ESPN pulls Williams from MNF opening

[Arete Tzu]

If it's universally agreed upon that politicians are snakes, why are people so willing to follow their lead? Why are we so divide in defense of these snakes?

A huge percentage of politicians can qualify as psychopaths. It's just a fact. Why the fuck do we follow THEM? What does that say about us?

Do you think the brutality of political philosophy like Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" is gone today? Back in the days they didn't have to hide this type of writings, because people where illiterate, that's why we know of it today. But this type of thinking still survives, they just hide it more, and some of you are falling for it, Bad. Most people defending Hank, are as manipulated as he is.

I'll give the free speech argument a pass because it's been beatin into peoples heads so much, they most no longer know the real meaning. It never freed us form public reaction...it only protects you from the government persecution....that's it.... period...nothing more. It's not a get out of trouble free card.

but people defending this on political grounds...you guys are blind.

 

[mufasa76]

Still a stupid comment. Obama and Boehner aren't that level of enemies. Is there really something wrong with a conservative, and liberal coming together to do something? Obama and Boehner playing golf together shouldn't be a controversy, it shouldn't be politicized, it's something no one should give a fuck about. It's a fuckin golf game. It's extremely insignificant. It just hows how deep into the bullshit people really are. We look for any excuse we could possibly find to divide people.

Then to compare it to one of the worst moments in earth's history, is purely idiotic. This hitler shit needs to die already, It's pathetic seeing both sides bring it up over every fuckin issue, then crying like little girls "but the side did it" seriously? Like that justifies it? IT'S STUPID WHEN BOTH SIDES DO IT! Our politics keep devolving deeper into childish bullshit.

I'm so sick of it. Fuck Hank Williams and anyone like him on either side.

I agree 100%

 

[Ray_Dogg]

If it's universally agreed upon that politicians are snakes, why are people so willing to follow their lead? Why are we so divide in defense of these snakes?

A huge percentage of politicians can qualify as psychopaths. It's just a fact. Why the fuck do we follow THEM? What does that say about us?

Do you think the brutality of political philosophy like Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" is gone today? Back in the days they didn't have to hide this type of writings, because people where illiterate, that's why we know of it today. But this type of thinking still survives, they just hide it more, and some of you are falling for it, Bad. Most people defending Hank, are as manipulated as he is.

I'll give the free speech argument a pass because it's been beatin into peoples heads so much, they most no longer know the real meaning. It never freed us form public reaction...it only protects you from the government persecution....that's it.... period...nothing more. It's not a get out of trouble free card.

but people defending this on political grounds...you guys are blind.

I stopped going to Wednesday dinners with my family because of politics. It seems to me politics is like religion. You choose a side, hate is bread, and the other side is the enemy. Fuck, I don't want to hear about that shit anymore. I'll stick to following sports in my spare time and keep my blood pressure low. I truly feel bad for people that devote all their free time to following politics so they can argue with people about it. It ain't healthy.

 

[Rvnight18]

I agree it was a horrid comparison and it was over the top, just trying to make people understand he never called Obama Hitler. I agree Disney has the right to pull his song. I never screamed freedom of speech. If you want fee speech, exept the backlash that might follow. But people need to get shit right with their backlash.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

It seems to me politics is like religion. You choose a side, hate is bread, and the other side is the enemy. Fuck, I don't want to hear about that shit anymore. I'll stick to following sports in my spare time and keep my blood pressure low. I truly feel bad for people that devote all their free time to following politics so they can argue with people about it. It ain't healthy.

This is where I'm at at this point. I used to argue about it all day and think that one side had all the answers and the other side were idiots. The politicians definitely are pulling a Jedi mind trick getting regular people to argue on their behalf, and justify their scams and greedy BS. They somehow get people to take such pride in their political affiliation that they'll defend scumbags just out of loyalty.

 

[MW49ers5]

This is where I'm at at this point. I used to argue about it all day and think that one side had all the answers and the other side were idiots. The politicians definitely are pulling a Jedi mind trick getting regular people to argue on their behalf, and justify their scams and greedy BS. They somehow get people to take such pride in their political affiliation that they'll defend scumbags just out of loyalty.

I swore I would not dive into this thread, but I cannot let this post slide without a REP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolute Genius is often found in common sense, or discovered from just waking up.

United we stand, divided we fall. We, as a nation of American Citizens, had better learn quickly what that means. They have methodically divided an entire nation and turned it against itself while they rob our pensions, shred our constitution and eviscerate out very lives.

Great Post!

 

[Crimsoncrew]

you can speak out, but do it in the right place, right setting, etc.

next, if you choose to speak out fine, then choose to receive the consequences of your mouth. if you walk up to Pacquio and tells him he's weak, then he punches you in the mouth.......are you going to claim free speech?

Disney can do what they like with their property, whats so hard to understand? sponsors have pulled their plug on Tiger Woods, its their perogative to do so. why can't Disney do what they want with their property, 'free speech' right?

Well said, Deep. Objecting to ESPN's decision is closer to barring free speech than what they did. No one ever said there wouldn't be consequences when you exercise free speech. They just said that you have a right to do it without being arrested or persecuted BY THE GOVERNMENT. I was having this exact conversation at lunch a couple minutes ago (hadn't looked at this thread since it grew from the first two posts).

 

[Crimsoncrew]

For fuck sakes people read the damn article. He never called Obama Hitler! Man this is annoying. He said Obama and Beohner golfing together would be like Hitler and Netanyahu golfing together. He used it to show that Hitler and Netanyahu would never golf together so why are Obama and Boehner? You can say I was over the top, which I agree with, but damn people he never called him Hitler.

It was an awfully thinly veiled analogy. And he has every right to say it. Frankly, it's pretty dumb to compare all but a bare handful of people in the history of the world (Pol Pot comes to mind) to Hitler. It's sensationalism, regardless of which party engages in it. It's also lazy. Take the trouble to find a worthwhile comparison.

 

[Flyingiguana]

What ever happen to freedom of speech.....This is what wrong with this country every day our rights are being taken away from us and we (Americans) are allowing it.We need stand up and take back what belongs to us and fuck the government and it's bullshit law's...

if a company is paying you money it's their image that can take a hit too. has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

One last thing, and then I've got to get back to work: we need Obama and Boehner to play golf together. That's how a two-party democracy gets things done. This whole "the other side is the enemy and we can't even speak to them" concept is a much larger threat to this nation than Osama bin Laden ever posed IMO. If we're not willing to compromise on some things, we're literally never going to get anything of worth done.

 

[Rvnight18]

It was an awfully thinly veiled analogy. And he has every right to say it. Frankly, it's pretty dumb to compare all but a bare handful of people in the history of the world (Pol Pot comes to mind) to Hitler. It's sensationalism, regardless of which party engages in it. It's also lazy. Take the trouble to find a worthwhile comparison.

I agree with you crimson 100%. It was a very bad comparison. I just want people to get it straight. He never called Obama Hitler. And that is what was being said here. I have said before ESPN has the right to do it. You also hit freedom of speech right on the head. Things you say have consequences. You can say them, but you should expet a rebutle. I can't go up to my boss and call him a drunk bastard even though he is, I would get fired. Sure I have a right to say it, but my employer has the right to can my ass.

 

[deep9er]

Well said, Deep. Objecting to ESPN's decision is closer to barring free speech than what they did. No one ever said there wouldn't be consequences when you exercise free speech. They just said that you have a right to do it without being arrested or persecuted BY THE GOVERNMENT. I was having this exact conversation at lunch a couple minutes ago (hadn't looked at this thread since it grew from the first two posts).

geezus.......

as i already said...........was it the Government who pulled William's song?

this thread came out like big brother is cracking down on poor ol Hank for saying what he wants, but did it crack down? the words were about Government, but it wasn't the Government cracking down on Hank was it?

so if the Government didn't do anything, is it violating his right to free speech?

 

[yossarian]

I think ESPN had every right to pull his dumb song and it's not censorship at all because as others have pointed out, the government isn't doing anything here. Also it is impossible to state how little I care about any of Hank Williams Jr.'s political philosophies, or whether by calling Obama "the enemy" as he did he is just revealing too much of his prejudices. I watched the video for myself, the guy can barely get off an articulate sentence, why does anyone care what he thinks, even Fox?

 

[Kinzu]

So does anyone think pulling the song hurt or helped ESPN?

I would say it did not matter either way. The pulled in double the ratings of the MLB playoffs for the Colts (without Manning) vs the Bucs. They would have pulled the same ratings with or without the song.

Does pulling the song help ESPN avoid controversy?

I guess it's a matter of opinion. I think they brought more heat on themselves and more light to the topic by pulling it. If they just air the damn song I say very few people notice or care. By pulling the song ESPN made a whole lot more people aware of the comments Hank Williams Jr made earlier that morning. If anything ESPN just helped Junior's word get out there.

Some problems are best left ignored rather than escalating them. The comments he made were not so horrendous that drastic measures needed to be taken, but by making said efforts all ESPN did was make this whole situation worst.

I don't get why ESPN wanted all this controversial media surrounding them. It would have been easier to air the song like normal, and then issue a statement about not agreeing with Williams but his song was tradition to their program.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Don't want to dredge this issue back up, per se, but I just came across this article and thought it was a pretty good take on the situation:

Obama, Hitler and Hank Williams Jr. - PostPartisan - The Washington Post

 

[Rvnight18]

Don't want to dredge this issue back up, per se, but I just came across this article and thought it was a pretty good take on the situation:

Obama, Hitler and Hank Williams Jr. - PostPartisan - The Washington Post

That was a good article. Pretty much how I feel about it.

Never called Obama Hitler

Espn has every right to pull his song

Never ever use hitlers name in anything but WW11 and holocaust.

Freedom of speech has nothing to do with this.

 

[mufasa76]

I swore I would not dive into this thread, but I cannot let this post slide without a REP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolute Genius is often found in common sense, or discovered from just waking up.

United we stand, divided we fall. We, as a nation of American Citizens, had better learn quickly what that means. They have methodically divided an entire nation and turned it against itself while they rob our pensions, shred our constitution and eviscerate out very lives.

Great Post!

BINGO!

 

[NinerSickness]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NinerSickness]

Hate to break it to you but ESPN is owned by Disney, and Disney is very conservative.

WHAAAAAAAA!!!?????????

How's the weather there on Mars?

 

[Kinzu]

This seems more like a personal agenda on the part of ESPN/Disney. It feels like they were looking into doing away with the opening, and this situation just gave them the perfect out. I'm guessing next year we get openings from different artist each game or something similar.