Dion Waiters skips national anthems because of his religion

Are you saying that you prefer how those other nations handle their citizens?

 

Yes, only this generation has youth who don't participate in the national jingoism, I mean anthem. This has never happened before in US history!

Yes, he is lucky the US is (supposed to be) a secular country. However, he is unlucky there are people like you who think it's not.

 

Haven't you gotten the memo,"It's shameful to exercise one's freedom of expression or viewpoint in a country whose 1st Amendment grants, such a right

Religious quandary ... Given the dedication and symbolism with American rituals and symbols, one, albeit extremist/follow "meaning to a team" could interpret such as idolatry.

 

This. Well said.

 

Um not to turn this into D&D but never can singing the national anthem be seen as religion, mainly because nobody sees America the nation as a god to worship. To be honest the only reason I can see him skipping out on the national anthem is if his own brand of Islam is the same as those of that Nuggets player before (Al Mamoud something), which is basically an extremist fundamentalist branch which sees the United States as an enemy which needs to be wiped off the face of the Earth. In which case, why the **** is Waiters playing in the US then? I have a lot of issues with this because this is hypocritical behavior, he takes money from the US and lives all the comforts and luxuries of a capitalistic country and then he refuses to listen to the Anthem because it goes against his religion? Funny how taking American dollars doesn't go against his religion but listening to the anthem of the said country does IMHO the NBA should fine him like what they did to Almamoud just for being a dick.

The funny thing is he ain't even that good to cause all this drama, I'm pretty sure the Cavs want their pick back so they can take someone better. I think after he got a lot of (deserved) heat and flack Waiters backpedaled and basically just called the Cavs beat writer a liar, talk about cowardly LOL. If I were part of the NBA owners association I'd cut this SOB out of the league entirely.

 

I hate the combination of sports and religion. Actually sports should be clean from any religion and bring people together as human beings.

Something about Dions behaviour, if that really happened, is very strange. NBA players are not only US citizens. Guys from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa stand there and listen with repect to the US anthem regardless of their nationality and especially, religion (and many are muslims). How can it be a problem for a US athlete?

 

Look at how scared Kyrie looks. Expect a trade at the next deadline.

 

If sports should be bringing people together as human beings, why do they have to sing the national anthem when there are non-Americans in the sport?

 

Because it is the National Basketball Association. That does not change even if non-US nationals play in it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that they play the Canadian anthem in Raptors home games. US players (nationals) respect it.

 

Don't get me started. If it is the National Basketball Association, why do they call its champions "world champion"? And why do they have a team in Canada? What nation does"national" refer to?

There are lots of inconsistent logic and hypocrisy in these discussions. I don't really care. I agree with people in the Wade Phillips thread that the national anthem before games has become meaningless a long time ago.

 

I agree with you on that. However, the players get their salary from that organization and it is not to them to try change anything. If the players association wants to change the protocol that's perfectly OK with me. In any case the league has to accept it. That's how things are done in democracy.

 

Idk Why I'm not mad about this, I wouldn't mind if anyone who didn't want to be out there during it didn't have to be out there.

 

I think it is annoying to have to stand up for the national anthem before every game. I know i might be ridiculed for this opinion, but i'm just being honest.

I can understand if it is the NBA Finals or some big event but for every single NBA game or MLB game...I don't see the need for it.

 

Just as an FYI. It has more to do with being lazy and not seeing the point in doing it before every game more so than some stance or belief.

 

Cmon guys, regardless of how awful his attempt to clean it up is, he did it once and has apologised for missing out and says he loves the USA. I'm sure it's not going to happen again and he doesn't hate the anthem.

Time to move onto the next irrelevant NBA article...

 

Whatever. I respect his choice, but he's still one of my least favorite people in the NBA.

 

Before attacking the guy take a look at the source. Same guy had originally posted stories about lebron and bosh beef that was later retracted cause he's full of crap.

But back to waiters. He didn't say not was it reported he was protesting the anthem. "Because of religion" could mean anything. Maybe he was doing his own prayer in the locker room and came out late?

 

Once again you are trying to act like someone is in a bad position not because of anything they did, but because of what you are claiming they did.

I never acted like I knew better. I just pointed out that some folks didn't wait for the whole story before knocking a guy.

I never once said that I knew from the beginning that it was bogus. Yet you'd rather make up that I did say that and try to score some point in a game that only you are playing.

I know you're capable of better. Keep your chin up and try harder to be accurate next time.

 

I was literally about to write the same thing. I might actually rather have JR Smith on my team than this guy. I absolutely hate watching him play basketball & its even worse to watch his demonstrative physicality during the games & on the sideline when he has to sit down. If Lebron doesn't force them to move him at some point this year, he should be Knighted or given Sainthood for putting up with that.