Reality TV?

I was sitting in history class on the morning of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The teacher had cut on the TV and we were witnesses to history. It was unbelievable then, but thinking of the physics of the whole thing it's not out of the question. Space travel is very dangerous and I applaud the men and women that put their lives on the line who know all too well the danger.

The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia knew the risk and paid the ultimate price. I watched that on the television also. I watched Discovery's night launch yesterday evening from my dock in Florida. It was like there was a small sun lighting the entire night sky, light reflecting off the water that was smooth as glass. I remember thinking how neat it was when John Glenn became the oldest person at 77 to space travel in 1998. This wasn't the first time he had gone into space, he was the first - 1962, sorry I missed that one. I hadn't been born, but I've seen it on film.

Growing up near NASA, space has always been something interesting to me. It was an annual school trip through the tunnel to Langley for the tour. I'm by no means an authority on the reasons for strapping yourself into a seat attached to a rocket. Go up and down, and risk your life with full knowledge that you could explode at anytime. Glenn returned to earth with a parachute and landed in the ocean. That's staring death in the face and grinning.

Today there is a good chance that the Rocket named Roger will explode, right on the screen, in front of all of us. The U. S. Senate is having hearings today surrounding the Mitchell Report. The reality TV is here and now. Roger Clemens has attorneys advising him, and I know that he is aware of the danger he faces. Will he invoke the Fifth? If he doesn't, he will either be telling the truth or lying. If he stays with his story, he may be in for a Federal investigation for perjury. He knows the stakes, his chips are on the table, insert your own cliche here.

Most people love a train wreck, and if your one of them, tune in today and watch one. I for one am not a rubber-necker, but for this, even I have to watch.

Pedro and The Cocks

If only we had camera phones in Babe Ruth's day...

Pedro Martinez was caught on tape last week at a cock fight in the Dominican Republic which, according to Pedro, he was invited to by Juan Marichal. There appears to have been a video circulating of the two at some event (Pedro claims the video shows an evening of fun from two years ago), but the video has been removed from every site I have visited. Oh well.

Regardless, the question seems to concern the amount of ire Pedro should draw from this episode. I believe he had a legitimate reason for attending, but have no sympathy for him concerning the wrath he has brought upon himself.

The interesting aspect of this story involves the parallels drawn in certain circles between cock fighting and dog fighting - and thus the Michael Vick fiasco. Here's a quick rundown of some pertinent points:

1. It's part of the culture. This argument is a good one, except for the fact that cock fighting is legal in the Dominican. Thus, the Dominican Republic can be viewed as giving cock fighting a stamp of legitimacy, something dog fighting most definitely does not have here in the U.S. Notice I did not say that cock fighting is right, or morally sound, or any other term of approval. I would harbor a guess that Pedro would not attend a cock fight in say, Long Island. Michael Vick knew what he was doing was illegal. And from what I have gathered Juan Marichal is treated like a minor deity in the D.R. To refuse an invite of one of your idols to attend an event that has been approved by the country in which you were born and raised may be a bit, I don't know, strange.
2. Quote from Pedro: "I was invited by my idol Juan Marichal to attend the event as a spectator, not as a participant." Well, this statement has a good side and a bad side. Michael Vick wasn't technically "a participant." Or was he? He trained the dogs, bet on the dogs, funded a battle-ground for the dogs, and (purportedly) actively participated in killing more than a few dogs. I'd assume Pedro shows up at these cock fights in the off season on a lark. I doubt he returns home to breed pugilistic fowl.
3. What do you eat? Curiously (or sadly) this will probably save Pedro any serious backlash over this issue, although I'll bet you he sees chickens in every ballpark from now on. Here in the U.S. dogs have a status afforded no other animal save cats, and maybe horses to some degree. We eat chickens. We eat alot of chickens. We have entire restaurant chains dedicated to serving chicken. The fact that some other country allows the common folk to engage roosters in mortal combat is not going to compel us to close the Embassy. (Side note: The Chinese government has told restaurants in Beijing to stop serving or advertising dog in any way during the upcoming Olympic games.) I'd venture a guess that the cocks fighting in the Dominican are better cared for than 95% of their counterparts in the U.S. At least they are given a fighting chance...{Don't believe me? Read this.}
   

The argument to culture is an important one - and a dicey one. Should we impose our cultural norms upon others? Barbie dolls are illegal in Saudi Arabia. Ridiculous? Maybe. Cock fighting is a part of Dominican culture. And legal. Dog fighting is not legal in the U.S. Claiming an argument to cultural norms requires one to examine the norm. If an illegal activity can be considered the norm, such as drinking might have been during prohibition, then a society's laws more often than not change to reflect public sentiment. Often such laws are ignored and slowly no one continues to enforce them. Otherwise these actions are considered subversive and abnormal - and illegal.

Should Pedro have attended a cock fight? Probably not. Is it going to ruin his public image? Doubtful. He's Dominican. Dominicans approve of that stuff. Michael Vick is an American, and he has had to deal with American culture. Name an endorsement Pedro stands to lose. Will you refuse to go to games in which he pitches?



If you want to get really mad, check THIS OUT. This magazine, Grit and Steel, is published out of South Carolina by someone insane. The website mentions "The Pit Master," which is reassuring. It also has a reference to a Bible verse, John 13:34-35, which, of course, I looked up:

34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

I had to cross check that one twice. I'm speechless.