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Originally posted by rotationslim
I, and you, are wronged every day of our lives, from the dude cutting us off on the freeway to the jerk down the hall that steals my ideas and passes them off the our boss as his own. It is a fact of life, you can not escape it. However the rules of civilized society says you can not just haul off and hit whoever has wronged you. It is just not acceptable, and in fact illegal. That is what Artest did, an illegal act. Punching another person in non-self defense is illegal. (The self defense argument does not stand up in any way, as he was in no danger whatsoever, surrounded by a quick reacting security force)
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Why is it that people keep insisting on bring up issues that are not at issue? This is not about someone cutting you off in traffic? You saw cars in the Palace?
Quote:
Originally posted by rotationslim
And this whole "disrespect" argument is just absurd. Do we live in a land of thugs and gang-bangers. It is clear if you don't respect yourself, than any cross look will be looked at as "disrespect" and worthy of a violent reaction. People disrespect me all the time, but guess what, I don't hit them. I have a little respect for myself, so I am not reliant on that macho caveman attitude.
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This is not about someone stepping on your nice new Jordans. This is not about someone just calling you a name or not saying excuse me. I realize as officials we tend to take situations and put spins on it that have nothing to do with the original issue sometimes, but this is just ridiculous. This is not about gang-bangers and their life style. For all I know the only gang-bangers were the fans in the stands. That is the behavior I saw exhibited, not at all from the players. Artest was provoked at least.
Quote:
Originally posted by rotationslim
FYI- latest from the Motor City, Pacers players have declined to come up and answer questions about brawl, extradition is likely. I hope it happens, even multi-millionaires shouldn't have the right to thumb their noses at the law.
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Who is thumbing their nose at the law? If anyone was doing that, it was the many people at the game that thought their behavior was OK when not only were they not involved in the fight, but the fight was not even in their part of the stadium.
There is a difference in someone being disrespected and people being expected to be treated with dignity. When someone is treated as less than a human being, who can tell how they will react. Everyone has a breaking point. That does not mean they can and should cross that line when they reach it, but I can fully understand when certain things are said and done people will react. I have more of a problem with the actions of Steven Jackson in this fight than I do anyone else. Artest went after a person who he felt threw something at him and then backed off when he confronted that person after awhile. Artest was even attacked by the clown that started the whole incident and has been making the rounds on TV talking about how he did not do it or throw anything. He was clearly on tape, but I have not heard anyone come here and say this clown is a convicted felon and has a rap sheet as long as my arm. But all I have heard is "Artest has a rap song and he is the problem because of it." It just goes to show what I am saying. There is this plantation mentality in sports that the slaves are supposed to take any type of abuse and never react to it. Because they make money does not mean they should not be treated like human beings. If this was at a bar I would expect the same reaction. That does not mean it would be right, but I would not be surprised and neither would most people if you have ever been in a bar at any point of your life.