condescending to "older" alums (I'm old-ish, maybe I qualify as an older alum, but I still feel like I'm not, even if I am). Condescending? Perhaps. Blunt? Absolutely, and intentionally so. USAF and I sorted things out, so all is well. I'll reply the same way every time that I believe someone shows up being a jerk, building and knocking down straw men, and so on. Does that make me a jerk as well? Probably. I'm comfortable with that. If you feel that it is an attempt at gatekeeping, I'm sorry. That's not my intent, and I have no desire to play board cop. But I will call a spade a spade, and will make no apologies for doing so.
It also presumed, incorrectly, to know what I might hope for Notre Dame. Much as you are doing here. So yes, I do think that there were many things wrong with usaf's post, and in yours to which I am replying. Unless I am misunderstanding you, and I don't think that I am, given your comment about your family's alum status, you believe that I had a problem with usaf's non-alum status. If you believe that is "exactly what portion of OP's response you took offense to", you would be wrong. I will say the same to you as I did to him. Kindly refrain from presuming to know what I think. If you want to know, just ask.
That's why I bluntly but politely asked him to can it. I am happy to debate back and forth, but do it based on what I say, not what you think that I believe.
If I am misinterpreting your post, my apologies, and my request that you clarify.
Please read my other responses in various threads, particularly to usaf and jt. I don't think that lack of alumni status means that someone's opinion is not valid or should not be heard. I _do_ think that alumni have a different understanding of ND that non-alumni. Just as I with my friends and siblings who attended different institutions - they understand them better than I do and have a different attachment to and influence with their alma maters than I.
Finally, have a good day and a nice weekend.