America - The Official Thread

[UKMikey]

Thanks. It's been on and off all day.

 

[photonrider]

23 minutes into his latest speech, soon after the eclipse, and Donald is still going strong . . ..

I can't see any TelePrompTer either.

 

[McLaren]

C'mon ESPN, really? He's Asian. Either side actually protesting him would look like complete fools, but I guess now even the smallest relevance strikes fear.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/...-lee-university-virginia-charlottesville.html

ESPN has removed an announcer from its broadcast of the University of Virginia’s first football game next month because he has the same name as a Confederate general memorialized in statues that are being taken down across the country.

The network announced late Tuesday that the announcer, Robert Lee, a part-time employee who calls about a dozen college football and basketball games a year for ESPN, would no longer participate in the broadcast of the Sept. 2 game in Charlottesville, Va., which became the center of violent clashes this month during a white supremacist gathering.

White nationalists and neo-Nazis flooded into Charlottesville, marching through the University of Virginia campus with torches, to protest the city’s plan to remove a statue of the Confederacy’s top general, Robert E. Lee.

After the violence in Charlottesville, which left one person dead, ESPN executives and Mr. Lee decided that for his safety it would be best to have him to work on a different game that Saturday, a network spokesman said.

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name,” ESPN said in a statement. “In that moment it felt right to all parties. It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret that who calls play-by-play for a football game has become an issue.”

Mr. Lee did not return a call seeking comment. The website Outkick the Coverage reported on Mr. Lee’s removal on Tuesday afternoon.

@SagarisGTB: You asked, "why should those be the ones that define the movement?" in relation to BLM. Because people like them label themselves a co-founder of local chapters.

https://www.leoweekly.com/2017/08/white-people/

I'm not going to post the entire thing, but it's all, "Give, give, give, and fire anyone you think is racist".

2. White people, if you’re inheriting property you intend to sell upon acceptance, give it to a black or brown family. You’re bound to make that money in some other white privileged way.

3. If you are a developer or realty owner of multi-family housing, build a sustainable complex in a black or brown blighted neighborhood and let black and brown people live in it for free.

6. White people, re-budget your monthly so you can donate to black funds for land purchasing.

7. White people, especially white women (because this is yaw specialty — Nosey Jenny and Meddling Kathy), get a racist fired. Yaw know what the **** they be saying. You are complicit when you ignore them. Get your boss fired cause they racist too.

9. OK, backing up No. 8, if any white person at your work, or as you enter in spaces and you overhear a white person praising the actions from yesterday, first, get a pic. Get their name and more info. Hell, find out where they work — Get Them Fired. But certainly address them, and, if you need to, you got hands: use them.

Chanelle Helm is cofounder and core organizer of Black Lives Matter Louisville.

This isn't a random person, this is a woman who claims to have helped founded the movement & organizes it in Kentucky's largest city, making these demands.

It is exactly why BLM as a whole gets criticized. This isn't the media painting them this way, this is her actual list of demands that she supports on Twitter as a figure head there. I've said it before in here, the movement needs a central, national leader to reel people in that will travel and become their main representative. Until then, the sad fact is openly posting these kind of things pushes this movement back, esp. when she defends it against Progressives who don't like it.

 

[Dennisch]

C'mon ESPN, really? He's Asian. Either side actually protesting him would look like complete fools, but I guess now even the smallest relevance strikes fear.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/...-lee-university-virginia-charlottesville.html

This is real? They really removed him because of his name??

 

[TenEightyOne]

This is real? They really removed him because of his name??

I thought it was obviously fake. Sadly... it's real. This is why aliens don't visit etc. etc.

EDIT: Will Jenna Side still be commentating the Redskins game?

 

[McLaren]

This is real? They really removed him because of his name??

Accordingly so. I don't think this would have been an issue if they never brought it to light themselves. I doubt most people know who this guy is or know he's Asian if they do.

They apparently, according to a friend, also caught some backlash for giving into a complaint about a fantasy football draft of theirs being compared to selling slaves? Haven't looked much into it bc it sounded far fetched as well.

 

[ryzno]

I thought saw an article from Sports Illustrated(SI) saying that he requested to be reassigned.

 

[UKMikey]

EDIT: Will Jenna Side still be commentating the Redskins game?

*groan* You really had me going for a minute there.

I thought saw an article from Sports Illustrated(SI) saying that he requested to be reassigned.

It sounds at least partially like it might be a case of self-censorship if I'm reading the article correctly, and ESPN seem to me to be as unhappy as everyone else.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/20...announcer-university-virginia-charlottesville

ESPN provided the following statement:

“We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties. It’s a shame that this is even a topic of conversation and we regret that who calls play by play for a football game has become an issue.”

A network spokesperson told SI's Richard Deitsch that ESPN did not force Lee to change assignments and that Lee personally felt more comfortable moving to another game.

#snip historical summary of riots#

ESPN noted that the decision was not mandated by the company's executives and that re-assignments happen all the time. Lee will instead call the Pittsburgh–Youngstown State game in Week 1.

 

[PeterJB]

Been thinking recently about race relations in US with the protests/riots going on and Trump being president (not that I'm convinced he's racist). Based on all these marches and some horrifically racist African-Americans on Twitter and Facebook (who's statements and views I believe says less about the power of their convictions and more about the power of the media) it's clear there is a lot of resentment of white Americans coming out of the black community, on a level which has no equal in the Black British community. I myself think that in 2017 poverty and crime has very little to do race and everything to do with class, so I'm wondering if it's as black and white (no pun intended) at it seems, with white Americans all living in the suburbs and African Americans struggling away in the "ghetto", or are there large numbers of middle class African Americans who reject the notion of white privilege and systemic racism? I'd be particularly interested to hear from our African-American members whether they think their being disadvantaged in any way because of their race, or if you're in a hole, it's your job to climb out of it?

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I thought it was obviously fake. Sadly... it's real. This is why aliens don't visit etc. etc.

EDIT: Will Jenna Side still be commentating the Redskins game?

They do visit, they're just mapping out the most efficient way to round us up like cattle, since we clearly have people of high power that make such stupid choices. Considering how common Lee is a a surname in Asia.

 

[Danoff]

Regarding ESPN's Robert Lee. Apparently ESPN went further to say that they did it because they didn't want Robert Lee to be made fun of on the internet. Well done ESPN, well done.

 

[Spurgy 777]

Regarding ESPN's Robert Lee. Apparently ESPN went further to say that they did it because they didn't want Robert Lee to be made fun of on the internet. Well done ESPN, well done.

Completely understandable though, everyone knows that Asians, and any minority group for that matter including women are too weak minded to deal with jokes on the internet by themselves. It's straight white men's jobs to use their privilege to protect these people at all times even if we have to stop them from doing their jobs, and avoid showing them in public.

Spoiler

 

[UKMikey]

Regarding ESPN's Robert Lee. Apparently ESPN went further to say that they did it because they didn't want Robert Lee to be made fun of on the internet. Well done ESPN, well done.

That seems completely at odds with the statement they made in the Sports Illustrated article quoted in my previous post. Serves 'em right if they couldn't even be honest about it.

 

[Danoff]

That seems completely at odds with the statement they made in the Sports Illustrated article quoted in my earlier post. Serves 'em right if they couldn't even be honest about it.

Here's a report on it:

http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/23/fear-of-memes-led-espn-to-pull-robert-lee-from-broadcast/

 

[Northstar]

What I find rather funny is that had they done nothing, it's likely only a few people would have even drawn the connection.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Or wait for it...no one, it would have at best been a passing commentary for those who watch the game. Something I'd say is safe from the scope of the typical hard core meme creator. Then again ESPN must think that their broadcasts are reaching people beyond the dwindling numbers shown, that protecting their reporters and commentators is a primary necessity.

 

[Carbonox]

It's as if these networks are way disconnected from how the internet works.

CNN became a massive target for making such a big deal out of a meme, now this.

 

[TenEightyOne]

What I find rather funny is that had they done nothing, it's likely only a few people would have even drawn the connection.

The Streisand Effect

 

[BobK]

The Streisand Effect

Exactly the same occurred to me.

 

[Joey D]

Since this is actually public now, I can post about it.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45629038&n...es-police-video-of-crazy-arrest-by-sl-officer

A SLC police officers wanted to obtain a blood sample from a badly burned and unconscious truck driver involved in a serious accident, however he didn't have warrant or consent from the patient, there's also a policy that was signed by the SLPD stating they needed a warrant. When the nurse refused, because she was following policy, the law, and to an extent HIPAA the detective arrested her.

I try to stand up for cops because I think they have a tough job and are often accused of things wrongly, but it's actions like this that really leave a negative look at law enforcement.

 

[ryzno]

Since we're talking about cops...
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/31/us/georgia-cobb-county-officer-racial-comment-trnd/index.html
Georgia officer who said 'We only kill black people' to retire
Gotta love GA...

 

[Danoff]

Since this is actually public now, I can post about it.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45629038&n...es-police-video-of-crazy-arrest-by-sl-officer

A SLC police officers wanted to obtain a blood sample from a badly burned and unconscious truck driver involved in a serious accident, however he didn't have warrant or consent from the patient, there's also a policy that was signed by the SLPD stating they needed a warrant. When the nurse refused, because she was following policy, the law, and to an extent HIPAA the detective arrested her.

I try to stand up for cops because I think they have a tough job and are often accused of things wrongly, but it's actions like this that really leave a negative look at law enforcement.

The part that's often missing from these stories is the part where the officer who was being a bully and is obviously ready to overstep his bounds (and not even for good reason, that evidence would be inadmissible) gets fired from his job so that this doesn't happen again.

Police can be really awful when they don't understand or respect the rules that they themselves are not allowed to overstep.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I try to stand up for cops because I think they have a tough job and are often accused of things wrongly, but it's actions like this that really leave a negative look at law enforcement.

Saw this on the news tonight and Mrs. Ten noted some of the officers looked both old and very overweight. i'd thought the doughnuts/coffee was a stereotype that belonged firmly in the past - are there still some forces (departments?) that allow these bull-necked old men to officiate? I'd love to see them run... or maybe having guns stops them feeling they ever have to*?

*Half-joking

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Saw this on the news tonight and Mrs. Ten noted some of the officers looked both old and very overweight. i'd thought the doughnuts/coffee was a stereotype that belonged firmly in the past - are there still some forces (departments?) that allow these bull-necked old men to officiate? I'd love to see them run... or maybe having guns stops them feeling they ever have to*?

*Half-joking

No sadly they exist still and can be found with some ease. Old, younger doesn't matter, when you want to eat rather than be fit for a job that essentially asks for it... That person clearly has their priorities wrong.

 

[UKMikey]

Saw this on the news tonight and Mrs. Ten noted some of the officers looked both old and very overweight. i'd thought the doughnuts/coffee was a stereotype that belonged firmly in the past - are there still some forces (departments?) that allow these bull-necked old men to officiate? I'd love to see them run... or maybe having guns stops them feeling they ever have to*?

*Half-joking

Were those the university cops mentioned in the article?

 

[TenEightyOne]

Were those the university cops mentioned in the article?

Possibly so, a couple of different uniforms I think, whatever dept/force they're from there must surely be a basic standard for fatness? I mean fitness?

 

[UKMikey]

Possibly so, a couple of different uniforms I think, whatever dept/force they're from there must surely be a basic standard for fatness? I mean fitness?

Of course, but if so maybe that was their excuse for applying it so loosely. Not so many footchases on campus perhaps, more room for Wiggum types.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Saw this on the news tonight and Mrs. Ten noted some of the officers looked both old and very overweight. i'd thought the doughnuts/coffee was a stereotype that belonged firmly in the past - are there still some forces (departments?) that allow these bull-necked old men to officiate? I'd love to see them run... or maybe having guns stops them feeling they ever have to*?

*Half-joking

I'm guessing they are probably still stronger and more capable of taking down a suspect than many of the miniscule looking female cops I see.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I'm guessing they are probably still stronger and more capable of taking down a suspect than many of the miniscule looking female cops I see.

Depends on the training, but first they've got to be capable of remaining in physical proximity to them.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Depends on the training, but first they've got to be capable of remaining in physical proximity to them.

I'm sure there are one or two five foot 120 lb women that are capable of holding their own against 240 lb bull necked men but I'm talking about the average not the exceptional.