Quote (xVitality @ Sep 19 2012 08:51am)
Why.. It's no different than you saying something is gay or retarded.
Omar Vizquel stood up for him in an interview saying the word is something they use every day in regular conversation and has no real meaning..
The only reason this got out of hand is because the public decided to be politically correct and cause all kinds of social media stir that the league has to respond to so it retains it's fan base..
There are two major differences between what happened and me saying gay or retarded. (Especially since it is unclear whether you are imagining me say those words in a private or public setting).
1) He made a public display at a venue where profane language was not on the ticket. It is irrelevant what Vizquel or anyone else suggests the word means in their culture/region/dialect. The word has an unequivocally taboo and offensive meaning in Canada and much of the Western world. Moreover, no one is saying he cannot speak as he wants or hold any view he wants, just not on the field, in public, in uniform.
2) If I used the words gay or retarded where I am employed (a university) I would not have a position the next day. It would not be a matter of suspension, it would be a matter of dismissal.
I do not, as I said, think he should be summarily dismissed. I also accept the point that calling, say, a difficult to navigate website "gay" does not necessarily reflect any bias or bigotry on the part of the individual. Sadly, in public life this level of understanding is not feasible.
Grag Zaun was interviewed on the radio (I do not know if you heard it) but he was very insightful, not only in pointing out how that making it from the clubhouse to the field is borderline unbelievable, but also how the culture of the club as so "fun oriented" makes such an incident unsurprising. If you are interested, I suggest you take a look I believe all broadcasts are archived.
Quote (Wine @ Sep 19 2012 08:56am)
I have to agree with xVitality on this.
Its overblown...I think people are forgetting that when it was originally on his face no one really noticed (General audience) until they digged it up and someone wanted to see what was on his eyeblack which later caused this...
Its not like he had it colored on his entire face.
imo no suspension is fair but Yunel doesn't want to escalate the situation and said he would not appeal and donate his 3 day salary during the suspension to charity.
Still few weeks left until playoffs and races are for the most part almost decided as some teams have collapsed (Rays and Pirates)...got to get some other baseball news running I guess.
Why would it matter how large the word was written? As a thought experiment, pretend he wrote a word beginning with N on his face in small print, still no problem?
A problem in both posts is that the posters conflate their personal indifference to the remark with how the incident should be handled, or the potential or it to impact others who do not share their indifference. If I took the same route I may agree. I consider myself a supporter of LGBT individuals, I am pro gay marriage, pro gay adoption, and have gay friends. I think homosexual behaviour (if consensual -- the same test I apply to heterosexual behaviour) is 100% moral and natural. All that being said, I do not bristle at the word "fag" in private company, I at times have used it. However, I am quite aware how in public such comments do need to be run through a much more rigorous battery of tests.