I was thrilled to read in the Blue Mountain Eagle that Grant County’s fair board has approved for the fair grounds the fun sport of cage fighting. With most of the previous matches ending in chokings, I have thought of another use for this gleeful activity. Perhaps it has some value as sport therapy. I’m sure it could be used to reduce the anxiety level of inmates in our mental wards for the criminally insane. Plus, it might even be useful in reducing overcrowding in those institutions.

I was also excited to learn that cage fighting and cock fighting go back to before the time of Jesus. Boy, that’s something. Since it’s the Easter season, I am reminded that crucifixions go back to the same period. Maybe crucifixions could be billed as a slower moving spectator sport for those of us who can’t handle the fast pace of cock and cage fighting.

Of course I am being facetious, but didn’t we start a new millennium in 2001? Shouldn’t we be moving forward rather than backward to a more barbaric time? After living in Grant County as a two-fisted, violent, tough guy until I was in my 40s, I reject anything like cage fighting that glorifies such violence. Being “a bad dude” may seem cool when you are young, but for me, it only led to a lifetime of trouble.

I really don’t think the fair board of our county should be OK’ing cage fighting. After all, any action that allows an injured young man to be choked to the point that he needs to be revived by medical technicians can hardly be called a sport.

Terry R. Steele

Ritter