MARCH 24, 2000, THE BEHREND BEACON, PAGE 15
SPORTS
Weighing in on John Rocker
Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker
has been through a tumultuous spring
training. For those of you who don't
remember, Rocker made disparaging
comments against various minority
and orientation groups in December.
Since then Rocker has been criticized
by fans, players, and pundits.
With the baseball season swiftly
approaching and with some further de
velopments in the story, I felt that this
was an appropriate time to weigh in
on this topic.
For starters, John Rocker has every
right to say whatever he wants, when
ever he wants. That's how our found
ing fathers intended it to be and that
is the way it should be. This country
was built on the bedrock principles of
freedom and liberty. Anyone who
thinks that Rocker, or anyone else for
that matter, doesn't have the right to
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say what he or she feels should brush
up on their American and world his
tory. Unless these people want to be
compared to Hitler, these pundits
should pipe down.
Now the last time I checked, mak
ing a disparaging comment didn't re
sult in a fine or suspension, unless it
was at work or directed as a threat
towards someone in particular. But
in John Rocker's case his comments
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cost him $5OO, the first 13 days of
spring training, and the first 12 games
of the regular season. Originally
Rocker was suspended for all of spring
training, the first 28 days of the regu
lar season and fined $20,000 by Ma
jor League Baseball commissioner
Bud Selig, but that sentence was later
reduced.
Before I move on, let me ask this
question, who made MLB commis
sioner Bud Selig president of the po
litically correct police? I realize that
Rocker does represent baseball and
consequentially the MLB, but why
doesn't commissioner Selig reprimand
other players who constantly break the
LAW instead of suspending individu
als who make an inappropriate com
ment? Apparently Selig feels that
breaking the law isn't all that bad (an
attitude that is becoming more popu
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lar amongst liberal circles) and hav
ing players who abuse drugs, alcohol,
or people is beneficial to the MLB's
image. Get real Bud!
However the Altlanta Braves have
every right to rebuke Rocker, just as
any employer could do with one of
their employees. Simply because he
is a baseball player and not an aver
age Joe worker, doesn't make him ex
empt from the responsibilities that em
ployees inherently have. If the Braves
traded or released Rocker because of
what he said, I wouldn't dispute their
actions due to the fact that he is an
employee of that Organization.
What is inexplicable though is why
John Rocker received a standing ova
tion last week during a spring season
game. If Rocker is so hated and such
a bigot, why does he receive standing
ovations? Surely there were some in
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the crowd that thought Rocker was a
disgusting pig, but they must have
been overshadowed by the raucous
majority
Although most people disagree
with what Rocker said, I think that
there is a faction of society that is pull
ing for John Rocker. A segment of
society that believes in the rights of
Americans and who probably have
said some regretful things themselves.
People who are sick of the media and'
others feeding them a constant line of
8.5., people who want to hear what
people really think and not what they
ought to think. These were the people
cheering for John Rocker.
In a society where individual
thought is increasingly harder to come
by, we need athletes and political lead
ers who actually speak what they feel.
Granted they shouldn't go out and
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bash minority groups like Rocker did,
but they shouldn't hide their feelings
behind a storm of rhetoric.
I, for one, never liked individuals
who never had an opinion on a par
ticular issue or who hid behind their
big words and spin. That's probably
why I admire John Rocker, not be
cause he bashed minority groups, but
because he actually had the guts to say
something.
Imagine if all of us would actually
tell people how we really felt, instead
of trying to conform to the norms set
by screwed up members of society.
We must not allow people to suppress
our thoughts and feelings, no matter
if we are a fast food employee or a
high level executive.
Like my high school English
teacher used to say, Carpe Diem, seize
the Day!!
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