Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently decried the state of politics in the United States while claiming that he’s just simply a proponent for decency.
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
During an appearance on the Hey Mayne podcast, Kerr claimed, “You’re just trying to champion for decency and humanity. That’s all.”
He then went on to lament the current state of politics saying, “I think that’s what’s alarming, I think, about the modern state of politics. Is that somewhere along the way, over the last decade, I don’t think it was Trump. Trump definitely fed the fire, but the sort of lack of dignity in public discourse over the last couple decades, I think that matters.”
“There used to be more of a sense of decency, even if it was fake, people were treating each other well in public discourse. And now it’s like all gloves are off and its led to a pretty dark place for us,” he continued.
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
Kerr then went on to bizarrely claim that “media for profit didn’t use to be a thing.”
He stated, “I don’t know how long ago this really started, but, in my mind, media for profit these days is so bad, it’s so negative because it pulls people into those camps that you’re talking about and then it just reinforces the negative stereotypes of the other side.”
“And meanwhile these media companies are just churning out the dollars by fomenting anger and distrust. Yeah, this is not really a good recipe for a healthy country,” Kerr added.
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
Kerr’s comments are utterly ridiculous. First, he attempts to paint himself as this champion of decency and humanity when he actively engages in attempting to restrict people from their God-given right of self defense through his anti-self defense comments and his promotion of legislation to restrict the right of Americans to bear firearms. Attempting to deny people the right to self-defense is the opposite of decent and human. It’s indecent and inhumane.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, “Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one’s own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Second, he’s claims he wants to go back to a time of decency, but in the same sentence indicates that this supposed time of decency didn’t actually exist because it was fake, but nevertheless he wants to return to this façade of decency.
However, that’s all it was. It was just a façade of decency. In fact, that’s the opposite of decency. It’s indecent.
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
Kerr is basically saying he’d rather have people stabbing each other in the back in private while smiling and shaking hands in public rather than people actively telling you they are going to stab in you broad daylight.
Again, this correlates with his indecent and inhumane calls against self-defense. He seemingly doesn’t want people defending their lives physically as well as in the political sphere.
Steve Kerr via KPIX CBS SF Bay Area YouTube
As for the idea of media for profit not being a thing, one has to question Kerr’ knowledge on such matters. A simple investigation into such matters proves his comments on the matter false.
In an article discussing “yellow journalism” PBS states, “The Spanish-American War is often referred to as the first ‘media war.’ During the 1890s, journalism that sensationalized—and sometimes even manufactured—dramatic events was a powerful force that helped propel the United States into war with Spain. Led by newspaper owners William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, journalism of the 1890s used melodrama, romance, and hyperbole to sell millions of newspapers–a style that became known as yellow journalism.”
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
Newspapers also existed during Revolutionary War time. All Things Liberty notes the influence that the Boston Gazette had on the American sentiment leading up to the war, “The Boston Gazette became the primary mouthpiece for Samuel Adams and others who increasingly opposed the British government.”
The site adds, “Because of this reality, many of the pieces published in the Boston Gazette did more than just tell the story – they presented reports of events in the context of British efforts to deny Americans their rights. The spread of this outlook was essential if the colonies were going to break away from Great Britain and the Boston Gazette played an essential role in the dissemination of the growing attitude of opposition to the Royal Government.”
Steve Kerr via Golden State Warriors YouTube
What Kerr does get right is there is a lack of dignity among American politicians and that stems from a lack of respect and fear of God. Kerr might recognize there is a problem with mass shootings, but his solutions to solving them are broken. The solution is a return to God and the teachings of Jesus Christ, and one must do this on an individual level first.
However, given that we live in a fallen world, there will still be individuals and even groups of people that succumb to the temptations of the devil and work against the teachings of Christ. And these will be tests that we remain true to Christ’s teachings.