To heck with the New Black Panthers!
Posted on 11/07/2005 11:44:45 PM PST by Crackingham
Students marching Saturday to ban a Confederate flag, dyed in LSU's colors met the most fiery opposition from tailgaters since the students began protests of the popular game-day decoration three weeks ago. Police arrested three people for throwing objects at or inciting protestors as about 200 mostly black students trekked from the African American Culture Center to Tiger Stadium before LSU's homecoming game with Appalachian State. The arrests were the first made during any of the three protests staged so far this fall, LSU Police Capt. Ricky Adams said.
Chanting "ban that flag" and "LSU unite," protestors were met by equally fervent cries of "freedom of speech" and "go home" from a few of the tailgaters waving purple-and-gold Rebel flags. Marchers also met dozens of cheering supporters who lined up along the route.
Those in favor of the flag -- a purple-and-gold version of the Confederate Naval Jack, the familiar stars and crossed bars banner -- say it's a symbol of Southern heritage and nothing more.
"It combines two things I love: the South and LSU," alumnus Carey Montz said. "They have the right to free speech just like we have the right to fly the flag."
But many black students -- some of whom cheered as a man who identified himself as the Rev. Raymond Brown set fire to a Rebel flag before the march -- said the banner is also a sign of covert racism on a campus they pay to attend.
"It's also a symbol of our heritage, and it's not a very happy one," said LSU senior Raveen Hills, a black student.
University Chancellor Sean O'Keefe has said he discourages the use of the flag, but cannot ban it for fear of violating free speech rights. Students argue the university could label the flag as hateful speech and ban it. Many said Saturday that the protests have multiplied what was once a spattering of the controversial flags.
Senior Derek Borne suspects the reasons are twofold: People are taking more notice now, and flag-sympathizers are going out of their way to be noticed.
Beer in one hand and pole in the other, Jeff Clarke marched around campus parading one of the purple-and-gold Rebel flags prior to the game Saturday. He said he bought it less than a week before.
"I bought the last one in Baton Rouge," Clark said. "If they're going to march down the street and speak their mind, I'm going to speak mine."
Montz, who hangs his flag on his tailgating canopy, said none of the protestors have approached him to discuss their points of view or what they're after.
Calling the flag "a symbol of everything we're going through on campus," Phillips said the students want more than a ban on the flag.
The protests began around the time two other racially significant incidents cropped up on campus. LSU's only black fraternity house was vandalized, and a law student accidentally transmitted a widely circulated e-mail disparaging black people and women.
To heck with the New Black Panthers!
"It's also a symbol of our heritage, and it's not a very happy one," said LSU senior Raveen Hills, a black student
If blacks are really serious about banning symbols that have been used for racism, then they need go no further than the Stars & Stripes.
That ain't the Stars and Bars being flown by the cone heads.
It's sickening to see all the special African-American clubs books, clothes, orginazations, awards and endownments celebrating the black culture.
Yet they piss and moan and DEMAND the Confederate culture be banned and wiped from history. Selective racism.
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