A Silly Silly School
I’ve never been a huge fan of BYU. Maybe it is because I grew up in Utah among Mormons who always cheered for sports teams from what they referred to as ‘the Lord’s university’. It always bugged me. I could never explain to people why I disliked the university…sometimes I felt like I was just doing it to be contrary. I knew there was something that just really bugged me about the church owned school.
This morning I read something that removes all doubt from my mind about whether or not my dislike for BYU was justified. The Salt Lake Tribune has a story this morning about BYU altering photos of their athletes to hide tattoos or exposed bellybuttons. Apparently they are doing this because they worry about people complaining about the offending adornments being shown in pictures published by BYU. BYU and the church frown on Tatoos…but I don’t really know what their problem is with belly buttons.
Duff Tittle, BYU associate athletic director for communications, acknowledged this week that the large photo of Araujo had been altered, along with others.
“We have touched up photos for years — as far as removing tattoos, covering up bellybuttons, just things like that,” Tittle says.
…BYU volleyball players, soccer stars and especially football players frequently get Honor Code makeovers. Tittle says it’s easier to doctor photos than deal with irate callers demanding to know why athletes are being immodest or wearing tattoos that many Latter-day Saints deem offensive or a violation of church standards.
(emphasis mine)
I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints…but I think BYU is an absolute joke as are any people who would call to complain about pictures with exposed tattoos and bellybuttons. These people are too stupid to be allowed to be in my church.
UPDATE 01-16-04
It looks like the Trib exagerated a little bit in its story. The 2004 media guide contains pictures of the incriminating tattoos. There have been some minor touch ups on some photos but nothing like what I assumed when I typed this post. I still think BYU is a lame school and I also still think that people who would call to complain about exposed bellybuttons are stupid…but I think the above post is a little too exteme in mocking BYU. I’ll take stories from the Salt Lake Tribune a little more lightly from now on.
UPDATE 01-16-04
This kid would never fit in at BYU…
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That’s okay. She looks much better in Tennessee colors anyway!
Comment by The Rundquist's — January 17, 2004 @ 11:30 pm