Hockey is back! Minus the rainbow tape, that is.
With the start of a new hockey season, the NHL is reportedly clamping down on LGBTQ+ representation on the ice.
Over the summer, the league banned players from wearing rainbow jerseys during practice, arguing that it had become a “distraction” after players who opted not to wear rainbow jerseys were hounded by the press over a perceived lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Perhaps for similar reasons, NHL players will no longer be able to put rainbow Pride tape on their hockey sticks, either. The league announced that rainbow tape will be banned beginning this year.
The move came as a surprise for many fans, who say the policy flies in the face of the league's stated goal of creating a welcoming environment for everyone.
NHL Gets Cold Feet
Buried in a memo sent to all 32 teams in the league, the new policy carefully bans all specialty jerseys and tape during games, warmups, or even practice – without calling out Pride gear specifically.
However, critics argue the new rules are clearly pointed squarely at some players’ use of Pride tape on their hockey sticks.
After all, very few players are kicking up a ruckus about wearing materials supporting finding a cure for breast cancer, for example.
One of the sport’s biggest stars, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, said he’s upset by the decision. "I can't speak for everybody else or the league or anything like that, but it's something that I've always enjoyed,” he said about the specialty nights, including Pride night. "Is it something that I'd like to see put back into place one day? Certainly.”
And former league executive Brian Burke sharply criticized the move in a social media post, calling it a “serious setback” that “closes a door” to the LGBTQ+ community.
Thawing Out the Controversy
Some have speculated that the decision stems from the NHL’s desire to protect certain players who refused to wear Pride jerseys or put Pride tape on their sticks.
Among them is Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand. "I think where a lot of it comes from is the backlash that the players got in the previous years,” he explained. “It’s just unfortunate. You try to stand up for what’s right, and you get a lot of backlash, one way or another. Right now it just seems like you can’t win.”
Back in January, Philadelphia Flyers player and devout Russian Orthodox Christian Ivan Provorov was lambasted online for refusing to wear Pride-themed gear during games, citing his religious beliefs.
“I respect everyone. I respect everybody’s choices,” Provorov said at the time. “My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”
And the reaction wasn't all backlash; many Christians cheered Provorov and his decision to stand by his faith in foregoing Pride-themed jerseys and tape.
Where to Draw a Line
Themed nights are common in the world of sports: on certain game days, players and fans are invited to wear apparel supporting a particular cause. A night celebrating military veterans, for example, or a night where everyone wears pink for breast cancer awareness.
Advocates of LGBTQ+ representation say that "Pride night," is no different, and that players should be allowed to display their beliefs and show their support during the game.
Critics say such policies only distract from the action and put any players who disagree – such as those with strong faith convictions – in an uncomfortable spotlight if they choose not to participate.
What do you make of the NHL’s decision? Should rainbow flags be allowed on the ice?
105 comments
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Lisa Ann Wiley
I believe Rainbow Flags do not belong on the Ice or any field when playing a game. If a professional player supports it let them support it on their own time. We are there to watch a Game not someone personal life or belief. its a distraction from the Game
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Rev Ned
NHL fans, apparently, are terrified of rainbows on things, beer cans for example.
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Lisa Gavin
“Grow a pair” for all those who don’t participate and whine about negative perception
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Conservatives, and particularly religious conservatives, want constant reassurance they are the only people that exist. This is why when anything else intrudes into their consciousness they get so perturbed. This is why they demand strict rules forbidding any reminders to the contrary.
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John Casillo
IF THE LBGQ WHATEVER WASN'T SO IN YOUR FACE ABOUT THE PRIDE OF THEIR OWN SEXUALITY....MAYBE LIFE COULD BE MUCH CALMER AND SPORTS COULD WORK ON THEIR ATHLETES ATTEMPTING TO BE BETTER THAN THE ARE.....THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND NOT FOR GOOD......HERE HERE.....LOOK AT ME!.....PLEASE PLEASE.....LOOK AT ME!
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Rev Ned
Hockey fans are “real” men and women. They are scared sh**less of rainbows on things, like their beer cans, for example.
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Patricia Ann Gross
The issue here does not appear to be supporting the LGBTQ+ community, but altering the officially sanctioned uniform and gear requirements. The official notice by the league stated the new policy "bans all specialty jerseys and tape during games." What the players and teams do on their own time is fair game. If a hockey player wants to dress in drag and march in a Pride parade, they are free to do so, they just aren't allowed to wear their jersey (a prohibition that has been in place since before this one.) My son's flag football team invited a member of the local pro football team to speak at it's end of the year banquet (they won the "super bowl" of the league), and he was not allowed to wear his jersey, because it was not an event officially sanctioned by the team. The teams are allowed to have the outreach games, they just cannot alter their jerseys or gear for the game, but wear and use those officially sanctioned by the league. I agree that forcing someone to support a cause they do not agree with can be cause for concern, and the only way to address that is to make the uniforms uniform.
This is the only way to address the biggest question here of "Where do you draw the line?" Even supporing our troops can be uncomfortable for players that are proclaimed pacifists or players who lost loved ones in a recent conflict. Breast cancer support can be uncomfortable for someone who lost a spouse or child to some rare form of cancer that does not have a ribbon or support organization. Players should be allowed to support any cause they wish (within reason, and not in conflict with the ethics of their profession), but it should be on their own time, and they should be allowed to choose how "public" it is. When they wear their jersey, they are representing their team, and need to get the team's permission to do that. It is part of their contract with the team.
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Steven Ferrell
When those who refuse to wear it start getting attacked, which is basically what has taken place even though not physically, it is time to end it period. No one should be attacked for staying strong to their religious convictions.
Since they would not cave to the verbal and media attacks, how long before it gets upped to actual physical attacks? I personally have friends that are gay and yet they also know that I don’t personally agree with it. We get along fine and are very close in all other regards. They respect I will not wear rainbow items and I respect their right to do so. Why can’t others be the same way?
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Robert Joseph Sumner
I don't understand why opposing views are met with such aggression. It's really a shame that we can't let people be who they are...
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Jesse Mixson
I won't even watch.
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Jimmy Moon
I'm glad they are not pushing the perverted sodomite agenda. They are mentally ill people. They need JESUS. HE can deliver them from this sin.
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Michael Hunt
The people who are mentally ill are the one's who hate gay people for existing. They don't need Jesus, they need acceptance because nothing will make them not-gay anymore. If a god exists, which I highly doubt, they're gonna have some big problems with your hate.
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Timothy Newell
Good going, NHL! By the way, i won't even watch "The Chosen" anymore now that i hear the Pride flag was on the set. i'm a Christian and i will not compromise my values. Good going, NHL. And don't feed me crap about "hate." That's just distracting language.
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tuppennyblue
Good for them. Keep politics out of sport.
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James Richard Munro
I don`t think its fear, or retribution. I believe it should be called Doing the right thing. My congratulations to the MHL
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Rev Ned
I’ll bet they’re scared sh**less of rainbows on their beer cans too.
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Asa William Sprague, II
My first thought is that NHL execs decided on the ban out of fear the league would get Mulvaneyed. Given the current climate in the USA, I'm sure many executives have had their accountants run the numbers on what kind of loss in revenue their company/organization could expect if they continued to honor, or if they were to stop honoring the LGBTQ+ community in any distinctive fashion.
On a personal religious/spiritual level, I find the whole "anti-woke" movement to be anti-Christ. Christ's teachings promoted justice, equality, compassion, love and mercy; and there is very little of any of that among the anti-woke crowd. It's important to me to note that Jesus never referred to homosexuality in any way, shape or form, let alone to call it out as a sin.
I understand that the NHL is a secular money-making organization. As such, I can legitimately only expect them to act in the best interest of their wallets. But it is sad to witness yet another company/organization disengage from one segment of the population out of fear of retribution from another segment of the population.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Mind your own business. If it doesn't hurt you, then keep your hate to yourself.
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James Richard Munro
I keep hearing the term, Gay Pride. How can you have pride in something that is against what the Bible says, and even the Bible says it`s an act of perversion?
If you chose to be "Perverted", that's your choice. Don1t push it on other people.
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Amber Fry
Nobody is pushing it on anyone. That would be assault. This is just a little color on a stick to show support for something from the team members. They should be free to show support as long as they are not whacking people with those sticks beyond whatever happens normally in the game.
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Michael Hunt
If you don't believe in the Bible, it's pretty easy to be proud that you're gay. Why shouldn't someone be proud of the way they were born? Why is it fine for you to push your religious hatred of these people for their "perversions" but it's not okay for them to say, "Hey, I exist and that's okay?"
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James Richard Munro
Clevland Clinic Hospital, John Hopkins Hospital, and Mount Sienite Hospital all did independent. study
s on the " I was Born This Way " excuse. The results were the same. You were NOT born that way. Its a choice. Again, you have to choose between God and the LGBTQ. You cant have it both ways. It's like saying the ten commandments are multiple choice. I dont feel hatred for these people. I feel sorry that they have made a "Bad" choice.-
Michael Hunt
If it's a choice to be gay, when did you choose to be straight? As for me, I was born straight but several friends of mine were born attracted to the same-sex. They can't stop being gay any more than I can stop my eyes from being brown.
I'd be curious to see the studies you're referencing because I haven't come across them yet. I have, however, come across numerous studies indicating that suggest that sexual preference is impacted by a large swath of genes.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Post those studies JRM. I want to see when they were written and if they were peer reviewed.
IF you can provide them, I bet they've since been severely debunked.
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Bobbie Ramer
I think moving the tape UP the handle of the stick would be better. With it at the base (where it strikes the puck) can be seen as being as a trigger and reminder of how we in the LGBTQIA+ community have been treated over the years.
Bobbie Ramer, Commissioned Lay Pastor
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Theresa C. Marquess
Why do we have to kowtow to the various groups of insecure individuals and causes in this nation? It's all part of woke and woke rhymes with joke. Let the hockey games commence without having to have some sort of group that they have to identify with that has nothing at all to do with hockey. That goes for all other sports as well. Play the game. If this trash continues the loyal fan base will be lost. If the loyal fan base goes, no one will watch the games, no sponsorship will be provided, there will be no money to be had, and the sport will die. Do you really want that?
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
By all indications there is no group more insecure and demanding than old white men.
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Theresa C. Marquess
Aside from us old white ladies!
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Michael Hunt
Politics and sport have long been intertwined and by no means is that going to change, nor should it. I commend the athletes who use their platform to support what they think is right. https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2020/11/02/when-sport-politics-intersect/
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Clay Serenbetz
I'm confused is the NHL still allowing community outreach events (e.g. military night or breast cancer awareness night)? If so, then banning Pride nights is discriminatory. If not, then the ban is consistent with policy to ban community outreach events. I would not want to wear pink for breast cancer awareness. Is the NHL still forcing players to wear pink? As a pacifist, I would not want to wear military fatigues either. To me, a ban only on Pride nights is insulting a whole group of paying fans and self-defeating.
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Allen Kumetz
They didn't ban pride night they banned players from wearing stupid clothing. People can be accepting of lgbtq without celebrating them.that is the problem do they want to be the same? No they want to be special and celebrated. I am personally tired of all the pride crap, I accept most people except garbage(rapist murderers ,ultra racists etc)
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Patricia Ann Gross
Yes, they can still hold outreach events. They just cannot alter the uniforms or gear for the game.
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Robert Gagnon
the difference between a cause and a movement. True LGB have suffered, but they are not a disease or protecting the country.
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Ralph H Hensley
That's where you are wrong, Robert. There are many guys serving in the military and always has been.
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Michael Holland
Sports are played for causes, ridiculous, my opinion!
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Wilberta M. Berry
While they are doing this, why not ban the rainbow in the sky too. This is absurdity to the Nth degree.
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Valerie Zenobia Haughton
Why don't we recognize the rainbow in the sky for what God intended a sign that he would never destroy the Earth again by water. Of all the signs to take why would they choose the rainbow sign? I remember the Rainbow Coalition which was supposed to be people of all Races and nationalities. The new Rainbow is limited to people who call themselves queer.
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Wilberta M. Berry
@Valerie Haughton
My point was of all the problems in the world why get caught up in anyone wanting to express their individuality. The rainbow was an allegory of being all incombusing with the promise to the people in that region. Since at that time no one in the Bronze Age knew that rainbows were created when light from the sun is scattered through the droplets of water through a process called Refraction.🤦🏼♀️
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Betty Wilson
I believe leaving political issues out of sports, if the player want to support an political issue do it on their time. Sports is supposed to fun for everyone to enjoy. pushing Political issues like Pride rights, on everyone it like telling everyone you have to belive what I say cause I'm right your wrong. That's not right or fair for you its not right for me to be that way. think about this what other rights are they wanting? Sex change its not against the law its just not for children, let the kids be a kid, they are innocent quit pushing gender confusion on them. I may not agree how a person lives but its not my place to judge. Only to teach the word of God. I don't push religion on anyone but I will talk to the ones who wants to learn. I don't have a building or a name, I only have the Bible. We are all God children.
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Angelic Realms
They don't have to represented on everything. It's a man's sport. Leave people alone. .000235% of the population toddler tantrumming for attention is making me desperately hate them and I never cared before. i grew up in San Fransisco, but they were real twinks not layabout snowflake attwntion whores of Gen Z.
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Canadian Yankee
Get social causes out of sports. I watch a game to enjoy the time not be agrivated either way by some cause.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
As a ULC Bishop, with two DD’s, doctorates in Divinity, Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Freethought, and a few I’ve perhaps forgotten, I’d like to remind my fellow clergypersons, that when the GOP first came for those who weren’t GOP’ers, no GOP’er said anything, then when they came for those who believed in science, rather than archaic, medieval, silly supernatural nonsense— again I said nothing; and by the time they came for me, I was no longer around to be taken, I’d moved to southern France, where no-one cared what I was, especially my doggie named Nietzsche.
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ServantOfJudgement
It's fascinating that when I tore down Nietzsche to you I called him a dirty dog and here you've got a dog named the same. How could I have known that? Weird.
GOP is an American political party founded in the 1800s with a strong anti slavery stance, actually they're the Republican Party, so named GOP by the slave loving Democratic party.
They don't come for anyone but to set slaves free.
With all those doctorates you should have squeezed in a couple more, namely history and geography. Republicans don't do much in France ya know.
If you're talking about the Nazi of WW2, you can thank Nietzsche, he fathered the movement but don't kick your dog over it, he don't know he's named after a lunatic.
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Michael Hunt
Your points are lacking a lot of nuance. While the Republican party was the anti-slavery party in the late 1800's, the last 150 years or so has seen a drastic change in what either party supports. Support of slavery at that time actually breaks down along Union vs Confederate lines more than party lines. Southern Democrats were the group most involved in pushing for slavery and segregation, this is true, but during the civil rights movement it was Union Democrats, slightly more so than Union Republicans, who passed the Civil Rights Act and fought for equal rights. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/28/republicans-party-of-civil-rights
Over time, Southern Confederate states became home to the more conservative Republican party while Northern Union states became home to the more liberal Democrat party. The passing of the Civil Rights Act lead to many southern Democrats leaving the party as the party no longer represented their racist beliefs. The states where the racist, southern Democrats used to dominate politics is now dominated by the Republican Party and voters who were ideologically aligned with the southern Dems would today be more in line with the Republicans than the Democrats.
It's also false that Grand Old Party was a derogatory term given to Republicans by Democrats. The term originated in 1875 in the Congressional Record, referring to the party associated with the successful military defense of the Union as "this gallant old party". The following year in an article in the Cincinnati Commercial, the term was modified to "grand old party". The first use of the abbreviation is dated 1884.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Michael, Thank you and I agree totally. I now consider myself a "recovering Republican," as that was how I grew up and what my family was (and most still is). I moved to Texas to go to college in 1974 and settled there. When there was a hotly contested Democratic primary for Governor, and only one Republican running, I registered as a Democrat so that I could have a say in who became Governor, as there been a Republican Governor in close to 100 years. That year (1979) Bill Clements surpised everyone by beating his opponent and became the first Republican to serve 2 consectutive terms. At the time, Texas was mostly Democratic, so this was a monumental shift in conservative political momentum. I don't think there has been a Democratic governor since. Even as a Republican, I considered myself as more of a moderate, but was disparaged by my own party as being a liberal, so later I embraced the term and now I proudly wear it. Your most important point is that the Republicans took over the south after the passing of the Civil Rights Act, as I lived it and in the South. I have since moved to the "liberal North" as you put it, and am often finding myself more conservative than my peers. It has been quite a shift in ideology, but I find it much more comfortable. I have never been one for labels, because they put boundaries around people. My edges are ruffled, and parts of me bleed out into other areas. You can be a conservative and have liberal ideas, and vice versa.
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ServantOfJudgement
The Democrat president awarded China "Most favored trading nation". China is a slaver nation.
A democratic president awarded a slaver nation "Most favored trading nation".
The folks with a notepad and a couch would politely let their patients that believe democrats are anti slavery know they're suffering from delusion.
The Clinton's love slaves as much as they love adultery I guess. So do their voters.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Are you sitting at your Chinese made computer you bought with your own money as you write this SOJ? Who did you reward with your "most favored trade" status when you bought it?
Need I go on?
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ServantOfJudgement
We have no choice Kenneth. If we did I bet we'd both buy from a different source. All of our presidents, senators and representatives have built up China via mega corps and shady deals. My point with Clinton is to make sure we all know Republicans and Democrats have done this to us and the world, not one side or the other.
The only thing I'm pleased about buying from China is a few SKS's for 90 bucks/ea in the box. Not the best firearm I've used but boy are they workhorses. Clinton brought them in then banned them. Republicans do the same shady horse crap though, they all do.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Oh, YOU "had no choice" - and 'we all do the same shady crap'.
You mean lie? It sure looks like you mean talk out of both sides of your face and lie.
https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/ABEWIZ:KS#xj4y7vzkg
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ServantOfJudgement
I checked the link Kenneth.
I have to sign up to read the article. Lol, no thanks.
Not sure what I lied about although we all lie. You do, I do and everyone that's reading this does. Most don't cast that first stone as you're so willing to reliably and frequently do. You must think you don't lie.
Anyways if you think Dell doesn't buy junk from China, pass the crack pipe. One drop of mud in a glass of milk makes it a glass of mud. If you think I'm wrong, do it and drink it.
Now you're just arguing for the sake of arguing.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Now you're telling me I'm just arguing for the sake of arguing - another SOJ magic spell.
Dell is a South Korean company that has factories in South Korea - but as usual rather than do the honorable thing of admitting your error you follow the modern conservative playbook of doubling down and deflecting to me. Why do I even try to reason with you? What's the point?
Do you think Dell just "buys junk from China"? Oh yes - you aren't a "slave to charts and graphs" like I am - you just believe whatever you think and expect everyone else to cater to your wishes. No SOJ - that's not happening - except to those who already agree with you.
And that's why liberals can never have a discussion with conservatives - because conservatives LIE. You lie about yourselves, you lie about the government, you lie about the law, you lie about elections, you lie about the LGBTQ+, you lie about priests, you lie about guns, you lie about climate change, you lie about the economy, you lie about liberals, you lie about FACTS. Modern conservatives are just straight up LIARS who do nothing but constantly mouth made-up pontifications and then imaginary magic spells to justify them.
And that's the reality.
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ServantOfJudgement
Kenneth,
Dell is an American company. Having worked with the company's products since they hit the market I've got a decent amount of experience with them. I checked 3 of my Dell work laptops of different models and they're all made in China. The memory chips and batteries are made in China. I didn't check the hard drives, I'm thinking China.
My Lord told me you would judge me in hypocrisy. Every attack you level against me appears to be your self assessment projected towards me. I rather enjoy learning about you with each scathing claim against me which turns out to be false for me while remaining true about you.
What dwells in the heart procedes from the mouth. Is not God the Lord of wisdom and truth?
Your heart is filled with anger and disdain, it's boiling from your mouth. Even a compliment from me infuriates you. Consider if I were to intentionally insult you as you attempt with me. Fear not, I do pull my punches for the enemy shall never know my resolve until I decide the time is right.
Do you know the difference between a giant ego and extreme confidence? They're almost indistinguishable from one another at first glance of an onlooker. One has no room for error and one does. One gets results and one does not. One supposes they could be wrong and one demands they are always correct.
I checked my Dell laptops to confirm what I already knew from experience. They're Chinese slave labor junk, all of them.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
I didn't say everything they make was from Korea. I said they had Korean factories. They do.
Let's check our harvest, shall we?
"My Lord told me you would judge me in hypocrisy." "Every attack you level against me appears to be your self assessment projected towards me." "I rather enjoy learning about you with each scathing claim against me which turns out to be false for me while remaining true about you." "Your heart is filled with anger and disdain, it's boiling from your mouth." "Even a compliment from me infuriates you."
And then the punch line: "Consider if I were to intentionally insult you as you attempt with me."
This is why I do not take seriously your 'compliments' - and then you lecture me about the heart, the ego, once again hiding behind 'the good lord'.
That's hypocrisy squared.
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ServantOfJudgement
That's unfortunate Kenneth, I gave you a glaring opportunity to say you were wrong and apologize for calling me a liar. Admitting you're wrong helps break the ice when there are two opposing views. You're right that fanatical lefties can not communicate with conservatives but not for the reasons you think.
It's not nice to call people liars. It's even worse to be shown they're not lying then keep on calling them a liar. I don't mean saying someone is wrong mind you, I mean calling them a liar. It's a very powerful word often misused. As I said, giant egos leave no room for error while extreme confidence does.
For what it's worth, the Bible tells us why my compliments anger you. It's a very practical book that you guys won't let me prove wrong.
Take care
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
SOJ -
You are a climate change denier, an equal rights denier, a parental rights denier, a reproductive rights, thus women's rights denier, and god knows what else.
Should I laud you for being a truth teller? Truly, it pains me to see you reduced to actually using FACTS in your never-ending quest to dominate every discussion - though at least you are still able to cling to your bible shout-out, so you're not entirely humiliated.
But you're right - I said something that you could really pile on - and you didn't disappoint, not one bit.
My apologies for that - but as for the rest, tell me which part was a lie, and maybe I'll apologize for that too.
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ServantOfJudgement
Michael,
You forgot to correct me that they didn't come after anybody in France....
Ps, thanks for reinforcing to William that the GOP is an American political party, not European. Much appreciated.
You get that William?
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Rev Mark D
My uncle, a world war II bomber pilot in Europe, had a German Shepherd over there and who he brought back home called 'Dolph. And by the way that dog knew how to follow orders. He could say " 'Dolph, sit!" From 150 ft away and that dog's butt would hit the ground the same second. Talk about German!
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ServantOfJudgement
Mark,
Super cool! Your uncle and my dad may crossed paths sorta, he was an airplane in England then France. Tough people, WW2 vets.
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ServantOfJudgement
Lol, my dad wasn't an airplane, he was an airplane mechanic!!! Hahaha! Oops, sorry paw.
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Rev. MichaelRS
GREAT! They should just play hockey and not be wearing things on their uniforms or equipment that causes a substantial amount of consternation or social divide. Or should they be out there with Trump or Biden stickers on their hockey sticks?
I honestly don't know what the people at the corporate office are thinking when they go with the rainbow stuff. Do they really believe a substantial number of hockey fans are down with that?
I'm pretty sure when the people are at games in LA they're there to route for for the LA Kings not the "Queens". And since Kings denotes a binary I don't think there's anybody in the stands thinking, "Gee, I wish I could yell, "Go non-binary Monarchs' ."
If ALL the alphabet people boycotted hockey, what would be the effect on hockey? Exactly NOTHING, that's what.
What institutions across the board need to do is "cancel" their kowtowing to these obnoxiously loud minorities and get back to just providing good service to everybody on whatever it is they produce if you're a school teach kids about reading, writing,History, arithmetic and science. I shudder to think how many schools are wasting time with the social justice nonsense (purple haired teachers decorating their classrooms with pride symbols or the whole school holding a mini Pride Parade on campus) when so many students are many grade levels below where they should be.
Besides, with the whole Bud Light controversy we saw who the real majority was who wields the real economic power. The phrase "Go woke go broke" did not start for no reason.
I think the NHL finally got the message; their job is to play hockey, not pay homage to every conceivable lifestyle out there.
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Michael Hunt
Ummm... the majority of Americans support the LGBTQ+ community so that's not an "obnoxiously loud minority" as you're trying to claim. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/06/03/heres-how-americans-really-feel-about-lgbtq-issues/?sh=7bc96bbb2e88
Additionally, the actual effect of "go woke, go broke" is debatable since none of the brands accused of going woke have actually gone broke. https://www.cim.co.uk/content-hub/editorial/when-brands-go-woke-do-they-go-broke/
Can you even define the term "woke?" It sure seems like most people accusing others of being woke just use it as a catch-all for anything they don't like.
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Rev. MichaelRS
What is meant by "support" in that Forbes poll?
Does that mean that people think that it is just another kind of normal perfectly natural and the way things should be?
Or, on the issue of same-sex marriage for example, do they "support" it in a way that says, "I don't think it's normal, but you should have the right to do you."
I think the whole Budweiser fiasco speaks volumes about how people feel.
Also, Ms. Durkee appears to be a bit of a leftist in these matters, so it's not surprising that her wordsmithing and citations of selective polling runs the way it does.
For example, when she talks about gender identity she talks about the gender one is assigned at birth. That's very purposeful wording that clearly shows her position on the matter. And that's fine, except for two things.
(1) Don't try to hide your opinion piece under the banner of independent journalism. (2) people are not assigned a gender at birth they are either male or female. In rare cases there is a birth defect which give people the apparent organs of both. HOWEVER that is not the norm and none of those cases has either one of those sets of organs been fully functional.
And actually people are assigned to birth but it's not through some arbitrary or social construct that the doctor is pressured to do in the delivery room. The assignment was made by God.
Speaking of social constructs. The gender binary is not a "social construct". That is been the norm for thousands upon thousands of years as understood by countless civilizations. What is a social construct is this recent idea of gender malleability. THAT is the social construct and the social contagion
And yes I can define the term WOKE. What makes you think that's so hard?
It is a general term used to encompasses the misguided ideas of the leftist when it comes to things like race relations, "social justice", "white privilege', "gender identy", liberal views on sexuality and a whole lot more.
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Michael Hunt
It shouldn't be hard to define woke but so many conservatives can't because it's become just a catch-all for anything conservatives don't like about liberals. Per the state of Florida, woke means "the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them," and per Merriam-Webster it primarily means "aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)" and in a disapproving context "politically liberal or progressive (as in matters of racial and social justice) especially in a way that is considered unreasonable or extreme"
The people who are so anti-woke just don't want to hear that the world is anything different than how they believe it should be. It doesn't matter how much evidence you provide them, there's no way to break through the lack of any desire to learn something new.
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Rev. MichaelRS
Well and it doesn't help that words are often co-opted and corrupted to suit one agenda or another.
For example if you ask anybody in the Western political sciences what a republican form of government is they will have one idea.
But then you have places like the People's Republic of China or even better the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea Sounds nice, but is there any body in the world that really believes their form of government is it all democratic or republican as WE understand the terms?
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
RMS - if you go to the store and someone put a "Steak" label on some broccoli, are you going to believe it's steak?
Some people need to use their brains more and their wishes less.
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ServantOfJudgement
Or stick a chic label on a dude and believe it's a chic.
Delivery from ignorance is bliss.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
People aren't broccoli SOJ. Brocoli doesn't have a self identity.
Feeling blissful yet?
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ServantOfJudgement
My super duper ultra witty and funny comeback was denied. You gotta believe me Kenneth.
With no wind in my sail now, you get a touche '
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Ah yes - that super duper ultra funny modern conservative wit.
Just like those "My diesel truck identifies as a Prius" stickers proudly exhibited by the same mental giants that jack their trucks way up, slap on some balloon tires, then hang truck nuts from their trailer hitch. There's some wit for the masses - some sarcasm - some vast over-compensation. They want everybody to know they aren't intimidated by a man in a dress, and they've sure made their point - don't you agree?
They're the self-appointed gender police, the crotch inspectors who are SO VERY interested in what everybody has in their pants and what they are doing in their own bedrooms. They are the busybody Gestapo, working zealously to ensure everybody look right, dress right, and think right - and they've got the loaded gun rack in their back window to prove it - because they aren't afraid o' nuttin' - and are warning them to STAY AWAY FROM THE CHILDREN!!!!
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2200169
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ServantOfJudgement
Naw Kenneth, it was just a simple joke, I'll try to avoid jokes if the thought of a joke from me angers you. Fair warning though, I like humor so it'll be tough for me.
I might be mistaken but every June and several other weeks and days throughout the year the LGBT2QIA++MAP makes sure everyone knows what's in their pants and what goes on in their bedrooms. They all have their own flavor of flags so we know how they like it, really they're just new labels for old brands, nothing new or exciting. It's on all the news channels and video sharing platforms like YouTube if you've never noticed it before. As it turns out, that very same community wants everyone to know how they like it but doesn't want anyone to talk about how they like it. I'm reminded of the classic Monty Python skit that sported the line "There's only one thing worse than being talked about and that's not being talked about". I think that plugs in nicely to the current state of the LGBT2QIA++MAP state of mind. It is their demand of exposure, their demand to be examined by all including children that has brought such an examination to the table. This causes them to lash out at any who dare critique them via the examination they demand from those not in the socalled 'Inclusive' community.
It's an extremely puzzling mass movement that even it's members don't seem to comprehend. No joke.
Oh, one more thing, I noticed abortion was skipped when they did the math for the leading cause of death for our children. I'm not sure why they skipped it, it's been number 1 for quite a while. Not kidding.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
I have no problem seeing how funny conservatives think bigotry and prejudice are. I can hear them laughing everywhere. "HAW HAW HAW! It sure feels good to look down on other people!"
And about knowing what's in everybody's pants... Next you're going to tell me the way it's supposed to be is that men wear pants and women wear skirts, because that's just decent. SO - you aren't supposed to see what kind of crotch a person has - but you ARE supposed to KNOW based on what they are wearing. Right? That's the triaditional arrangement that has come down through the ages, correct? Therefore, it's perfectly fine. Did I get that right? Did I miss anything? You did think about that before you said it - right? I mean, it just wouldn't do if any mystery or uncertainty about what was in a person's pants might bother you somehow. Right?
And if you want to see the hetero equivalent of a pride parade you need look no further than Mardi Gras or Spring Break or any number of traditional bacchanalia events with plenty of nudity and heavy public petting - but I'm sure as long as everything is conducted to your hetero satisfaction that's all perfectly fine too, of course.
And you don't know why abortion isn't counted in the leading causes of death of children? Well SOJ, let me enlighten you.
Supporting the anti-abortion movement requires embracing the mindless absurdity that a brainless cell is a "Person", and to this brainless cell is transferred all the rights and privileges of personhood that formerly belonged to the real actual conscious woman at the moment of conception, who is then reduced to the status of incubator.
No brain = no person. This is the undeniable biological scientific FACT that anti-abortionists dance and contort to deny, but no matter how they hope and wish and pray and fantasize is NEVER going away. To think otherwise is textbook magical thinking.
99% of abortions are done before 21 weeks, but anti-abortionists are constantly acting like every abortion happens minutes before labor begins. That is an outright LIE, designed to evoke a visceral sympathetic reaction, just like the outright lie that a brainless lump of cells should be granted bodily autonomy by stealing it from the real actual aware conscious woman. Anti-abortionists promote this LIE because they know the truth is inadaquate to support their cause. A fetus doesn't even get close to the sophistication necessary for awareness until the third trimester, but nobody has an unnecessary abortion in the third trimester anyway, so that isn't what this is about.
A fetus is not a child. They are two different things with two different names for a reason - but it's not hard to understand why you might confuse the two when you won't even concede the difference between broccoli and a person.
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ServantOfJudgement
A fetus is not a child to an animal. To a man it is and I've lost many children. You crunch your data to clear your conscience but I'm immune to your data sandbox nonsense. Miscarrying mother's weep for dead skin cells? I think not. Hopeful fathers hold back tears for a lost glob of goo? No sir, we weep for lost loved ones net yet held.
What a horror show it must be to witness the room of an abomination clinic, men getting paid to kill their own species off.
As far as the corrupt marti gras and vile spring break cesspools I won't go there. You're right, they're just as disgusting as a pride parade with naked dudes on bicycles or whatever perverse spectacle they come up with.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
I'm old enough to remember when conservatives referred to liberals as "Bleeding hearts", and prided themselves on making the tough decisions, and having their feet on the ground and their heads firmly in reality.
Funny how times change.
I'm sorry if you've lost children SOJ, but I see that often from people who then feel it gives them the right to run everybody else's lives. It doesn't.
The reason a fetus is not a child to an animal is because they have no imagination. it's largely our unique ability to foresee long term future events that separates us from animals. The future, however, by definition, does not exist - until it happens, and becomes the present, and then the past.
There is one person who has the right to carry to term a child - and that is the woman. Her body, her choice. Her body, her POWER - and nobody else's. The man gave up his choice when he gave up his seed. It's not for you to decide, it's not for the man, it's not for Jesus, it's not for the voters, it's not for a bunch of old white men in the state capital, it's not for the SCOTUS to decide. Not your womb, not your choice. If you want to make that choice, get a womb.
So you're **** right she cries when she loses a wanted child - because she DOES have that power. She CAN realize that birth. Or not. No brain = no person. No person = no loss.
Imagine that.
And are you admitting what a few people do may not be representative of what the vast majority does? Even of - Yikes! - the 'alphabet' people?
My goodness SOJ - next thing we know you'll be putting on a dress and flying a pride flag.
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ServantOfJudgement
The Author wrote:
"Over the summer, the league banned players from wearing rainbow jerseys during practice, arguing that it had become a “distraction” after players who opted not to wear rainbow jerseys were hounded by the press over a perceived lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community."Freedom of Think can not exist in the hive mind called Woke. All must toe the line, all must (((not)think) inside(inclusive)) the given parameters. Death to self and death to identity is a must and adoption of one or more the pre-approved 68 genders is a requirement to receive him/they's passover. The blood of the lamb is replaced with the the blood of the rainbow. The blood of the lamb covers the entrance to the private dwelling no longer, now the new passover is worn like a badge to be flaunted in public for approval of the high priests of identity suicide under duress. You will comply.
Oh Lord Save Me becomes: Please Don't Fire Me, I Can Change, I'll Apologize And Take The Training Class, I'll Wear The Rainbow Passover Forever, Please Don't Fire Me! The New god does not forgive.
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Patricia Ann Gross
SOJ, No, not one of the uniform of one of the 68 genders, but one of the 32 NHL teams (in a way, I fail to see the difference. Support my organization, not your cause). I agree with their move because no player should be forced to support something that they are uncomfortable supporting, and not necessarily passionate about. I should never be required to wear a MAGA hat, for example, just because my boss says to. By the way, I'm woke, and proud of it.
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ServantOfJudgement
Be careful Patricia, if you think you're woke and you think hockey sticks shouldn't have rainbow tape, you're not woke or you're woke lite. Only full-on, red faced, teeth gritting, Christian hating, white hating, rainbow idolization is permitted. The hive mind will search out your sin and sacrifice you the the new god.
As far as M7 1-2 goes, I'd recommend reading everything before and after those verses, starting in Genesis.
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Michael Hunt
Hey Patricia, I'd say I too am woke and I have no problem with you thinking hockey sticks shouldn't have rainbow tape. Funny how in reality people who are woke are just normal people and not the stereotype that conservative media has created for SOJ.
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ServantOfJudgement
Be careful Michael, if you think you're woke and you think hockey sticks shouldn't have rainbow tape, you're not woke or you're woke lite. Only full-on, red faced, teeth gritting, Christian hating, white hating, rainbow idolization is permitted. The hive mind will search out your sin and sacrifice you the the new god.
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Michael Hunt
Weird how I live in a place full of people who would say that they're woke and yet I've never witnessed any of the claims you are making. Don't get me wrong, I'm aware there are crazy liberals out there, but there is no "woke hive mind" going around like you try to claim, nor does being woke mean you hate white people or Christians; that's just you projecting your own insecurities.
The definition of woke is "aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)" which has nothing to do with hating Christians or white people. You just view minority groups asking for and receiving equal treatment as a threat to your white privilege which 100% exists no matter how much you deny that it does.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Perfectly said.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Oh my. Now SOJ is the local expert on "wokeness." He has also mastered the concept of "copy & paste." Liberal and conservative, woke/not woke, and all of the "binary" labels are not binary at all. Everyone falls on a conitnuum betweeen the extreme of the label. It doesn't make me any less "liberal" or "woke" to think that making someone do something that violates their own standards or makes them uncomfortable is wrong. It just makes me NOT an extremist in my thinking.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
That settles it.
There's definitely a hard conservative moderator on this blog.
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ServantOfJudgement
Kenneth, did u have a post denied or should mine have been denied? Serious.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Seems like I'm getting nearly a third rejected lately
I guess I'm just not pleasing the blog gods.
Story of my life. ;P
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ServantOfJudgement
Geez. Pretty frustrating. I wish they would tell us what specifically we did wrong. Lol, one time I gave someone an innocent legit compliment and the mods deleted it and then deleted my post asking what I did wrong. What the heck!?
Then again, your sarcasm is on par with mine, pretty spicy at times, no? Usually more itchy than we realize.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
The comments section of this blog, like a lot of social media, isn't really set up for discussion. Its purpose is "commentary", presupposing we just give our opinion and move on. Discussion, IMO, becomes a sort of 'necessary evil' on the blog that is tolerated, usually. I tried to tell you what I think of your 'sarcasm' above, but it seems that was out-of-bounds of accepted decorum. So be it.
The ULC does have a proper forum. I signed up months ago, and never saw a confirmation email. It appears to be largely abandoned by the ULC. This saddened me a great deal.
http://ulc.net/forum/
It has become apparent our comments here serve a purpose here at the ULC, or they are not condoned. Well, it's their blog. Believe it or not I served as a mod at a forum once. It is for this reason I respect their decisions - whatever basis they may have.
Stephen King wrote a book on writing some years ago. His whole advice on writing can be summed up in a few sentences, one of which was, "Never pull your punches." I often do, but unfortunately not often enough or far enough to appease the ULC blog gods. It seems they want sound bites rather than honest and rational critique. Their loss - but your gain SOJ. You should be grateful - very grateful.
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ServantOfJudgement
Ok Kenneth, let's truce for one moment.
What in the world could you have said about my sarcasm comment that got denied? I like sarcasm even if it dings me, that was a compliment, a great compliment. It takes a keen mind to lay down quality sarcasm. It shouldn't have prompted you to issue a banworthy response.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Alas, the wider world will never know.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Matthew 7:16
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction#
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Patricia Ann Gross
Did you also read Matthew 7:1-2?
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ServantOfJudgement
Right. Matthew 7. Read the whole thing. If only people knew what that means.
Interesting that you'd quote that specific Bible verse to a Christian that doesn't quote Bible verses but is judged as a Christian that quotes bible verses even though he doesn't.
Perhaps you can use my response to learn what you've just said means.
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Kenneth Lafe Eric Sanderson
Oh yes, that's right - nobody else can read the bible because only YOU know what it means.
I keep forgetting the superlative regard you hold for your perspective and your understanding - and only yours.
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Robert Gagnon
Stop forcing people to support what they don't want to. Then using intimidation for expressing a different opinion. This is wrong from every aspect. These guys are there to compete in a sporting event, not billboards for sexual expression movements. If some want to advertise their support, do it off the ice. For some to do it on the ice and others not to invites the accusations and intimidation. So good for the NFL to nip it in the bud, It wasn't the right venue in the first place.
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Dr. Samuel D Goldman, Ph.D. D.D.
Dr. Rabbi Goldman
I have heard both sides of this discussion. Some people are pro, some con. It's like anything else if you want to declare you support an issue, then support it on your own time. If you don't want to, then don't, however, when you work for someone or an organization then, it's time to work.
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William Moses
As a former employer, I agree with the logic that when you’re on the clock, you need to focus on your work. Taking a knee during the national anthem or promoting any controversial ideology needs to be a leisure time activity. That being said, religions are wrong about LGBTQ+ people. They are just plain wrong.
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Minister Butterworth
William,
Q; what are the religions wrong about?
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Nicholas J Page
Banning pride tape on hockey sticks have you gone mad?Does it intefer with play nope .Just worry about whats going on around you people The Wars with Russia and the Ukraine And Hamas and the Israelis thats what matters stop picking on the gays etc.Im straight by the way
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Rev Mark D
No, actually putting a pride sticker on a hockey stick could help the game quite a bit. I haven't watched my chocolate lately but somebody may be can tell me. Has the rainbow tape caused incidents and troubles and fights in the stands, have they caused troubles and incidents on the ice? Consider what hockey is about. If the answer to my question is a big fat "Yes, holy cow Yesss!" then then it could conceivably add a significant value to the price of a hockey ticket. There are two things that hockey is about: fights on the ice and fights in the stands.
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Laura McAllister
I think there is much more issues in the world today, than what tape is on a hockey stick. If we let people be whom they are maybe we will see it’s not a problem.
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Kimberly Theresa
Agreed, Laura McAllister. The problems creep upon us though when those who choose not to participate are lambasted for their decision. If you want acceptance then, in turn, you must accept those who do not believe as you do as well. I am very accepting and felt it an injustice that certain groups were excluded from the church for their beliefs and this is why I became a Minister.
We must look at all sides of the coin - we cannot preach that it's okay to have a pride flag but not a heterosexual flag or a Miss Black America but not a Miss Italian America - all are welcome in the Miss America pageant. I feel that sometimes we are in such a tizzy to push our own agendas that we forget we are all God's children and need to get along, should get along for the sake of all humanity.
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Valerie Zenobia Haughton
If someone forgets to wear pink during breast cancer month no one complains or criticizes them. But, if you do not wear rainbow colors on a gay pride day you're criticized. And yes we have Miss Black America and by the way black is not a nationality it is a race. So you have Miss Black America and Miss White America. It was only in recent history that blacks were permitted in the Miss America pageant. Only recently in my memory that black baseball players were admitted into the Major Leagues. There is a history of racism in this country where black individuals were excluded from major league sports and beauty pagents.
I thank God that is changing. Beause i don't agree with wearing rainbow colors or celebrating gay pride doesnt mean i would deny them of every right that each individual has which according to our constitution is life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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Amber Fry
Of for crying out loud. The world is blowing up and they are all offended by colorful tape? Is this what they have reduced themselves to now? Offence at everything but the things that are actually getting people hurt or killed? Really?
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Minister Butterworth
Both sides have been reduced to this. Not just one. One side for banning the tape and the other for pushing it. You are so right. There's warring in multiple places around the world with the threat of nuclear escalation that could begin at any time. Persons starving everywhere. Drugs and crime run rampant. All the real issues that need to be dealt with all over the world and we got fighting over some tape. What kind of sense does that make?
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Professional just lost a lot more of their paying audience. Like all professional other professionals sports no one really gives a **** anymore. Hockey is the least watched of all of the professional sports.
I like the new rule. Professional Sports is what People are paying to see. We don't want to see Players disrespecting our Country by kneeling during National Anthems, We don't want to see Gay Story Hour during Halftime shows, We don't care about Players Sexual orientation, We don't care What Gender They are claiming!! We want to see them Play Sports without Politics, Sex or Religion. Plain and Simple, Play The Game With Your teams Jersey on! It's hard to watch a game on TV when everyone is wearing a rainbow or Pink or a camouflaged Jersey. "Just Play the Game" Whatever the Players want to do Off the Field, I don't Care!