Beware False Idols

Carmelo Anthony's drinking and driving bust is not a big deal in the grand scheme of the Nuggets season. The fact that he didn't kill anyone is amazing and if you have ever seen how these idiot basketball freaks drive when they're sober, it's amazing this is his first reckless driving charge. Too give you an idea of how bad it is, I once saw JR Smith Drive over a tree on the grounds of Pepsi Center. It's true, I can show you where. Why did he do it? He was driving to fast in snow storm and lost control. But all of the moron's on the Nuggets drive the same way. (I also once saw Melo almost run over some kids trying to get autographs after a game)

We've had many prominent DUI arrests among sports figures in this town, but it really doesn't effect the team or it's preformance in the season. I don't condone drinking and driving, it's just a stupid thing to do. We can chastise Melo for it all we want, but that's not my point. This episode is more a reflection on Anthony's lack of moral character and habitual offender of public decency and laws. The exploits of Anthony have everything to do with two things: one, the wealth among professional athletes and the pervasiveness of stupid choices young stars make in spending their money; and two, the corrupt influences of inner-city America, where most trouble players come from.

Carmelo is a product of the inner-city of Baltimore. How he dresses, speaks and acts is reflection of his poverty stricken upbringing. A single mother in the ghetto. If he didn't play basketball so well, he would be surrounded by poverty in Baltimore, probably in and out of prison and on his way to permanent incarceration, and quite possibly dead. Remember the "Don't Snitch" video? Anthony probably would have been one of those gang members in the tape. Anthony doesn't care about being educated. Have you ever heard him speak? Syracuse probably did all they could so Anthony could pass NCAA clearing house rules. Anthony participates in activities that are common to the urban poor, such as drinking heavily and doing drugs, especially marijuana. And he does these things with friends of his from his ghetto life because "they understand the experiences and have earned my trust and only they understand where I'm coming from." So rather than use his wealth to prop himself up, become a model citizen and avoid the trappings of poverty, Anthony use is wealth to fund his ghetto life-style. A high quality life-style with fast cars and expensive booze and drugs, but a ghetto life-style all the same.

But then Anthony is an adult by law, and he makes decisions and reaps the consequences. But given what we know of this man-child I can't understand why people in this city support and defend Anthony and his actions. What do we get out it? A good basketball team? Who gives a crap. Sports these days is all about perception. Sports figures are out there, in the public eye, setting examples for the impressionable.

Anthony's defenders on the web are saying things like "when I was 23, I made those same mistakes." Like it's ok and expected an thing for late-teen and early-twenty somethings to break the law. Forgiveness for a few youthful transgressions is one-thing. But expecting the bad behavior and apologizing and explaining away a pattern of law-breaking behavior sets a bad example for your children. We should be teaching kids to aspire to avoid these stupid mistakes, not trying to say that it's no big deal when they will be or are committed.

What lessons do Anthony's rise to fame and wealth teach the children? Be good at a sport and you don't need education. If you have money you can drive really nice cars and party with hot women all the time. Be true to your friends even if they are criminals who advocate for violence against law enforcement and "snitches." These lessons are not what we aspire to teach the kids in this country, they never have been and never will be. There's no golden rule to find in looking up to this thug who shoots well. What do you get out of it? A winning NBA team?

Well, I for for one propose that, I would much rather support a hometown team of mediocre talent that finishes last in the league, than support a successful team populated with a bunch of over-paid thugs and morons like Kenyon Martin, JR Smith, and Carmelo Anthony.