PHILADELPHIA – Yesterday, five Christians with the Philadelphia-based Repent America were ejected from the 2nd annual Philadelphia Philles' Gay Day after homosexuals and homosexual advocates began to incite a riot by pulling down the Christian's Gospel banner, which read, “HOMOSEXUALITY IS SIN, CHRIST CAN SET YOU FREE.”
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PHILADELPHIA – Yesterday, five Christians with the Philadelphia-based Repent America were ejected from the 2nd annual Philadelphia Philles' Gay Day after homosexuals and homosexual advocates began to incite a riot by pulling down the Christian's Gospel banner, which read, “HOMOSEXUALITY IS SIN, CHRIST CAN SET YOU FREE.”
What is really stupid about this is that, by buying tickets to the game, these Repent America guys (unless they are season ticket holders) are helping to ensure that there are more Gay Days in Philadelphia (the City of Brotherly Love, no less!) in the future. I realize it is only 5 tickets, but it is still illogical to support a cause that you are protesting. Stay away from the ballpark and get a bunch of guys in your group to write a letter to the club and to the paper (and wherever else) telling the team you are staying away from the ballpark on that particular date and why.
Originally posted by GrimisI desperately trying to figure out:
1. Why Gay Day is needed? 2. Why the folks starting the shit weren't the ones ejected(Hint: PC).
1. Why not? The Phillies have gay and lesbian fans, just like any other sports team. Choosing to recognize them formally was a promotional decision more than a "need," but it's not what I would call a bad business decision, as it'd likely please more fans than it would actively offend, and those offended have 80 other home games each year they can attend.
2. Because the fans who started the shit by unfurling the banner _were_ the ones ejected.
First off, welcome to Philadelphia, where physical harassment of dissenters is common practice. Any dumb SOB who wears a Dallas Cowboys jersey to an Eagles home game will be (a) spat upon, (b) drenched with beer, (c) physically attacked and/or (d) removed from the stands both for his own safety and to defuse the dangerous situation. Phillies fans don't marinate themselves in the parking lot for hours before games, but the same principle applies.
Second, here's part of Citizen Bank Park's policy on banners: Banners and signs may not bear a message that (a) is slanderous, (b) is obscene, vulgar or indecent and inappropriate for viewing by children, (c) contains "fighting words" likely to provoke a breach of the peace or (d) contains commercial advertising or commercial product or service identification.
Now, on a day specifically marketed towards a particular community, unfurling a banner specifically condemning that community while in the midst of large numbers of that community certainly seems to me to be "likely to provoke a breach of the peace." It's one thing to disapprove, it's another to be a public asshole about it, and if they're on someone else's property when they do so, I don't feel entirely bad about the owners saying "Look, we have a posted policy and you're not abiding by it, so you'll be leaving now."
If they had Jackie Robinson Day and someone unfurled a White Power banner, I'd expect warfare. If they had Catholic Day and someone unfurled a banner depicting altar-boy sodomization, I'd expect warfare. If they had a Pro-Choice Day and someone unfurled a banner decrying "baby-killers," I'd expect warfare. This isn't particularly different.
On pure First Amendment grounds, part of me does say "let people bring whatever banners they want, say what they want, express whatever opinions they want." I don't want to see Citizen Bank Park have Opposing Team Rooting Zones 500 feet outside the stadium, any more than I want to see First Amendment Zones at political rallies. On the flip side, a ball game is arguably a private function with paid admission required, and its management can post certain rules (which they did) by which attendees are required to comply.
Do the protesters have the right to disapprove? Certainly. By all rights, should the people who physically tried to steal the banner have been ejected as well? Yes, because that's not something that should've been condoned, either. But there are plenty of ways to express one's discontent short of blatant, physical confrontation. The group brought their banner specifically seeking out public attention and confrontation. Well, they got it. They weren't ejected for being Christians, and they weren't ejected for their beliefs about homosexuality; they were ejected for being obnoxious in their manner of presentation.
My ECHL team held a Christian Night last year. I attended wearing an Arizona State Sun Devils hockey jersey, so as to represent the loyal opposition, and I got nothing more than chuckles because I was subtle about it. If I'd opened up a banner reading "CHRISTIANITY IS STUPID. GIVE UP" midway through the second period, I'd have expected to be in the parking lot three minutes later.
Or I could've done it just so I could put a press release on my web page blaring "WOOHOO, look at me, I stood up against the Big Scary Christians and was ejected and persecuted for my beliefs."
Nah. That would be stupid.
(edited by vsp on 11.8.04 0707) "I'm convinced that Alan Keyes' Renew America is simply a front group for people who got fired from their local Arby's for coming into work drunk." -- Jesse Taylor, Pandagon
OK, given the ballpark policy, I can understand why that happened. That makes a little more sense...
...but at the same time, I don't see the need for any particular group to be highlighted with a special day. If you had Christian day at the Phillies game, you would have the ACLU lined up from here to there, because the ballpark was funded with state dollars.
Originally posted by GrimisOK, given the ballpark policy, I can understand why that happened. That makes a little more sense...
...but at the same time, I don't see the need for any particular group to be highlighted with a special day. If you had Christian day at the Phillies game, you would have the ACLU lined up from here to there, because the ballpark was funded with state dollars.
First off, it happens all the time. I know any day now is "Cancer Survivor Day" at Comiskey. And really, I know I've seen groups with religious affiliations having their own little promotional things at the park and thus far I have not seen the ACLU get involved.
That said, is there really a large gay baseball fanbase. I mean, here in Chicago Wrigley Field is right in the heart of Boys Town, and they're generally still living in two seperate worlds. And this is at freaking Cubs games, where 96% of the fans are there solely to drink and flirt with each other. I can't even imagine how that would go over in Philly, where they laugh about booing Santa Claus.
HELP IS ON THE WAY! "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." - George W. Bush 8/5/04
This "Gay Day" was not a team-sponsored promotion. It was a large group that purchased a block of tickets under the Phillies Group Sales program. As such, they are entitled to get their name on the scoreboard, recognized by the PA announcer, etc. It's the same thing as the Boy Scouts or some other organization buying a large chunk of tickets. It's just a typically more controversial group involved in this case.
Originally posted by SimbaThis "Gay Day" was not a team-sponsored promotion. It was a large group that purchased a block of tickets under the Phillies Group Sales program. As such, they are entitled to get their name on the scoreboard, recognized by the PA announcer, etc. It's the same thing as the Boy Scouts or some other organization buying a large chunk of tickets. It's just a typically more controversial group involved in this case.
I thought it would be something like that. Not to insult Philadelphia fans, but I really don't think that they are tolerant enough to have a gay night at any sports event.
I don't like how some of these groups are trying to smear the Phillies because of their policies. Repent America made it seem like it was a Phillies-sponsored and promoted event.
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Originally posted by Grimisbut at the same time, I don't see the need for any particular group to be highlighted with a special day. If you had Christian day at the Phillies game, you would have the ACLU lined up from here to there, because the ballpark was funded with state dollars.
Have you ever seen a sporting event? It's almost always "(insert a group) day at the ballpark," including, *gasp*, Christian Family Day here in St. Louis just a few weeks ago.
Originally posted by spf2119I know any day now is "Cancer Survivor Day" at Comiskey.
That's a cool gesture...
...but when is Disco Demolition Night Survivor Day? :-)
Star wipe, and...we're out. Thrillin' ain't easy.
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Originally posted by spf2119I know any day now is "Cancer Survivor Day" at Comiskey.
That's a cool gesture...
...but when is Disco Demolition Night Survivor Day? :-)
There'd be too many people for the Park to hold. I wanted to go, but didn't. (just Lazy). Dahl says that by his estimates, there were 50,000 plus in the park and 10-15000 outside. But everybody says they were there. I musta been there.
No, but I laughed my butt off at Harry and Jimmy getting pissed off because of Dahl's fans not thinking Comiskey was a holy place or something.
Now, is it ok for me yell THEATRE! in a crowded fire?
I read that the city of Philadelphia has recently been working really hard to attract the homosexual tourists to the city... Kind of surprising for a tough image Philadelphia, but then again there's Benjamin Franklin. YOU know what I mean Click Here (bensguide.gpo.gov)
smark/net attack wienerville advisory is raised to YELLOW alert - Elevated (JBL is the new WWE champion, good gawd hide under the desk. But Benoit is World Champion allowing some safety in the IWC)- 6/28
Glad he's resigned, even with his struggles, he's still a good pitcher. The White Sox did this to themselves this season. Darin Erstad was the only free agent acquisition they made, on a team that missed out on the Wild Card to the Twins.
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