I’m writing in response to Mark Andrews’ defense of “Go Be Red” and to reflect on the lack of class displayed by members of the student body on Sunday’s hockey game against Army. Heckling is a good way to demonstrate team spirit, yet there is a point where it is clearly meant only to mortify the opponent. An example of this occurred in the last five minutes of a 4-0 game in which RPI had clearly dominated. A member of the band walked over behind the West Point bench and played the Navy song. The band then proceeded to play the song and members of the student body took part in singing the lyrics. A prepared sign reading “Warm up the tanks” was raised and people began yelling this.

This may seem like just a joke and in good fun yet this humiliation was performed by civilians on the military. This was not an Army-Navy game where both sides would be attacking each other throughout the game. I think we should have shown a lot more respect for this opponent considering the hockey players could be stationed in Iraq after they graduate. Unlike RPI, West Point cannot offer scholarships to athletes and they are forced to form a team with whatever officer-student-athletes were accepted into the service academy.

I would think that anyone witnessing the game from the military would view the RPI students as being low-class, and just another example of civilians not showing respect for the military. A great deal of resentment seems to be present from members of the military returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, Jason Gunn spent eight years in the army and two tours in Iraq. He feels a great deal of anger for civilians: “People put those stickers on their cars to make themselves feel better about themselves ... do you really believe in bringing them home now, or do you just get that thing to slap on your car?”

I think it is dangerous to insult the military at a time of war, especially considering that most of the students here do not have to worry about risking their lives overseas when they graduate. I am glad students feel that insults at the end of decided games “think it will help my team.” I think it was cowardly to start the personal insults right at the end of the game. If they were really so confident in victory, why would they not play the Navy song halfway through the game or at the beginning? Congratulations to a pitiful opening Sunday afternoon crowd of 2,000 showing their spirit in a decided game by insulting a clearly less talented yet hard-working competitive Army hockey team. Heckling future officers in the military and “rubbing in” a victory is definitely not comparable to insulting other schools like Clarkson or Union.

Peter Adams