TERRY MOSHER
CECIL
The great divide in life really angers me. Why can’t we get along?
My point today is the killing by an American dentist of a very popular 15-year-old lion named Cecil. I read the details of how Cecil was lured out of a protected preserve in Zimbabwe, wounded and then the next day killed when they found him wounded.
It sickens me that people hunt big game for trophy. Apparently the next target for the dentist was to be the biggest elephant that could be found.
I personally wish that these big-game animals could have the same freedom to kill humans for trophy. That, at the least, would make things even. It’s terrible to do this, no matter what kind of excuse can be made.
What makes this even worse is that some people have equated the killing of Cecil with the murder of a girl by an illegal resident. That only clouds the situation. Both are horrible crimes but it’s like comparing apples and oranges; you can’t. They are different problems that both ended in tragic results.
There are some who will blame Obama for the girl’s murder, or at the least liberals in this country. And they would again be wrong. Just as they would be wrong to suggest Obama or liberals are responsible for the death of Cecil.
It seems to me that it is too easy to lay the blame on those who don’t believe like we do. They have to be guilty …. because we don’t like them. That’s so stupid as to not even be worth answering.
Since I’m talking about stupid, the Baseball Hall of Fame Committee just got real stupid. It announced Friday (July 31) that no longer will it allow writers that are members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who have been away from the game more than 10 years to vote on Hall of Fame selection.
The idea, I think, was to get rid of those people who have had just a curious interest in the game, such as the occasional columnist or sports editor. And I can see that. There needed to be some deadwood cleared out. But the committee has thrown out the baby with the bathwater in its decision.
They need to be reminded that there are many retired sportswriters who are honorable BBWAA members (like me) who spent a lot of years in the game (nearly 30 years for me) who not only have the expertise of seeing many of the players who have been retired from the game and are eligible to be voted upon by BBWAA voters but, in fact, keep pace with the current crop of players through the MLB Network and through ESPN and local broadcasts.
People like me have not lost interest in the game and what goes on with the current teams. In fact, my interest is just as alert and keen as it was when I was covering the Mariners for the Kitsap Sun.
So I’m one of the babies who have been thrown out with the bathwater. I’ve not been around the Mariners since 2004 when I no longer was the official scorer at their games.
According to the report from Cooperstown I can make an appeal and possibly be reinstated, but as one retired writer recently posted on Facebook, my chances are slim to nil.
If this new policy stands, the committee will be making a big mistake because what will be lost are those talented voices who have witnessed for thousands of games of some of the greats in the game. In effect, the committee has watered down the pool of voters so that writers who were active when the Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and Mark McGwires used PEDs during the steroid era no longer will be able to keep them from the most exclusive Hall of Fame in sports. They will now have inexperienced voters making that call and what you will find is that many, if not all, the alleged users will be ushered into those special halls.
It also bothers me to no end that I will not have the continued opportunity to vote for Edgar Martinez, the best right-handed hitter I ever saw. He will now be looked at through youthful eyes that most likely never saw him play. And that can’t be good for Edgar.
Bu that’s the way it goes in life. I can’t control the idiots on the committee that voted for this new rule and I certainly can’t stop people from clumping together the killing of a girl with a lion and blaming all those he or she doesn’t like or agree with.
You know, I need some good news. I’m tired of being witness to all the bad things that go on in our world, including, I might add, the hijacking of our government with the help of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. We no longer have the pretense of a one man one vote democracy where the majority rules.
What we now have is a set of kings sitting on thrones made of billions of dollars who summon potential presidential candidates to give them permission to run if they agreed to all their conditions, which amount to sealed deals how they will govern and what they will do to make the kings more powerful.
The majority of you will be convinced by the TV commercials paid for by these kings to vote for those candidates who have been given consent by the King’s to be president. Those candidates who don’t bow down to the kings will be sent packing with empty pockets.
Hillary has a chance because she is beholden to the kings of Wall Street. Bernie has no change because he wants to give away all the Kings’ money. That will not be allowed.
And if you think you can’t be bought, think again. You will be convinced by the King and his Court when the time comes. So beware if you can of the false gods (kings) for they come not to better you but to better themselves.
Hey, I wanted to have some good news and here I go and point out some more bad news. So here is the only good news I can think of off the top of my head: Russell Wilson has signed a four-year contract to again lead the Seahawks.
And he didn’t have to bow down to any political king.
Be well pal.
Be careful out there.
Have a great day.
You are loved.