Leave it to Charles Barkley to make a great point, even about a difficult subject like Greg Hardy.
We live in a world where second chances are supposed to be encouraged because not one of us is perfect, or in a position to pass the ultimate judgement.
Cases like Greg Hardy will test your patience and appreciation for a second chance in life, but Charles Barkley believes such a situation is needed.
Barkley channeled his inner journalist, penning this excellent and in-depth article for Bleacher Report on Hardy needing help, and guidance, not more punishment.
Here are a few of the excerpts.
I need to get this off my chest.
I don’t know Greg Hardy. I’m not sure I like Greg Hardy. And I’m damned sure I know I don’t want Greg Hardy dating my daughter. Let me be clear: Domestic violence is 100 percent wrong. In this case, Hardy went through the judicial system. We need to find a way to stop giving up on black men. We need to get Hardy psychological help, similar to how Brandon Marshall faced up to his particular issues.
Awesome first paragraph from Charles.
If something is wrong with Greg Hardy, simply discarding him without helping him does him a disservice, and sets him up to eventually put his hands on someone elses daughter or even worse.
Barkley wasn’t done there.
For people to start going crazy a year-and-a-half later, because they saw the pictures of Holder’s injuries after she was allegedly assaulted by Hardy; I’m disturbed by that. We all agree that the pictures were awful. What is supposed to happen next? If you say he can’t play football anymore, what happens to him?
I believe that there are way too many black men we’ve just thrown away. Between mandatory minimum sentences, overworked public defenders and a whole lot of other reasons, there are too many black men behind bars. And when they get out, they don’t have a chance—to get a job, to buy a house, to vote.
Barkley is spot on again. If Hardy wasn’t a millionaire, he’d probably be in jail, or continuing the cycle of violence and destruction among black men.
Whether it’s Greg Hardy, or the guy who snapped because he can’t find a job, discarding all of the troubled men will only land them in jail, a worse situation or possibly at your door trying to court your sister or daughter.