With most people in this world, I tend to agree with some of what a person has to say and disagree with other things. Pitttsburgh Steelers running-back Rashard Mendenhall can be Example A of that this week.
On his Twitter account just yesterday, Mendenhall openly expressed his opinion on the death of Osama Bin Laden and even questioned if 9/11 actually happened. His tweets were controversial and just because he happens to play for my favorite team does not mean I am going to defend him. I do want to fully analyze everything he had to say though, not just pick and choose what could make a good news story.
"What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side..."
First off, I am pretty sure we knew Osama Bin Laden's side. He made video tapes talking about wanting to destroy America and such. We have heard him and what he had to say is that he wanted us all dead. Bottomline.
As for the celebration of death, I have mixed feelings. I am glad Bin Laden's evil has been removed from the world, but I also do not feel it is always up to us to make decisions on who lives and who dies.
Even though that seemed like enough to stir the pot, Rashard takes this a little further and it even personally offended me.
(In regards to 9/11) "We'll never know what really happened, I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."
Questioning the happens of one the most tragic events in the history of our country is one the most absurd things I have heard in a very long time. I would like Mendenhall to go up to someone who lost a brother or sister that day and make that statement. The people directly affected by that day know what happened because they no longer have someone they loved here on this earth. If the plane did not do it Rashard, who did? Either way you look at it, people died from this event and saying that "We'll never know what really happened," just means you are judging the very source it came from.
Then Mendenhall pulls out the big guns and starts using religion and the topic of judgement to try to get through to people.
"I believe in God. I believe we're ALL his children. And I believe HE is the ONE and ONLY judge."
Fair enough, Rashard, but are you trying to tell me that your past two tweets were not judgmental and rude? Posing a question about people celebrating Osama's death is indirectly judging them. It is 100% fine to believe what you believe, but to put it on a very popular social media site and smack everyone in face, that is not an action that I feel is right.
"Those who judge others, will also be judged themselves."
The guy is really making himself look bad at this point.
"For those of you who said you want to see Bin Laden burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I ask how would God feel about your heart?"
Just like you said Rashard, one day we will all get asked this question. It is not up to you to judge whether I or anyone else want to throw Osama in a meat grinder or give him a Toosie Pop. Just shut up already.
"There is not an ignorant bone in my body. I just encourage you to #think"
This tweet, which the media has left out because it does not directly stir up controversy, is in a way the worst one of them all. It's a bit ironic because he claims to encourage us to think, but Twitter in itself does not. The old saying "Think before you speak" has kind of lost its luster since social media has hit the scene. Everyone is ignorant at times, for him to say that he did not have "an ignorant bone" in his body is just ridiculous.
This guy already agreed with Vikings RB Adrian Peterson when he said that the NFL is like "modern-day slavery". Give me a freaking break, call me when you work in fast food and get paid minimum wage and complain, not when you are at the tail end of a 5 year / $9,855,000 contract.
I am not sure what upsets me more at this point, the fumble that helped cost the Steelers the Super Bowl or these comments. I am leaning towards the latter.
So next time you sit at your computer or get on your iPhone to get on Twitter, I encourage you, Rashard: #think.
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