Aversion to Punishment

Our current society seems to have an aversion to punishment. I agree that we need to forgive and forget and allow others to move on, and forgiveness is one of the things that can help change the world immensely. However, there are times when consequences need to be metting out. That happened this last week when the Philadelphia Eagles suspended Terrell Owens after giving him chance after chance to improve his conduct.

Now, Jesse Jackson, is calling for the Eagles to rescind the suspension saying he talked to T.O. and believes he is sincere. It's quite easy to be sincere when finally you see that you have brought upon yourself great harm because of your actions. I'm not talking about one or two mistakes made because of bad judgement, but repeated offenses with blatant disregard for their affect on others or the organization you represent.

I hope Terrell Owens can turn his life around, but I support the Eagles in their decision. This is not some poor working-class man who now will struggle to make ends meet because he lost his job. We're talking about a guy who has made more money than any one individual needs, but just wanted more and more without regard to the impact of his complaining and behavior on others. He'll be all right and most likely a better person when his year of probation is completed. It will also teach young athletes that class is an important part of being an athlete.