Carlos Delgado's political grandstanding
Published July 23, 2004
Borges and Rhoden did not publish their e-mails along with their articles, but Wilstein did. Here is my response to his piece:
Mr Wilstein:It is with great regret that I read your "Patriotism and Protest" column. I would just like to ask one thing of you:
If you're so certain that it's not being disrespectful to the soldiers - the ones putting their lives on the line while fighting on our behalf - for a rich, pampered baseball player to refuse to stand during the national anthem or to pay homage to their efforts in Iraq, then why don't you air these views to those military personnel in the stands at Yankee Stadium? Put your money where your mouth is, or don't you have the guts?
You have the nerve to write cynically about "buy a flag, be American, jingoism sells." And then you think you're being a wholesome American in so doing. What a hero you are, and so much braver and more deserving of respect than our hillbilly, redneck soldiers!
"For [Delgado] it's a personal matter, a way of expressing what he feels about an issue he believes is important. That's more than most athletes are willing to do." Mr Wilstein, athletes get paid outrageous sums of money to train hard in their selected sport and try to win, not to engage in political grandstanding. I don't pay money for a ticket to help support some egotistical, steroid-enhnced goon to disrespect my country's national anthem and give speeches to newspapers that sound more like interviews with John Kerry.
As a journalist, you may decide to give up your cushy job as a sports columnist and help to cover the war in Iraq instead. But, on second thought, that may expose you to all the good that we never hear about going on over there and would force you to come into contact with legions of Iraqis grateful to us for toppling Saddam Hussein and helping to rebuild their nation, so forget it. You wouldn't want to know about that, would you? You'd rather spout platitudes and chide patriotic Americans instead.
You do have the right to free speech, Mr Wilstein, but when you pass your particular speech off as pro-American and then proceed to act as though your rights to free speech are in danger whenever somebody dares to challenge your perceived "wisdom," then you only show yourself for the jackass that you are.
Mark Edward Manning grew up in Boston, MA and now lives in London, England. He wrote commentaries for The Boston Herald in the mid 1990s.
- Carlos Delgado's political grandstanding
- Published: July 23, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Sports
- Writer: Mark Edward Manning
- Mark Edward Manning's BC Writer page
- Mark Edward Manning's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
caruthers had it just about right...political "discourse" in this country has boiled down to a bi-directional game of "I TOLDED YOU TO SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Maybe Delgado has gotten corrupted by by heathen ideas such as freedom of expression by living among people whose values include peace, order and good government.
Maybe he doesn't like the song, maybe he prefers Woody Guthrie's version:
In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.
When did "God Bless America" become the national anthem?
My mistake, JR, I did mean to refer to the fact that Delgado also has remained seated during renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as well, but I did not make that clear with regard to my letter.
Mark Saleski: "political 'discourse' in this country has boiled down to a bi-directional game of 'I TOLDED YOU TO SHUT THE FUCK UP!'"
Oh, no, Saleski -- only the conservatives and patriotic swine are the ones shouting, right?
read all the friggin' words: i said bi-directional.
geezuz.
My mistake, JR, I did mean to refer to the fact that Delgado also has remained seated during renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as well, but I did not make that clear with regard to my letter.
Fair enough. I don't know anything about this guy to defend him. Hell, I'm so un-American I don't even like baseball.
Good for him. Last time I went to a Rangers game, I was shocked to find that "God Bless America" had been elevated to the level of the "Star Spangled Banner."
Of course, I not only remained seated, but I farted.
Jees, what's next? Jack-booted thugs kickin' in the hotel room door of Linda Ronstadt?
Whoops... nevermind.
God Bless America - land of the kinda sorta free as long as you agree with those in power.
M. Saleski: "read all the friggin' words: i said bi-directional."
One, Mark, you have never, as far as I'm aware, taken liberals to task over anything. You're notable for all the counterpoints to conservative commentary, so that's why I scoffed at any concerns you have about "bi-directional" debate.
Two, you wrote, "Carruthers just about had it right." What? Mr. Jim Carruthers, who's more anti-American than a member of Al-Qaeda on a bad turban day, is not exactly known for his bipartisanship, especially regarding the apparent bane of his life, Americans. That's what really caused me to gag.
But hey, whatever, dude. Accept my apologies.
I know this may be a hard concept for you to grasp, but there are more than two dimensions. I know, ker-a-zie stuph, but it's true. So for the record, I'm Non-'murrican, and I'm willing to grant all you Due Process, you all have the presumption that you're an asshole until proven otherwise.
Tell us, Jim, and be honest here: Did you cheer the events of Sept. 11, 2001? All those nasty Yanks killed, got what they deserved, eh? Man, you must've been in your element!
Now run along and slaughter a seal like a good little Canuck.
Obviously, M. Manning, you are so desperate to portray a caricature of a hate-filled, ignorant, despicable, know-nothing 'murrican, who has never read anything I've written, that at least in portraying a fascist thug, you've succeeded.
Thanks for the last and greatest
betrayal of the last and greatest
of human dreams.
Jim, I have read a lot of what you've written, and to accuse me of being full of hate is absolutely laughable. If anti-Americanism was black in color, it'd be leaking out your nose, mouth and ears like ink - in great floods. You hate my countrymen with a passion. I know I took a pot-shot at you as a Canadian, but I do not hate my nothern cousins anywhere near as much as you loathe us.
And, I take it by everyone else's silence here that they're still waiting - as I am - for an answer to my question, which I'll repeat:
Did you cheer the events of September 11, 2001
Now, answer the fucking question, Jim! Answering a question means giving a yes or no and a brief explanation as to why - NOT accusing me of being hate-filled and ignorant.
"Did you cheer the events of September 11, 2001"
This rhetorical nonsense has been asked many times before on BC. I was asked this question at one point.
It's an emotionally charged right-wing low blow, totally disengenuous, and degrades, demeans, and abuses the memory of 3000 dead people for your petty little political jab at Jim.
True colors, Manning, true fucking colors.
[edited] I suffer neither fools nor thugs, perhaps, M. Manning, you should just skulk off to plan "patriotic parades" against the foreign element.
To quote your spiritual god-father Vice-President Cheney: "Go Fuck Yourself".
(nb, JA, I'm quoting the Washington Post, so this shouldn't be subject to censure)
Since the events of Sept. 11 have nothing to do with what you've posted, it is apparent that it has become a touch-stone of the US fascist movement, and a clumsy and stupid device of people [edited]
Since you whole-heartedly support State force, I can't wait to read your polemic on the past anniversary of Tiananmen Square, "They Opposed the People's Army, Those Terrorist Rat-Bastards Had It Coming -- Support Our Troops At All Costs".
Yep, Jim, you completely dodged the question yet again, just as I thought. Getting a straight answer from you (or any Red Leftie) is like, to quote a cliche, getting blood from a stone. I will take from your absolute refusal to answer this very simple question that the answer is "yes."
Y'know, I can't really come up with a more sarcastic comment which shows what an idiot this tool is than his previous posting, so, I'll just leave it at that.
What at tool, Herc, what a tool.
Carlos Delgado is as weak as canada. (canada spelled in lower case for a reason). Mr. Carlos wouldn't have what his has if not for the greatest country in the world USA. Fuck the idiot. And you too Jim Carruthers. canada what a fucking joke. Laugh or Cry???
uhm, I know this supposed to happen off-site, [edited]
edited
Hey kids! lift up a rock and see what scurries out!
It's a fair question, considering your anti-American diatribes, JC.
But will you answer it?
How did you emotionally respond to the 9-11 attacks?
Tears or Cheers?
Me, I cried, big pussy that I am.
[edited]
Interesting and informative:
a post about a guy who refuses to stand during the new defacto "Star Spangled God Bless America's Banner" during a friggin' baseball game devolves into a couple of "DEMANDING"right-wing rhetorical questions meant to imply that anyone who opposes them or their boy Bush is not only a traitor, but celebrates the death of 3000 innocent Americans.
Way to go, boyz. You've humiliated yourselves far more than any personal insult me or Carruthers could provide.
Once again, true colors, babes, and they ain't red, white and blue.
Me, I cried, big pussy that I am.
Me too, RJ: I'm a big pussy too, obviously.
Instead, as JC would have it, I should have thought seriously about the Taliban, why they hated us, and what non-violent concessions to them we, the U.S.A., should have made to them.
Shame on us, RJ. Don'tcha think?
huh? could you M. Manning, at least quote what I've supposedly written about the Taliban (which was created and funded by the USA and Saudi Arabia, btw).
[edited]
And meanwhile, I'm going to admire the statue to Jackie Robinson in Montreal, the first city where he was allowed to play baseball with his peers.
It only occurs to me now most of the links M. Manning has to are from Can-west Global, the Canadian media conglomerate which successfully held a license six years ago for Fox News, but decided that it would be fiscally jes' plain stupid, and then a short time ago kicked up shit about Fox News not getting a new license (which they already had, but didn't use). A business they knew could not prosper.
[edited]
Carruthers: "could you M. Manning, at least quote what I've supposedly written about the Taliban"
OK, JC, here you go: "Ask yourself, what have you done to improve the heroin trade in Afghanistan this year, you lazy slacker. While it has increased, it is not enough."
This is what you wrote to me in comment #4 to this entry, for starters. If that's not criticism of the Afghanistan War, and thusly, a de facto defense of the Taliban, Jim, what is?
By the way, don't know if it's occurred to you, but I'm still waiting for a definitive "yes" or "no" to my question. RJ is right, you just won't answer it, will you? Doesn't matter - we all know the answer is a definite YES.
Well, the heroin trade from Afghanistan is at an all time high, and one of the major warlords behind the poppy trade is pushing to steal the upcoming "election" in the fall. So, what's your point?
And the Taliban is still hugely active in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
So, yes, I've written about the Taliban, in that they are still active and seemingly, despite the 'murrican propaganda, thriving. So why doesn't the US clamp down on the theocratic military dictatorship in Pakistan which funds and supports these heathen thugs, which I've been asking about for more than five years?
JC:
How did you respond, personally, to the 9-11 attacks? Anger? Sadness? Glee?
It's a fair question.
You haven't answered it yet.
Will you ever?
Shark:
How did YOU respond to 9-11? Or will you plead the Fifth on that, just like JC?
They ask:
"Did you cheer the events of Sept. 11, 2001? All those nasty Yanks killed, got what they deserved, eh?"
they ask it again
and again
Then they make it sound like a fair question by adding the really long words emotionally and response to give a sort of therapy like quality inviting others to share their deepest, darkest secrets.
"Come on, you can tell us, you really felt like devouring babies and praising Beëlzebub and Aznaroth, while nakedly dancing round a fire, didn't you"
Meanwhile a man in Canada sees the light, is changed in a wonderfull way: "yes, you are right, and I was left. I laughed hysterically when I saw them fall, but I am different now. Thank you, for making me understand."
seriously; No, damn you, it is not a fair question.
feh.
Just for the record:
To dignify this inquisition with a response would be to acknowledge that it is valid subject of discourse. Questioning a fellow American's emotions on the morning of 9/11-- especially people who might have had friends or loved ones in the carnage of the Twin Towers-- is not a constructive discourse, as a matter of fact, it's an act of rhetorical terrorism and an insult to readers of all political persuasions.
RJ and Manning have turned this useless thread into an echo so similar to McCarthyism and the Spanish Inquisition that it's frightening.
And they're apparently too young (historically challenged?), ignorant, or simple-minded to see the similarities.
But their ham-fisted rhetorical questions -- which are meant to degrade the dead in NYC, as well as the living commentors being relentlessly "asked" -- is a great example of how and why the supporters of our "UNITER" President have started a cultural civil war where the world is black and white, you're either with us or against us -- and no tactic or attack is too low for them to ponder.
You boyz should be ashamed, but that act might require a conscience.
Indeed, Shark, this UNITER President does nothing to bridge the divide that exists in the United States. Racism is rampant; we dare not admit it. Poverty is on the rise; we close our eyes and pretend it exists only in third world countries. Women are slowly returning to the status of second class citizen. While America holds high the banner of freedom and democracy around the world, Americans' freedoms are eroding. Though we say we are free, we are not. We are subject to the greed of corporations and the ambitions of power mad politicians.
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/17735)
Hilarious. Thanks, Mark!