Sister Souljah may speak at campus forum

Controversial rap artist Sister Souljah may come to campus in April as part of a First Amendment and rap panel discussion, Upper Quadrangle Assistant Dean in Residence Pamela Robinson said last night. Souljah sparked national controversy when she referred to the Los Angeles riots following the verdict in the infamous Rodney King beating trial as "wise." "If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?" she asked. "So if you're a gang member and you would normally be killing somebody, why not kill a white person?" Her attendance at the discussion has not been confirmed with her agent, Robinson said. And the rap artist will not perform while on campus, although that was originally discussed as a possibility, Robinson added. Community House ADR Diana Koros, who served on the committee which created and originally discussed the event, said she hoped the panel would "spark people to think about the issues [related to the First Amendment]." In addition, during the 1992 presidential campaign, Souljah found herself in the middle of a controversy between then Governor Bill Clinton and fellow candidate Reverend Jesse Jackson. Clinton criticized Souljah's remarks about the Los Angeles riots and Jackson for inviting the rapper to serve on a panel at a Rainbow Coalition conference in mid-June of 1992. Robinson said Souljah was not invited because she is controversial, though. Instead, Robinson said the organizers of the event hoped the famed rapper's attendance would attract a wide variety of students to the event. College senior and Black Student League President Robyn Kent said she considered the discussion, "a step in the right direction." "Usually, it's up to minority students to push the administration to bring African-American speakers [to campus]," she said. "I think it's important just to get more prominent African-Americans at Penn." Koros also said that Souljah has changed her stance since the 1992 campaign. "She has backed off the hard core stuff," Koros said, adding that the rap artist would make a solid addition to the panel because "she has a reputation for being outspoken about her views and she's articulate. "This isn't meant to incite anything except thinking -- certainly it isn't meant to incite protest or anything," Koros said. And Kent said she did not believe Souljah's involvement in the panel would have a "negative effect," although she added that some people may object to it. Souljah's influence in the 1992 campaign and the controversy that occurred extended beyond Clinton's comments, however. After Clinton publicly criticized her, Souljah responded by saying that Clinton was a hypocrite who was out of touch with the difficulties black Americans faced. "It is very shocking to me that with the economic recession, [and] the inner-city decay, that Bill Clinton would attack not the issues, but an African-American woman who is alcohol-free, drug-free and self-employed," the rapper said. Souljah's supporters said at the time that Clinton made his remarks in an effort to keep Jackson off the Democratic ticket. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution contributed to this story.