A baseball player, Steve Clevenger, tweeted that Charlotte rioters were animals who belong in jail.His team suspended him. Suddenly, the same sports media people who have assured us not only do athletes have a right to free speech, but it is athletes' duty to speak up on social issues, say Clevenger "behaved badly" by tweeting, is a racist (of course), and athletes should know better than to speak up on social issues. In fact, for suggesting people who riot, loot, assault, burn and even kill belong in jail, people are calling Clevenger "beyond racist".That suspension of glorifying social justice warriors and of free speech ended minutes later when Astros Carlos Correa stated that Clevender's racist statements have no place in sports. Suddenly we're back to athletes have a duty to speak out on social issues. 4951
The point is the same sports media people saying, in Clevenger's case, athletes shouldn't speak about political and social issues say, in Colin Kaepernick's case, athletes have a duty to speak about political/social issues.The guy calling cops racist is glorified.The guy calling rioters animals is attacked.Correa is speaking about political/social issues. He's saying it's racist to call rioters animals. Why isn't he suspended? What are the consequences for Colin and the other football players? Colin is on the cover of SI. 4951
If because you object to Correa's statement you will not watch that team, be prepared for a similar boycott for whatever enterprise you do approve of or engage in. Correa was as circumspect and benign as it can get. White bread and mayo. 4951
Either all athletes have the right to say their opinion or none. It's not fair if only the side of those are against the police are heard. If one can call cops pigs then others should be able to call the thugs whatever animal they want. Everyone should have the same rights to speak out in sports or no one. 4951
So many people citing "free speech." So few people have a clue what free speech is.For the record, if your employer sanctions you for saying something, its not a free speech issue. Only the government can violate your right to free speech. 4951
"How is Correa's statement equivalent to Clevenger's statement?"You're right. Correa;s statement was falsely accusing someone of being a racist for making fun of violent rioters.Clevenger's statement was correctly identifying rioters as animals.It's clear which side the media people take. They take the side of the race pimps and violent rioters. 4951
@fcabanskiAnimals does include those who can only express themselves with comments that belittle others. To Mr. Clevenger's credit, he acknowledged his error, you on the other hand redouble on. It takes a man with insight and intestinal fortitude to acknowledge a mistake. 4951
No, Clevenger gave in to pressure.People who riot, loot, steal, assault, and even kill, are animals. They belong in jail. Clevenger's statements were right on the money.I wish I had a time machine. Then I could make the statement, go back in time to erase it, and make it again, so the universe knew I really meant it. 4951