Aaron Rodgers is becoming too comfortable with his misinformation
I very rarely pay attention to the sports world anymore, but my Twitter timeline still finds a way to show me what kind of nonsense is coming out of Aaron Rodgers’ mouth. For those out of the loop, and I am so jealous of you for it, the Green Bay Packers quarterback has made headlines regarding his statements and stances on COVID-19 vaccination status among players in the National Football League. He has attacked cancel culture, as well as questioned pretty much every single protocol the NFL had put in place to make sure the season played out smoothly.
The biggest red flag of them all is Rodgers going to none other than Joe Rogan to talk about COVID-19 treatment. Instead of explaining how these events are extremely harmful to the world we are living in, there are a couple of different things worth touching on first. Unfortunately, creating discourse is the way a lot of news outlets go about their business, and a figure like Rodgers is a magnet for discourse. No one is telling Rodgers to “shut up and dribble,” which was what Fox News Anchor Laura Ingraham told NBA player LeBron James when he decided to speak on political matters.
It is extremely frustrating for Rodgers to constantly make a mockery of the virus, and those who take it seriously. COVID-19 has had a monstrous impact on all our lives for nearly two years, and the fact some are still not willing to put their pride to the side and do what they can to help others is insulting and downright demeaning to those who do care.
Rodgers has been an NFL mainstay for nearly two decades, and for him to paint himself as the victim in this situation just goes to show how truly privileged he is. A recent article came out about how he and his ex-girlfriend Shailene Woodley “agree to disagree” on politics. Of course, this created even more drama surrounding the quarterback, but for some reason, this specific story is not sitting right with me.
No matter what political stance Rodgers takes, he will go to sleep and wake up in the same position he was in as the day prior. Regardless of vaccination status or people dying from COVID-19, he still sits in his privileged position. Marginalized groups will wake up daily and do all they can to fight injustice because they live in a system fighting against them. Rodgers will never have to face any of those problems, which leads him to say obnoxious, misinforming and ignorant statements with a huge grin on his face.
Sports stars are seen as role models by many, and when you talk about the influence certain people have on large groups of people, it is scary to think of the influence Rodgers may be having on those who are just fans of the way he plays football. So, how do we handle stuff like this? Honestly, just ignore it. The less time spent on the internet, the better. Hopefully, because the NFL season has come to an end, so will the attention surrounding Rodgers and his abominable antics.
Featured Illustration by J. Robynn Aviles
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