Response essay #6 of “Who Killed Benny Paret?” by Norman Cousins

(This was based on article written about a fallen prize fighter. It's a pretty sad story. I hope that my response gives a perspective to make you think deeper than you had before. I know I did after reading the article.)

Millions of people worldwide take part as spectators to the sport of prize fighting: better known as boxing. In 1962 two men stepped into the ring and only one walked out. Millions of television viewers watched as Benny Paret was brutally beaten into a coma of which he later died. Norman Cousins, a journalist at the time, wrote his essay “Who killed Benny Paret?” In his scathing rebuke of the sport, he recorded the testimony from a fight promoter. That promoter, Mike Jacobs, tells that the secret of putting on a good fight is to put killers in the ring- that’s what the people want. Mr. Cousins’ explanation of the delicacy of the brain and the destruction caused by human fist pounding on it commands much attention. Quite naturally an investigation was conducted to find out what the cause of Benny Paret’s death. Was it the manager’s, referee’s, or the exam doctor’s fault for negligence in some way or another? Mr. Cousins espouses that those questions are futile and places the blame elsewhere. He blames the millions who flock to see the blood, violence and the all important knockout blow.

As many did who went before Norman Cousins to rid the world of violence-made-sport, they wrote papers to persuade people to their point of view. St. Augustine wrote centuries ago about the Roman games. I applaud these men for their efforts for many reasons. The brutality of boxing and other prize sports do not encourage growth in our human existence. The proof is in the pudding however. The desire that is in all of us to see violence shows that we are not getting better. I believe that if societies will not be shamed by Mr. Cousin’s accusations things far worse than watching prize fighting will be written about. Just how far can reality television go? The movies that make millions of dollars at the box office are not the “tea party” types. American Idol is not as popular as it is because we want to hear bad singers. We like it when Simon insults the hopeless and the hopeful. I am very sympathetic to Cousins cry. However, I disagree with his measures. The thirst to see blood, foolishness to make a career out of getting your brains beaten out, or being sleazy enough to make money off of it are issues of the heart that should not be dealt with from a state house or federal building. St. Augustine wrote about his transformation from within that came from God giving him the desire to no longer frequent the coliseums. Jonathan Edwards wrote of how taverns went out of business for want of patrons. It is my belief that the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ causes such transformations. I understand that my convictions are not held by everyone who has had a change in their life. Yet how often is that change helped by government controls? Mr. Cousins desired to protect young men from a blood thirsty crowd, but would he want them saved them from their own foolishness?