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Those all very good posts. I am not trying to defend Kobe at all, but I don't think people mourning his passing -- especially the tragic circumstances -- should be equated with not caring about the trauma experienced by rape victims. That said, I don't want to say that this is "complicated" and requires nuance. As Zappo said, he raped a nineteen-year-old woman in a hotel room and then used his money and fame to escape justice or punishment. That said, he also went on to use his platform to create space and opportunity for woman both inside and outside the sport of basketball. That doesn't excuse past actions, obviously, although it is notable that he was able to craft a public persona that enabled corporate sponsors to reattach themselves to his image.
Honestly, I am not trying to make any normative statements about Kobe the person. My point is just that obviously his persona, celebrity, and achievements really did really impact people, many of whom were legitimately grieving this sudden and tragic loss (I don't include myself in this). I just found it pretty annoying and distasteful that so much of the online reaction that I was finding to this event were these kind of flippant and jokey comments. Zappo, your comment wasn't the one that bothered me nearly the most, but this is just a venue where I feel more comfortable expressing my displeasure at things. Perhaps my impulse is wrongheaded. I am very open to that possibility. The next day, I read the entire Daily Beast article detailing the accusations and credible evidence against Kobe Bryant, which were deeply unsettling to me.
But I guess regardless of how you feel about remembering him, or his legacy, I think the impulse of cracking bad jokes in the immediate aftermath is... not so good. But whatever.
Honestly, I am not trying to make any normative statements about Kobe the person. My point is just that obviously his persona, celebrity, and achievements really did really impact people, many of whom were legitimately grieving this sudden and tragic loss (I don't include myself in this). I just found it pretty annoying and distasteful that so much of the online reaction that I was finding to this event were these kind of flippant and jokey comments. Zappo, your comment wasn't the one that bothered me nearly the most, but this is just a venue where I feel more comfortable expressing my displeasure at things. Perhaps my impulse is wrongheaded. I am very open to that possibility. The next day, I read the entire Daily Beast article detailing the accusations and credible evidence against Kobe Bryant, which were deeply unsettling to me.
But I guess regardless of how you feel about remembering him, or his legacy, I think the impulse of cracking bad jokes in the immediate aftermath is... not so good. But whatever.
