Evil, thy name is John Steigerwald

I have had a lot on my mind lately - death, family, friends.  Ordinarily, I skim through the news and see what's going on in the world as I start my day, much like any of us do.  Little surprises me, much less leaves an icy disdain to wash over me as I try to put my contempt into words.  It's my job, to voice my reactions, my inner workings of the mind. 

Today that is all shot to hell.

I just read an article on the Observer-Reporter, a newspaper based out of Pennsylvania, where this pompous jackwad spewed his opinion as to why Bryan Stow, a fan of the San Francisco Giants, was beaten into a coma for doing nothing more than attending a baseball game.  Bryan was accosted by Dodgers fans after the game, attacked without mercy, and now his horrified family looks on as he lies in a coma fighting for his life. 

Enter Steigerwald, who claims it's Stow's fault he was beaten - he showed up wearing the jersey, after all.  "Maybe someone can ask Stow, if he ever comes out of his coma, why he thought it was a good idea to wear Giants' gear to a Dodgers' home opener..." 

Hey, let's ask that girl over there, after she's done with the intensely invasive rape exam, the harsh realism of her new world, and the exhausting trial why she thought it was a good idea to wear a miniskirt?

My husband is a Green Bay Packers fan.  He's not overzealous about it, but he wears plenty of attire throughout the season to show his support for the team of Cheese.  This past Superbowl, he sat in a restaurant full of people rooting for the Steelers, proudly wearing his GBP shirt, with a GBP mug in hand that he brought from home.  When the Packers won, he, Packer Girl Sarah, and one other guy were the only ones cheering. 

I cannot fathom that he could have lost his life because of it.  My brain can't even process the thought.

All my numbed mind can process at the moment is "WTF?!"  John Steigerwald really, actually voiced his opinion that he felt men who wear jerseys to support their teams simply have daddy issues and need to grow up.  And this newspaper, likely knowing the controversy it would be stirring up - how could they not? - had the audacity to run with it.  I'm not familiar with this publication, but before the day is over, they will know my thoughts. 

I want to encourage you to do the same.  "Due to an overwhelming response, comments have been stopped."  You can, however, contact Steigerwald here:  http://www.justwatchthegame.com  And the newspaper can be contacted here:  http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/ContactUs/

My instinct is screaming at me to spew right back with my knee-jerk reaction, which is that no ratings, publicity or attention that they will garner as a result of this pig's inhuman thoughts are worth the souls that they sold when they decided to unleash it upon what is left of humanity, but that wouldn't be very mature of me.

I have no idea who Bryan's wife or children are, who his parents are - I actually haven't been following this story very closely, just random thoughts of how awful it all was.  But right now I am thinking of this poor family keeping vigil over this man, and then being slapped across the face by this article so hard it's sure to leave a welt. 

How would you like to stare at the face in mirror who delivered that slap?  Suddenly, "Despicable Me" has a whole new face.