Boycott ESPN? Praying is more powerful

I’m getting inundated with email from angry Catholics and other Christians about ESPN anchorwoman Dana Jacobson, who apparently made a drunken spectacle of herself at a public function. They’re sending around “Boycott ESPN” stuff.

Deacon Greg has the story:

According to some news and sports websites, ESPN anchorwoman Dana Jacobson graphically attacked Jesus Christ at a recent roast of her colleagues; she was reportedly intoxicated. At the January 11 event, Jacobson roared from the podium, “F*** Notre Dame,” “F*** Touchdown Jesus,” and finally “F*** Jesus.”

Via the Catholic League:

“When pressed on this issue, ESPN’s response is to e-mail a statement by Jacobson, which includes the following: ‘My remarks about Notre Dame were foolish and insensitive. I respect all religions and did not mean anything derogatory by my poorly chosen words.’

“This response fails on several counts. First, there is no evidence that ESPN is taking this matter seriously. Are we to believe that her hate speech is of no consequence? Her comments were not made at a private function, rather they were made at a public event where she represented ESPN. Second, it is worth recalling that it was during a luncheon interview that Jimmy ‘The Greek’ Snyder made his racist remarks about blacks, and CBS Sports promptly fired him anyway. Third, it is also important to note that being drunk didn’t help Mel Gibson’s case when he made bigoted remarks about Jews.

“Then there is the matter of Jacobson’s so-called apology. By far the most offensive thing she said, ‘F*** Jesus,’ isn’t even addressed! It is obvious, then, that neither Jacobson nor ESPN is dealing with this matter in a professional way. To put this issue behind them, ESPN must deal with this issue quickly, publicly and fairly, something it has yet to do. After all, most Christians are yet unaware of this event, but once they learn of it, they are sure to demand accountability.”

ESPN has suspended Jacobson for a week; that’s probably a good call. Although Jacobson’s “apology” is pretty lame and could have been fuller and more graciously made, I really believe she simply spoke very stupidly, and that the feeling behind her words absent of real malicious intent. More likely, she just thought she was being “cool.”

What is more important, and what will be either more helpful or more hurtful for Christians, is how Catholics and other Christians respond to this. Clearly, we’re not going to go extreme and call Jihad on these folks, but I would be upset to see us go “wimpering Oprah victim” over it, either. Jesus has big shoulders, wide open arms and room for Dana Jacobson. I think the best thing any of us can do is pray for her and wish her peace. Because if she has the peace of Christ within her, she won’t need to make stupid jokes to be “cool.”

To help her along in that stead, it might be a good thing if she – as Don Imus did with the Rutgers Women’s basketball team – met with a few Catholics who can explain to her that her remarks about Notre Dame University had another meaning, and that Jesus loves her despite her thoughtless derision, but mostly – for goodness sake – let us pray.

And anyway, why do Christians act so surprised when stuff like this comes up? It’s only what we have been told would come our way:

The job of the Christian is to hold fast in the face of chaos and recall that Christ is more powerful than any man or media, and that darkness does not overcome light. To be honest, all the fretting from us Christians is a bit unseemly. If we are secure in what we believe, a cartoon does not take us down, no matter how perverse and offensive, because Christ is alive, and Grace abounds, and because just as an Abbess or Abbot is entitled to use whatever resources his or her community contains to advance the stability of the abbey, the Holy Spirit has a way of confounding us by using what is out there in the world – sometimes very surprising things and people – to do the will of the One.

Pray for those who hate us. There is power there. And don’t be afraid of a “what if.” Bad times might come. So, what? “If in all things thou seeketh Jesus, doubtless thou shall find him.” (St. Theresa of Avila) and “All things are alive in the sight of their King” (Avila, again). Christians are joint-heirs with the Chosen people – it makes perfect sense that we might taste some of the sting and poison the world keeps offering His people, Israel. There is nothing to fear, here. Changing situations in the world are nothing in the face of the Unchanging.

Boycotting, and getting all caught up in the anger of the world and the “hurt feelings” that are overwhelming simple reason in our age, is the common way – and the “sensational” way – in which we are enthralled at insult and in love with our passion.

Abe Lincoln said of the war between the states, “We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”

Perhaps we need to disenthrall ourselves in order to transcend the war between hypersenitive cultures and ideologies, too. Read Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew Chapter 5, and remember what St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13, and just offer up your prayers for this young woman. That, to me, seems the best thing.

Of course, you’re free to disagree!