Posted on 01/15/2002 9:44:47 AM PST by Jeremy Reynalds
It’s beyond dispute that there’s a problem with the way parents behave at youth sports. That was brought into sharp focus recently with the conviction of a 44-year-old truck driver for involuntary manslaughter after he beat another man to death at their sons’ hockey practice. According to media, Thomas Junta claimed that he killed 40-year-old Michael Costin in self-defense after an argument over rough play during the July 5 2000 practice. While Junta could technically be looking at as many as 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 25, first time offender sentencing guidelines call for much shorter sentences. Some national media reports noted that a case like this epitomizes the worst in bad parental behavior over youth sports. However, why would anyone behave like this anyway — regardless of whether or not they were involved in sports. While there are numerous explanations for all of this bad behavior at sports games, such as a failure to repress inappropriate emotions, as an evangelical Christian I would place the ultimate blame on a person’s lacking a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. However, I was astonished to read the explanation offered on one Internet discussion list. The individual wrote, “Nobody’s talking about the fact that these are HETERO(sexual) parents involved in all this, and that het parents are the ones who are engaging in all this violent unruly behavior. And it’s not just this case where one kid’s parent was killed by another parent... this is endemic all over the country now. Hetero parents are violent, harsh, overly aggressive and abusive to other team members, parents, coaches, and even their own kids if they don’t do good enough.” The tirade grew even worse. “And if you look at all the soccer hooligans in England and Europe, they’re all hets too of course. I mean it’s like....hets need to be banned from having kids this problem is so bad now ... Anyway it's quite obvious to me that hetero parents are a very dangerous influence on children, and that - as the studies show - gay parents make much better parents than heteros.” While homosexuals routinely claim victimization and are constantly advocating for special rights, I know that many of them are very intelligent and go to extreme intellectual lengths to justify and rationalize their lifestyle. I was curious as to how this letter writer could justify his tirade against all normal mainstream heterosexual parents. With that in mind, I submitted a question to the discussion list where the original post had appeared. I noted that in my opinion the comments about heterosexual parents were unbelievably bizarre and that as we are the societal norm, why should we talk about the exception to the rule--homosexuals. I also commented in my post, “Homosexuals routinely complain about being stereotyped by heterosexuals ...What a generalization or stereotypical assessment you’ve just made. It sound like you were abused by your father when you were a youngster playing sports.” My hope of any intelligent discussion disappeared upon reading the first response to my comments. One individual wrote, “Your comments are not appropriate here. The vast majority of the people on this list are not Christian, and those of us that are reject your words as pure (expletive). Respect that fact that you aren’t welcome. Or maybe to put it a little clearer. (Expletive). Another individual wrote me a terse note, “(You) have a lot of nerve mr. american taliban.(sic).would you allow such on YOUR forum. lets find out shall we.” An additional e-mail from this individual to me read in part, “You and your kind do not allow non-cult discussion in your places, you had no right pushing your filth in ours ... nothing was intelligent about your posts...they were just your interpretation of bible scripture (sic), disputed by other christians (sic) and meant to do nothing but preach and satisfy your hatred. So go away ...thy time is nigh.” The obvious hostility directed against me by this person was sad. The anger and hatred against mainstream heterosexual parents shown oozing from the individual who asked why no one has been talking about all the violence at youth sports being perpetrated by heterosexual parents was bizarre. It’s just as strange as commenting, “Why is no one saying anything about the fact that some of those badly targeted bombs that dropped in Afghanistan were sent by the military?” Such a comment wouldn’t even be news because it’s the military that is charged with dropping bombs. It would only become news if other people started bombing Afghanistan and sending misguided missiles. And in the same way, because heterosexuals are the ones charged with having families and propagating the human race, why should we discuss an anger problem prevalent among some (heterosexual) parents and relate it to an aberrant (homo) sexual lifestyle? There’s just no connection. But this bizarre comment blaming heterosexuals should serve to remind us that while we are engaged in a physical war against Osama bin Laden and his gang of terrorist thugs that the cultural war is still very much alive. If we attend to one while neglecting the other we will do so at our ultimate peril!
Isn't it funny that comparisons of hetero vs. homo, christian like ideals and out of control parents are being brought to the forefront .... yet facts like the fact that Michael Costin had 3 prior convictions for assault, somehow get missed. Why was a felon, with 3 previous convictions for assault put in charge, as a hockey coach of a children's hockey team? The fact he is dead, does not change the fact that he threw the first punch, and had a history of other assaults. Instead, it's become a hodge-podge of 'ya know, Jesus wouldn't have hit back', or 'Gay men always get beat up', or 'Golly, parents sure do over-react at games'.
They ain't gonna be popular for long if they don't break text into readable paragraphs.
If they succeeded in 'banning' us 'hets' from having kids, who would propogate the species.....?????? HMMM...
Pal: Suspect in beating known to have a short fuse - Junta's Violent Past
While Thomas Junta was hailed as "a great father" by many of his Reading neighbors, a Charlestown friend of 25 years said Junta has always had a short fuse. "He just loses his temper when someone mouths off. He's been in a few fights," said a fellow member of the Knights of Columbus in Charlestown, who spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday. The man said Junta, 42, is well-known for his aggression, but has never done anything as serious as what prosecutors charge he did last week when he allegedly beat Michael Costin, 40, until he was brain dead. Junta, a 13-year truck driver at US Foods in Everett, was freed yesterday on $ 5,000 bail after his arraignment. While Junta has no record, he was charged in 1992 with assault and battery on a police officer and malicious destruction of property. The case was continued without a finding. In 1985, he was one of several men questioned by police in the still-unsolved murder of his wife's brother, Robert "Booboo" Barrett, who was shot to death inside the former Celtic Tavern in Charlestown. "He's my brother-in-law. I did support him," said Susan Barrett, sister of Junta's wife, Michelle, and Robert Barrett. Born in November 1957, Junta is one of 12 siblings who grew up in Charlestown. Junta's longtime friend said his temper was bound to get him in trouble. "He knew what he was doing," the man said. "I'm sure he's sorry for what he did, but now it's too late."
The fact he is dead, does not change the fact that he threw the first punch,
On whose testimony are you relying that Costin threw the first punch ?
In the doorway of the locker room used by Junta's son and his friends, Junta said, he warned the boys in a loud voice, ''I told them if they were going to play like that they were going to have to defend themselves,'' Junta testified. He said Costin, who was approaching an adjacent locker room, said, ''That's hockey.'' ''I took three steps [toward him] and said, `No, it isn't. These kids are going to get hurt,''' Junta testified. As he started to reenter the locker room, Junta said, he turned back to see Costin still standing there. There was more arguing, and Costin, a couple of inches taller than Junta because he was still in skates, puffed out his chest and leaned into him, Junta said. ''We kind of grabbed each other around the shoulder area,'' he said. ''He was more angry than he should have been.'' . Even by Junta's own testimony, Junta made the first move, neither one backed down and they engaged.
EXACTLY!
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