If you would reduce the number of murders in America, start by making football safer.
I only say violent crime in America is partially due to our attitudes, to our culture, to our entertainment, and to our values. Rock'm, sock'm football is part of that. We hoot and holler when someone knocks the block off someone in a football game. Love it. I think back a couple weeks or so ago when an NFL player was reprimanded for a hard hit. His response? Something along the lines of, If I can't do that anymore, it's time for me to get out of this game.
He gloried in being a rock'm, sock'm, spine-crushing football player.
I do not know what intentionally hard hits have to do with winning the game. A simple tackle means as much as a hard one. The goal is to win the game, not injure the other team's players. On the scoreboard, a good, clean tackle means as much as one packing the power of a sledgehammer blow.
We live in a society that glories in violence. Our TV shows and movies are violent. Our comic books are violent. Our video games are violent.
In how many other nations is ultimate fighting so big? I do not know, but I know it is big here. In how many other countries are dark heroes popular? Who knows, but I know we certainly love them here in America.
These things add one to another in making America's values, America's entertainment, as violent as any on earth. Tell me of another nation with so many violent movies, or with so many violent video games.
If you would reduce the number murders, start by reducing how you glamorize and revel in them as you watch TV. Change your attitudes. Change your values. If your entertainment is violence, and you love it, don't tell me it isn't your value.
If you would rid yourself of violent crimes, rid yourself of violent attitudes. Yes, you could start in a number of places. But, as good a place as any to start is in your football game. Change your attitude there, and it is a start in changing your attitude in other places.
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