This article is in response to Saint Mary's freshman Katie Shea's critique of the comic "Tastes Like Failure" ("'Tastes Like Failure' a failure," Oct. 15). I feel Shea is right on in her approach to this tasteless comic's portrayal of Saint Mary's women and women in general. What angers me so much is the positive response this comic garners from my own peers.
For example, a friend of mine reading Shea's letter said (quoting Shea): "'smart, independent, strong-willed, intelligent and intellectual women' - Ha, there is no such thing!" I immediately chastised him to bite his tongue and retract the statement. There then cascaded a multitude of anti-female jokes in reference to Shea's article which made me disappointed in the anti-women mentality of my fellow peers.
As the former gender relations commissioner of Carroll Hall, I recognize the importance of respecting women, not only here at school but in the real world as well. Many students probably remember Liam Moran's highly offensive "Kaleidoscope McDaniel's" comic strip from last year, and how it blatantly disrespected Saint Mary's women as well. It was unfortunate that strip was never removed from publication, despite its poor taste.
I would like to see a change in the Notre Dame mentality by the removal of "Tastes Like Failure," and any other disrespectful comics from The Observer. Only then can we begin the healing process of learning to respect women, for the betterment of ourselves as individuals and this University of Our Lady as a whole.
Ryan Slaney
sophomore
Carroll Hall
Oct. 16
