Last year, I didn’t get to see any of the bowls but have watched at least part of each this year. Some of the broadcasts show the trophy awarded the winning team. Most are quite beautiful and creative.
But then I saw the trophy for the Armed Forces Bowl. The image here is of the 2010 bowl, but this year’s version shown on the broadcast looks exactly the same.
Have you ever seen an uglier or more depressing trophy? Notice how it reflects virtually no light at all. Appropriate, don’t you think, for an organization that offers not enlightenment and life but darkness and death?
But it does reflect the demonic values of the death cult it honors. Notice the sickly, grey tones reminiscent of a rotting corpse. The marble like finish brings to mind rows and rows of grave markers and the stout structural stones used to build state temples and war monuments honoring human sacrifice.
Trophies are meant to be an artistic celebration of some positive, human achievement. The “artist” who created this monstrosity seems hell bent on inspiring all the fun and merriment of a mournful wake.
Mission accomplished!
Its plain, monochrome appearance closely resembles the grave stone the military sent for my late father (a WWII draftee). All it said was “First name, Last name- US Army.” As if that was the only worthwhile thing he ever did (even though he, mercifully, was only a member for about a year) and that they not only owned him in life but for all eternity.
I now respond in voice and print to such nonsense with a quick, concise comment that the boobeoisie will understand. I believe it an appropriate, vulgar response to such an obscene institution that is destroying such a beautiful game:
Fuck war.
Play ball.
Those who eschew such language may prefer:
Forget war.
Play ball.
Use either if you, like me, are repulsed, annoyed and no longer willing to tolerate such harassment and willful destruction of such an entertaining game- for both the participants and the audience. The state sticks its bloody nose in nearly every human activity in order to steal, kill, control or propagandize. Sports is certainly one activity where this unwelcome visitor needs to be evicted.
