I have so much things to say

“They have so much things to say right now/they have so much things to say,” Lauryn Hill spits on Method Man’s “Say.”

It appears everyone has something to say these days, whether it’s negative or positive. However, their knowledge of things that they say doesn’t appear to be as strong as it should be when they say it. It’s funny how rumors get started off of people’s ignorance to certain things.

But I would guess that’s the purpose of a hater in some aspect. Haters, as many of us affectionately call them, are made to put us down and make us feel worthless. I honestly have no problem with haters, since they pretty much motivate me.

However, I do have a problem with the fact that they always attack what’s good in life. What is the purpose of using your hating voice to attack someone who’s doing well? Why not attack those or motivate those who are not doing well in life?

Maybe my logic is backward. My “hating” knows no bounds. I’ll tell you about yourself really quick when something’s wrong. Truth be told, there is something wrong at Grambling State University.

I have attended this prestigious institution since summer 2003. I arrived as a freshman to the barracks known as Pinchback Hall. The room was small and the elevator worked at times. However, I survived with a 4.0 GPA that semester. I survived.

These days, I look at the university, compared to what it was then, and I feel…sick. It’s not the same as it used to be. The students back then stood and fought for change. The new dorms came from the fighting of the SGA of 2003 and 2004. I still remember the smile on my face when we passed the resolution that we needed new housing.

Now we have the dorms, but it appears that we lost something. That something is passion. When GSU was a “boring” place with 13 cable channels (8 for some dorms), students still had a passion for learning and making change. Now, add a few new dorms and some real cable, students are just bending over and taking it.

I was one of the most vocal people about voting “no” for the new resolution for the new Student Union. Turns out I was right about voting “no.” Where is that money? That money was supposed to bring some new plasma screen TVs and computers into the Student Union. Instead, we have neither of those and an upstairs area that isn’t for students.

I need to stop before I get angry. I won’t even comment on the numerous professors that are retiring and the academic programs that are falling apart. I won’t even comment on the injustices that students are suffering at the hands of corrupt officials.

Now I know what the chorus meant, because I have much things to say.

Let’s kill Black History Month

It’s the month I hate the most. Yep. I said it. I hate Black History Month. It’s kind of pointless these days. I really don’t see the purpose of it.

To me, it’s like every other month. I get a holiday off from school, and it’s business like usual. I’m a proud Black (or African American for the politically correct), and I truly don’t celebrate Black History month.

Why should I celebrate it? It’s stupid. Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s a nice idea and all, but why should I be forced to celebrate it JUST in February? Maybe I’m a renegade or a rebel, but I’d rather find out about my history during the entire year.

Black History Month is supposed be a month where Blacks connect with their history. Blacks are supposed to go back and understand why our ancestors went through what they went through.

However, I see none of this happening. Instead, I see…nothing. There’s no appreciation for Black history during the year. You can ask some students how they feel about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and they’ll say it’s just another day out of school for them. Also, see how many notice that it’s not in February on the first shot.

Are we that darn oblivious to things? We can’t even take time to appreciate the trials and tribulations that our buried and living ancestors went through? What is happening to the state of Black people?

It’s amazing, but to my knowledge, no major TV network ran a Black history special. No, a Spike Lee movie marathon does not count. Neither does a spanking brand new season of College Hill.

But you know what? I’m not mad at any other race but us. We are the ones who have to take back our power and history. We are supposedly the strongest people in the U.S. I don’t see it.

We have Blacks that are so into being the next biggest athlete or rapper that the focus of education is not there. We have people that don’t even try to get an education, but instead are saying the “man” is putting them down when they don’t get a job.

Come on, people; let’s use some common sense. It doesn’t take a scientific genius to know that in order to get good paying jobs you have to actually show some work ethic and have a degree. Then again, maybe for our people, it does.

Maybe we don’t deserve a Black History month. Since we don’t appreciate it, maybe we should take it away. What’s the point of celebrating something that no one knows anything about?

Maybe we deserve to have the shortest calendar month. With such a short attention span, it appears that no one is interested in the real history of Blacks. It almost feels as if Black history is like doing a complicated math probem that continues into infinity.

It’s so sad that I feel this way. But sadness is not the word. I’m disappointed about the whole non-appreciation of Black history in general. I wouldn’t be surprised if some people didn’t know who Harriet Tubman was. Some probably don’t know who Frederick Douglas was either. Those two are great names in the history of Blacks.

I could go on and on about some of the accomplishments made, but it seems like it’ll fall on deaf ears. The fact that ignorance is so high in our community is shameful.

It seems as if no one is really trying to do what they should be doing to advance themselves. Don’t spend a refund on some rims and the latest Jordans. Put that money in a savings account and let it accumulate wealth.

We’ve come so far for ignorance to bring us down again. Read up on your history.

I’ll keep trying to study my history and figuring out who I am. However, it’s hard to care when so many around you don’t. I guess that saying is true:

“One bad apple spoils the bunch.”

Fred’s Pharmacy leaves Grambling

As Mike Adkins reached for a bottle on a shelf, he knew it might be one of his last times doing a job he’d done since 2003. The pharmacy in Fred’s Dollar Store of Grambling has closed.

Fred’s Inc., which owns the Fred’s Dollar Store chain, is in the process of closing 75 complete stores. At least 20 pharmacies within the company will be closed. Adkins, manager of the pharmacy at Fred’s in Grambling, said that the closure comes after years of unprofitability.

“The pharmacy wasn’t making any profit,” Adkins said Tuesday. “All records and prescriptions will be moved to the Ruston location on Farmerville Highway,” which is nearly 10 miles away from the Grambling location, according to MapQuest.com.

“It’s an inconvenience,” Adkins said. “This was the only pharmacy in Grambling. It would be a lot less of an impact had it been a larger community with more than one pharmacy.”

Even though the pharmacy has been closed, the community has refused to remain silent. Petitions were passed around, as the citizens of Grambling are trying hard to keep the pharmacy open.

“There are a lot of businesses being closed down,” said Larry Jackson, who has helped publicize the petition. “It impacts the students and the community.” He said the petitions had over 1,000 signatures.

Though the community sprang into action, Adkins hinted that it might have been too late for something to be done.

“Fred’s couldn’t tolerate (the pharmacy) operating at a loss after all these years,” he said. “All indications that I’ve seen are that Fred’s decision is final.”

Barbara McIntyre, president of the Greater Grambling Chamber of Commerce, hoped that the corporate headquarters of Fred’s would reconsider the decision to close the pharmacy.

“We have many seniors who aren’t able to go long distances,” she said. “We are hoping that our effort will make some impact.”

According to McIntyre, the corporate office did respond to the petitions and efforts of the community.

“They did not have enough support to keep it open,” said McIntyre. “They checked the figures and looked at our petition.”

Adkins feels the reason the Grambling pharmacy suffered is due to its location. Adkins pointed out that there used to be a clinic where the True Care Dentistry is located. The clinic, Adkins said, helped bring some business to the pharmacy.

“We started with zero customers,” Adkins said. “Fred’s expected to not make a profit for two or three years. In eight years, (the pharmacy) still hasn’t made a profit. Pharmacies do better when they are close to a doctor.”

Adkins also pointed out that college students rarely have ailments that require a pharmacy. However, he noted that foreigners frequented the pharmacy due to their lack of transportation. Despite the few customers, Adkins is still grateful.

“I appreciate the people of the Grambling community that we’ve been serving for almost five years,” he said. “The community doesn’t want us to go.”