Nobody is above the law and it is important to teach your kids that there are rules and they must be followed, regardless of who they are or what abilities they have. Rules may have been made to be broken but that doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences that will apply to EVERYONE.
This simple lesson seems to have escaped some professional athletes.
Maybe they thought they were above the law because they can run fast, jump high, score goals and catch balls? I don’t know, but it is something that should be pointed out to kids as an example of how not to act. Their actions stink of selfishness and disregard for other people’s well being. Qualities that no one should try to emulate.
Unfortunately during their growing up years, star athletes are often treated differently and many times schools do bend the rules. The University of Memphis arranged for someone to take basketball standout Derrick Rose’s SAT’s so that he would be eligible to play that season. Memphis went on to win a record 38 games that season and make it to the NCAA Tournament Finals, largely due to the play of Derrick. This is a college university that teaches young people how to act in life, what kind of lesson is that? To completely disregard morality and basic concepts of right and wrong should not be in a lesson plan at any school. No matter how good the school, right and wrong starts at home because you never know what kids are actually being shown.
More recently Plaxico Burress went from being the star wide receiver on the reigning Super Bowl champs to a convicted felon in less time than it would take to play a football game. This is a perfect example to show of how the rules DO apply to everyone. Plax decided that he would go into a public place with a loaded weapon, knowing full well the laws about carrying guns. He ends up shooting himself in the leg, convincing a teammate to hide the gun and then drive to the hospital where Plaxico would give a fake name in hopes of not being caught. Luckily the New York city District Attorney’s Office and Mayor Bloomberg wanted to make an example out of Plaxico and threw the book at him. He ended up receiving two years in prison and two years probation. The rules certainly applied to him then and he got what he deserved, the same punishment everyone will.
Other times being an athlete gives opportunities to escape justice and sets an even worse example. NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth knowingly drove under the influence of alcohol while carrying marijuana and ended up killing an innocent man on his way home from work. He was able to strike a deal with the man’s family for an undisclosed sum of money and only serve 30 days in jail. What kind of precedent is this setting in our children’s minds? Donte was able to kill someone and all he really had to do was pay some money and serve a minimum sentence. Don’t let your child think this is okay. It is absolutely wrong what Donte has done and the consequences do not fit the crime. Because he had money he was able to literally buy his way out of punishment. Explain the situation to your kids, make sure they understand that this is not okay and Donte’s morals and integrity must be brought into question and not admired.
Chicago Blackhawks hockey player Patrick Kane beat up a taxi driver because the driver didn’t have 20 cents change. 20 cents change! Patrick felt that because the driver couldn’t give him two dimes that he could assault him and then not pay at all. What made him think he could do this? Who thinks they can beat up a taxi driver over 20 cents? Not anyone that kids should try and be like.
These guys are seen as role models to our kids and that comes with the territory of being a professional athlete. They may not choose to be role models but they are and they need to be aware that the example they are setting is completely unacceptable. But since they seem unable to grasp the concept of “rules applying to everyone” it is every parent’s responsibility to point this out and explain that it is unacceptable and these are not people to look up to.
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