Arenas column

 

On Christmas Eve while many were spending time with loved ones, Gilbert Arenas, point guard for the Washington Wizards, was anticipating playing with guns.  Arenas carried a couple of unloaded guns with him into the Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

Not only did his actions violate NBA rules about not bringing firearms into an arena, but in doing so he also violated state law. The case is under investigation and he is suspended indefinitely.

Upon hearing the disappointing news about Arenas’ decision making I wondered why such a prominent figure would put his career on the line for what was said to be a prank.

However, with common sense not being as common as it should be, I am hardly surprised. People perform senseless acts all the time, so often that stupidity has been, in a sense, normalized.

My biggest concern is the children that idolize Arenas.  How can we expect our youth to show more respect for society and people in general if we have NBA super stars toting guns into locker rooms?  It has been projected that Arenas’ suspension may be effective for the rest of the season.

In my opinion, he should be dismissed from the NBA.  Homicide is the leading cause of death for African American men ages 18 to 25.  Weapons are no laughing matter considering that most African Americans can account for knowing someone who has been a victim of gun violence.

I’m guessing they do not discuss those statistics in the Washington Wizards’ locker room otherwise maybe Arenas would have thought twice and reneged on his plan.

If there is one important thing that I have discovered already it is for every action there is a reaction.  I believe if more people made it a point to think clearly about how the things they do effect themselves and those around them, then the world would have less strife.

Whether or not Arenas will ever play in an NBA game is up in the air as of right now. I will be keeping my ears open for the final decision of this investigation.