Northerner offers help for race issues
I recently transferred to LSU from a northern university that had some of the same racial problems that seem to plague LSU. The difference is that the university became proactive. Students, teachers, provosts and the president of the university got together to speak honestly and openly about the racial tensions at the school.
The meetings helped provide realistic solutions in hopes of integrating the university and relieving some of the racial tension.
The fact is that things need to change at LSU.
In many classes I am either the only person of color or one of two people in over 50 students. Sometimes it gets disheartening and students feel like they need to show they exist.
If sitting together at a football game is a way to show that “Yes we are here, a group of minority students often lost in the crowd of faces at LSU … Yes we want to enjoy the game, together, because that is the way we are comfortable,” then no one should stop them.
They are a lot of unspoken rules that have become a part of life at LSU.
We all want to avoid uncomfortable situations. But as a University the problem needs to be addressed.
Last year the “chalkers” displayed some of that racial tension in the Quad.
Yet administrators ignored a chance to openly discuss the racial tension that is the constant undertone of this campus.
Until administrators stop worrying about the “let’s pretend we get along” image nothing will change. But let’s be a little more sensitive. People died for this country to exist and for minorities to have a chance to attend this university and its events.
I apologize to the girls who were upset at the game. I feel that same type of anger when I can’t find a lab partner in my class if I am the only black student, or when I hear some white students refer to each other as “nigga” or the n word. Maybe we and administrators should get together and discuss it one day. We might actually be able to make a difference.
Judea Goins
senior
environmental engineering
Unfair bias does not apply to all bikers
This is in response to the article posted on Sept. 23 “Cyclers pose problems for pedestrians.”
As a cyclist and secretary/member of the LSU cycling team I was deeply offended by the gross generalizations directed towards the biking community of LSU.
One generalization, made by Hines, stands out above the rest, “campus bike riders are obnoxious.”
I have never seen Hines attend a meeting nor ride with us downtown on a Thursday night ride.
How then can she say, campus bike riders are rude or obnoxious for that matter?
However, I do agree the quad is indeed no place for bikes during prime hours.
While riding on the road seems like the obvious answer to the sidewalk dilemma, members of the team and I can attest Baton Rouge motorists are as biased as Hines, “I hate people who ride bicycles on campus they’re angry.” There is a bike path on campus (Dalrymple parallel to the lakes) and on Brightside road (runs the entire length perpendicular to Nickelson road).
Both paths are marked with metal signs and large clearly visible painted bike symbols. However the conditions are less than satisfactory.
I personally have lost several tubes to pinch flats while riding down the uneven, pot hole laden asphalt trails.
Even with said markings the paths consistently have large amounts of pedestrian traffic (runners, joggers and walkers).
It seems to me the handing out of “bicycle violation tickets,” as suggested by Mr. Graham, is a misappropriation of resources, in this time of increased campus rape.
Further more what happens when the campus bike police begin to patrol the quad? Wouldn’t that negate the whole issue? Along with being offensive to the entire bike community of LSU the article is ridiculous.
Matt Judice
sophomore
computer science
Hypocrites leave stripper mom alone
The Capital Christian Center has a problem with one of their student’s parents stripping, but my question is how did the school find out in the first place?
If she is so morally wrong, obviously whoever found out was in a strip club as well.
This ridiculous situation shows exactly how people are hypocrites.
Many people are all for being morally correct and perfect in the eyes of everyone else, but will go to extreme lengths just to exploit a person’s life.
Numerous people in America also want to argue about the Pledge of Allegiance and the Ten Commandments, but they still want people to be god-like. Where is the sense in this world?
Expelling Ms. Salivas’ daughter is absurd, does the school really think that the 5-year-old girl is responsible for her parent?
If Americans would just take the time out to look at themselves in the mirror, everyone would realize that no one is perfect. We all do what
we can, when we can.
Rachael Larson
sophomore
mass communication