Tailgating Together

The Student Equality Commission held a tailgating party Saturday to unite students and move minorities into the tailgating atmosphere.

The event is the latest move by the group to address the purple-and-gold Confederate flag. Last year, the group help campus-wide marches protesting the presence of the flag and asking it be banned.

Collins Phillips III, leader of the SEC, said the group will not protest this year because he said the group has achieved all it can from the demonstrations. The group is now focused on the dialogue.

Chancellor Sean O'Keefe sent out an e-mail Friday re-enforcing the University's stand on the flag. In the broadcast e-mail, O'Keefe said the University cannot ban the flag, but discourages fans from flying it.

"This flag has no specific connection to LSU and is not a symbol of our University," said O'Keefe. "Therefore, I respectfully ask our fans to use judgment, to exhibit sensitivity toward others and to refrain from flying this flag."

In the e-mail, O'Keefe said all tailgaters need to respect each other.

"Consider this message to be a reminder to those who come to the LSU campus - as a student, an employee, a football fan or a visitor - to please remember the importance of diversity and the need for sensitivity," O'Keefe said.

The tailgate group had a crowd of around 150 students, according to group members.

Phillips said he was happy with the turnout and expects the event to draw more people in the future.

"I know it's going to get bigger," said Phillips.

Student Government President Chris Odinet attended the event. Odinet said he only sees good things in the future for the group.

"I think we will see it more as a success as the season goes on and more people will want to come," said Odinet.

SG is one of the student organizations involved with the SEC in the tailgating. Odinet said he was happy SG was a part of the group.

"We don't think this is just the minority students," said Odinet. "The SEC builds unity."

Phillips said he thinks the University is doing the right thing by discouraging the display of the flag, but said he doesn't like the University's policy of having to register a protest.

Under the new policy, all protests must be registered three days in advance. Phillips said he thinks this gives the University time to try and diffuse any protest.

Pete Johnson, mass communication junior, said he was pleased with the student turnout.

"It was a small group, but I think it is better this way," said Johnson. "They are here for the cause."

Phillips said he was pleased with the open dialogue that took place about the purple-and-gold Confederate flag.

"It's really about understanding," said Phillips.

The College of Democrats were at the event registering people to vote. Phillips said he invited the College of Republicans, but the group did not show up.

----- Contact Nathan Trifone at ntrifone@lsureveille.com