Speaking Power to Truth
Telling it Like It Is?
Enough Is Enough?
The NFL games played on December 2nd featured some amazing stories; the Indianapolis Colts winning ther game on the final play, the Pittsburgh Steelers with their 3rd string Quarterback defeating the Baltimore Ravens, and perhaps the most amazing was the Kansas City Chiefs, a day after one of their players shot first his wife and then, in front of his coach at the teams training facility, himself, winning their game.
Bob Costas, NBC Sports personality, took an opportunity to use the tragedy in Kansas City, to speak out against the American gun culture. He referenced a commentary from Kansas City sportswriter and occasional cultural critic Jason Whitlock.
He found himself making the talk show rounds; he appeared on both NBC's cable news channel MSNBC, and FOX News. The absolutist groups that make up so much of the American Gun Lobby rallied their followers, and I was honestly expecting NBC to fire or relive Costas of his role with Sunday Night Football.
But to the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence, Costas articulated what many Americans may think. They are just too afraid to say it, they are tired of hearing of the latest mass shooting. From Tucson, to Trayvon Martin, to Aurora Colorado, to their own hometown, people are becoming aware of the consquences of the American culture of guns.
But why did it take a sportscaster to light this fire? Probably the audience he can reach; Sunday Night Football is usually one of the most watched, if not the most-watched show of that week.
But there's still the matter of what to do with this momentum. That will be up to the viewers, will we see pressure on legislators to pass laws that will make our gun policies more like the industrial nations of Europe? Or will the agenda of fear and mob rule ideas of the NRA, etc continue to advance?
Sticking To His Story
- Bob Costas: 'I Stand by What I Said'--The Nation
Bob Costas has ignited a firestorm after his comments on gun culture during halftime of 'Sunday Night Football'. He tells us now why he won't back down.
