Oklahoma players hatch a plan for fighting racist culture at OU

Published Mar. 12, 2015 11:45 a.m. ET

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Teddy Mitrosilis

Since a racist fraternity video went viral on Sunday evening, the Oklahoma football program has spent its days in protest along with others on campus in Norman. 

Individual players -- such as team captain Eric Striker -- have come forward to express their own thoughts on the issue, and now the football team as a whole has released a united statement on how they plan to continue to the discussion around racism going forward.

Quarterback Trevor Knight tweeted the full message, as seen here:

A few highlights from the letter:

* The letter includes a mission statement for OU football players: "As a team, our goal first and foremost is to raise awareness of racism and discrimination on college campuses nationwide ... But before we can change the nation, we make it our mission to change our campus. We seek to accomplish this goal by stepping out of the spotlight and integrating the student-athlete experience and student experience. As student athletes of all races, classes and creeds, we hope to show the university and the community that we are defined by more than the numbers on our jerseys, and that we are human beings that desire to get to know our classmates as we all attempt to end the culture of exclusivity on this campus." 

* OU players have not practiced at all this week and will not today, either. Instead, they will stand silently in protest on Owen Field during their scheduled practice time.

* When the Sooners return to spring practice on March 23, they will continue to drive their message of anti-exclusivity through speaking with the media and by wearing black during practice. 

* The players state their secondary goal -- after uniting the campus around this issue -- is to seek disciplinary action for all involved in the racist video as well as the leadership of the SAE fraternity.

The letter reads: "The two students that have already been expelled are only a symptom of a larger disease, a disease perpetuated by the leadership of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The chant was not invented by the two that led it, but was taught to underclassmen by people of higher authority ... Ignorance is no excuse. Therefore, we would like to urger the university to continue to investigate the Executive Board of SAE, and we trust that this investigation has already begun. It is our passionately expressed desire as members of the football team for the leadership of SAE to be expelled, suspended or otherwise disciplined severely."

In the name of fairness and transparency, here is a thought-provoking column from colleague Clay Travis on how football player Joe Mixon -- a five-star incoming recruit last year -- was given a second chance at OU after punching a woman in the face. It's worth discussing whether members of the SAE fraternity -- after an appropriately harsh penalty -- deserve the same second chance to make good at Oklahoma.

Teddy Mitrosilis works in content production at FOX Sports Digital. Follow him on Twitter @TMitrosilis and email him at tmitrosilis@gmail.com.

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