Like most Americans, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and relief this morning when I heard on the radio that the feud between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant was over.

Shaquille O'Neal, of course, is an extremely popular actor and musician. If you've seen Shaquille O'Neal act, or heard him express his musical gifts, then you know that the man is art personified. It's a shame... in fact, it's a crime... that someone with his passion and virtuosity has had to support himself by selling things like hamburgers, candy-bars, cola, video games, shoes, and toys. I mean, why does the National Endowment for the Arts even exist if not to promote the artistic expression of visionaries like Shaquille O'Neal? Answer me that, Mr. big-shot congress guy.

Kobe Bryant, of course, is an extremely popular accused rapist.

I'm sure you can relate... and sympathize... when I say that the feud between O'Neal and Bryant had gone on for so long that I no longer even remembered what it was about. I just wanted it to be over. Every night I'd go to bed and pray for a peaceful resolution to this conflict. Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't there be peace between our country's most talented artist and most beloved accused rapist?

I did a little checking into it... because, like I said, I couldn't remember why they'd been feuding to begin with... and I learned some things:

Apparently, both Kobe and Shaquille are or have been involved to some degree with professional sports. I think that, specifically, they've each had some connection to basketball. The disagreement may have stemmed from some sort of athletic competition. Isn't that amazing? As hard as it is to believe, this feud... which had torn our world apart for so long... was resolved on a basketball court.

Peace was finally attained yesterday, when Shaquille approached Kobe as a friend. That's no surprise, considering Shaquille's famous knack for decorum. Peace was reached... peace in our time... and on Martin Luther King day. There is a connection there, as well.

On the way home from work, I heard Kobe interviewed on the radio. I don't mind telling you that I was stirred beyond words when he expressed his concern that the bad blood between him and Shaquille might have negatively affected the many "African American yoofs" who idolize them.

I wasn't sure what a yoof was, so I looked into it and that's when I realized the connection between Kobe, Shaquille, and Martin Luther King.

As Kobe said:

"...this being MLK Day, it's good for all the African-American youths (yoofs, as he pronounced it) out there who idolize us and look up to us to see that as being mature and putting everything behind us."

I'm fighting back tears, here.

And with that, we finally have the peace we've longed for. Remember, it was Martin Luther King himself who said "If I have a legacy... if I am to be remembered for anything... it's the hard work and countless hours I've dedicated to promoting peace between shoe-salesmen and accused rapists. The 'yoofs' of America, after all, need the best role-models they can get."