Baseball as religion

Fay Afaf Kanafani, who represents the Arab viewpoint, sees the political use of games: "Ball games in the United States are where the American people hide from the disastrous wars that their leaders are throwing America in. For one thing, the players themselves are free from being recruited, and their fat incomes keep the commercials flying. For another, the TV screens grow larger, so the economy gets a little something to work with, until the bodies wrapped in banners begin to come back home. Then, movies playwrights get busy with their heroic deeds. All this brings glorious stories that fill the TV screens at home, where the people can keep their seats, watching".

Ronald Hilton - 10/21/02