current Dallas Cowboy, back in the limelight as well as the NFL and it’s handling of domestic violence cases.
The NFL first came under scrutiny when dealing with domestic violence in the 1995 case of Cincinnati Bengals’ Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson who was accused of domestic violence against his then pregnant girlfriend. This case urged the NFL to handle domestic violence cases with an extra force.
Even though disciplinary sanctions were developed, according to CNN, out of 48 players convicted of domestic violence between 2000 and 2014, “the league suspended players for one game or not at all in 88 percent of the cases.”The lack of aggression by NFL administrators
in the domestic violence cases of NFL players was highlighted in the initial two-game suspension of former Baltimore Raven, Ray Rice.
Video footage of Rice surfaced showing him dragging his unconscious then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, out of an elevator on Feb. 15, 2014. The Ravens’ owner Steve Bisciotti made known his support for Rice with a public statement.
“He’s just been lauded as the nicest, hardest working, greatest guy on the team an in the community. So we have to support him,” Bisciotti said. “I think we’ll be rewarded by him maturing and never putting himself in a situation like that again.”
The NFL faced heavy criticism after the full footage was released, showing Rice punching Palmer inside the elevator. The NFL and Ravens claimed to not have seen the video until TMZ released it.
Rice was released by the Baltimore Ravens, followed by an indefinite suspension from the NFL on Sept. 8, 2015 after further review of the incident.Hardy has also received
support from his team, as he has continued to practice and play with the team.
In an interview with USA Today, Dallas Cowboys defensive-end Jeremy Mincey highlighted some of Hardy’s qualities as a teammate.
“He brings a good attitude, [too], believe it or not,” Mincey said. “Eventually he’ll be leading this team, hopefully. And he’ll know how to do it.”
After photos from the incident surfaced earlier this month along with a transcript of phone calls, owner and general manager of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, released a statement saying, “While we did not have access to the photos that became public today, we were and are aware of the serious nature of this incident. We as an organization take this very seriously.”
The main issue visible in both instances is the initial lack of punishment for players who beat woman and lack there of. For both of these instances, it took evidence of the incident to be put in the eye of the public for reconsideration to occur. These cases and those
alike put the NFL in a faulty light.
The more disturbing fact is that these players were on paid-leave under their initial punishments. What does this say to women?
Hall of Famer Troy Aikman weighed in on the issue in an interview with The Museri, discussing the point in which the NFL will draw the line.
“I guess the line is when he’s no longer productive, you know? I think that’s always been the line for Jerry Jones… is he’s pretty much accept everything as long as a guy’s productive.”
A man’s success for his team comes before the safety and life of his woman by way of NFL officials.
The board of the NFL will reinvestigate the incident of Hardy as they did for Rice when further footage was brought to the forefront. However, this doesn’t change the fact that it takes backlash after backlash and incident after incident for the NFL to think twice about handing a player a necessary and deserved punishment for domestic violence.
Jabarri Charles-BarnesStaff Writer
After allegations of state sponsored doping surfaced this week,
Russian athletes quickly found out the severe consequences for their actions. The resulting sanctions will, provisionally, prevent Russia from competing in all international athletic competitions, including the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Many find the punishment too harsh, especially for the athletes who weren’t involved in the scandal. However, in a sport
where athletes have popularized performance enhancing drugs, shattering trust in many events, there was little alternative than to resort to a tough, zero-tolerance approach.
Speaking on the matter was president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, Lord Sebastian Coe, who explained how necessary this action was.
“This has been a shameful wakeup call and we are clear that cheating at any level will not be tolerated,”
Lord Coe said.
This wake-up call was long overdue. It is the first time an entire country has been dismissed from the IAAF. However, it may not be the last. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report released on Monday, there are other countries queued up to be implicated.
“Russia is not the only country, nor athletics the only sport, facing the problem of orchestrated doping in sport,” the report explains.
For the moment, however, Russia and its athletes are the only ones facing the wrath of Sebastian Coe and his IAAF mates. Many elite Russian athletes now face the possibility of lifetime bans, as recommended by WADA. Among them are, Mariya Savinova-Farsonova and Ekaterina Poistogova, Olympic 800m gold
and bronze medalists, respectively.
They were the same two athletes who were featured in a German radio documentary outlining Russia’s cheating habits. It was that documentary which prompted this year-long probe into the Russian testing system. The results were staggering. Reportedly, not only have Russian athletes routinely doped, but the Anti-Doping agency has been their biggest aid. From falsifying samples to destroying incriminating evidence, they have done everything possible to make a mockery of the rules and regulations governing track and field.
The Russian Athletic Federation has the opportunity to appeal this decision. According to their Minister of sports, Vitaly Mutko, the problem is “solvable” and the “chance” of them competing in the Olympics is still there. It won’t be
easy for them, however.
When asked about the possibility of them flying to Rio next year, Lord Coe said, “It is entirely up to the Russian federation and the speed with which we can enact chance. Our verification team will be tough. We will want to make sure before there is a reintroduction to the sport for their athletes and their federation that those changes have taken place and not before.”
Doping in track and field has been a problem for years. There’s absolutely no place for it in any sport. The IAAF and WADA made that abundantly clear this week. Whether or not Russia’s white, blue and red will appear in Brazil remains to be seen. What is evident, however, is that cheating in any form will not be tolerated and the IAAF with the help of WADA is taking every step to eradicate it.
FAILURES IN THE DARK
COME TO LIGHT:
Domestic Violence
and the NFL
UnravelingRussia’s
DopingScandal
COURTESY OF FOX
Photo of Greg Hardy. VIA TUMBLR
THE HILLTOP NOVEMBER 16, 2015 11SPORTS
Story From HU Bison.com
New Brunswick, NJ---Howard University will be looking to rebound from a tough loss in 24 hours when it takes on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers in the Men Who Speak Up Main Event at the RAC (8,000). The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network Plus with Kevin Fitzgerald calling the play by play and Dick Lloyd providing color commentary.
The Bison (0-1) put up a valiant effort in the loss to the
Minutemen, leading most of the game until foul trouble set in and allowed the hosts to escape with an 85-79 victory. Junior guard James “J-Byrd” Daniel, III showed why he is one of the top guards in the country and backcourt mate, junior guard James “JT” put everyone on notice that he is a force to be reckoned with.
A 5-11, 165-pound native of Hampton, VA, Daniel poured in a game-high 30 points while adding five assists and recording a career-best nine steals in what
was perhaps his best all-around performance at the collegiate level. Miller, a 6-4 guard from Clinton, NC complemented Daniel with 27 points on 11 of 19 shooting from the floor and seven rebounds. The Bison also got a sterling performance from red-shirt junior center Marcel Boyd, who grabbed 11 rebounds for a game high and junior guard Damon Collins, who had another one of his all-around games, scoring seven points,
grabbing four rebounds and dishing out four assists. Howard was hurt in the second half by foul trouble as they were whistled for 31 infractions that resulted in 44 free throw attempts by UMass. Three Bison players fouled out. The Scarlet Knights (1-0) are coming off a 72-59 win over Rutgers-Newark on Friday. In that game, the Rutgers bench was the difference. Junior forward Deshawn Freeman scored 13 off
the bench and DJ Foreman added 10 points and six rebounds.Scarlet Knights head coach Eddie Jordan, a Rutgers alum, has ties to the Washington, DC area, having starred at Archbishop Carroll High School and also having coached the Washington Wizards for a short stint.NEXT UP: Howard opens its home season at the Burr on Friday when it hosts Medgar Evers College at 6 pm.
Story From HU Bison.com
NORFOLK, VA --- Sophomore outside hitter Khaila Donaldson & junior libero Morgan Marlbrough have both been named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball All-Conference First Team, the league announced earlier today.
Donaldson followed up her Second Team selection as a freshman in 2014 with this year’s First Team honor. The Vernon Hills, IL native led the MEAC in kills (352) and points (407.5) while finishing second in points per set (3.96) and third in kills per set (3.42). She also finished fourth in total service aces (32).
The All-MEAC selection for Marlbrough is the first of her career after leading the conference in total digs (431) and finishing third in digs per set (4.18). The Mandeville, LA native paced a Howard defense that logged the most digs in the conference (1,462) and the third-best opponent hitting percentage (.191).
Together, the duo helped lead Howard to its first outright Northern Division title since 1994. The Bison will face South Carolina State in the first round of the MEAC Volleyball Tournament, which begins on Friday, November 20.
Bison Look For First Win at Rutgers
Donaldson, Marlbrough Named Volleyball All-MEAC First Team
COURTESY OF HU BISON
COURTESY OF HU BISON
NOVEMBER 16, 2015 | @THEHILLTOPHU | VOLUME 100 ISSUE 20
