This isn't going to be very fancy. It's not going to be me going on and on. I'm writing you a letter, Marching Owl Band, because what you did wasn't just wrong, it was despicable.
Forming a giant "IX" is a jab at the Title Nine violations that took place at Baylor is shameful. Did you think about what you were doing? I want to know what made you think that that was ok. For a moment, I want you to consider the women that these awful things happened to. They never thought that they would be assaulted, so they sure never thought that someday a marching band would make light of their pain in a half-time performance.
Trash talk is normal in a rivalry. I get that. There's nothing wrong with competition. But what you did went far beyond that. If you think that Baylor made light of this situation, you're wrong. We take it seriously. We have owned up to our mistakes and moved forward as a family. Most of us are behind these young women. What happened to them is reprehensible. Baylor is determined to not let it happen again. Thanks to new leadership and a determined student base, we are creating a home here.
We will never joke about sexual assault. There is nothing ok with doing that. We will never use the pain of innocent people as way to provoke a rival during competition. That is what you did, and it's disgusting. As a native Texan, I have always viewed Rice in a positive light. I know your prestige. I had hoped for more class from such a distinguished university, but now I have lost all respect.
What you did was cold. It was heartless. Baylor is a family. We are not defined by the actions of the few. We are defined by our love for God, the world, and each other. We are defined by our ability to unite together in the face of pain and hardship. We stand behind those that are hurting. Baylor we are, and Baylor we will always be.
