We are all moral authorities these days, quick to render judgments on athletes’ unlawful behavior or misconduct.

One side of the sword is clear to all, whether it be an Oregon running back punching a Boise State player, or whatever the latest incident that headlines the 24-hour sports news cycle.

With cameras covering all angles, who can’t call a punch a punch? And who can’t call a punch a bad thing?

These are observations, though pundits seem to be truism experts, appealing to the lowest common denominator in our dumbed-down, media over-saturated society.

The depth of discourse is the critique here.

Can you accept the premise that football players are innately more violent and are encouraged to be so?

When the other side of the sword strikes, don’t pretend it’s blunt.
Clearly, it’s not just the athlete’s fault. There are myriad layers to consider: psychological and sociological.

Who are the parents? Who are the coaches? What is the culture?
Incidents reach the airwaves only after arriving at their final destination.

It has become un-American to take into consideration macro-level forces — for it soon becomes clear that we’re all at fault.

And that’s too much to stomach.