I attended the game on Saturday against Michigan State and am writing to express my disappointment in certain members of the Notre Dame student body. Before the game, I noticed some students walking around wearing T-shirts denigrating Carlyle Holiday.
I find the actions of those students to be simply deplorable and completely devoid of common decency. At best, it is an action of extremely poor judgment. At worst, it is a sad reflection on the Notre Dame student body and community as a whole.
I grew up a Notre Dame fan and was fortunate enough to graduate from the University. My freshman year was the last year of Gerry Faust and my senior year was the National Championship season. So I have seen both good and bad. I've never seen, however, members of the student body single out one of their own for ridicule.
To those students who think these shirts are cute or funny, I ask them how they would feel if they sat behind someone wearing a T-shirt insulting their brother, sister or other family member. The student-athletes on the football team are not professionals. They aren't being paid to show up on Saturday. On Monday morning, they go to class with the rest of the students. They eat in the same dining halls and live in the same dorms. Do students wear these T-shirts Monday through Friday? I highly doubt it.
This is not about who should start or not. This is about being a member of the Notre Dame community - a community made up of individuals of character, not a select group of smug, self-centered students. To those certain students, I say that you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Bill Dunn
class of 1989
Sept. 21
