Faith, Family & Community
I was driving in my car today listening to sports radio. I have one show that I particularly like because I am a college football fan called Full Ride. On this show, they have a segment called “Get Yourself Together”. The show hosts will point out coaches or players or teams who need to be doing something better. Or different. After naming the person or team and describing how and why there is room for improvement, they say the words, “Get yourself together.”
On today’s segment Senior Producer, Ally Gehring, pointed out that a fan had made some derisive comments to a college football player. On line. Gehring went on to discuss how it is that fans can say hateful things on line with the hope and expectation of anonymity. She rightly stated how wrong this is and that fans like this need to get themselves right. Admittedly, I did not get to hear the whole segment, but what I did hear, I agree with Gehring.
A quick internet search suggested the incident Gehring might have been discussing. After an incredibly competitive football game between rivals Miami and Florida State that ended in controversy, a fan accosted a FSU player with several comments on line. White fan. Black player. From theshadowleague.com: “While many of the messages (the player) received in the screenshot he shared are too explicit and insensitive to republish, (the author) used multiple racist and homophobic slurs, threatened physical and sexual abuse, and made multiple references to slavery and the history of segregation in the United States. ‘You’re the type of people that should be forced to the back of the bus,’ (the author) wrote in one of the messages sent to the FSU player.”
UGH! Get it together. In other news Vivek Ramaswamy, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate, has released a video and is putting $4 million behind an ad campaign against his Democratic rival, Amy Acton. If you haven’t heard, Acton’s mom was in a (and remained in that) relationship with a man who was indicted on charges of sexual misconduct and rape of a minor. Acton has not had any interaction with her mother since that day long ago in a courtroom where she was freed from living with her step-father and mother. In the ad created by Ramaswamy’s campaign, Acton’s mom calls her a liar. Friends, I will choose to believe Acton. I also believe Ramaswamy’s actions are beyond distasteful—they are sinful.
Some Republicans and all Democrats have denounced this campaign. Vice-President JD Vance has just spoken at a news conference in Cincinnati: “Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.” Probably not the right message.
Vivek. JD. Get yourselves together. I kind of wonder if Jesus, who calls us to live in love and peace, might speak even stronger words. Likely to all of us.
Kelly Ingersoll, Minister
Kelly Ingersoll is the Pastor of First Christian Church of Macomb and resides in Macomb with his wife Anne.
