I'm concerned about the dangers of bringing American-style wrestling to Norwich. Violence is increasing both in Norwich and the country yet this has always been one of the most peaceful cities. Surely we should do our best to keep it so. The young are deeply impressed and influenced by "sports" such as American wrestling.
W.D. GILES, SOUTH HILL ROAD, NORWICH.
JULIAN'S RESPONSE (The one that will hopefully be printed)
As someone who has watched, followed and written about many aspects of the professional wrestling industry for a number of years now, I was intrigued by W.D. Giles' letter the other day in the Eastern Evening News.
W.D. GILES, SOUTH HILL ROAD, NORWICH.
JULIAN'S RESPONSE (The one that will hopefully be printed)
As someone who has watched, followed and written about many aspects of the professional wrestling industry for a number of years now, I was intrigued by W.D. Giles' letter the other day in the Eastern Evening News.
Mr. (or Miss) Giles seems to be under the impression that by bringing American-style wrestling to Norwich, the city itself would become a more violent place. I was wondering how Mr. Giles came to this conclusion.
Almost every wrestling event and television programme preaches to us that the in-ring action is staged, and that the storylines are scripted. The phrase "please don't try this at home" is heard everywhere.
Apart from a few isolated instances in the US, it has not been proven that professional wrestling corrupts people. When I attend a wrestling event, or watch a wrestling show on television, I am not tempted to perform the moves I have just
seen. I amentertained, as are billions of other people of all ages all around the world.
Yet it seems that many people are willing to blame all of the world's problems on professional wrestling.
Wrestling today is nothing more than, to quote Vince McMahon, the chairman of the World Wrestling Federation, "sports entertainment". It is a big industry, and actually more popular than baseball in the US at the moment. In the UK, WWF shows are the second most watched shows on Sky Sports, the most watched being football.
By saying that wrestling should be banned in Norwich is ludicrous. And has Mr. Giles forgotten, that wrestling has been staged in the city for decades?
I would be grateful if you could publish my e-mail address - TWOSHEDS316@aol.com, because I am eager to hear what other people think of Mr. Giles' comments.
JULIAN'S RESPONSE (The things I would like to really say!)
It's this kind of thinking that, to be honest, really pisses me off. We get people like this, who have probably never even watched American-style wrestling, who have heard a couple of stories about wrestling-related deaths, which are few and far between thankfully, who then begin to blame the sport we love for everything that is going wrong with the world.
Did pro wrestling inspire Saddam to invade Kuwait? Did it inspire David Koresh to start that cult of his? You know the answers people.
I've read with interest the campaign of the Parents Television Council in America against the WWF. Now it seems, similiar thinking has crossed the pond.
I know this may sound daft to quote a Simpsons character, but do you remember the episode where Marge campaigned against cartoon violence. Roger Meyers replied that there had been violence long before cartoons, and there will be violence long after.
Watching wrestling does not inspire me to suddenly get up off my sofa and give my labrador a Stone Cold Stunner. We know it's all fake, and accept it. We watch it to be entertained.
Wrestling is not to blame for all the violence in the world. The sooner people realise this the better. And if TSC writer David Southwell, who has written about wrestling censorship in these very pages in the past, I would be very interested to hear what you have to say on the matter.
Almost every wrestling event and television programme preaches to us that the in-ring action is staged, and that the storylines are scripted. The phrase "please don't try this at home" is heard everywhere.
Apart from a few isolated instances in the US, it has not been proven that professional wrestling corrupts people. When I attend a wrestling event, or watch a wrestling show on television, I am not tempted to perform the moves I have just
seen. I amentertained, as are billions of other people of all ages all around the world.
Yet it seems that many people are willing to blame all of the world's problems on professional wrestling.
Wrestling today is nothing more than, to quote Vince McMahon, the chairman of the World Wrestling Federation, "sports entertainment". It is a big industry, and actually more popular than baseball in the US at the moment. In the UK, WWF shows are the second most watched shows on Sky Sports, the most watched being football.
By saying that wrestling should be banned in Norwich is ludicrous. And has Mr. Giles forgotten, that wrestling has been staged in the city for decades?
I would be grateful if you could publish my e-mail address - TWOSHEDS316@aol.com, because I am eager to hear what other people think of Mr. Giles' comments.
JULIAN'S RESPONSE (The things I would like to really say!)
It's this kind of thinking that, to be honest, really pisses me off. We get people like this, who have probably never even watched American-style wrestling, who have heard a couple of stories about wrestling-related deaths, which are few and far between thankfully, who then begin to blame the sport we love for everything that is going wrong with the world.
Did pro wrestling inspire Saddam to invade Kuwait? Did it inspire David Koresh to start that cult of his? You know the answers people.
I've read with interest the campaign of the Parents Television Council in America against the WWF. Now it seems, similiar thinking has crossed the pond.
I know this may sound daft to quote a Simpsons character, but do you remember the episode where Marge campaigned against cartoon violence. Roger Meyers replied that there had been violence long before cartoons, and there will be violence long after.
Watching wrestling does not inspire me to suddenly get up off my sofa and give my labrador a Stone Cold Stunner. We know it's all fake, and accept it. We watch it to be entertained.
Wrestling is not to blame for all the violence in the world. The sooner people realise this the better. And if TSC writer David Southwell, who has written about wrestling censorship in these very pages in the past, I would be very interested to hear what you have to say on the matter.
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