Violence is the answer?

I will be totally honest with you; I am not a pacifist. My most toxic trait is that I thrive on personal disagreements, but that’s probably what makes me a good opinion writer. Even though it’s not Christ-like of me to say, even though I should turn the other cheek, I am not in every circumstance opposed to violence.

I am opposed to the death penalty, but when I see on the news that someone killed their abuser, not going to lie, I am not shedding any tears; I recognize what a horrible thing that is to say, but genuinely that’s how I feel.

This brings me to this whole Chris Rock versus Will Smith situation. I don’t understand why I am supposed to be mad about a man defending his wife. If someone were running their mouth about me, I would want my husband to shut them up. Does that mean that physical violence was necessary?

When my little brother and his cousin started kindergarten a few years back, they were being bullied. Every Monday night, my extended family had family dinner, and over the meal, my baby brother told me that a kid had picked up, swung him around and threw him.

Now at the time, I was in eighth grade, and I wasn’t around because I was in cross country running. So the very next day, I skipped practice and I had my brother and cousin identify the kid that had been picking on them.

Eventually, when most of the kids had been picked up, and the principal wasn’t looking, I grabbed him by the collars, held him up against a brick wall and waited for him to stop cursing at me. When he quit, I said quietly and firmly, “If you ever touch my brother or cousin ever again, you won’t live to regret it.” Then I sat him down, walked away and went to practice.

And you know what, he never touched or bothered my brothers again; problem solved.
It wasn’t appropriate, and I was an eighth-grader picking on a fourth-grader, but there is quite literally nothing I would do differently. I am not sorry; I don’t feel bad.

That is the framework in which I initially perceive this whole drama. I thought people were really out here mad at Will for hitting a man who has a history of poking fun at and making jokes at the expense of his wife. Okay? Like I am supposed to be mad about that? Die mad, I guess?

It was inappropriate, and it should go without saying you shouldn’t hit people. At the same time, Chris Rock, you reap what you sow. As the old saying goes, “talk shit, get hit.”

And if the situation was simply a man defending his wife, then this is the opinion I would hold, but alas, over the last few days more information has been coming out that has made me feel a lot more sympathy for Chris Rock and has made me question the personal motivations here.

If I really think about it, I am not sure Will Smith needed to settle this matter on live television. I don’t think Chris Rock actually had any malicious intentions.

The more I read about Chris Rock’s situation, the more I respect him for taking the high road. If I was on stage and someone put their hands on me, I think I would probably lose all composure.
But the way that Chris Rock held his composure and chill and went on with the show is very admirable to me. And the fact that he has not said anything negative about the Smiths since he has had more than enough opportunity, speaks highly of his character.

I think Will Smith probably has some of his own feelings that he is sorting out in his personal life, and Chris Rock was in the wrong place at the wrong time. So overall, I think it is admirable for a man to defend his wife, but Will Smith was still out of line for this one. We know for sure that the Academy Awards were absolutely show-stopping this year.