The LSU community gathered Thursday to stand in solidarity with Student Government against hazing.
LSU SG president Jason Badeaux welcomed the crowd, noting the importance of the turnout of the event and the community coming together to rally against hazing.
“We’re here to reflect on Max Gruver,” Badeaux said. “While he was a student here for only a short time, we did lose a fellow tiger and a member of our community in a terrible tragedy. It’s very important for us to reflect on that and not forget that.”
SG hosted the event to give students a chance to stand against hazing. Banners reading “Tigers Against Hazing” will be painted by students with gold and purple handprints to show the students solidarity. These were intended to be painted at the event, but because of rain the painting will be rescheduled. Badeaux said it’s important for the community to think about the culture of the University.
“We haven’t done enough to prevent hazing in our organizations,” Badeaux said. “Hazing is a feedback loop. While the small things we tolerate may seem innocent and fun, they grow into much larger problems.”
Badeaux urged students to be intolerant of hazing – large and small – at the University. He added that students need to make the decision to be against hazing, and be unafraid to report incidents.
“We won’t leave today…with policies or procedures in place,” Badeaux said. “What we will leave here with is a decision, made by every person here, that hazing is unacceptable…intolerable…divisive…and has no place in the LSU community.”
Society for African American Studies President Sebastian Brumfield Mejia spoke at the rally about the importance of healthy masculinity.
“Hazing is a national epidemic which robs people of their dignity, their well-being and even their lives,” Mejia said. “It is not an issue to be taken lightly.”
Mejia said that hazing is not an exclusively Greek issues, and mentioned other high profile hazing-related incidents, such as the death of Robert Champion in 2011.
“Robert was exposed to hazing as a drum major in Florida A&M’s marching band,” Mejia said. “Without also focusing on incidents in non-Greek organizations, we will fail to understand hazing holistically, and risk allowing its continuation.”
Mejia said that though hazing is sometimes seen as a tradition, no such practice which fosters danger and fear within its members should be held in high regard by any organization.
“It is our collective responsibility to report hazing when it is easy, and more importantly when it is hard,” Mejia said. “Although we may not always personally know victims, we must recognize in them a shared humanity and fight for their justice.”
Kire Jackson*, the SG director of Student Outreach, said that students need to stand up and make their voices heard during this difficult time.
“If you see something, say something. If you think something isn’t right, do something,” Jackson said. “If you think staying back and not saying something is better than breaking tradition or looking cool, ask yourself: how would you feel if something happened to one of your friends or family members.”
Other speakers at the rally included SG vice president Leah Sanders and University alumnus Monturius Howard.
“I won’t go off a script and say we need to take action today,” Howard said. “Action doesn’t start today, it started yesterday. It started years ago. It started before this accident happened.”
Howard stressed the importance of helping friends and encouraging each other to say no to hazing.
“Max had a friend. We’re not here to vindicate Max’s friend on anything or to indict him on anything, but Max had a friend. Max’s friend should’ve told him no,” Howard said. “We have to look ourselves in the mirror and make a conscious decision to do what is right or to do what is wrong. We know hazing is wrong.”
Howard encouraged students to make a stand against hazing, and to help any friend they believe might be hazing or being hazed.
“Hazing has never been cool, in any form. It will never be cool,” Howard said. “If you know of a friend [who’s experiencing hazing] and they’re telling you about it, tell that friend to speak up. Don’t feel like you’re going to get in trouble or they’re going to get in trouble. It’s better to have your friend in trouble than to not have your friend at all.”
The event was moved to the front steps of memorial tower because of the rain, where Howard and other speakers continued the rally and held a moment of silence for Maxwell Gruver.
“He was only a Tiger for 29 days, but every person standing here knows what it means to be a tiger,” Sanders said. “You know that that family is tighter than any other university in the nation.”
Sanders encouraged students who need support to take advantage of the resources from LSU Cares and the Student Health Center.
“It is national hazing prevention week, so there is a precedent for having events during this week,” Sanders said to The Daily Reveille. “We felt this year it was time that students came out and said something about hazing as opposed to University officials or administration.”
Sanders said SG is going to hang the “Tigers Against Hazing” banners in front of the union this weekend and will keep them up throughout Homecoming week.
Students in attendance were eager to hear the issue of hazing be brought into the forefront. English and philosophy sophomore Brooke-Adrienne Bethancourt said it is necessary to talk about it, even if it makes people uncomfortable.
“Whether we talk about it or not…hazing is an issue that unknowingly affects everyone on this campus,” Bethancourt said. “It’s upsetting and disturbing that it took this tragedy for us to talk about it and address the issue.”
Bethancourt said more students need to feel comfortable with reporting issues such as hazing.
“I feel like a lot of students are maybe afraid to report things because of fear of rejection from their organization or fear of being excluded,” Bethancourt said. “There should be a lot more compassion behind everything we do…and less fear when addressing topics like this. We don’t like to talk about things that we’re uncomfortable with, but [they] should still be spoken about.”
*Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly referenced Kire Jackson as Kayu Jackson. It has been updated to accurately state his name. The Daily Reveille regrets this error.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Caroline Magee

LSU Student Government president Jason Badeaux gives an introduction speech at the anti-hazing rally on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, at Memorial Tower on campus.