Rent-a-goons kick Sox fan out of Yankee Stadium for trying to use a restroom
By adamg - Thu, 08/28/2008 - 2:00pm.
The citadel of freedom known as Yankee Stadium has a rule requiring fans to stand at their seats during "God Save America." Gothamist reports on a Sox fan who says he really had to go during Tuesday's rendition, but that he never made it to the men's room because he was grabbed by security guards who didn't like his retort when they told him to get back to his seat, marched down to the ground level and pushed out of the stadium instead:
"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.' "
Via Joy of Sox.
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The Toilet
They don't call it The Toilet for nothing. The security guard probably just didn't understand why he needed to go to the restroom anyways instead of just relieving himself in his seat like the rest of the mooks.
BTW, Lester pitching a 4-hit shutout. We'll just let our team do the talking.
here's an idea
Maybe a couple dozen fans can celebrate their freedom by getting up and going to the bathroom in the middle of "God Bless America".
Maybe they could even be WW2/Vietnam/Iraq vets. Who haven't had any alcohol to drink all day. And maybe people with video-capable digital cameras can be nearby.
This bullshit is yet another sign that we need to have the antitrust exemptions lifted...
Here's another idea
Find an atheist lawyer with a medically verified enlarged prostate or diuretic medication prescription, and send him in with a Sox cap.
It could get interesting.
Something that would happen on Boston Legal :-)
Swirrly Grrl:
Something like this?
"I'm sorry, I don't believe in God and while I'm an American, I'm not a hard-core patriot...but I've got to use the restroom because of my a medical condition I can't discuss. If you'll allow me to use the facilities, I'll be glad to tell Mr. Steinbrenner that allowing the disabled some dignity is excellent public relations."
The latter part of the sentence may open their ears. Mr. S and his sons are always looking for good publicity.
I read the article and I agree the security guards overreacted - enthusiastic patriotism is one thing, enforced patriotism is quite another. "Youse dumb Sawx fans are gonna sit there and listen to da nice 'God Bless America' and you're going to like it."
On the flip side, if you don't agree with the patriotism that the Yankees are offering, you are under no obligation to sing, stand, or salute the flag. At the least show some decorum and respect during that time - bow your head, quietly glance at your phone - even fake it if you must.
The only problem is that the minute that guy said "I don't have to listen to [God Bless America]," he lost my sympathy. Don't act like snotty, spoiled jerk - the security guards will have a field day. "Oh ho, a Red Sox fan who think he's better than all of us...let's teach him a lesson in Noo Yawk manners."
The only problem is that the
Um, if you gotta go, you gotta go. And his saying that directly contradicts your argument that
I personally respect the flag, the country, and am one of the few who actually takes my hat off and holds my hand across my chest during the SSB, but if you are going to make the argument that there is no obligation to be patriotic, how can someone who needs to empty his bladder "lose your sympathy" by trying to do so during GBA?
Allow me to soften my stance a bit...
Great question.
There's a difference between "let the poor guy go to the bathroom" and "jeez, what a jerk." Had he left out that phrase "I don't have to listen to it," then I would say, "That was kind of rude and goonish of the guards to toss him out, just for asking to going to the bathroom." Instead, he chose to open his mouth with that sentence.
The guards, most likely trained to filter out the to the shenanigans of the drunken kind in Yankee Stadium, took his phrase as a cue that more trouble might be coming - to them, agitated sober guy/gal needing to use the facilities is roughly equivalent to agitated drunk guy/gal looking to cause trouble.
Allow me to soften my previous stance - I feel bad that he lost the chance to finish the game, but he could have chosen better phrasing to keep him in the stadium. "Would you mind if I waited here until the song is finished, even though I don't like it?" followed by an earnest smile, would garner a chuckle, a smile, and a little Noo Yawk rub: "Hey, what the hell you want them to sing, 'Shut your bleepin' face, Uncle Bleeper?' from South Park?"
The Steinth Reich
I certainly hope Hank and Hal are implementing the following other fascist regulations that their father set in motion: Forcible ejection for...
They'd need to hire 55,000 rent-a-cops to enforce this, but it would solve the problem of anti-patriotism, and would honor the troops and veterans to have a game being played in an empty stadium.
Of course, most players would have to be kicked out as well.
Changing my mind
Up till now, I objected to chanting "Yankees suck." After learning this, I thoroughly agree with the sentiment.
What Steinbrenner is doing is a disgrace to America.
God Bless America has served its purpose at the ballpark.
The song popped up after 9/11 when we truly needed it. You know, members of Congress singing it on the steps of the Capitol, all that. And somehow it felt right then to sing it at the ballpark where we were watching, natch, America's Pastime. I remember a Red Sox home game in October 2001 where we not only sang God Bless America, but we also stood for "New York, New York" (which was probably the biggest moment of cognitive dissonance I've ever had at Fenway, though we all agreed we could respect the city but still hate the Yankees.)
Now, though, it feels like it's become another empty gesture, another chance for some grandstanding singer to get out there and bellow through what's often a tacky rendition, and the forced participation just amplifies that feeling. I feel like I'm back in 9th grade homeroom and the teacher is frothing at the mouth because some kids aren't saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Heathens and heretics all! And you better be SPEAKING it, son, and not just moving your lips!
Meh.
We needed the song back when the country was badly hurt and in need of full support. But now? I just don't get it. We stand for the flag and the country during the National Anthem. What are we supposed to be standing for during God Bless America? Ronan Tynan? Or did our Love Of Our Country, which we showed during the National Anthem, run out somewhere around the bottom of the fourth, and now we have to recharge our patrioticness?
At least when we used to stand during Take Me Out To The Ballgame (which in many cases has been replaced by God Bless America, and that's the true travesty in my opinion) it was called a Seventh Inning Stretch. And we could go to the bathroom if we had to.