The attitude that makes up an extreme liberal is the same attitude that makes up an extreme conservative. Ironically.
Come on now. US policy affects the entire world. How does Tibet affect the US, and I mean physically? It's just moral concern that forces US to voice its opinion. Same thing applies to Canada. They feel morally that it is wrong to go to Iraq. You can't have your cake and eat it too (i have no idea why this means what it means). The US voices it opinions on EVERYTHING around the world.
If I remembered it correctly, there were Canadian soldiers dead because of US friendly fire. I guess that somehow affects them. I would assume you and Steve Nash have similar rights in terms of voicing opinion regarding other countries. According to your definition, you probably should not offer your opinion in lots of debates here regarding foreign countries' foreign policy, non-us related. Unless, you feel you have more superior rights comparing to Nash. The only difference I see is that you are an American, but he's not.
Basso, I can't tell if you are being deliberately dense or if you really can't imagine how the war in Iraq would have an impact on Canada. Here's one off the top of my head- To the degree that the war in Iraq makes it more or less likely for the U.S. to suffer a terrorist attack, it has a HUGE impact on Canada, one our largest trading partners.
Have to agree with BigTexx here. Who cares about Nash's politics? He got the MVP for his ability as a bball player - not a politician. He has every right to express his opinion - and people like bigtexx have every right to attack his opinion. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people here have launched personal attacks on BigTexx too.
Real_Egal; Yeah we Americans are hypocritical that way. We'll criticize other countries even about things that have no direct bearing on us but when anyone criticizes our policy we'll argue its none of their business. I would point out several posters on this board as prime examples. My point is that I don't think Steve Nash's views had anything to do with him being voted for MVP and I disagree with the assertion of this piece that somehow this validates or invalidates his views or has anything at all to do with the political views of the NBA. He's a basketball player who has won an award because of what he's done on the basketball court and that's it.
Sorry, my mistake. In Afganistan. Ok, I got you. You have people dead in war no. 1, you are allowed to speak; but in war no. 2, you can't say anything, coz you don't have anyone died. If you want to spin it, let's spin it. As far as I know, the border is controlled more strictly, maybe that somehows affects them as well?
I totally agree. MVP should be about basketball, and basketball only. Honestly, I don't like that article at all, just like I don't like another article played race card to talk about the MVP voting. I do feel strange that some members here got defensive so quickly about the "mind your own business" thing.
Bingo! Give the man a prize. But, especially in this internet age, it’s much easier for us non-Americans to look in on American sites like this and see that by no means do all Americans have bigtexx’s point of view. So increasingly I think it’s becoming a war of worldviews rather than simply anti-Americanism. In some parts of the world I don’t think we’re very far down this path but I think we’re moving in that direction, and I think that’s a good thing.
We don't care about Nash's position on the war, not because he's Canadian, but because he's a basketball player. He can think what he likes and say what he likes, but being a good baller doesn't mean your opinion is worth a damn. If he'd like to study the situation professionally, like a journalist or scholar would, or if he held a public office with some power, like a senator or president (or prime minister, I suppose), or if he were a good friend of mine, then maybe his opinion would be worth hearing.
He is just a basketball player but he’s a pretty informed guy. His parents are from South Africa and that and his Canadian upbringing will mean that he’ll have a pretty informed opinion … for a basketball player.
MVP award shouldn't and isn't about political view of the candidates. I don't believe that's in voters' consideration. However, I disagree with the argument that he's a basketball player, so that his position on the war doesn't count or he's not well-informed. What makes you think he's less informed on certain issues than a scholar? Just because you say that he's a basketball player? Last time I check, playing basketball and getting onself informed are not mutually exclusive. What you are saying that if a person holds a public office with some power, his opinion will be respected by you; if he's a friend of yours, his opinion counts. Now, isn't that against the foundation of US? You dismissed his opinion, only because he's a basketball player, and he does not have power, nor is he your friend. I guess that's not what you want to say.
It influences it. And the fact that he’s lived in two countries and his parents came from a third will mean that he’s been exposed to quite a bit and usually this leads to an informed opinion. real_egal: Are you French? German?
I think it's refreshing that an athlete speaks his mind, apart from the sports cliches programmed into them by their agents. I respect the Nashes, J. O'Neals and Barkleys of the sports universe, even if/when I don't agree with them. No current athlete will prove an Ali-like, "I ain't got nothing against no Viet Cong," iconic figure (unless, perhpas, an All-Star in his prime were to come out), but who really wants to hear another one say, "We just didn't want it enough," for the umpteenth time? Nice. I remember that thread. Methinks anyone afraid of such "giant rats" has never actually been to Texas, much less is representative of its peoples' worldviews. (If anything, this example typifies the modern urban reality of Texas' population growth.) Be careful: I've heard frightening tales of up-armored Jack Russelll Terriers that hunt in packs outside the Beltway. They can smell fear, especially fear combined with copious applications of Axe body spray.
I see. Real can be a Fench name too. Do you live in China? What part? In the past this has been a pretty interesting forum where people from all over the world have engaged in some pretty good debates. I guess it was the global nature of basketball these days that brought that diverse group of people here.
As a basketball player, he has to spend a good deal of his time on things related to basketball. If he had an opinion on basketball tactics, I wouldn't second-guess him; he's an authority in that realm. He can be well-informed in an amateur way on political topics about as well as I can be. But, there are some people who make their living doing research, writing, and thinking about these things. They have the luxury of spending much more of their time devoted to these things and are privvy to information that is not readily available to Nash and me, who are just reading what the professionals publish. Such people are an authority on the subject just like Nash is an authority in basketball; they can be right or wrong, but they've put work in that amateurs have not and therefore better deserve the public's attention. Politicians must be listened to for a different reason. There's no particular reason to think they are the most informed on the subject, but their opinions and decisions matter in a real way with what happens politically whereas Nash's just doesn't. So, they might be right or wrong, but either way they have power. And finally, friends have an authoritative position neither in knowledge nor in power. But, since they're friends, you care about what they think, no matter how ill-informed and ultimately irrelevant that opinion is. Nash is no friend of mine, so he doesn't fit in this category either. So, I think you understood me about right. I suppose I could have been more succinct and said, "Opinions are like assholes; everybody's got one."
