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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Righteous Outrage?

I have a real big problem with all of the Barry Bond's haters. There have been many unkind observations that Bonds must have ingested steroids at some time. But the fact is there is no proof. The time may come when the truth is finally determined ... yet, Barry Bonds is vilified here, here and here by local conservosphereans who claim some sort of love for baseball, certainly not for the adage "innocent until proven guilty."

I don't hear the same chorus of outrage at Jason Giambi who has admitted to using steroids. I hear the crickets from the right, but no outrage over Mark McGwire and his non-answers regarding steroid use. Hell, I'm surprised they're not all over Jose Canseco ... he is Hispanic after all, the right's favorite whipping dog of late.

Lastly, I hear no words of approbation for Bud Selig who knew about the problem but did nothing about it. Of course, baseball was in a mini-renaissance. He probably didn't want to ruin his legacy ... but now, the best he can do is say what those on the right refuse to admit. However, Selig's admittance of innocence before guilt is pathetically lukewarm.

Read here for more on the subject by Buster Olney.

Poor right-wingers, so misunderstood.

17 Swings of the bat:

James Wigderson said...

Let's be clear, the evidence of Bonds' steroid use is so damning that it staggers the mind that anyone is waiting for a jury before deciding on his guilt. For baseball to continue with this farce is damning to the sport and to its commissioner. Thank God Giamatti was commissioner instead of Selig when it was time to expel Pete Rose.

As for Canseco, I remember booing him during his playing days when it was assumed (correctly) he was a steroid user. However, neither Canseco nor Giambi are any threat to enter baseball's Hall of Fame, and Giambi's career is basically over. They've hardly escaped unscathed for their behavior.

Bonds is about to break one of baseball's most cherished records. The irony is that the low character of Bonds only makes us appreciate Hank Aaron that much more.

http://wigdersonlibrarypub.blogspot.com/2007/07/record-needle.html

Other Side said...

All true, James. Notice I did not include your articles in the post because you at least refrained from some of the more unsavory descriptions of Bonds.

Nonetheless, I googled the blogs for steroids and Giambi, and read nary a peep. Once again, their outrage is targeted at an outspoken black man. That was the point.

Speaking of damning evidence ... wasn't your side just recently complaining about the treatment of Scooter Libby, for whom the evidence was also damning?

grumps said...

I'm having a tough time seeing this one as a right/left issue, Tim. Bonds is what he is and it ain't pretty.

McGwire is paying the price for his actions as is Giambi. Canseco let the roids beat him and ruin his career. He and Ozzie were the same size when we used to go see them at Breese Stevens Field, but I digress.

I haven't been into a majot league ballpark since the owners decided to put Bud incharge and I've vowed to not go until there is an impartial Commissioner again.

That probably means that I'll never be able to get to a major league game with my granddaughter but that's okay. If the game has no respect for us then I can't spare any for them.

James Wigderson said...

Ah, Scooter. The most boring conversations begin, "As I wrote on my blog..."

As I wrote on my blog, The evidence was less than damning, the "crime" was non-existent and the sentence was arguably too harsh.

It puts him and Georgia Thompson in the same boat.

But then I'm just a "soft on crime" conservative. :)

Other Side said...

Fair enough, grumps. Still, the most outrageous posts with the most vile comments come from theose sites that tilt right.

Anonymous said...

Let's be completely fair. Tim only has issues with persons who have a ocnservative view.

Despite his steroid issues, Barry Bonds is a world class jerk which is why many people don't like him.

Kind of like Timmie here.

Other Side said...

Oh Saint Fred. I have issues only with conservatives who are obvious racists like you.

Though we agree Bonds is a world-class jerk, it still does not excuse the continued drumbeat of criticism from many conservatives to the exclusion of other non-African-Americans who have ADMITTED or been DISCOVERED to have been involved with steroids.

Your attempt, btw, at insult is fairly silly. You see, I don't care if you don't like me.

Anonymous said...

To make this a racial issue defies logic. People are defending Aaron's home run title against the potential of one believed to be tainted by steroid use. That's it.

You claim to have Googled "Giambi" and "steroids" and found "nary a peep." Assuming that's true, I will let you in on the world's worst kept secret: Giambi isn't poised to break Aaron's home run record. So obviously (to everyone but you), the talk isn't going to be about Giambi right now. In fact, he's not even close. I don't know how you can honestly translate that into "Conservatives are racists", but hey, why let honesty/truth/reality get in the way of a good propaganda filled rant.

And I read the three posts you link to at BBA, Texas Hold'Em and Daily Takes. Did you? I saw nothing resembling vilification in any of them. Sarcasm, yes. Criticism, yes. Racist villification, no.

Translating certain bloggers comments made at this point in baseball's history into a generalized accusation of racism reveals nothing but your obtuse liberal zealotry.

Other Side said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Other Side said...

Sorry ... I had finished the comment, though it was a struggle as I lost my train of thought because my seven-month old clamored for my attention. There were simply too many spelling errors ... hate those.

Anyway, that was a well-written comment, Roland.

The point of the post, briefly, was my observation, after reading quite a few Bonds posts over the past few months (including posts about McGee, Obama, Willie Hines, etc.)is it appears that local right-wingers are infatuated with outspoken black men in the news. It is unseemly and begs questions of priorities.

I used Bonds as an example because I saw no balance in any of their efforts, no admission that steroids is an across-the-racial-divide problem ... I saw only posts about the "cheater" Bonds.

If you don't like someone having an opinion about that, oh well.

fyi: Did you even read the article by Buster Olney? It might shed some light for you.

Finally ... the fact is, too, my declaration of racism on the right was directed solely at the comical Fred, in response to his comments. To accuse me of generalizing and declaring all conservatives are racists is petty and inaccurate.

So now who is being obtuse, Roland?

Anonymous said...

Sorry OS, but your comments were in fact generalizations, here is a list of them (emphasis added for the obtuse):

"Hell, I'm surprised they're not all over Jose Canseco ... he is Hispanic after all, the right's favorite whipping dog of late."

"...the best he can do is say what those on the right refuse to admit."

"Poor right-wingers, so misunderstood."

"Once again, their outrage is targeted at an outspoken black man."

"...it still does not excuse the continued drumbeat of criticism from many conservatives to the exclusion of other non-African-Americans who have ADMITTED or been DISCOVERED to have been involved with steroids."

Your obvious intent was to set out to paint conservatives as racists. To play your race-card, you resorted to making a contrived argument based on what people don't say. By doing so, you expose your own biases and prejudices, not anyone else's.

Oh, for the record, Bud Selig is a goon, I think Giambi and Canseco are scumbags, and Steinbrenner is an idiot to pay close to $24mil for a player batting .262. There, I criticized four "non-African-Americans", happy? At least Giambi and Canseco aren't about to rob an honest sports hero of a hard-earned record.

(The Buster Olney link requires a paid membership which I don't have and the free trial is way too much hassle.)

Other Side said...

Hi again Roland ... you're right, they all were generalizations, however, no where did I once say they were racists. The only one I did was Freddypoo, and that was, I admit, out of spite.

And so what if I generalized ... it was my opinion, which is what blogs are all about. Tell me that your blog (oh, you don't have one) is not about opinion pieces and every one of the commenters aren't expressing some sort of opinion. If I wanted to write non-opinion pieces I would work for Fox News ... oh, that was funny.

So, spare me the crocodile tears for conservative hearts.

And, speaking of obtuse comments ... I find it obtuse of you to call Mr. Selig a goon. I may not have liked his stance on steroids, but he still has more integrity in one of his little fingers than you.

Speaking of Jason Giambi ... I also do not think he is a scumbag ... he did make a serious mistake, but sheesh ... you must not have many friends.

Canseco on the other hand ....

Sorry, I forgot that the Olney piece required Insider (paid subscriber) approval.

Anonymous said...

You may not have said specifically "The Right is full of racists" but that's the message loud and clear. Relax, admitting to doing that which is obvious is not necessary.

I don't know that I would have the time to maintain a blog as I would like. Present company excepted, bloggers appear to put in a lot of time.

No doubt these are your opinions on these pages. I'll check back from time to time to see if you've found any substance to back them up. I also look forward to expanding your vocabulary. You took to the word "obtuse" like flies to a picnic. No need to thank me.

Other Side said...

I won't thank you, my vocabulary is just fine. However, unlike some of the sites that you enjoy so (where I would be verbally assaulted ... though not as well as you have managed to retort), you are always welcome here. And despite the acrimonious exchanges, I would enjoy further written ripostes with you (how about that, sans thesaurus).

There are certainly others who spend more time on their blogs. I take care of a 7-month old and a household, so finding blogging time has become more uncertain.

Behave yourself. I really don't think all conservatives are racists. I do believe the ones I pointed out should do some soul-searching, but it's also a way for me to exact some measure of revenge for all the slurs and unfounded charges they cast upon liberals in general.

Mostly, though, I do it just to get their goat. Oh well.

Anonymous said...

Fair enough OS...Being someone who is part of that nebulous political zone known as "the right", I felt the need to call you on the fact that your racism accusations appeared to spread across the wide spectrum of "the right" rather than potshots at a particular nemesis. (What's the plural for nemesis? Nemesises? Nemesisi?)

Plus, if you want to take a shot at someone, it always carries more weight when you base it on what they have said or done, rather than on an omission.

You ascribed their omission to racism. I ascribed it to Giambi being irrelevant to current events. If Giambi were at 754 HR's, trust me, he would be the focus of criticism. He's not immune from it, but his cheating isn't about to dethrone a true legend.

My comment about lack of time spent on one's blog wasn't meant to be a slam on you as much as a recognition of the time needed to run a good one versus real-world demands and responsibilities.

"Mostly, though, I do it just to get their goat." I guess you gotta stick with your strengths. ;)

Other Side said...

That was good, and my sweet daughter agrees.

You should try a blog, though I understand how time is a factor. I tend to post in spurts now ... more to do with those brief moments when Quin is napping.

Let me know if you would ever like to post something of interest to you. I would be willing to put it up with no preconditions.

My wife, who is actually fairly conservative, doesn't have time to post and I have wondered if a conservative and liberal could work together on a blog. Wiggy thinks it might be difficult ... I would rather give it a try and find out.

Send me an e-mail if interested. I really don't bite ... Wiggy, Owen, Bill Clement (View From the Cheap Seats), dad29 (you may know him, but I have promised anonymity) and Aaron (Subject to Change) can attest to that.

Oh ... nemeses (I did look it up).

Anonymous said...

I know Hank has been quoted as saying, "I am making a comment by not making a comment." No surprise there since he is truly a class act and is apparently too smart to get drawn into a squabble by a reporter trying to create drama.

Still, it will be interesting to see how Hank will react when Bonds passes him up.

Anyway...Here is an interesting article about him. I noticed the old man looks good for 73.

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/otherMLB/view.bg?articleid=1014348&srvc=home

As to your offer of posting stuff at you site, thanks. I may take you up on it.