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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Controversy Creates Cash or Cry Babies?

Contract signing
Courtesy: WWE
By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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I realize the title is probably a bit harsh and while I'd like to say it's not my intent to offend anyone, I'm not sure that's totally true.  There's a broad message here, but I'm tying it to a specific wrestling-related event.

Charlotte strikes
Courtesy: WWE
Recently on Monday Night Raw a verbal battle between Divas champion Charlotte and number one contender Paige fired up the Internet Wrestling Community.  Charlotte brought up her brother Reid Flair (not by name) who died in 2013 of a drug overdose.  She told Paige she was in WWE to fulfill his dream.  Paige retorted with "He didn't have much fight in him, did he?" The comment sent Charlotte into a rage and the two Divas brawled around the ring.

The comment seemed to impact fans even more.  The backlash against Paige and WWE has dominated social media.  Fans claimed to be insulted and offended by the remark and that WWE was out of line using another wrestling death to put over an angle.  Some even plan to boycott the company and this weekend's Survivor Series event.

Reid Flair
I don't offend easy.  The remark didn't bother me.  But as a father, I could see where Ric Flair (who says he had no knowledge the remark was going to be made) and Reid's mother Beth are owed an apology.  In my opinion they're the only two who really truly have a dog in the fight.  Considering Ric's relationship with Triple H (WWE COO) I think he was owed the courtesy of knowing the line was going to be dropped.   My question is this: Are fans really offended by the comment or do they feel like they SHOULD be offended?

Craig Kilborn
Courtesy: World Wide Pants & CBS
I remember the day after Owen Hart, who was dressed as the Blue Blazer, plunged to his death in Kansas City, Missouri Late, Late Show host Craig Kilborn made a tasteless JOKE about the incident.  Fans came unglued, but this was long before social media was around. Kilborn and CBS did apologize and we all moved on.  I bring this up because I feel like the Paige-Charlotte incident wasn't meant to insult or degrade the memory of Reid Flair.  It was clearly being used to create heat for Sunday's match, which I don't really think this feud needs, but I digress.

Today's society is looking for things to be offended by.  Skin color, religion, sexual orientation, politics and heck now even coffee cups seem to have divided many of us online. As Ric Flair said on Woo Nation, this "controversy" is nothing in comparison to the events currently happening in the world right now.  So instead of being butt hurt and offended every time something happens that we disagree with, take the high road, turn the other cheek and do something to make the world (or at least your community) a better place.

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