Violence in Sports

Unfortunately, violence has become a part of everyday life in our world. It can be witnessed in many forms and of different proportions in numerous situations. Never, under any circumstances is violence good. When one thinks of violence, thoughts may arise of war, people committing violent acts against others, domestic violence within families, and not to mention the abundance of television shows and movies that are packed with sadistic, yet entertaining violence of all sorts. Over the past couple of decades there has been an increased concern regarding the spread of violence throughout our realm and in our homes. However, one area in which violence has had such heavy influence is within sports. To analyze violence in sports, one must first determine what perpetuates violence in general. After a few class discussions and much thought there were many ideas as to what causes violence. If we knew what the cause, there would be no violence to begin with. The history of the earth has been a brutal and bloody struggle from the early days of humans. I feel this is rooted in the human instinct of competitiveness. The saying "survival of the fittest" has pertained to people thousands of years before Christ, to this very moment. Everyone is always out to do better than the next person, whether it is intentional or not. People tend to feel insulted or threatened when others do better than them in any aspect of life. As a result, this may lead to violence of all sorts.
It is a well known fact that violence is a major factor in all levels of today's sports. From hockey to bicycling, there isn't anyone who has not heard of an act of hostility erupt at a sporting event of some kind. It seems that the scene does not seem to be improving either. From the professionals, down to collegiate athletics, high school, and even youth programs, violence has made its mark in all sports and at every level. It is really no surprise to us when one tunes into the

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