Obsessing over this Kobe Bryant thing is stupid
“When someone with the status of Kobe Bryant, arguably the best basketball player in a generation, hurls that antigay slur at a referee or anyone else — let’s call it the F-word — he is telling boys, men and anyone watching that when you are frustrated, when you are as angry as can be, the best way to demean and denigrate a person, even one in a position of power, is to make it clear that you think he is not a real man, but something less.—
from John Amaechi’s excellent article on Kobe Bryant’s use of the ‘f-word’ and why it matters. Amaechi is a former player who came out publically after retiring.
Every sports fan should read the article.
(via matt-t)
So Kobe Bryan used a naughty word. And a TV camera caught him.
No big deal.
But apparently this naughty word focuses on gays. Though it’s really hard to tell, because ESPN helpfully pixillated his mouth in the video replay, and thank God for that, or more gays might have died as a result.
The NBA fined Bryant $100,000. ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. For saying a single word. A word that happens to inspire some attention-seeking types to go into hyperdrive and jump to irrational, unproven, wildly speculative conclusions.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard of a stupider example of ridiculous pandering and over-reaction in my entire life.
Let’s just calm down for a few minutes and think clearly for change.
First of all, it’s insulting to people who even think about suicide to draw parallels with idiotic stuff like this. Come on. People have much bigger problems to deal with than what some bubble-headed athlete mumbles on live TV during a damn basketball game. Don’t be daft.
Secondly, let’s stop pretending we’re all such delicate flowers that we can’t ever tolerate others who say mean things about us. That is insulting, too. It makes us look amazingly weak, all of us, not just gay people or black people or Latinos or Asians or rednecks or liberals or conservatives or … you know, everybody. I’m so sick of indignant self-righteousness. It makes us look weak, petty, stupid, and venal. No amount of potential retribution makes that trade worth it.
Third, we have to stop and realize just what we are teaching young people with this level of precious sensitivity and obsession over every damn word that people utter. It really is not in our best interests, or theirs, and it has nothing to do with gays or minorities or any other interest group. It’s about being tough and confident enough to hear people say nasty things and think, “well, what a moron, this guy knows nothing about me”. And move on. Sometimes, life is about learning when to ignore certain things and not let them define you or keep you down. It’s a survival skill. And it is something to be admired.
Fourth, even gays who look to advance their cause ought to pause and consider the relative value of such a tactic. It isn’t helping you or your cause, because it encourages others, sometimes, to dismiss your actual causes because of the fatigue of having to listen to stupid bullshit like this all the time. Think about it. Think Chicken Little and the sky is falling.
So while I’m quite sure there are more ways to rip into this silliness - this is just what I can think of right this second - I’ll stop now. Maybe some people actually believe this silliness, but I sure don’t, and I can’t be the only one who doesn’t.
Butch up a little bit. It’ll do you some good. And I won’t have to listen to this petulant whining all the time. Win/win!
