Lane College President addresses ‘Black Lives Matter’
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JACKSON, Tenn. — The day after a Lane College student is arrested, accused of shooting a classmate on campus last week the school’s president calls students together to address black on black crime. Dr. Logan Hampton said last week’s shooting was a set back, but they are moving forward even stronger. During Lane’s Wednesday chapel service Dr. Hampton shared a very pointed message given the recent shooting. He took some inspiration from recent marches around the country saying he has found one chant particularly meaningful — ‘Black Lives Matter’. “We need to hear it and live it and be it,” Hampton said. Hampton said he was moved to shared this message because he has been disturbed by some students treatment of one another. “I mean who’ve been getting along fabulously to turn to violence in that way it was just absolutely heartbreaking.” Hampton put a call to action on a trending topic asking students to take the pledge ‘Black Lives Matter’. Hampton said, “It is a chant that is packed with symbolism, history and meaning.” Hampton said the group who needs to hear, believe and live black lives matter the most is those in the black community. “If black lives matter, you will not take the life of your brother or sister.” Students said Hampton’s message was inspiring. “He touched on a few things that I personally deal with on the daily and it made me want to become a better man,” junior Olajuwon McCurry said. “Our lives have to matter to each other in order for us to live and succeed so it is more than something to just say,” senior Shannon Foster said. Foster said black on black crime must stop for there to be change. “I think that we have to be more aware and more cognizant of how turning on each other allows people to turn on us.” Foster believes what happens at Lane can determine what happens in the rest of Jackson as well. Nearly 400 students attended Wednesday’s assembly.
