Daniel J. Summers » Charter Member of the VRWC

Recently, there have been quite a few “groups” getting offended about things that other people do. Let me say up front that I have no problems with any individual person; however, I do not like the whole “group” concept, where a couple of loud-mouthed members of said group purport to speak for every member. That being said…

Some American Indians are upset about OutKast’s performance at the Grammys - here’s an article from CNN about it. OutKast has made their career being off-centre - a creative show like the one they put on at the Grammys shouldn’t be that unexpected. I saw the show, and there was nothing offensive in it to me (other than the fact that I’ve heard “Hey Ya” so many times I’m sick of it).

Some Jews are upset about The Passion of the Christ - they feel that it will incite hate for Jews. First of all, the movie is historical. If the Jews didn’t want this stuff being shown, they should’ve been nicer to Jesus 2,000 years ago. Secondly, the events portrayed in this film occurred 2,000 years ago - no one in their right mind would hold someone of Jewish descent responsible for something their ancestors did 2,000 years prior.

Some blacks are upset about a whites-only scholarship at a Rhode Island university - here’s an article from CNN about that. I love this story. These kids set up a scholarship which is merit-based; you’ve really got to be sharp to be the recipient of this $250 grant. Then, they add one final caveat - you have to be white. This is a very creative way to show the lunacy of race-based preferences - although I fear the lesson will be lost in the hysteria of many.

The bottom line is this… In a free country such as this, you do not have the right to not be offended. Matters of morality are one thing, but none of these incidents are moral situations. These are a symptom of our group-minded, victim-mentality culture, where people aren’t individuals, they’re members of a group. These loud-mouths have complacent amplifiers in today’s media, who broadcast their claims as fact, while often not applying common sense to the situation. I’m of Irish descent - am I offended when people make jokes about Irish people? Of course not. Thick skin is a wonderful thing - I wish these folks would grow some, and let the individuals decide for themselves whether they’re going to be offended by something.

On a slightly different note… Thomas Sowell, a great columnist, occasionally writes a column he calls “Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene.” That title is a link to his latest one, but I’ve just got to share a couple of them here. (These are quoted verbatim from him.)

• Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.
• It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication and a government bureaucracy to administer “universal health care.”

Just some reflections on the game that was…

The pre-game show was excellent. It was a very classy, very patriotic tribute to the Columbia astronauts who left us a year ago that day. The moonscape and the astronaut in the middle of the field was genius, and very well put together. Beyonce did an outstanding job with the National Anthem - much better than recent efforts by her peers, such as Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston. It wasn’t “The Beyonce Show” featuring “The Star Spangled Banner,” it was “The Star Spangled Banner,” sung by Beyonce. She should definitely be given repeat invitations for game-opening singing, as she did the song (and our nation) proud.

This has got to be the best Super Bowl in recent memory. Neither team was ever just waltzing away with the game, and for it to be decided in the final seconds by a field goal was priceless. Of course, that’s how New England won a lot of their games this past year. Carolina did an amazing job, having the ball for much less of the time, but still coming back to tie the game with just over a minute left. I feel for Carolina’s place-kicker, whose final kick-off was less than memorable, but he shouldn’t be blamed for the loss. Both teams played hard, both made their share of little mistakes, and, as John Fox, Carolina’s coach, said after the game, “It just came down to who had the ball last.” Great job to both the Panthers and the Patriots, and congratulations to New England for title #2 in 3 years.

And that half-time show…

Q: Was it good?
A: That’s an awfully subjective question - beauty is often in the eye of the beholder.

Q: Was it inappropriate?
A: Absolutely.

The Super Bowl is not an adult program - families get together and watch these games with their kids. Notwithstanding the claimed unintentional flashing, the entertainment was not family-friendly.

Q: Should we expect any different from MTV?
A: Not really.

CBS was kidding themselves if they thought that MTV could come up with family-tolerable program, much less a family-friendly one. Have they even watched MTV lately? Evidently, MTV forgot to lend their sister network the bleeping and blurring machines that they wear out on a daily basis. This is one thing that makes the statements by CBS and MTV quite humorous - they’re basically the same company. The NFL should probably try to get a contract with Disney (or some other organization that has their finger on the pulse of family values) for future shows. Sure, Disney puts out some filth, but they do know what’s appropriate and when. How about a Hillary Duff / A*Teens half-time show?

Q: Was the flashing accidental?
A: I don’t think we’ll ever know the answer to that one.
Update Feb 4, 2004 - Okay, so it was intentional after all.