HE HORNET RIBUNE T HE HORNET Martin Luther King Jr. The official student newspaper of Alabama State University VOL. 52, ISSUE 9 FEB. 25, 2012 I N S I D E I N S I D E I N S I D E I N S I D E I N S I D E SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS Hornet defense stops Lady Jags UNIVERSITY NEWS A2 HORIZONS B1 VIEWPOINTS C1 SPORTS 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 SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK on page A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS 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 HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS HORIZONS 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 Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards EXECUTIVE EDITOR [email protected]SGA VP RESIGNS SGA VP RESIGNS SGA VP RESIGNS SGA VP RESIGNS SGA 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 Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards EXECUTIVE EDITOR [email protected]STAFF REPORT STAFF REPORT STAFF REPORT STAFF REPORT STAFF REPORT THE HORNET TRIBUNE [email protected]McCall is replaced by Laffitte, no special election planned Barnes uses the life of black Barnes uses the life of black Barnes uses the life of black Barnes uses the life of black Barnes uses the life of black pioneer journalist to inspire pioneer journalist to inspire pioneer journalist to inspire pioneer journalist to inspire pioneer journalist to inspire See RESIGNS RESIGNS RESIGNS RESIGNS RESIGNS on page A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 See INSPIRE INSPIRE INSPIRE INSPIRE INSPIRE on page A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 “Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead 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- demic (maintain a 2.7 GPA), fi- nancial (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 Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards by Kieyana Edwards EXECUTIVE EDITOR [email protected]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 BAFFLED BAFFLED BAFFLED BAFFLED BAFFLED on page A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 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
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 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 THE HORNET TRIBUNE
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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
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.”
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
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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
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
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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 ...”
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
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.
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