Chris Kluwe: Here’s what’s wrong with Ayn Rand, libertarians

Sun, 23 Jun 2013 16:30:00 +0000

So I forced myself to read "Atlas Shrugged." Apparently I harbor masochistic tendencies; it was a long, hard slog, and by the end I felt as if Ayn Rand had violently beaten me about the head and shoulders with words. I feel I would be doing all of you a disservice (especially those who think Rand is really super-duper awesome) if I didn’t share some thoughts on this weighty tome.

Who is John Galt?

John Galt (as written in said novel) is a deeply flawed, sociopathic ideal of the perfect human. John Galt does not recognize the societal structure surrounding him that allows him to exist. John Galt, to be frank, is a turd.

However, John Galt is also very close to greatness. The only thing he is missing, the only thing Ayn Rand forgot to take into account when writing "Atlas Shrugged," is empathy.

John Galt talks about intelligence and education without discussing who will pay for the schools, who will teach the teachers. John Galt has no thought for his children, or their children, or what kind of world they will have to occupy when the mines run out and the streams dry up. John Galt expects an army to protect him but has no concern about how it’s funded or staffed. John Galt spends his time in a valley where no disasters occur, no accidents happen, and no real life takes place.

Chris Kluwe: “Necessary Roughness” gets locker room right

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 21:00:00 +0000

After watching the two episodes of "Necessary Roughness" dealing with a gay football player coming out, I was struck by how accurately the writers and producers of the show portrayed what the locker room would be like. Now, obviously this is a television show, and no gay player has come out yet. But the show managed to capture the very essence of an NFL locker room.

It's about choice.

It's about individual players choosing how they react to a teammate, and whether or not they let that affect how they play on the field. It's about choosing to talk to one another and understand, rather than relying on stereotypes and ignorance. It's about choosing to speak up when it would be easier to stay silent (and it's all too easy to stay silent and collect a paycheck). It's about rallying around one another and realizing that we go through the same miserable aches and pains and the grind of a season (yes, even us punters, we're people too) until finally you get a chance to rest and do it all over again. It's about choosing the men you bleed and sweat with, tell jokes with, tease and mock over everything because it's all fair game in the locker room — choosing the friendship and camaraderie over the anger and intolerance.

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Chris Kluwe: Here’s what’s wrong with Ayn Rand, libertarians

Chris Kluwe: “Necessary Roughness” gets locker room right