Here we are not yet 24 hours after the announcement by President Obama last night about the killing of Osama bin Laden by Navy Seals and it already has trickled down to controversy concerning views of the incident by a Steelers player. Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall has taken to Twitter to share his views on the incident and it is causing shock waves and backlash throughout Steeler Nation.
In the latest remarks by Mendenhall on the social media giant, Mendenhall tweeted, “What kind of person celebrates death? It\’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We\’ve only heard one side…” and followed it up with a response to another Twitter user saying, “I\’m not convinced he was even behind the attacks we have really seen no evidence to prove it other than the gov telling us” and continuing on with “We\’ll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style”
We live in a great country that gives us the freedom to voice our own opinions. It is what makes America so great. The freedom of speech is a freedom that should never be taken lightly. I do not agree with the views of Mendenhall and am willing to bet that several in Steeler Nation do not as well. Mendenhall is not a stranger to making his voice heard on the social media giant with controversial remarks a short time ago when the lockout was about to begin, he agreed with remarks made by Vikings running back Adrian Peterson that compared the NFL labor situation to slavery. Those tweets caused quite a stir in the sports world as well, let alone Steeler Nation.
The beliefs of Mendenhall are his beliefs and I respect that as a whole, not that I agree with them. My only wish is that he stops trying to profess those beliefs in 140 characters or less. He should use a bigger platform so that everyone can get his entire way of thinking instead of short sentences. There is no shortage of Pittsburgh media that would be willing to sit down with him to get his complete thoughts on the bin Laden killing and further religious thoughts or conspiracy theories. Maybe he will. In the mean time though, all anyone has to go on are 140 characters or less Tweets and many people are doing just that.
We have not heard the last of this for sure and I am afraid that the backlash by Steeler Nation will be a strong one. I have a feeling that this will not end well for Mendenhall this time around. Maybe I am wrong. The Steeler fan base is as loyal as they come. They are also a very forgiving fan base in addition, but you have to wonder how him speaking his mind on this subject will polarize him from the fan base. This will play out I am sure over the next week, but you have to wonder what the Rooney family thinks, should they go on what he has professed. Time will tell. God bless this great country and God bless our freedom of speech.
