Readers find different answers to ‘What makes a superhero?’
Thank you, Steve Smith, for your version of Kobe Bryant (“Kobe made
more than a mistake,” Saturday). It is exactly as mine. What could I
tell my grandsons who look up to Bryant as a role model? There is
absolutely no excuse for what he has done. I don’t think I can ever
watch him play basketball again.
A $4-million diamond ring? Think what that could do for the
homeless in Orange County.
GWEN JOHNSON
Corona del Mar
I praise the article “Kobe made more than a mistake,” in which
Steve Smith took a bold look at the morality of Kobe Bryant’s hotel
room behavior.
The image of the press conference -- Bryant gripping his wife’s
hand as he plead innocence of sexual assault while asking us to
excuse his infidelity -- left me with a sour feeling. I’m a Lakers
fan and I admired and respected Bryant. Now what? Is his wife’s
forgiveness all I am expected to need before I excuse him? Does
Bryant expect us all to shrug our shoulders and accept, as he does,
that immorality is inevitable, that humans will be humans, men will
be men, and basketball players will be basketball players? On the
other hand, why shouldn’t he ask that of us? America virtually
ignored how Magic Johnson got HIV and welcomed him right back into
the mainstream, as a victim and a hero. We excuse the chronically
misbehaving Dennis Rodman time and again for his misbehavior.
The message we give kids who look up to these men is that there
are no apparent consequences for breaking laws, whether moral or
civil. Yes, eventually Bryant should be forgiven. But first he should
perform some sort of public penance. Something that pinches more than
potentially losing a multimillion-dollar endorsement contract; he
already has more millions than a man can spend in a lifetime --
unless $4-million apologies are on the budget.
Maybe Bryant would have gained some sympathy if he’d donated $4
million to women’s causes, too.
LIZ SWIERTZ
Corona del Mar
Lately, Steve Smith has taken on the task of being the campus
moralist. When Smith was talking about education, water quality and
bureaucratic bungling -- we were right there with him. Recently, he
has been airing a series of guilt-ridden, self-indulgent articles.
Those regarding Newport Beach City Councilman Dick Nichols and Kobe
Bryant have stirred our concern that Smith is no longer in the
“reporting the facts” business.
His latest issue: Shame on Kobe!
First of all, Bryant is a handsome, black 24-year-old, an
international superstar with more popularity, skill and money than
Tiger Woods. So, who is best qualified to write a cogent article
about Bryant’s moral propriety -- Harry Potter, maybe?
Smith is quick to point out that Bryant is a publicly confessed
“adulterer.” We know Bryant recently paid his perfunctory penance
with a small token of contrition to his wife, Vanessa, worth a few
pence, for this wrongdoing. We might explain to Bryant and all others
of his age or disposition that this still doesn’t mean much; once a
man fails his moral duty he will be reminded “by his spouse” on a
daily basis, not Steve Smith, for the rest of his life! Elvis and
Priscilla, Richard and Elizabeth ... to name a few.
Breaking a “commitment” might have gone further to explain the
wrong, if it were to be addressed at all. Certainly, we are all only
as good as our word and personal commitments to others. The Smith
personal editorial on the other hand, discusses moral equivalency,
respect for children and what a “real man” is. Let’s hope that Smith
is not preaching here and not suggesting that Bryant steps down from
the Lakers for moral ineptitude or turpitude.
Smith appears entirely too hung up and jealous -- that Bryant made
a magnanimous and honest attempt at atonement. We kept waiting for
Smith to break into song: “Momma’s don’t let your babies grow up to
be ... Basketball players.” Bryant’s public apology to his wife was
gutsy, unnecessary and very caring. Much more of Bryant’s judgment
and character will be revealed to all of us in the days ahead.
Perhaps we should wait until the jury is in before the hanging.
“If only Jim Ferryman had shown such an act of contrition ... our
kids might have gotten a better message.” Oh, forget it. Smith, you
be the real man. Stick to the facts; not self-purging, preaching,
moralizing opinions!
RON and ANNA WINSHIP
Newport Beach
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