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Flashback: Why Missouri's football team joined a protest against school administration
Sports Illustrated ^

Posted on 09/26/2017 3:47:09 PM PDT by TigerClaws

On Saturday, University of Missouri's football team said it would boycott all football-related activities until university system president Tim Wolfe resigned or was fired. Two days later, Wolfe stepped down.

The football team's involvement added national attention to a growing chorus on campus criticizing Wolfe for his handling of several racially charged incidents on campus. Students, lawmakers and eventually the school’s football team were among those who called for Wolfe to resign.

Doctor Locator www.PsoriaticInfo.com Use The Locator To Find A PsA Specialist In Your Area Today. Missouri's football team may have added national scrutiny to protests against Wolfe's leadership, but the system president's resignation announcement on Monday was the culmination of months of unrest.

RACIAL INCIDENTS LEAD TO CALLS FOR CHANGE Since the start of the 2015–16 school year, several racially-charged incidents have taken place at the University of Missouri.

Sept. 12: Missouri Students Association president Payton Head wrote in a Facebook post that racial slurs were yelled at him on campus. The post went viral among Missouri students. Twelve days later, students held a “Racism Lives Here” rally, criticizing the university for taking six days to respond to the incident explained in Head’s Facebook post.

Oct. 1: Students held a second Racism Lives Here rally, demanding the administration take a more active stance on campus racism. On Oct. 5, an intoxicated man yelled racial slurs at members of the Legion of Black Collegians, who were rehearsing for a play.

Oct. 10: A protester at Missouri’s homecoming parade was bumped by Wolfe’s car. The demonstrator was part of a group of 11 students who locked arms in front of Wolfe’s car during the parade. Police removed protesters from the street and threatened them with arrest, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Oct. 20: Concerned Student 1950, the name of the main group of protesters on campus formed after the series of incidents, issued a list of demands, calling for Wolfe’s firing and increased diversity training on campus. Protesters also pushed for better representation of minorities on university staff. The group’s name, Concerned Student 1950, pays tribute to the year black students were first admitted to the school. The university was given eight days to respond to the protesters' demands.

Oct. 24: A swastika is drawn using feces on the wall of a residence hall bathroom.

Oct. 26: Wolfe met with members of Concerned Student 1950. The group says that Wolfe did not commit to a plan addressing the demands of the group.

Nov. 2: Graduate student Jonathan Butler announced he was beginning a hunger strike that will end in either his death or Wolfe’s removal from office.

These high-profile episodes followed several other incidents in recent years. Last December, during unrest in nearby Ferguson, an anonymous person on social media site Yik Yak wrote, “Let’s burn down the black culture center & give them a taste of their own medicine.” In 2010, two white students spread white cotton balls on the lawn of the black culture center; they were convicted of littering. Former Missouri basketball player Kim English also tweeted about a history of racism at the school.

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Professor Cynthia Frisby told NPR a white man called her “n-----.” The Los Angeles Times detailed the experiences of several black students at the university, reporting that a number of minority students have faced explicit racism, such as other students using racial slurs.

Students on campus have been camped out and protesting since the start of Butler’s huger strike, and faculty members also participated in a walkout on Monday in a show of solidarity with students.

WHO IS JONATHAN BUTLER? Jonathan Butler is a 25-year-old graduate student at the University of Missouri. He became the face of the campus movement to address recurring incidents of racism when he announced in a letter to the university that he would engage in a hunger strike until Wolfe “is removed from office or my internal organs fail and my life is lost.”

Butler accused Wolfe of being unresponsive to numerous racial incidents on campus.

Biologic RA Treatment Biologic Medications Can Help Treat Moderate To Severe RA. Learn More. www.ratreatment.com When asked why he decided to go on a hunger strike, Butler responded that it was the only way to get the administration to address issue that had gone unanswered for years.

“If you look at the past two years, and all that students have done, black students, brown students, students of color and marginalized students have been fighting and protesting and writing letters and doing all these things over several years," Butler said, according to the Columbia Missourian.

“We, as students of color, marginalized students, we still can't get an answer years later,” Butler said. “It takes these drastic measures for us to be taken seriously, for us to actually be considered humans.”

THE FOOTBALL TEAM GETS INVOLVED On Saturday, a group of black players on the Missouri football team announced they would not participate in football activities until Wolfe was removed from office. The announcement came in support of Butler’s hunger strike.

“The athletes of color on the University of Missouri football team truly believe ‘Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere,’” the group said in a statement. “We will no longer participate in any football related activities until President Tim Wolfe resigns or is removed due to his negligence toward marginalized students' experience. WE ARE UNITED!!!!!''

The Legion of Black Collegians tweeted a photo of the striking players.

The following day, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel tweeted his support for the striking players and said the entire team was united behind the protest.

The Missouri athletic department eventually released a statement from Pinkel and athletic director Mack Rhoades, announcing the team would hold no practices or formal activities until Butler resumed eating.

The same day Pinkel announced his support for striking players, ESPN quoted an anonymous Missouri player, who criticized the protest and claimed the team was not fully united.

“As much as we want to say everyone is united, half the team and coaches — black and white — are pissed,” the player, who is white, said. “If we were 9-0, this wouldn't be happening.”

The football team wasn't the only high-profile group to call for Wolfe to step down. Several state legislators also called for Wolfe’s removal, including state Sen. Kurt Schaefer, House Higher Education Committee Chairman Steve Cookson and Assistant House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty. Missouri governor Jay Nixon issued a statement saying the concerns of students “must be addressed.”

TIM WOLFE RESIGNS After the football team announced its strike, Wolfe released a statement on Sunday:

“We want to find the best way to get everyone around the table and create the safe space for a meaningful conversation that promotes change,” Wolfe said. “We will share next steps as soon as they are confirmed.”

On Monday, Wolfe resigned as president of the University of Missouri system at a board of curators meeting.

“I take full responsibility for this frustration. I take full responsibility for inaction that has occurred,” Wolfe told the media at the time of his announcement.

After Wolfe’s resignation, Butler announced he would end his hunger strike. The Missouri athletic department released a statement saying the football team would resume its activities.


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This is the "missing link" story in how the Left figured out a way to kill the NFL.

The NFL has been hated by the left for years. They brought up the wife beating players, the arrests and drugs, the concussions and injuries. Why?

The NFL has big men being manly hitting each other complete with flags flying and jet flyovers. It's an American sport and that's enough reason for Leftists to hate it.

The Mizzou situation showed them how to destroy football: pit the fans against the players. Play the race card and tell the players they are Uncle Toms being used by 'the man' and are like slaves of old. They need to stand up and the MSM will worship them - they'll win ESPY awards and be on magazine covers - 'standing up to injustice.'

It worked and the Missouri football team got the school president fired in two days. Fans stopped donating money, showing up, and didn't send their kids to the school. But no matter. Mission accomplished.

Now they have useful idiot players in the NFL alienating the fans - their paying customers.

But it all started two years ago with Missouri.

1 posted on 09/26/2017 3:47:09 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws

The Left loved Mizzou football when Michael Sam was there.


2 posted on 09/26/2017 3:48:26 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: TigerClaws

it ruined the school. NEVER let the inmates run the asylum . That school is now a knee slapping joke.


3 posted on 09/26/2017 3:51:52 PM PDT by raiderboy ( "...if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall.”)
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To: TigerClaws

Mizzou made the strategic error of letting the in,ages run the asylum.


4 posted on 09/26/2017 3:53:01 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: dfwgator

And just where is Mike Sam now?

Wallowing in a mental institution?


5 posted on 09/26/2017 3:53:32 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat ("I am SpartaLee" Hey, NFL, why didn't you any of you bold guys hire Kaepernick? #GoodbyeGoodell)
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To: TigerClaws

Why ask why. The left never get it.


6 posted on 09/26/2017 3:54:06 PM PDT by Autonomous User (During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.)
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To: A_Former_Democrat
And just where is Mike Sam now?

Dead of AIDS?

7 posted on 09/26/2017 3:55:33 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Yeah. These clowns rallied around the homo like he was a hero or something. Just tells you who attends that freak show university. The parents of the high schoolers who planned to attend Mizzou saw that and told them to attend another university, especially if you’re white.


8 posted on 09/26/2017 3:58:22 PM PDT by beergarden
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To: ealgeone

I saw some of Missouri’s home game against Purdue two weeks ago. For Missouri, it was a catastrophe; 35-3. Purdue is better than they were, but hey, they aren’t THAT good.

Let’s face it; Missouri football sucks, and it’s no surprise to anyone. They may not win a game the rest of the year. They may not be close in any of them.


9 posted on 09/26/2017 4:03:43 PM PDT by henkster (The View: A psychiatric group therapy session where the shrink has stepped out of the room.)
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To: TigerClaws

Missouri football 2013

Missouri football 2017 (5 minutes before kickoff)

10 posted on 09/26/2017 4:06:57 PM PDT by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: TigerClaws

Dumb and Dumber: Mizzou football team vs the Administration.

You know, I’m thinkin’ the jocks must might win that battle of intellects.

Now think about that before you send your chillins to that joke of a school.


11 posted on 09/26/2017 4:17:24 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Da Coyote

Before the controversy blacks were 10% of the student population (compared to 12% nationally).

After the administration gave into the demands the minority enrollment dried up as well to 6%. All the crying wolf about racism and poop swastkas scared them away.


12 posted on 09/26/2017 4:40:45 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: Da Coyote

Before the controversy blacks were 10% of the student population (compared to 12% nationally).

After the administration gave into the demands the minority enrollment dried up as well to 6%. All the crying wolf about racism and poop swastkas scared them away.


13 posted on 09/26/2017 4:40:53 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: BookmanTheJanitor; All

Excellent article out this week discussing the fallout ...

http://www.dailywire.com/news/21480/update-two-years-after-embracing-racial-protests-james-barrett


14 posted on 09/26/2017 4:43:29 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: TigerClaws

One of the instigators got tips from the Organizer in Chief.
Makes me wonder whether the supposed racial slurs even occurred, or if they just worked out a date ahead of time with the WH and DOJ both aware of their plans.


15 posted on 09/26/2017 5:27:31 PM PDT by GnuThere
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