Dear Editor:
Enough! Stop treating the black community like NEGROES being exploited solely for entertainment purposes. How long will African Americans be toyed with as puppets?
Unfortunately, African Americans allow themselves to be portrayed in negative stereotypical roles by the media.
To better clarify what we’re saying, we are writing in reference to Friday’s article concerning the community basketball courts. This was a sad and tasteless display of leadership and community involvement by Reebok, Mayor Herenton, John Calipari and the University of Memphis’ men’s basketball team.
We found it appalling, yet typical, that once again people try to use basketball as viable means for community improvement and for making crossroads into the black community.
Are BLACKS only good for sports? We have the ability to become Toni Morrisons, Benjamin Bannakers, Jupiter Hammonds, Ida B. Wells-Barnetts and August Wilsons.
Also, there are several other ways that the money allocated for the basketball courts could have been used.
Currently, 23 out of the 30 Memphis City high schools are in danger of being placed on probation for low performance. Also note that these schools have a predominantly African American student body.
These students, who will be tomorrow’s college freshmen, are failing to display a proficient level of comprehension in areas such as mathematics, English, science and social studies.
These are the very students that posses this "so called" basketball talent that some want to exploit.
Is this the new black inner city reality? Inner city youths need tutorial services, new books, smaller classrooms, compassionate and well-paid teachers and cutting-edge technology.
Furthermore, what is basketball? We see it as something that encourages team thinking and doesn’t focus on individual thinking adequately.
Conversely, golf emphasizes self-discipline and promotes an individual’s merit that directly illustrates the performance of that individual.
Moreover, African Americans fail to think critically and are instead easily appeased by symbolism or monetary handouts without having fully solved their problems.
Even on this campus we are charged with loitering on the UC steps.
YOU have a voice. THINK.
