Who destroys 12-inch-tall, white crosses representing unborn life? Regardless of your opinion on abortion, it's ignorant to vandalize a display. Are pro-choice individuals so selfish they can't respect lives, feelings and opinions of others? I shouldn't ask that.I'll admit freshman year I was overwhelmed seeing crosses on South Quad. I hated it. It's in your face and difficult to stomach, but shouldn't we acknowledge this and think? It's less than 48 hours a year, yet at least one coward found a need inside himself or herself to squelch a peaceful display. I'd tolerate pro-choice demonstrations.It's obvious I'm anti-abortion. Still, I can't comprehend this act of ripping crosses out of the earth, shattering them and throwing broken pieces like trash. Can I stress they were small, white crosses; the perpetrator(s) were desecrating the symbol of Jesus Christ's sacrifices and death. What if I smashed the Basilica's cross, scaled the Dome and ripped down Mary or painted over "Touchdown Jesus" during the night? Besides religious factors - ignoring the freedom of speech debate - those crosses explicitly symbolize life. Each cross represented lost life in a material way to pay tribute, like "God, Country, Notre Dame" over the Basilica's side door or our fountain "Stonehenge" in memory of the fallen Notre Dame military family.Maybe I'm taking this too seriously; they're just little, white crosses stuck in the ground by college kids. But I don't have the right to undermine the efforts of the many students who invested hours constructing and organizing the temporary memorial instead of studying, hanging out or sleeping. Nobody has a right to disrespect the display's meaning, even if you disagree. This was no way to express distaste. The entire Notre Dame community should condemn this act and anybody with information should feel a responsibility to report it to Notre Dame Security/Police. We may joke that Notre Dame Security/Police is only there to harass drunken students at Reckers, but I'd love to find them someone to lecture on appropriate, adult behavior.
Dave DaleyjuniorDillon HallOct. 10
