I'm getting a little annoyed with all these people showing their "support" for Virginia Tech. In watching Saturday's Yankees-Red Sox games, Red Sox First Baseman Kevin Youkilis sported a Virginia Tech baseball cap. He has no connection to Virginia Tech - he played his college ball at the University of Cincinatti and never played close to there in the minors. This is a lot like the surge in false patriotism and trendy support for the NYPD and NYFD after 9/11. It's just a bit much.
What happened at Virginia Tech is truly horrible and we need to keep the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers. What they don't need is this fake outpouring of support. Time will help heal the wounds inflicted last Monday morning. The only reason you see this is because Virginia Tech is a top-tier sports school with it's teams competing in the ultra-sexy Atlantic Coast Conference. Had this happened at a smaller school would we have seen this outpouring of "support?" I don't think so. The tragedy would have been just as great, but with only half the recognition.
OK. Rant over.
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6 comments:
I honestly had no idea Virginia Tech even had a reputable sports program until you just mentioned they did, but I've still been hearing about the shooting constantly since last week.
I can't speak for that first baseman's motivation in wearing the Virginia Tech hat, but do you know for certain that he wasn't wearing it simply as a reminder to keep the students in our thoughts and prayers? This is the worst school shooting in the history of our country, and people show support in different ways.
I felt the same way as you when people started wearing the FDNY and NYPD hats after the World Trade Center attacks, that they were just trying to be trendy, rather than show support. I think it's a little early yet, to assume that people are doing the same thing with this.
Happy Anniversary to you two! (I hope Amy is feeling better.)
You can look at it from another perspective... Maybe he has friends or family that go there. Or maybe he just wants the 15 seconds of fame it gives him.. who knows.
David - Maybe I am jumping the gun a little bit. I had no problems with the NASCAR teams putting VT logos on their cars, but that was because 1. Virginia Tech is the middle of "NASCAR Country" and 2. A number of the crew members across all teams have gone to Virginia Tech.
Fred - Thanks! She is starting to feel better.
Teri - Possibly.
I think there is a fine line between showing support and exploiting a moment. Taking time to address it prior to a sporting event, concert event, television event is understandable as it is usually a bried acknowledgement. But there is a point when the cow that gives forth the milk of human kindness needs a rest. The wounded and unwounded survivors of Virginia Tech's darkest moment as well as the families of those that didn't survive need a breather and some privacy to grieve. Yes, if it was a smaller school, the level of media attention would be half this. The material sent to NBC would have bumped it up some but not as much.
I remember the hats and shirts with FDNY and NYPD on them post-9/11. I would say that they would hold more importance now for any of those suffering from lung ailments after helping search for the living among the ruins. I guess there is a fervor some have of attaching themselves to a moment/movement which inevitably wanes. For that reason, I can respect someone that still wears their Live Strong bracelet as it is a belief more than a fleeting thought.
Actually Kevin Youkilis is best friends with Mike Gambino, the assistant baseball coach at Virgina Tech. He wore the hat to show his support for the team of his friend.
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