Rashard Mendenhall writes for Huffington Post

[tony hipchest]

right wing steelerfans will certainly hate him now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashar...usaolp00000003

Rashard Mendenhall.
Running back, Pittsburgh Steelers

Having an Open Mind

One of my favorite things to do is going to the bookstore. When I'm walking through a bookstore or a library, I feel like a kid at a candy factory!

Being around so many different books and so many different titles, you can feel the variety of great ideas coupled with beautiful experiences, just screaming out at you, begging for an attentive ear.

As I walk up and down the aisles, and through the walls of books, I wish that I could be that ear. I wish that I could spend time with all of these stories, because my main goal in life is to learn everything. I know that is not very realistic, however I genuinely enjoy learning and taking the time to understand the truest meaning of things. I put that same effort into trying to understand people. The people close to me, people I may come into contact with, and also people I've never met -- be they in different parts of the country or on the other side of the world. I earnestly try to understand everyone's story, none excluded.

I understand that I am just one man, and this is just my point of view, but I believe that we live in a very self-focused, self-promotional and -- I hate to say it -- narcissistic culture. Often times we are too interested in talking about ourselves, justifying ourselves and selling ourselves. We're interested in just about anything that has to do with us!

Granted, we should all be proud of who we are. When I talk to kids, a point that I emphasize is to understand who you are and be proud of it. Having knowledge of your history is key to a bright future. However I think our pride becomes a problem because our natural tendency is to side with people who think like us, act like us and agree with us. At the same time we push away people who disagree with us, challenge us, question what we believe, or just don't see things the way that we do. We often have the attitude that even if a person didn't grow up in the same neighborhood, with the same parents, and share the same religious and political background as me, they should see things exactly the way that I do because I'm right basically 95 percent of the time! It may sound ridiculous, but is our mentality really very far from that?

The problem with having such a closed mind is that nothing can ever get in! So in your own mind, where some of us never consider the possibility that we are wrong, you will actually remain correct most if not all of the time. But when we're not open to learning something new or hearing a different perspective, we can think one thing and actually be dangerously far off.

I believe that anyone who has ever drawn breath has at one point or another felt like they were misunderstood; or that people don't really fully and truly get who you are. I certainly know that I have been misunderstood. No one likes that feeling. And if at this time you can recall that feeling, you can probably remember it being a very lonely and empty place. Just maybe at that time, you wished that someone would stop for just a second, to try to see how you feel; that someone would just consider your point of view.

How often have we been on the other side of this? How often are we the ones too selfish and too focused on ourselves to empathize with someone who isn't us? I would bet that many of us have been in that spot in life more times than we would realize. It's in that state of thinking that we have trouble understanding the full scope of the issues that we face.

If we're being honest with ourselves, that alone can make you wonder, 'what else could we be wrong about'?

I appreciate you guys taking the time to read my thoughts, as I enjoy sharing them with you. An idea is a powerful thing. If we can continue to share in them, then the world will change. Lets make it for the better!

well done

[Fire Arians]

mendenhall's gonna get his voter ID application denied lol

[tanda10506]

Why would any right wing Steeler fans hate him over that? That wasn't political, nor did he say anything that should bother anybody. Maybe above the link you should have instead put "left wing moderator will jump to conclusions".

[maddog78]

And yet he blogs and has several links so we can "Get updates from Rashard Mendenhall"...

"I understand that I am just one man, and this is just my point of view, but I believe that we live in a very self-focused, self-promotional and -- I hate to say it -- narcissistic culture. Often times we are too interested in talking about ourselves, justifying ourselves and selling ourselves. We're interested in just about anything that has to do with us!"

[Vincent]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

right wing steelerfans will certainly hate him now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashar...usaolp00000003

well done

These "right wing Steeler fans" you speak of Tony, do they lurk in your closet or under your bed? Have you ever seen one?

Yeah, Rashard's cut out of different cloth. I have no idea how he survives in the violence and scrutiny of the NFL, but he seems to have retained who he is. Always liked the kid. Wish we'd open some holes for him.

He certainly has added some beef since coming out of high school...

[FrancoLambert]

It reads and sounds like he's smarter than 99% of all NFL players.
I hope he can regain his form and helps us out the rest of the way.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by FrancoLambert

It reads and sounds like he's smarter than 99% of all NFL players.
I hope he can regain his form and helps us out the rest of the way.

He's isn't smarter than me is.
Sincerely,
Dexter Manley

[Riddle_Of_Steel]

I understand that I am just one man, and this is just my point of view, but I believe that we live in a very self-focused, self-promotional and -- I hate to say it -- narcissistic culture. Often times we are too interested in talking about ourselves, justifying ourselves and selling ourselves. We're interested in just about anything that has to do with us!

A.K.A. the hip-hop subculture-- the most narcissistic, egocentric, presumptuous, "consequences-be-damned" youth movement ever. Pretty much any rap song equates to ME ME ME ME. My rides, my b1tches, my loot, my problems, my emotions, my feelings, my rides-- all superimposed over a software-generated drum track.

I listen to it from time to time as well as the next guy, but being completely serious-- rap doesn't teach kids to seek peaceful resolution to their problems or to try to find a common ground with others. It teaches kids to be angry, narcissistic, self-centered, chauvenistic, foul-mouthed thugs.

I cannot accept Mendy's previous comments about the Bin Laden killing (it was fully justified for the benefit of all civilized nations), but his thoughts above are something I can get behind.

[casteeler]

Originally Posted by tanda10506

Why would any right wing Steeler fans hate him over that? That wasn't political, nor did he say anything that should bother anybody. Maybe above the link you should have instead put "left wing moderator will jump to conclusions".

Ha,good call

[Bayz101]

Originally Posted by tanda10506

Why would any right wing Steeler fans hate him over that? That wasn't political, nor did he say anything that should bother anybody. Maybe above the link you should have instead put "left wing moderator will jump to conclusions".

"The Huffington Post was launched on May 9, 2005, and is known as a left-leaning commentary outlet, but Arianna Huffington has stated that its goal is to go beyond the traditional liberal/left and conservative/right divide in American politics and news media."

That's what Tony was trying to point out, nothing more. I see nothing leftist in his column, but the company he's writing for has a leftist reputation.