John Stossel's GIVE ME A BREAK! - January 16, 2003

ABCNEWS | January 16, 2003 | John Stossel

[Timesink]

January 16, 2003

Self-help authors sell books on guilt-free living, but guilt has good points. It gets people to regret the wrong they do, and correct it. Research shows kids who have a little guilt are better citizens. We devised an odd experiment to determine which of a group of kids had a healthy amount of guilt. It's fun to watch. My "Give Me A Break"? is about deceptive movie ads. Wonder why you get suckered into going to so many bad movies? The Sweetest Thing, with Cameron Diaz made plenty of "worst-movie" lists for 2002. Critics called it a "mind-numbingly bad" "trash dump." Yet big newspaper ads quoted a reviewer saying it was "a comic gem." Did you waste your money on the movie Slackers? One critic called it "so putrid" they should "burn every print of the film." But the ad quoted a critic saying you'll, "You'll howl scene after scene." Why? Because the studios fool us with quotes from obscure places. Give me a break. Email about last week's column on Bobby Knight, and people acting "entitled" to their jobs, was unusually negative. Here's a sampling: This is by far one of your most lame undertakings. There's a big difference between a big time coach throwing a chair and a studio reporter throwing one and taking out 3 camera men in the process! Yeah, his conduct is not so good … but, he makes universities money. Ever wonder why people go to Nascar races? It's not to see a winner, it's to see the wrecks. Same principle applies here. Why not stop picking on knight and do something worthwhile. Come on John … Give me a break! Ron Foster, Birmingham Alabama So you mean you have never done anything you're ashamed of? Let's see how you would like for your job performance to be nationally criticized every day by people who know nothing about your line of work … DevotedHoosier Once again John, you have done a disservice to the profession of investigative reporting. Coach Bobby Knight has very good reason to sue Indiana University of which I am a lifetime Alumni. Your segment on the coach's behavior was unfair and essentially has taken 4 or 5 incidents over a 27 year career of success. Coach Knight's contribution to the university was not covered. His record as a coach, his graduation rates, the support of his players and coaches, his humanitarian acts, etc., — you didn't even touch on these. Your report is an obvious attempt to smear the coach as has been done by different media personalities on many ocassions. … Coach Knight is a good man and is Indiana's loss and Texas' gain. You should also remember John, that every person in America has a right to bring a suit against another party if they feel they've been wronged. A judge reviews the case and can decide to throw it out or let it be heard. This is the American way. Why doesn't A! BC fire you John? You have made so many errors as a reporter on 20/20 show that you should be looking for another job. Sincerely, A Man Who Loves His University and believes in the American Justice System, Mike Arterburn Class of 74 I often find myself watching TV, and these news magazine shows wondering "Has this world gone mad?!" I can't understand how so many people miss the obvious ludicrousness of our society, suing for being fired from one's job is a great example, and it honestly drives me nuts. Then along came John Stossel and "Give Me a Break", and suddenly I felt like someone in the media finally had a clue. Chris Johnson, West Allis, WI Let me know what you think. You can e-mail me at ABCNEWS.com. My address is: JohnStossel@abcnews.com

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[Illbay]

Most of the above letters, excusing Bobby Knight's horrid behavior because "it's only part of the story" are examples of why people vote Democrat, and elected Bill Clinton to two terms.

It's called "moral relativism" and it is our new National Religion.

[lainie]

This reminds me, I once read an article in Rolling Stone by a writer who'd spent time reviewing movies. He said he once wrote a review about a terrible movie which he thought was dreck "shamelessly packaged as a date-night hit."

He went on later to see his words and his name quoted in that movie's trailer completely out of context as, "A date-night hit!"

[lizma]

Knight was no saint on the court by any means, but I've yet to hear any of his ex-players bad mouth him. All I've heard is praise.

His downfall was two fold. 1)He didn't pull the line on fund raising like Brand wanted him too. 2) That liberal's brat set him up.

Where is he now?

[Sparta]

I agree Illbay. There are numerous quotes from the founders that say that freedom only belongs to a moral, religious people. You and I may disagree about the way to combat moral relativism, but you still knock it out of the park with your post.

[lizma]

It's called "moral relativism"

Not really. You have to consider that most of the press on Knight had a very left wing bent. His "bad behavior" is highlighted up the whazoo but the good he did is swept under the rug.

Alums don't respect him for the money he brought in, they respect him for turning boys into men and I think that's worth kickin a few chairs.

"Moral relativism" these days goes hand in hand with personal gain. I graduated from the school twice, know profs there now, I truly believe Bobby was more into his players than he was into himself.

[thepitts]

Most of the above letters, excusing Bobby Knight's horrid behavior because "it's only part of the story" are examples of why people vote Democrat, and elected Bill Clinton to two terms.

It's called "moral relativism" and it is our new National Religion.

Once again you don't have a clue.

[Sinner6]

Are you going to elaberate or just make claims?

[Illbay]

You have to consider that most of the press on Knight had a very left wing bent.

Uh-huh. Nice try.

Like I said: "Moral relativism." The Democrats said, in the case of Bill Clinton: "Hey, when he does it, it's okay because he's our guy."

That's what you're saying here. It's okay for Bobby Knight to act out of control, because anyone who criticizes him is "left wing."

One of the reasons I now mostly lurk on FR. "Conservatism" without morality is simply hedonism.

[Illbay]

"Moral relativism" these days goes hand in hand with personal gain.

Depends how you define "gain." If you think the win-at-all-costs, nothing-is-more-important-than-this-silly-game (and my ego) attitude that Knight displayed wasn't about his "personal gain," think again.

You don't "succeed" in the world of athletics--pro or "amateur"--without a huge ego and a willingness to set aside ethics when they get in your way. At least, not the way "success" is defined nowadays.

Your comments remind me of a guy who stated that he had become "a man" while in Marine Corps boot camp, the day his buddies took him to the local brothel.

Like I said: It's the way you define "gain."

[motzman]

Not really. You have to consider that most of the press on Knight had a very left wing bent. His "bad behavior" is highlighted up the whazoo but the good he did is swept under the rug.

The selling of Indulgences seems to be alive and well in Indiana...

[Hoosier43fan]

The same media and academic hacks who campaigned incessantly against Knight went after Tony Stewart, but without success. Though good for Indiana, these admired and successful men are not without faults, the greatest of which is an inability to tolerate fools. Liberals in Indiana already have a persecution complex, they find themselves trapped in a decidedly "Red" state, and lash out at passionate, politically incorrect males who look down on them as leeches of society who can't make an honest living.