PAK
Editor,
I am pleased with the fair and balanced coverage of The Statesman. I find the paper captivating and interesting. Whether I personally agree with some of the writers who go out on a limb in their work, is not the point. I stand in admiration of all contributors. If people weren’t entitled to express their views, it would be a dark world indeed.
My concern lies with the coverage of a certain basketball player who evidently had quite a troubled past. I am in no way connected with this individual other than the fact I am a student at the same institution and am often present at basketball games as a spectator.
In response to earlier comments by a fellow student, printed in this section concerning a piece which appears to attack the player and his “second chance”, I must solidly disagree. Printed was: “It seems that the message being sent is that it is OK to make choices that parentally hurt others if you can play a sport.”
I do not condone rape, it disgusts me. However, the past is the past. I am sorry for the victim but stand firm in defense of the athlete. I researched the issue and found the player in question had completed his sentence long ago, in accordance with all laws. This gentleman is now in his late 20’s, why should he be punished all over again for something he did when he was 16?
I am sure the victim’s life was severely worsened by this incident which occurred long ago, but from all appearances; the boy who is now a man, has resolved the matter, shows maturity, is very sorry for what he has done, and will have to live with his mistake for the rest of his life.
The beauty of our nation and in particular the criminal justice system is that it does not send the message it is o.k. to violate the law if you are a great athlete. To the contrary, take a look at baseball, where players are randomly drug tested, or the NBA, which recently fined and banned certain players who brawled.
This world is all about second chances, look at Prince Harry who wore a Nazi costume to a party, his father now has him cleaning excrement from pig stalls. Nor will one of the Bush daughter’s ever be free from the stain of her alcohol violation. Should we gas Prince Harry or make someone drink and then run over the Bush daughter with a tractor? No. Nor should we continue to harsass this Utah State basketball player for what he has paid the price for.
Thanks,
-Jesse Shelton
Feel free to edit punctuation or shorten the piece, if you are planning on using it and edit the crap out of it, please run it by me.
shelt@cc.usu.edu