June 27, 2007

Chris Benoit murders his family, kills himself

Over the better part of the last 15 years or so, Chris Benoit has been popular with fans of professional wrestling. Many consider him to be one of the greatest of all time. With the horrific discovery in his home on Monday, Chris Benoit's career is not just tainted, it is destroyed. Why?

Because Chris Benoit murdered a seven year old child.

World Wrestling Entertainment ran a tribute show to Benoit on Monday night. In hindsight, it was a bad move. Nonetheless, emotions were running high at the loss of a man who many considered a friend and who had great respect in the pro wrestling industry. But WWE must refrain from any further tributes to Benoit. No matter how much he meant to professional wrestling, honoring him at this point is unconscionable. Why?

Because Chris Benoit murdered a seven year old child.

Murdering a seven year old child is an act that is so evil it is difficult to comprehend. The fact that millions admired this man does not in any way mitigate what he did over the weekend. What is worse is that the child Benoit murdered was his own son. Imagine the last moments of that child's life, knowing that his father is killing him. Imagine not only the terror and the physical pain, but the unbearable emotional pain and mental anguish brought on by this betrayal. It is shocking and sickening.

Chris Benoit murdered a seven year old child.

The powers that be in World Wrestling Entertainment have to be feeling shame right now. The main storyline across WWE programming is the storyline "death" of WWE owner Vince McMahon. Much has been said about how terribly vulgar this storyline was, given the very real deaths of wrestlers such as Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero and others. The similarity of the "memorial" to the Mr. McMahon character and the memorials to Guerrero and Hart was nothing short of obscene.

Even the real-life death of former performer Sensational Sherri was not enough to shock WWE back to reality, but this did. Dropping the storyline is not enough, however. McMahon and everyone involved in the exploding limo storyline should apologize to fans and performers. As inexcusable as this storyline was, though, it pales in comparison to the grisly scene police found at the Benoit home.

Chris Benoit murdered a seven year old child. May he burn in Hell.