Scrabble & Cockfighting

From The Phoenix New Times, Oct 8-14, 1998:

	...Working the crowd is Citizens Against Cockfighting campaign
manager Jamie Massey, who's worked for nine years to outlaw the sport
in Arizona.  Massey says he's been to one cockfight in his life.
	"The crowd was terrifying," he says.  "Just the absolute glee
and the expression on their faces when a bird scored a hit.  That's
what I despise about cockfighting:  the mentality it represents.
My idea of nice competition is a game of Scrabble.  I don't understand
people who like to gamble on a fight to the death, and I don't think
they should be allowed to do it."
	"Cockfighting brings out the worst side of human nature, the
barbaric side."


And my subsequent response, printed in the October 22 issue.

As the #1 ranked Scrabble player in Arizona, I feel forced to
respond to Jamie Massey's flip comments [NT 10/8/98, p31]
dismissing Scrabble as a genteel alternative to cockfighting.
At least on this end, there is no vicarious avian schadenfreude.
The emotional and intellectual blood spilt on the board is ours,
and it's real baby.  A steel blade in the head would seem like
an old friend compared to the horror of a naked Q pasted to
your rack while your opponent inflicts death by a thousand cuts. 

Jim Geary
Glendale, Arizona


Outstanding letter!! -LS

That'll teach HIM! - Kathy N

very nice. however, next time, just to suck up to the NSA, 
capitalize SCRABBLE and they will love you even more. - sasj

Hi, JG. I don't know how many non-Arizonan Scrabble players have been to a
cockfight (I didn't know it was legal in non-'3rd World' counties), but I
have, in Indonesia. I can tell you one big difference bw cockfighting and
Scrabble. In cockfighting, whether you bet on the winner or loser, you
still get to eat the freshest chicken money can buy. - DKStone

Wait there's more:

       I view Jim Geary's "Fowl Play" letter (October 22) as absolutely
       absurd, and typical of the total lack of intelligence and sensitivity
       of cockfighting proponents. To even compare a game with vicious
       cockfighting is ridiculous.

       Donna Worthington
       Mesa

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