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Feb. 10, 2020
Celebration or condemnation rievi
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Ben McHenry
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e r a t sh ts a p sh t a ai st the r a d a ic at the wa e ter i ra d rida arch Photo used with permission of Tribune News Service.
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mchenben000@hsestudents.org
obe Bryant, former NBA all-star, passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers on Jan. 25. Bryant’s untimely passing has rocked the NBA community and much of the world, as he was one of the premier players for those growing up in the 2000s and 2010s. “As soon as I became an NBA fan, the first player I remember watching was Kobe,” senior Reece Boland said. “Him and basketball were so intertwined, and that’s why his passing hit me so hard, because he was a big part of my childhood and basketball as a whole.” Bryant spent all 20 seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, amassing five championships, 1 all star selections, one regular season M.V.P. Award and two NBA Finals M.V.P. Awards. Soon after the news broke of his passing, disbelief and support poured in across social media from fans and players alike. For many of the NBA’s younger players, Bryant was their idol. The day Bryant passed, Lakers guard Quinn Cook was mourning outside of the Staples Center, the Lakers’ stadium, with his Bryant jersey. However, along with the outpouring of positive messages came many negative ones, revolving largely around Bryant’s 2003 sexual assault case. Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old female desk clerk at a hotel in Colorado, yet the case was dropped when the woman was unwilling to testify. A lawsuit later brought against Bryant by the woman was settled out of court, and Bryant issued an apology saying that he understood the woman did not see it as a consensual encounter. omedian ri Shaffir tweeted that “Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today,” on account of his sexual assault case, and was soon after dropped by his talent agency. After receiving
backlash online, he made an Instagram post stating that it was a joke, writing “as a response to all the outpouring of sympathy on social media, I post something vile. It’s just a joke.” He also stated that he was “quite sad” about his passing. According to Pathways, many people use humor as a means of coping with loss, but this humor may offend others, as it can be difficult to understand who is joking as a coping mechanism and who is trolling through the internet. “Personally, I think people joking should just be quiet, even if they are doing it to cope,” junior Ryan Moore said. “I understand that you might be using it to get over something, but with so many people affected and with his family being so affected, I think it’s ust disrespectful.” The conflict between those grieving and joking has raised questions about how mourning is handled in the social media age, and whether those who have already grieved or who are not affected should interact with those who are. “It is normal and expected that individuals with controversial pasts such as Bryant’s will still garner sadness and mourning,” school counselor Natalie Ridings said. “One thing that I feel strongly will not help individuals who may be mourning Kobe’s passing or those impacted by his controversial past is making jokes or light of the situation.” Concerns were raised on Twitter as to how sexual assault victims may feel about Bryant being celebrated, as it could potentially be triggering. According to Metro UK, concerns of this nature are common whenever a controversial figure passes, but this does not mean one is not allowed to grieve. The same Metro article mentioned that it is important to understand that the passing will trigger different feelings and reactions for everyone, and that arguing over these reactions does little to help anyone heal, and will likely exacerbate any negative feelings. “With the internet, it is easy to voice your opinion quickly and without thinking,” Boland said. “You have to keep in mind that you are still dealing with other people, and you still need to be respectful of how others are feeling in a sad time.”
