People are saying Shaq's recent Instagram post of Michigan man Jahmel Binion which mocked Binion's selfie was cruel and offensive. They are right. People are also saying his apology was lame and not nearly good enough to absolve him of this incredible sensitivity. They are so right. Should bullying and taunting be accepted, ever, much less when being done by a celebrity with so much influence and power?
Last week NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal went on Instagram and posted a picture of himself side by side with 23 year-old Madison Heights Michigan native Jahmel Binion, mocking his pose. Binion, who has ectodermal dysplasia, has been teased all his life. But when Shaq and several others made the joke for all the world to see, Binion spoke up about it (via New York Post):
"I've been getting teased since I was yay (sic) tall. People laugh at me, stare at me...I was kind of hurt because I've always looked up to him. I've watched Shaq play basketball since I was (inaudible), so I was like, why are you making fun of me? He is supposed to be this role model."
After realizing that no one else was laughing (except for a few other bone-headed public figures) Shaq reached out to apologize, but most say it was too little too late (via New York Post):
"Mary Fete, executive director for the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasia, posted an open letter to O'Neal on the organization's Web site Monday, calling his online behavior 'especially reprehensible.' It's time for Shaquille O'Neal to man up. He must admit publicly that he acted worse than a middle-school miscreant."
What do you think? Is Shaq just trying to cover his own butt? Is his apology lamer than his free-throw shooting? Should he contribute to Binion's fledgling Hug Don't Judge campaign?
Let us know in the comments below.
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