Game attire should unite us
Brendan P. Harris
senior
For many years, the students and alumni of the University have collaborated on the design of "The Shirt," a simple article of clothing which, when worn by the members of the student section, presents a unified block of support in the northwest corner of Notre Dame Stadium. I had the opportunity to observe the student section during the Michigan State game and the sea of navy blue was truly an impressive sight. We pay for The Shirt as a sign of support for our team, and we wear it proudly to assure the team that we stand behind them.
I am dismayed, therefore, with e-mails and voicemails I have received in recent weeks urging me to wear a different color to the game in support of a given cause. At Michigan State, I was asked to wear blue for Notre Dame solidarity, yellow for the cause of peace and red for the student money collection effort. This week, I was urged to wear white to promote the elimination of rape. I wholeheartedly support all of these causes — how do I choose one over the others? More importantly, how is the student body supposed to show its unified support for a single cause if multiple options are presented? What are we, the "Primary Colors Student Section"?
A nationally televised football game is a great place to make a public statement, and I applaud the organizers of these mobilization efforts for trying to capture a large audience. However, in advocating separate agendas we reduce the effectiveness of all of them and end up saying nothing. I suggest that those who wish to gain student support devise a more creative method of showing unity — perhaps ribbons, a chant at halftime, painted faces or colored hair — and leave The Shirt alone. At the football games, we unite as a student body behind our team. Let's make sure that the world (and our opponent) knows that.
Brendan P. Harris
senior
Alumni Hall
Oct. 15, 2001
All Viewpoint Stories for Monday, October 15, 2001
