Principal who suggested Kobe Bryant deserved to die apologizes

[Floyd R. Turbo]

A high school principal from Washington who suggested in a Facebook post that Kobe Bryant deserved to die the day he was killed in a helicopter crash issued an apology on Monday.

Camas High School Principal Liza Sejkora made the remarks in a since-deleted post on Jan. 26 — when Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others perished when the Lakers legend’s chopper went down in Calabasas, California.

“Not gonna lie. Seems to me that karma caught up with a rapist today,” Sejkora wrote.

In a written statement Monday, Sejkora called her words “inappropriate and tasteless,” The Columbian newspaper reported Tuesday.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/principal-who-suggested-kobe-bryant-deserved-to-die-apologizes/

[bullwinkle428]

1. Yes, the 1st Amendment applies to all of us; but, seriously - a high school

principal saying something like this? I think she'll be lucky to keep this job.

[unblock]

2. and then some preachers make millions and get free airtime insisting 2 men kissing causes hurricanes

it can be infuriating what people are made to apologize for and what people are given free license to spew.

there are an awful lot of people, republican politicians and right-wing religious figures in particular, who insisted that aids victims got what they deserved, or that it's was god's punishment for the "sin" of homosexuality.


i've heard quite a lot about kobe lately, how great a sports figure he was. i don't think it's unreasonable to note that there was more to his life than basketball and that some of it wasn't all saintly perfection. i also get that some people don't like to hear about negative things right after someone dies.

but i don't think it's right at all to ignore this part of his past, either.

and i guarantee you, she wasn't made to apologize because her remarks were tasteless (though they were; overly glib). she was made to apologize because hero-worshipping sports fans delicate brains can't handle the concept that a sports here might have done something sh*tty or even criminal off the court, and rather than try to process the notion that people are complicated, they'd rather simply shut out the negative information entirely.

they want to blot out his victim and that part of his legacy entirely.

and *that* is what is truly inappropriate and tasteless.

[Caliman73]

5. words matter though.

I am sure she would still have gotten backlash whatever she said that wasn't fawning, but there is a vast difference between what you said and what she said.

Kobe Bryant was beloved by many fans, and you are right, they do not want to discuss the complexities of his legacy and the allegations that were made about sexually assaulting women. It always seems, "too soon" to discuss problematic things about sports legends or other famous men.

Thing is she did not post that. She said that Karma, which many of us in the US view to be a cycle of action and consequence, created that situation in which Bryant died. She basically said, Kobe Bryant is a rapist and he died as a result of that bad energy.

She could certainly have said something like, "I understand that people are sad that Bryant died and want to remember only the good things about him, but we also have to remember that there are people who said that he did horrible things to them and that is also part of his legacy. I am frustrated by all of the posts and stories that paint him as this heroic figure when he has this other dark part of his legacy that people are ignoring"

As for the Republicans and preachers. It is true. They are disgusting and should also apologize for the stupid things they say.

The woman took it upon herself to clarify her words and apologize because she realized that the way she expressed herself was not good. Republicans live by the mantra of never apologizing because they are scum.

[Demonaut]

3. seems the thread of vengeance runs strong in women, they have a different perspective than men

not all but many

[Caliman73]

7. I disagree.

Karma is not vengeance, it is consequence and some people see it as justice. The woman said in her own words, it was a visceral reaction, meaning that it came from a gut feeling prior to processing.

The reality is that at least 2 women accused Bryant of sexual assault and nothing came of those allegations when 1 did not want to testify and another settled and likely signed non-disclosure agreements, which looks like a lack of justice or consequence to many people.

Then he dies unexpectedly and all of this beatification comes out as part of the grief response and people who saw this other darker side of Bryant and his actions would likely be upset.

[jcgoldie]

4. I don't think what she posted to facebook was appropriate given her position but..

I do not believe saying "karma caught up with a rapist" is the same as saying someone "deserved to die."

[unblock]

6. i agree, people in america have a very simplistic and unserious view of karma

i won't pretend to fully understand the concept of karma myself, but i know enough to know there's more to it than "you get what you deserve", which is basically a simple, american way of folding a foreign concept into an american, mostly protestant ethos of justice and reward

to most americans, any mention of karma is glib and unserious, and if there's anything inappropriate about what this principal said, it's in the tone as a result.

[RhodeIslandOne]

8. For someone who is supposed to be a mentor to kids Kobe's daughters age....

....what a disturbing view.

It’s a signal she absolutely sucks as an administrator.

[Stuart G]

9. Somewhere down the line, she said it was a "personal reaction"...???

...Perhaps this person was raped, and had that reaction right away, and well........there was the internet..and ...well...she immediately spoke her opinion without thinking.

She should tell the entire story, (that is why she wrote that) and it becomes an example of "stupidity on the internet"...Stupidity on the internet is indeed a problem..Fast thinking and not waiting has cost a lot of jobs and worse..

...........If she really wanted to teach the students something, "She should tell why she wrote that, and why she posted that so quickly." That would make up for her totally stupid statement.