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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 2014)
October 8, 2014 JÌortJanì» (Obstruer Page 17 — Arts B *»1 ffefi IMIIIAINHIM INTUÌ Author Steve Almond touches on the violent, racist and sexist aspects o f football during a discussion in Portland about in his controversial new book Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifest. Opposing a Culture of Glorified Violence A fan writes controversial book on football O livia O livia T he P ortland O bserver Violence, racism, sexism, and hom ophobia are em bodied by Am erica’s favorite past time. The assessment about football by au thor Steve Almond was shared with a Portland audience on Sunday as he presented his controversial new book, Against Football: One F a n ’s Reluctant Manifest. “We are obsessed with vio lence,” Almond said. “W e’re talk ing about a career that offers up to one-third of its workers brain dam age, and w e’re removed from the real consequences of that violence.” During the presentation, spon sored by Literary Arts, Almond went on to talk about the ways in which injured players are quickly removed from the view of the audience; and how rarely we are confronted with the ongoing physical breakdowns that are left on these players when they’re out of the game. Alm ond also sees the pow erful lure football has because it offers young m en in poverty, especially by black and Latino boys, the dream to “escape” from their socioeco nomic circumstances. He is criti cal of the process, and offers the fo llo w in g to a d d re ss th e se hopes: “The ultimate message foot ball sends to young boys, of what ever color or socioeconomic sta tus, is that they are valuable not for the content of their character, not for the intelligence or creativ ity, but for how fast they can run and how well they can throw and catch and, especially, how hard they can hit. T hat’s what scouts and recruiters want. That’s how you get rescued.” Alm ond’s book has drawn na tional attention and has been fea tured in discussions in The New Yorker and NPR. He is hoping for an internal reck oning about why we love football and how we can change the cul ture of glorified violence in a sport. “Do I think everyone’s going to stop watching the game? No,” he said. “Do I think everyone has an obligation to consider the most violent aspects of their culture? Yes. I want that discussion to hap pen.” For more on Almond and his ongoing search for peace within American football, check out his webpage, againstfootball.org. B illy W ebb E lks L o d g e P r esen ts Every Friday Night! DJ George 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. $5 cover charge Norma's Cooking 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. Drink Specials! Jeremy Renner and Michael K. Williams star in dramatic historical thriller, Kill the Messenger, out Friday, Oct. 10. Historical Thriller on Drug Cartel Kill the Messenger, which comes American city streets. out Friday, Oct. 10, follows the true W ebb finds evidence the CIA story Pulitzer Prize-winning journal is not only aware but actively prof ist Gary Webb who inadvertently iting o ff the transcontintenal drug stumbles on the hidden inner work sm uggling process. Played by ings of the crack epidemic hitting Academ y Aw ard-w inning actor Jerem y Renner, the film traces the drug cartel through California pris ons and N icaraguan cam pos to discover exactly who is driving the path o f drugs into the United States. Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC Zchon R. Jones, DC 333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212 (503) 284-7838 Truly making a difference in the lives of Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years. If you or someone you know has been in an accident, call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838 We are located on the com er ofM LK and Russell Street, on the second floor above the coffee shop. C Every Saturday Night! Football & Food 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Norma's Cooking Drink Specials! Billy Webb Elks Lodge, 6 N. Tillamook St. Portland, Oregon 97227 H I R 0 Pai king Aiea P R A C T I Russell St C K 8 IfHAlJ
