So when should the mourning stop and the healing begin? On a day that saw half as many Americans murdered as there were in a decade of fighting in the Vietnam War, where does sports come in?

After viewing the horrific pictures that we all have seen hundreds of times from hundreds of different angles, no longer does sports seem important. Favorite teams now seemed like a group of strangers. A home run chase seems to be just another statistic.

Reading about sports while fellow Americans are buried in rubble just seems wrong. I tried to read the sports page, but after five seconds I folded the section and tossed it away aimlessly.

Not even a commanding story that all but assured Michael Jordan?s return to basketball could bring me back. During times like these, sports rightfully steps to the side in favor of real news that impacts every American.

So let the days pass so we can mourn with respect.

Sports, to some Americans, are a part of the healing process. But it shouldn?t be the healing process.

Many people around the country are saying that we should play the games to send a message to the cowards responsible for this atrocity.

I don?t believe that whomever is responsible will be shacked up in some cave, lining up the rabbit ears to see if the Americans are playing their games. If anything, the message by not playing is: the Americans have dropped their games and picked up their arms.

Another ridiculous reason for playing being voiced is that we should play to honor the fallen or the games will help people get their minds off the tragedy. What?

Football and baseball games being played in New York City and Washington while smoke smolders in the background. People driving to the game passing by the disaster sites that still have fellow Americans buried.

Not patriotic. Not cool.

Then comes the issue of safety. Most games require air travel. What we forgot to ask during this debate was how the athletes involved feel. Never mind the messages to be sent and honoring the fallen. After all, athletes are humans too.

“I don?t want to go? it?s scary,” Sacramento State volleyball player Tasman Dwyer said about her to the Indiana Tournament. The event ended up being canceled late last week.

Thankfully, the Big Sky Conference as well as all college conferences came to their senses and canceled all contests for the weekend.

No soccer, no volleyball, and God forbid, no football. Looks like all you “patriots” are going to have to honor the victims with respect just like the rest of us. If an athlete does not feel safe in a plane right now then their feelings should be respected

The games should be made up at a later date and when they do we?ll be waiting for that moment that all events partake in ? the national anthem.

Sports are just a pebble when compared to the overall scheme of things, sports will be there, just give it some time for those who won?t be.