Picture quiz time. Under is an image of LSU's scholar rally group referred to as The Painted Posse from the Tigers' sport towards South Carolina per week in the past:
And right here is similar image, simply barely altered. Did you discover anything?
In reproducing the picture for a school-wide e mail, LSU determined to spray-paint the crosses on the scholars' chests. You see, The Painted Posse is a bunch of Christian-oriented Tigers followers, and somebody someplace inside LSU determined to not combine soccer and faith. (Which is form of shocking contemplating soccer is a faith within the SEC.)
“I used to be a bit stunned as a result of our pictures are used so usually and the cross has by no means been edited earlier than,” mentioned Cameron Cooke, one in all The Painted Posse, in a current interview with the conservative web site Campus Reform. “The portray of the cross is vital to me as a result of it represents who I’m as a follower of Christ and jogs my memory of who I have to act like in Loss of life Valley.”
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The varsity mentioned in a press release that it doesn’t search to censor any views, however slightly to keep away from the looks of endorsing them. “We don't wish to suggest that we're making any non secular or political statements, so we've brushed it off,” the varsity mentioned in a press release to Fox Information. “Truly, we've solely had one of many college students contact us about it, who didn't respect it. So subsequent time, we'll simply choose a special picture.”
The reason is cheap sufficient, though whoever is in control of creating promotional supplies for LSU athletics ought to have recognized higher. In spite of everything, in relation to politics, faith and Southern soccer, rational dialogue is all too usually the primary casualty.
Thankfully, The Painted Posse has no plans to make this any greater of an issue than it already is. And LSU has greater considerations than airbrushing and censorship, just like the looming showdown with Alabama subsequent weekend.
-Watch Dr. Saturday on Twitter at @YahooDrSaturdayand comply with Jay Busbee at @jaybusbee.-
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