Think of the Children

Fair Warning: This is an opinionated piece. Skip if you just want the news and the facts and the simple observations of DC United

Over at Real Salt Lake blog, some people have apparently taken pot-shots at Kali because she wants things like alcohol or caffeine in her drink. That is, of course, an affront to the local majority (and national minority) religious situation of her locale. And, since she says things like, "the FO does realize that you can't even get caffeine at that [BYU] forsaken hellhole, right? Like, all they sell is Caffeine Free Diet Coke?" -- well, that clearly means she hates:

1. The Church of Latter Day Saints
2. Men
3. Religion
4. America

It used to be that whining about the over-PC state of America was the province of the right, and they had a point. We had reached a point of ridiculous oversensitivity in our dialogues of race and class. But rather than liberate our discourse, instead values conservatives have added religion and "culture" to the things we're not supposed to disparage. (Note: I actually could use with a little more sensitivity on the issue of sexual orientation, especially in sports fandom where the phrase "Player [x] is so gay!" is considered insightful commentary.)

The problem here is the idea that any group can decided to dictate to any other group that certain legal behavior is unacceptable, and that if you say "Well, that's stupid" or "I don't think that's right, and I would never want that sort of thing" then you are somehow anti-[INSERT OVERLY SENSITIVE GROUP NAME HERE]. It's as silly as saying that anyone the Atkins dieters are Nazis because they support bacon.

If MLS Expands, and I hope it does, then more suburban, family friendly fans are going to come to games. And they may, from time to time, overhear coarse language from the Supporter's sections. I don't want a situation where the Front Office is now dictating fan behavior based on who gets the most offended. I know others disagree (Tobias Lopez, that is your cue). What Kali is seeing in Salt Lake is an extreme case due to local conditions, but you and I both know that similar conditions have developed (Portland, New York) and may continue to develop elsewhere.

There's no problem with a family friendly section (or area, or even side of stadium) but the hyper sensitive will not stop there. If they can't go wherever they want and be sheltered from whatever, then they will complain. Hell, if they even think you might be saying something a little blue, even if they can't hear it, they will complain. And that's not right.

For those that say you have to draw the line, I'll draw it for you. If I am not harassing you or your ethnic group personally, then shut it. Racist, Sexist, and even Homophobic comments should not be allowed. But if you don't like the word "asshole" then I don't have time for your complaints.

As someone who was raised Catholic, I don't assume that anyone who says "The dogma of transubstantiation is a silly idea" somehow hates me. And if I say "Aw, Fuck Cobi Jones, and pass me a beer" that doesn't mean I hate you. It just means I dislike Cobi Jones. And sobriety.

And if you succeed in getting this stuff banned, then you will have damaged your children. All you will have taught them is that life is always a happy meadow with dancing bears, and if you complain about something it will go away. There is no such thing as the aesthetically displeasing, and if there is, well, we can get it banned. And that's ridiculous. Think of the children. You don't have to teach them that it is okay, but they should at least learn that people are different than they are, without having to feel like those differences mean that other groups want to persecute them. So, please, think of the children. Won't you?