STUDENTS PROTESTING AT LSU: THE REACTION FROM ALL SIDES

Mar 8, 20212 min read

DEAR BROOKS KUBENA: thank you for avoiding going to the bathroom for 6 hours so we could all witness these moments of LSU history.

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

CHECK OUT OUR "TITLE IX ODYSSEY" PIECE

After 40-60 year old LSU administrators refused to take responsibility or confront violence against women on their campus, around 50 LSU students did something (led by student group Tigers Against Sexual Assault).

It may have disrupted the day of student-athletes, but in doing so called attention to the neglect this issue is receiving around LSU. Today, we saw a classic "public disturbance" brand of protest which rattled the cage a little, showing everyone this issue isn't going away any time soon.

And here were these students, sitting on the ground blocking both exits for around 4 hours in a rather physically tame display of social protest....but the fact this demonstration's very existence seemed to bother some people within LSU athletics was interesting.

"I'm tryin to talk to ya'll cause I got shi...(looks at Kubena's phone)...I got things I gotta do, ya know? It's 12 o'clock in the day and student-athletes...ya know...are people...and people have to live their life. I gotta dog I gotta go home and feed. And I can't do that now cause ya'll are sitting out here cause ya'll don't know any better," TE Aaron Moffitt said to the protesters, angry that he couldn't leave the parking lot due to their sit-in blocking the path for vehicles.

It elicited an annoyed response from the leaders of the group, "we don't know any better? Ya'll don't know any better! Ya'll sitting here playing puppets for the student who..."

"Who's ya'll? Who's ya'll?!" Moffitt repeatedly asked.

"You!" The leader replied matter-of-factly, "specifically, yes..." while pointing at him. This was all shot by Advocate reporter Brooks Kubena. At that point, the footage ended.

Still, those students refused to move...and they didn't have to...after all, they had a permit.

Assistant Director of Player Development Eddie Kennison went up and asked very nicely if they could move so these "student-athletes can get a quality education", meaning to infer the students were blocking football players' ability to get to class. Many of these students replied "they can walk like I do..." although respected Kennison's "cordial" demeanor.

As I reported before, it does not look like this situation (or vehement reaction against LSU's pathetic response) is going away any time soon.

Telling Brooks Kubena this about her exchange with LSU's Aaron Moffitt, T.A.S.A organizer Taylor Perrodin said "I don’t understand why you wouldn’t take a stand? Why would you do anything except take a stand with us? ... that he would still rather go about his privileged life instead of sit here and make change for people."

They also spoke with President Tom Galligan in what many called an "emotional, painful hour long dialogue" of course...of course the word dialogue would be used...but then again, the statement finishes with Galligan saying there would be "no movement" on altering his 30 and 21 day punishments to Verge Ausberry & Miriam Segar.

LSU Odyssey reports it all...then allows the people to decide.

Here's some responses I found particularly interesting: