THINK!

As a kid my Dad had these various colored signs, the kind which would sit on a desk, and in bold, black letters it read, "THINK". My Dad consistently had to remind me, "Think before you speak." Great advice!

Full disclosure. I have not always heeded this advice wisely. I throw myself on the top of the pile of "saying or doing stupid things".

Having said this, it is time for an all out shout of "ENOUGH! THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!" Especially to athletes.

On Monday, July 4th, the day we celebrate "America", at U.S. Cellular Field, during a baseball game, Chicago White Sox Gordon Beckman decided to allow his "inner child" to surface, and etching out in the pristine infield dirt near second base wrote to his friend on the Kansas City Royals Chris Getz, "GETZ IS GAY! GB!"

Nice! Real nice! Way to stay classy Gordon Beckman. In your efforts to have a little fun with you friend (one man's fun is not necessarily another's), you completely lost sight of your surroundings. You see, from the upper deck of this "field of dreams", your attempted humor was seen, was read by many. Your act of doing, which I will also assume has been something you have said at one time or another shows very clearly your failure to "THINK"!

When will it finally sink in? When will we as a society finally get it? When will we stop the usage of such words which are rude and offensive to others? When will we see an end to the usage of any derogatory words which attack and belittle any person? When will we "think before saying or doing something"?

I am sure Gordon Beckman never expected such a reaction to his action. We rarely do!

But it is time for all of us to take a stand and bring an end to such ignorant attitudes toward "gays". While in Texas visiting our son Josh and our daughter-in-law Kate, Josh made the great comment that in the next 10 years or so, "we as a society will be embarrassed by how we have treated and reacted to gays and the issue of gay marriage."

How true! How very true! It is time for this kind of language, action, and attitude to stop.

"THINK"!