I wish a black man, Alan Keyes, were president — but it has nothing to do with the fact he is black. I hope a black man, Cardinal Arinze, becomes the next pope — but that he is black matters not at all for me. I am glad Tyrone Willingham is the new football coach — but I do not care what color his skin is.

Today, however, such sentiments can somehow get a person branded as "racist." Opposing affirmative action, a discriminatory policy which uses race as a basis for personnel decisions, can also earn that tag. I would think that using race to make choices and seeing persons primarily as members of one race or another, would be the very epitome of racism, but people like Jesse Jackson who live off playing the race card see it differently.

I welcome the addition of Coach Willingham to the Notre Dame community, and I feel everyone in that community should do the same — not because he is black, but because he is such a manifestly dignified, decent and respectable man. I hope the decision to hire him was indeed made because of his competence and, more important by far, character, rather than to appease demagogues like Jesse Jackson. I look forward to the day when it will be no big deal if Notre Dame hires a black coach, an Hispanic coach or even a Muslim coach. If the "leaders" who see individuals in terms of color disappear, then that day may come a little sooner.

Nick Ismert

class of '99

Dec. 4, 2001

• Take pride in Catholic tradition
  
• Getting past suffocating "tunnel vision"
  
• Praise new coach on his own merit
  
• A plea for parietals at Georgetown
  
• Quote of the Day
  
• Poll Question