Editor:

As an alumnus of the U, I take a lot of pride in being a Ute and a former resident of Salt Lake City.

For these reasons, I was appalled by Matthew Piper’s column (“Ain’t no love in the Salt Lake City: Why does Utah want Brian Johnson to fail?,” Nov. 22).

For Piper to state that the color of Brian Johnson’s skin has something to do with the outcry from fans to replace Johnson as quarterback is absurd. The “race card” is so overly used in today’s world that society’s obsession with it does more damage to minority groups than it does good. Sure, there are times when race unfortunately plays a role in decision-making and the forming of opinions. However, this is not one of them.

Piper seems to have forgotten that some of the greatest athletes to ever grace the Utah sports landscape were athletes of color and these athletes have been beloved and respected for their accomplishments, regardless of what color their skin was.

Although Karl Malone has moved back to his native Arkansas, he did more than any other person to put Salt Lake City on the map with respect to athletes of color.

Other athletes of color who have been embraced by Salt Lake City are Andre Miller, Thurl Bailey, Antoine Carr, Jamal Anderson, Mike Anderson, Kevin and Andre Dyson and Ron Boone-to name just a few.

I understand the tendency of sports fans to judge who should play and who should not after a huge win over an archrival, such as the case with Utah’s win over BYU last weekend. However, for Piper to throw the race card on the table as to who should be quarterbacking the Utes is an insult to the citizens of Salt Lake City as well as to those who still consider Salt Lake City a second home, as I do.

Salt Lake City is a great city that is becoming more diverse in its culture, people and ideas every day, and its people do not care what color of skin the U’s quarterback has.

All that they care about is winning-which, last time I checked, has nothing to do with the color of one’s skin.

Chris Gordon

Alumnus