One cannot understand the cover of this issue without a brief lesson in American history.
     It was 1968, and civil disobedience was more than just a phrase.
     The ’68 Olympics, held in Mexico City, honored Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos for their gold and bronze performances in the 200-meter dash. As the young men stood on the podium, they dropped their heads and raised their fists to protest the unjust treatment African Americans experienced before and during the Civil Rights Movement.
     The young black men were suspended from the national team and went home to death threats and disdain from those who saw the black power symbol as a divisive statement.
     Few know that the other Olympian on the podium, Australian medalist, Peter Norman, also took part in the protest. He wore a patch on his clothing bearing the letters OPHR, which stood for Olympic Project for Human Rights. The group initiated the protest and asked Olympians such as Smith and Carlos to join them.
     Norman’s willingness to protest for a battle thousands of miles from his home is something few remember but teaches a lesson we shouldn’t forget.
     Norman, like many others, realized that the empowerment of any people eventually leads to the empowerment of us all.
     We decided to pay homage to this historic moment at the ’68 Olympics by using people of different races because the meaning of black power has evolved to encompass more than the African- American community.
     What does this have to do with Kent State in 2008?
     Many of us celebrate Kent State’s diversity without recognizing how segmented that diversity really is.
     Students who have different colors, religions, backgrounds, and sexual orientations walk around this campus every day.
     We seek solidarity from those who are like us when we could gain so much from those who are not.
     A white man, black girl, and an Indian man raising the black power sign together is our way of taking the fear out of a sacred symbol. A quest for equality by any group is a promotion of all humanity.
     A flag is the perfect backdrop for our cover because black power is American power. Hispanic-American power is American power. Chinese-American power is American power.
     The improvement of treatment for one group does not lead to the detriment of another. It is when we find this reality that we can all truly be free.

— Marchae Grair (Right)   (Photo by Daniel R. Doherty)