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An Ohio judge recently decided two teenagers can complete their high school football seasons before they serve 60-day jail sentences for a car crash caused by a decoy deer placed in a country road. Two teens were injured—one of which is brain-damaged, the other of which is facing his 11th surgery for multiple broken bones. (See the story here.) Is anyone besides me completely APPALLED?!?!?! Anyone?
Our society creates the Maurice Claretts of this world with the mistaken notion that football is a sacred institution and those who play it are its gods. These young men, and their community, gain nothing by being told that starring on the HS football team and leading them to a victorious season is more important than facing the consequences of the irresponsible and dangerous behavior that have cost two families more than can ever be repaid. As a mother, as a counselor, as a Christian, as a member of a community, as a human being—I am completely disgusted and outraged.
Just like the former OSU “star,” these young men are hearing loud and clear that there is something much more important in our society than character and personal responsibility. They are hearing that if they can run, throw, and sack—not cure cancer, not protect society, not prevent AIDS—that they can be above the law of reaping and sowing and not face the immediate consequences of their choices. It is a message that is far too prevalent and destructive for my liking.
Had these young men not been football players—had they been in the marching band, on the chess team, in the fall musical—this ruling would not have been rendered. When will we stop worshiping athletes and start valuing the development of young men’s’ character instead?
>Amen.
>Lorie,You know what a sports fan I am, and I wanted to tell you how much on the mark you are. I feel ashamed being a sport lover that the coaches of those two young men place such little value on life itself. This needs to be a letter to their city newspaper editor.
>I am sad to say again, if this city/country worshipped God the way they worship football, we’d be living in a different culture entirely. I second the vote to send this thought to the editor.
>Jane! I MISS YOU!!!Isn’t that appalling? If I were their coach, or their parent, I’d still make them sit the season out. But I’d lay money down that neither will have that kind of integrity.I thought about sending it somewhere–I’ll have to look into that. Where I’d really like to send it is to the judge…
>Oh good heavens! This is serious stuff these guys did, showing a frightening lack of judgment regarding the consequences of their behavior. Heck, they could be tried as adults for this. They have effectively destroyed (or at least seriously altered) the life of another human being — who gives a rap about a sport in comparison to that (and this from a HUGE Buckeye football fan). But you’re so right — this society helps create these people..how could a 17 year old not understand the risk he was putting people at???? How could he think it was funny???? Wow.BK