A 30-second video clip, taken out of context, surfaced earlier this week of a Mississippi State University Student Association official arguing against women’s right to vote.
SA Pro Tempore Jake Manning and vice president candidate in the upcoming election was discreetly filmed during a conversation his freshman year on Nov. 15, 2016.
Without context, the video quickly spread throughout many messaging platforms to students under the notion Manning was serious in his argument. The video, filmed two years prior at La Terraza Mexican Restaurant, showed several senators at SA’s routine “taco Tuesday” night, which takes place every Tuesday night, the same night the SA Senate meets.
Former SA Development Chairmen Taylor Thomas was at the dinner the night the video was filmed, and said the group likes to argue about many different topics. That night they were played a game of devil’s advocate, where one person had to argue for a subject, no matter their own beliefs.
“Jake was challenged why women shouldn’t vote, and he took that and argued,” Thomas said. “There was not anyone at the table who thought Jake was a sexist in anyway, it was lighthearted situation.”
Former SA Vice President Hunt Walne was also at the dinner and explained that had Manning been serious with his comments, SA would have been forced to reprimand him.
“Had anyone said those things seriously, it would have been an issue within the Student Association,” Walne said. “We would have taken some sort of action like remove the video from the GroupMe, remove him from the GroupMe or even remove him from the Senate if he was actually making legitimate comments like that; which we didn’t, because no one at the time thought Jake was legitimately commenting on the subject.”  
In a press release from SA’s current director of marketing, Drew Baker said SA has thoroughly investigated the video and those involved.
“We have investigated the matter internally and determined that this video is not fully representative of what actually occurred,” Baker said. “Senator Manning’s comments are taken without the context they need. The statements expressed in no way reflect the opinions of the Student Association, nor do they reflect his own opinions. We encourage anyone with further questions to reach out to Senator Manning or the Student Association for a more detailed explanation.”
In addition, vice president candidate and current SA senator Stevie Flynt said her campaign was not involved in any way with the spread of the video.
“The Flynt campaign does not condone anything said in the video, however we also do not support anyone who disseminates the video, either,” Flynt said.
Manning released a statement on his personal Facebook page further adding context to the situation, and apologizes for his remarks.
“I was completely out of line to joke around so offensively,” Manning wrote. “Anyone who knows me well knows that the video does not reflect my true opinions or the man that I am. The video is entirely out of context and being used for an election. Now that the truth about this awful video has been brought to light, I hope that it will not influence the way I am viewed as a person.”