Over the last month and a half I’ve grown more and more
frustrated and disheartened by the ethics and scruples of the world of
journalism. And also by the lack of empathy that people seem to have for their
fellow human beings. During this time I’ve told myself repeatedly that it’s
just a result of how much our society has become desensitized to the hardships
that each of us faces in life. But that’s really just a nice way to say that
society is spawning a bunch of jerks these days.
I would really like to rant and rave against all of these
people. To ask the general public why they’re so quick to believe the negative
about a person instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt. To ask how they
can pass judgment on someone when they have no idea what it’s like to walk in
that person’s shoes. And why they want to kick people when they’re down instead
of extending a hand to help them back up.
I’d also like to remind a few journalists of a little
something called a professional code of ethics, which calls for accuracy and
factual reporting. And ask them whatever came of harm limitation principles
that advise journalists to show compassion for those who may be adversely
affected by their reports. Those same principles also encourage media members
to show good taste in their articles and avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
When did those codes of conduct go out the window?
Mostly I have just been disappointed with the reactions people
have had. I honestly thought that people would at least give some encouragement
to AJ for trying to make the best of a bad situation and learning something
from it instead of everyone just focusing on the details of what happened.
Since when is making a stupid mistake not worthy of showing someone compassion?
I don’t know – maybe it’s just me who is living in an era that doesn’t exist
anymore. Or maybe I just don’t have it in me to be that negative of a person.
The
biggest thing that hit me in this entire situation was when Jeff Gluck said he
felt sorry for AJ fans. That was really surprising to me and instantly made me
mad because I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for
myself. I really don’t have anything to feel sorry about. Am I sad that I can’t
watch AJ race at the moment? Yeah, I am. But I’m mostly sad about that because
I know how much AJ wants to be racing and not because I’m out anything.
I don’t
feel sorry for myself because I still have someone to root for – AJ! I’m not
cheering for him to drive fast in a circle, I’m cheering for him to find some
balance in his life and to be happy again. I’m rooting for him to pick himself
up and dust off his britches. I’d love to see him make a comeback in NASCAR,
but even if it never happens I’ll still be on the sidelines cheering for him in
his life. And I truly think the people Jeff Gluck should feel sorry for are the
ones who seem to take such glee in other people’s misfortune.
I
understand why people don’t believe AJ. I could try and convince everyone that
AJ is being honest. I have been lucky enough to make a lot of contacts in the
NASCAR world, and especially among those people who know AJ personally.
Friends, family, media members, crew guys, sponsor reps, PR people. People who
either know the sport or who know AJ inside and out. I could share all the
things that those “credible sources” have told me and try to make everyone just
as certain as I am that AJ’s being completely truthful. But why bother?
The
bottom line is that people are going to believe whatever they want to believe.
If you think AJ is lying then you can come up with a dozen “sources” to back up
that fact. And if you think AJ is telling the truth then you can come up with just
as many “sources” to back that up, too. It all comes down to a basic opinion –
you either believe AJ or you don’t. I could talk until I’m blue in the face and
it won’t change that basic opinion. Yeah, maybe I’ll make a point or two that
could make you think about whether your opinion is the right one. I might even
sway one or two people into changing their minds, but to be honest it just
isn’t worth the aggravation to me to try and defend my opinion.
Which is
the exact same reason why it isn’t worth it for AJ to try and convince people
he’s being honest. He has stated his version of what happened – there’s no
amount of additional information that will change that. Right now he doesn’t
need the distraction of getting into a debate over it. He needs to focus on
completing his Road to Recovery program, getting reinstated by NASCAR, finding
a job and a sponsor, and oh yeah – that simple little project he’s trying to
undertake of turning his life around!
Come on
people – what’s really important right now? Is it satisfying your curiosity
over all the little details of what happened during this one instance of
someone else’s life, or is it more important to show some support to a fellow
human being who, no matter what those circumstances were, is trying to face the
monumental task of dealing with his own personal issues? I just don’t
understand society’s need to rehash everything out there that is negative and
their unwillingness to just let it go and realize that sometimes things are
just what they seem.
Oh yes,
I’ve heard all the arguments against AJ, but most of them boil down to this
basic sentiment: “AJ’s story doesn’t sound believable. He sounds just
like every drug addict out there who says it was just a one time thing.” And I
will grant you that argument – the story doesn’t sound believable. And it does
sound just like what a drug addict would say. But doesn’t it also sound like
something that a person would say if they really did just naively take a pill
one time and then randomly got pulled for a drug test the next day?
The
bottom line is that you either believe AJ or you don’t – all I’m asking is for
people to look carefully into why they don’t believe him. And realize that in
the end, it truly doesn’t matter whether he is telling the truth or lying.
Right now what’s important is that AJ is trying to get his life back in focus
and doesn’t need the constant distraction of sensational journalists yapping at
his heels. I don’t buy into this whole “the other side of the story needs told.”
No, it doesn’t. Because there is no “other side” to the story – AJ’s side is
the only one there is. Now if there was irrefutable proof that AJ was lying,
then maybe I’d agree that it needed told. But the only person who knows 100%
what happened is AJ and he’s already told his story. No amount of continued
speculation either for or against him can prove anything. Let it be done so the
guy can work on getting his priorities straight.
I’ve made
it known that I believe AJ completely, but I’ve never said why. And I’m not
going to because I don’t need to defend my belief and it sure isn’t my job to
defend AJ. People have called me naïve, stupid, illogical, even an enabler
because I think AJ is telling the truth. But trust me, I am none of those
things. I am a highly intelligent, very analytical, and for the most part a
very skeptical person. I have spent my entire life and even made a career out
of picking apart every bit of data that I can find and scrutinizing it. So you
either believe that through my contacts I have enough information to make an informed
decision and that I’ve looked into every possibility before forming my opinion.
Or you don’t. But either way – I think people should at the very least try to
give someone the benefit of the doubt. Instead of kicking him when he’s down,
try wishing AJ the best of luck in attempting to get his life back in order.