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Student Leaders Want Discount Tobacco Signs Removed

By Jennifer Mitchell
Community View Editor

Tennessee State University�s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Student Government Association want the owner of the newly opened Discount Tobacco Outlet store on the corner of John A. Merritt Blvd. and 28th Avenue North to remove the large yellow and red Discount Tobacco Outlet signs that adorn the front and side of the building.

The organizational members, as well as various TSU students, say the signs negatively reflect on the school and they�re prepared to take whatever action is necessary to see that the signs are removed.

NAACP President Jamie Riley said he is "highly disgusted" by the signs.

"We don�t understand how anyone could build this type of store so close to our school," he said. "The SGA and NAACP have collaborated to take efforts to remove the signs from the building."

Charles Burse, a 20-year-old TSU student, supports the NAACP and SGA�s efforts and believes that the signs could potentially damage the university�s reputation.

"If they ask him to take it down, he should take it down," Burse said. "It could send a false message about the school. I wouldn�t want that sign being the first thing my grandmother saw when she came to visit me."

Laini Brown, a mother of two who , also believes the signs should be removed. "If people smoke they will find cigarettes; however, to blatantly advertise so big and boldly near a college campus is disrespectful and uncalled for. It sends the message to children that once you become of age, smoking is fine. Adding a discount tobacco store adds to the degradation and negativity of the community."

Andy Salem, owner of the store and a former TSU student, said he has heard complaints about the signs but believes "it�s politics." He recalled being a penny-pinching college student and said he hopes to help students and community members by offering them merchandise that "can not be found at other convenience stores for such a low price." This includes merchandise in the 99 cent section of his store. "I bought this building because I thought it would be a good location for business," he said. "I want to make my money and I want to be fair."

Salem contends that he would sell discount tobacco with or without the signs and has expressed an interest in advertising for his store in The Meter and offering students coupons and possible in-store credit cards. Salem also said that he never advertises to minors, but he has two illuminated Budweiser signs above the alcohol section with the words "TSU Tigers" and "Go Big Blue" printed on them. The Meter has a policy of not accepting tobacco ads.

SGA Vice President Kevin Gilliam II opposes the school doing any business with Salem until he honors the SGA and NAACP�s requests to remove the large Discount Tobacco signs. "I don�t think he should be able to advertise on the TSU campus until he decides to change the image of our university," Gilliam said. "In being that we don�t want to associate any blatant negativity with our university, as long as he has the discount tobacco signs up the negativity will always remain."

Gilliam also said that a letter requesting that the signs be removed has been hand delivered to Salem. The letter begins: "We, the students of Tennessee State University, would like for the Discount Tobacco Outlet signs to be removed from the walls of your business in the interest of fostering a better relationship between the students of Tennessee State University and the businesses that grace our borders."

If the owner does not comply with the letter�s request, Gilliam said, the student activist groups plan to circulate a petition on campus asking students not to patronize the establishment until the signs have been removed. If an agreement still is not reached between the parties, the SGA and NAACP plan to meet to discuss further action.