Well, that depends on whether she completely hates the country or if she just disagrees with certain policies by the US government. I take turning your back on the flag as hating the country and everything it stands for. So, if that is not the way she truly feels, then she's misguided and someone needs to inform how to protest her views more accurately. However, if she does in fact <i>hate</i>, America. Well then, yeah...leave. I don't see anything wrong with saying that.
On Talkback Live yesterday they said she has been getting booed and jeered all season. I don't think the national media picked it up (or at least I haven't heard about it) until this weekend when the incident happened.
The first time I read this story on ESPN, which I check at least 5 times a day, that was mentioned. There's no evidence that suggests she hates this country. Why do we assume that?
That seems pretty ignorant to me. Because you were not happy with Bush winning the election you hate our country? The flag, among other things, is a symbol of our country. If you don't want to salute a picture of GWB that's fine. You should be happy you don't live in Iraq. I bet they would execute your ass for your actions.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030222/ap_wo_en_po/na_gen_us_player_protest_1 That article is dated Feb. 22, and the incidenct with the guy coming on to the court happened on the 23rd, so that's definitely not the only reason this is news.
Exactly! Whether you agree with it or not, <b>a lot</b> of people (including myself) take turning your back on the flag as hating America. Take you, for instance. You disagree with current government policies, but you would never consider turning your back on the flag, would you? In fact, I'm sure at least 99.9% of Americans who take part in anti-war protests, would never consider turning their back on the flag (maybe I'm being too optimistic). My point is...if she truly does not hate America, she needs to find another way to protest that more accurately reflects her views, because there are people who are taking her protests the wrong way. If she doesn't want people to believe she hates America, it seems like that would bother her enough to where she would want to rethink what she's doing. I don't think she hates America, I just think she's misguided.
she 's lucky she is white, if she is a muslim or an arab , the fbi maybe at her home after the game n arrest her n question her motive or having the whole crowd stare at her at the game n think if she is a terrorist supporter or sth....
What would happen in China? Would she be taken in as a political prisoner? Beaten to death in some back alley and never heard from again?
If I were the coach, it there would be a simple solution. The team is not a place for an individual to make political statements. Either she does what the rest of the team does, or she would stay in the locker room until the anthem is over.
You post the most simplistic garbage about if you turn your back on the flag you're turning your back on every good thing it stands for and you're talking to me about a complex world? You're funny man.
Totally agree! And so does the coach of women basketball's #1 team. http://espn.go.com/ncw/news/2003/0225/1514459.html <b>Auriemma says he'd kick Smith off team for protests</b> It might be a good thing that Connecticut doesn't face Manhattanville. Head coach Geno Auriemma might not like it. According to a report in The Hartford Courant, Auriemma said he wouldn't allow a player on his team to turn away from the American flag during the national anthem. The statement came in response to Manhattanville senior forward Toni Smith, the Division III player who has refused to face the flag during the anthem this season in protest. Auriemma told the newspaper that his response to Smith's action would be to kick her off the team. "We've given people the right to disrespect what this country stands for," Auriemma told The Courant after UConn's victory over Notre Dame on Sunday at Gampel Pavilion. "The flag is a symbol of what we stand for," he added. "Anybody who does (what Smith has done), they have the right to do it, but to me it's disrespectful and, as a coach, I would have that right not to have that person on the team. Then they can sue me and say, `You're denying me my rights.' " Auriemma also told the newspaper that he would allow Smith to protest a possible war with Iraq or inequalities in the American system. Others have protested the Division III player's protest. A Vietnam veteran came onto the court Sunday and held an American flag in front of Smith after she again refused to face the flag during the national anthem. "She disgraced herself and she disgraced the flag,'' said Jerry Kiley, 56, of Rockland County, N.Y., who was ejected from the arena after he walked onto the court during the first break in play. Kiley approached Smith as she lined up while another player prepared to shoot free throws. He was escorted out of the gym by school security and local police. There were no further protests in Smith's final home game of the regular season, a 63-53 victory over Stevens Tech. As she has done all season, Smith turned 90 degrees away from the flag as the anthem was played prior to tipoff. Six of her teammates stood at attention with their hands on their chests, while three other teammates stood with their heads bowed and their arms at their sides. Smith declined to be interviewed after the game. The sociology major previously released a 250-word statement outlining the reasons for her protest, citing "the inequalities that are embedded into the American system'' and "the war America will soon be entering.'' "She wasn't political until she came to Manhattanville, but she's always had a sense of justice, and she's always been concerned with people who are discriminated against, and with the injustices in this country and in the world,'' said Smith's mother Naomi, a school administrator in Manhattan, where her daughter was raised along with two older siblings. "Basketball has always been her passion, but she also reads the newspapers, and her professors have encouraged people to think for themselves,'' Smith's mother said. Smith's protests have drawn national attention to the small liberal arts school in the suburbs north of New York, a school of 1,400 students less than a mile away from the public university where the New York Knicks formerly practiced. School president Richard Berman has been supportive of Smith's right to express her opinion, regardless of whether he or anyone else agrees or disagrees with her views
You really do have a distorted view of America, don't you? No, the FBI would not arrest her. But you're right about one thing, I'm sure there would be a couple people in the stands who <i>wondered</i> if she was a terrorist supporter. OH, THE HORROR!
Tell me what would happen in China if somebody turned their back to the Chinese flag in a very public setting where everybody was watching, and it was very obvious that they were disrespecting the Chinese flag.
from where i live people burn the red 5 star flag in a protest last year here in hk n nth happaned. i dunno what will happan but it all depends all what's her motive was.
I wonder what would happen in that case, especially being a state school funded bt the gov't? I doubt there could be legal ramifications for telling her to stay in the locker room. Bottom line, the only reason that b!tch can do what she is doing is b/c of the freedoms of this country. The National Anthem is a salute or tribute to our counrty and to honor our freedoms, the issue she has is with our President or our gov't. No ifs ands or buts, what she is doing is ignorant, and it is a shame that people take for granted all those who died for her freedoms. To be honest, maybe what she is doing is best, she doesn't deserve to face our Flag!
now u tell me what will happan if this girl was an arab or middle east looking girl not white . she is white and there is already people thinking she un-american n all that . now if she was lets say a pakistan muslim american , what would the crowd reaction be and what is going to happan to her??
