Tuesday was a memorable day in Congress, one that the Republican Party may live to regret. It featured brawls and near brawls in conduct presumably unbecoming for elected officials representing the folks back home. One of those implicated was the ex-Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. On the other hand, he represents Bakersfield.
In a spontaneous moment of light-hearted banter during her coverage of all of this, CNN host Kaitlin Collins quoted one of her producers, and I paraphrase, “Are men too emotional to hold leadership positions in Congress?”
Tuesday night brought a similarly spectacle of unrestrained machismo when a professional basketball game between the Golden Gate Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves was disrupted by a fight involving multiple players from both teams. Three players, including the notorious Draymond Green, were ejected from the game as officials struggled to restore calm and keep the peace.
Watching all of this male melodrama was somewhat disquieting, so I’ve decided to republish one of my earlier essays from October 2022.
***
When I turned the key in the ignition yesterday morning, along with the sound of the car’s engine came two other sounds — the air conditioner, which I turned off, and the radio, which I turned down but left on.
My 14-year-old grandson, a high school freshman and aspiring basketball player, was with me and we both listened closely.
It was the local sports radio channel, with a popular call-in show featuring the usual suspects — hosts who babble on in a half-witted manner punctuated by calls from audience members who often sound like they must have dropped out of school somewhere around the 4th grade.
Normally I avoid this type of thing like the plague, probably because it makes me feel embarrassed to be a man, especially a man who likes sports. Why do so many have to sound so dumb when they discuss this area of great passion to most of us?
But we kept listening because the topic was simply too salacious to ignore.
Draymond Green, one of the stars of the local NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, was caught on video slugging a teammate during practice. The reason for this attack was unknown at the time of the radio program. And Green and the Warriors are not just any basketball team, but the reigning NBA champions, multiple times over, arguably one of the greatest pro streaks for any franchise ever.
Green is the enforcer on the team, the bad guy who gets under his opponents’ skin. He gets lots of technical fouls and often is ejected from games. He is perhaps the most hated player in the NBA. He is also a very talented basketball player and a key to the team’s winning streak.
At the time I’m publishing this, there’s no word yet on how the Warriors are going to handle this situation.
Not as a comment on Green specifically, but in life generally, I’ve always been the type of person who believes in second chances. But I also have learned that once you give certain personalities a second chance, they may require a third, a fourth, and so on. At some point, you realize all you are doing is enabling a repeat offender.
I don’t know if this is one of those situations for Green and the Warriors but it may be. There are certain lines you should not cross in male culture without incurring severe consequences. This is one of them.
Recommended further reading: “Did Humans Ever Live in Peace?” (Atlantic).
HEADLINES:
House passes GOP funding bill to avert government shutdown (CNN)
GOP lawmaker claims Kevin McCarthy elbowed him after meeting, sparking altercation (ABC)
McCarthy says he might not run for reelection in 2024 (Politico)
The U.S. Congress became a schoolyard Tuesday as Republican lawmakers got into a physical altercation, seemingly threatened a committee witness and called a Democratic colleague a financially illiterate Smurf. “I used to teach 4-to-6-year-olds. They were better behaved than some of the people in this place,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said. [HuffPost]
Draymond Green ejected for putting Rudy Gobert in chokehold during Timberwolves-Warriors brawl (Yahoo)
Death and Despair at Gaza Hospital as Fighting Reaches Its Doors (NYT)
Palestinians call for evacuating Gaza’s largest hospital as Israel and Hamas battle just outside (AP)
US launches 3rd strikes on Iran-linked groups amid attacks on American soldiers: Officials (ABC)
As fighting empties north Gaza, humanitarian crisis worsens in south (AP)
Hamas armed wing says it is ready to release 70 captives in exchange for a five-day truce (Al Jazeera)
Busloads of 'March for Israel' supporters rally on D.C.'s National Mall to condemn rising antisemitism (NBC)
Facing State Department dissent over Gaza, Blinken tells staff: We're listening (Reuters)
Why Pakistan Is Pushing Out Refugees (Foreign Policy)
Did Humans Ever Live in Peace? (Atlantic)
Walmart, Costco and other companies rethink self-checkout (Costco)
Nate Silver says it’s risky for Dems to nominate Biden (Politico)
Lawyer Says Trump Aide Told Her After 2020 Election: ‘The Boss Is Not Going to Leave’ (NYT)
Ex-Trump allies detail efforts to overturn election in Georgia plea videos (WP)
Under fire, US Supreme Court unveils ethics code for justices (Reuters)
America Is Getting Lonelier and More Indoorsy. That’s Not a Coincidence. (Atlantic)
SAG-AFTRA’s Strike-Ending Deal Wasn’t Finalized Until Hours Before Its Approval (The Wrap)
YouTube is going to start cracking down on AI clones of musicians (Verge)
OpenAI chief seeks new Microsoft funds to build ‘superintelligence’ (Financial Times)
‘Magic Intelligence in the Sky': Sam Altman Has a Cute New Name for the Singularity (Gizmodo)
Woman Comes Out Of Manic Episode To Discover She’s Been Elected U.S. Representative (The Onion)
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