Various Comments On A Sundry Of News Items

Today we have a rundown of several brief editorials. Bear with me. So many topics, such limited space.

No Real Expertise

In today’s world celebrities and star athletes speak out often on various issues. No crime in that. But the plain truth is most of them aren’t qualified to speak with authority on the subject at hand; nor do they have a level of expertise about the topics they wish to address. Actors should act. Musicians should perform. Athletes should play ball. Outside of their professional domain, their opinions shouldn’t count any more than yours or mine.

Free Speech

That is not to say that they shouldn’t speak up when they want. In fact, any customer, client, consumer, or citizen can speak his or her mind on any issue. On the other hand, anyone can also reserve the right to place little value on what is said, or can choose to ignore the message altogether.

Sorting It Out

When considering the opinion of a prominent individual, we should get past the fact that a well-known person is speaking and simply ask if what they are saying makes sense. Scrutinizing a person’s claims isn’t a horrible transgression. In fact, it is wise and prudent. Quite frankly, we should never be duped into thinking that anyone with a microphone or a platform is a reliable source. Being one of the loudest voices does not make for a monopoly on wisdom.

Name Calling

Along the same lines, it appears we have abandoned the notion of legitimate debate on the issues. Instead, many people in the public eye resort to using insults or calling people names when they disagree, using labels such as bigot, Communist, fascist, Islamophobe, white supremacist, racist, sexist, left-wing wacko, or alt-right. In addition, when people cannot defend their views, they may stereotype others, or try to stir up negative emotions, or try to incite fear among listeners. As responsible citizens, we should not pay attention to those who resort to those tactics alone without advancing their views through rational dialogue.

Pro Football

As a youngster I was fascinated with National Football League games and I continued to follow them closely all my life. But as the NFL delves deeper and deeper into social causes and political issues they are losing my respect, not to mention millions of viewers. A friend of mine recently said, “I just want to watch the game. When I tune in to football on TV I don’t want to see all of that crazy stuff. I turn on the game to get away from all that!” It’s true. Traditionally, an athletic contest has provided a break from worldly concerns. But thanks to outspoken athletes (some of them misguided) we have controversy shoved in our faces with each telecast. It is no wonder that pro football viewership is on the decline.

Troubles On Campus

In a similar matter, the perception on a number of college campuses today is that many students feel they have a cause for which to stage an unruly protest. If I did that as a young college student my dad would have simply told me, “You’re not there to start a revolution. You’re there to get an education. If you’re not going to do that, you need to pack up your things, come home, and go to work.”

Bad Guidance

One of the reasons some college students may pitch a fit is that they have often been given unwise advice. One prominent politician (who will remain nameless here) told college-age crowds that they are to be the “disrupters” and that “it is all about you.” That, quite honestly, is foolish. As parents, we don’t want our children to be disrupters. In fact, it doesn’t matter if we are talking about a fiveyear old or a teenager, good parents do their best to make sure their sons and daughters are just the opposite. In addition, if we really thought it through, we would never want our children to have a mindset that it’s all about them. To feed that line of thinking to younger generations is to create a monster. DAVID WILSON, EDD, OF SPRINGDALE, IS A WRITER, CONSULTANT AND PRESENTER, WHO GREW UP IN ARKANSAS BUT WORKED 27 YEARS IN EDUCATION IN MISSOURI. YOU MAY E-MAIL HIM AT DWNOTES@ HOTMAIL.COM. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.