In the Greater New Orleans area Steve Gleason is a household name and a hero. He is a household name because he played for the New Orleans Saints and made one of those plays which most people remember. It may have been one of the pivotal plays in the history of the Saints and in the history of the city (that’s saying a lot because this is a city with a lot of history!).

Steve Gleason is a hero because of how he is dealing with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) which is better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Steve is now confined to a wheel chair and communicates with his eyes to speak (through an electronic voice synthesizer) and compose emails. His struggle to live and function is an inspiration to thousands of people.

Steve Gleason pulled off one of the most electrifying plays in Saints history. Three games into the 2006 season, the Saints played the Atlanta Falcons to reopen the Superdome more than a year after Hurricane Katrina had flooded the city. At that point, the Superdome became the worst picture of the city.

Steve Gleason blocked a punt that night and the Saints won. Gleason’s play issued in “the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era in New Orleans” (Mike Bayham). That, of course, led to New Orleans’ first world championship.

So what is “rude, crude, and offensive” about all of this?

Monday morning three sports radio talk show hosts in Atlanta did a parody of Steve Gleason. It is so offensive to me that I do not wish to write about it. Their remarks were not off the cuff, anyone can say something dumb remarks. It was pre-planned and rehearsed. It resulted in the firing of the three.

They did a parody of Steve Gleason with his voice synthesizer speaking. They talked about his wishing to be “smothered” and indicating he would die within days. They laughed about all this.

Apparently, they believed this would be welcomed in Atlanta because of the rivalry between the Saints and the Falcons.

Our culture has coarsened and become degraded. “Edgy” in culture is cool and increases ratings. Thankfully, the management of the station saw that they had crossed a line.

Too bad we don’t see the lines a lot earlier; too bad we don’t think about the hurts of others and the effect that our “edginess” has on the next generation and society in general.

God tells us to “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4: 29-32).

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