In the case of Booker T and Das Jäger they at least had Booker as the Good Guy. But the Theodore Long story is a different matter. Gathering up the black talent and having them cry racism against Whitey cannot lead to anything good. It's conditioning a crowd already jacked up on Testosterone (and beer as well for many) that minorities have no right to speak out for themselves. What happens when they have an arena with a large percentage of blacks? What happens when some idiot drunken fan gets fed up with hearing Theodore Long call "The Man" Whitey or Cracker and shouts out The N Bomb.No, The WWE is not responsible for the behavior of individual people, but tell me what's so smart about portraying Black Solidarity as wrong to an audience who's core is Young White Men.
Moving on, we've now got the subject of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Freedom of what? Freedom to loot?) Christopher Nowinski (in character, I can't speak on the wrestler's true personal beliefs as I obviously wouldn't know them) continues to be a Bad Guy by taking a political side. He loves America but feels our Foreign Policy of Might Makes Right and Either You're With Us Or Against Us is nothing more than bullying which has turned the world against us. Scott Steiner continues to be a Good Guy by retorting with violence and Love It Or Leave It (which holds as much validity as Because I Said So)
On the 04/14 edition of Raw those two held a debate where Nowinski pointed out that the Bush Administration is now setting their sights on Syria and asked if their plan is to bully and dominate countries one by one. The audience overwhelmingly booed. Steiner responded that We didn't start the war with Iraq, terrorists did when they flew planes into buildings on 9/11. First of all, the linkage between the 9/11 terrorists and Iraq is the same as that which links them to Florida. That's right, Florida, where some of them took their flight lessons. In Florida, the state which just happens to be governed by the President's brother.
Steiner backed his opinion up by saying The Dixie Chicks and the Hollywood No-Nothings can go to Hell (or France, same difference)
Following this debate was a promo on an upcoming tag-team of two French Canadians: they will be Heels because they're presenting a World Point Of View different from that of the United States.
When Steiner spoke the audience was rabid cheering him on, while the commentators encouraged him and backed him up. All my life I've had to defend being a wrestling fan: I had to explain why I watched something that was fake (Last I heard, ER and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were fake too.) I had to insist that I wasn't watching sweaty fags roll around in their underwear (and then when I wasn't a kid anymore defend any of their rights to be queer if that was who they were.) I had to defend watching something that centered on violence. I had to defend watching something in which sometimes Men beat up Women while remaining good guys (that one's always been a tough one for me) But I don't want to be part of the Pavlovian masses this time.
Scott Steiner represents America? His body looks the way it does because of steroids. He is riddled with injuries (some of which occured due to those steroids). He has a history of violence, getting into fights backstage and assaulting people outside of the job. He graduated from college yet sounds as if he's never been in an English class. And his response in a debate, where Freedom of Speech is brought up, is "Love it or Leave it" followed by violence. I guess that's about right, he's the perfect American.
I've liked the Dixie Chicks for years without any care of their personal beliefs. What they think has no bearing on their talent and my enjoyment of it. I've liked Sean Penn for years without any care of his beliefs. I find him to be a phonomenal actor and liked Dead Man Walking even though I continue to be Pro Capital Punishment. I like Professional Wrestling, I like it too much give it up, regardless of how much I despise Vince McMahon, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, all the Corporate Yes-Men and the Current Audience.
The older I get the less I'm able to think in terms of Black/White. It's hard for me to take sides. I'll believe in something yet realize what's wrong with it. I'll be against something yet realize what's right. I usually don't get worked up. This time I am, I'm not sure why.
Rob in Paris said it better.
