Athletes protest at Pan Am games

[BigBoxaJunk]

I remember when the Pan Am games were held in Indy. Bob & Tom enlisted (then) relatively unknown comic George Lopez to hang out in the studio and do the kind of humor that would probably not go over that well these days.

 

[actaeon277]

Think about what you just posted, in the context of the United States, and international competitions (specifically the Olympics) and tell me if you still believe what you wrote, or would like to amend it.

If you think America is awful, you probably shouldn't want to represent it.

 

[Jludo]

If you think America is awful, you probably shouldn't want to represent it.

You should go about changing what you dont like about it in another fashion?

 

[printcraft]

Vote... Or you know, move. Plenty of other paradises in the world.

 

[jamil]

If you're only gonna get 15 minutes, make it count.

ETA:

It sounds like he was listing all the bad things he was frustrated with - racism, mistreatment, gun control. I'm frustrated by those things, too.

Everyone gets to prioritize the problems they're most frustrated with. Racism, mistreatment, gun control aren't the biggest issues facing the nation, IMHO. If this deluded nitwit wants to waste his moment in the spotlight like that, okay.

 

[jamil]

Have to bring attention to the fact that there are pan am games.

Well. He did that. If it hadn't become news I'd have never known.

 

[jamil]

You should go about changing what you dont like about it in another fashion?

Yeah, but not with activism. That'd be retarded.

 

[Sigblitz]

Well, I'm a professional. That dude's an amateur.

But, he did his job. He won. He earned the right to stand on that dais and do whatever with that time that he wanted.

You hire someone, they do the job successfully for you, after the job is done they can say whatever they want about you. (Slander laws notwithstanding.)

Point being, let's assume his was actually articulate and WAS expression frustration with actual gun control laws. That is, he's actually a proponent of less gun control.

Wouldn't we all welcome that kind of protest?

Denny

 

[actaeon277]

Change by voting. Change by being an example. Change by getting the word out. BUT, ON YOUR OWN TIME.

 

[Jludo]

Change by voting. Change by being an example. Change by getting the word out. BUT, ON YOUR OWN TIME.

It's a stupid sporting event, who's time are they wasting? They aren't drawing dicks in the sky with multimillion dollar f22s.

 

[actaeon277]

It's a stupid sporting event, who's time are they wasting? They aren't drawing dicks in the sky with multimillion dollar f22s.

Pretty sure those pilots were disciplined.

 

[JettaKnight]

Pretty sure those pilots were disciplined.

Sadly, they were. And they were EA-18s.

 

[Jludo]

I was going by memory but an f35 was the story I saw.
Main point is kneeling at the pan am games isn't taking anything away from you, dont pretend they're somehow squandering your hard earned money.

 

[jamil]

I was going by memory but an f35 was the story I saw.
Main point is kneeling at the pan am games isn't taking anything away from you, dont pretend they're somehow squandering your hard earned money.

Yeah, but don’t you think that’s a bit over-characterizing what he said? Whose time is it that he said was being wasted. I took it as, collectively, he’s not representing the people who sent him there. He’s airing personal grievances on their time.

 

[jamil]

Sadly, they were. And they were EA-18s.

Hey. What’s wrong with a giant dic-pic in the sky on America’s dime, eh?

 

[Jludo]

Yeah, but don’t you think that’s a bit over-characterizing what he said? Whose time is it that he said was being wasted. I took it as, collectively, he’s not representing the people who sent him there. He’s airing personal grievances on their time.

So if an athlete makes the podium, that's ours, as Americans, collective time to bask in our american glory for having gotten him where he is? For having given him the opportunity to do what he did?
No, it's a dumb sporting event, we shouldn't care one way or another. But we certainly shouldn't pretend we're somehow owed his respect or that it's taking anything away from us in raising those issues.


Itd be like an athlete pointing up to thank God for making the podium at the Olympics and people complaining this is a secular country and he shouldn't be using 'our collective time' to air personal beliefs.

 

[JettaKnight]

Itd be like an athlete pointing up to thank God for making the podium at the Olympics and people complaining this is a secular country and he shouldn't be using 'our collective time' to air personal beliefs.

No, no it wouldn't.

I'll argue the "index finger to God" is a thank-you for providing skills and ability to win. I.e. something directly correlating to the event.
Another similar thing would be to protest because of a ****ty call (e.g. 2019 Canadian Grand Prix), or an overt problem (e.g. women's vs men's pay). Both of which may not be truly acceptable, but at least understandable within context.


This is a case where the athlete uses the platform to protest something that has absolutely nothing to do with himself* (looks like an upper-middle class ginger), the event (fencing: an elitist sport), or even sports in general.

Plus, it's another situation where we can't seem to set politics on the side.

Furthermore, it's the Pan Am games, meaning there's athletes that have far, far worse problems at home. It's almost a "1st world problems" level of callousness.


It's just plain uncouth. It's not about "collective time", it's about how to act in a professional and respective manner. And that means not using an award ceremony to espouse your political views.


Thank you mother, thank God, or even thank pizza for getting you there, but don't use it as a platform to tell others that the US must conform to your political ideology.


* Maybe he thinks racism applies to him because his first name is "Race". WTF names a kid "Race"?

 

[Kutnupe14]

No, no it wouldn't.

I'll argue the "index finger to God" is a thank-you for providing skills and ability to win. I.e. something directly correlating to the event.
Another similar thing would be to protest because of a ****ty call (e.g. 2019 Canadian Grand Prix), or an overt problem (e.g. women's vs men's pay). Both of which may not be truly acceptable, but at least understandable within context.


This is a case where the athlete uses the platform to protest something that has absolutely nothing to do with himself* (looks like an upper-middle class ginger), the event (fencing: an elitist sport), or even sports in general.

Plus, it's another situation where we can't seem to set politics on the side.

Furthermore, it's the Pan Am games, meaning there's athletes that have far, far worse problems at home. It's almost a "1st world problems" level of callousness.


It's just plain uncouth. It's not about "collective time", it's about how to act in a professional and respective manner. And that means not using an award ceremony to espouse your political views.


Thank you mother, thank God, or even thank pizza for getting you there, but don't use it as a platform to tell others that the US must conform to your political ideology.


* Maybe he thinks racism applies to him because his first name is "Race". WTF names a kid "Race"?

How should an atheist view that display? It's still the airing of one's personal beliefs, done so purposefully, and with the intent to make public spectacle. Ultimately, I don't see the difference.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

How should an atheist view that display? It's still the airing of one's personal beliefs, done so purposefully, and with the intent to make public spectacle. Ultimately, I don't see the difference.

No differently than anyone would view someone saying, "Thank my lucky stars." I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that finds something so innocuous as that "offensive". Atheists (some, certainly not all, probably not even most) seem to be easily upset though.

 

[JettaKnight]

How should an atheist view that display? It's still the airing of one's personal beliefs, done so purposefully, and with the intent to make public spectacle. Ultimately, I don't see the difference.

It's a person giving credit to whatever helped them succeed in this endeavor (e.g. sport). I would assume that most atheist would infer, "I would like to credit [my belief in] God..."

Again, it's directly related to the competition. It's a big stretch to go from a a solitary thanks-giving to a, "look at me and let me lecture you about politics!" stunt.