Too many people playing the blame game

   Brian Anderson
   Special to the Republic
   Sept. 17, 1998
   
   During previous visits with you this season, I've documented my daily
   routine, which starts with a big cup of coffee and a newspaper.
   
   Contrary to what some people might think, baseball players read more
   than the sports page. I've come across a few outrageous items that
   require commentary.
   
   The first thing I want to talk about is the lady who recently lost
   $75,000 through Internet gambling services, then turned around and
   sued, saying they shouldn't be allowed on the Internet.
   
   It's just another example of people refusing to take responsibility
   for their actions and blaming it on somebody or something else. I
   think she sued mainly because she couldn't pay her debt. I wonder if
   she would have sued if she had won $75,000 instead.
   
   Then there are the individuals from PETA, People for the Ethical
   Treatment of Animals.
   
   They are writing letters and have done some picketing against the
   makers of Wheaties because they had the audacity to put the winner of
   a national bass fishing tournament on the front of the box.
   
   They say that fishing is cruel and ask how people could glamorize it.
   
   These are people who have way too much time on their hands. The next
   thing you know, they'll be going after the company that makes animal
   crackers.
   
   What would have happened if they had lived back in the colonial era?
   They probably would have starved to death or had their tables full of
   yams, turnips, beets, rutabagas and stuff like that instead of fish
   and turkey.
   
   These also are the same people who want frog dissections taken out of
   school biology labs and want lab mice to quit being used for
   cancer-cure experiments when right down the street, babies are being
   killed in abortion clinics.
   
   I like animals, don't get me wrong, but it seems like they're often
   higher on the chart than people. Where are our priorities?
   
   The all-time classic is the woman who somehow convinced a judge to
   take her case and a jury to award her something like $2 million
   because she went through a McDonald's drive-through and spilled coffee
   in her lap.
   
   I guess that was McDonald's fault. Lady, I've got a news flash for
   you: Coffee is HOT. That's why they put it in Styrofoam cups. It seems
   as though we're going to have to start putting warnings on everything.
   What's McDonald's supposed to do, come out and stick a cup holder in
   every car?
   
   By the way, I'll keep you posted on my lawsuit against the company
   that made the iron that I stuck near my face and burned myself to see
   how hot it was.
   
   It was too hot.
   
   Diamondbacks left-hander Brian Anderson shares his comments each week
   in Baseball Extra.