Rashod Bateman’s Social Media Savvy

[WriterGoph]

Come on. That's a little dramatic, don't you think? I think your passion is clouding your logic.

Can I not say "Black Lives Matter" while also saying that that there are systemic social issues within the black community, that if addressed, would also help improve people's lives? If not, I feel you are too narrowly focused on what ails us.

Regardless, I still have no desire to "get close" to athletes.

Maybe it's a little dramatic, but something is wrong with people who talk big on the internet and act like little fanboys when they meet a representative of a different race in the real world.

And yes, you can say both of your statements. But I think it needs to be understood that the systemic social issues in the black community exist on a large scale because Black Lives have NOT mattered enough/as much for centuries in this country. They've been forced to stay in poorer communities by lesser schools and lower paying jobs for generations. They've been fed drugs into those same communities (anyone feel free to research the CIA's role in the crack epidemic). In turn, they were also fed into the prison system at a much higher rate for petty drug crimes and a 3 strikes policy that are just now (decades later) being reversed. They also went to prison more because they couldn't afford real legal representation and had to take bad plea deals for fear of getting sent away for life.

If you have money and/or a good education in this country, it makes the path a WHOLE LOT easier to navigate. Now sure, that is not straight across race lines, but it's damn heavy for minorities (especially blacks). When you have to attend a public school that doesn't teach you to read or write properly because of the lack of resources, it's an uphill battle to ever get ahead and get out of that bad neighborhood.

So yes, there are systemic social issues in the black community. But WHO put that system in place in the first place??

 

[STPGopher]

I don't have a problem with signed memorabilia either. It would make it special to authenticate having met that player/person. But I think it's pretty disingenuous and odd to be asking the same players for an autograph when you have political/social views that they clearly would have an issue with if you expressed them.

I think the bigger problem is whether fans that do this kind of stuff question the players humanity. Unfortunately, some fans just don't connect the dots.

 

[GopherGuy8]

I don't have a problem with signed memorabilia either. It would make it special to authenticate having met that player/person. But I think it's pretty disingenuous and odd to be asking the same players for an autograph when you have political/social views that they clearly would have an issue with if you expressed them.

So one cannot appreciate a great athlete but have differing political views than the athlete??? Not everything has to be political. That's a very divisive statement.

 

[WriterGoph]

So one cannot appreciate a great athlete but have differing political views than the athlete??? Not everything has to be political. That's a very divisive statement.

Political views? I'd call people speaking against BLM a social view. This is not about who you vote for. This is about someone who is uncomfortable with the idea of black people being on equal footing in the US. I guarantee not one black athlete wants to have a single fan with those social views.

 

[mjfelton15]

(Stealing this bit from WroterGoph) Another player just removed themself from mjfelton's autograph request list.

Nope, I’d still want his autograph. My love of Gopher football takes priority over my personal opinions on politics.

 

[mjfelton15]

Nah, he would still be starstruck and ask for Bateman's autograph because felton is a coward and an internet straw man. Then he'd come home, change his avatar to a pic of he and Bateman together and in the next breath make some inflammatory post about Black Lives Matter.

There is zero chance that guy would ever have the balls to actually speak any of his ridiculous positions to a real live black person face to face. Zilch.

Getting an autograph from a soon to be NFL player, and someone that will be a Gopher legend, has nothing to do with political differences we may share. I have said my opinions to a couple black people and we agree to disagree, we’re friends so we don’t let our opinions stop us from being friends. That used to be a thing, not sure if you remember

 

[mjfelton15]

Do we still have grown men asking for autographs ? Always have found that strange.

I’m not much older than a lot of these players. I’m 28, and they are 18-22. They’re the same age as my own sibling. Not sure how it’s weird, the college football memorabilia market is pretty large. Are they not all adults and potential NFL players? Not sure why you find this to be so strange, most people I know that have a love for college football would gladly get autographs from college football stars.

 

[mjfelton15]

I don't have a problem with signed memorabilia either. It would make it special to authenticate having met that player/person. But I think it's pretty disingenuous and odd to be asking the same players for an autograph when you have political/social views that they clearly would have an issue with if you expressed them.

So you have issues separating your political values from your love of sports. That sounds like a personal problem you have

 

[mjfelton15]

I think it's hypocritical to be idolizing/putting an athlete on a pedestal when out of the other side of your (general your/you being used here) mouth you are openly against a social movement that is clearly a high priority in their life. Do you think any of these young black athletes would want to be doing a kindness (such a signing an autograph, or worse, getting a photo taken) for someone who is very outspoken against Black Lives Matter? I'm going to say HELL NO.

EDIT: Players on the Gophers football team (Bateman included) literally posted on social media saying "love and respect us all the time, not just on Saturdays"

Another example, do you think an openly gay actor/athlete would want to be signing an autograph or taking a picture with someone from the Westboro Baptist Church (aka "God Hates Gays" group)??

If a person cannot say "Black Lives Matter" and mean it and leave it at that, they have no business trying to get close to black athletes. Those who do have serious mental issues to deal with. Athletes are people before they're athletes and you can bet their feelings on this social uprising are bigger than any game.

you are quite deranged. I don’t watch sports so I can appreciate these athletes personal lives...this is like following celebrities in Hollywood for their political beliefs. Why do I give a shit what Alec Baldwin has to say about immigration? This is ridiculous. I respect and appreciate the work these athletes put in, and I respect the talent they show on the field. That’s what sports are for. I know ESPN, and some athletes, have blurred those lines by mixing their sports with politics. But I wouldn’t storm the field to discuss systemic racism with Rashad Bateman. I storm the field to congratulate and celebrate an upset with the team I love and all the other fans.

 

[mjfelton15]

Political views? I'd call people speaking against BLM a social view. This is not about who you vote for. This is about someone who is uncomfortable with the idea of black people being on equal footing in the US. I guarantee not one black athlete wants to have a single fan with those social views.

When have I ever stated that I am uncomfortable with the idea of black people being on equal grounds in this country? I simply don’t like the BLM movement for numerous reasons. I don’t dislike the original message they started their movement on. But it’s been hijacked and manipulated. Now it seems that there are multiple offshoots that have different agendas and run under the same banner. I shouldn’t have to be on board with a specific movement just to show I support equality.

And are you this stupid? You think southern college football teams don’t have a huge number of fans that don’t support BLM, but still pack the stadium every Saturday? Should we start doing political affiliation/BLM supporter screenings before entering the stadium? You’re a real joke.

 

[mjfelton15]

I can’t imagine telling a lifelong fan they don’t belong in their favorite sports team’s stadium because that fan doesn’t support a damn movement. welcome to whacko world

 

[WriterGoph]

When have I ever stated that I am uncomfortable with the idea of black people being on equal grounds in this country? I simply don’t like the BLM movement for numerous reasons. I don’t dislike the original message they started their movement on. But it’s been hijacked and manipulated. Now it seems that there are multiple offshoots that have different agendas and run under the same banner. I shouldn’t have to be on board with a specific movement just to show I support equality.

And are you this stupid? You think southern college football teams don’t have a huge number of fans that don’t support BLM, but still pack the stadium every Saturday? Should we start doing political affiliation/BLM supporter screenings before entering the stadium? You’re a real joke.

Am I this stupid? Someone married you. THAT takes the stupid cake here, David Duke.

 

[mjfelton15]

Am I this stupid? Someone married you. THAT takes the stupid cake here, David Duke.

You addressed nothing of what I said. And no I hate the KKK, so that’s a horrible comparison

 

[builtbadgers]

I’m not much older than a lot of these players. I’m 28, and they are 18-22. They’re the same age as my own sibling. Not sure how it’s weird, the college football memorabilia market is pretty large. Are they not all adults and potential NFL players? Not sure why you find this to be so strange, most people I know that have a love for college football would gladly get autographs from college football stars.

To each their own. Love all the memorabilia i have received from clients, coaches but just never did the autograph thing.

 

[mjfelton15]

To each their own. Love all the memorabilia i have received from clients, coaches but just never did the autograph thing.

I don’t have a whole lot of autographs. I have a few from former Viking hall of famers that I used to go with my uncle to get when I was a little kid, the Winfield Jr. autograph on my hat from the Penn State game, an Al Stalock autographed Wild jersey and puck, a Neal Broten autographed puck and picture, a Phil Housley autographed stick and picture, a few signed baseballs or baseball cards from Twins legends that I got with my Dad as a kid back when they used to do TwinsFest at the Dome. My main focus is on items to go in my future man cave. I wanna deck it out with mainly Gopher and Wild memorabilia.

 

[GopherGuy8]

Political views? I'd call people speaking against BLM a social view. This is not about who you vote for. This is about someone who is uncomfortable with the idea of black people being on equal footing in the US. I guarantee not one black athlete wants to have a single fan with those social views.

Don't act like I brought up "political views", it was in your earlier post that I replied to.☝

 

[mjfelton15]

Don't act like I brought up "political views", it was in your earlier post that I replied to.☝

“Political views”....“social views”....he’s playing word games. BLM is a politically backed group. The money gets funneled into the hands of white politicians. BLM looks to influence political policy in regards to policing laws. To support, or not support, is a political view.

 

[WriterGoph]

“Political views”....“social views”....he’s playing word games. BLM is a politically backed group. The money gets funneled into the hands of white politicians. BLM looks to influence political policy in regards to policing laws. To support, or not support, is a political view.

The issue is that you - and some others - literally cannot say the phrase "Black Lives Matter" and mean it or say it without some kind of caveat. That's a sad, sad thing that says more about your own insecurity than anything else.

 

[mjfelton15]

The issue is that you - and some others - literally cannot say the phrase "Black Lives Matter" and mean it or say it without some kind of caveat. That's a sad, sad thing that says more about your own insecurity than anything else.

Here’s the issue...I don’t feel I should have to say it. I believe every life, that does not cause harm to other lives and contributes positively to society, matters. I believe life is very precious and should be protected wherever it can be. I believe the second someone threatens to take innocent life, and I mean actual innocent life, that person is no longer a precious life. Beyond evil people, I believe all life matters and deserves protection. So I thought that it goes without fucking saying that black lives matter. That seems common sense to me. That’s why when the movement started, and it decided to use that as their group name, I thought it was stupid because it’s stating the obvious. You have no idea who I am, and you assume I don’t think black lives matter. I certainly do. I don’t support the hijacked, far left movement that is using that as their name.

 

[WriterGoph]

Here’s the issue...I don’t feel I should have to say it. I believe every life, that does not cause harm to other lives and contributes positively to society, matters. I believe life is very precious and should be protected wherever it can be. I believe the second someone threatens to take innocent life, and I mean actual innocent life, that person is no longer a precious life. Beyond evil people, I believe all life matters and deserves protection. So I thought that it goes without fucking saying that black lives matter. That seems common sense to me. That’s why when the movement started, and it decided to use that as their group name, I thought it was stupid because it’s stating the obvious. You have no idea who I am, and you assume I don’t think black lives matter. I certainly do. I don’t support the hijacked, far left movement that is using that as their name.

Nah, man. You've completely missed the point. You're clearly totally blind to the history of America. You literally have a retort to anything about our country's racist history and a reason why different circumstances did not put black people at a disadvantage for generations. In your underdeveloped brain, everything has been all gravy for everyone this whole time. Its pretty twisted.

 

[mjfelton15]

Nah, man. You've completely missed the point. You're clearly totally blind to the history of America. You literally have a retort to anything about our country's racist history and a reason why different circumstances did not put black people at a disadvantage for generations. In your underdeveloped brain, everything has been all gravy for everyone this whole time. Its pretty twisted.

I do believe that historically different groups have been oppressed and mistreated. Many different groups since the dawn of man. In the history of America many different groups have been mistreated too. I’m aware. But it’s 2020, and I like to not dwell on the past. Can’t change what’s happened, and I did nothing to cause any of it. I’m not guilty for someone else’s crimes. I refuse to bow down and grovel for forgiveness from people for things I didn’t do, and would never do. You can keep feeling guilty for being white, let me know where it gets ya