We owe it to our Founding Fathers - the Marion Nine

As Alabama State University prepares to celebrate its 141st year of existence next week, it is important that administrators, faculty, students and alumni realize that there are major debts that are owed to our founding fathers, the Marion Nine, for the numerous sacrifices that they made beginning 142 years ago.

The first debt or obligation is to learn the illustrious history that is pivotal to this university's survival and its graduates' appreciation for this institution. When one truly understands and appreciates, they contribute in a variety of ways. Elijah Muhammad once said "the knowledge of self is the best knowledge."

It is clear to see that his statement is valid. If students were indoctrinated with the struggle that it took to establish this university from the very first day that they arrived, to either learn the history of this university or be rejected from this university. Students would take much more pride and adjulation in the university, its struggle and its future.

For students, however, to take the university's history seriously, our administrators, faculty and staff must also take it seriously. This newspaper staff has sadly witnessed administrators on the rostrum at convocations and other major events reading, yes reading the alma mater from the program while it is being sung, and what is even more depressing, many of these administrators receive six-figure salaries for working here, but have no clue as to the alma mater, history or struggles of this university.

This type of practice speaks volumes to a generation of young people that are fed up with hypocrisy. Students are exhausted with the older generation telling them what is good to practice, when they don't practice it themselves. Students need a rationale between what is being practiced versus what is being preached. Students are no longer in an era where they are seen but not heard. They no longer do everything that is told to them without analyzing and counting the cost. Until some of the people who hold administrative positions become purveyors of learning and active examples through action, some students will continue to toss this university's core values aside.

The second debt that is owed is self-respect and respecting one another. What would the founders say if they could see the manner in which the various individuals (male and female, male and male, students and administrators, faculty and students) interacting with each other on a daily basis? They would be very disappointed. The ASU family must begin the practice of self love and loving one another. Our founders deserve this kind of respect.

The final bill that is owed to our founders is our determination to take initiative. The Marion Nine were initiators. They did what they had to do to make this university exist and live.

The ASU family should realize that it takes much more than state funding to operate this institution at an exemplary level. Everyone who passes through these doors owe it to the founders to build strong bonds and close ties with the university to ensure that its financial needs are met. The university is accumulating more and more debt by constructing state-of-the-art buildings while the alumni are continuously giving less and less and finding more and more excuses of why not. How will the university pay its debt? The bottom line is that the university family must find a tangible way to generate funds so this institution that the founding fathers worked so hard to establish will remain intact and in trust.

It is essential that the ASU family realizes that no one will adequately insure this university but its students, graduates, faculty and staff. The Marion Nine had a dream and a vision that they turned in to a reality that has continued for 141 years.

The ASU family has no choice but to pay the bills that have been advanced by the work and toil of the Marion Nine. If not, the entire ASU family will find themselves celebrating the last Founders' Day in the near future.