Texas Southern University students share their views on texting while driving.

By Managerrie Winston

After the recent “No Phone Zone” bans that are sweeping across the nation, students share their views on texting while driving and the deadly consequences it could lead to.

Technology has created many ways for humans to communicate but texting has turn into a deadly epidemic of distracted driving, and many students seem to agree.

“Texting while driving can be dangerous and is something I would not advise,” freshman Trevor Brandon said. “Because your mind is not worried about your safety and where you’re trying to go but rather what you’re trying to text to the person on the other end of the message.”

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey raised awareness when she teamed up with different organizations and asked people to participate in national “No Phone Zone Day” where people recognized that their car was a “No Phone Zone.”

Winfrey took this issue head on after hearing about the story of a nine year old girl named Erica who was hit and killed on her bike by a motorist texting while driving.

Texting while driving has become an important issue being that in the United States so far, six states have banned text messaging while driving which are Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington state, and California.

In such countries as Britain, texting while driving has turned into a crime where a person can receive up to seven years in prison for violating the law.  

Britain has also released a disturbing and graphic public service announcement that leaves some U.S. newscasters roaring about this subject.

Some students said that the U.S. should adopt the P.S.A. Britain televised to get the message out on how texting while driving has become a bad habit people need to address.

“I think the U.S. should allow the P.S.A. to be televised it would open a lot of people eyes,” senior Hope Thompson said.

“When you are driving on the highway people drive crazy as is so you’re not driving only for yourself but others, if they showed that video it would make people think.”

A recent study published this past summer by AAA showed that 35 percent of drivers feel less safe in today’s driving world than they did five years ago.

AAA also reported that 95 percent of the nations drivers polled acknowledged texting while driving is dangerous, but 21 percent of them also said that they have done it recently anyway.

                                                           

Some TSU students have expressed their views on texting while driving stating that they believe texting is a problem but they also admit to doing so.

“I have a lot of friends who text on the freeway,” junior Cherrelle Smith said. “And they have their head down and at any moment someone can swerve in front of you. I do text while driving but when I am on the freeway I don’t.”

Students have said that on their way to school they have looked at other people driving along side of them and have seen their phones in hand texting and trying to look at the road all at the same time.

When asked if this was an epidemic that should be handled on a state and national level some students expressed the actual importance of this issue.

 “If you look at the death rates for accidents and look at the causes,” senior Courtney Dacus said. “You will see that this has become a big issue that should be talked about and awareness should be raised.”

“A lot of that can be changed if the state and the president took this issue head on and enforced tougher laws against it.”

President Obama signed an executive order on January 26, 2011 saying that federal employees will not be allowed to text while driving, that includes both their personal or government provided cars and phones.

Although the president is making requirements for government employees many students believe nationwide there needs to be requirements and laws for all citizens of the United States in order to stop what may be the becoming of a global epidemic.

Russell Simmons sits down for a one on one interview to talk about his new book “Super Rich”

By Managerrie Winston

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons discussed his new book Russell Simmons Super Rich and maintaining success with Texas Southern University students.

Russell Simmons Super Rich plunges deep into the spiritual practices that have become very important to Simmons as he continues to mature.

“I wrote the book primarily for people who felt locked out and threatened,” Simmons said.

Most people reading the title Russell Simmons Super Rich would assume that the book is about monetary growth.

Perceptions will change when readers discover that Russell Simmons Super Rich is about his personal transformation through different practices such as yoga and becoming a vegan.

“This book is about transformation, it’s about practices that promote transformation.” Simmons said.

Simmons gives many personal examples of himself when he talks about his own transformation from an out of shape carnivore, drug dealing, and cold hearted hustler to a charitable activist and multi-million dollar tycoon.

Russell Simmons Super Rich unfolds unconscious behaviors that affect people in their everyday lives.

“We have to separate ourselves from the collective,” Simmons said. “Things go on every day; unconscious behaviors by people around you. Sometimes if we can’t separate ourselves and watch our thoughts then we become swept up.”

The most important message throughout Russell Simmons Super Rich is eliminating the feeling of neediness and devoting yourself to service and benevolence instead of success and depletion.

It becomes very noticeable that Russell Simmons Super Rich is not about materialism but rather discovering spiritual riches.

“Eliminating neediness which is the cause of suffering is a very attractive thing,” Simmons said.

Russell Simmons Super Rich brings forth the power of Christ consciousness and becoming awake in order to be vigilant and enlightened.

“This idea of being awake is the goal of each person,” Simmons said. “We all want to be able to drive through the street and see each flower as we see it and not to have the noise in our heads.”

Simmons target audience is not specifically for the businessman and company owners, but more of the less fortunate and under motivated individuals looking for a way to prosper and become more spiritually in tune with one’s self and a higher being.

“I wrote this book for the kids on the corner and the people in the prisons,” Simmons said.

Simmons explained what he hopes people will take from reading Russell Simmons Super Rich.

“That they can have the courage to change their lives; something that they were doing that was hurtful to themselves and others that they will stop doing it.” Simmons said.

Simmons shared with students how he measures and maintains success in his everyday life.

“I keep trying to remind them that there is no success level you just keep your head down and enjoy the process,” Simmons said. “There is no success level that you should feel at ease with and there is no success level that you should feel a suffering from. It’s really about what’s inside of you.”

Russell Simmons Super Rich is a must read, filled with powerful life changing techniques that alter what success or “super rich” really means.

Reporter Ronnie Turner sheds light on how to be a backpack Journalist

By: Managerrie Winston

Reporter Ronnie Turner discussed what it truly means to be a backpack journalist and the importance of having everlasting sources.

An alumnus from Jack Yates high school and recent University of Houston graduate, Turner who is a freelance writer for the Houston Chronicle carries a backpack to keep a low profile image as a reporter on college campuses, and also uses it to hold everything he needs when a story breaks.

“I’ve been driving alone and had to pull over doing interviews and taking notes,” Turner said. “I even have a small flashlight because you never what time of the night you have to look at a piece of paper for information.”

His backpack holds vital tools all reporters need a recorder, digital camera, flash drive, extra batteries, pens, stats, and all the things needed when breaking news.

“I also carry that backpack because I have important things that I use every day and that I keep around for emergencies,” Turner said. “My recorder, my cell phone charger, batteries for my recorder, flash drive, pens, notepads, stats, everything I think I’ll need my hands on. You never know when a story is going to break."

Turner described how his backpack helps him blend in when reporting on college campuses.

“For one, I like carrying my backpack and two it’s done strategically,” Turner said. “With that backpack on I blend in with the students just like anybody else. So nobody would expect me to be a reporter unless I pull out a notebook and recorder and started asking questions. Other than that I can slip in pretty much anywhere on campus that I want to and get information.”

Turner shared tips on how to stick to an ongoing story by utilizing sources, Turner uses the recent firing of Texas Southern Universities head couch Johnnie Cole to show a sources importance to a developing story.

“I got word from a source; you have to have sources in this business you don’t know everything they know everything, they might not know everything but they know more than you know because they’re usually closer to the program,” Turner said.

In this case Turners sources were affiliated with the TSU athletic program, sources in close connection to athletic programs are necessary for Turner to cover his beat.

These sources serve as extra eyes and ears for Turner, his sources called him whenever tips surfaced about breaking news relating to Cole's firing.

Turner sources eventually led to him breaking the correct news information about Cole's firing the morning it was announced.

In order to keep solid relationships with sources their names must never be withheld, the terms “Texas Southern Athletic Program official” or “University official” should be used so reporters do not burn their sources.

Turners methods are required functions of backpack journalist in this day in age, Turner efforts are endless in getting a story and he keeps all the necessary tools to accurately report it.

Freedom Riders and their lasting affect on today’s Generation

By: Managerrie Winston

Fifty years after the first Freedom Ride Texas Southern University students discussed today’s issues and passions of their generation.

Students were moved by the history of the Freedom Riders and have become inspired to take action in their own communities to bring about needed changes.

“When I was introduced to the Freedom Riders by my father I become succumbed with an awakening," senior Tamiko Bynum said.

"I felt like there were so many things going on in my community that will never change unless we take on a call for action.”

On May 4, 1961 the Freedom Riders went in route through the Deep South to challenge Jim Crow laws and bring about a revolution; the riders were grappled by hatred and brutality, having police often at times not to intervene.

By November 1961 after months of ridicule the Freedom Riders won the battle when the Interstate Commerce Commission put rules in place that prohibited segregation on public transportation facilities. 

One main issue for the young adults of this generation is education, many feel that minorities students and the schools they attend are often left behind not receiving proper funding to provide all the tools needed to be successful in this day in age.

“Successfully integrating minorities, primarily African and Latino Americans, into the educational mainstream will be a solid factor in majority of us succeeding in the school system and thus prospering throughout our lives," junior Cassandra Mitchell said.

"With an increase of technical, scientific, and basic literacy of Americans at large, we will not fall behind the nations with which we are increasingly competing for world leadership.”

Some students felt that because of the problems in the education system students have began to lack certain characteristics causing students to become unconcerned entities.

“Because of the low student achievement in U.S. schools," senior Gregory Keyes said. "This causes students to lack the urge to make their learning experience a competition for success, ambition and the motivation to achieve aren't really inspired in our education system anymore and that was the main thing past civil rights figures worked for.”

Students expressed that this nation has came along way since the time of the Freedom Riders but unfortunately has not yet done away with forms of racism.

“Even with the election of our first black President African Americans have not surpassed the race card," junior Taylor Jennings said.

"We see our president get questioned about his methods and get bashed for his decisions, racism is still relevant in this day in age it is just hidden and swept up under the rug.”

On May 6, 2011 forty students from various backgrounds and walks of life will take a ride through the history of the Freedom Riders joined by Stanley Nelson the Director of the new documentary “ American Experience“, these modern day college students will experience the journey the Freedom Riders went on.

Texas Southern University students are thankful for the fight the Freedom Riders put up for them to be able to leave normal lives with no color barriers being in place, but still feel that the fight is not over.