Last night in the Lakers season opener we saw a new name in the line up, with the familiar, Ron Artest missing from the Laker roster. The Laker #15 jersey checked into the game and the back of the jersey read.... "Metta World Peace" who is the player formerly known as Ron Artest. That's right, Ron Artest has officially changed his name to "Metta"(first name) "World Peace"(last name). Of course, Ron Artest is always up to something but this may top all that he's done to date, but in a good way. Mr. World Peace changed his name to this to this in an effort to inspire and bring youth together around the world and platforming it through a professional sport with a franchise as massive as the Lakers is a pretty big stage to execute such. The word Metta means, loving kindness and friendliness toward others. What a wonderful gesture, despite what stigma has been put on NBA players. Its actually one of many things that NBA players do thats positive in our communities and sometimes world wide but don't make headlines. In fact Ron Artest himself has done plenty to give back and inspire in a positive manner such as auctioning off his Lakers championship ring to give to a children's charity. THose are the things that get little or no coverage but if he were to get into a fight, which is allowed in hockey by the way, or make a belligerent comment in a press conference, it would be blown up to be a bigger than life story. That's the reality of our culture though, to project the worst in a person or group of people and push the good things under the rug. Metta didn't do this for publicity for his names sake but that his name may spin off positivity! Reflective of 70's baller "World B Free", who also changed his birth name to a slogan of inspiration for that currently war stricken culture, Metta World Peace will do what Ron set out for it to do.......GOOD!
No comments:
Post a Comment