The $100,000 Band-Aid

Apparently, the NBA has added political correctness to the list of technical fouls that can be called, because Wednesday, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for using the word "faggot."  Now, Kobe says he was just angry at the referee and tossed out an insult.  "What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period," he said as part of a statement released by the Lakers. I have no idea if the referee he was upset with is gay or not, or even if that referee was particularly offended, but either way, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) got an apology out of Kobe, so it doesn't matter.  "Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility," said one of the gay lawyers for GLAAD.  Really?  Is that a fact?  Look, I agree that some of our top athletes are less than "good sports," I mean we have professional athletes that walk into nightclubs with firearms, rape female fans, and bet on cock fights, and that's just one guy on one night.  Don't you think people might be overreacting just a little bit on this issue?   Maybe I'm just getting old...when I was in high school, that was just something bullies called people whether they were actually gay or not.  When some long-haired, pot-smoking maggott in a Megadeth t-shirt called me "faggot," it wasn't because he really thought I was gay, it was just an insult, a stab at my basic manhood.  I had a boss just a few years ago that would routinely say things like, "do you girls think you could hurry it up, or is it time for your tea already?"  I've heard guys on the golf course say to eachother, "nice swing, Mary, does your boyfriend play golf, too?"  It's trash talk.  Now, I know what some of you are saying... "It is trash talk, Mr. Johnson, and trash like that has no business in professional sports, or anywhere else in society!  Just the fact that you even chose to include that hateful word in your article shows what a backward weed of humanity you are!" Easy, there, Lefty, you're getting close to hate speech, and we wouldn't want to have to fine you.  But seriously, are we really at a point now where everytime someone gets their feelings hurt we have to slap a $100,000 band-aid on it?  If I tell someone they're crazy, am I going to have to make a public apology to all crazy people and their psychologists?  Every mother out there agrees, it's not nice to call people names, but even a five year old knows "sticks and stones." Oh, and let me stop you before you say, "what if the referee had called Kobe the 'N' word?  Should Kobe have just let it go?"  Of course not, and I'm not saying it was O.K. for Kobe, either, but 1) I don't think you can equate those two words... Sorry, but being called one definately has  a different meaning and history than the other, and 2) if it had gone down that way, the referee would have to be fired, because you can't have an admitted racist calling plays on the court.  See what I mean?  Now if you'll excuse me, I have to call my lawyer to make sure I can post this without getting sued by some crybaby.  Have a great weekend, everyone!  You can read more here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110414/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_lakers_bryant_slur