It never fails. Every three or four months of the year, our televisions, magazines, and internet homepages are bombarded with information on how another one of our celebrity role models have been cast out to the depths of social and professional hell because of a revealing secret from their personal lives. Months ago, it was Chris Brown being cast down for his violent rant with R&B singer, Rihanna. Many months before that, we experienced Michael Vick being publically and legally scrutinized for his involvement in dog fighting. And now, we have Tiger Woods being put on exhibit for several extra-marital affairs.
Tiger Woods? Say it isn’t so. Not Tiger. Not the man that has single-handedly brought golf to the forefront of urban America. Not the lone athlete to ever reach billionaire status. Not the man that has brought a resurgence to a sport that has since been reserved for the likes of wealthy retirees. Not Tiger. Say it isn’t so. What are we to do? What is this world coming to? In the words of Chris Rock, in the movie Boomerang, “First the Fat Boys break up and now this…” And as I now check my cell phone, examining the sixth forwarded text message sent to me jokingly describing how Tiger should now change his name to ‘Cheet-ah’, I simply hang my head and ask, “Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion?”
For years, we have watched these individuals captivate audiences around the world as they demonstrate their superior athletic and/or entertainment prowess. We’ve celebrated their successes and mourned during their defeats. We’ve supported them publically while desiring to be like them privately. For whatever reason, over the years, many of us have latched onto these individuals and have glorified their triumphs as if they were our own–only to join in on the public castration when they seem to fall from our social graces. Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion?
Don’t get me wrong. I am not making excuses for any of the actions that some of these individuals have done. However, joining in on the public tirade all under the guise of ’showing compassion to those that deserve it’ or under the charade of our religious morals is just plain wrong. How can we show true love and compassion for one and not the other? And in Michael Vick’s case, the one that we decided to display our compassion toward were a group of dogs. Is this even compassion, or have we merely begun to display our propensities to act as the proverbial fan and root for the social underdog (no pun intended)? Isn’t it those same religious morals that teach us to pick a fellow person up when they have fallen? Have we, too, not fallen? Where’s the love? Where’s the compassion? As I come to a close and encourage you to lend your hearts to those in need, I leave you with the words of the famous proverb, “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” Better yet, in support of our loudly touted religious morals, I leave you with the immortal words of Jesus, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone…” (John 8:7)
Therefore, whomever we may find in a fallen state, I encourage us all to pick them up. Refrain from basking in the enjoyment of their public humiliation because we never know when that person will soon be us.