2008 Woodie Awards
Iranian athletes attack NBA, set on world domination
By: Megan Wilson
Issue date: 8/27/08 Section: Opinion
|
The Office of Foreign Assets Control authorized the NBA to negotiate contracts Aug. 20 with a 7-foot-2-inch Iranian basketball player and Olympian named Hamed Ehadadi, whose dream is to play in the NBA.
The decision came only five days after the NBA sent a stern letter to 30 franchises forbidding them to conduct talks with any Persian player, saying that they needed OFAC approval. But no one knows what OFAC does, so they went ahead and did it anyway.
The issue of not boycotting the Beijing Olympics is irrelevant. China is buying away our debt, which is more important than ethical obligations. What China does to peace-mongering monks is its own business. Iran, on the other hand, directly endangers the United States.
While the Iranians finished 11th in the games, Ehadadi averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. It has been admitted that he has a lot of growing to do, but the Memphis Grizzlies see some kind of potential. What, a potential for world domination?
Professional athletes are quite possibly the most threatening of all human beings: they're freakishly strong, tall and able to mentally formulate plans of defeat.
Not to mention they have power that politicians lack: the ability to become obscenely rich through sponsorships and influence a mass audience with ease.
Sports and politics have typically been closely related: Barack Obama was recently photographed making 3-pointers with the troops and John McCain is currently training for his Pay-Per-View Ultimate Fighting Championship match against Chuck Liddell. McCain even has a nickname: "No Brain McCain." He doesn't have any brains; he just has fists.
Gambling is socially equivalent to voting, where large sums of money - or dignity - are placed on the line in exchange for confidence in a team, hoping they'll live up to their assurances of victory.
If the Grizzlies sign an Iranian, it's a step backward for freedom. Most of the political arena agrees that negotiating with "rogue" nations such as Iran and North Korea is illogical because of their dangerous terrorist tendencies.
Naturally ruthless, these sponsors of terror will do anything to steal our independence - we're doing just fine eroding away constitutional rights all by ourselves. They are seriously outdated anyway.
When our government remains unwilling to engage the country in negotiations, instead opting for imposing limitless sanctions, they must be pretty bad - so bad that we haven't bombed them into oblivion.
Iran is a country where its president makes radical statements against the West, which means the citizens must agree. After all, Americans subscribe to the views held by its government - it's simply standard patriotic practice.
What is the incentive for Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace to flirt with the enemy? It's an example of how the United States, by way of the NBA, can be both winners and losers at the same time.
Infiltrating the American popular culture is only the beginning of Iran's chokehold on the United States.
And it only goes downhill from there. After that, it won't be long before the country is cheering for its adversary.
Even worse, it may become socially accepted to understand - and actually commiserate - with Iranians. Need an example? Look at what David Beckham has done by relocating his unrealistic hotness across the pond? It's sick.
Conquering America - one arena at a time - once again intertwines government and sporting events and represents a step forward for the globalization of the Iranian agenda.
As the current college-aged generation copes with living in midst of a cultural and ideological war, making a preemptive strike on tolerance is our only hope for maintaining our independence.
Megan can be reached at
opinioneditor@theorion.com
Video from YouTube
Related articles
Iran in Olympic basketball after 60-year drought
Olympians Ehadadi, Khahbahrami free to sign with NBA teams
Iran national basketball team on Wikipedia.org
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Zubin
posted 8/29/08 @ 11:28 AM PST
Is this article or the author of the piece actually serious? This is the most unintelligent,ill-assuming, one-sided bit of journalism i have ever had the displeasure of coming across. (Continued…)
Eric Chisler
posted 8/31/08 @ 12:15 PM PST
This is the most despicable piece of reporting I've had the displeasure of reading. Zubin is right, this is the kind of fallacy-laden reporting that has repeatedly brought our nation down in the world's eye. (Continued…)
Earl Parsons
posted 8/31/08 @ 11:39 PM PST
So Iranians can't play in the NBA because their government is at diplomatic odds with the Americans? That statement is more ignorant than Mahmoud Ahmedinejad believing the Holocaust was a myth. (Continued…)
quit satire
posted 9/01/08 @ 3:51 PM PST
I think this was a lukewarm attempt at satire. You can't half-ass satire, you have to go all the way. Otherwise it sounds really bigoted and serious. I blame the editor for this one. (Continued…)
Cyroos
posted 9/02/08 @ 10:31 AM PST
As an Iranian American and a huge basketball fan, I was elated to hear this news. People can see an Iranian up close and personal for the first time (unless you are from Orange or Los Angeles Counties). (Continued…)
Lynn
posted 9/21/08 @ 9:08 PM PST
I heard about this article from some students and community members who were seriously offended by it. After reading it, I can see why. The article only shows that this student has not learned the lessons we teach in freshman year writing courses -- such as "consider your sources" with respect to what she had heard from the right-wing media. (Continued…)
Post a Comment