Joe Soucheray has a few words on the recent UM football scandal.
No player involved appears to have risen to the moral or ethical clarity required of any man whose instinctive character would have compelled him to say, “Wait a minute. Stop. This isn’t right. This has gotten out of hand. Everybody clear this building.’’
Any man of character — we call football players men — would have not only cleared the building but would have helped the woman, taken her to the hospital, for example. Actually, if there were men of character around that night the bacchanal would never have happened and the woman would not have required a hospital visit.
There was no respect for anybody in that apartment. There does not appear to be any awareness of physical or mental health at stake. There does not appear to be any awareness of safety.
Exactly right. It’s not enough to simply say you’re not going to rape or harass or take advantage; you also have to refuse to turn your back when others do so. Our football team is full of cowards who’d rather avoid conflict than correct an injustice.
Soucheray has a recommendation for the football coach:
But what Claeys should have really said is, “I don’t want any of these players on the team. These players will never set foot in this practice facility again nor will they ever wear a Gopher football uniform as long as I am coach. If you don’t like it you can take your poorly formed idea of due process and shove it where the sun don’t shine.’’
Maybe our overpaid coach should be shown the door, and the next candidates should have their moral compass measured and calibrated before any are hired.
I think that maybe the football team has a lot of men who were doing their thinking with their little head. Cowardice and/or conflict had very little to do with their decision to stand in line for their turn.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! What, and ruin the TRADITIONS of football! [/s]
Any man of character — we call football players men — would have not only cleared the building but would have helped the woman, taken her to the hospital, for example
… would not have been taking pictures with their cam-phone. “Hey, I didn’t do nothin!”
Exactly.
Kitty Genovese’s murder is notable because a lot of people went about their business while she was screaming for help and dying. Psychologists talk about that, like it’s something weird. But gang rape? Naah.
For football folks, the coach is GOD and the players are saints. Their actions set the definition of morality for the University, how could they do wrong? Thus the fact that the University actually suspended players is quite amazing (even if it is way too little). The University risked reduced revenue from the Bowl game as well as pissing away alumni donations. These pressures are how our state institutions of learning are being turned into professional sports franchises rather than centers of learning. How can our leaders let one gang rape disrupt this process?
Just look at Penn State, they are back to full football glory even though their GOD Paterno along with the administration aided and abetted the rape of many kids. The religion of football must have its place in America similar to the fact that priests are still being moved around who are suspected of abuse. Thank you Pope Francis for taking this issue seriously:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/09/17/us-priests-sex-abuse-relocate-south-america/32551455/
I know plenty of people outside of male athlete culture who can have a “bacchanal” while maintaining consenting boundaries and without assaulting anyone. They don’t lose their respect for others’ autonomy when they’re drunk because they’re concepts they really value, and to my experience the things that are important to you aren’t the ones being held in check only by your inhibitions. Blaming the party or the alcohol is, in a way, an excuse of the terrible underlying cultural norms.
Yet another bizarre event. Joe Soucheray stands up and fights for rape victims. He is generally complaining about liberals, and misspent tax dollars here in the land where nothing is allowed. (his wording) I am pleased that he has this one right and had words for that coach.
An unexpected side effect of trumpledict arnold is that a bunch of men finally believe we live in a very sexist society. I’ve been handing out links and info every day to men who just discovered a deep need for feminism. I’m thrilled to be asked, and even more thrilled when they actually listen to the answers. We covered Schrodinger’s rapist yesterday, and not one person tried to pull a ‘notallmen, or argue that women were being ridiculously overwrought.
Being from Alabama, where fervor for college football is on par with Christianity in terms of ubiquity and vigor*, I always hear that one of the benefits of football is the character, discipline, and morality it instills in the players. I’ve asked about it, but I’m still waiting for the proponents to show where I can see this in action among the players and coaches on the scale they insist is happening. Granted, they can point to this or that player or this or that coach who did something noteworthy and commendable, but the whole enterprise seems to foster the typical results one expects from a system that is given exceptional leeway and influence without more than a modicum of oversight or culpability.
* That’s an exaggeration. In reality the two don’t come close: you’ll have a better chance at shutting down every church in the state than you ever would with getting rid of a single high school or college football program.