When it comes to war talk, Nash ought to zip it
Man, I am SO grateful that I have the Chronk's John Lopez to tell me who has the right to express their opinions. Without him, I might be stuck listening to the likes of Sean Penn or Janeane Garofalo.
If Dallas Mavericks guard Steve Nash offered such passionate opinions on basketball or hair gel, I would take him seriously.
Nash's game flows like his rock-star locks, at once wildly different yet totally in control.
Take one glimpse at Nash on a basketball court, and it's obvious this 29-year-old Canadian citizen knows as much about the intricacies of hoops as he does tube vs. spray.
He is the Gen. Tommy Franks of his rich, little Tommy Hilfiger world. When it comes to basketball commentary, he is the Christianne Amanpour of his field -- eloquent, educated and experienced.
Unfortunately, like so many in the entertainment industry, Nash has correlated popularity and financial independence with the belief that they make him omnipotent.
They don't.
And it all makes me want to boycott Canadian bacon. It makes me wish the $5.7 million a year Nash earns playing a game in this country depended on what his ticket-buying American audience really thinks of his critical comments about U.S. involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When it comes to voicing expertise on the superficial, vain and inconsequential, like basketball and hairstyles, then sure, Nash is well-qualified. And certainly, we all have opinions and the right to express them, whether you're for involvement in Iraq or not.
But when Nash turns serious and addresses the masses as if he has been briefed by generals, then expounds on the political and societal flaws in President Bush's decision to launch an attack on Saddam Hussein, we should just laugh.
Nash has the right. But he doesn't have to be taken seriously.
Of course, only people who support the war effort have the right to be taken seriously. Excuse me, but I always thought freedom of speech was one of the things this country was about. Silly me.
Personally, I find the anti-war movement a bit silly. The decision has been made; we're at war. I'm sorry that your opinion didn't carry the day, but there you have it. Whatever side of the ideological fence you happen to find yourself on, I think that at this point we owe to the men and women on the front lines to support them. If you can't support the war, at least support the people fighting it.
