..
PITRE EXP I ED THAT
another church bad also ent a peti
tion to the FCC (Federal Com
munications Commis ion). This
second petition contained the igna
tures of residents unhappy with the
WESTERN MICHIGAN
hi medi
pro e t 0
cont t t
n m of omp ny inte ted in
buyin WUBU, tr ns onning it into
om thin more in tune with conser
v live Port ge ciety, perhap .
Howev r, It I 0 dmitted to bing
un ble to contact thi company.
The Michigan Citizen has heard
its hare of rumors, al o. Its ourc
have learned WUBU and it af
filiate are Black fronts for a white
busines enterprise; an enterpri e
who only goal h been to create a
profitable ituation from tapping into
the we t Michigan desire for a radio
station catering to Blacks.
THE TRATEGY OF placing
"Boyz" i a c·rying
. ,
not worthy of a tear
By D�Y R. COOKS
Correspondent
Boyz N the Hood, a Black ex
ploi tation movie, may add substance "
to myths about Black folks being
violent, barbaric, and senseless.
It may also reinforce the anti-so-
. ci� notion that it is perfectly accept
able to blow a brother to hell for
inv' 's turf-w r the
vasTon be a psychological "rub the
wrong way" or a physical breaking
and entering.
If either of these represent your
reason for plucking down good
money to see a bad film, you won't
. be disappointed.
Of course, Angelo Lowery
categorized Boy: N the Hood as
"Fantastic!" The shootings,
gangsters, girls, and cars were the
I movie's redeeming quali ties. for him.
But, then, a sixth grader at
Kalamazoo's Northeastern Elemen
. tary School can be forgiven for a
- surface understanding of the flick's
content.
THIS IS qNE movie which cried
out for a parent or guardian (espe
cially male) to accompany young
males and guide them through the
superficial attractions cluttering the
path to a deeper appreciation of Life,
inner-city style.
While Angelo proudly boasted of
not crying, the tragedy of a young
brother with a bright future being
missed the point."
DORPHINE PAYNE, Ad
ministrative Assistant at WMU's
Division of Minority Affairs, said
she and her family "erie like a baby
watching the picture.
"We sat there for five minutes, sat
there silently, before leaving the
theatre," she aid.
The me ge of the mOYi w
disturbing to Payne: "It was a ter
rible way to live; like living in a war
zone."
Payne believes Blacks must do
something, they cannot become a
part of the Black middle class and
just sit there, doing nothing. "If the
movie did nothing else," she said, "It
motivated some Blacks to want to do
something. "
Despite their tears, most of those
offering opinions on Boyz N the
Hood saw its theme or overall mes
sage to be that the father must be a
clear and present influence in a male
child's life.
A STRONG BLACK -man can
make a difference in the inner city,"
Payne said. "There's hope; there's
an answer: Active men and fathers."
Originally dismissing Boyz N the
Hood as trash, my gut reaction was
tempered by the higp opinion others
had for the movie.
Despite any dreams or goal the
writer or director may have had for
the picture, the movie became an
cd
th
bre open the m nth of
August th re h till been no p
release. In fact, WUBU pp rs to
h ve gon into hiding; Pitre and all
others involved with th tation lip
ping further and further into the mist.
Pre-recorded me age (if not
iJence) now greet all efforts at con
tact. So much for "Kalamazoo,
we've got you covered li e a
blanket." This and other promotion
al me ages continue to fill the air
wave , alluding to a trong WUBU
struck down by random, senseless
violence moved many to tears.
April Glenn, a Benton Harbor
High School student, said he cried
because it was sad to see someone
die that way.
Terri Jones, a senior at Western
Michigan University, became tearful
because the movie hit home for her;
she had-friends who died unneces
sary deaths. "It makes me sad for the
Black race," she quietly admitted,
"we have no respect for self or
others, it seems."
Terri believes that those youngers
in the theatre with her who wildly
approved "when Ice Cube walked up
to those dudes that he had already
shot and put Slugs in their backs,
tnunity an e plan tion.
WUBU must how i elf, fully
laying out to th BI c community
who it repre 015, what its intentions
are, and why we hould upport it or
any busine -particularly out-
ider -who intend to take our
money and run, leaving us the
poorer.
Until WUBU come out of
hiding, its Black audience should get
10 t. We've been dancing to other
people's music for far too long. We
want to call the next tune. It's called,
"Convince Me You're here to stay. "
hame
attempt to ca h in on blatant and
manipulative roller coaster ride
through the worse nightmares of
middle class Blacks: emotions will
forever tie you to your innercity
counterparts, the vast majority of
whom will never have "a
Chmaman's chance" in escaping th t
bottomless pit called the ghetto.
While some good points are made
'in me. picture, nevert ele ,it
remains a pathetic attempt to be
everything to everybody.
IT ENDS UP being a tool used by
the lowest common denominator of
Americans (those looking for easy
answers to complex ituations), both,
Black and whi teo
They'll use Boyz N the Hood to
further their unproductive agendas;
agendas directly responsible for the
horrors they seek relief from by
embracin Boyz N the Hood-type
movies.
Persons with a history of emo
tionally acting out inappropriately
should avoid Boyz in the Hood. Its
R rating should land for "Repug
nant."
TATE WEAR - Maurice Andrea, Tony Ho ard Dd M. rice
Golliday pre ent Sin bad with Item from tbeir line of doth In
made especially for SIDbad' HomecomiD Celebrattea, T e
three young 'men are oWDers of "State We r " fa bions. . row.
pboto)
Sinbad nd on. (pboto b, Bernice Brown)
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY - Nlcbol Fort, 7, bold end of the ribbon being cut by royln
Gr. e , Pre Ident oftbe Board of Benton Harbor Are-a cbool. AloDg witb Gran are Inbad and
Jame Rutter, Superl"endent of Benton Harbor Area Scbool • Tbe ribbon cutting ceremony a
I dedlcatloD of the two ba ketball court t tbe Cbarles Gray Recreatlo Center, dedlc ted by
81 bad nd spon ored by Reebok. (B. Brown pboto)
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