Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week you’ve likely seen the coverage of the new Nike Air Jordan shopping lines and the ensuing chaos across the country. Color me unimpressed. There’s nothing to gather from the violence other than depression as the Republic devolves into a me-first selfish mixture of reprobates and depravity. Nothing like this would have happened 100 years ago. Who is to blame for the violence? Certainly not the people clashing over a $180 pair of shoes. Nope. According to ESPN’s Jemele Hill Michael Jordan and Nike need to do something. Asking people to behave with civility is just too much to ask.
Jordan and Nike didn’t directly encourage this recklessness. They didn’t tell people to trample others who waited in line, and it’s not their fault that a segment of people have such skewed priorities.
But that doesn’t absolve Jordan or Nike for willingly feeding an out-of-control monster. Let’s put aside the fact that these Air Jordans cost an absurd $180. The marketing campaign for these shoes is essentially akin to yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theater.
Essentially? The marketing was so pervasive I didn’t even see one commercial on TV. If the shoes are absurd at $180 what can be said of Apple’s iPads? There is an almost non-stop stream of advertising and shortages every time Apple release a new model. There are long lines, long wait times, but no embarrassing mischief. Why is it that Nike is irresponsible, but Apple is one of the most respected companies in the country? Oh wait, it’s gets better…
It’s hard not to notice that a lot of the senseless violence associated with Air Jordans involves African-Americans, specifically young black men. Jordan is one of the most universally beloved athletes of all time, and he has profited considerably from the black community’s unconditional support. By not addressing this lingering violence, he seems to be making clear that he’s only interested in the black community if it can enhance his financial empire.
Hmm… Michael Jordan is one of the best basketball players of all time. He had no equal during his prime. I’m not sure what the “black community” has to do with Jordan’s popularity. Jordan received unconditional support from everyone. What’s he supposed to do? Give the shoes away for free? That would only make things worse.
This isn’t just an African-American problem. There are examples of moral depravity all over the place. Talking heads like Jemele Hill only see things through the prism of race. How about writing an article asking our citizens to grow up? There should be a zero tolerance policy for this kind of behavior. It’s not going to stop if we keep justifying idiots.
When it comes to the theater of Christianphobia there’s no better example right now that Tim Tebow. The NFL has had countless famous college football players who weren’t good enough for the league. I’m not saying Tebow isn’t good enough, but if he’s not, that hardly makes him unique.
The only unique thing about Tebow is that he’s a Christian. He’s not just a Christian, but an outspoken Christian. A Christian who could have been aborted at birth if not for the faith of his mother. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understanding why a God hating liberal wouldn’t like Tim Tebow.
Our secular culture seems to understand everything except Christianity these days. It’s odd in a nation with complete religious freedom that a growing number of people have zero tolerance for Christianity. Christians are taught to speak boldly in the name of Christ, but few have the courage to do so anymore. No one wants to offend anyone. How far the modern Christian has fallen; 2,000 years ago you could face death of you preached the Gospel, now all you do is alienate your friends and co-workers. ESPN has a perfect example of religious ignorance in another one of its moronic Grantland articles:
It so happens that 95 percent of the population of the Philippines is Roman Catholic. Catholic doctrine just happens to be in conflict with what Bob Tebow and his son preach in regard to personal salvation. (To devout Catholics, for example, sins are not forgiven “by faith alone,” but through the sacrament of reconciliation as administered by a priest.) Bob Tebow’s goal is not to convert unbelievers. It is to supplant an existing form of Christianity. So who’s the actual Christian here? This is not an idle point to be made. Down through history, millions of people have died in conflicts over what a “Christian” really is, which is what so exercised Madison, and also what brought down a lot of Hitchens’ wrath upon religion in general. History says that as soon as you start talking about “the only true message” in this regard, you guarantee that, eventually, people will get slaughtered in the town square.
Charles P. Pierce writes for Esquire and contributes to NPR. He also wrote a book called Idiot American. Apparently he’s an expert. We’ll start with the fact that 80 percent of the Philippines is Catholic. Writing about religion in a sports magazines apparently means no fact checking. Oh no, “the one true message.” This is what made Jesus Christ an extremist from the beginning.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 4:16
This is one of the fundamental differences between Catholics and Protestants. Jesus Christ talked about “the one true message.” The Catholic church is kind of like the McDonalds of Christianity, or better yet, a middle man. Jesus clearly said that he’s the “way, the truth, and the life.”
Charles P. Pierce seems to believe that in a world of doubt there would be no war. Apparently religion is the sole reason for conflict. As if greed and a lust for power or any number of mankind’s unfashionable traits have no bearing on the history of the world. Pierce’s problem isn’t with Tebow, but with God. Here’s the money quote:
Before he ever took a snap in the NFL, he appeared in an anti-choice television ad with his mother that was sponsored by Focus on the Family, an influential anti-choice, anti-gay-rights organization founded by the Rev. James Dobson
How sad. Pierce doesn’t have to contribute money to Dobson, but my tax dollars help pay for this bigot’s appearances on NPR. If you read the Gospels Jesus is anti-choice, anti-fornication, anti-adultery, and anti-gay-rights. To put it bluntly Jesus is anti-sin. That’s where we reach the boiling point. No one is preaching to Pierce except his own conscious and that’s what convicts us all.
Professional Apoligist
By now most of the nation has heard about NFL player Adrian Peterson’s comments about modern day slavery. Of course it’s ridiculous and I’m sure Peterson would take the comment back if he could. However, it’s amazing to hear people in the press try to defend the comment. This morning I caught two minutes of ESPN‘s Sports Reporters. It was just enough time to catch New York Times sports columnist William C. Rhoden defend Peterson.
Speaking of money, there’s a trainer back in the 1850′s named Charles Stewart who was a slave. This guy made so much money that he had to hire an agent to make some — he had to hire an agent to manage his money. He could negotiate who he got sold to. A lot of the unions across the country are getting hammered.
Owners are trying to take back medical benefits, they’re trying to make you work more for less. That’s what we’re talking about here. So rather than get distracted by oh this guy makes this, look at what is the underlying principle. That principle is affecting all of us who belong to unions.
Everybody’s trying to get more, reduce, make you work more, take less. So to increase profits. That’s a universal concept symbolized by the strike, by the lockout, I’m sorry.
Wait, are Peterson’s comments a distraction or are they justified? Why must reporters defend the indefensible? The story is that Peterson made a ridiculous comment that hurt the players union’s position. Instead, Rhoden came up with some talking points before the show to defend an idiotic comment. I can forgive Peterson for making a short sighted mistake in front of a camera. He’s a football player, not a pundit.
William C. Rhoden, on the other hand, went on TV and threw out some moronic example that in no way compares to the current situation. Rhoden is a pro-union liberal who is willing to defend any pro-union argument no matter how absurd he sounds. A lot of unions across the country are getting hammered? A lot of Americans across the country are getting hammered. Why are union members exempt?
Besides, it’s not private sector unions getting hammered; it’s public sector unions bleeding the tax payer dry whilst laundering money through the Democratic Party that are getting “hammered”. Once again, progressives brush with broad strokes to make it seem like responsible people are the second coming of the Nazi stormtroopers. As with the controversy over illegal immigration in which progressives called anyone opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens “anti-immigration,” so too anyone who shows support for making public sector employees carry more of the weight are “anti-union”.
Rhoden, you are sorry. You are a sorry excuse for a journalist. Your reasoning is a sorry excuse for an argument. I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised that the author of a book called Forty Million Dollar Slaves might be sympathetic to Peterson’s comments. Why should anyone in the press be surprised that the nation doesn’t take them seriously anymore? When William C. Rhoden makes idiotic comparisons to slavery and race he’s a respected, award winning New York Times columnist. When you tolerate and praise lunacy, and then make illogical arguments to defend lunacy, people quit taking you seriously.
Congrats Lebron, you're this year's Brett Favre
With all the major problems facing the nation it’s nice to see Americans taking a break to watch the most important sports event of our time. No, I’m not talking about the World Cup. I’m talking about Lebron James. I think even Club Soda would agree that the World Cup is more fascinating to watch that this ridiculously over-hyped James saga.
It’s gotten to the point that ESPN is going to run an hour-long special at the behest of Lebron James so he can “announce” where he is playing. There’s over indulgent and then there’s Lebron James. Mr. James is 25 years old, and by everyone’s reckoning a pretty decent basketball player, but he’s never won anything significant. Is Lebron really worth his own variety hour on ESPN?
This is the most absurd television stunt since Geraldo Rivera unlocked the mystery of Al Capone’s vault in April, 1986. On that night over 30 million people tuned into see literally nothing happen. The only mystery after that event is why anyone paid attention to Geraldo after that debacle.
I take all that back. My guess is that Geraldo Rivera’s humiliation on TV is infinitely more entertaining than anything that will happen Thursday night. Lebron James will likely stay in Cleveland and all this will be over nothing. However, I hold out hope that James will retire from the NBA, start his own franchise in Hawaii, and as Thursday night’s variety hour begins Lebron sings “I got you babe.” A man can hope.
I have been purposely been avoiding Palinmania because I’m suffering from Palin fatigue. I don’t understand either side of this phenomenon. Many on the left hate her for no reason and many on the right love her because she’s so despised. The whole thing is juvenile. Now that Palin has a book out, the madness continues. Anyway, CNN has an editorial by LZ Granderson a senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. There have been some stupid columns written about Palin, but this ranks near the top. Evidently, Palin is insensitive to minorities because her book tour doesn’t stop in minority areas.
It just seems that in going to few diversely populated cities, she’s purposefully steering clear of minorities. I mean, what author with a $5 million book deal avoids promoting books in large cities? Palin’s curious tour schedule takes me right back to some of the more disturbing displays during last year’s campaign, when people at some campaign rallies at times made racist remarks. This is not to say I believe Sarah Palin is a racist. But she said or did very little to address the racist ugliness around her during the campaign.
Did Hillary Clinton say or do anything about the “racist ugliness” around her during the campaign? This whole “angry racist crowd” is another myth from the 2008 campaign. What’s so sad is that people like Granderson are so willing to believe such sensationalist nonsense. Granderson, who went to a Palin event, obviously didn’t see any racism, otherwise he would have wrote about it. Instead, he says, “I did get a lot of strange looks from the line, which I guess was to be expected. After all, I’m a black man with dreadlocks and, judging by the racial makeup of most of the cities Palin has scheduled for her tour, it doesn’t seem I’m her target audience.” I guess “strange looks” are open for debate. What does a “strange look” look like? I think this observation says more about Granderson than the crowd itself.
Why should Palin visit areas that have no interest in seeing her? Will that make Granderson feel better? McCain made a series of trips to minority areas untouched by previous Republican campaigns and it didn’t help at all. I wonder how much longer the Democrats will get away with this “Republicans are racist” nonsense. On social issues African Americans share more in common with the religious right than with the Democratic party. The Democrats do have an upper hand when it comes to spending money on government programs to supposedly reduce poverty. For those scoring at home the percentage of people living in poverty in the United States was steadily decreasing for decades before the “War on Poverty.” Since the 1960s the U.S. has spent trillions of dollars and the poverty rate has remained unchanged. Here’s one last bit from Granderson:
As a Midwesterner with some Southern roots, I actually have a lot in common with Palin. I’ve hunted with dogs, fished, had a kid in hockey, I go to church on Sundays and, having worked in New York and L.A., I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with elitist, liberal snobs. This is why I am so profoundly disappointed with her. Instead of using her popularity and influence to highlight our similarities and move the nation forward, she has allowed some of the nation’s most painful wounds to be re-opened to advance her career.
Huh? What has Palin done to re-open wounds? Granderson needs to look outside of his soapbox. He’s trapped like many other Americans in a perception soapbox and unable to decipher fact from fiction. Palin’s only crime is being Republican in a political system that has exonerated Democrats from being racist, I guess because Democrats treat minorities like children and come up with programs that ensure their slavery to the state to the detriment of the individual.
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