Dear Editor,
In the Nov. 16 editorial, "Tufts spirit should extend to sporting events," students and sports departments of Tufts were encouraged to increase their support for student athletes, especially in light of the athletes' recent accomplishments. In making this case for expansion, the Daily overextended its argument, first by equivocating student attendance at a concert or theater production to attendance at a sporting event on the grounds that attending is "an acknowledgment of performers' work and dedication." Because so few people attended last weekend's sporting events, the Daily implied that students are simply not acknowledging athletes, which is supposed to be "disappointing."
While it should be noted that the editorial originally praised Tufts students' non-sports interests, calling them "laudable," it failed to demonstrate why there is a problem with the status quo. Our editorial board should not be prescribing extracurricular events to attend, nor should it be petitioning students to adopt a less egalitarian campus environment.
If current students want a college atmosphere where sports play a central role, there are hundreds of colleges to fill that niche. Boston University is right down the road and state schools have the added benefit of being less expensive. But a Tufts experience is different. Here, students prefer to attend events that cater to their own passions instead of following others'. We don't participate in clubs for acknowledgment from athletes, just like athletes shouldn't play sports for acknowledgment from fellow students. Why is the fact that there are more students interested in clubs than sports a problem? If the Daily actually values the one-of-a-kind experience that four years at Tufts provides, then it must stop trying to make a student body feel guilty for not attending campus athletic events.
Sincerely,
C.J. Saraceno, LA '11
