In every Daily Egyptian it is printed that the DE is a student-run newspaper of SIUC committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse, while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. So I would like to address the DE and Lawrence Jackson for the editorial and the letter to the editor that appeared in the Oct. 23 DE.

The recent events that included Apollonia Thomas, Luzzetta Neal, Cynthia Love, Pamela Travis and her daughters certainly were tragic. However, this ridiculous notion that the African-American women who planned to attend the Million Woman March should have stayed home proves why the DE is misinformed and unintelligible. This march isn’t about the silly media or the history books. It is about black women uniting to solve black problems. In other words, black people solving black problems and not white people solving black problems which historically has put black people where they are today.

I know some European-Americans may not understand what’s going on, but what must be understood is that the black experience is unique, as is any other ethnic experience. The point is, only African-Americans will be able to deal with their own problems. No major social problem has ever been solved in one day, but this march will make a difference.

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As for Mr. Jackson, I’ll have you know that I proudly served on the committee of the Holy Day of Atonement. It was a positive experience of bonding, education and oneness with God. It was a day where participants learned valuable lessons which would never be taught in any classroom of SIUC. Our ancestors didn’t fight discrimination for African-Americans to divide themselves as you would have us to do.

You’re a history major. History should have taught you that when a people are under a condition of oppression, they unite together and fight oppression or they stay slaves. Right now, you’re still a slave.

senior, psychology and anthropology