YouTube Member JimJones24680, who posted this video noted:
"The arena had to raise the music volume to drown out the booing. Some have claimed they also piped in cheers. Awesome.
Notice the Obama/Biden signs at the 44-second mark. Big thanks to whoever that is holding them.
I guess Pennsylvania isn't a swing state anymore.
Update: Palin has said she put her 7-year-old daughter Piper in a Flyers jersey to discourage some of the booing.
Wow."
Oh well, Sarah don't feel bad, Philly fans once booed Santa Claus too :-)
Thanks Flyers fans for making this girl feel proud of her hometown
Monday, October 13, 2008
Hockey mom Sarah Palin boo'd at hockey game.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey Pam, have to differ with you here. Booing is just plain boorish and uncivil, and should be reserved for truly contemptuous behavior, or at minimum - an egregious remark. (I think like rough language, it is most effective when seldom used.) But to BOO a person, as person is just plain offensive.
ReplyDeleteHi Doc,
ReplyDeleteI don't think we really differ that much. I believe that booing has no place in professional sports and have been very critical of Philadelphia's infamous "boo birds".
However, Sarah Palin's campaign rhetoric has not only been contemptuous and egregious but has bordered on inciting violence. In this case the booing was a comment on Palin's behavior and was a befitting response.
"Inciting violence" is quite a charge. In what sense?
ReplyDeleteDoc,
ReplyDeleteI am sure that you are familiar with this country's painful and not so distant history of violently attacking political leaders. If not, I certainly am and John McCain, Sarah Palin and their campaign strategists are as well.
Each time that either McCain or Palin imply that Obama is "friends with a domestic terrorists", that "he launched his campaign in the living room of a domestic terrorist", or that they are not sure "just who is Barack Obama" they know that they are preying on the fears, ignorance, and yes, in some cases hatred, in a portion of our society.
When you tie the McCain/Palin rally rhetoric in with TV ads that plant the visual images of smirking black men preying on an elderly white woman (the Fannie Mae ad) or a smiling black man that wants to teach little white children sex education, then you are again preying on fears.
And when after months of spewing out this twisted propaganda you fail to address members of your crowd yelling out "terrorist", "traitor" and "kill him",you are inciting violence.
For a weeks, I reflected on how I wanted to address the covert use of racial fear by the McCain/Palin campaign. Long ago, I realized that for a very small segment of the population any rational argument is a waste of time. After all, the bible does caution us to cast no our pearls before swine.
However, the incident at the Flyers game shows me that there are enough people in this country who are fed up with people like Sarah Palin who wear their "religion" and children like sheets while they run around spouting hate and intolerance.
Enough people on both sides of the political aisle see the McCain/Palin strategy for exactly what it is - an attempt to debate a man not on the basis of his achievements, his policies or even the content of his character but to paint and ugly stereotype based on his racial/ethnic background.
And in this country that is all it takes to incite violence.
For more on the dangers of the McCain/Palin campaign rhetoric check out:
An Open Letter to John McCain
The Political Rhetoric of Race and Racism
"Boorish and uncivil?" Perhaps, but de rigeur at sporting events, particularly ones in Philly, where the rabid fans are just as likely to share a few Bronx cheers with the home team.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this incident highlighted the mismanagement of the McCain Campaign. I've worked in PR a long time and even a novice communications person should know better than to send a controversial figure into an uncontrolled and rowdy environment like the Flyers game. Sending Palin to that game was a bad, beginner's decision that makes me wonder (again) about the competence of the McCain team and the candidate's leadership of that team.
I agree with Pamela Lyn that the Philly fans' booing cannot be compared to Palin's relentless portrayal of Barack Obama as a dark, shadowy, anti-American who supports terrorists. Her comments are designed to enrage a low-information base, already primed by eight years of fearmongering and us vs. them talk. What Palin is doing is far more dangerous than the catcalls of silly, Philly "boo birds."
I wrote about it here: http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com/2008/10/sowing-seeds-of-hate.html
I think booing is a legitimate response to an event or a person. Yelling slurs, wearing crude t-shirts, or implying that the person's ethnic background is suspect is another situation entirely. There are three responses in these situations: cheer (which I doubt anyone would find offensive), sit silently, or boo. Why is it OK to voice approval but not disapproval? Sure, sitting in silence is probably the most respectful option, but then I'd have to say that those who like her should not cheer, and I wouldn't ask that. If you can cheer, you can boo. No more than that, though.
ReplyDeleteOK... what is the problem? The problem can be explained in one word - "intolerance" - there is no longer civility an tolerance in our politics - and my friends - another aspect of our political system is coming to an end - trust. Today the vast majority of people do NOT trust politicans of any party and with good reason - for the most part, our politicans have become self-serving, don't care a fig about the country, "I've got mine", people - and they are well represented by both parties.
ReplyDeleteIt just isn't professional sports, yesterday I saw a video of people marching in a parade for McCain being booed and given gestures (you figure out what the gestures were) up in New York City.
And, the intolerance and hostility doesn't stop there - there are people that I KNOW PERSONALLY - who are buying guns and ammunition in preparation for what they think will be a major conflict coming!
Now if that doesn't scare anyone silly, think of how Hitler came to power - who did he blame for all of Germany's problems? - The Jews. And what was his solution? Kill them all. Think it can't happen here? Think again and think very long and hard about who you vote for - My solution? Throw them all out - all of the incumbants - and if the new batch doesn't get the job done - throw them out too.
As for our current contestants for the job of president - if you are black - no contest, it's Obama. If you are white - big question mark - BUT make no mistake - race IS an issue in this election. And ANGER is also an issue. ...Easy solutions to our national problems? No such thing and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying - and that includes both McCain and Obama. Neither of them will be able to follow up on their campaign promises.. why not? No money. All spent by the current administration and the current congress - drunken sailors on shore leave could never compete with this bunch.. trillions and trillions of dollars spent to save - what? - the banks!! Did you know that this action is unconstitutional? Absolutely - forbidden by our constitution - but in this day and age, that doesn't matter any more... so hang on to your socks, we are in for one hell of a ride!
Hi Pam,
ReplyDeleteToday's New York Times contained an excellent OP-Ed piece that, in my opinion, relates to the conversation taking place on your blog. Here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/opinion/12rich.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Penny, thanks for sharing the link to the post by Frank Rich. It is a very good op-ed. I mentioned it in a another post today:
ReplyDeleteIs This Really What You Want to Hear from Pennsylvania Avenue
Tami, I also noted your post as well.
Suzanne you raise a good point that "if you can cheer you can boo." But as sports fans everywhere know, Philly fans can take booing to new levels :-) I'll be honest sometimes it has been downright embarrassing. But in the case of the Flyers fans booing Sarah Palin, the fans were probably merciful because Sarah used her daughter Piper as a human shield.
JohnP, I agree that there has been a great deal of civility in politics from either side for a long time. However, both McCain and Obama pledged to try to wage positive campaigns. And until, the conventions both parties seemed to be trying to uphold their end. But since the RNC the
campaign has take a dangerous turn. It's up to all of us to say enough is enough.