According to Chris Vierig's letter in yesterday's Viewpoint, "the Notre Dame administration has crossed the line into fascism by forcing their views upon us." You're kidding? It took you a semester and a half of college to figure that out? I definitely applaud your freshman-like determination to speak out and express your differing opinions, but you are just wasting your time - I realize the irony in saying that you are "wasting your time" when, in fact, I am also wasting my time by responding to your letter. However, you probably should take some time and talk to an upperclassman and discover that the University has not just recently "been going down a slippery slope by forcefully exercising its iron fist more and more."
During my freshman year, five years ago, hundreds of dorm parties used to radiate through campus every weekend. Dorms thumped with bass as strobe lights from cleared-out rooms flashed into the quads. If you even talk to someone that went here 15 years ago, he or she will tell you crazy keg-tossing stories on North Quad during AnTostal. Granted, the annihilation of the O'Neill Mardi Gras is unfortunate, but it was only a tiny obstacle in the way of the administration, as are you and I.
You expressed your "right to choose" in your article as well, but you chose to come to Notre Dame, and consequently relinquished said rights. However, I will give you some real choices. If you want to eat meat on Fridays, walk to McDonalds. If you want to get away from the administration's "iron fist," move off campus. If you want hard liquor and excitement in South Bend, go to Boat Club. While the administration holds all the cards at Notre Dame, you still do have choices. Before you can be happy here, you have to understand that and respect it.
My suggestion to you, Mr. Vierig, is to try and understand that some things at Notre Dame are always changing while others never will, but either way there isn't a thing you can do about it - unless you have a lot of money.
Michael Kindersenioroff-campusFeb. 26
