Ran across this story over at Joy of Sox and felt angered enough to share it with you. During Wednesday night’s Yankees-Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium, a fan looking to use the restroom during the interminable God Bless America presentation in the middle of the seventh inning was treated in a shameful manner. He was warned by a police officer, violently escorted from the stadium, had his ticket confiscated, and was verbally mocked along the way. The entire story from The Gothamist:
I attempted to get up to use the restroom, rather urgently, during the 7th inning stretch as God Bless America was beginning. As I attempted to walk down the aisle and exit my section into the tunnel, I was stopped by a police officer. He informed me that I had to wait until the song was over. I responded that I had to use the restroom and that I did not care about God Bless America.
As soon as the latter came out of my mouth, my right arm was twisted violently behind my back and I was informed that I was being escorted out of the stadium. A second officer then joined in and twisted my left arm, also in an excessively forceful manner, behind my back. … About halfway down, I informed them that they were hurting me … One of them said something to the effect that if I continued to speak, he would find a way to hurt me more.
When we reached the exit of the stadium, they confiscated my ticket and the first officer shoved me through the turnstiles, saying “Get the hell out of my country if you don’t like it.”
Freedom is such a flimsy concept, isn’t it?
The entire Yankees organization should be ashamed of themselves. It’s enough they force-feed patriotism during every single game with God Bless America when most stadiums only play it on Sunday’s, but to forcibly and violently eject a sober and civil fan for simply visiting the restroom is beyond absurd. Of course, a letter to the Yankees went without a response, and even the cops were saying after their “escort” that “one day they’re really gonna get in trouble.”
It’s both sad and ironic these police officers are exemplifying the kind of actions our Founding Fathers would denounce. I would personally refuse to stand for the National Anthem or God Bless America at major league stadiums, but I stand to avoid needless confrontations or run-ins; as Allan at JOS stated, I am there to watch some baseball — not to either pledge my allegiance to a particular piece of land or sing about the glory of bombs blowing up.
Loading ...
The games of all nations are led off by a national anthem, and it is expected that all attending who live or visit that nation should stand out of respect for that nation, its flag, its people. Those who refuse to stand and show respect are committing an act comparable to spitting on the host nation and its people.
God Bless America is not our national anthem. It is a patriotic song. Bowels and bladders do not acknowledge patriotic songs, nor does any American legal precedent permit these songs to prevent free access to the parts of the stadium available to ticketholders.
NYC has been through alot, thanks to the twisted minds and hearts which have attacked it on several recent occasions. Many New Yorkers have lost friends and families in these attacks. They have a right to demonstrate their defiance of these sickos and their hateful movement with enhanced patriotism. But the war against these terrorists is a battle FOR freedom for all. The police at Yankee Stadium are there to uphold the law, and are way out of line in this regard.
How do you know this story is true? Is there corroborating evidence?
Lets stick with Baseball and leave these issues to the ACLU.
Pookie-
This story has been around the interwebs all day and seems to be corroborated. Frankly I don’t care whether it’s true or not, I’m just sick of religion and nationalism being a part of sports. If the story is true someone needs to be fired, and not just the grunts who did the dirty work.
MR- agreed, let’s leave religion and politics out of the things we love, meaning baseball