I have two topics I want to discuss today. First, the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal. I don't want to get into what side I'm on and what I think about steroid use. But, I do want to talk about one particular part of the debate. And, that's the fact that every article I've read about this and every TV broadcast about it all talk about what affect it has on kids. On children. A lot of people say that the children are the ones affected most because they look at their heroes in a certain way and blah, blah, blah...
It's such a simplistic way of looking at this whole situation. What do these people think? That if they bring up just the idea of children, that, oh, no. No way. It's killing the children. Can't argue with that. The children. Oh, geez. So, I want to explore this scenario.
A child of eight, a youth league baseball player and avid fan of the Yankees, is watching cartoons. He decides to flip the channel to CNN, and he catches the coverage of the A-Rod steroid story. He loves A-Rod. Looks up to him. Admires him. Wants to grow up and play major league baseball. But, since he saw that his hero is a steroid user, which he doesn't understand at all, he's crushed. He's crushed because he knows that his hero is a cheater. A low-life bastard. Someone who robbed the purity of the game. His childhood is ruined. He's miserable at school. His grades drop. His friends hate him now. His parents are nowhere to be seen. And, if they were around, their hands are tied. Their only parents. And, we all know that parents have no real impact on a child's thoughts.
The kid grows up and has issues of trust and confidence. He's long removed from baseball, now spending his days at the video game parlor, drinking can after can of Red Bull just to stay up and play more Deer Hunter games. He loves the feel of that plastic rifle as he blasts the digital deer into oblivion. But, he needs more. So, he buys a real rifle. Next thing you know he's picking people off one by one at the mall. And, it's massive bloodshed and heartbreak. And, most importantly, it's Alex Rodriguez's fault.
Come on! You must see how ridiculous this is. I'll buy anyone's idea that what A-Rod did, and what many steroid users in baseball do, is detrimental to the game. I love valid arguments. But, I will no longer accept that his actions have anything to do with anybody's kid. It's not realistic. It's lazy. And, it gets us no where. If you want to have an interesting discussion about A-Rod and steroids, leave the kids out of it.
The next topic is one that bugs me on almost a daily basis. Here it is: You're at a crosswalk. You start to walk across. And, a car pulls up who doesn't see you. He/she brakes, stops for you. You stop walking, not wanting to be hit by a moving vehicle, and make eye contact with the driver. And, what does that driver do next?
Exactly! He motions you across by a flick of the wrist. Are you kidding me!? I'm begging everyone, from now on, to stop the flick of the wrist thing. The order... that you're giving the walker. Don't ever do it again. It's very condescending. And, it's unnecessary. Who do you think you are? A crossing guard? Are you a traffic cop? Do you have a whistle? Are you that insecure that you have to be in charge and give orders at the crosswalk?
Why not wave? The whole point is to show the pedestrian that you will not run him over. So, why not wave? Or, throw up a peace sign? Or, nod and smile? Why do you have to do the Tom Matsie sign for 'hit away'? It's trite. It's annoying. It makes you look like a weak, insecure prick who needs to push people around all day.
And, never, I mean NEVER, do the double flick of the wrist. If you're going with the flick of the wrist, you don't need to compound your jerky attitude by adding ANOTHER flick for the quick, double flick. Don't ever do it to me. Or, I'll give you a sign with my hand.
The bird.
