How our Constitution killed Jovan Belcher

Day in and day out, we here in America seem to be working hard to prove that there are some freedoms that bring with them a higher level of responsibility than we are able to handle. Despite our best efforts, we seem to be unable to control our animal instinct, and nothing proves this better than the incident last week that left a promising young NFL talent and the mother of his child dead. How many people have to die before we wake up? How much blood must be shed before people step up and demand that we do the right thing and for once and for all amend our Constitution in such a way that crimes like this will be prevented. Can we say Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins will be the last to die at the hands of our antiquated laws?

I know that our Government meant well when they framed our laws, and they wanted to give us as much freedom as possible. I get that. But if we can't handle the freedom, is it really possible for us to have it? How free is a man when he lies dead in the parking lot of his place of employment? How free is the child who sat in the next room while both of her parents were snuffed out at the hands of this "freedom" that so many worship? And how much is this freedom worth?

I am talking, of course, about the 13th Amendment. Think of it what you may, but there is little doubt that if slavery had not been abolished, these two young people would still be alive and well on a plantation today. Perhaps it is high time we rethink our slavery policy, before more young black people fall prey to these types of violent attacks.

Now if you are still reading this, you are feeling one of two emotions. You might be irate at the view expressed above. But if you understand sarcasm, you are probably laughing your a$$ off. You see, sarcasm is the term we use to explain our behavior when we say something idiotic for a purpose. I wish that I could say that is what Bob Costas was doing, but unfortunately he has no idea when he is being an idiot. In fact, he thinks he is being "cutting edge" and inspirational. For those of you who are not familiar with what Costas took to the air at halftime of an NFL game, see the video below.

Yes, it is absurd to suggest that Belcher would be alive today if only he were a slave. It is absurd, but likely true. It is also absurd to suggest that Belcher and his girl would be alive today if only guns were illegal. That is absurd, and likely untrue. And I would be remiss if I didn't point out that my observation is much more despicable than the one made by Bob Costas, and if you found yourself agreeing with it you should voluntarily submit yourself to some sort of Neo-Nazi rehabilitation program.

It has been said that those who are willing to trade their freedom for security deserve neither. I could cliche you to death at this point with the usual "guns don't kill people" or "if gun ownership becomes a crime only criminals will have guns" but these points obviously aren't cutting it. So am I getting through to you liberals now? How about this old cliche? It's all fun and games until someone gets sold at a slave auction.

Since we're in the mood for stripping people of their liberties, let's consider the process, shall we? In a perfect world, when you outlaw guns then nobody would be able to have one. But we live in a Country where drugs are outlawed, but the rate at which professional athletes are failing drug tests I would say that doesn't seem to keep them from getting their hands on them. And while drinking and driving is illegal, NFL players get busted left and right driving under the influence.

If Costas would like to impress me with his humanity, perhaps he could have ranted about the 4 years probation (no jail time) and 8 game suspension Leonard Little received for his Manslaughter conviction when he was driving drunk and killed a mother of two. Or perhaps he could show his outrage over the fact that, when caught driving drunk again, Little received 2 years probation.

Bob could have given the world something to think about if he had discussed the fact that Donte Stallworth received only 30 days in jail and a 1 year suspension from the NFL when he was convicted for Manslaughter when he ran over a 59 year old man in a crosswalk while driving drunk. He would have had a valid point if he had questioned what type of treatment Jovan Belcher might have received if he had only killed his girlfriend and stopped there. Certainly he would have gotten more than the combined total of 30 days that these two NFL players received when they took someone's life, but would he have gotten more than the 23 months Michael Vick got when he killed some dogs?

Now I know people get mad when I talk about Vick and what I consider to be the comparative injustice that was done to him, but for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you raise the value of an animal's life to that of a human life, you naturally devalue human life to that of animals. Is it any wonder that people see the life of those around them as dispensable when their colleagues who took a human life are far less hated by society than the one who took a dogs life?

If Costas really wanted to be cutting edge, he could address the culture that tells NFL players that taking another life will result in a slap on the wrist. He could wonder aloud what we are telling players when we hold the life of an animal at greater value than the life of a parent or grandparent who falls victim to these guys lifestyle. Instead, he expressed his belief that if Belcher didn't own a gun, he and Perkins would be alive today. I believe I heard Nicole Brown Simpson gasp from her grave "Really Bob? Really!?!"