I had planned on writing about this video, spouting off about the trend to ask major questions of another on the stage of a major sporting event. I had planned, but it seems, according to Sports Illustrated, it was a hoax, and there's no reason to get my shorts all twisted.
But I'm going to twist them anyway. The fact that it's a hoax adds to my reasons to do so. I watched the video, and immediately disagreed with Megan's "You'd think she'd say yes, and then tell him later . .". Listen, the guy's a jerk, and that's putting it mildly. If this were real, and it certainly seemed so to me, she could have done as Megan suggests. If she had wanted to say yes, the proper reply would have been "Let's discuss this later."
Any man who would propose marriage on center court is either drunk, stupid, uncaring about her feelings, or some combination of all these. Marriage is, or should be, entered into with a certain level of awe, because you are anticipating having this other as a life partner. Such a momentous decision isn't to be approached as a publicity stunt.
Let me briefly discuss the idea that she should have accepted the ring, and later returned it in a more private setting. That's just not acceptable for me. He chose the public setting, and should receive a public reply. There is no reason to spare his feelings, soften the impact of the rejection, or give him the benefit of even a few minutes of feeling that he had done something right. Paraphrasing, live by the publicity stunt, die by the publicity stunt.
But it is all a hoax. Good fun. Right? No, absolutely not. Well, perhaps if the stadium announcer told the audience immediately after the act that it was an act, played as a joke by these two individuals, and it's probably necessary to tell the audience the names of the actors. But, that didn't happen. Therefore, some other jerk is going to think it's a great idea to propose to his girl in a grand, public manner. This madness is perpetuated.
And lastly, team, or perhaps stadium, management shows an appalling disregard for gender discrimination on display here. The girl is a second class person in this scenario. There's little appreciation for her sensitivities. Instead, she is placed in a losing position. There's a chance she knows what's coming, and has agreed to it beforehand, but to me, that is as bad. She is a ploy in a publicity stunt either way, and using her in such a way is, I believe, degrading to all women.
I was gullible enough to believe it was real. When I discovered it was a hoax, I felt foolish, and a little angry. And now I've let my feelings out, and feel better for it.
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