First of all if one is not fully accustomed to wearing the boot, it can become quite tiresome trekking all over campus. After a while, walking in cowboy boots will create tired legs and sore feet due to the narrow width and slightly elevated heel. Ultimately it’s considerably more difficult to stay upright. Imagine trying to do this on ice...whump! Only the most skilled boot wearers would attempt that feat. Lastly, cowboy boots are emotionally strenuous to wear because of the distinct “clomp, clomp” that resonates on cement and tile floors. This clomping sound tends to draw the attention of hundreds of fellow students throughout the day causing overwhelming levels of human vibes resonating confusion and rejection.
Even though the cowboy boot may be considered more difficult to wear than the tennis shoe, it seems improbable that this reason alone is why BYU lacks in boot footwear. This is why I believe there is a greater barrier at hand. Can you, for a moment, put yourself in the place of an innocent student with rural roots being thrust into rigid demands and expectations that come from the BYU dating culture? He makes the perfect phone call at the perfect time and sets up the perfect date on the perfect day. He crosses every t and dots every i, and everything seems to be going well; That is, until his date hears the 'clomp' 'clomp' of his cowboy boots walking up the sidewalk. What a blunder!
The tension increases as the young couple 'clomp' their way to the car. The shallow conversation dries up as the girl wonders what kind of ignorant country boy has conned her out of a couple hours of her evening, and within ten minutes the date is established as a failure and complete waste of time.
However, if this poor cowboy were treated with a broader mind and the spirit of understanding, one would quickly learn of his fun-loving nature, his strong sense of respect for women, and his down-to-earth wisdom. Furthermore, she could be quite entertained by his tales of small-town entertainment. Most of all, she would be flattered by his genuine interest in her own life: her family, friends, and recent trip to California. It’s sad that something like the dating scene could discourage something as beautiful as cowboy boots. However, this drawback could be easily overcome by slightly tweaking one’s state-of-mind to be a bit more open.
Lastly, I’d like to address a slightly broader issue concerning the absence of cowboy boots. It seems that oftentimes we think of “understanding the different” and “condoning the evil” as one and the same. However, these two actions are as different as good and bad. It’s vital that we realize everywhere we go we meet people who are different. They do things we don’t do, and we do things they don’t do. People have different habits, behaviors, and even knowledge that we may not have or understand. That’s O.K.! We’re just different. Respecting and understanding difference is much more beneficial and much more effective than scorning it or attempting to eliminate it. This world is vast, and it exceeds far past our slightly permeable yet pleasant little bubble in Provo. Am I saying we should be so “open minded” and “free spirited” that we should condone violations of the honer code, immoral behavior, substance abuse, or even killing people? Of course not. Broadening one’s mind does not require one to embrace every ideal, way of thinking, or action that comes his or her way. However, if we intend to be intelligent individuals who can effectively contribute to society, we must learn to not condemn “the different.” Instead, we should strive to understand it. By doing this our wisdom and character will expand, and we’ll be able to use those as tools to interact with a wide variety of people in a broad spectrum of situations. Doesn’t that sound superb?!
In conclusion, I would like to make a humble request. Please, if you get nothing more from this post, please get this. The acceptance of cowboy boots into BYU culture will not be detrimental to anyone’s everlasting salvation. I promise, BYU will do nothing but become a more enriching and edifying environment, if we as a campus community strive just a bit harder to put aside our condemnations of the different and instead seek for understanding. Now go home, polish up those boots, and get your “clomp, clomp” on!
