I’ve talked about a lot of things here on the blog — some of it I’ve touched on in various podcasts and some of it I haven’t.  This is one of those things that I haven’t touched on.

Recently, in Los Angeles, a trio of San Francisco Giants fans were attacked and beaten by some Dodgers’ fans.  One of the Giants fans sustained a severe head injury when he was cold-cocked from behind.  You can read the account here.  Coming from a sports background that includes soccer (I call it “football” by the way), I have seen fans get out of hand in a wide array of manners – some downright criminal and others just idiotic banter that goes way beyond the pale in language.  However, despite that, I can’t begin to understand how one’s zeal for a sports team gets that far out of hand.  Sure, alcohol is typically involved — but that’s the easiest perspective to lay the blame.  However, the alcohol may have impaired the individual’s capacity for some rational thought — but the individual still maintains the responsibility for their actions.  I just can’t understand how a person’s desire to a booster for their chosen sports club can even begin to justify actions like this?

Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of this same mannerism on display within the political arena/discussions in various online forums.  I can actually see this same type of violent reaction being played out in a coffee house when someone overhears another individual praise/scorn their particular favored/despised political figure.  Have we really come this far along in our daily society where an individual’s personal perspective has to be worn on their sleeves for all to see, and that any difference in opinion is treated as the opening salvos in a war?  Whatever happened to listening to another perspective, politely disagreeing with it, and then moving along?  Just because we don’t agree on a perspective, does that mean I need to get a lead pipe and beat the holy fsck out of you?

I honestly don’t understand that perspective/perception ya’ll….