Ah, LSU weekend. It is no doubt one of the biggest weekends in Tuscaloosa when it rolls around. The rivalry between Alabama and LSU are nothing short of intense. We as a student body relish such a rivalry, because we truly love our team and our school. To say our student body “gets into it” would be a gross understatement.

The passion the students have for this school is one reason why I chose Alabama. I love this school and its football program, and I know everyone else here does too. It’s why we vehemently root against another team, like LSU.

But to say I was disgusted by a banner a group of students hung on the front of their house that read “finish what Katrina started” would not do justice to what I felt. I was embarrassed by the actions of my fellow students, angry and simply annoyed. As 18-22 year-olds, we certainly cannot call ourselves children anymore. Furthermore, we are attending an institution of higher education, an amazing opportunity that should not be taken lightly. We should know better. Youth and ignorance are no longer an excuse.

Most of us remember seeing the terror Hurricane Katrina caused the state of Louisiana on the news when we were younger. Many UA students and alumni were affected personally. The loss of life and property was heartbreaking. The insensitivity it takes to compare to a sporting event is appalling.

I have never been embarrassed to be an Alabama fan, and I am more than proud to be a student here. But I am embarrassed to be in the same category with those that would show such high levels of ignorance and cruelty. We wonder why our university is in the news with scandal after scandal. We blame it on the greek system, student government or just the media wanting a story. We place the blame on someone other than ourselves, as children do. But I have a real solution to staying out of the news and embarrassing our school further: we act like adults. In the “real world” there are consequences for making offensive comments (and banners, I’m assuming). We should not only possess the presence of mind but also the compassion to know that making a statement such as that is inexcusable. To echo parents, grandparents and teachers everywhere: we know better.

Anna Wood is a sophomore majoring in advertising. Her column runs biweekly.