The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), working with the office of the Attorney General of New Jersey and its New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, has come up with new regulations to reduce trash talk during high school sporting events.
While the new regulations are in accord with New Jersey’s anti-bullying laws, there is one subject not covered by the new policy – Your Mother.
The new rules that will make it clear that harassing conduct related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion is unsportsmanlike and will not be tolerated at high school events – but this does nothing to protect the reputation of – Your Mom.
The new rules — which apply to all public, parochial, and private school members of the NJSIAA –will also require officials to report this conduct to the NJSIAA, which may investigate the incident and will, in turn, notify the state. If such comments are heard, officials can immediately assess penalties.
Your mother, your mom, your mama, your momma, insults are globally offensive and play on the widespread affection most people hold for their mother, mom, mama, or momma. In the Western world, many people ascribe the first documented “yo mama” insult in literature to Shakespeare’s play Titus Andronicus where the character Aaron taunts the sons of his lover:
Demetrius: “Villain, what hast thou done?”
Aaron: “That which thou canst not undo.”
Chiron: “Thou hast undone our mother.”
Aaron: “Villain, I have done thy mother.”
Some researchers will point back over 3,500 years to the ancient Babylonians where an unanswered riddle was etched in stone – apparently an insult to one’s mother.
The goal of the NJSIAA is a noble attempt to protect students from the meatheads who resort to attacking opponents because of their race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. But, what about your momma….
Links:
http://theoaklandjournal.com/oaklandnj/is-your-kid-an-asshole/