When I thought back upon it later the inability of John Rocker to keep the Sox from scoring, the pandemonium of the crowd when he was yanked, Rocker putting his head down in failure as he left the field it all seemed the stuff of WWF wrestling, a scripted moment of tension, failure, and the ensuing celebration of good triumphing over evil.

Indeed, when you think about it, the treatment of John Rocker by just about everyone provides an interesting commentary on our American social psychology. Because he has come across publicly as a backward, bigoted, homophobic, fascist jerk, John Rocker is, par excellance, a politically correct villain. Everyone is allowed--and even welcomed--to hate him (check out www.rockersucks.com if you don't believe me). And yet, as opposed to the WWF, where hating our enemies is a guiltless pleasure, Rockers villainy begs us pause. John Rocker may be a character, but he isn't playing one. He is a real--if often absurd--person, and yet we still guiltlessly revel in the cathartic pleasure of our very public scorn of him.

In a sense, of course, our treatment of Rocker is nothing unique. For years, we've watched the always predictable moralizing of talk show audiences, and we've reveled in the barked reprimands of that cadre of midday judges who clot the television airwaves. We like watching other people get criticized, and we love the chance to do it ourselves. Indeed, our treatment of Rocker is only an extension of all this. And yet, of course, there must be a line.

Among other things, Rocker has been beaned by a battery and spat on by fans, while New Yorkers, with whom he has a particularly loving relationship, have all but declared a city-wide jihad on him. Such actions step far over the line, and, if any thing, lead some misguided people to feel sorry for Rocker which make his actions seem understandable to them and, at times, even legitimate, which, of course, they clearly are not.

Sure, I booed John Rocker last summer; and, caught up in the moment, I loved booing John Rocker. It was fun, a lot of fun. But I wish him no ill will, and I surely don't hate him. If anything, I hate his beliefs. I'll spend my time attacking them, and treat John Rocker the way those people who propound such view beg to be treated. I'll ignore him.

John Paul Rollert '02 is social studies concentrator in Mather House. His column will appear on alternate Wednesdays.