I'm not a sport person. Perhaps that's why I find this completely strange, weird, stupid and... impossible to understand.
In a town nearby there was a soccer event. Fights at these events has been more and ore common, people ("supporters") raiding the arena and making them cancel the match and stuff. Of course most people think that's bad.
This time a person died. A father of four was hit from behind and beaten to death.. because he cheered on the wrong team. As I've understood it, he was not one of those storming out on the arena.. but smoke bombs and stuff where thrown to the seat places and it has been an inferno of violence, noise and whatnot. And a guy died... for that reason? Also I believe the (one of the?) persons giving the final beating lives down the street from here.
I realize that it's a few morons thinking that violence is ok, most doesn't. The team and supporters of both teams gathered in a ceremony against the violence and what not, yesterday.
But how can people fail to see the connection between the widespread mentality that it's ok to dislike and yell at someone just because he cheers on the wrong team, and the morons taking it all a leap further? It is a big leap no doubt.. but there's nuanses everywhere. It's not black or white, there's a whole lot of grey... And, in my personal opinion.. when it's concidered ''cute'' to watch a five year old boy stomp on a picture of a person that cheers for the ''wrong'' team, you are way out on the dark grey side. (Such a video was posted on facebook before this event, the boy asks ''who's that?" the father say the persons name, the boy ask what team he cheers for, learns it's the wrong team and starts stomping the picture while the dad laughs and say he's good..the comments on the video was all ''haha'' and ''good boy!" types) It DOES say something about values.
I have a few friends who's into sports, be it socker or hockey. And they are never late to talk about how stupid other teams supporters are, brawlng on about them not having any brains and whatnot. Not so much that the team sux, but that the supporters are bad. With an ''they deserve to get hurt'' attitude. Don't take me wrong, I doubt any of these friends would actually hit someone. At the most they perhaps might storm the field if they had enough to drink and where cheered on enough, though.. As a ''fun'' thing.
But please tell me I'm not the only one seeing a connection between the mentality of the majority that it's fine to hate someone only because they cheer on the wrong team, and some people taking that way, way further?
If I look up, beside the whole sport thing.. I see the same in society. In more ''serious'' matters. And people just don't see the connection between a general acceptance ''It's right to hate someone if they think this" to acting out on that thought. Yes.. most people won't go too far. And still history shows over and over again how that mentality can be used to turn a whole nation or group of regular people into doing things to others that they never thought they'd agree to do. And it always start with the ''harmless'' thought that "they are less worth than us, because..." they cheer on the wrong team/they have the wrong beliefs/they look different/they're the wrong gender/they speak different. The wrong -or right, depending how you see it - person picks that up, builds on it and suddenly you have a nation of regular people doing unspeakable things to others. And noone can understand how it ever got that far. They say ''there must have been something wrong with that person/group because he didn't stop himself". Over and over, the same thing happens.
I can't say for sure that I think there is a malfunction in the brain of the person beating a supporter of the wrong team to death the other day. I think that it may be the situation, it may the mood that arouse, the people around him cheering him on, the spark that say ''It's ok to hate him".. I don't believe that man got to the event with plans of killing someone. I think the human brain is an easy-manipulated thing. It's not an excuse, I hope he feels really, really bad for what he has done. And all the others storming the arena and cheering him on, causing the ruckus. There might be something wrong with him too. I don't know, I don't think I've ever met him.. if I did I don't know who he is. But I wouldn't bet my life on it. Perhaps, put in the exact same circumstanses, building from the same experiences.. it could have been anyone.
Sorry for this serious and way off topic post.. I need to vent but I don't know where else..
In a town nearby there was a soccer event. Fights at these events has been more and ore common, people ("supporters") raiding the arena and making them cancel the match and stuff. Of course most people think that's bad.
This time a person died. A father of four was hit from behind and beaten to death.. because he cheered on the wrong team. As I've understood it, he was not one of those storming out on the arena.. but smoke bombs and stuff where thrown to the seat places and it has been an inferno of violence, noise and whatnot. And a guy died... for that reason? Also I believe the (one of the?) persons giving the final beating lives down the street from here.
I realize that it's a few morons thinking that violence is ok, most doesn't. The team and supporters of both teams gathered in a ceremony against the violence and what not, yesterday.
But how can people fail to see the connection between the widespread mentality that it's ok to dislike and yell at someone just because he cheers on the wrong team, and the morons taking it all a leap further? It is a big leap no doubt.. but there's nuanses everywhere. It's not black or white, there's a whole lot of grey... And, in my personal opinion.. when it's concidered ''cute'' to watch a five year old boy stomp on a picture of a person that cheers for the ''wrong'' team, you are way out on the dark grey side. (Such a video was posted on facebook before this event, the boy asks ''who's that?" the father say the persons name, the boy ask what team he cheers for, learns it's the wrong team and starts stomping the picture while the dad laughs and say he's good..the comments on the video was all ''haha'' and ''good boy!" types) It DOES say something about values.
I have a few friends who's into sports, be it socker or hockey. And they are never late to talk about how stupid other teams supporters are, brawlng on about them not having any brains and whatnot. Not so much that the team sux, but that the supporters are bad. With an ''they deserve to get hurt'' attitude. Don't take me wrong, I doubt any of these friends would actually hit someone. At the most they perhaps might storm the field if they had enough to drink and where cheered on enough, though.. As a ''fun'' thing.
But please tell me I'm not the only one seeing a connection between the mentality of the majority that it's fine to hate someone only because they cheer on the wrong team, and some people taking that way, way further?
If I look up, beside the whole sport thing.. I see the same in society. In more ''serious'' matters. And people just don't see the connection between a general acceptance ''It's right to hate someone if they think this" to acting out on that thought. Yes.. most people won't go too far. And still history shows over and over again how that mentality can be used to turn a whole nation or group of regular people into doing things to others that they never thought they'd agree to do. And it always start with the ''harmless'' thought that "they are less worth than us, because..." they cheer on the wrong team/they have the wrong beliefs/they look different/they're the wrong gender/they speak different. The wrong -or right, depending how you see it - person picks that up, builds on it and suddenly you have a nation of regular people doing unspeakable things to others. And noone can understand how it ever got that far. They say ''there must have been something wrong with that person/group because he didn't stop himself". Over and over, the same thing happens.
I can't say for sure that I think there is a malfunction in the brain of the person beating a supporter of the wrong team to death the other day. I think that it may be the situation, it may the mood that arouse, the people around him cheering him on, the spark that say ''It's ok to hate him".. I don't believe that man got to the event with plans of killing someone. I think the human brain is an easy-manipulated thing. It's not an excuse, I hope he feels really, really bad for what he has done. And all the others storming the arena and cheering him on, causing the ruckus. There might be something wrong with him too. I don't know, I don't think I've ever met him.. if I did I don't know who he is. But I wouldn't bet my life on it. Perhaps, put in the exact same circumstanses, building from the same experiences.. it could have been anyone.
Sorry for this serious and way off topic post.. I need to vent but I don't know where else..
