NOTE-WORTHY
Published:Wednesday | February 24, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Sports is war
Did you know that the Nicaragua-El Salvador war, in which 20,000 people were killed, started over a football game? In fact, Ernest Hemingway, the world-famous writer, who spent so much of his time in Latin America and Spain, said you could eliminate most Latin American wars and their causes by simply banning football or soccer.
The ultimate fulfilment of sports is war. War is the ultimate fulfilment of the competitive spirit: the destruction of others for self-preservation. Sports are war in disguise, and the Olympics disguised all this under the totally false and contrary theme song of 'Peace'. That's their theme! Isn't that something? So they speak peace while war is in their hearts, and they talk peace while they prepare for war.
It's the spirit of competition and pride, proving you're better than the other guy. But the world just loves it. And even if they don't play the game themselves, they get into the same spirit by rooting for one team or the other. It's a thrill and high for them if their team wins, and a real low if their team loses. Just look at the results of some of these losses or delays or problems even with the broadcast of some of these sports events. People riot and get violent. Businesses close so they can watch the event on TV. It becomes big news.
It's just that spirit of winning and being the best, coming out on top and being better, and getting paid for it. Pride and money, success and fame - pretty powerful tools. But Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers ..."
Ted Rudow III,MA
Review school curriculum
What are we doing to our young children? The curriculum has changed drastically. They are bringing home these hard-to-do homework and projects; even the parents are finding them hard to do. Do these teachers expect students in grades 2 and 3 to go on the Internet and do these research?
What do these 7- and 8-year-olds know about persons who have died long ago and these persons are not national heroes? I think they are challenging the parents to see what we can or cannot do. It is not fair at all. Some do not even have access to computers. Others do not go to the library. We need to be careful of the work we are give these young minds. Making models of cars, the lungs, wind-mills, wind vanes and dining sets are a bit too extreme.
Something needs to be done, because we went to school without doing these projects and we fared well. We never missed out on much as far as I am concerned. Again I say, we need to review the teachings taking place in these primary and preparatory schools, especially at this young age.
Jeena Jay tenajj224@yahoo.com