Tennessee State University announced they will be using the Nation of Islam for security at a homecoming event at the Gentry Center. Here is an excerpt from the Tennessean.
Tennessee State University, intent on tightening campus security this homecoming week, has accepted an offer of volunteer security assistance from the Nation of Islam.
The Nation of Islam, which has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, will provide a security during this evening’s homecoming concert at the Howard C. Gentry Complex.
The university announced the move today, saying campus police will also be bringing in Metro police officers and metal detectors before the concert, which begins at 7 p.m. and will feature artists like Plies, Yo Gotti, Young Dro and Yung LA.
Cheyrl Bates-Lee, Assistant Vice President of Marketing for TSU did not want to talk with NIT about the group being labled a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“I’m not even going to address that,” Bates told NIT. “The Nation of Islam has always been available to help organizations with need. They and campus police engaged in a dialogue and decided this would be good for the campus and community.”
TSU Chief of Police Sylvia Russell told NIT she considers the Nation of Islam a religious group, not a hate group.
“The Nation of Islam volunteered to come and assist us because there might be some gang members that try to come out,” Chief Russell told NIT. “The Nation of Islam works well with gangs and with teenagers, and that’s why we’re accepting their help.”
TSU could not say whether the Nation of Islam members are from Tennessee or elsewhere.
The Southern Poverty Law Center lists the Nation of Islam’s presence in Memphis, TN as a black separatist “hate group” on this statewide hate group map.
The Nation of Islam has a noted past of anti-Semitism made popular by the group’s current leader Minister Louis Farrakhan in several speeches made throughout his leadership of the group.
Tags: hate group, homecoming, Nation of Islam, security, Southern Poverty Law Center, SPLC, TSU
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I smell a riot.
[...] It’s amazing the SPLC even mention this juicy little bit of information TSU to use Nation of Islam as security for homecoming [...]
I cant believe TSU is using s known racist organization for security when they are against all white people. That has been a documented fact. Shame on TSU. I will never allow my kids to attend a college that allows this to happen.