NAACP
discuss possibility of war, consequences
in Iraq
By Maritza Diaz
On-line Forty-Niner
The
Cal State Long Beach chapter of the NAACP
hosted a town meeting yesterday to discuss
the war on terrorism and the African-American
perspective.
The National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People’s keynote speaker was
Reiland Rabaka, a professor of black studies.
He opened the meeting and discussed the
media’s role in contributing to the illusion
that war is necessary and endorsed the majority
of the people.
“All United States citizens do not want
war. We want an end to terrorism but that
does not mean that we want war,” Rabaka
said.
The topic of the African-American perspective
of the war on terrorism was the main focus
of the meeting. Students were also given
an opportunity to express their beliefs
and criticisms about the current political
situation in the United States.
Rabaka discussed how African-American people
have experienced hundreds of years of terrorism
in the form of oppression, slavery and discrimination.
“It is impossible for one person to speak
for 50 million people, African-Americans
are every political persuasion,” he said.
“Therefore it’s not my intention to say
the African-American perception on war,
as much as it is my intention to highlight
some of the ways African-Americans have
contributed to a war-free world.”
Rabaka also stressed for other solutions
to eliminate terrorism that do not include
war. He criticized the media for endorsing
the idea of war and making war seem like
a movie.
“Many Americans are expecting a Hollywood
ending. But if there is one thing Sept.
11 has taught us it is that this is not
a movie and that the United States is not
invincible,” Rabaka said.
One of Rabaka’s messages was that society
has to open its eyes and change.
“We must constantly and quickly initiate
the shift from a killing culture to a culture
of kindness,” Rabaka said.
Other speakers touched on subjects that
related to the funding of the war and of
the oil involved in running the United States.
People in attendance were given the chance
to ask questions and respond to the topics
touched on by the speakers during a question
and answer period.
Marcus Hines, a senior accounting major,
remarked on the issues regarding revolving
on the possible war and questioned whether
this country is truly a democracy
if the majority of the people do not want
to go to war.
“I really don’t find too many people who
want to go to war. Most people that I meet
say, ‘I don’t want war,’” Hines said.
Obi Adisa Asad, a senior English major,
criticized the way the country is run and
commented on the different ways African-Americans
have been treated through the years.
“Things have to start changing,” he said.
“They have to change because what’s going
to start happening is what you put out there
is going to come back to you.”
“This is an important issue. I mean, more
people should be here to take advantage
of this and talk about it,” Chris Lanski
said, a sophomore kinesiology major, “I
just think people should be here.”
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