Avoiding the Real Issue
I took last week off from writing because I had two subjects that
I wanted to write about and couldn’t decide between the two. So, come
Sunday night as I watched my national pastime, football, the halftime political
commentary, that’s right political commentary, gave me another topic to write
about. Although I am not up in arms as most people that heard what went
on, I did view it as irresponsible commentary by a media icon, and the platform
that he used was wildly inappropriate.
I wanted to write about and couldn’t decide between the two. So, come
Sunday night as I watched my national pastime, football, the halftime political
commentary, that’s right political commentary, gave me another topic to write
about. Although I am not up in arms as most people that heard what went
on, I did view it as irresponsible commentary by a media icon, and the platform
that he used was wildly inappropriate.
NBC sports host
Bob Costas took the small time he had at halftime to speak about a tragic
murder-suicide the previous day that involved NFL player Javon Belcher.
Costas went on to paraphrase sports columnist Jason Whitlock, who stated
that if there were stricter gun control laws the murder-suicide would have
never happened. A truly naive opinion, but that is what it needs to be
chalked up too, just an opinion. But in his expression on his opinion
last Sunday night and in the subsequent days, Costas and in part Whitlock did
not really talk about the issue, just the ending.
Bob Costas took the small time he had at halftime to speak about a tragic
murder-suicide the previous day that involved NFL player Javon Belcher.
Costas went on to paraphrase sports columnist Jason Whitlock, who stated
that if there were stricter gun control laws the murder-suicide would have
never happened. A truly naive opinion, but that is what it needs to be
chalked up too, just an opinion. But in his expression on his opinion
last Sunday night and in the subsequent days, Costas and in part Whitlock did
not really talk about the issue, just the ending.
To say that
Belcher would not have killed the mother of his child, Kasandra Perkins had he
not had a gun is simply just not true. Bob Costas should know better as he was
a colleague of O.J. Simpson, and we all know how he handled his domestic
situation with his ex-wife. If Belcher was truly in that place that
people who kill go, then it did not matter what he had access to, it was going
to happen.
Belcher would not have killed the mother of his child, Kasandra Perkins had he
not had a gun is simply just not true. Bob Costas should know better as he was
a colleague of O.J. Simpson, and we all know how he handled his domestic
situation with his ex-wife. If Belcher was truly in that place that
people who kill go, then it did not matter what he had access to, it was going
to happen.
It’s easy to claim
that because Belcher was a football player he was a violent man. It’s
also easy to say that since he was playing such a violent sport that he had
developed a distorted sense of reality from concussions. It’s even easier
to call Belcher a coward for his actions. But the issue isn’t what he
used to kill Ms. Perkins but what led to him committing such a heinous act.
Now if Costas wanted to talk about an issue, why had he not chosen to
talk about the domestic violence deaths that we have seen over the years?
that because Belcher was a football player he was a violent man. It’s
also easy to say that since he was playing such a violent sport that he had
developed a distorted sense of reality from concussions. It’s even easier
to call Belcher a coward for his actions. But the issue isn’t what he
used to kill Ms. Perkins but what led to him committing such a heinous act.
Now if Costas wanted to talk about an issue, why had he not chosen to
talk about the domestic violence deaths that we have seen over the years?
This was a domestic
dispute that went tragic, as many domestic disputes go. Belcher had been
drinking the night before and Ms. Perkins had come home late and argument had
ensued. Apparently, Belcher had been having troubles professionally,
personally, financially and most importantly emotionally. Belcher was
hurt and did not know how to deal with it. So Belcher did it the only way
he knew how. Kevin Powell of CNN put it perfectly in his article about the issue “when men behave in this
manner, it also says, bluntly, that the life of a woman is of no value
whatsoever”.
dispute that went tragic, as many domestic disputes go. Belcher had been
drinking the night before and Ms. Perkins had come home late and argument had
ensued. Apparently, Belcher had been having troubles professionally,
personally, financially and most importantly emotionally. Belcher was
hurt and did not know how to deal with it. So Belcher did it the only way
he knew how. Kevin Powell of CNN put it perfectly in his article about the issue “when men behave in this
manner, it also says, bluntly, that the life of a woman is of no value
whatsoever”.
I am not going to speculate
what happened or what even caused it but I am going to say that Costas was out
of line. If he had done his homework in cases like these he would have
found that domestic violence cases that end in death don’t normally end by the
gun. He would have also found that men normally choke their significant
others in these types of cases, some even run their significant other over with
their car. In Costas’ colleagues case a knife was used. Also, where
was Costas’ outrage on the bow and arrow killings in Casper, Wyoming the day
before the Belcher-Perkins incident?
I am a true
believer in speaking out in something you truly believe in, for me its term
limits in the U.S. Congress and Senate. But I am not about to say that if
there were term limits in Washington the country would not be in the mess we
are in. Because I am not that naive. Costas came out and said that
he did not have enough time and his message did not resonate correctly.
Well, then I truly doubt that Costas did not know the time limits he had
and may have been plugging for his hour long show that was on a few days later.
Either way Costas and Whitlock viewed the end result as the issue and once
again the true issue has been avoided again.
believer in speaking out in something you truly believe in, for me its term
limits in the U.S. Congress and Senate. But I am not about to say that if
there were term limits in Washington the country would not be in the mess we
are in. Because I am not that naive. Costas came out and said that
he did not have enough time and his message did not resonate correctly.
Well, then I truly doubt that Costas did not know the time limits he had
and may have been plugging for his hour long show that was on a few days later.
Either way Costas and Whitlock viewed the end result as the issue and once
again the true issue has been avoided again.
Domestic violence
needs to continue to be addressed and needs to be educated to the young men and
women of this country, especially the young men. It is not ok to take
your transgressions out on a woman, period. It is not “manning”
up by hurting a woman when she has hurt your feelings. It is appropriate to
talk to someone about it before you go out and do something completely stupid.
needs to continue to be addressed and needs to be educated to the young men and
women of this country, especially the young men. It is not ok to take
your transgressions out on a woman, period. It is not “manning”
up by hurting a woman when she has hurt your feelings. It is appropriate to
talk to someone about it before you go out and do something completely stupid.
3D
If you don’t take
it from me, ask my wife
it from me, ask my wife