Last I checked, The Observer was "an independent newspaper serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's." Yet, The Observer staff forces its audience to turn against itself several times a year. I know Viewpoint has been pretty dull lately. In fact, it rarely stirs an exciting debate - which perhaps speaks to the actual intellectual vigor of its audience - but publishing a truly offensive comic that disparages against women and 2,000 of the students you supposedly "serve" should not be your fall-back for increasing readership.
The "midterms" comic published on Monday actually hurts the opposite group that it intends to. It makes Notre Dame students look like arrogant bullies. How pathetic that a university the size of Notre Dame feels the need to pick on a small liberal arts college that even US News and World Report's rankings would not place in the same category. The fact that SMC is a women's college makes Notre Dame look even worse - and sexist. The saddest part of all of this for me is that SMC students make up part of The Observer staff. I can't believe any self-respecting Saint Mary's woman would allow this completely unwanted, uncalled for and offensive material to be a part of what they represent.
I love Notre Dame. Some of my closest friends are ND students. Stop making them look ignorant and arrogant. Notre Dame is a big fish in a little pond: South Bend. Outside of South Bend there are much bigger ponds that ND would feel much smaller in. Remember that and stop trying to instigate a debate that isn't even valid and has been beaten into the ground. Not to mention one that I truly believe the majority of this community does not want to have.
If The Observer's mission is to serve the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's community, then I suggest it start promoting the shared and unique aspects of both schools that we are all proud of, and stop encouraging material that turns this community against itself.
Liz Froehlke
junior
Holy Cross Hall
Feb. 26
