I am writing in response to Jeffrey Bassett’s Oct. 26 letter, “Students, show more support for football.” Yes, it would be nice if we could all go to the football game and cheer on our team that is finally showing some semblance of being a Division I program. But the fact is, not everyone here likes football, and even fewer like (at best) mediocre college football. Still, as members of a living community, I would hope that students feel some connection to support their fellow classmates in their extracurricular endeavors. However, the recent letters calling out Duke students for not supporting the football team misse the point.
My issue lies with Bassett’s premise that football should somehow be treated differently than other sports and extracurriculars here at Duke. Why is it that we as a student body should be devoting all of our attention to football? Where are the outcries to get more student support at field hockey games, swimming and diving meets, men’s and women’s cross country (both ranked in the top 30 nationally) or for our world-class fencers? Beyond athletics, when is the last time many of us have gone to a play by our fellow students in Reynolds Theater or Page Auditorium, or listened to the Pitchforks perform?
Thus, if you are going to call out Duke students for not supporting their peers, then call us out. I for one will admit that I have not been to every single event put on by Duke students. But please, for my sake and the sake of others, don’t tell me which events I need to support most, or think poorly of me for not choosing to support the ones you like. Sean-Patrick Oswald
Trinity ’11
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