Steroid Scorn

In January 2004, the President mentioned steroid abuse in professional sports during the State of the Union. Many pundits and talking heads ridiculed the President for it. They said he was distracting the public's attention from larger issues. They said mentioning steroids and baseball in the State of the Union was un-presidential. They were wrong.

The President has made steroid abuse the biggest issue in sports (off the field). The attention forced professional sports to address the issue. Aside from localized harm to specific individuals, the risks of steroid abuse are not confined to professional athletes. The danger is the model set forth for younger generations, for millions of youth who dream of pro-sports as a career. The perils of drug use must be clearly delineated by the government. Athletes must be held accountable for their actions (as must any other citizen). Their prosperity is derived from the public. Baseball is given special tax-exemption because it is recognized as essentially a public good, as culturally significant. By presenting clear opposition to drug abuse in an arena of entrenched apathy, the President has started a progression which will benefit sports and our entire culture.

Postscript: Happy New Year to All!