The late night last night is really catching up with me now. I usually hope the Raiders will get blown out early, then I can go to bed and still get a decent night’s sleep. But last night they had the gall to win with :35 seconds left at 3:30 am my time. Of course I had to stay up to watch it. I even screamed when they scored their touchdown. Who screams for a 5 win 9 loss team that has lost more football games over the last six years than anyone in football. Why? I guess because my expectations are so low, that when they generate even the most minute portion of excitement, I have to get my yelp in. But every time I get too enthused with a sports team Im following, I have to remember what Jerry Seinfeld said about sports. We are all rooting for laundry. That’s what is comes down to, we cheer for the uniform and just whomever seems to be wearing it at the time. We just have this inner need to think we are better than someone else. Keep in mind…im describing myself with this group. Races of people think they are better than other races, countries think they are better than other countries, states think they are better than other states, cities think they are better than other cities, schools think they are better than other schools. Want to get in a fist fight in Texas…Stand up virtually anywhere in Texas and say “California is better.” Why are Sooners better than Cowboys, Longhorns better than Aggies, Cal better than Stanford? We just have this inner drive to think we are better than someone else, anyone else. Sports are a perfect vehicle which to vent this psychological need. I think for the people that are the most insecure to feel better about themselves at the expense of others provides validation. I know Im reading way to much into the sports thing, but Im a sports fan and I have to question, why am I so passionate about it. What is missing in me to drive me to this? I think this need for self-validation is most present where Im living right now, The Middle East. There is so much rampant racism here, they don’t even bother to hide it. When I mention my Indian friends, Filipino Friends, American friends, In America I would be branded a racist but here its totally culturally acceptable to know someone’s origin so we can better understand them. The shocking thing is not their racial division, its their spiritual division. Can you imagine a Methodist suicide bombing a Presbyterian church because they pray a little differently?
I had a brief chat with Barrie Jones today. You might remember his step-son was kidnapped in Oman. Adam is 10 years old, and has always been raised by his mother. Yet now he’s living with a grandmother that is 77 years old that doesn’t speak English, and Adam doesn’t speak Arabic. Where is the justice in that? The government doesn’t really want to be involved, but there is so much public support behind “Bring Adam Home” that I think eventually they will be forced into a decision. Common sense goes out the window here. Islamic courts think the best place to raise a child no matter what the parental relationship is an Islamic family. The crazy part is that the Jones’ are actually Muslims, but they have the wrong first name and the wrong color of skin.
I have volunteered to create a video to bring awareness to this situation. I’ll post when its ready.
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