THE DAILY
MISSISSIPPIAN
Monday, October 12, 2015
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
lifestyles Photos: This weekend in Oxford Page 5
sports
Basketball players show off at Square Jam Page 6
Volume 104, No. 35
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sports
Rebels scoop 52-3 win Page 8
Confederate symbols conversation comes to the Grove
CLARA TURNAGE
dmmanaging@gmail.com
Nearly a dozen students, alumni and faculty, led by Mary Alex Thigpen, brought the conversation surrounding the Confederate flag to the Grove Saturday when they wore and handed out the stickers in favor of removing the Confederate symbol. Many tents in the Grove have for some time now sported Confederate flags or emblems, like that of Forrest Daws, a Wayne County native who played basketball for Ole Miss in 1999. “Actually, I’m offended that people look at that and automatically assume I’m racist because they have no earthly idea why I fly that flag,” Daws said. “While I do understand the sensitivity and people who are offended by it, even though I do feel like it’s misinterpretation, I feel like we would be better off discussing, educating and coming to the realization that that flag represents things other than what
PHOTO BY:
it’s been misinterpreted for.” Daws said he honored the memory of his three family members who fought in the Civil War when he hung the flag, and it would be going against tradition to take it down. Thigpen, a 2012 graduate,
said she decided to start the campaign after reading linebacker C. J. Johnson’s interview with ESPN discussing the use of Confederate emblems in the Grove. Thigpen said she asked the tent next to hers in the Grove to
remove their Confederate flag, which they politely refused to do. After this experience, she said she spoke to her friends and colleagues about handing out stickers in support of the removal of the flag. “I feel like there are a lot of
people that feel the same way that we do,” Thigpen said. “We’ve been focused on being respectful, and all these conversations we have are humble.” Thigpen said removal of the Confederate battle flag through respectful and civil conversation was her only goal. Tyshun Hargrove, an alumni of 2007 and 2008, said he heard about the initiative when he came to Oxford for the homecoming game and decided to join. “If we want our school to bring in the best students that we can and show that type of camaraderie, unity across the board, then why not have something that unifies everyone?” Hargrove said. “In the grand scheme, athletics is a big push – especially in the SEC and especially here. Fans are coming in to support these athletes, and in supporting the athletes, they’re also supporting the students and the school.”
SEE SYMBOLS PAGE 3
What are the platforms for Mr. and Miss Ole Miss? BROOKE MUOIO
dmmanaging@gmail.com
Over two weeks in September, candidates campaigned for the titles of Mr. and Miss Ole Miss. After all the stickers were handed out, signs were created and votes were tallied, only two remained. For William Kneip and Mary Elizabeth Kakales, the work has just begun. “The process of running and being elected as Miss Ole Miss has been the most humbling experience,” Kakales said. “I have the best and most selfless team in the world.” Kakales and Kneip said they want to use their talents and gifts to give back and help grow the position into more than just a personality election with a philanthropy background. This year, Mr. and Miss Ole Miss will raise money for the Ole Miss Family Family Fund. The first project launched Friday. “We are extremely excited
to have the opportunity to raise money to give financial support to our Rebel family,” Kneip said. Kakales and Kneip wanted to do something that strengthens the community and helps fellow students during difficult times. “The Ole Miss Family Fund has a special place in my heart because it helps members of the Ole Miss family immediately when it is most needed,” Kakales said. Lyda Philips, graduate assistant for the Columns Society and co-director of student affairs, helped establish the fund and said she knows Kneip and Kakales to be effective leaders from their time on Columns. “I have been able to work with them all of last year while they were juniors, and seeing both of them mature and seeing their leadership grow, they’re both so deserving to be Mr. and Miss Ole Miss,” Philips said. “We’re incredibly proud and honored to be
able to work with them.” The fund originally came about as a result of an initiative from vice chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner Labanc in 2012. Initially, the fund was endowed by various gifts for $25,000. Because of the endowment’s structure, only the interest accrued from that $25,000 principle could be spent. The fund is seeking to increase their capacity to help students and hopes to collect an additional $10,000 by Nov. 11. In addition to working with the Ole Miss Family Fund, Kneip and Kakales will dedicate the spring 2016 semester to listening to organizations on campus to best assist different developments. “I think William (Kneip) and I are in a unique position PHOTO BY: MARLEE CRAWFORD because we have the potential to listen to the student body Mr. and Ms. Ole Miss William Kneip and Mary Elizabeth Kakales wave to the crowd and make differences that the after being recognized to the crowd during the home coming game Saturday. students want,” Kakales said.