The troops are the true American heroes, not star athletes, movie stars, or business tycoons. It's the men and women who put their lives on the line for the red, white and blue. But the case of U.S Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has put that ideal on hold for the time being.
The White House, in an unprecedented move, essentially traded five extremely dangerous members of the Taliban for the safe recovery of Sgt. Bergdahl. We don't negotiate with terrorists, that's a hallmark of these United States. At no point do we ever stoop down to the level of radical members of terrorist groups and give them what they want. But this time we did, and what precedent is it setting? According to CNN correspondent Elise Labott, the Obama Administration says that no precedent has been set by this weeks actions.
To make matters worse, a litany of scandals has surrounded Sgt. Bergdahl which weren't anticipated by the Obama Administration. He has been accused of being a deserter. Leaving a note, and all of his belongings behind as he waltzed off base one night in 2009. Jake Tapper of CNN states that veterans claim his "selfish act ended up costing the lives of better men."At least six were killed in the search.
To make things worse, Tapper reports that soldiers in his battalion signed a "nondisclosure agreement... to never share any information" regarding Bergdahl. This doesn't sound an awful lot like the America we are used to. Soldiers are supposed to set the benchmark for humility, and be role models to their communities and country. And who really knows whether or not Bergdahl was conspiring with the Taliban? Nobody, speculation alone should be a red flag before executing such a risky trade.
Nobody is happy with the situation at hand. The world may indeed be worse off with the release of the "Cuban five," but what's done is done. Unfortunately though, this scandal has weakened the United States. We have compromised our morals for a person with no real way of backing up the circumstances of his disappearance. The public should be outraged. When we lose touch with our own values, (and yes, by we I mean the government in this case) who knows what can happen when put under a new kind of pressure situation... Only time will tell
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
So... Who Actually Has the Greatest Fans?
After every major accomplishment by a player or team, the phrase, "we have the greatest fans in the world" is often thrown around as praise. But is this commonly uttered phrase thanking the fans for their loyalty? Or, rather, allowing the athletes to represent their city?
Unfortunate as it may be, the Chicago Blackhawks, our beloved hockey dynasty, lost game 7 at home to the Los Angeles Kings. But for a small moment, my fellow sports fanatics and I focused on an alarming statistic, which bashed the loyalty of the adversary's fan base. In fact, according to Bleacher Report, the losing Blackhawks reeled in five times the amount of viewers as our foes, who just happen to be in the nations number 2 TV market. "The game actually pulled a higher rating in Buffalo" according to the very same article.
Whether or not they had ample support from their fan base, the Kings are on their way to the Stanley Cup final, one of the most cherished prizes in sports. But it got me thinking, who really has the best fans, and why are they better in certain places compared to others?
Being loyal to a sports franchise can be hard, we all get that. It's difficult for some to want to attend a game which has a high probability of ending in defeat. But why don't we all take a look at the Chicago Cubs as an example. Their unprecedented streak of over 100 years without a championship tops all, but still, year in and year out they pull in the fans. They are one of the worst teams in baseball currently, and have been for the better part of two decades. But fans come for the experience, not necessarily the team. It's a far different culture going to a Cubs game than it is anywhere else. The culture of the city plays a big role in fan loyalty.
It also has to do with where you are, geographically speaking. In defense to the Kings, Hollywood doesn't strike us as a hockey town, after all it sits in perfect temperatures nearly every day of the year. People in warm climates are less likely to fall in love with a sport played on ice. Much like people are less likely to attend a baseball game if it's going to be 35 degrees outside.
Whether we like it or not, the most loyal fans are those to teams who constantly put up a winning record and compete for championships. That's what we crave, we want a celebration. It's a huge bummer when your team gets knocked out after years of hard work. Some franchises just know how to put a winning team in the spotlight.
Unfortunate as it may be, the Chicago Blackhawks, our beloved hockey dynasty, lost game 7 at home to the Los Angeles Kings. But for a small moment, my fellow sports fanatics and I focused on an alarming statistic, which bashed the loyalty of the adversary's fan base. In fact, according to Bleacher Report, the losing Blackhawks reeled in five times the amount of viewers as our foes, who just happen to be in the nations number 2 TV market. "The game actually pulled a higher rating in Buffalo" according to the very same article.
Whether or not they had ample support from their fan base, the Kings are on their way to the Stanley Cup final, one of the most cherished prizes in sports. But it got me thinking, who really has the best fans, and why are they better in certain places compared to others?
Being loyal to a sports franchise can be hard, we all get that. It's difficult for some to want to attend a game which has a high probability of ending in defeat. But why don't we all take a look at the Chicago Cubs as an example. Their unprecedented streak of over 100 years without a championship tops all, but still, year in and year out they pull in the fans. They are one of the worst teams in baseball currently, and have been for the better part of two decades. But fans come for the experience, not necessarily the team. It's a far different culture going to a Cubs game than it is anywhere else. The culture of the city plays a big role in fan loyalty.
It also has to do with where you are, geographically speaking. In defense to the Kings, Hollywood doesn't strike us as a hockey town, after all it sits in perfect temperatures nearly every day of the year. People in warm climates are less likely to fall in love with a sport played on ice. Much like people are less likely to attend a baseball game if it's going to be 35 degrees outside.
Whether we like it or not, the most loyal fans are those to teams who constantly put up a winning record and compete for championships. That's what we crave, we want a celebration. It's a huge bummer when your team gets knocked out after years of hard work. Some franchises just know how to put a winning team in the spotlight.
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