I don’t know who started it, but it can be heard at any major function involving FAMU. I’ve heard it in three separate cities: Atlanta, Birmingham and Orlando. It’s a very popular chant. Everyone in unison screams it at the top of their lungs.
The first time I heard it was at my first FAMU football game. FAMU has the livest band, the loudest colors and we all curse in unison; what could be better? “FAMU, FAMU, FAM-God Damn U!”
Truthfully I never understood that chant. Is the person chanting happy with FAMU or upset? I was confused, but I went right along chanting.
So at all the away games I could attend, I would join my fellow FAMUAN’S in the chant. Even at the club later that night I would scream the chant with all the FAMU students partying with me. It was sort of like a bond that we shared.
I’ve matured and I no longer feel the need to be accepted. I’ve become an individual; I like to use the term solo superstar. So why did I find myself screaming that vulgar, blasphemous expression at our last home game? There I go again going with the flow. As a solo superstar I hold my self up to a higher standard than the majority. So why am I still stuck on stupid?
That’s just what it is people, stupid! My rule is if I can’t say it to my grandmother, then I can’t say it in public. We as a university need to adopt a similar philosophy. We should always put our best foot forward.
We need to be more conscious about the image we portray. Why would we want to associate our institution of higher learning with that hateful expression? It’s time for a change. It’s time we had a new chant.
Like all solo superstars I have a plan. My strategy is to persuade the student body to embrace a more positive chant. How about “FAMU, FAMU FAM- WE LOVE U!” I don’t know about y’all, but that sounds better to me.
We could design signs with the new chant and hold them up at the next home game. Since a group of voices is louder than one, we need a section of the student body to embrace the new chant and forget the old one. I challenge all the groups and organizations that call FAMU home to do the same.
It’s time to clean house, so let’s start with our mouths. It is up to each individual to make sure FAMU is something he or she can be proud of.
Marcus Calhoun is a senior PR student from Birmingham, Ala. He can be reached at marcus1.calhoun@famu.edu.