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September 21, 2009

SWEETTALK

Tired of the media teeing off on Tiger

<b>By Guinn Sweet</b><br><a href="mailto:sweettalk@mineralwellsindex.com">sweettalk@mineralwellsindex.com</a>

In my opinion, television is the gasoline that fuels pop culture. It is dumbing down via the ionosphere.

Cultural pollution is transmitted by screaming commentary and obnoxious hosts who love to air their opinions, creating the equivalent of a media Twinkie. Viewers are dragged through every Hollywood scandal and lurid story about political, sports and film figures to the point of our utter disgust.

This sentiment was found in the Epilog of a book I recently found on my bookshelf, and was written by an author Chris Fabry. I took a little bit of literary license in the translation because the book was written and published in 1961.

He was not speaking directly about the Tiger tirades that are currently on the tube, but he well could have been. Just when we thought that we had some time to sit back and enjoy some entertaining, thoughtful and interesting Christmas (or holiday) programs, as a respite from the reports of the shenanigans of Michael Jackson’s lifestyle, we are now being inundated by the screaming commentary of the multiple adulteries of Tiger Woods.

I am not surprised, nor am I approving of his behavior, but I am really tired of the noise being made, greater than the reports of his unbelievable victories of the golfing world. That is the Tiger I admire.

I was, and am, a sports fan and have athletic respect for the various golf, baseball, football and basketball sinners. But understand this, my interest in them is strictly for their exploits on the field, diamond, greens and court with absolutely no interest in their bedroom exploits. I make no apology for that. But listen, I don’t want to hear about their personal lives unless I hear that they have great spiritual qualities that they share with their admirers.

I can understand that the news media have an obligation (or rather, a right) to report news, but I also think they have little obligation to comment on the intimacies of those about whom they are reporting.

Now look at that word, “news.” Webster defines it as, “recent events or happenings.” The report of Tiger’s automobile accident was truly “news.” That was of interest to all golfers and golfing fans. Commentary regarding the causes and effects of the wreck also qualify as news. But the wholesale unveiling of intimate “secrets” of the cause of the accident is simply nobody’s business.

Adultery, except for rape and child abuse, is just illicit sex and is a sin, but shouldn’t be aired internationally. When things like this surface, you can be sure that a lot of garbage, and people are going to be coming up right away, too.

Books are going to be written about a very different sort of global warming and it will have lots to do with the “greening” of our world, except the green will be the money made by the naughty ladies and other opportunists who take advantage of somebody else’s indiscretions.

This reminds me of the scripture where Jesus found some men about to stone an adulteress. He directed the men that the one who was without guilt of the same act should throw the first stone. At that, He simply began to draw in the sand, while the guilty parties, all of them, silently disappeared.

You still here, evening newsmen and women?

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