Thursday, August 22, 2013

George Zimmerman vs. Tyson Gay

Back in July I woke up one morning to the news that George Zimmerman was found not guilty of both second-degree murder and manslaughter. The verdict of one of the most publicized trials in recent memory was one that was deeply unsettling for many people around the country while the trial itself helped to reignite debates over gun-related issues. It was a trial whose outcome would mean a lot to many, many people and had the potential to have an impact on the dynamics of American society.

I was disappointed when I heard the verdict, but I did not think too much of it afterward. A little later on that morning I heard some other news: U.S. sprinting star Tyson Gay tested positive for doping and was out of the World Track & Field Championships. To this news I felt much more disappointed, even going so far as to vocalize my disenchantment in a rare Facebook post, and spent the rest of the day trying to resign myself to the fact that there was now virtually no chance of seeing an American 100 meter champion and new national record.

While Gay's fall from glory is a huge disappointment for American track fans, it is a relatively minor disappointment compared to the Zimmerman verdict...or at least it should be. While Gay may very well never win another world championship nor set another record, he never killed an unarmed teenager like Zimmerman — he never ended a life nor has he shattered a family's life. While his positive test may help trigger debate about bettering drug testing in his sport, cheating athletes are not as dangerous nor degrading as gun violence or racial profiling — two problems that the trial had the potential to spark reform for.

So I should have been more upset by the Zimmerman verdict than Gay's doping revelation, but I wasn't and I have to ask myself why. I've never been racially profiled to my knowledge, no one I'm close to has ever had serious problems with racial profiling to my knowledge, and I nor no one I'm close to has ever had a problem with gun violence. I was, however, a four-year track and field athlete who follows the sport closely and admire many of its stars. Seeing one of my favorite athletes turn out to be a doper is naturally going to hit home more than the Zimmerman verdict.

Despite my heart's inability to reflexively muster up as much disappointment and frustration for the Zimmerman outcome, my brain still knows that that was really the issue that deserves the most attention. It's not just in myself, however, that I see this kind of disproportional administration of focus, but in everyone. Television media, which can be argued as a representation of what the public wants to watch and hear about, are another good example. On July 16, at least 23 primary school students in India died after eating a pesticide-contaminated lunch. Violent protests followed. While this did receive some news time in the U.S., TV media were focusing much more on the imminent birth of Prince William's first kid. Despite the shocking deaths of young Indian schoolkids and the resulting violent protesting, the media, and very likely many of its viewers, were more keen on reporting and learning trivial tidbits about the royal baby.

While most people cannot relate to British royalty as closely as I can relate to track & field, I figure that story still hits home for people closer than deaths in the village of Dharmashati Gandaman. The differences between the two stories' real human consequences, however, like in Zimmerman vs. Gay, are stark. The Indian deaths highlight serious problems in nourishing millions of children around that country and should help spark efforts to better the incredibly important lunch program. Nothing of urgent importance rides on the birth of a baby.

While we're all more than entitled to our own interests and hobby-horses, an obsession with the royal baby or a deep disappointment with our sports stars, we should all keep in mind that there are other stories and incidents, often remote from our locations and hearts, that deserve proper attention not just in the news, but from ourselves. It's important that we make an effort to understand why stories like the Zimmerman trial and the Indian schoolkid deaths are significant and try to honestly treat them as such. The consequences are going to be more important.

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