HE HORNET

RIBUNETHE HORNET

Martin Luther King Jr.

The official student newspaper of Alabama State UniversityVOL. 52, ISSUE 9 FEB. 25, 2012

I N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D ESPORTSSPORTSSPORTSSPORTSSPORTS

Hornet defense

stops Lady Jags

UNIVERSITY NEWS A2HORIZONS B1VIEWPOINTS C1SPORTS D1

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

MONTGOMERY, Ala., The

Alabama State University

women’s Hornet team made it look

easy when they routed the South-

ern University women’s Jaguars at

home, Feb. 20.

Hornet guard Danielle

Gazaway, who had 13 points,

started ... READ MORE

PAGE D1

See SPEAKSPEAKSPEAKSPEAKSPEAK on page A2A2A2A2A2

HORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONS

PAGE B1

In the three months since

Florida A&M University drum

major Robert Champion Jr. died

following an alleged hazing inci-

dent in Orlando, Fla., investigators

say they have interviewed 35

people. ... READ MORE

Probe into drum

major’s death

continues

HORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONSHORIZONS

PAGEB1

WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) —

Reveling in his sporting element,

President Barack Obama waded

into the oversized embrace of some

of the biggest names in profes-

sional basketball Thursday, raising

money from current and former

NBA greats ... READ MORE

Obama raises

cash with NBA

celebrities

by Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana EdwardsEXECUTIVE EDITOR

kiedewards2012@gmail.com

SGA VP RESIGNSSGA VP RESIGNSSGA VP RESIGNSSGA VP RESIGNSSGA VP RESIGNS

Mary Ann Shadd Cary is not

a household name, not like Rosa

Parks or Harriet Tubman. But her

story is compelling, nevertheless,

and needed to be told during

Black History Month, which fo-

cused on women.

Alabama State University

Yearbook Coordinator Kirsten

Barnes researched Cary while in

college and became inspired by

her. Barnes spoke at the Ida B.

Wells Lecture Series on Feb. 23,

to share the story of North

America’s first black female

newspaper publisher and lawyer.

According to Barnes, Cary

was a free black woman living in

Delaware in 1823 who lived next

door to slave owners.

“She only lived 69 years, but

in the 69 years that she lived, she

was the first newspaper publisher,”

Barnes said. “She was the first

black female to vote in a national

election, and she was the second

black female to graduate from

Harvard University Law School.”

Barnes said what fascinated

her most about Cary was that she

was able to start a pretty success-

ful, large, internationally circulated

paper long before there was any

journalism education or journal-

ism training.

Barnes described Cary’s

childhood education.

“Growing up, throughout her

childhood, she would see her par-

ents risking their lives to hide and

to transport slaves out of Dela-

ware, into Philadelphia, and New

Bill Valdez, principal deputy

and acting director of the Office of

Economic Impact and Diversity at

the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE), will deliver a keynote ad-

dress during ASU’s national His-

Dept. of Energy Administrator to speak at HBCU Conference

torically Black Colleges and Uni-

versities (HBCU) conference.

A 17-year DOE veteran,

Valdez plays a pivotal role in set-

ting the trategic direction for the

Department’s diversity, minority

education, civil rights and small

business initiatives and activities.

He also helps develop corpo-

rate funding strategies for minor-

ity institutions and addresses the

growing need for a diverse, tal-

ented workforce in science-related

fields through workforce develop-

ment initiatives, internships,

traineeships, fellowships and other

partnership activities.

Valdez will address the confer-

ence on Wednesday, March 7.

This is the second year ASU

has hosted the conference and the

second year that Data Solutions &

Technology Incorporated (DST)

has coordinated the event.

Tammi Thomas, vice president

for strategic management at DST,

said conference participants will

gain valuable information from

by Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana EdwardsEXECUTIVE EDITOR

kiedewards2012@gmail.com

STAFF REPORTSTAFF REPORTSTAFF REPORTSTAFF REPORTSTAFF REPORTTHE HORNET TRIBUNE

thehornettribune2012@gmail.com

McCall is replaced by Laffitte, no special election planned

Barnes uses the life of blackBarnes uses the life of blackBarnes uses the life of blackBarnes uses the life of blackBarnes uses the life of blackpioneer journalist to inspirepioneer journalist to inspirepioneer journalist to inspirepioneer journalist to inspirepioneer journalist to inspire

See RESIGNSRESIGNSRESIGNSRESIGNSRESIGNS on page A2A2A2A2A2

See INSPIREINSPIREINSPIREINSPIREINSPIRE on page A2A2A2A2A2

“Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no mandead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.”

Student Government Associa-

tion Vice President Dorien McCall

resigned from his office on Feb. 14.

And while many students are

surprised by the news of his resig-

nation, McCall does not hesitate to

provide clarity.

“I have a lot of personal issues

that I’ve been dealing with and I

just felt like I needed to resign to

help resolve those issues,” McCall

said. “They’re ongoing issues

since I first took office. ... It was

personal stress and personal issues,

things like that ...”

According to the SGA Consti-

tution, all executive branch mem-

bers must

remain in

good aca-

d e m i c

(maintain a

2.7 GPA), fi-

n a n c i a l

(must not

owe the uni-

versity), and

social stand-

ing (must not violate any student

policies) with the university in or-

der to maintain their positions.

McCall’s duties as vice presi-

dent included assuming powers

and duties of the President upon the

President’s absence, co-signing

vouchers for expenditures when the

SGA president or treasurer is un-

able to fulfill that obligation, assist

President in general policy and ad-

ministration of Executive Branch,

assist in preparation of the SGA

annual budget.

Since resigning, McCall has

also lightened his load by decreas-

ing or ending participation in other

organizations.

“I am no longer a Golden Am-

bassador and the only position I

hold in Alpha Phi Alpha is the di-

rector of educational activities

where the only thing I have to do

now is to do events that correlate

to our national programs like a

voter registration drive. I might be

asked to put on one of those or a

health forum.

He continued.

“In Alpha Kappa Psi Profes-

sional Business Fraternity I am no

longer the professional committee

chairman. I stepped down from that

as well. I am just the warden. The

only thing the warden does is con-

trol the chapter meetings. So I am

not as heavily involved like I was

because of my personal issues that

I’ve been going through.”

According to the SGA Consti-

tution, the SGA vice president re-

ceives a benefit package of tuition,

Students baffled

by the lack of

publicity about

VP’s resignation

by Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana EdwardsEXECUTIVE EDITOR

kiedewards2012@gmail.com

Almost two weeks after the

Student Government Association

Vice President Dorien McCall re-

signed his office, students who at-

tend Alabama State University are

stunned by the lack of publicity and

lack of press that this resignation

has garnered.

Some students believe the SGA

should have informed students

about the resignation.

Senior Terrell Williamson, a

computer information systems

major, believes the SGA should

have informed the students.

“I feel they should have told us

about the vice president, why we

have a new one, what was the rea-

son we have a new one?”

Williamson said. “I mean at the

end of the day I feel they should

have told us ... To me, it’s almost

like us getting a new President of

the United States and nobody not

knowing. ”

Junior marketing major Ed-

ward Travis, agrees.

“I feel like they are not in-

forming us as students enough to

let us know who is holding what

chair,” Travis said. “That’s how I

feel. I mean, it’s been like that for

a long time.”

Sophomore biology major

Corey Tatum would have liked to

be informed.

“I feel like I should be more

involved or I should have known

at least that we have a new vice

president,” Tatum said.

Sharanna Polk, editorial man-

aging editor for The Hornet Tri-

bune, explained why the press

failed to inform the students.

“We did not know,” Polk said.

“How could we have known when

Photo by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managing Editor

Publisher of the Black Belt Connection and Yearbook Coordinator Kirsten Barnes recounts the pioneering

spirit of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, one of the first black female journalists and lawyers to affect change in the U. S.

See BAFFLEDBAFFLEDBAFFLEDBAFFLEDBAFFLED on page A2A2A2A2A2

Photo by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managing Editor

Students, faculty and friends listen intently during the Ida B. Wells Lecture.

as Barnes explains various facets of Mary Ann Shadd Cary’s life.

Dorien McCall

The Official Student Newspaper of Alabama State University

88th Year of Publication

Editorial LeadershipThe Hornet Tribune Editorial Leadership Team is the decision-making body for TheHornet Tribune operations and policies. The Hornet Tribune Editorial Leadership Teammeets weekly at 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. Unscheduled meetings may also be called bythe faculty/staff adviser or executive editor if special problems or issues arise.

Editorial BoardThe Hornet Tribune Editorial Board determines the content of The Hornet Tribune. AllEditorial Board members will vote on issues such as editorial policy-making decisionsor editorial procedures when the need arises. A majority vote determines the decision.The faculty adviser will not vote, but may disagree and make suggestions or comments.Concerning the publication of controversial issues, the Editorial Board will discuss andvote on the approach to be taken. A majority vote will be the deciding factor. Theadviser may veto the decision, but the Board may overrule with a unanimous vote. TheBoard meets every Sunday at 5 p.m.

General PolicyThe Hornet Tribune is a 12-16-page newspaper produced by The Hornet Tribune staff.The entire student body, the primary audience of readers, receives the newspaper freeof charge to encourage readership and to ensure the showcasing of our journalisticwork. Our secondary audience includes faculty, local community and other collegiatenewspaper staffs throughout the country.

The newspaper attempts to inform and entertain its audience in a broad, fair and accuratemanner on all subjects that affect readers. The medium seeks also to provide a forumfor the opinion of students, the staff of The Hornet Tribune and the faculty to encouragean exchange of ideas and opinions on issues of prominence to the readers.

While the staff will allow constructive criticism of any part of The Hornet Tribune afterpublication, final authority for content of The Hornet Tribune rests solely in the hands ofthe staff, with the chief editor making the final decision.

Letters PolicyThe Hornet Tribune encourages letters as they constitute a constructive avenue forstudent opinion, but the writer must sign the letter to be considered for publication. Dueto space limitations, not all letters can be published, and the Editorial Board reservesthe right to edit all letters for appropriate placement in the newspaper as long as themeaning and intention of the letter remains clear and unchanged.

Although the staff writes the majority of the articles appearing on the paper, guestcommentaries and stories may be included if the staff feels it enhances coverage of aunique topic. Trivia such as gossip columns, song dedications and student best/worstwill be avoided due to the narrow audience they serve and the probability of libelousmaterial.

No material, opinionated or otherwise, will be printed which is libelous, irresponsible,advocates an illegal activity or which the chief editor and/or the adviser deems in poortaste.

Editorial PolicySeveral editorials will appear regularly in each issue. Stands taken in the main editorialwill represent the opinions of the staff and will not be bylined. All other articles receivea byline. Other opinion pieces, including those differing with the editorial, will be handledthrough cross-point columns, editor’s columns, feature columns, letters-to-the editor,exchange columns, student opinion photo forums and entertainment reviews.

Corrections and Clarifications PolicyIf the staff discovers, from any source, that a mistake bypassed the editors, acorrection of major errors will be printed upon request in the next issue in the sectionin which the mistake appeared.

Obituary PolicyShould a student or faculty member die any time during the current coverage period,the staff will treat the death in a tasteful, respectful manner. An obituary, with theindividual’s name, school activities, date of birth, date and manner of death (if appropriate)and any other pertinent information, shall appear in the news section. No mug shot willbe used. This sensitive treatment will provide an adequate remembrance of the individualfor those closely associated, while not overemphasizing it for other readers.

Feb. 19-25, 2012PAGE A2 The Hornet Tribune UNIVERSITY NEWS

CONTACT US

PHONE: (334) 229-4273 FAX: (334) 229-4165

ADDRESS: The Hornet Tribune,Alabama State University,

915 South Jackson Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104

OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

HE HORNET

RIBUNETHE HORNET

Valdez’s wealth of experi-

ence.

“Mr. Valdez has exten-

sive expertise in workforce

development, budget plan-

ning and diversity. We are

very excited that he is par-

ticipating in the HBCU con-

ference,” Thomas said.

This year’s conference

theme is “Entrepreneurship:

Transforming Education,

Government and Industry.”

Participants from fed-

eral, state and local agen-

cies, corporations, small

businesses, nonprofit orga-

nizations, colleges and the

public are expected to at-

tend the conference.

To register for the sec-

ond annual HBCU Confer-

ence or for additional infor-

mation, visit the conference

website at www.asu-

hbcu.org or watch for up-

dates on Twitter and

Facebook.

SpeakSpeakSpeakSpeakSpeak: : : : : “Mr. Valdez has expertisein workforce development, ...”Continued from A1

housing, board, and custom-

arily a 20-hour work con-

tract.

According to McCall he

did receive the benefit pack-

age, and he does not have to

reimburse the university.

To fill the vacancy, SGA

President Travis Smith ap-

pointed Sen. Aijah Laffitte

who had previously served as

senate pro tempore.

McCall reinforced that

Laffitte was chosen by order

of succession. The order of

succession that McCall ref-

erenced is in Article IV, Sec-

tion 9.

“Travis did not just go

and pick a random person,”

McCall said. “He (Laffitte)

was actually next in line from

the way the government is set

up. He was the Senate Pro

Tempore and being that he

was the Senate Pro Tempore

of the Senate, he was next in

line to the vice presidency in

the order of succession that’s

outlined in the Senate by-

laws. I’m sure some people

thought Travis appointed him

because of him being in Al-

pha Kappa Psi or him being

an Alpha line brother, but it

had nothing to do with that,

it was because he was the

next person in line in the or-

der of succession.”

SGA Adviser Stanley

Giles believes Lafitte is a

good choice.

“I think he shows some

promise,” Giles said. “He

has definitely been active in

the Senate. He shows some

leadership qualities. Mr.

Smith felt that he was right

for the job. I just expect him

to hold the ship steady until

the semester ends to ensure

the accountability of sena-

tors.”

McCall agreed.

“I’m pretty comfortable

with it (Lafitte’s selection)

because of his experience in

the Senate,” McCall said.

“The vice president’s main

job is to supervise the sen-

ate. As we all know accord-

ing to our pursuance of or-

der, the only thing the vice

president pretty much can do

in chambers is run the meet-

ing and A.J., being active in

the Senate, I think for the last

two or three years, he pretty

much knows how it’s sup-

posed to go. He is very well

versed in Robert’s Rules of

Order. He has fostered many

bills in the Senate this year

and last year. So I feel very

comfortable with him and his

abilities to run the Senate and

to represent the school as the

vice president. He’ll do a

pretty good job.”

SGA President Travis

Smith refused to comment on

the situation.

Resigns: Resigns: Resigns: Resigns: Resigns: “Travis did not just go and pick a random person. He was ...”Continued from page A1

InspireInspireInspireInspireInspire: : : : : “Her papers and Frederick Douglass’ papers were the only ...”

York, and on to Canada,”

Barnes said. “Although Mary

Ann had not been to school,

as of age 10 she could al-

ready read and write. So it

like she was being home-

schooled.

Barnes continued.

“Later, when the family

moved to Pennsylvania,

Mary Ann attended a board-

ing school for six years,”

Barnes said, “but, it seems

like it was equivalent to high

school and maybe a little col-

lege, because at the age of 16,

Mary Ann Shadd Cary re-

turned to Delaware and

started her own school for

Negro children.”

Cary’s father, a shoe-

maker who traveled through-

out the U.S., was a conduc-

tor of the Underground Rail-

road.

Barnes emphasized that

Cary believed, even in her

late 20s, that there would

never be equality in America

because the taint of slavery

would be so strong. Cary ad-

vocated that people, espe-

cially slaves, should leave

the United States and go to

Canada.

In 1851, Cary went to

Canada and in 1852 she pub-

lished a 40-page pamphlet

that told black people every-

thing they needed to know

about moving to Canada.

The pamphlet included

laws so that according to

Barnes, “people would see

that it was illegal to have

slaves in Canada.”

She talked about climate,

jobs, and areas where people

were needed, and even what

type of plants were being

grown there.”

She published a book

called “Voice from Harper’s

Ferry.”

“Her papers and

Frederick Douglass’ papers

were the only venues that

black people had to tell what

they thought about slavery

and why it should end…”

Barnes said. “They were do-

ing this because the people

that were pro-slavery were

romanticizing slavery and

making it seem normal. So

they felt that they had to be

graphic, they had to tell the

truth.”

When Cary went to

Canada she saw some things

she didn’t agree with.

Blacks lived in refugee

reservations. She did not

agree with any type of segre-

gation. She didn’t think that

the free slaves who stayed

together in Canada should

stay in a pack because they

didn’t know anything about

what other people knew

which made them easily

taken advantage of. She

wanted them to immediately

integrate.

“She was ahead of her

time,” Barnes said. She al-

ready knew things that we are

still struggling with today.”

Cary began writing for a

newspaper, and after observ-

ing inner problems of theft,

manipulation, and beatings

by blacks on blacks, she then

decided to create her own

newspaper.

That’s when she decided

to start the “Provincial Free-

man.”

Barnes, who started her

own publication, the Black

Belt Connection, took inspi-

ration from Cary’s example.

“I said to myself,

‘Kirsten, if Mary Ann Shadd

Cary could do this and make

a way in 1853 with no for-

mal education, then you can

do it.’”

Cary went to law school

and graduated at the age of

60. She then focused her en-

ergy on Women’s Rights. In

1893 she became ill and died

a few months short of her

70th birthday.

“Journalism is not about

necessarily becoming rich,”

Barnes said. “It’s about

fighting for truth, you know,

being on the right side, let-

ting other voices be told.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary saw

a void, and she wanted to fill

it with stories. History

teaches us a lot about who

we are, and I just encourage

young students to be life-

long learners like Mary Ann

Shadd Cary. I am embarking

on a new educational ven-

ture, and I am excited about

learning, I am excited about

finding out about great

people who were before me,

like Mary Ann Shadd Cary.”

Students had positive re-

actions to Barnes’ lecture.

Recording technology

major and sophomore

Shaundrea Mason felt the

message was uplifting.

“I thought it was really

empowering to learn about

people that I really didn’t

know anything about,” Ma-

son said. “She seemed to be

passionate about what she

was talking about and I re-

ally enjoyed listening to her

speak … I thought she (Cary)

was a strong African Ameri-

can woman. I enjoyed learn-

ing that she was really an in-

dependent woman, like she

ended up going to Canada by

herself. That doesn’t really

happen these days. It’s like a

woman can’t really go any-

where without a man with-

out feeling afraid, so I

thought that it was really

cool.”

First-year student Justin

Mitchell enjoyed it as well.

“I thought it was a good

presentation, and it really

reached out to people who

aspire to be journalists and

want go into things like this

and public relations,” he said.

Junior Aiquetta

Castleberry, a communica-

tions major, wants her peers

to take something from the

experience.

“I think it was very nice

and interesting,” Castleberry

said. “ More individuals

should want to broaden their

horizons and work harder for

the younger generation.”

Continued from page A1

no tells us anything. Our

job is to tell the students, but

when no one will speak to

us, what can we do? Since

a newsletter did come out,

it would seem to me that

they (SGA) would mention

that vital aspect, because by

that time, we had heard the

rumors, but we were not

sure as to whether they were

true or not.

She continued.

“It was not until I cov-

ered the senate meeting on

BaffledBaffledBaffledBaffledBaffled: : : : : “It was not until I coveredthe senate meeting on Feb. 22 ...”Continued from A1

Black women and their

respective hairstyles gener-

ated a number of views from

both faculty and students

during a “Black Women and

Hair” forum held Feb. 22 in

the Life Sciences Audito-

rium.

The forum panel in-

cluded Gladys Lyles-Gray,

PhD, and Brenda Marshall,

PhD, both professors of so-

ciology at Alabama State

University. Local beauticians

Maryann Snap and Erica

Bufford also shared some of

their expertise on the subject

of black hair.

Gray spoke about 1970s-

era black activist and educa-

tor Angela Davis and how

her full Afro hairstyle was a

political statement; she com-

pared it to today’s hairstyles

which are more of a fashion

statement or trend.

“We have a generation of

black women who can’t

swim because they don’t

want to get their hair wet,”

she said.

Gray used her class as a

small focus group. She asked

them if they had, or are cur-

rently having, any problems

with their hair. Though an-

swers varied, there was a re-

curring theme of nappy hair

being “bad hair.” A number

of the students had desired

longer hair when they were

children. Gray even had a

student say that she changed

her hair every 10 days to re-

flect her love of change.

Marshall added that there

seemed to be a stigma about

certain hairstyles.

“Many people feared

dreadlocks because of their

associations with the

Rastafarian culture,”

Marshall said.

As a sociologist, he

added that society exerts

control that affects the way

some women wear their hair.

The social control has be-

come so apparent that even

President Barack Obama’s

daughter Maliya was criti-

cized for wearing her hair in

a twist while on vacation in

Hawaii. Critics said that “she

was not fit to represent the

country.”

Marshall emphasized the

many things that influence

the way some women wear

their hair. Goods and ser-

vices, accessibility, transpor-

tation and money are all de-

ciding factors when deter-

mining hairstyles. Hairstyl-

ist from the community were

also called upon to comment

on black hair.

Snap, a Montgomery/At-

lanta beautician offered one

piece of advice to dispel ste-

reotypes in the black com-

munity.

“Good hair is healthy

hair, no matter kinky, straight

or curly,” Snap said.

Bufford added that to

keep your hair up, it’s going

to cost. “You’re going to

spend money whether you

have natural or chemically

treated hair.”

First-year student Toya

Carter enjoyed the show.

“The forum was ex-

tremely informative,” Carter

said, “and gave a deep look

into black hair from the per-

spective of history and cul-

ture.”

Panel discusses black women and hairstylesby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwards

EXECUTIVE EDITORkiedewards2012@gmail.com

Feb. 22 that I knew some-

thing had changed because

someone else was presiding

over the meeting and there

was no mention of

McCall’s absence.”

Transferring sopho-

more and computer infor-

mation system major

Cornelius Warmack sur-

prised by the resignation.

“I’m shocked, because

I used to see him every time

I go into the SGA building

so what happened?”

Warmack said.

The Hornet Tribune is the official student newspaper of Alabama State

University and is printed once weekly on Fridays. The opinions of The Hornet

Tribune editorial board do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the university

and serve as expressions of fact and opinions of interest. Letters to the editor

may be submitted. Limit letters to 300 hundred words. They may be edited for

space and will be edited for grammar and spelling. Letters and columns

containing libelous and malicious statements will not be published. For

identification purpose, all letters must include the writer’s full name address

and telephone number. Once submitted, all letters and columns become the

property of The Hornet Tribune.

CORRECTIONSThe Hornet Tribune Staff sincerely apologizes to Carisma “Billy” Mitchell for the

errors that were made in last week’s edition.

The article in the Sports section, titled “Hornet too much for Alcorn State Braves” should have

been titled, “Hornets too much for Alcorn State Braves”. Credit for reporting and writing the

article was given to LaShaunda Glass. Instead, credit should have been given to

Carisma “Billy” Mitchell.

The article in the Sports section, titled “Hornets lose game opener” was not credited for the

reporting and writing. Credit for reporting and writing the article should have been given to

Carisma “Billy” Mitchell.

B1

Feb. 25, 2012

ORIZONSCONTACT US: Horizons Editor/ththorizons@gmail.com (334) 229-4273

HRIBUNETHE HORNETHE HORNET

BLocal NewsState News

National NewsInternational News

TALLAHASSEE (AP)

In the three months since

Florida A&M University

drum major Robert Cham-

pion Jr. died following an al-

leged hazing incident in Or-

lando, Florida, investigators

say they have interviewed 35

people. Still no charges have

been filed, and no arrests

have been made.

Champion, one of six

drum majors for FAMU’s

famed Marching 100 band,

died following his participa-

tion in a ritual on a bus called

“Crossing the C Bus.” Some

who were on the bus have

also indicated that Champion

may have been involved in

another ritual called “Hot

Seat.”

In response to a request

for information from

BlackAmericaWeb.com, a

spokeswoman for the Orange

County Sheriff Department

maintained that the case still

WHITE PLAINS, NEW

YORK (AP) The son of a re-

tired corrections officer and

Marine Corps veteran has

signaled his intention to sue

the White Plains (N.Y.) De-

partment of Public Safety, al-

leging two white police of-

ficers committed a hate

crime during an emergency

response call that resulted in

NEWARK (AP)

Through the prism of a

stately red brick Newark

church on Saturday, celeb-

rities stood with plain folk

as united spirits soared and

collective tears fell while

they – and the world – said

goodbye to Whitney Hous-

ton.

The highly anticipated

and thoroughly intimate fu-

neral started with the foot-

stomping harmonies of the

New Hope Baptist Church

and New Jersey mass

choirs and continued non-

stop with words and song

of praise and faith for

nearly four hours.

“We’re here today,

hearts broken,” said the

Rev. Joseph Carter, New

Hope Baptist pastor, as he

opened the service. “Yet with

God’s strength, we celebrate

the life of Whitney Houston

today.”

And the masses came to

celebrate it.

Fans sojourned to the

site, some from around the

corner, others from across the

country, while others still

traveled from other parts of

the globe to say farewell.

They, like the immense clus-

ter of media assigned to

cover the story, were kept

contained by a police-en-

forced perimeter. A pool

camera fed the footage from

inside.

Most watched from afar

Son to sue police after man killed in his home

Whitney Houston hasWhitney Houston hasWhitney Houston hasWhitney Houston hasWhitney Houston hasfour-hour homegoingfour-hour homegoingfour-hour homegoingfour-hour homegoingfour-hour homegoing

Probe into FAMU drum

major’s death continues

as attendees pulled up to

Houston’s childhood church

at 106 Sussex Avenue to pay

their final respects to the

woman that was family and

friend to many.

The luminaries were nu-

merous, from music royalty

such as Stevie Wonder and

mega-producer L.A. Reid to

TV mogul Oprah Winfrey to

Hollywood icon Kevin

Costner and politicians such

as New Jersey Gov. Chris

Christie and Newark Mayor

Cory Booker.

Mary J. Blige and

Mariah Carey also were

among the many spotted

leaving limos and slipping

into the church. Clive Davis,

former head of the now-de-

funct Arista Records and

Houston’s “industry fa-

ther,” also was there and

among the speakers.

But nestled firmly in

the 1,500-capacity service

were the men, women and

children who knew and

loved Houston since she

was “Nippy,” gospel legend

Cissy Houston’s baby girl.

Dionne Warwick and

Houston’s sister-in-law,

Pat, represented the family

during the day.

Not surprisingly, music

rose to the rafters through-

out the afternoon, from the

cream-and-white clad mass

choir to the teeming list of

HUNTSVILLE, Ala-

bama — Alabama A&M

University President Dr. An-

drew Hugine may soon get a

contract extension despite

efforts by students Friday to

undermine his standing at the

school.

The board of trustees at

Friday’s meeting announced

intentions to start negotia-

tions with Hugine after get-

ting a rating of “more than

satisfactory” from the trust-

ees’ presidential review com-

mittee.

Earlier in the meeting,

however, Student Govern-

ment Association President

Andrew Foster said he had a

petition from students ex-

pressing “no confidence” in

the A&M administration.

Foster spoke for more than

20 minutes about issues and

AAMU President Hugine may receive contract extension

concerns he had about the

school, touching off a ten-

sion-packed discussion that

lasted more than an hour.

Despite those issues,

however, the board of trust-

ees confirmed its confidence

in Hugine by initiating talks

to extend his contract that

doesn’t expire for more than

a year.

“The significance of

what that is, is to deliver the

message to our stakeholder

community that this board is

lockstep behind this admin-

istration,” said Odysseus

Lanier, president pro tem of

the board of trustees. “We

feel like this administration

can take us into the future.”

Alabama A&M has en-

dured a nearly year-long in-

quiry by its accrediting

agency, the Southern Asso-

ciation of Colleges and

Schools, under Hugine’s

watch as well as worsening

conditions for state funding.

Hugine was hired in June

2009 and his contract, worth

almost $400,000 annually,

expires in June 2013.

“I’m quite pleased,”

Hugine said. “I think in the

period we’ve been here, with

the team we’ve assembled,

we’ve done a tremendous

job. There have been chal-

lenges but we have success-

fully met those challenges.”

Hugine’s tenure at Ala-

bama A&M has the potential

to be among the longest in

recent school history. As-

suming additional years be-

yond the current four-year

contract, Hugine could be the

second-longest serving presi-

dent at A&M since 1984

when Richard Morrison

completed a 22-year term.

Since then, John Gibson

has the longest tenure —

serving from 1996-2005.

“We need to have stabil-

ity at this institution,” Lanier

said. “Stability sends a sig-

nificant message to the stake-

holders of the community

that we’re not going to be

flipping presidents like folks

flip houses. We’re not going

to do that.

“We’re recognizing what

he has done in some turbu-

lent times and now that this

turbulence is subsiding, giv-

ing him the opportunity to

is active and said detectives

are being thorough.

“Detectives are being as

thorough in their work as

they possibly can in order to

charge and successfully

reach a conviction for those

responsible for the death of

Mr. Champion,” Ginette

Rodriguez told

BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Investigators have been

interviewing people who

Delighted Obama raises

cash with NBA celebritiesWINDERMERE, Fla.

(AP) — Reveling in his

sporting element, President

Barack Obama waded into

the oversize embrace of

some of the biggest names in

professional basketball

Thursday, raising money

from current and former

NBA greats and an intimate

group of supporters drawn to

this weekend’s All-Star game

in nearby Orlando.

Obama indulged his

NBA habit at the home of

Dallas Mavericks guard

Vince Carter where about 70

guests gathered for a

$30,000-a-person fundraiser.

Among those invited were

former L.A. Lakers star

Earvin “Magic” Johnson,

former Miami Heat star

Alonzo Mourning and Chris

Paul of the Los Angeles Clip-

pers.

Mark Cuban, the Maver-

icks’ owner, and Obama em-

braced warmly as the presi-

dent entered.

The group gathered in

Carter’s gymnasium, with

the scoreboard showing 2012

on the clock and the score

tied at 44, Obama being the

44th president.

“It’s a nice gym,” Obama

observed, understatedly.

“Vince said he left the other

side open in case I wanted to

get in a dunk contest with

him. I told him I didn’t bring

my sneakers, so not tonight.”

Obama thanked NBA

his father’s death.

Kenneth Chamberlain

Sr., 68, was shot to death on

Nov. 19, after police re-

sponded to a medical alert at

Chamberlain’s home. Cham-

berlain, who had a heart con-

dition, apparently acciden-

tally pressed the device in his

sleep, authorities said.

Chamberlain, a 20-year

veteran of the Westchester

County Department of Cor-

rections, refused to let offic-

ers enter his apartment, ex-

plaining the call had been

triggered accidentally

His son told

BlackAmericaWeb.com that

LifeAid Medical Alert Ser-

vices, the company that is-

sues the medical device, con-

firmed to police that the call

was a mistake, but officers

insisted on being admitted

into the apartment.

The exchange was cap-

tured by an audio recording

on the medical device, as

well as a video camera on a

police taser gun used on

See RAISESRAISESRAISESRAISESRAISES on page B2B2B2B2B2

See WHITNEY WHITNEY WHITNEY WHITNEY WHITNEY on page B2B2B2B2B2

See DEATHDEATHDEATHDEATHDEATH on page B2B2B2B2B2

See RECEIVE RECEIVE RECEIVE RECEIVE RECEIVE on page B2B2B2B2B2

See KILLEDKILLEDKILLEDKILLEDKILLED on page B2B2B2B2B2

REPRINTED FROM THEREPRINTED FROM THEREPRINTED FROM THEREPRINTED FROM THEREPRINTED FROM THEHUNTSVILLE TIMESHUNTSVILLE TIMESHUNTSVILLE TIMESHUNTSVILLE TIMESHUNTSVILLE TIMES

SGA President Andrew Foster explains each of his complaints

to the AAMU Board of Trustees during the Feb. 24 meeting.

AAMU President Andrew Hugine listens carefully as SGA

President Andrew Foster explains the “no confidence” vote.

Robert Champion

Six men carry Whitney Houston’s gold-toned casket onto their shoulders as they carry her from the church, as her own

voice serenaded from the speakers, declaring “I Will Always Love You” during her Funeral on Feb. 25.

President Barack Obama was embraced by some of the biggest

names in professional basketball, raising money from current

and former NBA greats for his upcoming campaign.

Feb. 19-25, 2012PAGE B2 The Hornet Tribune HORIZONS

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Long-term unemployed

workers in states with per-

sisting high joblessness soon

would no longer be able to

count on unemployment ben-

efit checks for up to 99 weeks

under legislation before Con-

gress.

Under this week’s com-

promise for extending a So-

cial Security tax cut through

the rest of 2012, federal un-

employment benefits for

people who have been out of

work more than six months

are being scaled back.

If Congress passes the

bill and President Barack

Obama signs it into law, the

current maximum 99 weeks

of benefits will gradually fall

to 73 weeks by September.

For people in all but about a

dozen of the highest unem-

ployment states, the benefits

will be cut off after 63 weeks.

Democrats had hoped to

keep the number as close as

possible to 99 weeks, argu-

ing that the benefits are criti-

cal for those struggling to

make ends meet and provide

a boost to the economy. Re-

publicans wanted to reduce

the maximum time span for

benefits to 59 weeks, saying

too many people don’t seri-

ously look for a job until the

government checks quit

coming.

The agreement would let

both parties claim victory:

Democrats say they pre-

served the program for an-

other year, while Republi-

cans claim they won major

concessions by scaling back

the program.

About 43 percent of the

nation’s nearly 13 million

unemployed have been with-

out work for more than six

months, double the rate of

any other economic down-

turn since the Great Depres-

sion. If Congress had not

reached a deal to reauthorize

the program, about a million

people would have lost ben-

efits next month.

“It’s far from perfect, but

it seems to be a responsible

approach to the current prob-

lem of long-term unemploy-

ment,” said George

Wentworth, an attorney with

the National Employment

Law Project, a worker advo-

cacy group that supports

long-term benefits.

It was not immediately

clear how many people

might lose out on benefits

later this year under the new

plan. Currently, 22 states are

eligible for 93-plus weeks of

unemployment insurance;

just 18 get the full maximum

of 99 weeks. The average

unemployed worker receives

less than $300 a week in ben-

efits.

Wentworth said the

gradual decrease would help

cushion the blow for those

relying on the benefits.

The plan would extend

the current 99-week maxi-

mum through May for states

with the highest unemploy-

ment rates. Benefits would

drop to 79 weeks in June and

to 73 weeks in September.

Unless Congress extends the

federal benefits again, people

losing their jobs after July 1

will get only 26 weeks.

“This agreement is a step

in the right direction,” said

James Sherk, a policy analyst

at the conservative Heritage

Deal scales back maximum jobless benefitsFoundation. “However, two

years of benefits was exces-

sive when passed and a year-

and-a-half of benefits in an

improving labor market is

still excessive.”

The program was al-

ready winding down anyway.

Under the current formula,

the maximum coverage pe-

riod would have fallen to 79

weeks in October.

The job market has been

steadily improving and fewer

people are filing for the ben-

efits. On Thursday, the Labor

Department reported that the

number of people seeking

unemployment benefits last

week was the lowest it’s been

in four years.

The new law will allow

states to make benefit appli-

cants take drug tests if they

lost their job because they

failed a drug test or are ap-

plying for a job that requires

one. Republicans dropped an

effort to let states require all

applicants to take a drug test,

or require applicants without

a high school diplomas to

pursue a GED certificate.

were said to have been on the

bus prior to Champion’s

death or those with knowl-

edge of the incidents leading

to the death of the 26-year-

old music education major.

The case is taking longer

to wrap up because of the

different elements involved,

Rodriguez said, adding that

six detectives have worked

on the case so far.

“Each case is unique,

and this particular case in-

volves a lot of leg work and

research due to the amount

of people involved,”

Rodriguez said.

Once the investigation is

complete, detectives can ei-

ther arrest the person or

people determined to be re-

sponsible for the death or

turn the information over to

the State Attorney’s Office.

“More than likely, they will

turn it over to the state attor-

ney,” Rodriguez said.

Champion’s death re-

sulted in a formal reprimand

for FAMU President James

Ammons, the suspension of

the college’s longtime band

director, at least one lawsuit

and the threat of other legal

action.

The university’s Board

of Trustees recently ap-

pointed an anti-hazing task

force, and it has suspended

the activities of all extracur-

ricular campus organizations

this spring. That means there

will be no spring pledge lines

for Greek letter organiza-

tions, and membership intake

is also shut down for other

non-academic groups, uni-

versity officials have said.

National attention has

been focused on FAMU, and

some have used it as an ex-

ample of the culture of haz-

ing found on college cam-

puses across the country,

where students literally sac-

rifice their bodies to be ac-

cepted in cliques and clubs.

Champion had openly

resisted hazing and even en-

couraged others to do the

same, according to reports.

His family’s lawyer, Chris

Chestnut, has told

BlackAmericaWeb.com that

he is not certain why Cham-

pion was on the bus parked

outside of a hotel, following

the Florida Classic Football

game.

Chestnut has filed a law-

suit against the company that

owned the bus where the in-

cident involving Champion

took place.

“The bus company has

some liability here,”” Chest-

nut told

BlackAmericaWeb.com in

an earlier interview. “That

bus was on, and the air con-

ditioning was running at the

time. Someone had to know

what was going on.”

Chestnut said he has

used his own team of inves-

tigators to gather facts in the

case.

Ray Land, the owner of

Fabulous Coach Lines, said

his staff did everything to get

help once they were notified

there was a problem. Land

told the Associated Press in

December that the bus’ driver

was helping students unload

their instruments when

Champion collapsed.

Chestnut has also filed a

notice of a planned lawsuit

against FAMU. In Florida, a

notice of a pending lawsuit

must be filed six months in

advance of filing a suit

against a public entity, he

said.

The lawyer has said the

family will proceed with le-

gal action against the univer-

sity.

DeathDeathDeathDeathDeath: : : : : “More than likely, they will turn it over to the state attorney ...”

KilledKilledKilledKilledKilled: : : : : “They were responding toa medical emergency. My ...”

Chamberlain.

Kenneth Chamberlain

Jr. said that based on the

audio and videotapes he has

heard and seen, police were

overly aggressive when they

could have simply left the

scene once it was confirmed

the call for assistance was in

error.

“They were responding

to a medical emergency. My

father didn’t commit a

crime,” the younger Cham-

berlain said.

The officers, however,

“chose to taunt him,

knocked the door down.

They gave him no direc-

tions, no orders, and you see

them shoot him with the

taser, and you hear one of

them say, ‘Hit it again; hit it

again,’ then something like

‘Turn it off.’”

Chamberlain said police

were verbally abusive,

cussing at his father and us-

ing a racial epithet while de-

manding access.

The police department

initially said that at one

stage of the confrontation,

the elder Chamberlain stuck

a knife through a crack in

the door at the officers, and

that once police broke down

the door to get into the apart-

ment, they shot the man in

self-defense.

“At one point, you do

see something coming out

of a crack in the door, but

you cannot determine what

it is, but the door was closed

at the time, then it was

cracked,” Kenneth Cham-

berlain Jr. said, describing

the sequence of events on

the video.

The police department

has released no further

statements in the case.

“I was just lucky to

have a third party, which

was LifeAid, which (po-

lice) didn’t know was re-

cording,” Chamberlain

said.

Last week, attorneys

for Chamberlain filed a no-

tice of claim declaring his

intention to sue the depart-

ment for the wrongful death

of his father. The city has

30 days to respond to the

notice and attempt to settle

the matter. If no agreement

is reached within 30 days,

a lawsuit may then be filed.

Further, details of the

case go to a grand jury next

month and could return

with criminal indictments

against the police officers.

Chamberlain said that

in the meantime, a rally and

news conference is sched-

uled for Saturday, March 10

regarding the case.

“I’m sure it’s not going

to move as fast because it’s

a police officer, and they are

going to dot all their Is and

cross all my Ts,” Chamber-

lain said. “I don’t take any-

thing for granted.”

loved ones who lined up to

share final thoughts about the

woman whose voice was

considered one of the most

definitive of her generation,

perhaps of the last century.

They pointed out the ap-

propriateness of the venue,

hailing Houston’s roots and

unwavering commitment to

her faith, amid her highest

highs and lowest lows.

“Nothing separated her

from the love of God,” film-

maker Tyler Perry insisted.

“No matter how far she went

in the stratosphere, nothing

separated her. It was that

same grace that carried her

home. So, say whatever you

want. God was for her, and

she is resting, singing with

the angels.”

Gospel greats Donnie

McClurkin and Kim Burrell

made sure no eyes were dry

as they sang.

For all who approached

the microphone, grief was a

familiar cloak, but then so

too were moments of levity

that came from reflections on

the influence Houston had on

their lives.

“In my little fantasy

world, I had a little crush on

Whitney, okay?” Stevie

Wonder said, eliciting laugh-

ter.

Then he grew more seri-

ous.

“I give praise to God for

allowing me to be living life

at the same time as Whitney,”

said Wonder. “I just had so

much respect for her love of

music.”

So much so that he recast

the lyrics of his “Ribbon in

the Sky” and created a bio-

graphical tribute within the

same melody.

“What God gives is

never a coincidence, and

much more than some hap-

penstance,” Wonder sang.

“No more, Whitney, do you

have to cry. You will always

be a ribbon in the sky. That

angel in God’s choir of love.”

And when he broke into

“Love’s in Need of Love To-

day,” people born well before

and well after the 1976 clas-

sic joined the choir as an ex-

tended back-up section.

His wasn’t the only ref-

erence to Houston as an an-

gel. Dabbing away tears as

she sat at the piano, Alicia

Keys spoke about Houston

freely giving to younger art-

ists such as herself, Brandy,

Monica and Jordin Sparks,

among the many who looked

to her as a mentor and an in-

spiration.

“She made us feel strong

and capable and loved,”

Keys said. “She’s an angel to

us. She’s been an angel to us.

And she has just been a beau-

tiful human being.”

R. Kelly wobbled as he

approached the pulpit, and

under the alternately watch-

ful and encouraging eyes of

Bishop T.D. Jakes and Rev.

Marvin Winans, he warbled

a rendition of “I Look to

You,” the 2009 song he wrote

and one of Houston’s last

charted hits.

Several members of the

Winans family took alternate

turns at the mic. They re-

membered Houston’s will-

ingness to help their careers,

financially and musically.

She even took a background

singer’s slot for them, even

as a superstar with awards

amassed, millions of albums

sold and hits charted.

From a teary BeBe

Winans who relied on his sis-

ter, CeCe, to keep him steady

to Carvin Winans lending his

falsetto to “Tomorrow,” they

stood in solidarity with their

longtime family friends, the

Houstons.

Marvin Winans, who of-

ficiated Houston’s marriage,

had the title of eulogist. But

he preached a sermon more

than he offered a eulogy, as

his references to Houston

were few, but his call to those

watching to prioritize their

relationship with God was

prominent.

Indeed, the funeral re-

flected the deep, Christian

messaging of the black

church and was broadcast

unfiltered on several cable

networks, commercial-free -

including Fox News Chan-

nel.

By shunning earlier

plans to honor her daughter

at the Prudential Center and

instead bringing the service

to New Hope Baptist, Marvin

Winans told Cissy Houston,

“You brought the world to

church today.”

Aretha Franklin,

Houston’s godmother, did

not appear as originally ex-

pected, citing illness.

Houston’s ex-husband, R&B

singer Bobby Brown, whom

many fans blamed for her

downfall, left the service

moments after it started.

Rumors flew instanta-

neously, but Brown released

a statement saying that he

and his children had been

asked to move three times by

security. Then, he also al-

leged, while inside, he was

prevented from approaching

Bobbi Kristina, the lone child

from his marriage to Hous-

ton. She sat in the front pews

with her grandmother and

other members of the Hous-

ton clan.

Rather than raise a

ruckus, he rolled.

“I doubt Whitney would

have wanted this to occur,”

Brown said in his statement.

“I will continue to pay my

respects to my ex-wife the

best way I know how.”

“It’s the unexplainable

burden that comes with

fame,” Kevin Costner, co-

star in “The Bodyguard”

said. “Call it doubt. Call it

fear. I’ve had mine. I know

the famous in the room have

had theirs.”

“Now there is a lady in

heaven making God himself

wonder how He created

something so perfect,” he

said, beginning to choke up.

“So off you go, Whitney. Off

you go. Escorted by an army

of angels to your heavenly

father. And when you sing

before Him, don’t worry.

You’ll be good enough.”

Good enough to have

strong men hoist her gold-

toned casket onto their shoul-

ders and carry her from the

church, as her own voice ser-

enaded from the speakers,

declaring “I Will Always

Love You.”

WhitneyWhitneyWhitneyWhitneyWhitney: : : : : “In my little fantasy world, I had a little crush on Whitney, ...”

demonstrate to the stake-

holders of this community

where he can take this uni-

versity and bring it back to

where it needs to be.”

The momentous day

for Hugine, however, en-

dured harsh comments

from the SGA president

who called on Hugine to

cut the pay of his cabinet

members while subjecting

them to background checks

and do immediate renova-

tions to campus dorms.

“We can talk about all

the problems all day,” said

Foster, a non-voting mem-

ber of the trustees by vir-

tue of being SGA president.

“Students want change.

Students want results.”

Hugine responded to

issues raised by Foster

point by point, providing

explanation on some topics

such as paying moving ex-

penses of some cabinet

members as well as defend-

ing steps taken on campus

to combat the highest crime

rate on any state college

campus.

Hugine also said that

graduating seniors voted

91-79 on Thursday in favor

of moving graduation cer-

emonies from Louis Crews

Stadium to two ceremonies

in Elmore Gym in response

to another complaint raised

by Foster.

Trustees also chided

Foster not for raising the

issues, but for taking them

to the full board without

first discussing them with

Hugine. Foster said he had

not talked with Hugine

about these issues.

Foster also did not

show for the board’s com-

mittee meetings two weeks

ago when he was on the

agenda to address the stu-

dent affairs committee.

“There are protocols to

go through before you go

nuclear,” Lanier told Fos-

ter.

ReceiveReceiveReceiveReceiveReceive: : : : : “There are protcols to gothrough before you go nuclear ...”

Commissioner David Stern,

also in attendance, for re-

solving the basketball lock-

out that delayed the start of

the basketball season.

“I don’t know what I

would be doing with myself

if I at least didn’t have some

basketball games around,”

Obama said.

The fundraiser capped

a day hauling in campaign

cash, taunting Republicans

and pushing his energy

policy in the face of rising

gasoline prices.

Obama, appearing in a

state he carried in 2008 and

one he may need to win

again to hold the White

House, cast Republicans as

protectors of the wealthy,

telling supporters at a

fundraiser that the GOP

hopefuls seeking his job

would leave everyone else

to fend for themselves. His

comments came after he

had assailed Republicans

earlier in the day for offer-

ing what he described as

flawed and dishonest plans

to lower gasoline prices.

“I’m here to tell them

they are wrong about

America,” Obama said.

“Because in America we

understand — yes, we’re

rugged individuals. Yes, we

don’t expect a handout. But

we also understand we are

greater together than we are

on our own.”

The president head-

lined three campaign

fundraisers in Florida, a tra-

ditional political battle-

ground that could be key to

his re-election hopes.

Last week, Obama took

a three-day West Coast trip

and raised about $8 million

in eight campaign events.

Before his fundraising

blitz, Obama spoke to a

campaign-like crowd at the

University of Miami to de-

fend his energy policy in

the midst of spiking gaso-

line prices.

RaisesRaisesRaisesRaisesRaises: : : : : “I don’t know what I wouldbe doing with myself if I at least ...”

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RIBUNET

Feb. 25, 2012

IEWPOINTSCONTACT US: Viewpoints Editor/viewpoints@gmail.com (334) 229-4273

HE HORNETHE HORNET

VColumnsEditorials

Editorial CartoonsHornet Expressions

H O R N E T E X P R E S S I O N SH O R N E T E X P R E S S I O N SH O R N E T E X P R E S S I O N SH O R N E T E X P R E S S I O N SH O R N E T E X P R E S S I O N SShould the administration allow students to have

in-room visitation in 2012?

Noni Gogins

First Year

Biology

Demario Davidson

First Year

Comp. Info. Systems

Amy R. Ashley

Sophomore

Music

Jasmine Crenshaw

First Year

Accounting

Chelsea Drake

First Year

Rehab. Services

“Yes. When people en-

ter college they leave their

households and enter the

world of adulthood ... In that

case, they should be treated

as such with no limitations

such as those of ASU’s visi-

tation policy. Students who

attend college are old enough

to handle responsibilities and

be held accountable for their

own actions.”

“Yes, only if they have a

definite plan of monitoring

all of this traffic and activity

that would take place. If a

working system is put in

place, then it should be al-

lowed to the entire campus.

However, if the plan fails,

then in-room visitation

should be discontinued until

a fool-proof plan is devel-

oped.”

“I do not feel that in-

room visitation is a luxury

that should be in the forefront

of everyone’s minds. There

are more important things to

debate.”

“No. Students should

not have in-room visitation.

Whatever you can do in the

room, you should be able to

do in the lobby. Certain stu-

dents may not be mature

enough to handle the in-room

visitation.”

“As college students and

young adults, in-room visi-

tation shouldn’t be a prob-

lem. That’s why people

sneak around when it comes

to visitation. If we were

given the opportunity, we

would prove ‘them’ wrong.

There is nothing wrong with

being in the same bedroom

as the opposite sex.”

Jalesa King

First Year

Accounting

“Yes, because the new

facilities are the only ones

receiving this opportunity

and privilege at this time.

The entire campus should be

given this opportunity. If it

doesn’t work out then the

administration can say it’s

not going to work and cut in-

room visitation out.”

Driving through the streets of

Detroit one hot summer evening in

1973, I was abruptly pulled over by

two white police officers – one with

his hand on his pistol - who ordered

me out of my mother’s brand-new

Monte Carlo and forced me to stand

silently on the sidewalk.

Years earlier, my father had

warned me about a special Detroit

police unit called STRESS, for

Stop the Robberies and Enjoy Safe

Streets, an all-white division of

heavy-handed cops that patrolled

the pavements of Detroit looking

for black men to harass and, in

some cases, kill.

If I was ever pulled over by

police, my father said firmly, never

reach into the glove compartment

for my car insurance card unless I

told the officer what I was doing.

He feared I could be shot by ra-

cially-insensitive cops who thought

I may be reaching for a gun.

So there I was, standing ner-

vously on the curb, while nosey

neighbors peered through their

blinds watching as I was being

frisked and interrogated.

I could barely hear the dis-

patcher on the police radio describ-

ing the assailant who had just

robbed a liquor store. The police

officers who were harassing me

quickly determined that I was not

the black suspect they were look-

ing for, and, with no apology or

explanation, they sped off and dis-

appeared into the night.

I thought back to that unsettling

moment 39 years ago after reading

a report this week by the Center for

Constitutional Rights summarizing

stop-and-frisk statistics for 2011 by

the New York City Police Depart-

ment.

The troubling numbers reflect

the highest yearly total stops to date

– 684,330 – with no meaningful

change in huge racial disparities.

This total is 14 percent higher than

the number of stops in 2010, and it

represents a more than 600 percent

increase since 2002, the year the

NYPD began keeping stop-and-

frisk figures.

Consider this: Eighty-seven

percent of those stopped in 2011

were African-American or Latino,

and nine out of 10 persons stopped

were not arrested, nor did they even

receive tickets or citations.

According to the Center for

Constitutional Rights, the data sup-

ports eight years of previous sta-

tistics that showed that “race is the

main factor determining NYPD

stops.”

Most stops occur in black and

Latino neighborhoods and, in all

neighborhoods, blacks and Hispan-

ics are significantly more likely to

be stopped than whites, officials

with Center for Constitutional

Rights said.

“Even when there are honest

misunderstandings, the fact that

blacks and Hispanics are picked up

more frequently, and often-time for

no cause, casts suspicion even

when there is good cause,” Presi-

dent Barack Obama said in a 2009

speech. “That’s why I think the

more that we’re working with lo-

cal law enforcement to improve

policing techniques so that we’re

eliminating potential bias, the safer

everybody’s going to be.”

Obama seems genuinely con-

cerned, but the fact remains that

racial profiling is a prevalent – and

disturbing - part of our society, and

frankly, the attitudes of racially-in-

sensitive law enforcement officers

will never be changed through

speeches, even if the speech comes

from the president.

Civil rights activists say that for

many children of color in New

York City, being stopped by the

police on their way home from

school has become a normal

afterschool activity, an unfortunate,

modern-day rite of passage.

In 1973, Detroit’s STRESS

unit was investigated, called

shameful and disbanded by then-

Mayor Coleman Young, but not

before STRESS was associated

with the senseless deaths of black

civilians. STRESS had been con-

nected to the deaths of eight black

people in its first four months of

Will racial harassment by police ever end?by Michael Cottmanby Michael Cottmanby Michael Cottmanby Michael Cottmanby Michael Cottman

GUEST COLUMNISTthehornettribune2012@gmail.com

Now is the time for good leaders to stand up

If you are a great advocate

for change, possess leadership

abilities, understand the true

meaning of leadership and can

serve as a positive mentor for the

student body, then stand up and

take your position as a candidate

for the Student Government As-

sociation and Miss Alabama State

University.

The time to make a decision

that will dictate the quality of stu-

dent life at Alabama State Univer-

sity for the next year has come,

and we have got to make a stand

for change.

The elections are around the

corner, and it is time for students

to use their power to choose lead-

ers who will represent them with

21st century leadership both in-

side and outside Alabama State

University.

For years, students have been

complaining about different situ-

ations to their friends, to the staff

or faculty, but rarely to the admin-

istration.

I emphasize this point be-

cause, as a student, I know that

we sometimes allow biased views

to influence our decision-making.

Over the past few years, stu-

dents made critical decisions

about their future based upon popu-

larity and affiliation instead of char-

acter, past work record, and lead-

ership qualities.

In 2012, we cannot continue to

make the disastrous decision of

voting for our friends or line broth-

ers and sisters just because we think

they are cool or like hanging out

with them.

Our choices should not be mea-

sured by the most likeable charac-

teristics or the person in the best

clothing; it is about electing the per-

son who will work the hardest to

ensure that students are placed first

on the pedestal of priority at ASU.

It is time to look at each candi-

date thoroughly and examine what

skill sets they actually bring to the

position in terms of character, in-

telligence, leadership and most

important, vision.

Though you may have partied

with them or relied on them during

tough times, ask yourself some

valuable questions. Are they really

suited to lead students, manage

funds or make decisions regarding

the quality of student life on and

off the campus?

Every position that is about to

be filled requires time, sacrifice, in-

telligence and dedication to the stu-

dents.

These are very important char-

acteristics to keep in mind because

for the past three years, there have

been some officials elected who

made numerous promises to the

student body and they failed to

keep them.

Many of these individuals be-

came so involved with joining fra-

ternities and other organizations on

campus, that they forgot that they

SWORE to the student body that

they would uphold their elected

offices and fulfill their obligations

as stated in the constitution.

There is nothing wrong with an

elected officer becoming a mem-

ber of a fraternity, sorority or a pro-

fessional organization. But when

a benefit package of tuition, room,

board and a 20-Hour contract are

paid to elected officials to perform

the duties of that office (to the tune

of $28,000 a year at ASU), that

person’s first duty should be to the

office that he is holding and ensure

that all of his responsibilities have

been handled.

That has not been the case on

this campus for years. And I am

sure that everyone reading this col-

umn will agree. We have paid the

benefit package and received very

little in return.

To keep this from ever reoccur-

ring again, it is necessary that we

elect the individuals who will go

“above and beyond” to get their job

done.

There will be some individu-

als running this year who have

served in other administrations.

There are some questions that

should be asked by the students be-

fore taking the final vote.

Where were these people when

tuition was increased during the

2010-11 year? Where were these

people when the student fees in-

creased by $430 in one semester?

Where were these people when the

elevators stopped for months in

McGehee Hall, Bessie Estell Hall

and Dunn Tower?

Will these individuals truly be

able to say that they left a legacy

this year that new leaders will be

able to build upon in the future?

People who can only truthfully

tell you that they fulfilled their con-

stitutional duties and that is all they

have accomplished are not the ones

we need to place in office. We need

proactive people who will not only

complete their constitutional du-

ties, but who will also transcend

SGA as well, because we live in a

time of change.

Understand that once a year,

students are given the power and

responsibility to make a difference

through the election process. We

should be so comfortable with these

people representing us that we

would have no reason to question

whether or not we could have done

it better ourselves.

Even if you are a student who

normally does not care about what

or how things happen in the SGA

or Miss ASU, take the time to in-

vest something, this year, into

this university that serves for

your benefit as well as students

who are coming in the future.

These student institutions

were created to open new doors

and allow for an enormous room

for growth; so use them wisely.

I am a strong advocate for

having real leaders in SGA, be-

cause like my peers, I want to see

my university prosper into being

more student-oriented.

I have written editorials and

articles with the intentions of af-

fecting change for our students.

I wanted to show how powerful

the pen can be than the mouth;

because as people, we speak

things into action every day, but

without the reinforcement of fact

from text, what we speak be-

comes rumor or a theory.

No more second guessing.

Vote for the people who will IM-

PROVE THE QUALITY OF

STUDENT LIFE.

Students who are leaders,

step up and take a plunge in the

name of order and contentment

within the student body. If you

have decided not to run and there

are no good candidates to choose

from. What’s next?

More of the same. NOTH-

ING.

by Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana Edwardsby Kieyana EdwardsEXECUTIVE EDITOR

kiedewards2012@gmail.com

See POLICEPOLICEPOLICEPOLICEPOLICE on page C2C2C2C2C2

Feb. 19-25, 2012PAGE C2 The Hornet Tribune VIEWPOINTS

HE HORNET

RIBUNETHE HORNET

Alabama State University915 South Jackson Street

Montgomery, Alabama 36104PHONE: (334) 229-4273 FAX: (334) 229-4165

www.thehornettribune.com

2011-12 EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Executive Editor Kieyana Edwards

Editorial Managing Editor Sharanna Polk

Visual Media Managing Editor Christopher Logan

Social Media Managing Editor Rose Todd

Graphic and Design Managing Editor Willie Todd

Digital Media Managing Editor Vacant

Chief Business and Finance Manager Justin Johnson

Public Affairs Manager Shericka Wilson

General Manager Kenneth Dean, MS

Executive Editor Kieyana Edwards

Editorial Managing Editor Sharanna Polk

Sports Editor Abraham Chopin

Staff Correspondent Malcolm T. Banks

Staff Correspondent LaShaunda Glass

Staff Correspondent Natasha Harris

Staff Correspondent Kiana Hodo

Staff Correspondent Desire K. Kafunda

Staff Correspondent Carisma Mitchell

Staff Correspondent Chania Mitchell

Staff Correspondent Alan Pettway

Staff Correspondent Brianna Roberts

Staff Correspondent David Stephens

Staff Correspondent Jasmine Wells

University Beat Manager Joseph Batiste

Writing Coach Gita Smith, MA

Faculty Adviser L. Simone Byrd, PhD

“think, think, think”

“Sometimes the truth hurts”

SHARANNA POLK

2011-12 EDITORIAL BOARD

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, orprohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to

petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Lasting friendship is a two-way street

2011-12 ADVERTISING, CIRCULATIONSAND MARKETING STAFF

Circulations Manager Kenecia Streeter

Circulations Assistant Raven Wilkerson

Clerk Typist Deja Barlow

Telemarketer Tantina Dawson

MISSION STATEMENTServing Alabama State University students, faculty and staff through

clear, truthful and fair reporting is the duty of The Hornet Tribune staff. We

understand that words are powerful: They can help people but also destroy

lives. Thereby, we will be careful and responsible when using our First

Amendment freedom.

Being one of the best college newspapers in Alabama, The Hornet Tri-

bune aims to keep excelling in informing the Alabama State University

community. Through our reporting, we shall ensure that the public’s busi-

ness is conducted in public. We shall also give our readers the tools to make

judgments on current issues.

We will report and comment on any issue of legitimate public interest

such as controversies and scandals. These, however, will not be the only

news. We shall also cover improvements and achievements. Our stories

shall picture our university fully, fairly and accurately. They shall also re-

flect the diversity of our campus community.

Because pictures are just as essential to our newspaper as the written

material, they shall be treated as such. They shall help us tell a story (or

even tell the story). Like our reporting, they shall be true, fair and accurate.

Because The Hornet Tribune is a weekly paper, we may not have the

chance to break a story in print even though we will try to provide a fresh

angle to tell that story. Our Web site, however, will be the channel to present

breaking news as it happens. We aim to be the first to tell our readers about

issues that affect them while still being truthful, fair and accurate. The same

ethical conduct valid for our print version shall be applied for our Web site.

We shall be fearless when writing editorials, especially when exposing

and criticizing wrongdoings. Editorials shall serve to not only criticize

wrongdoings but also endorse candidates and praise achievements. They

shall always be based on true and accurate information.

The personal agenda or bias of our staff members shall never dictate

our news reports or editorial decisions. Even though advertising is vital for

us, it shall never influence our news. We will give our advertisers special

attention and treat them kindly. We understand that people do business with

people, not with other businesses. We shall always remember, however,

that we will never sell our independence or our integrity.

Being a student-managed publication, The Hornet Tribune gives an

opportunity for students regardless of their major to learn and apply jour-

nalism skills. We also honor our readers’ First Amendment rights by pub-

lishing their opinion even if they want to criticize us. To keep improving

and excelling, we need to humbly accept criticism.

The Hornet Tribune is the official student newspaper of Alabama

State University and is printed once weekly on Fridays. The

opinions of The Hornet Tribune editorial board do not necessarily

reflect the opinions of the university and serve as expressions of

fact and opinions of interest. Letters to the editor may be

submitted. Limit letters to 300 hundred words. They may be

edited for space and will be edited for grammar and spelling.

Letters and columns containing libelous and malicious

statements will not be published. For identification purpose, all

letters must include the writer’s full name address and telephone

number. Once submitted, all letters and columns become the

property of The Hornet Tribune.

LETTER POLICYLETTER POLICYLETTER POLICYLETTER POLICYLETTER POLICY

KIEYANA EDWARDS

Sometimes we are sent angels,

and we do not even know it. At

times, there is somebody watching

us without our knowledge. We are

oblivious to their goodness. They

are gifts, and we need to appreci-

ate them.

If somebody does something

for you, do not let it go unnoticed.

Thank them, not only in words, but

by returning the favor.

When people bend their backs

for you, and go out of their way, do

not be unappreciative. The fastest

way to lose a good friend is to be

unappreciatoive, while being too

needy, without ever having any-

thing to offer.

Know who your friends are,

and what love really is. When you

make the differentiation, do not put

off those who are really there for

you, for the people who will leave

you hanging.

If someone continues to back

stab you, and put everything before

you, there is a problem. If you tell

them about it, and things don’t

change, then the problem is one that

should be deleted. You cannot keep

people around you who are not ben-

efiting you. If you find yourself al-

ways being unhappy, used, and

unstable with certain people, they

are acquaintances who should not

be given the title of “friend.”

The term used by rapper Two

Chains puts it simply when he says,

“Sometimes you have to cut off

your fingers to save your hand.”

Bad apples spoil bunches.

Do not believe everything

people say. If actions do not coin-

cide with words, it is time to de-

cide what you are willing to accept.

Someone saying they will do some-

thing, and then not doing it, and

then having the chance to do it

again, is the fault of the person al-

lowing it. You can’t blame that per-

son for taking the opportunity that

you gave twice. You are the reason

you’re being taken advantage of.

The golden rule is still golden.

Treat others how you want to be

treated. Do not ignore someone’s

call and expect them to answer for

you. Do not ask for things that you

are not willing to give, and if some-

body loans you something, have the

decency to return it in a timely fash-

ion.

Do not allow yourself to be

mistreated, and do not settle for less

than you know you deserve. If

somebody tries to put you down,

realize that they are not good for

you. Being called out of your name

is not acceptable, because your par-

ents did not name you anything but

the name on your birth certificate.

If you find yourself more un-

happy than happy, it is time to

change your situation. I am not say-

ing let everyone go, because some

people don’t realize what they are

doing, until you bring it to their at-

tention. I am also not saying give

repeated chances for repeated mis-

takes. Find your line, and be un-

willing to cross it. Find out what

you really want from the people

who claim to love you, and be

strong enough to let them go if they

can’t give it to you.

It is not a matter of being self-

ish or uncompromising, but one of

knowing what you want, how to get

it, and being unwilling to set your

happiness aside for someone else’s

bliss. At the end of the day you are

all you have.

People will leave you, some-

time on their own accord, some-

times because of unforeseen cir-

cumstances. It is not true that you

“need” people. You need love and

you need happiness, but nobody

gives you that. You find it for your-

self, and you share it with the per-

son who deserves it.

Pay attention to those people.

Do not manipulate them or take

their kindness for weakness. They

just may be your angel, and you

don’t even know it. My grand-

mother gave me a visor clip that

reads: Don’t drive faster than your

angel can fly. I take this and think

that maybe the driving isn’t always

behind the wheel. Maybe if I slow

down, it’ll allow my angel to take

better care of me. Maybe I am

wrong, but I know that I have let

good friends slip out of my grasp,

because I did not appreciate them.

I have also had people lose me be-

cause they were not good or true to

me.

Friendship is a two way street,

and with any two way street, traf-

fic on one side can cause a jam.

Life after college is often re-

lated to the choices and actions

taken while in college.

College is a place where we not

only decide to grow within our fo-

cused disciplines, but we also have

to grow as people. We have to take

that journey to understand what

makes us an individual and how

that realization affects our dreams

or aspirations.

The word “network” is con-

stantly thrown around in college

but I’m not sure if everyone knows

what that means. It goes beyond

connecting with people who are

already in your chosen profession.

It also extends to creating healthy,

lifelong relationships with your

peers that you may need in the fu-

ture.

I stress the meaning of network

because students often have prob-

lems with straying from the norm

and getting out of strict grouping.

It is very apparent because you tend

to see the same groups of people

gathering to meet their same peers

at lunch, on the yard, and off cam-

pus. There is nothing wrong with

doing this, but if you constantly

abide by this idea every day, then

you are limiting your networking

arena.

We can get so caught up in our

lives and habits that we forget that

ANYBODY can be successful.

From the guy you walked by every

day and did not speak to, to the

people you alienated because you

did not like their affiliation.

Success could be a guaranteed

achievement in their future and you

should never rule that out.

Because someone is a part of a

different group or organization

does not mean that they are all bad.

That person could still have the

motivation and drive to get out and

make a difference. At the end of the

day, that is a major part of what a

college student is really about. It’s

about building relationships that

are strong enough to withstand dis-

agreements and differences be-

cause we understand that it’s fine

to agree to disagree.

It is a prominent case on our

campus to get so wound up and

dedicated to an organization or

cause that we allow ourselves to

take it more personal than profes-

sional.

Instead of allowing whatever

discontent that has arisen from the

job to stay in the work place, we

carry it around and develop distaste

for people. That’s not how the

“world of work” operates, and we

should set ourselves to that same

standard because it is a definite

advantage. To master being able to

work in a tough environment that

is filled with controversy while

maintaining a good attitude is a feat

that will get you prepared for any

job. It is unnecessary to carry

around the extra burden of emo-

tional baggage from work.

There are going to be times

when people spread rumors and

share stories about someone you

have to meet and greet. When this

happens, it is good to treat them as

if you have not heard anything and

get to know that individual for

yourself because a rumor is called

a rumor for a reason.

Whether it is true or not, you

would not like it if someone were

to make you feel uncomfortable

about something they heard when

they know nothing about you. Act-

ing on preconceived notions can

close other prosperous opportuni-

ties. In addition, you never know

if someone has learned from a mis-

take and is trying to move forward.

I may hold the executive edi-

tor position of The Hornet Tribune

at this moment, but I know that this

is not my whole life. I understand

that this is a part of a huge step-

ping stone I am taking to better

myself. I am already planning to

take the GRE exam, looking at

other colleges and jobs because I

know that there is a life after col-

lege and I want to be ready for it.

Yes I do love the friends and skills

that I have attained while filling my

duties as editor, but because I un-

derstand that this is a temporary

state that I will not remain in, I

have to do what is necessary to

reach my dreams and make a dif-

ference. I have friends all around

in Student Orientation Services,

Student Government Association,

Phi Beta Lambda, and International

Student Association. I know these

people because despite things they

have heard or thought, they have

kept me as a contact for the person

I am.

We all have come here for simi-

lar reasons, so enjoy meeting

people with the like-minded goals

that are attempting to do something

important with their life. Feed off

of their motivation to stay focused

on school and support them in their

endeavors.

Remember that all those times

you may have unprofessionally

“snapped” on someone or alienated

someone from a group of people

because of differences could mean

a life after college with more time

and fewer open opportunities. One

man can make great change but a

group stands stronger and is more

efficient. So, don’t cut yourself

short by taking it too personal, keep

your range of success wide through

the shoulders of people that are

willing to keep you steady.

Instead of personal, let’s be professional

operation and 18 people in its first

14 months.

Black kids in my neighborhood

called STRESS the Big Four be-

cause four white cops would rou-

tinely ride in patrol cars destined

to harass young black men like my-

self and perfecting the art of racial

profiling.

Last month, while I was back

in Detroit for a funeral, I drove the

streets where I once walked home

from school in the 1970s. Often

times, the Big Four would pull up

next to us, roll down their windows

and someone would shout this rhe-

torical question: “Where you boys

going?”

“Just walking home,” we’d say,

without making eye contact with

the bullies wearing badges.

I was angry then, and I’m still

infuriated about racial profiling to-

day. But now I’m left wondering if

this constant practice of bigotry by

police will ever end.

Continued from page C1

Police: Police: Police: Police: Police: “Just walking home,” we say...”

D D1

Feb. 25, 2012

PORTSSCONTACT US: Sports Editor/sports@gmail.com (334) 229-4273

Men’s BasketballWomen’s Basketball

TrackBaseball

RIBUNETHE HORNETHE HORNET

Jaguars beat Hornets in Acadome

Hornet defense tames SU Lady JaguarsHornet defense tames SU Lady JaguarsHornet defense tames SU Lady JaguarsHornet defense tames SU Lady JaguarsHornet defense tames SU Lady Jaguars

Photo by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managing Editor

Hornet guard Erica Henderson and a Jaguar defender go up for a rebound. Coached by Freda Freeman-Jackson, the Hornets

defeated the Southern University Jaguars easily in front of hundreds of Hornet fans in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

MONTGOMERY, Ala.,

The Alabama State Univer-

sity Hornet womens basket-

ball team made it look easy

when they routed the South-

ern University Lady Jaguars

at home on Feb. 20.

Hornet guard Danielle

Gazaway, who had 13 points,

started the game off with a

three-pointer. Hornet for-

ward Quentori Alford (8 re-

bounds) picked up where

Gazaway stopped the last

game, as she spun to the bas-

ket and scored on a lay-in to

make the score 5-0 with

17:46 left.

Hornet center Millicent

Jones (10 points) scored an

easy basket off an inbound

pass, but Jaguar forward

Jamie Floyd (13 points) an-

swered back with a tough

shot in the lane to put her

team on the board, 9-2 with

16:15 left. Jones went to the

basket again to score but,

Floyd again answered to

make the score 13-4 with

13:47 left.

Hornet guard Jasmine

Quinn added to the Hornet

lead when she hit two free-

throws to make the score 17-

4 and give the Hornets a

comfortable lead with 12:22

left. Hornet forward Ashley

Jones stole the ball and raced

down the court. She hit the

lay-up and hit the extra free-

throw attempt after being

fouled. However Jaguar cen-

ter Laneisha Stephens scored

on the way back down to

make the score 20-6 with

10:46 left.

With 8:21 minutes left,

Jaguar forward Lechell Rush

hit two free-throws then Jag-

uar guard Essence Hopkins

drove through the lane and

hit a lay-in to make the score

20-10. Hopkins stole the ball

and crossed her way to an

easy lay-in to make the score

21-13 with 5:04 left.

Hopkins split a pair of

free-throws and then a turn-

over from Hornet guard

Kierra Paige allowed for an

easy lay-in for Floyd. How-

ever, Hornet guard Erica

Henderson hit two free-

throws to end the half with

the Hornets up 11 points, 27-

16.

The second half started

with two free throws by

Gazaway to make the score

29-16 with 18:32 left in the

game. Rush hit a lay-in to

make the score 33-18 with

16:14 left.

Gazaway raced to the

rim and scored to make it 35-

18.

Hornet forward RoTasha

Windom scored a lay-up but

then fouled Jaguar guard

Kendra Coleman who hit

both free-throws to make the

score 44-26 with 8:53 left.

Jaguar forward Jessica Tho-

mas hit a three-pointer but

Gazaway answered back on

the other end with a lay-up

to make the score 46-31 with

6:25 left.

Jaguar guard Adrian

Sanders hit a three-pointer to

cut the lead to 14 with 4:52

left, 48-34. Floyd hit a three-

pointer to make the score 48-

36 with 1:46. Windom hit a

shot in the lane and Sanders

took and made a three-

pointer from the top of the

key but it wouldn’t be

enough to make a comeback.

“We held them to 16

points in the first half,” said

Freda Freeman-Jackson.

They (Jaguars) started get-

ting physical, and I told the

girls to weather the stand.”

MONTGOMERY, Ala.,-

The Alabama State Univer-

sity Hornet men’s basketball

team fell short against the

Southern University Jaguar

men’s basketball team by

just two points in a tight

home game on Feb 20. The

55-53 score resulted from a

hard Jaguar push in the final

two minutes of play.

The Hornets started out

well when guard Tramaine

Butler (18 points) stole the

ball from Jaguar guard

Derick Beltran (22 points),

and made a three-pointer

over Jaguar guard Cameron

Monroe (5 points) on the

wing, making the score 3-0

with 19:17 left in the half.

Butler was fouled by

Beltran and hit two free-

throws to make the score 5-

0 with 14:36 left.

Beltran answered with a

lay-up, followed by an un-

contested three-pointer tying

the game at 5-5 with 12:50

left. The Jaguars took the

lead when center Madut Bol

hit a long-range jumper over

Hornets forward Philip

Crawford (7 points) making

the score 5-7 with 12:08 left.

Hornet forward Ivory

White (5 points) stole the

ball then dished it to

Crawford who completed the

Hornet guard Ryan

Watts stole the ball from

Monroe but missed the

shot. Brown grabbed the

rebound and quickly

scored, bringing the game

to 29-23 at the half.

In the beginning of the

second half, White fouled

Doggett, sending him to

the free-throw line. Beltran

followed with a mid-range

jumper bringing the score

to 30-26. Butler answered

with an uncontested three-

pointer from the wing, fol-

lowed by another three-

pointer from Watts at the

top of the key, making the

score 36-30 with 15:05

left.

Jaguars guard Micheal

Celestin (5 points) hit a

close-range jumper which

made the score 36-32 in

the Hornets’ favor.

Crawford got into

trouble as he committed

his fourth foul against

Doggett going to the bas-

ket; Doggett split the pair

of free-throws making the

score 38-33 with 10:56

left.

The Jags closed in on

the Hornets when they

made three consecutive

plays including a block

from Doggett, a lay-up by

Jaguar guard Thomas

Marshall, and Beltran –

play with a lay-up. Beltran

passed the ball to Jaguars

forward Quinton Doggett

(18 points) who scored, mak-

ing the score 9-11 with 10:05

left.

Butler passed the ball to

Crawford who was fouled

going up for a lay-up; he hit

both of his free- throws. But-

ler recorded his 1,000th ca-

reer point when he hit a mid-

range jumper over a defend-

ing Beltran. This gave the

lead back to the Hornets, 13-

11 with 8:47 left.

Crawford fouled

Doggett going to the basket,

which gave him two free-

throw opportunities. Doggett

hit both making the score 24-

22 with 4:20 left.

Hornet forward Phillip Crawford attempts a jump shop in the

second half against a Southern University Jaguar defender.

Hornet guard Ivory White goes up for an uncontested lay-up

during the matchup between the Hornets and the SU Jaguars.

by Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham ChopinSPORTS EDITOR

achopin2012@gmail.com

by Carisma “Billy” Mitchellby Carisma “Billy” Mitchellby Carisma “Billy” Mitchellby Carisma “Billy” Mitchellby Carisma “Billy” MitchellSTAFF CORRESPONDENTcamitchell2012@gmail.com

See BEATBEATBEATBEATBEAT on page D2D2D2D2D2

Photo by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managing Editor

Photo by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managing Editor

Feb. 19-25, 2012PAGE D2 The Hornet Tribune SPORTS

MONTGOMERY, Ala.,

- Alabama State University

Hornets softball team lost

their first home game against

University of Nebraska

Omaha Mavericks softball

team, 4-12, at the Barbara

Williams Softball Complex

on Feb 17.

Hornet pitcher Amanda

Garcia started the game with

a walk to Maverick outfielder

Lindsay Redding. Maverick

infielder Tonya Peterson hit

a single that allowed

Redding to advance to third.

Redding scored on a single

up the middle by Maverick

catcher Lauren Larson and

Peterson advanced to second.

Mavericks pitcher Dana

Elsasser struck out Hornet

utility player Brehanna

Rodrigues to start the bottom

half of the first inning. Hor-

net infielder Sosefina Toilolo

and catcher Courtney

Crossley grounded out to

second base consecutively to

end the inning.

At the end of the first in-

ning the Mavericks were

“Micheal Jordan is my

favorite player because of

the things he accomplished

on and off the court; he has

his own business and he is

determined,” said Tramaine

Butler, a criminal justice-

major at Alabama State

University.

Butler is from Detroit,

Mich., and began his par-

ticipation in sports at a

young age.

According to Butler,

his parents were with him

every step of the way, not

just athletically, but aca-

demically as well.

“My parents were al-

ways supportive of me

playing basketball,” Butler

said. “However, my mother

and father have always

been on me about my

grades and school.”

Butler recounted how

he became interested in the

sport of basketball.

“When I was six I be-

came interested in sports,

mainly basketball,” Butler

said. “My older brother

was always on my head

about basketball.”

Butler attended

McKenzie High School,

where he not only played

basketball but ran cross-

country too. He was nomi-

nated for the All-American

basketball team and he also

played at an All-American

camp.

“My most memorable

moment of playing in high

school was when LeBron

James and R. Austin came

and watched us play against

O.J. Mayo and Billy

Walker,” Butler said.

Butler started at Ala-

bama State University in

the fall of 2008.

“I chose Alabama

State University because a

close teacher of mine in

high school went here and

he convinced me that it was

a good school,” Butler said.

“I didn’t get a scholarship

to come here; I walked on

as a freshman and later got

a scholarship. I like being

here, it’s different from

what I am used to back

home in Detroit. The way

the campus is becoming is

going to bring a lot of new

opportunities for current

and prospective students.”

Butler looked back on

his basketball career at

ASU.

“My most memorable

moment from my college

career had to be my fresh-

men year when I played in

the championship game

and won,” he said. “I was

glad I got the chance to ex-

perience it.”

Butler is very excited

about the new plans for

ASU.

“The Vision 20/20 pro-

gram is bringing a lot of

new attention and more

people are coming here,”

Butler said. “it has really

changed the school; I

would like to see all the

transformations when they

are done.”

After Butler graduates

he plans on going to the

NBA.

“It really doesn’t mat-

ter what team I play for; as

long as I make it I will be

happy.” Butler said. “Also

I plan to coach basketball

when my career is over,

and when I am well more

experienced.”

leading 3-0 off a walk, two

hits, and an error.

Garcia was unable to

find her rhythm in second

inning as she allowed eight

Mavericks to score off eight

hits. Included in the second

inning rally was a grand slam

by Mavericks catcher Amber

Lutmer.

Hornet outfielder

Meagan Dixon lead off the

inning with a walk but Hor-

net infielder Kim Ross was

not so lucky as she was

thrown out at first after

Dixon took second. Hornet

infielder Mercedes Fraizer

made the crowd go wild as

she hit a screamer to the out-

field sending Dixon home

and herself to second. The

Hornets finished the second

inning with one run, one hit,

no errors and one left on base

to make the score 1-11.

Hornet pitcher Bailey

Patt comes into the game to

relieve Garcia in the third

inning. Lutmer grounded out

to start the inning. Maverick

outfielder Katelyn Hinton hit

the ball right into the hands

of Hornet infielder Yvette

Ducoing giving the Hornets

their second out. Maverick

infielder Emma Wright was

able to make it to first base,

but shortly after Maverick

infielder Molly Negrete

grounded out to first to end

the inning. Mavericks ended

the inning with no runs, one

hit, no errors, and one left on

base.

Hornet utility player

Ayesha Famble had a suc-

cessful bunt and was able to

make it to second, Toilolo

excited the crowed when she

brought Famble home after

stealing third base with a hit

to right field, and sending

herself to second. Toilolo

stole third base followed by

a hit from Dixon who made

it to first base and sending

Toilolo home. Ross hit a

grounder to third base and

was able to make it to first.

The Hornets ended the in-

ning with two runs, one hit,

two errors and one left on

base, making the score 3-11.

Eeman went to first base

on a walk. Lynch was able to

reach first base but Eeman

was tagged out on the way to

second. Redding lined out to

first base and Lynch was out

at second base. The Maver-

icks finished the fourth in-

ning with no runs, no hits, no

errors and none left on base.

At the bottom of the

fourth inning, Fraizer bunted

but was not able to reach

first. The Mavericks quickly

finished the fourth inning

with an unsuccessful

grounder from Wright.

Elsasser struck out Ducoing,

and the Hornets finished the

fourth inning with no runs,

no hits, no errors and none

left on base.

In the fifth inning both

teams scored once, ending

the game.

The following day the

Hornets and Mavericks went

head to head again, this time

with different results. The

Hornets beat the Mavericks

4-0 at the Barbara Williams

Softball Complex during the

last day of the invitational.

After the game

Rodrigues stated “we as a

team”

Head Coach Telma Hall

said “although it wasn’t the

outcome we wanted, it was

exciting to open up at home,

it was very important to us

that the field was completed

for our first home game.”

who stole the ball and made

the lay-in and the free-

throw shot.

Hornet guard Jeff

Middlebrooks (8 points)

grabbed an offensive re-

bound and quickly laid the

ball up, followed by an un-

contested three-pointer

from Butler making the

score 44-35 with 6:25 left.

Beltran hit a three-

pointer over Watts.

Celestin also hit a three at

the top of the key, followed

by a reverse lay-up by

Doggett tying the game 46-

46 2:16 left.

The Jags turned on the

afterburners to grab the

lead when Beltran hit a

close-range jumper.

Crawford fouled out when

he fouled Doggett under-

neath the basket; he hit one

of the two free-throws,

making the score 49-46

with 1:07 left.

Butler hit a lay-up, fol-

lowed by another lay-up

from White but it would not

be enough as the Jaguars

went on to win.

Butler was the 27th Ala-

bama State University

men’s basketball player to

reach 1,000 career points.

After the game Butler

said, “Once I hit my thou-

sandth point I felt good , but

it didn’t matter in the end.

The team just started relax-

ing when we were up. Now

it feels pointless.”

Head Coach Lewis

Jackson said, “Defensively

we did enough to put our-

selves into the game; we

had second chance oppor-

tunities but didn’t take

them. Offensively we

slowed down; Phil got into

foul trouble and took our

presence out of the

middle.”

Continued from page D1

Beat: Beat: Beat: Beat: Beat: “Once I hit my thousandthpoint I felt good, but it didn’t ...”

by Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham Chopinby Abraham ChopinSPORTS EDITOR

achopin2012@gmail.com

Butler hopes to play in

the professional ranks

Hornets lose season openerby Carisma ‘Billy” Mitchellby Carisma ‘Billy” Mitchellby Carisma ‘Billy” Mitchellby Carisma ‘Billy” Mitchellby Carisma ‘Billy” MitchellSTAFF CORRESPONDENTcamitchell2012@gmail.com

George H. AndrewsSTUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD

GUIDELINES FOR 2011-121. Participation in University Activities

2. At least a 2.5 overall grade point average3. Volunteer work on/off campus4. Must be at least a sophomore5. Must have good citizenship.

THE AWARDThe award will consist of a plaque and a scholarship that

may be applied to tuition, fees, books, etc.

THE DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS ISTUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012

THE NOMINATION FORMS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THEOFFICE OF STUDENTS AFFAIRS, 108 MCGEHEE HALL.

Photography by Christopher Logan/Visual Media Managiing Editor

Tremaine Butler displays his photo as seniors on the 2011-

12 basketball team are recognized during senior night.