Aggies shouldn't be afraid to wear their BYU shirts in public

By Maddie Wilson

October 2, 2007 | Utah State, U of U and BYU shirts cannot exist on the same campus. It's an unwritten law.

Well, if that is the case, there are many impostors of the law out there. And, somehow, the sun still comes up every morning.

Wearing other college apparel is not the end of the world, and is not necessarily disrespectful. Respecting a university requires more than just wearing their T-shirt. Disrespect is a product of a person's actions. It's okay to wear other schools' apparel. There are many reasons why this is true.

Many people attend more than one university during their search for an education. Sometimes a move to a certain school may not have been what they wanted. Marriage, money or jobs might require someone to transfer schools. Perhaps they care more about their education than the school they attend.

At some of the universities along the way they may obtain T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, coats, hats and other apparel of that university. If they were a part of a team or club at the university, they might have gotten apparel for free. In some cases this apparel might make up a significant part of their wardrobe. They should not be expected to just throw out or not wear these clothes just because people on campus don't like seeing another university's colors. No one should be required to go buy a $50 sweatshirt at the bookstore when they transfer to a new school.

Some people are raised in families that are fans of certain universities. They grow up going to a university's football and basketball games, and eventually become fans themselves. But, when their time for higher education comes, they may not go to that specific school. That does not change the fact that they are still a fan of that school. Cheering for -- which includes wearing the school's apparel -- has become a way of life for them.

Americans are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution freedom of speech, which includes expression. People have the right to wear whatever clothing they want to without having to face ridicule. After all, it's only clothing. Simple pieces of material worn to cover the human body. By the time students are at the collegiate level, it seems like they should be mature and respectful enough to accept the differences in their peers, whether they be race, religion or even clothing choice.

The world will not end if someone wears a U of U shirt on the USU campus. Fans will still go to cheer on the Aggies at the football games. In fact, people can have school-spirited feelings for more than just one university. It's better to wear a BYU shirt than walk around campus wearing a gun strapped to a belt, although some people might say that they are both the same thing.

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