Saturday, this campus was filled with thousands of people, all here to celebrate the homecoming of Prairie View A&M University. Proud alumni, family and friends, it was a beautiful day to celebrate life and Prairie View.
I recently received my degree this August, so I was anxious as ever to come back and enjoy my first homecoming as a proud alumnus. It was a great day, no rain in sight, the parade, the RVs, seeing friends, the football team won, it was a good day for everyone. That was until late Saturday night.
Saturday night during the after party in the Baby Dome had to be one of the worst displays of ignorance I’ve ever seen. I’m not going to call out names or point the finger, but I just pray whoever had a role in the incident Saturday night reads this and decides to change for the better.
What I saw seemed to start out as a disagreement, then a scuffle, followed by a fight. Of course the after party gets shut down, and everyone who came out to enjoy their last few hours of homecoming were forced to leave. As I was leaving the Baby Dome, I heard numerous shots fired and hundreds of people run for cover. I was told someone was shot and was rushed to the hospital.
During that time, to say I was extremely angry is an understatement. I wasn’t angry because the party got shut down, I was angry because I saw a high display of ignorance where I received my higher education.
Now, let’s break it down. I do understand that some things in life are inevitable, but many times we do have choices. As in the choice to be quiet, walk away, or stay home. None of that took place. Just bite your tongue and go on about your business. Be the adult in the situation and walk away, no need to prove your manhood/womanhood, show off, or validate yourself to your crew. Avoid the situation and walk away. When you do those things, everyone can enjoy their night, instead of calling it in early due to ignorance.
Alumni come from across the country to celebrate this event and to reunite with friends and to enjoy each other’s company one more time. Students spend money, time and energy to enjoy themselves, and set their homecoming out. Not to mention the countless hours of planning and preparation put in to put on homecoming week. It’s disrespectful to everyone who participates.
Why did it have to resort to violence and why do you have a gun on a college campus? Leave the fighting and violence at home, that’s the last thing any university needs. You come to college to receive a ticket to the prosperous future, not a ticket to a criminal record, jail, or a grave. Did you ever hear of any violence or guns where tailgating takes place? No you don’t, because alumni are down here to enjoy themselves as well. They’re older and want nothing to do with it. How do you expect people to donate money to the school, help us get a new stadium, or better yet, get enrollment up when ignorant acts like this happen? It won’t.
Who wants to come out to an event if they know their life is in danger? When things like that happen, a mark is left on your undergrad experience. What happened last Saturday is something I won’t forget, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.
My people, my people we have got to do better. How can we ever progress as a race when we let petty things get under our skin and get the best of us. Be the bigger person and check yourself and your friends. If you already do this, then I commend you and challenge you to spread your wisdom and knowledge.
The love for my school is strong and undying, that’s why I was urged to say something. I couldn’t let this pass…hopefully if God says the same, next year’s homecoming will be filled with great times and free from any type of violence.