Re: Sports are Good for You (In More Ways Than One)
Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 3:31 pm
Before I comment, I just want to keep this in perspective. In terms of significance, board messaging is not everything. Arguing in a websiteâ??s forum usually doesnâ??t have much impact in the real world, although it can help on a personal level. Some people who post at websites engage in ranting, which means that they say things they wouldnâ??t say in real life. Acting on the impulse of the moment, they react more emotionally than they would when dealing with people face to face. Iâ??ve done that myself and have later regretted it.
Sorry, but I still generally agree with Brigan. He did not say that Fat Man was despicable. He said that he gave the wrong impression of being despicable because of his extreme comments and ranting. I understand the anger that â??sports hatersâ? feel. Iâ??ve had my own reasons for being resentful. There definitely are negative aspects to the culture that is associated with some sports, and there have been acts of injustice. But those of us who make broad generalizations and sweeping negative stereotypes do not help our cause. There are forces of reform in the world of school sports. Yes, reform sometimes is painfully slow and takes many years; but we should still recognize those who try to do some good.
Maintaining an â??us versus themâ? mentality will never be constructive on any level. Not even on a personal level. When I was born in 1950, Jim Crow was the law of the land in the United States; and black Americans were shamefully oppressed. Those in the black community who actively opposed Jim Crow were extremely courageous, but the civil rights movement never would have been successful without the support of white Americans. If most black Americans in that period of our nationâ??s history had had an â??us versus themâ? mentality and had viewed all white Americans as being bad people and rejected them, we probably would still have Jim Crow today.
Sorry, but I still generally agree with Brigan. He did not say that Fat Man was despicable. He said that he gave the wrong impression of being despicable because of his extreme comments and ranting. I understand the anger that â??sports hatersâ? feel. Iâ??ve had my own reasons for being resentful. There definitely are negative aspects to the culture that is associated with some sports, and there have been acts of injustice. But those of us who make broad generalizations and sweeping negative stereotypes do not help our cause. There are forces of reform in the world of school sports. Yes, reform sometimes is painfully slow and takes many years; but we should still recognize those who try to do some good.
Maintaining an â??us versus themâ? mentality will never be constructive on any level. Not even on a personal level. When I was born in 1950, Jim Crow was the law of the land in the United States; and black Americans were shamefully oppressed. Those in the black community who actively opposed Jim Crow were extremely courageous, but the civil rights movement never would have been successful without the support of white Americans. If most black Americans in that period of our nationâ??s history had had an â??us versus themâ? mentality and had viewed all white Americans as being bad people and rejected them, we probably would still have Jim Crow today.