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#GHOE – A $35 Fish Sandwich… how about a $616 fish sandwich?
Oct 12th
This evening we received an e-mail saying “Sign this Petition,” a perfectly timed petition in regards to the new Aggie Game Zone around the stadium. The e-mail centered around some idiotic argument that $35 was too much to pay for a fish sandwich, how about a $616 fish sandwich??? A full-time student at A&T would pay $616 per year in athletic fees thus meaning their homecoming fish sandwich from someone’s tailgate would have cost $616.00.
Alumni and friends should view their silly argument from the perspective of the student, the people who provide more support for the athletics programs than anyone else right now. So for alumni who don’t give back their time or money… spend $35 and buy a damn game ticket.
The Death of #GHOE
Oct 12th
I contemplated for a while on what to say on the occasion of Homecoming at my alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University. Unlike so many other people I can say that we truly have “The Greatest Homecoming on Earth…and Beyond.” I have seen it grow and develop in ways that many others could not even describe. So just like any other Aggie I am excited about Homecoming, but as an alumnus each year becomes more and more important to me. Growing up with so many family members who graduated from A&T, I used to be the little kid tagging along to tailgates at the stadium, vendors at the Sheraton, waking up early for the parade and spending time on campus being referred to as “Little Bellamy.” Those memories have always influenced my perceptions of homecoming and really go back to the roots of homecoming, where we sought to bring back alumni from all over to update them on the status of the university, fun and fellowship. More >
Where has the love gone? – Why must we kill each other?
Sep 8th
Where has the love gone? Everyday I wake up to news of another shooting, the death of a politician’s career due their indiscretions, or the lost of hope and redemption. This topic of love hits on a number of different issues. Somedays I find it to be very difficult to wake up and watch the news, between the news of death and destruction, or to the dismal state of our economy, I find it hard to say that we still know what love is in the corporate sense.
However, back to the heart of the matter, the senseless killing of each other. Marvin Gaye asked the question in his seminal piece “What’s Going On.” He expressed his displeasure at the war, the senseless violence and the need to open back up lines of communication. Every day somewhere someone is killed over something very stupid. We rather solve our issues with the bullet, rather than with dialogue, the ballot box or demonstrations. We have students who can’t do math or read on grade level, but can feel completely at ease with discussing violence, even finding joy in someone elses suffering.
My friends, we must find ways to reengage ourselves in finding love within ourselves, communities and each other. Much of the violence that we read about comes from difficulties in dealing with diversity, lack of communication and the senseless glorification of violence. I ask you, what can we do to change this? Each day we lose someone when we cannot figure out what to do about the situation that we are in. However, we each can do our small part in teaching love, tolerance and acceptance. Providing open lines of communication to diffuse difficult situations. However, most importantly we also must learn now to forgive. The true love comes in seeking and being able to forgive.
How do we love?
Sep 6th
We display our love for people, ideas, thoughts, places, etc through a number of different ways. One person may show their love for progressive politics by engaging in networking and occupation that support their causes. A young child may show their affection towards another classmate through throwing picking on the object of affection. A student may change their major or choose a career path to follow their own personal goals. Whatever we may do, the things, ideas, or people that we love play a significant role in our lives.
If we were to lose the object of our affection, a person, shoes, defeat of a popular candidate how would you cope with these changes? Better yet, is it possible for us to change how we show this affection? Those are questions to ponder, but it’s important that as we go through life we find people, ideas, causes and actions to fall in love with. I fell in love with education and I have made a commitment to improving access, supporting the growth and development of HBCUs and research. I show this love through my career, my continued pursuit of the doctorate and sharing my knowledge with the masses.
My friends, the good news is that while you may have not chosen something, someone, some issue to love, it is not too late. However, I urge you to examine your life and find a way to dedicate yourself to something. We must ultimately have some type of love, passion, enthusiasm to wake up each morning committed to changing the world into a more inclusive place.
If It’s love (A Multi part Series)
Sep 6th
This blog to this day still lacks complete direction. However, I want to start over the month of September a series of entries on the them “If It’s Love.” I have planned to bring in a few guest bloggers to explore this topic in a couple of different ways. The aim is to love at love from a couple different perspectives, so be open to seeing some different things.
-Brandon
