Nothing brings out ugliness and bad writing like a sports reporter who suddenly thinks he has a "serious" topic and a platform to speak about it. The result is normally an ignorant tirade whether the issue is religion or politics or anything else that doesn't require keeping a score. The uproar over Joel Northrup's decision to forfeit in the state tournament rather than wrestle a girl because of his Christian faith has dredged up a nasty, condescending essay from ESPN's Rick Reilly. Granted Reilly writes ignorant stuff all the time peppered with incredibly unfunny jokes but this is especially vitriolic. Here is a sampling:
The Herkelmans -- and most of the state of Iowa -- praised Northrup for being a boy of faith. "It's his religion and he's strong in his religion," says Megan Black, the only other girl who made state. (These were the first two in the state's history. Black lost both her matches.) "You have to respect him for that."
Why?
Does any wrong-headed decision suddenly become right when defended with religious conviction? In this age, don't we know better? If my God told me to poke the elderly with sharp sticks, would that make it morally acceptable to others?
Wrong-headed? What makes this wrong-headed in Reilly's eyes is that it is based on faith and conviction. Apparently assaulting an elderly person is the same thing as refusing to attack a young woman for the sake of a shot at personal glory. One has to wonder, if the boy who forfeited rather than wrestle a girl because of his convictions had been a Muslim, would Reilly have been so arrogant and condescending? I imagine a lot of his boldness would suddenly go missing. Would ESPN have run the column if he mocked the faith of a Jewish kid? Riley goes on to say:
"We believe in the elevation and respect of woman," the father told the Des Moines Register, "and we don't think that wrestling a woman is the right thing to do. Body slamming and takedowns -- full contact sport is not how to do that."
That's where the Northrups are so wrong. Body slams and takedowns and gouges in the eye and elbows in the ribs are exactly how to respect Cassy Herkelman. This is what she lives for. She can elevate herself, thanks.
Apparently Reilly is not only a sports writer, he is an expert at parenting. In our family, we teach our boys not to hit girls, even if they start the fight. Laying hands on your sister is unacceptable and that applies to every woman. There is no situation where gouging a young girl in the eye is a sign of respect for my boys. I don't question Joel Northrup or his parents. I am trying not to question the parents of Cassy Herkelman. She is their daughter and if her parents want to allow her to put on a singlet and get involved in a violent, very close contact sport with boys her age, that is their business. It would be nice if people like Rick Reilly would be equally respectful of parents who rightly see boys wrestling girls as a line in the sand that they will not cross. Of course this is precisely the sort of mockey and derision we should expect from the world.
9 comments:
Arthur,
Similar statements were made, and headlined in Australia.
Whether this lad was Christian or not is immaterial.
I certainly applaud his decision to act like a man, rather than an ill taught simpleton.
Yes, it is right to question this young man's decision, even if it is based on his religious belief. Just because it is a religious belief he is touting does not make it right. It doesn't really matter what religion he comes from. He is treating women as something lesser than him, something that needs to be protected and coddled. This is not respect, it is condescension. Anyway, last I checked condescension was not a religious belief.
Audrey, is it your contention that there is no difference between the genders? I don't find what he did to be condescending but rather respectful and conscientious.
I clicked on this post thinking it might be an interesting essay, but I was instead treated to the same old insinuations that the media hate Christians and coddle Jews, with a healthy sprinkling of ridiculous hyperbole ("refusing to attack a young woman for the sake of a shot at personal glory" -- I mean, come on, are you kidding?). Disappointing.
Since when do religious men “believe in the elevation and respect of women”?
Anonymous,
Sorry to disappoint you!
Bob,
Since when do religious men “believe in the elevation and respect of women”?
Um, since forever? Since when do non-religious men believe in not eating puppies and kicking old ladies?
Um, since forever?
A good deal of the Pentateuch says otherwise.
Scolopendra,
Can you be more specific or is this just random shot?
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