Dear Editor:
I wanted to express my thanks to the wonderful BYU students seated next to me at the basketball game against Utah on Saturday. I appreciated their kindness in sharing their chewing gum with me by placing it on my seat when I stood to cheer for a Ute three pointer. I appreciate their class and sportsmanship by their catty comments about my wife and me.
I am sure that most of you reading this editorial are thinking that since I go to the University of Utah, I probably deserved it. However, in spite of the fact that we never yelled at any fans, nor made fun of anyone else, we were the recipients of extremely rude and sophomoric behavior from the pupils of the “Lord’s school.”
Usually when accusations of poor conduct are levied against BYU fans, the usual retort is that Utah fans are worse. Even if we assume that this accusation is true, such a retort is irrelevant. I would expect such behavior from people who could care less about religion or morals, but I would expect more from students who attend a school that should stand for something good. Is it any wonder why there is discrimination against Latter-day Saints at the University of Utah when BYU students are supposed to walk the high road of morals, honor and ethics, yet at games they are rude and, at times, vicious?
I call upon the student leaders at BYU to bring out in the students what BYU should stand for. All I can glean from my many unwarranted run-ins with obnoxious and at times obscene BYU fans is that I am glad I am already a member of the church. If I were asked to convert, your poor example would pose a great obstacle for me in spite of the fact that I felt the doctrine were true.
Jared C. Bennett
Salt Lake City
