Letters to the Editor
not2master
Published Letters: 12
-
because they love them
[Read the article: "Why do these men want to coach little girls?" ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a man who has worked with kids and as a lifelong (but increasingly alienated) feminist, I find this interview to be offensive on quite a few levels:
Most glaring, it is downright sexist to male coaches, and by default it serves to incriminate teachers or other mentors as well, especially any who happen to work with female children. How very reckless and wrong this is. To suggest that the only men who should enjoy working with girls must be in it for some sort of hidden taboo sex lust, or that they are slave driving power fiends, is a slap in the face to most of those good men who not only conduct themselves appropriately, but do this sort of work out of a caring desire which has nothing to do with lust or power at all.
Am I the only one who remembers the likes of Bella Karolyi, beloved by his students, and that image forever burned into memory when he carried the girl who had hurt her leg? Was that just vomit-worthy chauvanist chivalry, or was it something innate within him, which demonstrated why he worked with these girls?
The implied solution to the many other problems mentioned in the interview is to disallow kids from the sport, which is also "ageist" to children who want very badly to play sports and compete. How are we protecting them by denying them the right to compete in a sport in which they excel at, during these younger years? I think this is what is truly shameful.
I am also hit with a sneaking suspicion that the presentation of this story does not have nearly as much to do with the physical or emotional well being of the girls as it does with a desire to eliminate organized sports and other activities which are historically prone to being eroticized, including gymnastics and cheerleading. While that issue is indeed worthy of scrutiny, it is a shame that we do not mention this in the article, though I believe Sey is nevertheless attempting to cash in on the agenda to promote bad press on the sport wherever possible.
I also believe Wallace and Sey are both embellishing the sex abuse angle, because it is an emotional hotbutton. In this interview, Sey is sure only of "rumors" and affairs with women 18 or 19. Meanwhile, Wallace sees fit to make "rampant sex abuse" part of the headline. Why? One starts to feel like the interview was a tagteam endeavor.
Whatever real problems may exist within gymnastics, and they are real problems, I feel it is nevertheless unfair to condemn an entire sport, just as I feel it is unfair to view all male coaches, teachers and other such mentors with suspicion for having the not always common (yet very admirable) level of caring and nurture required to have a good working repoir with their young students, of whatever gender. I may not be the greatest fan of elite competive sports, but all of the problems mentioned by Sey are easily (or somewhat less easily) resolved individually. Healthy ideals concerning weight can be instilled systematically. Children must also be empowered by teaching them how to deal with peer pressure or pressure from parents and coaches. If they feel totally overwhelmed and unable to make this known, then that is the real problem that needs dealing with. Ideally, no adult is forcing them to compete, and if they are, then that too is a problem which can be successfully addressed with a little creativity. The point is that eliminating access to a sport or other activity, or demonizing it for that matter, is not the answer to problems in a free society. I would hope that Sey agrees. As for Wallace or many others in our collective progressive community, I am not always so sure that this freedom is a priority anymore.
As an afterthought, I really wish someone would cover the story of the disappearing male teachers. The title of this very article implies a form of sexism which helps demonstate the "why" of that other problem. And it is a growing one.
-
Clinton Has A Black Belt In Pandering
[Read the article: Obama is wrong about the gas tax]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm sorry, but after these eight years of hell, the price of gas is near the bottom on my list of major concerns. Isn't that just another weapon of mass distraction? And yes, I do think it's pandering, and no, I rarely ever believe what comes out of Hillary's mouth to be sincere. Every last word that comes out of it is calculated and presumes we're all idiots who just want to be sweet talked, which of course some of us are. Personally, I'm tired of both those who don't give a damn about my concerns, and those who simply want me to believe they do give a damn until they win an election. If the price of gas is now everyone's main concern in this failing society, then we are truly doomed as a democracy. And on the pandering point, Obama is dead on. I'm glad he had the guts to call it. I see Hillary is now trying to use his response to claim Obama doesn't care about gas prices or your personal suffering, proving her martial arts prowess in pandering.
-
Cruelty To The Poor
[Read the article: Eight Belles' last run]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm definitely an animal lover, but I'd never outlaw a sport like this just because there are occasional tragedies. If you think it's wrong to race horses, then you should think it's wrong to selectively breed or keep Fluffy and Fido as pets too, since they were all meant to be roaming the wild. Life comes with a little risk. These horses are loved by many, marveled at by most, and treated humanely in all but a few cases. A more noble goal related to this sport might be helping all the gamblers addicted to betting on the horses. Have you ever been to the track on a weekday when all the betting is on closed circuit monitors? Here is where you will find many stories of hardship, tragedy and a need for someone to give a damn.