The Reveille 9-28-20

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MYLES AWAY MYLES AWAY AWAY MYLES The Tigers offense, led by Myles Brennan, is far from where it needs to be.

Read on

page 2 NEWS

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More that 100 protestors rallied outside the Governor’s Mansion Friday evening advocating for police reform.

ENTERTAINMENT

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LSU organizations keep clubs engaging during pandemic with restrictions, inspiring clubs to make meeting more exciting.

SPORTS

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LSU football gets hit with a reality check as the team is stunned in its season opener against Mississippi State.

OPINION

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“On a day I should have been giving the residents of Lake Charles hope, they were the ones giving it to me.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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Game Recap:

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

Total yards

632

425

(225) 578-4811

Passing yards

623

345

Rushing yards

9

80

4

Turnovers Time of possession

Editor in Chief BAILEY CHAUVIN Managing Editor BRITTNEY FORBES

2

30:28

29:32

7

5

Sacks

NEWSROOM

Digital Editor LARA NICHOLSON News Editor ANNA JONES Deputy News Editor KATHERINE MANUEL Sports Editor NATASHA MALONE Deputy Sports Editor REED DARCEY Entertainment Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Opinion Editor GRACE PULLIAM Production Editor JENNIE DELATTE

Myles Brennan after LSU vs. Miss. State:

EXPECT A LEADER, NOT A BLAMER

BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear The world is often cruel to those who expect certain experiences to work out exactly as they imagined they would go. People’s expectations are often elevated for various reasons: blind faith, educated inferences, or hard facts to name a few.

Everyone expected Myles Brennan’s season debut to come a little easier for him, including Brennan. But after the team’s 16-game win streak was snapped, the expectations Brennan and the team were holding for Baton Rouge and the LSU fanbase shattered like a rock had been hurled at them.

Now, new expectations are ready to be set. It is Brennan’s task to ready his team to pick itself up and rise to meet them.

“Leadership is going to be crucial from here on out,” Brennan said. “This is the first game of many. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us. We’re not going to crumble and quit now.”

In their 44-34 loss to Mississippi State, the Tigers were outgained by a difference of 632 to 425 yards of offense. This came in part to a slow start by Brennan and his offense. Brennan completed six passes out of just 12 attempts for 119 yards and a touchdown. It seemed like Brennan couldn’t get into a rhythm in the first half, and that was evident in the time of possession. Mississippi State had the ball for nearly twice as long

as LSU did in the first half, with the Tigers’ longest drive only lasting two minutes and 19 seconds.

“We just started slow as an offense,” Brennan said. “The execution, all across the board, wasn’t there. We just started slow, and that hurt us.”

“We dropped balls, we weren’t protecting,” Head Coach Ed Orgeron said. “Third downs, it looked like nobody was open. Myles was holding the ball. No excuses, we’ve got to get better. The execution was not there.”

This changed in the second half. LSU got the ball to start, and the offense looked much more in sync. Brennan was eager to push the tempo, utilizing a balance of handoffs to his running backs and short throws on quick reads to keep the Mississippi State defense off balance.

The tempo was reminiscent of the LSU offense fans had grown accustomed to seeing last season.

A field goal and a Terrace Marshall Jr. touchdown catch put the Tigers in the lead for the first time that day.

“We just know that we needed big plays,” Brennan said.

“Big plays fueled emotion in this game. We were coming out, we were getting the ball. We needed to drive down there. Our defense played their hearts out, and it was time for the offense to start clicking.”

The third drive was progressing much like the first two. However, unfortunately for Brennan and the Tigers, Mississippi State

defensive lineman Jordan Davis got a piece of Brennan’s arm on a deep throw to a wide open Racey McMath, and Brennan’s pass was intercepted by Esaias Furdge.

The energy fizzed out of Tiger Stadium.

After another Bulldog touchdown by K.J. Costello, the Tiger defense forced two consecutive turnovers, giving the offense great field position.

Brennan made some more good throws in the fourth quarter, specifically a fantastic throw and even better onehanded catch by Marshall to cut the Bulldogs lead to three. But the junior quarterback could not lead a miraculous comeback after falling behind again 44-34 at the beginning of the quarter. The Tigers were doomed.

A serious argument can be made as to whether this is Brennan’s fault. Over the game, Brennan threw for 345 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which was the last play of the game once their chance of victory was out of reach. He finished with a 58.7 completion percentage and a 134.5 passer rating. To ask much more from Brennan in a game where the defense was downright awful is unfair.

But when Brennan said leadership would be crucial, he meant it. The decision as to where to place the blame is not relevant to him and his teammates, showing the team’s rooted maturity.

“Losing sucks,” Brennan said bluntly. “No one wants to lose.

But we can’t blame anybody.

We have to fix our mistakes and move forward. You can sit here and point fingers all across, but it’s not going to do anything. We need to stick together as a team.”

His head coach was quick to echo his sentiments and shoulder the wrongs of the team.

“I told them, ‘Put it on me,’” Orgeron said. “When they win, I give them the credit. When they don’t, I’ve got to take the blame.

I’ve got to get better. I’ve got to coach better. I ask everybody to look at themselves in the mirror, see what we’re doing, let’s get better. And let’s stick together as a football team. We’ve got a lot of football left. I still believe we’ve got a good football team.”

He is not a quarterback who is going to be immature and dodge responsibility. Brennan knew he made mistakes, owned up to them and told others that nobody should be looking to criticize each other after a mistakefilled performance. This is not behavior indicative of a young, hotshot quarterback who was given the team. This is the attitude of a developed leader who has worked hard on every practice rep, down-to-distance drill and even understudy minute to become the man he is today. This is the Brennan fans should be expecting right now.

“I went out there and I gave it my all, just like this team did,” Brennan said. “I didn’t feel like I was trying to be anybody I wasn’t or do anything that I wasn’t capable of doing.”

Multimedia Editor ABBY KIBLER

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

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NEWS

page 3 STUDENTS AND FACULTY

‘CHANGE IS NOT HAPPENING’ JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

Protesters march with signs on Sept. 25 during a protest in front of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion.

Protestors at Governor’s Mansion demand police reform, transparency

BY NICK FREWIN @itsnickfrewin More than 100 protestors rallied outside of the Governor’s Mansion Friday evening, demanding police reform and advocating for transparency in multiple cases involving police violence fatalities.

Groups from across Louisiana including The Village 337, NAACP, ACLU of Louisiana, BR for the People, Democracy at Work LSU and the New Black Panther Party traveled to attend the protest.

The National Chair of the New Black Panther Party, Krystal Muhammad, does not think legitimate change is happening regarding institutional racism and police brutality across the country.

“Change is not happening at all,” Muhammad said. “There is a lot of forward movement toward change, but there is no change.

We have institutional racism going on; we have domestic terrorism of the Black community by the hands of the police.”

Muhammad also expressed frustration with the inaction of

the U.S. government to protect its Black citizens.

“We are dealing with ethnic cleaning and genocide, and the United States government is failing to protect its people,” Muhammad said. “The police are paid to protect the properties of the ruling class, and they are being paid to terrorize the Black community.”

Muhammad called for the creation of legislation to better police law enforcement and for international entities to hold the U.S. responsible for domestic crimes.

“There needs to be state and federal legislation and ordinances that hold police to a higher standard of criminal punishment than the citizens because they are trained to kill, and they do kill,” Muhammad said. “There should be an International Court of Criminal hearing held against the United States government for the genocide and ethnic cleansing that has taken place.”

Friday’s protest comes during a time when most of the country

see PROTEST, page 4

LSU students and staff voice frustration with daily symptom checker

BY CAITIE ZEILMAN @caitiezeilman A major tool in the University’s response to COVID-19 is the daily symptom checker, but some students and faculty are questioning its effectiveness.

The daily assessment asks participants if they have been tested for the virus or experienced any COVID-19-like symptoms in the past 10 days. It then provides feedback about whether or not the participant is cleared to return to campus.

All University students, faculty and staff are required to fill out the daily symptom checker every day including those working or studying remotely.

Political communication professor Nathan Kalmoe said he didn’t feel comfortable bringing his students into the classroom this semester. He chose to hold all his classes virtually and work from home. As a result, he did not partake in the daily symptom checker for several days.

see SYMPTOM, page 4

FACULTY

Former students and colleagues reflect on Julian White’s impact on the LSU and Baton Rouge community

BY JOSH ARCHOTE @JArchote Quiet, quick-witted, honest, straightforward and the type of person “you couldn’t bullshit;” these are just some of the words former students and colleagues of Julian White, LSU’s first Black faculty member and respected Baton Rouge architect, used to describe him.

A mural of White in LSU’s Art and Design building was completed in March by Robert Dafford, an artist known globally for his murals. The painting depicts White leading a march of faculty and students, representing all the doors White opened for those behind him as the University’s first Black professor.

Before becoming Louisiana’s

second Black licensed architect, White was required to take the state license architecture exam in the 1960s, where he was segregated from the white test takers.

The room White was assigned to take the test in would later become his office when he joined LSU’s Department of Architecture in 1971, where he would leave immeasurable impacts on the thousands of students he would teach over his 33-year long educational career.

White retired from LSU in 2003 and passed away in 2011 after a battle with cancer. The impact White left on the Baton Rouge and LSU community still echoes in the memories of those students and colleagues who knew him.

Architecture professor Mi-

chael Desmond worked with White at LSU. “The thing I think I remember the most about him, or the thing that stands out the most, was just how forthright and honest he always seemed,” Desmond said. “It seemed like that was just the character of him, just an outstanding human being.”

Architecture professor Tom Sofranko worked with White on small architectural projects in the Baton Rouge area for over nine years.

“I can’t tell you how many times we would go to lunch or go to the coffee shop, then we’d get in the car [and] he’s doing some calculation in his head and he’s like ‘oh wait,’” Sofranko said.

“We’d go back into the store because the cashier had miscounted

and given him an extra dime. He did it enough so that it was something I teased him about.”

Sofranko said White’s teaching style went far beyond conveying information about architecture. He could teach you how to be a grown up and a professional.

As a student and mentee of White’s, Lisa Nice said White was different from her other architecture teachers.

“You couldn’t BS him, he could see through the BS,” Nice said. “Some students were very talented at doing that and some professors tended to eat it up, some of the more design-oriented professors. You could not do that with Professor White because he could see right through it. He

see JULIAN WHITE, page 4

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The Julian White Mural on Sept. 23 as it is being honored in the LSU Art & Design Building.

Monday, September 28, 2020

page 4 PROTEST, from page 3 has experienced protests and riots of its own, but LSU creative writing senior Hannah Michal believes the issue of racism is more prevalent here due to the history of racism against African Americans in the South.

“Louisiana is very racist as it is,” Michal said. “It’s still a problem nationwide, but I think it’s worse in the South.”

Activist Jamal Taylor of The Village 337 called for the removal of Colonel Kevin Reeves, Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, citing his department’s systematic failures.

“His police officers murder people and for 17 months nothing happens,” Taylor said. “But when the news gets it, he (Chris Hollingsworth) magically gets fired. There is obviously something wrong if you feel like you needed to terminate an officer.

So, Colonel Reeves needs to be terminated.”

The protest occurred hours after a funeral for a Louisiana state trooper who was under investigation for the death of Ronald Greene in May 2019. Greene died after what Louisiana police described as a struggle to bring him into custody, resulting in police chase, according to the Asso-

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The Julian White Mural sits on Sept. 23 as it is being honored in the LSU Art & Design Building.

SYMPTOM, from page 3 “My frustration is that I filled out the ‘return to campus’ form at the start of the year indicating I wouldn’t return until the pandemic is over, and they still expect me to fill out a daily ‘can you return’ form,” Kalmoe said.

Kalmoe said he found the wording of the daily reminder to be misleading.

The message formerly told students, faculty and staff they must complete the daily symptom check every day “in order to be eligible to practice and/or return to campus.”

The COVID-19 response team notified Kalmoe via email that he was identified as a current employee who failed to complete the symptom checker for the week.

Kalmoe responded to the University email with a suggestion to clarify the message wording.

“All current LSU students and

ciated Press.

Greene’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year alleging that Louisiana police “brutalized” Greene and covered up the actual cause of his death, according to the Associated Press.

Louisiana state trooper Chris Hollingsworth died earlier this week when he crashed his vehicle after he was told he would be fired. His funeral was closed to the public and had a large police presence and a SWAT team in case of any disturbances, according to the Associated Press.

“I wish Mr. Greene had had a SWAT team and a drone to protect him,” Taylor said.

Baton Rouge resident Arielle Stephens wants to see reformations of law enforcement agencies in the hope of quelling the trend of police brutality toward minorities.

“Not everybody is as big of a threat as they make them out to be,” Stephens said. “They signed up for a job where they are going to risk their lives, but if anybody moves a muscle, they get scared.”

Bishop John Milton from Lafayette believes all actions committed by police officers are a direct product of American society.

“The actions of the police department are a reflection of the

reality of America, which has the original sin of resting in white supremacy and the devaluation of Black life,” Milton said. “What we need is a complete transformation of that ideology, and we can live in a true equal and just society where everybody can be free.”

Milton said progress is unattainable in any other aspect as long as Black communities still face neglect and racism.

“What we expect of police officers is to do what they are supposed to do, which is to protect and to serve,” Milton said. “I don’t give a hoot if a Black man is on crack, if they have a mental illness, [a police officer’s job] is to protect and to serve. If when you call, somebody has to leave dead, how are you going to call that protecting and serving and considering that an accomplishment of your mission?”

Raees Unis, who traveled to the protest from Lafayette, wants police to treat him fairly and not discriminate against him based upon the color of his skin.

“I want to see them talk to us like normal people,” Unis said. “If I get stopped by an officer I don’t want to have to be afraid. Eventually they’ll have to make some change, because the protests are just going to keep becoming worse if they don’t.”

Protesters hold signs on Sept. 25 for protest in front of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion.

JULIAN WHITE, from page 3 didn’t buy it because he dealt with real-world architecture and real-world problems.”

White worked as a professor and maintained his architectural practice in Baton Rouge simultaneously, giving him a teaching style other professors couldn’t match, according to his colleagues and former students.

“He always spoke from experience,” Desmond said. “He was always very direct and straightforward and I guess you could say pragmatic. A lot of times people that just started tend to be conceptual and idealistic and impractical, but he was not like that. He was always down to earth. He knew architecture from

both sides.

White was ahead of his time as an architect, according to those who worked with him.

Sofranko said he and White worked together at a time when computer software was becoming an increasingly popular tool to use in designing buildings.

“I think many people in his position would say ‘Oh that new software is for the young folks,’ but Julian wanted to dig in and be on top of it,” Sofranko said.

Desmond said a building White designed in the ‘70s, which was at the time a medical clinic, had a lasting impression on him.

“It’s a modern building, kind of striking building, but it’s also very unassuming in a way,” Des-

mond said. “When you go into it, there were large beautiful plateglass windows looking into the landscaping around it.”

Desmond said the healthcare industry has recently begun to quantify how a patient’s access to the natural world — a patient being able to see green things out of their hospital room for example — has a quantifiable effect on how much painkiller they require and how quickly they recover.

“It’s a burgeoning field, this evidence-based design they call it in terms of healthcare,” Desmond said. “Julian was way ahead of the curve on that. I remember going into Julian’s building in the early ‘90s and remembering how pleasant it was to sit in the waiting room and wait for the doctor to

employees are required to complete this symptom check every day whether you will be visiting campus or not,” the message now reads.

The Roadmap to Fall website says students working remotely are expected to fill out the form, citing the possibility of changes in plans resulting in a return to campus.

Speech pathology graduate student Anna Moody said there was a period of time she intentionally neglected to fill out the form to see the result.

“I didn’t fill out the form for over a week and literally nothing happened,” Moody said. “It’s unfortunate knowing there’s no consequences.”

Mechanical engineering freshman Kenneth Tarleton said he noticed a subtle yet major change in the delivery of the daily symptom checker. It was formally sent to his priority tab in his school

email inbox but is now found in his “other” tab.

“Now there isn’t a notification sent when receiving this reminder and it’s being neglected in the same place as where most junk emails go,” Tarleton said.

Tarleton said he occasionally forgets to fill out the form, but he worries about those who purposefully do not fill it out.

“I can only imagine the students and staff that care less about the virus and its spread,” Tarleton said. “Normally, I wouldn’t think that this would be such a big deal, but with more than half the tests being self-reported and no reprimands being put in place, this change cannot go unnoticed.”

Tartleton said he felt dissatisfied and frustrated but didn’t know where to go to talk about these frustrations.

LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said students, faculty and staff have the option to

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

come and how calm you felt. It was forward-thinking. Not a lot of people were thinking about that in the mid-70s.”

Sofranko recounted that White was passionate about jazz and was knowledgeable in several areas outside of architecture. Derryl Didier was a student and colleague of White’s. He said White was an outstanding and ethical man.

“He didn’t want to be a Black architect — he didn’t want to be a white architect — he wanted to be an architect,” Didier said. “He would really get upset if somebody brought that up. “‘I just want to be an architect.

I just want to be a great architect — I always really, really respected him for that.”

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille

One of the four LSU COVID-19 testing centers sits on Aug. 22 next to the LSU Foundation Building on Nicholson Drive. give the University feedback on its response to COVID-19. This includes the comment section on the return to campus form, as well as the offices of the Emer-

gency Operations Center and the the President.

Ballard also said social media channels are a great source of feedback for the University.

ENTERTAINMENT

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STAY INVOLVED

LSU Clubs aim to be engaging and positive despite restrictions during pandemic

BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_ Bored and looking for some safe socializing? Join the club (literally).

Being in quarantine for almost six months has put a halt to many social gatherings, and club meetings are just another thing that will look a little different this semester. The pandemic has limited how we can meet and interact with each other, but many on campus clubs are focusing on using this challenge to make their organizations better.

The University has a wide range of clubs, and groups like Dance Marathon at LSU are continuing to do good during the pandemic.

Dance Marathon’s director of member development, leadership and human resource development junior Lexie Dunham, shared how important it is for the club to keep being active.

“The members of our club work to raise funds and awareness for the kids at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, and it is so rewarding,” Dunham said.

“Kids can’t wait for events to be in-person, so we shouldn’t either.”

The club is having hybrid meetings every Wednesday and have events planned like Beat Bama Week and a silent auction.

FOOD

COURTESY OF DANCE MARATHON

Another on-campus club is also using dance to uplift and help others. Dance Ambassadors at LSU is having Zoom dance classes of multiple styles every Monday at 9 p.m. They are even collaborating with the Tiger Ballroom Club to offer a ballroom dance class.

President of Dance Ambassadors junior Sophia Greenwood, studying mechanical engineering while pursuing minors in aerospace engineering and Dance, talked about the importance of having dance as an outlet during this time.

“Since many people are stuck inside for the majority of the

day studying and having online classes, I think it is really important for their mental and physical health that they are moving and exercising. This club not only does that, but it also provides a creative outlet for students and is a stress-reliever,” Greenwood said.

The Student Association of the Society of Wetland Scientists at LSU are also trying to make the most out of virtual meetings that they plan to have monthly.

President Ashley Booth, a PhD student studying renewable natural resources and wildlife, shared how LSU SWS plans to continue to make a positive impact in the

area.

“Our virtual meetings this semester will still have speakers and wetland-related activities, and we are still planning on having socially-distanced volunteer events that get us outside and helping our local community,” Booth said.

Another club that makes a huge impact on campus The Impact Movement. The club has hybrid meetings planned and hopes to complete community service and collaborate with other organizations on campus.

President of the club, apparel design senior Michaela Powell, shared how the club will continue

to stick to its core values.

“Although things look different this semester, Impact is still a family, and we will continue to operate as such. We will still have good times and good conversations about faith and what that looks like in every aspect of our lives,” Powell said.

Ratio Christi is another club looking to socialize and have discussions even during these challenging times. It meets every Tuesday from 4:30-6p.m. in Room 325 of the Student Union.

“Whether you’re a freshman looking for connections or a senior looking for an interesting discussion, our group provides a thoughtful, encouraging community that discusses the big questions in life,” sophomore club member Jonah Foster said.

Even with the restrictions, students should definitely still consider joining clubs. If you’re looking to meet new people and get involved on campus joining clubs is one of the best things to do.

I highly recommend everyone, especially freshmen, look into what clubs their college offers, or go on Tigerlink and look at all the active clubs this semester. Joining a community on campus will help this semester feel more normal and fit more socializing into your schedule.

GEAUX GUMBO

Exploring the dish’s recipes through different backgrounds

BY BRITNEY YOUNG | @byoun99 I have lived in Louisiana my whole life. Louisiana dishes have not only been part of my life, but it is also ingrained in our culture.

Red beans, etoufee and jambalaya are just a few of the well-known dishes, but I find gumbo more interesting.

If you’re not from Louisiana, gumbo is a very popular dish in this state. Every family that you’ll meet makes gumbo in its own way. Gumbo is basically a soup where you can add either meat or seafood with other ingredients.

The base of the gumbo is called a roux, and people will usually add rice to the dish.

Gumbo has French influences and also has origins from West Africans who were forcefully brought here through slavery, and the Choctaw tribe. There

are three different cultures in this dish, and it has been continuously made for hundreds of years.

Everyone’s gumbo tastes different. This may be obvious, but I thought about how different we are when it comes to making gumbo. We all put the gigantic pot on the stove when the temperature goes down a bit, but we are different when it comes to making the base and adding ingredients.

I wanted to dive into this myself and see if everyone’s gumbo recipes have some differences or similarities when it comes to class, race, region and environment. It’s a great way to learn more about each other through food because gumbo is a warm, hearty dish that brings family and

friends together.

The sample I used isn’t a big one. I will be discussing the samples that answered my survey, so their experiences and background may or may not match yours. We all live differently, but we also have similarities.

So, let’s get down to the data.

I received 74 responses, and I asked questions about the responders’ race, class, religion, household and how their family makes gumbo.

From what I found from middle and working class Christian families in the southwest, both liberal and conservative households prefer meat in their gumbo that includes mainly chicken and sausage. They also like to add the trinity mix, which consists of onions, bell peppers and celery.

These families also like to make their gumbo base from scratch.

The same can be said for middle and working class residents who live in the southeast and central regions. Although, there was one difference from some southeast respondents where they used a scoop of potato salad as a substitute for rice.

From the results of my survey it seems that Louisiania natives in general make gumbo the same way. Although, I did find many differences that I haven’t seen before where some families would add a hard boiled egg, beef tips, corn, beer, mushrooms or gizzards. On paper, it doesn’t look different, but I know they all taste different. If there’s a way for me to taste test everyone’s gumbo, sign me up.

I can learn from this experience and be more precise when collecting responses from a survey, but I did expect that through different backgrounds we will have some similarities with our recipes.

It was fun and interesting to learn about people’s recipes because I truly believe that we can know someone’s life through their cooking. We must ask why people add certain meats or seafoods. Why do others prefer roux from the jar or from scratch?

There are still a lot of questions that need to be asked.

It’s a good reminder that we can be drastically different from each other, but we should come together from our similarities.

But, we must also try to learn each other’s differences.

Monday, September 28, 2020

page 6

Monday, September 28, 2020

LSU football junior defensive lineman Ali Gaye helps up a Mississippi State player Sept. 26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

page 7

LSU fan cardboard cutouts scatter the stands Saturday, Sep. 26, 2020 before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

LSU sophomore runningback John Emery Jr. (4) runs the ball Sept. 26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

Two LSU fans cheer Sept.

26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

LSU freshman cornerback Eli Ricks (1) tries to catch up to Mississippi State senior wide receiver Osirus Mitchell (5) Sept. 26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

LSU sophomore runningback Tyrion Davis-Price (3) escapes a Mississippi State player Sept.

26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

Photos by Abby Kibler

SEASON OPENER

Tiger Stadium sits Sept. 26 before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State.

LSU may have lost against Mississippi State, but the season has just begun, and it promises to be an exciting one.

An LSU football player practices on the field before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium on Sept. 26.

Monday, September 28, 2020

page 8

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Ticket’s end 5 Heartburn trigger 9 Hemingway’s “A Farewell to __” 13 Pick-me-up 15 Walk in shallow water 16 __ year; 2020, for one 17 Stadium 18 Say “I’m sorry” 20 Topaz or ruby 21 Faux __; blunder 23 Removed wrinkles 24 Doggy 26 Malibu or Civic 27 Roof of the mouth 29 Knack; special ability 32 Venerate 33 Mopes 35 “__ Father, Who art in…”

37 Takes care of the tab 38 Pig out 39 Melody 40 Era 41 Liberates 42 Delhi dresses 43 Swirls like Jacuzzi water 45 Like a no-nonsense teacher 46 __ sense; sort of 47 Seaside towns 48 Word following heart or panic 51 Female animal 52 Cholesterol letters 55 Simple woodcraft project 58 Blazing 60 Crossword puzzle definition 61 College in El Paso, for short 62 Waiter’s handouts 63 “Things aren’t always what they __” 64 Leoni & others 65 __ Benedict; fancy breakfast DOWN 1 Antlered animal 2 Ripped

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

3 Not working 4 Canister 5 __ in; inundated by 6 Salary limit 7 Bachelor’s last words 8 Needing tender handling 9 Tipper’s ex 10 Bridle strap 11 Lab rat’s challenge 12 Earned a ticket 14 Novelist Truman 19 Some grad exams 22 Hardware store chain 25 Dinghy pair 27 Family member 28 “Better safe than sorry,” e.g.

29 Pulls hard 30 Like healthy food 31 Hip-length shirt 33 Bakery display 34 Uno 36 Siesta 38 __ in hives; have an allergic reaction

9/28/20

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

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39 Acid-tasting 41 Colorful songbird 42 Broadcast online in real time 44 Royal headband 45 Piglet’s ma 47 Marshmallow chicks 48 “Sesame Street” lesson topic

9/28/20

49 Rummikub piece 50 Word of agreement 53 Narcotic or analgesic 54 Not as much 56 Univ. of Utah athlete 57 Aegean or Red 59 Service charge

SPORTS RUDE AWAKENING

LSU loses to Mississippi State, fans jolted awake from dream season

page 9 FOOTBALL

Bulldogs carve up depleted secondary

BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha

number of players who played last season at the FCS level: Cox, defensive back Darren Evans and center Liam Shanahan. Star corner Derek Stingley missed the game after reportedly checking into the hospital on Friday for an allergic reaction, and defensive lineman Glen Logan was out for unspecified reasons.

For the first three quarters, K.J. Costello was comfortable, slicing up an inexperienced secondary.

Evans, Cordale Flott and freshman Elias Ricks struggled to track Bulldog receivers, leading to huge gains and long touchdowns.

One of the key headlines riding into the Tigers matchup with the Bulldogs was how the Tigers’ defense would respond to Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, led by quarterback K.J. Costello.

With one of the best players in college football being inactive for Saturday’s game in cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., that left the Tigers’ secondary depleted, rendering them helpless against the high-powered offense of Mississippi State.

Blown coverages in the secondary and missed tackles led made the hole too deep for LSU to come out of.

Under Stingley’s absence, the Tigers were forced to turn to sophomore Cordale Flott, freshman Elias Ricks, grad transfer Darren Evans and sophomore Jay Ward, all of whom struggled to find answers to slow down the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State put on an absolute clinic in Tiger Stadium against the young LSU secondary.

In his SEC debut, the Stanford transfer lit up the Tigers’

see LOSS, page 10

see SECONDARY, page 10

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Tiger Stadium sits vacant Sept. 26 before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

BY REED DARCEY @byreeddarcey Somehow, LSU football managed to squeeze its offseason— several months of chaos and confusion—into one play, the Tigers first offensive touchdown of 2020.

On third and goal from inside the five, Myles Brennan took a shotgun snap, faked a handoff, rolled to the right and immediately met three Mississippi State rushers. He was tackled, and while falling to the ground, launched a prayer to the end zone in the area of two Tigers and one Bulldog. Star freshman tight end Arik Gilbert jumped and secured

the touchdown.

Just like the college football world’s desperate efforts to play the season in a pandemic, Brennan’s first touchdown seemed, at first, doomed to fail, then succeeded despite long odds.

Unfortunately for LSU, the team’s first battle of its title defense wasn’t as successful. The Tigers lost to the Bulldogs 44-34.

“No excuses, man,” Ed Orgeron said after the game. “We got to get better, and the execution was not there. No question.”

On Saturday, Tigers fans were violently jolted awake from their dream season, finding themselves in a world that feels more like

2018 than 2019. A shaky offensive line made life harder on an inexperienced quarterback, who struggled to connect with receivers and march down the field.

In fact, linebacker Jabril Cox’s second quarter pick-six was the first time LSU returned an interception for a touchdown since its 2018 season opener against Miami. When the Tigers went to the locker room at half, it was the first time they had faced a halftime deficit since 2018 against Texas A&M. On Saturday, LSU took the field with a starting lineup that featured three players who started in the National Championship, the same

FOOTBALL

Key takeaways from a disappointing day in Tiger Stadium

BY NATASHA MALONE AND REED DARCEY @malone_natasha and @byreeddarcey There is no rebuilding, only reloading for the Tigers.

We have to replace the entire team. We may have underestimated the challenge.

We all knew LSU had a boatload of high end talent to replace from last year’s national championship winning team. What we did not know was how harsh that reality would be.

We saw a glimpse into just how far the gap is between last year’s team and this year’s. Only three starters from the National Championship started against Mississippi State. We may have forgotten that it took the title team some time to gel before it took off. They paid their dues together in 2018, learned how to play with each other and gained experience before they were ready to contend.

How will we define a successful season? Time will tell.

The new 4-3 defense got more pressure. It didn’t matter.

Despite the secondary getting torched without All-American cornerback Derek Stingley, the newly refurbished defense showed postive changes from last year.

You would not know it with an eye test, but Bo Pelini’s 4-3 defensive scheme provided the Tigers’ front seven the opportunity to explode off the line and get pressure on K.J. Costello.

The front-seven forced 41 pressures, 31 hurries, seven hits and three sacks. Last year, the defense averaged 14 pressures, eight hurries, three hits and two sacks, according to LSU Athletics Reporter Cody Worsham.

Most of the Bulldogs’ long gains through the air were the result of lapses in coverage by an inexperienced secondary. Elias Ricks and Darren Evans played their first SEC games, and Cordale Flott made only his second start. Their inexperience showed.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see what Defensive

Coordinator Pelini decides to do.

Will he double down and dial up even more pressure? Or will he take a step back and drop more defenders into coverage?

A tale of four transfers Joe Burrow and Cole Tracy transferred to LSU. They were pretty successful.

This offseason, LSU picked up transfers from linebacker Jabril Cox, center Liam Shanahan, corner Darren Evans and pass rusher Ali Gaye.

It was a productive day for Cox. His pick-six was the first touchdown of the 2020 season, and his six tackles and one sack were tied for third on the team.

Ali Gaye, a junior college transfer, tallied one sack, two tackles for loss and three passes defensed.

Evans, Shanahan and their units had rough outings. Thrust into action with Stingley out, Evans and the rest of the secondary struggled to match Bulldog receivers. Shanahan and the offensive line allowed pressure to reach Myles Brennan all game.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football players kneel down Sept. 26 before LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium.

page 10

Monday, September 28, 2020

LOSS, from page 9 “I think we did some really good things on defense,” Orgeron said. “We pressured the quarterback. Our pass rush was good. But we had too many missed assignments, and we got to look at why we missed those assignments.”

Mississippi State quarterback K.J. Costello completed 36-of60 passes for 623 yards and five touchdowns, breaking the SEC record for single-game passing yards. No one has ever thrown for more yards in Tiger Stadium.

“It’s embarrassing,” JaCoby Stevens said after the game. “It’s like going into a boxing ring and getting knocked out. DBU didn’t show up today.”

The defense did show signs of life in the fourth quarter. Ricks soared for an interception, leading to a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab by Terrace Marshall. Stevens forced and recovered a fumble on a sack, and Brennan led the offense to a field goal. The game was tied at 34.

But the defense allowed 10 more points in the closing minutes of the game. The unit was poor all game. Its late heroic attempts to save the game were not enough in a disappointing showing for a squad that Orgeron has been touting all offseason.

“It’s really exciting to see the front seven unleashed,” Stevens said. “Last year, we complained

about not having a rush. So, now that we have it, now it’s time for the back end to step up.”

Because Orgeron’s inherited defensive coordinator, Dave Aranda, left Baton Rouge to take Baylor’s head coaching job, Orgeron had a chance to hire someone who runs a defense the way he prefers. So he turned to Pelini, whose 4-3 front is designed to apply pressure and rely more on press man coverage in the secondary. This defense is Orgeron’s unit.

“I think one of the things we need to get better at from last year is defense,” Orgeron said before the season. “We didn’t play good defense. That’s why Bo [Pelini] is here.”

“I do believe we’re able to use our athletes more to play better defense,” he also said before Saturday. “There were too many

points scored on us last year. I think you’re going to see a big improvement.”

History’s watchful eye will judge the post-championship Orgeron era on his decisions this offseason, after he seized the opportunity to hire his guys, play the way he prefers and leave his lasting mark on the program.

“We’re going to find out what we’re made of,” he said.

The title defense is in peril, and LSU football is at a crossroads. Will the program consistently contend for championships, or will it return to its old standard, on the outside of the playoff picture looking in?

If game one is any indication, chaos awaits. The Tigers have work to do.

“Put it on me,” Orgeron said.

“I got to get better. I got to coach better.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football junior defensive lineman Ali Gaye (11) cheers to the crowd Sept. 26 during LSU’s 44-34 loss against Mississippi State.

SECONDARY, from page 9 secondary. Costello had a recordbreaking night in Death Valley, throwing for 623 yards with a handful of touchdowns. Costello threw for more yards than any player in Tiger Stadium history and snapped the 27-year SEC record for passing yards in a single game.

“Embarrassing,” JaCoby Stevens said when speaking on the play of the secondary. “It’s like going into a boxing ring and getting knocked out. It’s not a good feeling. Yeah, we do pride ourselves in being DBU. But DBU didn’t show up today.”

Despite the struggles in the secondary, the Tigers were still able to find a bit of positivity on the defensive side behind Bo Pelini’s 4-3 defense.

With 41 pressures, 31 hurries and seven quarterback hits, the front seven for LSU were able to put pressure on Costello. The Tigers also recorded a trio of sacks and forced Mississippi State into a bundle of third-and-long situations. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they had nothing to show for that as they were unable to get the Bulldogs off the field on third down.

LSU’s defense was led by Stevens and a pair of transfers.

Stevens showed a glimpse into why he was chosen to sport the coveted No. 7 jersey this year for the Tigers. Stevens kept the Tiger

spirits alive for most of the game.

The junior linebacker had a huge game for LSU, coming up five tackles, two for loss, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Alongside Stevens comes a pair of transfers who made their presence known in their SEC debuts.

Linebacker Jabril Cox, the recent grad transfer from North Dakota State, played lights-out in his purple and gold debut. His night was highlighted by an interception returned for a touchdown which gave the Tigers their first lead of the game.

Ali Gaye provided constant pressure off the end on Costello the entire game. With multiple knocked down balls and a sack, the JUCO transfer looked to be as good as advertised. He was all over the field, not giving the opposing receivers much to work with.

“I thought both of those guys were all over the field. Ali Gaye had some batted balls and pressure on the quarterback. That’s what we’ve been seeing all spring and all preseason,” Ed Orgeron said. “Jabril Cox played very well.

I need to watch the film and see if he had any busts or anything, but I thought he was all over the field.”

“Put it on me,” Orgeron said to the team after suffering the loss.

“When they win, I give them the credit. If they don’t, I’ve got to take the blame.”

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OPINION

page 11

Progress in Lake Charles reflects residents’ strength FROM THE CRO’S NEST

ready had my mind made up that this was going to be a depressing day and that the people I met ELIZABETH CROCHET were going to be upset—they had every right to be. @elizabethcro_ Yet, I could not have been There is a lot going on in the more wrong. The scene itself was world right now, so it’s easy to indeed depressing; in many ways, forget that a month ago a Cat- Lake Charles still looks like a deegory 4 hurricane made landfall veloping world. The power was in Cameron Parish. It seems the out, food and water was limited media was on the ground the day and there was debris just about the storm hit and left the next. everywhere you looked.

But just because the cameras The people, however, were aren’t there doesn’t mean every- the complete opposite. If not for thing is OK. the power lines snapped in half The scene in Lake Charles is and fallen trees everywhere, you a disaster. would almost think nothing had Unless you see the city first- ever happened. hand, it is hard to really underOn a day I should have been stand what those who live there giving the residents of Lake are going through. Pictures don’t Charles hope, they were the ones do it justice. Two weeks ago, I vis- giving it to me. ited ground zero and assisted in I spoke with several people relief efforts with a group of stu- to hear what the past month dents from the University’s own had been like for them. Many Christ the King Catholic Church. drive into Lake Charles every Before I left, I prayed I could day, do as much to help as they be a sign of hope for the resi- can and then drive several hours dents struggling with loss of life back to the places they evacuand livelihood in the area. I al- ated to. They do it day after day,

and yet not a single person I met complained.

Given everything that has happened this year, it would have been so easy for the people of Lake Charles to give up. With businesses in the community hurt from the pandemic and nothing but debris left of their homes, residents could have chosen to relocate their lives and never look back.

Thankfully, that’s not the way they do it in Lake Charles.

“Give up” is not a phrase in their vocabulary. They have found a way, and will continue to find ways, to get through this together. Whether it is by picking up debris, handing out meals or keeping the resource centers stocked, the people of Lake Charles know how to get things done.

The rest of the country should be looking to this city as an example. There is no denying this year has been rough for all of us. Giving up amid hard times is often the convenient thing to do but it is almost never the right one. My trip to Lake

Charles taught me that if you love something, there is no doubt it is worth fighting for.

I must make a plea to anyone my readers. Although Lake Charles has made a lot of progress over the last month, there is still much to be done. They need our help. If you can, make a trip over there and give firsthand assistance. If you can’t make it there personally, donate money or other resources—

and if that is not possible, pray for the people of Lake Charles.

Let them know that the rest of their state and country are with them. Their resilience and will to help one another will get them through this. Never doubt there is hope even in the most unexpected of places.

Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-year-old political communication sophomore from New Orleans.

COURTESY OF ANDREW WEVER

A building is left damaged after Hurricane Laura swept through Lake Charles.

Breonna Taylor did not receive justice, reform needed SAUCE BOSS CÉCILE CÉCILE GIRARD @_cegi_ In the early morning hours of March 13, three officers from the Louisville Police Department broke into 26-year-old EMT Breonna Taylor’s home under the suspicion Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, was using the residence as a drug distribution base.

The officers never announced themselves, according to no less than 12 witness accounts. After Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot at one of the officers in self-defense, the officers retaliated by firing a total of 32 bullets in the residence. Of those, six hit Breonna Taylor. She died on the scene.

On Sept. 23, it was announced none of the officers would be charged in relation to her death.

This was a decision that surprised no one but angered almost everyone.

One of the officers, Brett Hankinson, was indicted for “wanton endangerment to the first degree” for shooting several bullets

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

Protesters hold up their signs on Sept. 25, during a protest in front of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion. through the wall into a neighboring apartment. The other two, Jon Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, received no punishment at all.

The reaction from the political right was equally grim. Shortly after the announcement, popular conservative commentator Tomi Lahren tweeted, “It is NOT an officer’s duty to gamble with his/ her life so you can happily and

comfortably resist arrest” — completely omitting the fact that Breonna Taylor wouldn’t have even had time to “resist arrest” before she was murdered in her home.

Some argue Taylor’s death was warranted because her boyfriend fired the first shot— but what would they have done in his situation? Armed strangers broke into his home in the middle of the

night, in plainclothes, allegedly without ever identifying themselves as police.

It was a clear case of selfdefense. Yet those who defend the officers are eager to abandon all evidence and reason in favor of blind devotion to an authoritarian police state.

The police have never been adequately prosecuted in America, but there was hope that would change this time around.

Taylor, an innocent woman, was killed by the police just moments after waking up in her own home.

What more evidence could a jury need to rule that she had been murdered?

Yet the legal system ultimately ruled property damage to be a worse offense than murder. To really make it clear the legal system only works for a select few, Hankinson’s bail was set at the laughably low amount of $15,000.

The day before the verdict was announced, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in anticipation of protests he knew would come.

Officials knew the courts were never going to hold the officers accountable. But instead

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Chauvin Brittney Forbes Anna Jones Katherine Manuel Grace Pulliam

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

of using their power to push for justice reform and remove the ridiculous safeguards that protect police from the rule of law, they preferred to incite violence by deploying military tanks on their own rightfully angry citizens.

After months of protests and online outrage calling for #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor, this court decision was a depressing reminder of the unwarranted authority blindly awarded to police, particularly when it comes to issues of racist misconduct.

This was reflected in an email Sergeant Mattingly sent to his Louisville Police Department colleagues, in which he wrote that by shooting an innocent Black woman in her home he had done “the legal, moral and ethical thing that night.”

Our country has somehow accepted that crooked officers can walk free while their victims lie dead without justice. Until the U.S. justice system is reformed, I hope the protests in Louisville never stop.

Cécile Girard is a 20-year-old psychology junior from Lake Charles.

Quote of the Week “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

Confucius (551-479 BC)

Monday, September 28, 2020

page 12

Trump’s refusal to accept election results is terrifying GABBING WITH GABBY GABRIELLE MARTINEZ

@martinez_g0

To think of a sitting president publicly stating his intentions to refuse the results of an election is terrifying. For it to actually be happening in the United States of America makes me question if I’m even living in a democracy anymore.

In a press briefing on Sept. 23, Donald Trump was asked whether he planned to accept the election results and commit to a peaceful transferal of power if his opponent wins the presidency. If you assumed he’d be cordial enough to say yes, you’d be mistaken.

His response was: “Well, we’re going to have to see what happens. You know that. I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster.”

It’s important to understand why Trump is making these claims and why they’re likely to amp up in the weeks leading up to, and even after, the election— he’s setting the stage for a massive electoral upheaval in case he loses.

With the unfortunate pass-

ing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Trump and his administration are in a race against the clock to appoint a more conservative justice. More time in office gives Trump more of an opportunity to get Amy Coney Barrett in Ginsberg’s place, which would tip the court even further to the right.

It seems his strategy is to discredit the validity of mail-in ballots, a form of voting millions will potentially be using this year. In the same press briefing, Trump added, “get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very trans- — we’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly; there’ll be a continuation.”

False narratives are all but unfamiliar to Trump, a figure whose cult-like following ironically advocates for “the facts” and the dismantling of “fake news.”

He is attempting to discourage his supporters from voting by mail because he does not want to wait the days, weeks and months it could take for mail-in voting to tell him he has deservingly lost.

According to a 2017 report from The Brennan Center for Justice, the risk for ballot fraud lies between 0.00004% and 0.0009% based on data from past elections. Trump’s repeated claim

about fraudulent mail-in voting has been linked to no actual proof, yet so far has only earned him a warning from Twitter for spreading false information.

As polls show Democrat Joe Biden in the lead, Trump is likely attempting to stifle the “blue shift,” the idea that given the increased mail-in voting and the fact that Democrats are more likely to mail in their ballots than Republicans are, we will see more votes for Biden coming in later as mail-in ballots are being counted.

And if Trump can’t even get past his highly-contested win against Hillary Clinton in 2016 due to the amount of alleged “voter fraud,” I doubt he’ll have the mental capacity to cope when he loses to Biden.

Experts even warn of Trump potentially claiming an early victory a la the Bush v. Gore election in 2000 in an attempt to once again push an inaccurate victory narrative on his followers and the general public. Thankfully, Twitter and Facebook have both put out multiple statements saying they will be taking this kind of behavior very seriously in order to keep the platforms free of misinformation.

It’s unbelievable to think social media is having to regu-

cartoon by BRANDON SHEPHERD

late an off-the-wall presidential election. Unfortunately, what’s easier to believe is that an extreme upheaval that will occur if all doesn’t play out in Trump’s favor.

Twitter can’t stop Trump from getting on stage and calling on his supporters to contest the election if he loses. Those who have been fed lies about the election possibly being illegitimate will not go unheard in November in that case.

At a rally in Wisconsin last

month he warned the crowd, “the only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.”

As always, Trump’s words threaten the U.S. This is no hyperbole—his supporters will believe the hysteria. This November is going to put our country at risk of domestic terrorism and radical violence.

Gabrielle Martinez is a 19-yearold mass communication sophomore from Gonzales..

The patriots should be critical, not remain compliant DOM’S UNCANNY DISCOURSE DOMENIC PURDY

@tigerdom16 In a year characterized by a global pandemic ravaging the American populace and mass protests continuing against racial violence it’s hard to be optimistic about our country’s future, especially with a polarizing election of momentous importance just around the corner.

The recent discussions concerning America’s ongoing history of racial injustice, class disparity and the propagation of outdated systems have many, myself included, questioning the fallacy of American patriotism.

Patriotism, often defined as the “special concern for the well-being of the country,” is not inherently negative. The problem with patriotism as many in the U.S. practice it is that a wide ignorance of the less savory parts of the American experience, paired with a blind acceptance of the idea of American exceptionalism, is actively antithetical to making real changes in our society.

The well-being and love of our country still motivates true patriots as it did the late James Baldwin, who insisted “on the right to criticize [America] perpetually” to promote a better society through questioning authority

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

A protestor speaks to the crowd on Sept. 25 during a protest in front of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion

Protesters march with signs on Sept. 25 during protest in front of the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion

and taking action against societal ills rather than ignoring them.

While a subsect of the population does actively question the systems in power to enact institutional change, a form of patriotism more closely in line with nationalism still prevails. These “patriots” who claim to love this country but discount any critique of their “land of the free” only love the aspects of this country that benefit them, while potentially harming others.

Some Americans hold the mindset that voicing critique and dissent is inherently harmful to society. On the contrary; it’s the only way any positive change is

exceptionalism, while optimistic in theory, won’t solve any of the actual problems we face.

If we truly love our country and want what is best for it, indiscriminate patriotism is not the answer. Hopefully this year’s tragedies bring American citizens to adopt true critical patriotism once again.

Go out and protest. Question the myth of American exceptionalism and this supposed great nation’s status quo. If you truly believe the U.S. has the potential to be great, follow Baldwin and countless other patriots in seeking to “criticize her perpetually.”

able to occur in this country.

America at its very core was built on critical patriotism. From the revolutionaries who founded this country to the civil rights activists of the 20th century, apt criticisms of societal norms have done more for America’s well-being than blind patriotism that sits by while truth and justice are trampled upon. Sometimes upsetting the status quo is the only thing that will force society to change for the better.

That brings us to today.

With the recent police deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, many are beginning to wake up and realize that American

Domenic Purdy is a 19-yearold journalism sophomore from Prairieville.

JALEN HINTON/ The Reveille