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Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 | TheFranklinNews.com
Students join national blackout, anthem movements SHELBY MULLIS
shelby.mullis@franklincollege.edu
Junior John Montgomery is in a move- for the Support of Multiculturalism ment—not for himself, but for his president, participated in last Friday’s friends, his family and his classmates. event at her workplace. For Gilly, the day represented a time As a member of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Montgomery is of solidarity for injustice—specifically, taking every step necessary to bring racial injustice. “I wanted to encourage alumni to change to the country. When he discovered National Black- stay active in the issues that are facing out Day, what he called a “national day Franklin,” Gilly said. “We know the of mourning and solidarity of aware- issues of racial injustice are affecting ness about the many social injustices everyone and everything at all times.” One alumnus that are presvoiced their ently occurring,” opinion through Montgomery said a Facebook he immediately status Friday brought it to Direcmorning, distor of Diversity and agreeing with Inclusion Terri the college’s Roberts. participation of Roberts decided the movement. to run with MontAfter naming gomery’s idea. six white men She declined to killed by police comment on the within the last day’s event to The – Jeffontae McClain, junior and football player year, the alumFranklin. nus said no Through the hashtag, #FCBlackout, students, staff action was taken by the media, nor the and faculty members shared photos on college. “I would understand if Franklin Colsocial media of themselves dressed in all black. The day came just one week lege performed #FCTogether or even after 40-year-old Terence Crutcher, #FCAllLivesMatter,” the alumnus said a black male, was shot and killed by in the status. “But to segregate this a Tulsa police officer during a traffic country even more by insinuating that only blacks are killed by police wrongstop. “You walk down Dame Mall, and you fully is ludicrous.” The alumnus did not respond to see ten people wearing the same color all together—you generally get that it’s multiple requests for an interview. Shortly following the college’s parfor a purpose,” Montgomery said. “It starts conversations all over, not only ticipation in the national day of awareon the campus, but around the country ness, a few Franklin College football players, a coach and three members when days like this happen.” Ann Gilly, who graduated in 2015 of the men’s chorus raised their fists and is a former Student Association during the playing of the National
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What we are hoping to accomplish by this is that we can get people other than minorities to see this. We can get them to stand with us.
Anthem at the Sept. 24 home game. Players honored local law enforcement officers before Students and the start of the game, faculty participated raising their helmets in #FCBlackout in memory of FC on Sept. 23. The alumnus and former movement, implefootball player Nick mented by the Schultz, an officer Office of Diversity killed in the line of and Inclusion, encouraged duty in 2014. “When [law members of the enforcement] got college community that recognition, to dress in black when they were call- in “solidarity of ing their names on awareness about ... the field and being social injustices,” presented in front junior John of everybody, we did Montgomery said. nothing to take away from their moment and their spotlight and what they were there for,” said junior Darrell Crenshaw. “When they were acknowledged, we took nothing away from them, but when we had our own opportunity to voice our opinion of how we felt, we just took advantage of that opportunity without being disrespectful.” Crenshaw and junior Jeffontae McClain, both football players, raised their fists during the singing of the anthem Saturday. “What the protest is is to show America and to show people, and contribute to the movement that we just want justice,” McClain said. “We’re tired of injustice … hinting on police brutality mainly. What we are hoping to accomplish by this is that we can get people other than minorities to see this. We can get them to stand with us.”
Submitted photos
Montgomery, a men’s chorus member, joined Crenshaw and McClain in raising his fist. Head football coach Mike Leonard and Athletic Director Kerry Prather declined to comment on the issue for this article. Crenshaw said no team members have received backlash following Saturday’s game, but they do plan to continue the movement at future games, including the match at Manchester University. As for Montgomery, he hopes these movements will begin to spark a change. “It speaks volumes of, not to say the people who participated are right or wrong, but they might have a point— they might have a voice to add to the conversation,” Montgomery said.