Remember . . . Selflessness?
I had originally planned on posting this on 9/11. But then I realized. We're good at remembering national tragedies. We're able to pay respect, remember, etc. But why for only one day? So with that in mind I figured I'd try and extend a bit on our 9/11 mentality.
You can't wake up on 9/11 without thinking about where you were that day 8 years ago. Without thinking about hearing the screams, the stunned news reporters, seeing the images of the flames and then the falling buildings, death all around. Those images will never leave and they shouldn't. But I propose remembering something else today. Remember the selflessness that reigned supreme in the immediate aftermath and the weeks that ensued. Not only the bravery of the policemen and firefighters but the way you walked down the streets and felt a connection with your American neighbors. There was a feeling of unity and it was everywhere.
Last year I wrote about my experience at the UCLA/Ohio State game after 9/11. Today I want to take a different look at the way things are and maybe learn a lesson from the way things were in the aftermath at 9/11. So today, I want to use the LaGarrette Blount incident as my backdrop. It's been talked about in a myriad of ways but what bothers me is not the year long suspension but the lack of a reaction people had to the Boise State player who taunted Blount. Before I get into it, from a sports and even societal standpoint, we can't tolerate a guy who's willing to fight his own teammates and charge into the stands to engage in a melee. Just can't have it. But we also can't tolerate a guy who's m.o. is kicking another guy when he's down. I don't think the Boise State player deserved to be suspended, but I also think he got what he deserved.
Our willingness to excuse a guy willing to rub someone's nose in a loss by yelling in his face and hitting him on the shoulder is itself inexcusable. With every day that passes our country turns more and more into a me-first, instant gratification place that should bother us but for some reason doesn't. We're in a country where it's okay for a Congressman to yell at a President during a joint session of Congress. A country where it's okay to use 9/11 as a political tool to organize a march on Washington where people compare our President to Hitler with their signs. A country where it's better to lie, cheat, or just plain make a spectacle of one's self because it sells and as the saying now goes, "there's no such thing as bad publicity." So as long as people pay attention to you, no matter the reason, you'll be rewarded. Glenn Beck, Joe Wilson, Kanye West last night. I don't care what your political affiliation or whether you agree with the underlying points, it's the conduct and complete lack of courtesy that should not be tolerated. Beyonce may have a better voice than Taylor Swift. But that should not excuse someone's complete disregard for basic respect due to individuals in our society. There's a place and a time and as more time passes, the less that maxim seems to hold.
So while I don't excuse LaGarrette Blount, I also don't excuse the Boise State player. I don't even want to look the guy's name up because I think it gives him more recognition than he deserves. All I'm asking is a return to common courtesy and if 9/11 proved anything it's that Americans are capable of uniting and treating each other with respect. So why not use 9/11 to strive for the good that the tragedy created. We shouldn't be that guy who shoves his way through a crowded bar without uttering an "excuse me" or "I'm sorry." We should be the guy that extends his hand to help his fellow man. We did that once. Why not again?
You can't wake up on 9/11 without thinking about where you were that day 8 years ago. Without thinking about hearing the screams, the stunned news reporters, seeing the images of the flames and then the falling buildings, death all around. Those images will never leave and they shouldn't. But I propose remembering something else today. Remember the selflessness that reigned supreme in the immediate aftermath and the weeks that ensued. Not only the bravery of the policemen and firefighters but the way you walked down the streets and felt a connection with your American neighbors. There was a feeling of unity and it was everywhere.
Last year I wrote about my experience at the UCLA/Ohio State game after 9/11. Today I want to take a different look at the way things are and maybe learn a lesson from the way things were in the aftermath at 9/11. So today, I want to use the LaGarrette Blount incident as my backdrop. It's been talked about in a myriad of ways but what bothers me is not the year long suspension but the lack of a reaction people had to the Boise State player who taunted Blount. Before I get into it, from a sports and even societal standpoint, we can't tolerate a guy who's willing to fight his own teammates and charge into the stands to engage in a melee. Just can't have it. But we also can't tolerate a guy who's m.o. is kicking another guy when he's down. I don't think the Boise State player deserved to be suspended, but I also think he got what he deserved.
Our willingness to excuse a guy willing to rub someone's nose in a loss by yelling in his face and hitting him on the shoulder is itself inexcusable. With every day that passes our country turns more and more into a me-first, instant gratification place that should bother us but for some reason doesn't. We're in a country where it's okay for a Congressman to yell at a President during a joint session of Congress. A country where it's okay to use 9/11 as a political tool to organize a march on Washington where people compare our President to Hitler with their signs. A country where it's better to lie, cheat, or just plain make a spectacle of one's self because it sells and as the saying now goes, "there's no such thing as bad publicity." So as long as people pay attention to you, no matter the reason, you'll be rewarded. Glenn Beck, Joe Wilson, Kanye West last night. I don't care what your political affiliation or whether you agree with the underlying points, it's the conduct and complete lack of courtesy that should not be tolerated. Beyonce may have a better voice than Taylor Swift. But that should not excuse someone's complete disregard for basic respect due to individuals in our society. There's a place and a time and as more time passes, the less that maxim seems to hold.
So while I don't excuse LaGarrette Blount, I also don't excuse the Boise State player. I don't even want to look the guy's name up because I think it gives him more recognition than he deserves. All I'm asking is a return to common courtesy and if 9/11 proved anything it's that Americans are capable of uniting and treating each other with respect. So why not use 9/11 to strive for the good that the tragedy created. We shouldn't be that guy who shoves his way through a crowded bar without uttering an "excuse me" or "I'm sorry." We should be the guy that extends his hand to help his fellow man. We did that once. Why not again?
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