This is in response to Ryan Reeves’ letter from Monday. After reading Reeves’ letter to the editor, I am deeply disgusted. He clearly has not visited any of the damaged sites in New Orleans or Mississippi. He does not understand what he is talking about. People are not “whining”;
they have lost everything. They did not just lose their homes. They lost their memories, clothing, livelihoods and their friends and family members, just to name a few.
I lived on the coast of Mississippi for a number of years. I just recently returned from a trip to see the devastation. What I have seen has moved me and saddened me almost beyond words. I do not feel that people are “whining.” The government has let them down. FEMA has let them down.
It has been five months since Katrina and still there has been little to no cleanup.
If Mr. Reeves would watch the news, he would see that people in St. Bernard Parish had to resort to “stealing” FEMA trailers that have been sitting in a lot unoccupied for months. I call it liberating the trailers. When President Bush has us number 14 of his 15 agendas in the State of the Union and spends all of two minutes discussing the recovery efforts, I and many others feel we mean nothing to the federal government.
People are being evicted from hotels, and Gov. Blanco is now having to open shelters for them. I don’t think anyone is “whining.”
Will Mr. Reeves let these people into his home and shelter them? I don’t think so.
So before Reeves opens his mouth again and inserts his foot, I
would love to see him walk through New Orleans or drive down Highway 90 in Mississippi. I will gladly show him pictures from this past weekend’s trip. After several months, the area still looks as if nothing has been done since Katrina hit. He can just stay in his safety net of the southwest corner of Louisiana.
The people affected by Katrina are not “whining”; they are begging for help. They are taxpaying, honest Americans who deserve more than what their government has given them. I would just like him and others like him to realize that the only reason he isn’t hearing any “whining” from Mississippi residents is that the national news media has forgotten them.
 
Maggie Pellerin
Senior
French
 
Albert has legacy of good behind her
As former student leaders and committed alumni of LSU, we can’t help but wonder when this madness will end.
In the past 50 plus years, this University has seen so much progress. For years, the color of your skin blocked you from walking through the North Gates. More recently, the clarion call to inclusion, regardless of their background, has grown by leaps and bounds. These efforts have unequivocally been enhanced by the work of Dr. Katrice Albert. Whatever concerns have arisen regarding her handling of this situation, it must be said the LSU has benefited from her hire.
Since her arrival, LSU has expanded multicultural programming that extends past February. In addition to continuing the MLK and BHM celebrations, this University has also expanded to a Native American Heritage Month Celebration, an Asian American Celebration, and established a previously non-existent relationship with the GLBT community. Dr. Albert has also taught and mentored numerous students in and outside of her classroom and office.
Most notably, Dr. Albert has also provided the leadership for SpringFEST (no, it’s not just a step show) – a weekend of information and fun, designed to successfully recruit black high school juniors with 3.5 GPA and higher to this University. Its implementation has made a remarkable impression on LSU’s minority recruitment and opened communication with inner city schools, whose counselors have historically said LSU doesn’t want their students.
Yes, we feel the charges against Phillips may have been a step in the wrong direction; yet, it should not escalate any further than it already has. The decision to drop the charges was, we feel, an indicator that the excessive rift this ordeal has caused has been realized; an end of this petition would indicate the same. Enough already.
Let’s be clear – in all that has been said and done, the true loser is diversity. What started out as genuine concern for a controversial flag has spun out of control into distorted facts, name-calling and blame shifting. Neither the charges brought against Phillips nor this petition against Albert, have done or will do anything to move the original flag discussion in the right direction. Furthermore, the greater issue of true diversity at LSU and how our University should dedicate tangible time and resources to its cause is being lost in the fray of personal circumstances.
The passion of this cause needs to be refocused and refunneled into one direction to maintain dialogue and resolutions to enhance diversity on campus.
 
Thomandra S. Sam and Brandon M. Smith
Alumni