Does the NHL tolerate homophobia?
I'm a hockey fan. A big one. I could go on and on about why I think my Buffalo Sabres could make a run this year, but I'll skip that for now.
When I was a kid, several Sabres were my favorite people on planet Earth. Cooler than the Power Rangers. Dominik Hasek. Michael Peca. Rob Ray. I followed their every move and watched every game I could. I can honestly say I looked up to them.
Earlier this week, Philadelphia Flyers player Wayne Simmonds called New York Rangers forward and marriage equality advocate Sean Avery a "f-cking faggot."
Now, when Lakers player Kobe Bryant did this a few months ago, the NBA swiftly verbally disciplined him and handed him a $100,000 fine. Kobe apologized. A model of a mistake and a correction.
This case? The NHL comes up with a lame excuse about how it wasn't verified by the refs and Simmonds glosses over what he did. Thing is, video can be found below:
Unless he was using a different language, it's clear evidence of what he said.
Not acceptable, NHL.
You can also tweet:
RT @couragecampaign Fight homophobia in sports! Tell @NHL to discipline Wayne Simmonds. Sign here: bit.ly/pOD4AP
This stuff matters. Why? Google Wayne Simmonds and you'll see this is on ESPN, USA Today, Huffington Post. There are kids watching who don't think calling someone "faggot" matters. There are parents watching who think it's no big deal for their kids to use that kind of language. Culture and sports set a tone. ESPN's Johnette Howard gets it right in this piece looking at the history here. The NBA set the bar. The NHL isn't living up to it. For all the impact of "It Gets Better" videos, it would be nice to start with the source of the bullying and get it right from the start, wouldn't it?
Cross-posted at Courage Campaign Institute's Prop8TrialTracker.com
The video didn't load for me.
Simmonds is black. As you certainly know, not a lot of brothers in the NHL. Simmonds has endured racial slurs, and just a few days ago a fan threw a banana peel (in CANADA) at him on the ice. Serioulsy.
But let's be honest here, too. The majority of blacks and Hispanics as groups are against gay rights. They were key in Prop 8 in California. It's the Jesus thing. (Funny how with athletes gay is so wrong, but fathering multiple children out of wedlock...I digress.)
So, this could be an outburst of frustration, or true thoughts.
Either way it's wrong and the NHL should act appropriately. But it probably won't.
I've seen some stuff, man. And some thangs...
...
Ignorance is parent to religion.
Religion is parent to Hate.
Remembering Matthew Shepard:
http://vimeo.com/fuksnickityClam/matthew
Hockey Players say all kinds of shit to one another.
Ever play? This was pretty light stuff.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
A Hispanic or Jewish slur?
I don't know, seems to me if it would get a policeman fired or at least disciplined severely (things get pretty heated there, too) but not someone playing a game...It is called "professional" hockey, right?
I've seen some stuff, man. And some thangs...
???
Ignorance is parent to religion.
Religion is parent to Hate.
Remembering Matthew Shepard:
http://vimeo.com/fuksnickityClam/matthew
what a non-issue
And yet, here you are commenting on it... what does that say?
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
It says that C&L sometimes has posts that aren't post worthy.
/carry on
.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Just found it amusing that you find the post not worthy of consideration, yet found it necessary to comment on it.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
people like you are so annoying.
So glad I could be of help.
/smile
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
No offense, I hope.
Ignorance is parent to religion.
Religion is parent to Hate.
Remembering Matthew Shepard:
http://vimeo.com/fuksnickityClam/matthew
Would the "N" word be okay?
Blame the media. They should not have the ice level mike on during a fight. What the fuck do you think you're gonna hear? A dinner invitation?
Here's a newsflash...Athletes curse at one another in the heat of battle.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Is it okay for a pro athlete to call another a ni@@er? Yes or no.
So, if you are going to fight in front of thousands of people, it should be private...okay...
Blame the media, lol. Gov. Palin, is that you?
I've seen some stuff, man. And some thangs...
the use of the term 'f#ggot' on another is an admission that the person is suppressing his own gay tendencies. As in the case of most homophobia.
Athletes, "in the heat of battle" are no more 'real men' than chess players.
This is how I feel about being called a fa**ot, queer, butt pirate or whatever: As long as it is not said with malice, I don't have an issue with it. Just don't say it with malice and don't ever call me late for dinner. *groan*
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.PhoenixJustice.com
Is it okay for a pro athlete to call another a ni@@er? Yes or no.
Of course not. But to suggest a league condones this is unfair. It's an athletic league. Should they discipline the player. That's their call. I really don't have an issue either way. Should they put out a public relations announcement that they don't condone this behavior. Sure.
It's a non issue.
Also, I don't appreciate the race baiting. He didn't call him ni@@er.
And as for your blame the media comment. When you buy a ticket, read the disclaimer. But, watching at home is a whole different story. There should be no field level mikes that can pick up dialogue. On TV, the event is in YOUR living room. When you attend, you are in THEIR living room.
There is a reason why there is a disclaimer made on certain movies broadcast over TV. You are accepting responsibility for who is subjected to the content. That does not happen with sporting events.
So, either turn off the mikes or put up a disclaimer.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Kinda like NASCAR... don't go, or sit away off by yourself if you don't want to hear Faux Nooz talking points and conspiracy theories discussed like one would the weather... as matters of fact.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
BTW, this does not mean I approve of the comment... but this guy does seem to fit the stereotype of the hockey player, or athlete of any other violent sport.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
And it was "light stuff." Not race bating - just wondering what is and isnt' "light."
So now I know the N word isn't "light stuff" but apparently "fa@@ot" is.
I don't know, we have teens committing suicide because they are called names and bullied. Seeing a pro athlete use such language to no consequences not only hurts those who deal with such labels on a constant basis, but reinforces those who use them. The, "well, don't watch/listen then" argument is ridiculous. It is either a word that is tolerated or it isn't. If you think using "fa@@ot" isn't that big a deal, just say so instead of using some meandering hockey player/media/public broadcast/leauge choice argument.
I've seen some stuff, man. And some thangs...
Don't see anyone justifying the behavior or the language...
Rather, it is like going to a Tea Party rally... you're going to hear what this guy allegedly said and worse. And it is not to be tolerated. The NHL should investigate and, if true, the guy should be fined at the very least, and forced to apologize on national television.
It's not to be tolerated, but you've got a much better chance at least trying to change the behavior at a Tea Party rally than a hockey player geared up and behind a barrier.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
Both mainstream media and the comments section of this blog constantly runs sexist slander directed at females, often conservatives, sometimes not. Nowhere do I see any rush to initiate petitions against sexist slander, nor do we see much criticism of this behavior.
It appears that the primary motivation of gay rights advocacy is, just like the majority of social, religious, and political movements, keeping Peter sanctified, undisciplined, and "liberated" to steamroller the rest of us.
And, yes, these dudes should either be supporting their offspring, wearing their raincoats, or getting vasectomies. Their behavior is not about manhood, it's about perpetuating the slavery ethos of breeding many children for THE MAN's slave labor/cheap labor pool.
littlepitcher? Isn't that Mr.sogyny?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
As a gay male hockey fan, this just isn't that big of a deal to me. Avery won a few respect points from me for his support of marriage equality, but on the whole, he's still a dive-taking, whiney, narcissistic horse's ass. Call him whatever you want.
And an apt description of Avery!
I think you guys are attributing too much thought to the name-calling. Bill Maher was talking about Sarah Palin's reaction to Rahm Emanuel's use of the term "retarded" a while back, and (correctly) said that "nobody uses the term 'retard' for someone that is actually challenged anymore." It's just a name you can call someone.
As far as hockey, they call each other a LOT of names. Avery (I'm sure) has used even more derogatory names than this one. He's counting on people getting fired up about it. I'm quite sure Simmonds HAS been called something derogatory about his race - even if it wasn't the dreaded N-word. There are very few black hockey players, so people make comments about that all the time - I've heard the comments about it in bars, so I'm absolutely certain they've said something on the ice.
Try not to take things so literally - if they use the term "mother-f**ker", are we going to assume the player ACTUALLY sleeps with his mother? And if he doesn't, do we assume the name-caller secretly prefers incest with his mother? Should we get offended on behalf of all incestual people and demand an apology?
Kind of a difference between an ignorant drunk in a bar and a public figure on national media... I get your point, but a drunk in a bar can be told to STFU or be thrown out. A public figure... big difference.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
on the ice should stay on the ice. avery is a punk and went crying to his mommy that he called me a name just after telling another Flyer he was going to kill them.
and since birth, like all my fellow citizens, am an expert on all things hockey. It's genetic.
While I never played the game in an organized league, several of my buddies did, and I can state unequivocally that the main reason they did was to take showers together afterward. So calling another player "******" was simply a term of endearment, much like the vernacular of people of a darker persuasion referring to each other with the "n" word (I also watched The Wire)
I suspect the same to be true about football players. Perhaps one of my American colleagues could confirm.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the Sabres suck.
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