AtomicMapleLeaf
New member
Bates said:
Idiocracy
- Thread starter Highlander
- Start date
Bates said:
I think it would be reasonable to end the practice.
Unfortunately, one can?t make it non-political as any presidential appearance has political consequences . My problem is that by appearing with Trump, the Blues generate some good will towards him. The only way to avoid that is to not appear with him.
Bates said:
This is probably not the place for politics and discussing politics online never gets down to anything interesting but I gotta say that the impact of Clinton, W, and Trump on the American people and the world are quite different. I don?t think it makes much sense to conflate them. after all, I?m flawed and Hitler is flawed so are we the same? One needs a little more nuance than that. (And I notice you left out Obama, though he too, of course, made mistakes.)
Kin
New member
The fact that teams went during both Bush administrations as well as the Clinton and Obama years is a pretty good sign that the current issue isn't about "politics" or picking a political side or even about a particular President's policy decisions. Nobody is objecting to White House visits because of marginal tax rates or foreign policy(again, except for Tim Thomas).
hockeyfan1
New member
A former Democratic Senator warning Democrats about Trump:
[tweet]1182651913394950145[/tweet]
[tweet]1183156771466219521[/tweet]
[tweet]1182651913394950145[/tweet]
[tweet]1183156771466219521[/tweet]
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1184195854757969920
Cool cool love the funny President.
Cool cool love the funny President.
Kin
New member
This is why it's so bogus to say players should go irrespective of politics. Previous Presidents would crack a joke or two, talk about the importance of teamwork and then shake hands. Any team that visits the current White House is turned into a prop as the idiot talks incomprehensibly about politics.
Boston Leaf
New member
Oh he is sickening.. a sickening corrupt grifter
Here's Cox on Tim Thomas not going to the White House. They should just stop the practise and take all politics out of it for athletes.
"presented as somehow moral or above politics, was simply political in nature.. That's okay, too. He's entitled to that view in a democracy. But to present this as somehow a decision borne of a conscience is misleading." Cox continued, "Thomas, while a reasonably thoughtful athlete and quite likely well-meaning in his intent, simply got a little mixed up. He thought he was snubbing Obama, specifically, and the federal government, in general, but what he was really doing was snubbing the very Constitution he and his ilk insist only they understand and interpret correctly"
"presented as somehow moral or above politics, was simply political in nature.. That's okay, too. He's entitled to that view in a democracy. But to present this as somehow a decision borne of a conscience is misleading." Cox continued, "Thomas, while a reasonably thoughtful athlete and quite likely well-meaning in his intent, simply got a little mixed up. He thought he was snubbing Obama, specifically, and the federal government, in general, but what he was really doing was snubbing the very Constitution he and his ilk insist only they understand and interpret correctly"
Kin
New member
L K said:
Well, and that's the thing. It's not that he makes it about politics necessarily, it's that he's incapable of viewing anything outside of the realm of personal aggrandisement. Everything is a reflection of him and he says as much. As much as I dislike George W. Bush, I don't think he ever thought that the Miami Heat visiting the White House meant that the players on the Miami Heat liked him or endorsed him or what have you. It was a ceremony that was part of the function of being the head of state. With the current embarrassment, he does use it as an attempt to venerate himself.
Heroic Shrimp
Active member
Bates said:
Who is "they"? Any president is free to invite whatever teams they want to to the White House, and any invited team and their individual members are free to accept or decline that invitation.
Kin
New member
Also, leaving aside whether or not it's a bad thing for Athletes to take political stances(it's not) the idea that Trump has made the event so toxic that leagues should avoid it altogether just normalizes his behaviour. With a President with even a hint of decorum it's a non-issue for everyone except for nutters like Thomas.
I'm good with just pausing the practice while a white supremacist is President. This isn't that complicated.
Nik Bethune said:
Ah yeah, sorry, "pausing" wasn't the right word. I want Trump to keep the invites going but I also want more teams, or at least the players, standing up and politely (or not so politely) declining them.
If Tom Stillman wanted to go meet Trump, yeah whatever big surprise. It's a disappointment to see all the Blues' players happy to be involved with this.