I came upon a post on a greek message board that I belong to about a Dare Dorm video that was allegedly shot on the campus of FAMU. For those of you who may not be porn connoisseurs like myself, I'll just take the intro from the site and let you know what Dare Dorm is. "Daredorm is the first site where u can make $10,000 dollars for submitting your college dorm room antics. Sheeeah... the internet rulez!!!" So I guess they're whole premise is to make college students submit their homemade porn under the guise of a contest for 10 grand. Well when I first came upon this site I looked at some of the preview pics and stuff (yeah, I'm nasty, so what!) and I was kinda weirded out by how they won't tell what college they got the tapes from, but have clues about where they are. Like for instance, the one from a school in Louisiana, had a purple and gold blanket on the wall that was blurred out, while one from Florida had a blurred out blue and orange something on the wall. My first though upon seeing this was that it was a fake, but then again, I'm not white so I don't know what white people put up in their dorm rooms. But I digress, this is not a post what I think about when I watch fake ass "reality" porn, its about the response to a particular piece of "reality" porn.
Well I just so happened to see the scene, it was kinda scripted in my opinion the way it went down, they were playing this stupid ass game, and all of a sudden like dudes got they faces in twats, girls eating girls, and it gets popping. I never knew of any orgies that went down so willy-nilly, not that I've been in any or anything like that, I've just heard. Well they managed to show chicken fingers and sauce, characteristic of Guthrie's, but they never say the name. College students aren't that up on intellectual property laws and would have told u they were talkin bout Guthrie's, hell if you been to Tallahassee, you know bout Guthrie's. Then another thing that bothered me is that they had to show a blurred out orange and green clock talkin bout this is the home of the real but no one ever says FAMU, and there were orange and green curtains in the room. Now I've been to FAMU a few times and seen the dorms there, and it did look like a FAMU dorm so it was kinda believable in that respect.
I recently came across a blog posting where a young lady had investigated the tape and found evidence that it was fake. She presents a very compelling argument, but according to her, the need to do it was echoed on by the uproar in which the tape was received. Allegedly, HBCU and FAMU alumni alike were upset that such a video would be put out there putting our institutions of higher education in such a bad light.
WHAT?!
DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?!
College students make homemade porn all the time, its just a part of college, who cares if the tape is real or not, that's what college students do. But please, let's not act like all black kids are angels and we don't do that kind of activity. Kids will be kids, and race has nothing to do with what they do.
Showing posts with label Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Show all posts
Friday, March 5, 2010
Monday, March 23, 2009
So What Are YOU Doing to Change it?
There was one thing that became a blatant eye opener to me from the time I first set foot into the Thurgood Marshall School of Law on the campus of Texas Southern University; a lack of pride. I came to TSU on my own accord among other schools particularly for my own personal need to get away, but also because of the love that I had felt for the five years I spent at Southern. I had been told by many people that all HBCUs have that same sense of comradery like what I experienced at Southern, and I did see it at TSU, well on the undergrad side at least. At TSU I met many different personalities and people that were down for the cause and actually bled maroon and grey. However, once you cross Tierwester, the attitudes of TSU's students change. The comparison between each of the attitudes can actually be seen on blog postings. I would like to offer for review the blog of a former Ms. Texas Southern University (http://savethetigers47.blogspot.com) as compared with an alumni of the law school (http://ibedamn.blogspot.com).
On Save The Tigers, you can see the thoughts of a concerned alumni who expresses the pride that comes with being proud to say that one attended that school. While her blog may stir some people up, she is just expressing her opinion of recent matters that have affected the university and using her blog as the gateway to her expressions. She has not resorted to childish bantering or name-calling when she disagrees with the administration of the university, and shows a maturity level far beyond her years.
Compare that with I Be Damn in which a former law student sits and talks about the current administration of Texas Southern University while neglecting to offer any realtime solutions for the problems that have been experienced. My momma always told me that family business is best when kept in house, but I guess this person was not privy to a similar upbringing because they insist on airing the dirty laundry of TMSL. The person even remarks about TMSL's low bar passage rate, and the dirty looks they receive when they tell others that they were educated at Thurgood for law school. I wonder if they even wanted to go to TSU in the first place?
But such is the beauty of HBCUs in my opinion, they all have their problems just like any PWI, but it is my opinion that if we actually had alumni like most PWIs have, then we would be able to better resolve the issues that alumni have with administration as well as help current students with their plight in receiving their education and the collateral matters that come along with that. I mean damn, I get the same dirty looks when I say that I attended TSU for law school, and I also failed the bar. Does that make me any less of a lawyer? THe time has come for us to stand up and embrace where we went to school, like it or not. Because until people get to know us personally, they will always let our affiliations define us. If you aren't willing to help change it, then you should just politely shut what they call the fuck up!
On Save The Tigers, you can see the thoughts of a concerned alumni who expresses the pride that comes with being proud to say that one attended that school. While her blog may stir some people up, she is just expressing her opinion of recent matters that have affected the university and using her blog as the gateway to her expressions. She has not resorted to childish bantering or name-calling when she disagrees with the administration of the university, and shows a maturity level far beyond her years.
Compare that with I Be Damn in which a former law student sits and talks about the current administration of Texas Southern University while neglecting to offer any realtime solutions for the problems that have been experienced. My momma always told me that family business is best when kept in house, but I guess this person was not privy to a similar upbringing because they insist on airing the dirty laundry of TMSL. The person even remarks about TMSL's low bar passage rate, and the dirty looks they receive when they tell others that they were educated at Thurgood for law school. I wonder if they even wanted to go to TSU in the first place?
But such is the beauty of HBCUs in my opinion, they all have their problems just like any PWI, but it is my opinion that if we actually had alumni like most PWIs have, then we would be able to better resolve the issues that alumni have with administration as well as help current students with their plight in receiving their education and the collateral matters that come along with that. I mean damn, I get the same dirty looks when I say that I attended TSU for law school, and I also failed the bar. Does that make me any less of a lawyer? THe time has come for us to stand up and embrace where we went to school, like it or not. Because until people get to know us personally, they will always let our affiliations define us. If you aren't willing to help change it, then you should just politely shut what they call the fuck up!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Letter to HBCUs
Dear Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
You and I have known each other for years through the relationships that you have had with both of my parents. However once I joined the ranks of your children, I, like most other children have some questions that only you can answer. These questions have been festering in my mind like a bad infection and now that I have joined the prestigious ranks of your adult children, its time you give me the answers that I require.
How do you feel about integration and its disparaging effects on your livelihood? There are many "simple negroes" in America that have yet to realize that less than 60 years ago you were the only readily accessible source of educational sustenance for those who desired more out of life. Now we have CNN specials on what its like to be black in America and the "experts" on black culture were not your children but those who came from ivy league schools. Now now, my love, I'm not blaming you for this, because you are probably one of the few ideals of Booker T. Washington's reformation that I support, however, somewhere in there these same individuals who meant good were suckered into believing what their educators taught them. This is similar to how slaves were tricked by their masters into believing that black was bad, ugly, and dirty, while white was innocent, beautiful, and pure. Why do we hate ourselves and our history so? I have seen students at Louisiana State, Florida State, The University of Houston, and a few others look down on their cross-town or cross-state counterparts for being under your loving care. These same "simple negroes" are quick to disclose how they are the "talented tenth" and should be afforded this chance for a "better" education, but if they never took that African American literature course, or read The Souls of Black Folk they'll continue to think that this "better" education was worth the price of their identity.
Mother HBCU, where are you failing? When we look at your statistics, we see longer enrollment periods before graduation, higher rates of attrition, higher crime, more incidents of sexually transmitted diseases, and bigger hazing stories to name a few. Wait, let me add to that question and ask are you really failing or is it all the media? I'm curious about this one because I was under your care when Southern finally granted opposite sex visitation legally, I listened to my friends rants about not having a car on campus their freshman year, while my friends at predominantly white institutions just shook their heads and remarked "damn, yall got it rough." But why is that, mother? Seems like there must be a reason. Your administration tells us that freshmen should focus on school and get acclimated to college life, but they don't have the same restrictions at those PWIs and nothing seems to happen to our brothers and sisters there. Is that because humans have a natural tendency to go against order or is it because your instructors aren't doing what they are supposed to?
Momma, what did it feel like when they raped you? The same people that consider you inferior institutions are steadily acquiring your campuses, assimilating them into their systems and changing the missions you have had in place for HUNDREDS of years. In the case of the legal profession, there are 5 of your centers whose graduates make their mark as 80% of all black attorneys in the nation are your children. But even those are in danger of being shut down for failing to meet standards that even some of these "superior" institutions fail at. Furthermore, how do you feel when the majority of the nation are allowed to attain you benefits free of charge under cries of reverse racism when affording college or gaining acceptance into one was never an isue for them? We'll let them have your accolades and what not, because you'll never love those kids, right? I just have to know.
I didn't mean for this letter to come across as disrespectful, or even as a challenge of your authority, I just hope that if you answer some of these questions for me, we can work towards getting you to be what you were intended to be, showcases of black prowess in academia, athletics, culture, and arts. And as I return to New Orleans I only hope that you will be as good to my little brother at Florida A&M as you were to me in the eight years you had me.
Proud to be Your Son,
Kellen A. Daranda
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Southern University and A & M College '05
Juris Doctor
Texas Southern University '08
You and I have known each other for years through the relationships that you have had with both of my parents. However once I joined the ranks of your children, I, like most other children have some questions that only you can answer. These questions have been festering in my mind like a bad infection and now that I have joined the prestigious ranks of your adult children, its time you give me the answers that I require.
How do you feel about integration and its disparaging effects on your livelihood? There are many "simple negroes" in America that have yet to realize that less than 60 years ago you were the only readily accessible source of educational sustenance for those who desired more out of life. Now we have CNN specials on what its like to be black in America and the "experts" on black culture were not your children but those who came from ivy league schools. Now now, my love, I'm not blaming you for this, because you are probably one of the few ideals of Booker T. Washington's reformation that I support, however, somewhere in there these same individuals who meant good were suckered into believing what their educators taught them. This is similar to how slaves were tricked by their masters into believing that black was bad, ugly, and dirty, while white was innocent, beautiful, and pure. Why do we hate ourselves and our history so? I have seen students at Louisiana State, Florida State, The University of Houston, and a few others look down on their cross-town or cross-state counterparts for being under your loving care. These same "simple negroes" are quick to disclose how they are the "talented tenth" and should be afforded this chance for a "better" education, but if they never took that African American literature course, or read The Souls of Black Folk they'll continue to think that this "better" education was worth the price of their identity.
Mother HBCU, where are you failing? When we look at your statistics, we see longer enrollment periods before graduation, higher rates of attrition, higher crime, more incidents of sexually transmitted diseases, and bigger hazing stories to name a few. Wait, let me add to that question and ask are you really failing or is it all the media? I'm curious about this one because I was under your care when Southern finally granted opposite sex visitation legally, I listened to my friends rants about not having a car on campus their freshman year, while my friends at predominantly white institutions just shook their heads and remarked "damn, yall got it rough." But why is that, mother? Seems like there must be a reason. Your administration tells us that freshmen should focus on school and get acclimated to college life, but they don't have the same restrictions at those PWIs and nothing seems to happen to our brothers and sisters there. Is that because humans have a natural tendency to go against order or is it because your instructors aren't doing what they are supposed to?
Momma, what did it feel like when they raped you? The same people that consider you inferior institutions are steadily acquiring your campuses, assimilating them into their systems and changing the missions you have had in place for HUNDREDS of years. In the case of the legal profession, there are 5 of your centers whose graduates make their mark as 80% of all black attorneys in the nation are your children. But even those are in danger of being shut down for failing to meet standards that even some of these "superior" institutions fail at. Furthermore, how do you feel when the majority of the nation are allowed to attain you benefits free of charge under cries of reverse racism when affording college or gaining acceptance into one was never an isue for them? We'll let them have your accolades and what not, because you'll never love those kids, right? I just have to know.
I didn't mean for this letter to come across as disrespectful, or even as a challenge of your authority, I just hope that if you answer some of these questions for me, we can work towards getting you to be what you were intended to be, showcases of black prowess in academia, athletics, culture, and arts. And as I return to New Orleans I only hope that you will be as good to my little brother at Florida A&M as you were to me in the eight years you had me.
Proud to be Your Son,
Kellen A. Daranda
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Southern University and A & M College '05
Juris Doctor
Texas Southern University '08
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