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发帖数: 29846 | 1 December 9, 2012 | by Baron Von Ottomatic
For the second week in a row an NFL player has senselessly died in an off-
the-field incident. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown was killed while
riding in a 2007 Mercedes with teammate Josh Brent, who was intoxicated and
speeding when he lost control and flipped the vehicle. Brent was previously
convicted of DWI in 2009.
On December 1, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdered his
girlfriend then committed suicide outside the Chiefs complex. The following
night we were treated to an editorial rant on NBC by Bob Costas, who chose
to highlight a column on gun culture written by Kansas City sportswriter
Jason Whitlock:
“Our current gun culture,” Whitlock wrote, “ensures that more and
more domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy and that more
convenience-store confrontations over loud music coming from a car will
leave more teenage boys bloodied and dead.”
“Handguns do not enhance our safety. They exacerbate our flaws, tempt
us to escalate arguments, and bait us into embracing confrontation rather
than avoiding it. In the coming days, Jovan Belcher’s actions, and their
possible connection to football will be analyzed. Who knows?”
“But here,” wrote Jason Whitlock,” is what I believe. If Jovan
Belcher didn’t possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive
today.”
Well this week we have a different culture to decry. Our current alcohol
culture. Let’s try something…
“Our current alcohol culture,” Whitlock wrote, “ensures that more and
more domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy and that more
convenience-store confrontations over loud music coming from a car will
leave more teenage boys bloodied and dead.”
“Alcoholic beverages do not enhance our safety. They exacerbate our
flaws, tempt us to escalate arguments, and bait us into embracing
confrontation rather than avoiding it. In the coming days, Josh Brent’s
actions, and their possible connection to football will be analyzed. Who
knows?”
“But here,” wrote Jason Whitlock,” is what I believe. If Josh Brent
didn’t have access to alcohol, Jerry Brown would be alive today.”
Now sure, you could point out that far more people use alcohol responsibly
than don’t. You could argue that prohibiting alcohol wouldn’t solve
anything, people who are determined to drink will find a way to get drunk.
You could demonstrate that prohibition has been tried and it doesn’t work,
it merely punishes responsible, law abiding users.
Hey, we can try something again…
Now sure, you could point out that far more people use guns responsibly than
don’t. You could argue that gun control laws wouldn’t solve anything,
people who are determined to murder will find a way to kill. You could
demonstrate that gun control has been tried and it doesn’t work, it merely
punishes responsible, law abiding users.
You could, but no doubt Costas and Whitlock would argue that guns are unique
among inanimate objects in their ability to destroy lives. Culture wars
are a funny thing, huh?
I’ll wager the firestorm of this week compelled Costas to pen a stem-winder
of a follow-up for tonight’s NFL broadcast on NBC to clarify and add
nuance his remarks. Now he’s got to act troubled over another NFL fatality
which has absolutely nothing to do with guns. Back to the drawing board,
Bob.
Here’s one thing I can say with certainty, Bob Costas will tread very
lightly on the subject of alcohol when discussing the accident that took
Jerry Brown’s life. He, and his network, will not say anything to upset
Bud Light – the Official Beer Sponsor of the NFL.
What? You didn’t know the NFL has an official beer? Hell yes they do.
You’ve got to wonder if the NFL and Anheuser Busch dedicate as much of
their time and their resources to promote alcohol safety as the NRA does to
promote gun safety. Or is it pretty much just Here We Go?
Perhaps the best lesson we can learn from these events would be that using
the personal failures of individual human beings to advance one’s political
beliefs is an incredibly bad idea. Costas, Whitlock, the ball’s in your
court. |
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