STrib Letter to Editors on Gophers "end racism" uniforms

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Plausible Deniability said:
Good Lord, give it a rest. And maybe you need to hit the [ENTER] button a few more times.

Essentially it sounds like you're saying anyone that doesn't agree with what players put on their jerseys or helmets needs to be silenced, shouted down, is not entitled to a differing opinion, and should be ridiculed and outcast. Which would be about where we are today as a society. Intolerance of differing opinions is the new norm.

Myself, I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other (which no doubt will still make me a target of the woke crowd) on what they put on the back of the jerseys. If it makes the players feel better, by all means go for it. It's not like there were actually people in the country who were not "aware" until they saw the Gophers football game. To me it just really was a non-issue; nothing to get upset about and nothing to be celebrated. Football uniforms, whatever, I didn't think anything about it either way; I was more concerned with the Gophers scoring more points at the end of the day.

One thing to think about that nobody has really mentioned; unanimity among the players isn't necessarily a given. We've reached a point where if 6-8 players out of 100 thought this was a good idea and wanted to do it, the other 90+ would be in a position in today's society to NOT be able to confidently or safely express that opinion for fear of repercussions or blowback. I have no doubt that in this case a pretty healthy majority supported it, but you'd be a fool if you thought it was 100%.
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When that phrase is "End Racism", maybe they deserve just a little bit of ridicule.
 

hello-world said:
When that phrase is "End Racism", maybe they deserve just a little bit of ridicule.
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Of course. Nobody is above a little ridicule, not even you. One of the great things about this country is and always has been that we can all agree to disagree. But that seems to be changing, intolerance of other opinions is off-the-charts at a high level these days. And we need to be careful we don't go there, that we don't EVER go there.
 

Plausible Deniability said:
Of course. Nobody is above a little ridicule, not even you. One of the great things about this country is and always has been that we can all agree to disagree. But that seems to be changing, intolerance of other opinions is off-the-charts at a high level these days. And we need to be careful we don't go there, that we don't EVER go there.
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And when your opinion is that End Racism is a divisive phrase, maybe everyone else isn't the problem.
 

hello-world said:
And when your opinion is that End Racism is a divisive phrase, maybe everyone else isn't the problem.
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Did someone here say that is a divisive phrase? At best, one or two may have said they thought putting it on the jerseys was divisive but I'm not sure who you are referring to when you reference people who think ending racism is divisive?
 

SHELTER THE HOMELESS , END POLICE BRUTALITY, PAY YOUR TAXES, ABIDE THE LAW, NARROW THE GAP, NO MEANS NO, and THE GOLDEN RULE could be great name plates for the future.
 


WriterGoph said:
Fortunately your opinion carries zero weight and the Gophers literally would rather lose you as a fan than not allow their players to have a voice.

It's funny how all these little pockets of fans who think "I'm gonna really show the NBA/NFL/College Team how much I disagree with these 'political' statements by boycotting watching or going to their games."

News flash: They got the money. They got the TV contracts. And now they have the institutional support by their coaches/owners/conferences/leagues. The beauty is all of that adds up to their voices being heard on a regular basis.

So you go ahead and sit there in your silent protest (or maybe you're spouting off on an obscure fan message board). But don't get it twisted, sports have been huge in this country for 100+ years. They're not going to just whither away and cease to exist because a small minority of people are having a hard time being reminded of our country's abject failures while watching a game. The reality is that an even smaller percentage of these boycotters may walk away from all sports for good and find a new hobby. But most of the tough guys will end up forgetting what they were mad about in a year and will come crawling back to sports.

But the punch line is that athletes will still have a voice and be using this platform in 1, 3, 10 years. We won't be going backward from here. Leagues or coaches aren't about to change course and say "No, no! All you athletes shut up now. Don't talk about issues that are important to you!"

It's really kind of an amazing flip of circumstances when you think about it. For decades, minorities (but mostly black people) were told to "shut up and play!" or "If you try and vote, you die" or "just be happy you have a job" or "don't step out of line". And that's 100% the way they had to live their lives just to survive. Now, we're finally at the point where those previously doing the oppressing, get to feel their own voices being minimized by the majority.

It's too bad it takes so long for humans to evolve, but it's beautiful to see progress being made.
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Bolded: BOOM, and all that needs to be said.
 


SJUgopher said:
Not gonna read any of the posts, but imagine thinking “End Racism” is a bad thing. If you do, you can fuck off.
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Right. Because having an opinion on putting things on player jerseys other than their names or University name is precisely the same thing as being a racist/white supremacist. Brilliant take

Congratulations on clearly illustrating for all the rest of us why we are where we are in this country right now. YOU are a massive part of the problem, very well done on your part.
 

You realize just because you are allowed to have an opinion doesn't mean others can't mock you for that opinion right? No one is stopping you from saying things but if you do they have just as much right to tell you your opinion sucks.

The real problem with this country is no one can handle constructive criticism anymore.
 



Ok, I will be first to admit I've complained about our uniforms from time to time (not a fan of the chrome gold, anthracite, Row the Boat/paddle on the helmet). And I think it's a fair discussion to have if any kind of message should be on the uniform (Row the Boat included).

I think what makes the "end racism" statement on the Gophers jerseys ok with me is that it is more than just a statement for the team. They have the H.E.R.E. program that they are working on (https://mndaily.com/263585/sports/gophers-take-on-racism-with-h-e-r-e-initiative/). I could live with them putting "end homelessness" or "end hunger" or "Tackle Cancer" (for example) if they were working on those missions as well. To me those statements are not political and ones that everyone should be able to agree on. They don't have to be interpreted as political statements.
 

Dave H said:
You realize just because you are allowed to have an opinion doesn't mean others can't mock you for that opinion right? No one is stopping you from saying things but if you do they have just as much right to tell you your opinion sucks.

The real problem with this country is no one can handle constructive criticism anymore.
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Well you are most certainly 100% correct on your last point. We're raising a generation of younger people who aren't able to handle adversity or criticism of pretty much any kind. Very well stated.

I've already said I don't have an opinion either way on the jerseys they wore. It's a non-issue to me. The point is, it's one thing to disagree with someone on this and it's another thing entirely to brand anyone on the planet that doesn't agree with this messaging as RACIST, BIGOT, WHITE SUPREMACIST, etc. It's lazy, non-productive, and really pretty offensive for some. It's a worthless exercise that really quite honestly allows some people to put themselves ABOVE others and make themselves feel more enlightened than those that don't agree. Congratulations if that's you
 

hello-world said:
And when your opinion is that End Racism is a divisive phrase, maybe everyone else isn't the problem.
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Word said:
Ok, I will be first to admit I've complained about our uniforms from time to time (not a fan of the chrome gold, anthracite, Row the Boat/paddle on the helmet). And I think it's a fair discussion to have if any kind of message should be on the uniform (Row the Boat included).

I think what makes the "end racism" statement on the Gophers jerseys ok with me is that it is more than just a statement for the team. They have the H.E.R.E. program that they are working on (https://mndaily.com/263585/sports/gophers-take-on-racism-with-h-e-r-e-initiative/). I could live with them putting "end homelessness" or "end hunger" or "Tackle Cancer" (for example) if they were working on those missions as well. To me those statements are not political and ones that everyone should be able to agree on. They don't have to be interpreted as political statements.
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End bullying
End murder
End domestic violence
End abortion
End crime
 






I wonder if there are a fewhere that plaster their car’s heinie with bumper stickers.
 

Plausible Deniability said:
.

I've already said I don't have an opinion either way on the jerseys they wore. It's a non-issue to me.
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Odd that someone who "doesn't have an opinion either way" would have roughly 25% of the posts in this thread, all of which are strongly opinionated.
 

https://www.startribune.com/north-dakota-hockey-players-plan-to-kneel-during-anthem/573262031/

North Dakota hockey players plan to kneel during anthem
Two UND players — Jasper Weatherby and Jacob Bernard-Docker — are planning to kneel during the playing of the national anthem as a means of protesting racial injustice.

Per a lengthy story in the Grand Forks Herald, they are believed to be the first Division I men’s college hockey players to kneel during the anthem.

That the demonstration will come in a fan-less arena because of the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t change the impact. The game is being televised locally in Grand Forks and being streamed.

“I think change is uncomfortable for a lot of people,” Weatherby told the Herald. “If this (demonstration) is uncomfortable for you, it’s a great opportunity to educate yourself and look inside and ask yourself, ‘Why does that upset me?’ and ‘Why is someone from my hometown doing this?’ We hope the hockey community knows that we stand with people of color and we are not OK with the way people are being treated in this country.”

In the midst of a year that has seen a remarkable rise in athletes speaking out against racial injustice and matching their words with actions, the words and deeds of these two North Dakota hockey players strikes me as particularly notable for a few reasons.

*In addition to the historical college hockey element noted in the story, there is a sense that in general hockey — far less racially diverse than sports like basketball, football or even baseball — has lagged behind its peer sports when it comes to addressing these issues.

The Wild’s Matt Dumba became the first NHL player to kneel during the anthem in August when the league resumed play. Dumba, who is Filipino-Canadian, has become a large presence and in some ways the face of the NHL’s social justice movement.

Both UND players who are planning to kneel Wednesday are white — the types of allies needed to advance social justice reform. Weatherby in particular has a fascinating back story that has made him an outspoken advocate for reform.

“At the end of the day, we want UND to be a safe place,” Weatherby said. “As athletes who do have a platform, we stand with our brothers and sisters of color.”

*This comes at a time when it feels — at least to me — like the momentum of social justice activism among athletes that was building for a lot of the summer and into the fall is starting to fade.
 

MplsGopher said:
https://www.startribune.com/north-dakota-hockey-players-plan-to-kneel-during-anthem/573262031/

North Dakota hockey players plan to kneel during anthem
Two UND players — Jasper Weatherby and Jacob Bernard-Docker — are planning to kneel during the playing of the national anthem as a means of protesting racial injustice.

Per a lengthy story in the Grand Forks Herald, they are believed to be the first Division I men’s college hockey players to kneel during the anthem.

That the demonstration will come in a fan-less arena because of the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t change the impact. The game is being televised locally in Grand Forks and being streamed.

“I think change is uncomfortable for a lot of people,” Weatherby told the Herald. “If this (demonstration) is uncomfortable for you, it’s a great opportunity to educate yourself and look inside and ask yourself, ‘Why does that upset me?’ and ‘Why is someone from my hometown doing this?’ We hope the hockey community knows that we stand with people of color and we are not OK with the way people are being treated in this country.”

In the midst of a year that has seen a remarkable rise in athletes speaking out against racial injustice and matching their words with actions, the words and deeds of these two North Dakota hockey players strikes me as particularly notable for a few reasons.

*In addition to the historical college hockey element noted in the story, there is a sense that in general hockey — far less racially diverse than sports like basketball, football or even baseball — has lagged behind its peer sports when it comes to addressing these issues.

The Wild’s Matt Dumba became the first NHL player to kneel during the anthem in August when the league resumed play. Dumba, who is Filipino-Canadian, has become a large presence and in some ways the face of the NHL’s social justice movement.

Both UND players who are planning to kneel Wednesday are white — the types of allies needed to advance social justice reform. Weatherby in particular has a fascinating back story that has made him an outspoken advocate for reform.

“At the end of the day, we want UND to be a safe place,” Weatherby said. “As athletes who do have a platform, we stand with our brothers and sisters of color.”

*This comes at a time when it feels — at least to me — like the momentum of social justice activism among athletes that was building for a lot of the summer and into the fall is starting to fade.
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Really curious to see how this goes over in ND considering their history/fan base. If "end racism" name plates created a stir with some Gopher fans my hunch is this will throw the Hawk fans into a tizzy.
 

Fleck is known as a master of teaching players to be successful not only in football, but in all areas of life. Imagine the impact if the gopher players took those lessons and established mentorships in minneapolis/st paul schools. Mentored students in the importance of staying in school and personal responsibility, showed up at their extracurricular events, tutored, hosted them at gopher practices/ games, met their families, spoke at pep fests or assemblies, put messages such as stay in school around the stadium and on jerseys, encouraged students that they could make their dreams come true, etc.
Hopefully some of this is already done.

Killer Mike's message that america is by far the best place in the world for blacks is somehow lost and replaced with a narrative that encourages giving up and blaming others.

I borrow the above arguments from thomas sowell, shelbie steele, walter williams. These are black academics/researchers/authors who have been studying these issues for decades. All of us are racist just like all of us are greedy and dishonest. The message of these black leaders is too many are missing the forest for the trees.
 

Word said:
Really curious to see how this goes over in ND considering their history/fan base. If "end racism" name plates created a stir with some Gopher fans my hunch is this will throw the Hawk fans into a tizzy.
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Well, to start with you would lose many und fans with use of the word hawks. ☺

Hopefully the teammates of these two players are more tolerant of their views than were the teammates of drew brees. But yes, not too many places more patriotic than north dakota. Am guessing some boos will be heard.
 
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golf said:
Killer Mike's message that america is by far the best place in the world for blacks is somehow lost and replaced with a narrative that encourages giving up and blaming others.
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I'm not sure you can say this kind of thing in 2020. I hope nobody knows where you live
 


golf said:
Fleck is known as a master of teaching players to be successful not only in football, but in all areas of life. Imagine the impact if the gopher players took those lessons and established mentorships in minneapolis/st paul schools.
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This is already happening to some degree. It goes back to before Fleck was here.
 


Word said:
Really curious to see how this goes over in ND considering their history/fan base. If "end racism" name plates created a stir with some Gopher fans my hunch is this will throw the Hawk fans into a tizzy.
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I imagine there will be screams of bloody murder, and plenty of threats to cut all gifts and ticket purchases if those SOBs are allowed to do that.
 

I just destroyed 3 chalupas with a Surly Furious IPA. I'm a bit gassy now.
 


In the spirit of random things, 2 hour season premiere of Seal Team on cbs tonight at 8 pm. Highly recommended and will not induce gas.
 

golf said:
Am actually in the process of changing my identity. If only could change my short game 🏌️‍♀️.
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You know what Harvey Penick says; A good putter is a match for anyone while a poor putter is a match for noone.

Words to live by. Saved your ass, only cost you a quarter
 

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