Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 i'm all for free will, but it doesn't make what he did to his team right. if for no reason other than hockey, he acted like an ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 i just read a good article on the subject... "Let me start off by saying that Tim Thomas has guts and I believe he had the absolute right to bravely refuse to go to the White House for a team event yesterday. He joins the tradition of athletes like Muhammad Ali, Tommy Smith and John Carlos to use his athletic standing to make a statement. All these athletes were heavily criticized for their protests, as Tim Thomas is being criticized now. I will state it clearly… It is his right, and I will fight to death to keep those rights. That being said, Tim Thomas also gets to take responsibility for his actions, because all rights come with responsibilities. Protests invite criticism, contrary to popular belief, that criticism doesn’t deter free speech, it validates it. I’m not going to put on the tin foil hat and look for silly conspiracy in children’s names, etc. I will take Mr. Thomas at his carefully chosen words on Facebook and I appreciate that he says he would’ve done this no matter what the party of the President. It doesn’t change his responsibility for the disrespect shown to a constitutionally mandated office, you know, the document he says he is so committed to? After considering the whole situation… I have one simple question… When has it become acceptable for politics to trump simple respect? Respect for your country… for the office… for your team. The usual political rants were all over Twitter yesterday… messages of politically aligned support or criticism of Mr. Thomas’ actions, most everyone (save for a few reasoned voices) looking to make their political point, blind to the destruction that situations like this cause. That’s right… I said destruction, because when you identify yourself as a member of a political party or movement over the country that you are a citizen of, that is a destructive force, one that I believe is seriously damaging our country and its’ people. Yesterday’s event was a traditional celebration of team, the invitation of championship teams to visit the White House and meet the President goes back decades as a recognition of team spirit and accomplishment. By choosing this moment to make a political statement, Tim Thomas put himself above the team… and calls into question all of his statements about team wins and supporting the team. His words say one thing… his actions scream another. Retired players chose to attend, players that are no longer on the Bruins chose to attend, it is sad that one of the only two Americans on the Bruins chose to not to, and in so choosing, cast a shadow over his team’s day, causing his teammates to have to answer all the questions while he was nowhere to be found. I know I sound hopelessly Pollyanna when I say this, especially in an election year… but we need to come together as a country, not as political parties, not as political beliefs, but as a country. The identification as democrat or republican or libertarian, conservative or liberal, over the identification of individuals as Americans is the kind of divide and conquer politics that have been way too successful over the past 40 years or so, much to the detriment of our country. I can hope that this situation gets us thinking a bit more that way, country over party... but until the wonderful differences in our country are respected again, from ALL political beliefs, it will only fracture our country further. Tim Thomas’ actions, while brave, serve to deepen that divide and do not serve his team or our country well… " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Billy Bob, Billy Bob, are you out there! HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torco Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I think he is a nut job but I guess he has the right to be, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pike Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 read the article, it's all there in black and white. I did. I guess I just don't have time to organize a search party to find his point. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blarg Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 i'm all for free will, but it doesn't make what he did to his team right. if for no reason other than hockey, he acted like an ass. You seem to be for free will so long as your choices put you somewhere in the mushy middle of society, where conviction is a dirty word, and generally anything but liberal and progressive simply isn't acceptable. I don't care about what he did, the president is just a man, no more deserving of respect than you or I. As far as being an extremist, most of the time great things don't get done by people who are more interested in lying with the sheep, right or wrong. The biggest problem you seem to have with what he did is not about the team but about what he believes in, the audacity, not self identifying as a progressive or a liberal, oh my. Imagine if he was Canadian, he might have voted for Harper, oh my stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 there is no point... it's the same angry, pointless vitriol that has been spouted by the likes of sarah palin and the tea party since obama won the election. a black democrat in office sure did bring out all the wackos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 You seem to be for free will so long as your choices put you somewhere in the mushy middle of society, where conviction is a dirty word, and generally anything but liberal and progressive simply isn't acceptable. I don't care about what he did, the president is just a man, no more deserving of respect than you or I. As far as being an extremist, most of the time great things don't get done by people who are more interested in lying with the sheep, right or wrong. The biggest problem you seem to have with what he did is not about the team but about what he believes in, the audacity, not self identifying as a progressive or a liberal, oh my. Imagine if he was Canadian, he might have voted for Harper, oh my stars. you seem to like putting words in my mouth. go hoop your head, you might find your brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) it's obvious who the extremist righties are on this board. i can only imagine the reaction if tim thomas refused to meet with the president because he thought factory farming was murder, and was a card carrying member of P3TA, or if he felt that gun control wasn't tight enough in the US. or what if he said he doesn't support the troops? doesn't support the senseless wars that his nation engages in? Edited January 24, 2012 by Dr. Salvelinus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 He should have refused the cup because of the way bettman handles the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) He should have refused the cup because of the way bettman handles the league. :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: THREAD OVER! YOU WIN! Edited January 24, 2012 by Dr. Salvelinus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaque Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 because the citizens he's proud of democratically elected the president that he won't visit. see if you can find one that will admit it "Hindsight is always 20/20", "things arent always what they seem", etc....etc..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 How dare anyone in this thread give your opinion on the matter Hypocrits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12footspringbok Posted January 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I guess sometimes it just feels right to stomp your feet up and down, scream, and call people names like a child eh doc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I could care less either way his choice ..his right..his life..... it has zero affect on my world, he can live in his world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggie Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I hope Tim declared all of his income last year! I smell an audit coming on!! Dan O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) I guess sometimes it just feels right to stomp your feet up and down, scream, and call people names like a child eh doc? you are correct.... fiddlehead! or were you talking about the selfish and childish move by Thomas? Edited January 24, 2012 by Dr. Salvelinus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts