The intense competition within the Southeastern Conference has a tendency to breed unforgiving football fans. Many of us have stories of stepping onto another campus and being immediately accosted with chants of “War Eagle” and “Tiger Bait” while attending away games, and Tuscaloosa certainly has its share of especially passionate fans as well. Through all of this, finding solidarity with other SEC schools can be difficult. In times like these, however, it is nothing short of essential.

Five years ago, the worst natural disaster in Tuscaloosa history left 64 Alabamians dead and our city all but destroyed. While we grieved our losses and began to rebuild, vital assistance poured in from around the state and the region. Auburn students wore “T-Town Never Down” shirts while helping clear the rubble, and financial contributions from Tennessee fans covered essential living expenses for the affected families. A great deal of the indispensable support came from Baton Rouge. At the height of a bitter football rivalry, LSU students and alumni donated their time, resources and love at a time when we needed it most. We owe the same to the people of Baton Rouge today.

The livelihoods of thousands of Louisianans were submerged last week beneath devastating floodwaters. The death toll stands at 13, with over 60,000 homes destroyed. According to Governor John Bel Edwards, over 100,000 residents have filed for federal assistance. In the wake of the Olympics and a particularly cinematic Presidential election, coverage of this flooding has been limited, but make no mistake: this natural disaster has altered lives on a scale unseen in this country for several years, and there will be a long and difficult recovery.

Louisianans are not strangers to severe flooding. The winds of Hurricane Katrina were destructive, but the waters that followed created a generation of American refugees. Many of them settled here in Alabama, and our communities are all the richer for those who stayed. We at The Crimson White want to express our deepest condolences to our colleagues at The Daily Reveille, the people of Baton Rouge and the entire Louisiana State University community. We encourage all of our readers not only to keep Louisiana in your thoughts and prayers, but to donate your time, money and available resources to organizations like the American Red Cross that are working tirelessly to assist the victims of this disaster. 

In times like these, it’s important to look past rivalries and extend a helping hand where we can.