Prep sports a great American tradition
July 4th, 2008 by WesThere are many reasons to celebrate our nation’s birthday, and one of them is the prominence of high school sports in our country.
Whenever I listen to (and sing?) the Star-Spangled Banner at any high school football game, or a state championship basketball, baseball, volleyball, softball or baseball game, I always get chicken skin and feel grateful to live in a country where high school sports is such a lively tradition.
I haven’t lived in other countries so I honestly don’t know how they treat high school sports, but I cannot imagine it being as big a deal in many places as it is here in America.
Here in the USA, tens of thousands of schools offer dozens of sports and teams for our youth to participate in. Yes, the doors of college scholarships become open for selected few, but for everyone there is the opportunity to become part of a team and represent your school in front of family and friends.
We might complain about the state of some facilities, but I’m sure it beats the sandlots and lack of organized leagues for high school athletes in most other countries.
At these games and sporting events, and even on forums like this blog, we can cheer on and support whoever we want, within reason. Sometimes, people abuse this freedom of speech and use it for negative and ill-intended purposes, but that is one of the aspects of freedom.
As mentioned in the previous post, in this country high school sports unites and solidifies communities, it helps develop strong citizens.
And definitely, it creates treasured moments and lifetime memories, for the athletes and also the fans.
Prep sports has been such a big part of my life — since I was a little kid — I cannot imagine growing up and living someplace where it doesn’t exist or is not considered an important part of the school experience.
Thank God for high school sports.
And God bless America.
July 6th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
“Sometimes, people abuse this freedom of speech and use it for negative and ill-intended purposes, but that is one of the aspects of freedom.”
That’s interesting coming from a professional newspaper hack, someone who uses freedom of speech for his own personal convenience, and only if it agrees with his beliefs. Let me remind you, Nakama, the First Amendment right that you hide behind, selectively support, and make a living on was guaranteed by the blood, courage and sweat of others. Try to remember this the next time you are spewing your self righteous platitudes.
July 6th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I have allowed you — and others like you — way more freedom of speech here than you deserve, so it is ironic that you blast me by saying I honor it “only if it agrees with my beliefs.”
Freedom of speech does not mean someone can falsely yell “Fire!!” in a crowded theater, and as a private entitiy The Advertiser does not have to allow you to use this blog only to satisfy your desire to personally attack people.
As the son of a veteran of two wars, I do not take freedom for granted.
You seem to want to use it for evil purposes, which shows no respect to veterans like my dad.
July 8th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Y.R.,
I cannot post your latest comment because as usual, you violate the rules of this blog.
Many times, including just above, I have allowed your extremely negative and mean-spirited comments to be posted, yet you still blast me for not granting you “free speech.”
Free speech and the First Amendment does not mean “anything goes, anywhere, any time.” There’s such a thing as slander, and libel, and malice. It does not mean you can write graffiti on private property.
This forum is owned and operated by The Advertiser, so it has a right to set rules regarding conduct. More importantly, there are rules of common sense and decency that everyone should already understand, and which I have repeated many many times since the very first post in October 2006.
I’ll do it again, since you stubbornly continue to ignore them:
No trash talk. No swearing. No racial slurs. No personal attacks.
You think “freedom of speech” allows you to ignore and disrespect any other rules? Not true. Try going hog-wild in your workplace yelling swear words, racial slurs, personally attacking people with repeated insults, etc.
You think that’s OK?
You call me a coward, but I leave myself open and available and out there for anybody and everybody to see and contact. If you are a veteran, then you should have the courage to identify yourself when making these personal attacks on me. Instead, you have launched countless verbal grenades while hiding behind anonymity.
If you have served your country honorably as you claim, you should be proud of yourself and have no problem revealing your identity, right?
July 8th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Y.R.,
For the record, the Vegas portion — as well as other portions — of my recent trip were paid entirely at my own personal expense. This is a fact.
The other stuff you accuse me of is simply your imagination running wild; I know in my heart that my intentions are pure, not mean-spirited and hate-filled like yours.
Again (and again, and again, and again), if you don’t like what I write, you are more than welcome to DON’T READ.
I don’t like Conan O’Brien, I don’t think he is funny at all, so guess what? I DON’T WATCH HIS SHOW.
If you don’t like this blog, there’s a lot more blogs out there for you to enjoy, so why punish yourself and us by always coming back to this one?
What good comes out of it? Unless, of course, you don’t want to do anything good in the first place …
July 8th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Wes,
apologies. I was doing it just to mess with you and piss you off. I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. I won’t sarcastically criticize you or your articles again.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Criticism is allowed, as long as it follows the standards of decency set forth.
Apology accepted. Let’s move on.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
“i was just doing it to mess with you and to piss you off…”
it’s disturbing to find that this is what some people do to “entertain” themselves…go figure!