THE DAILY
MISSISSIPPIAN
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Volume 105, No. 33
T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I S S I S S I P P I S E R V I N G O L E M I S S A N D OX F O R D S I N C E 1 9 1 1
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Will Ole Miss win this weekend? see what Chancellor Vitter says SEE SPORTS PAGE 11
Voice of the students
NY Times Social media provokes, galvanizes campus protest colmnist: Students, do what you love CLARA TURNAGE
SLADE RAND
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On a campus steeped in racial history, a student protest in the very heart of the university draws attention. A protest that was caused, driven and sustained by social media, however, marks the start of something new. On a Thursday night in late September, New York columnist Shaun King received emails from students more than 1,000 miles away. They sent screenshots from a Facebook post: “I have a tree with room for all of them if you want to settle this Wild West style.” The comment was posted by an Ole Miss student, referring to black protesters in North Carolina who mourned the death of a man shot by police officers. “Several students emailed it to me directly,” King said. “They were not only offended; they were literally concerned for their safety.” King tweeted a question to @OleMissRebels, seen by his 382,000 followers. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Tysianna Marino, president of the student NAACP chapter, was preparing a presentation on a research project she
had worked on for two years. She began hearing from Ole Miss students who were hurt, scared and angry. The post set off a swift chain reaction that illustrates both the power and the peril of social media. Ole Miss — once a place where student opinion marched almost in lockstep in the same direction — heaved to and fro under different viewpoints.
ALL IN AN HOUR
King said he didn’t expect the post to go viral – that wasn’t the point – he just wanted to make sure Jordan Samson was held accountable. Samson, the business major who made the original post at around 2:30 p.m., quickly deleted his Facebook account and the comments after King tweeted it out around midnight. “Yes, it was hate speech, but it was also violent,” King said. “Sadly, on his-
New York Times columnist David Brooks urged students to find true happiness through committed relationships Thursday night. Brooks was the keynote speaker at the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College’s 2016 fall convocation. He said students should ask themselves what their higher calling is, rather than focus on short-term happiness. Brooks is also a PBS news contributor and a commentator on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” He has written two New York Times best-selling books, most recently “The Road to Character.” It is a semi-autobiographical work based on his PHOTO BY: ARIEL COBBERT own philosophical journey and search for fulfillment. torically white college campuses, it often “Mine wasn’t a life of profuntakes a public push for students like this dity, yet there are those times to be held accountable.” when you get lifted out of yourKing’s post gained even more national self,” Brooks said. “You start to recognition when 49ers’ quarterback understand things about yourColin Kaepernick retweeted it. Kaeperself and where you live.” nick had recently gained attention – Brooks stood behind the lecgood and bad – for refusing to stand for tern with bright lights shining the national anthem in protest of police down on him. The Gertrude C. brutality in America. Ford Center was packed with The tweet also drew the attention of honors students, faculty and the Ole Miss’ public relations Twitter community members who have account, which is run by Ryan Whitting- read his columns for years. ton, assistant director of public relations. Brooks spoke softly, but with “When we saw Shaun King’s tweet, purpose. He said the loss of we felt it was important to immediately connection and intimacy are acknowledge the situation, and since the causing a growing disconnect tweet was directed @OleMissRebels, we within society. It has led to a felt it best to respond from that account national decline in marriage, ASAP,” Whittington said. “We monitor friendship and trust. mentions for all of our official social me“The divisions are more stark dia platforms, and we’re both entrusted than they’ve ever been,” Brooks with the responsibility of responding said. “You have partisan hostildirectly to any and all tweets we deem ity on top of economic inequalnecessary.” ity.” The UM NAACP wasn’t planning Brooks’ advice for breaking to protest–not at first. When interthrough severe divisions was viewed by The Daily Mississippian simple: Do something you love. that Friday morning, Marino said He said he is a firm believer she wanted to give the university the in throwing oneself into things
SEE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE 6
SEE BROOKS PAGE 5