Rashard Mendenhall defends Bin Laden

[OZTATAR]

When individuals express their opinion, then those opinions are subject to rebuttal and scrutiny.

While Mendenhall has freedoms like everyone else, he foolishly forgets the fact that he is an employee and representative of a team and league. I'm quite certain that the league and players do not want Mendenhall's comments seen as representative of either group.

I work for a Japanese company, if I made similar public comments comments about Japan and it's citizens, I'd expect the same reaction except I'd be out of a job. (edit: I meant to say if I made public disparaging comments about the tsunami and nuclear disaster victims.)

Again, I disgaree with wht Mendenhall said, but I also disagree with the NFL and the Steelers taking action against him for it. What he said he didn't say as spokesman for the Steelers or the NFL. If he said "On behlaf of the NFL and the Steelers, I would like to say......" that would be different. What he said he said not as an employee, but as a private citizen. Would you like it if every little thing you did as a private citizen was used against you by your employer? Your employer doesn't pay you 24/7.

The fact that his team and the NFL is currently locking him out makes any action that may be taken against him by the NFL or Steelers even more dubious.

On top of that, isn't part of the reason the US went to war against people like Osama Bin Laden to protect it's freedom - including freedom of speech for it's people? Wouldn't it be hypocritical to attack a country like Afghanistan in the name of defending freedom, but then destroy the career of someone who uses this freedom?

There is that great old saying "I may not like what you say, but I will defend your right to say it." That's my feelings to Mendenhall - I may not like what he says, but I will defend his right to say it.

[Porbeagle]

how exactly is he defending bin Laden? just sounds like he doesn't get why people are out in the streets partying that he died and looking like a mirror image of the middle east that was on camera celebrating when the towers fell that disgusted every U.S. citizen

I couldn't agree more with you! I was so shocked when I saw the images of all the people celebrating in the streets of NY and DC on TV. It instantly reminded me of those sickening videos of demonstrations in the middle east where they burn american flags and fire their Kalashnikovs into the sky. Don't get me wrong: I'm very glad they finally got that SOB Bin Laden! But it came at a VERY high price with thousands of american soldiers and ten thousands civilians having been killed in Afghanistan over the last ten years. It was very saddening and disturbing to see people celebrating in the streets when so many innocents died in 2001 and it is saddening and disturbing in 2011 as well!

[jaybird_1981]

I couldn't agree more with you! I was so shocked when I saw the images of all the people celebrating in the streets of NY and DC on TV. It instantly reminded me of those sickening videos of demonstrations in the middle east where they burn american flags and fire their Kalashnikovs into the sky. Don't get me wrong: I'm very glad they finally got that SOB Bin Laden! But it came at a VERY high price with thousands of american soldiers and ten thousands civilians having been killed in Afghanistan over the last ten years. It was very saddening and disturbing to see people celebrating in the streets when so many innocents died in 2001 and it is saddening and disturbing in 2011 as well!

I think there is a difference in celebrating the murder of thousands of innocent civilians and celebrating the killing of the man responsible for that act.

Plus most of the people I saw celebrating were college age which means they were probably 8-10 when this event happened. It was the defining moment in their life and they grew up seeing Osama as the ultimate villain and their boogieman so it doesn't surprise me that it elicited that reaction.

[pghin08]

Again, I disgaree with wht Mendenhall said, but I also disagree with the NFL and the Steelers taking action against him for it. What he said he didn't say as spokesman for the Steelers or the NFL. If he said "On behlaf of the NFL and the Steelers, I would like to say......" that would be different. What he said he said not as an employee, but as a private citizen. Would you like it if every little thing you did as a private citizen was used against you by your employer? Your employer doesn't pay you 24/7.

The fact that his team and the NFL is currently locking him out makes any action that may be taken against him by the NFL or Steelers even more dubious.

On top of that, isn't part of the reason the US went to war against people like Osama Bin Laden to protect it's freedom - including freedom of speech for it's people? Wouldn't it be hypocritical to attack a country like Afghanistan in the name of defending freedom, but then destroy the career of someone who uses this freedom?

There is that great old saying "I may not like what you say, but I will defend your right to say it." That's my feelings to Mendenhall - I may not like what he says, but I will defend his right to say it.

Evelyn Hall, I think. How come you and I are always on the same page on everything?

I'll cheer for Mendenhall when he takes the field. I don't agree with him either, but I've had a few dealings with him, and he's a pretty classy guy.

[mrveggieman]

This guy is a complete idiot. Steelers should drop him now and no team should pick him up. This is the same dip that supported and still supports adrian petersons slavery comments. If there is one thing I hate more than ignorant race hustlers, its 9-11 truthers. Mendenhall is both.

http://mike-freeman.blogs.cbssports....64363/29009578

Like people on here have stated before the 9/11 truther movement is either a leftist or right wing movement. There is a guy that I chat with from time to time on facebook who is a card carrying tea party member who dosen't believe what the government said about 9/11 just like he dosen't believe the official story about bin Laden's capture and killing. I feel like Mendenhall was simply speaking his mind and saying that if we celebrate the death of another human being we are no better or different than the terrorists. I also would have liked to see bin Laden captured, interrogated and put on trial (even though that may have not been possible if he did indeed resist arrest) so that we could find out what he was thinking. Bottom line is most of the readers on here live in the USA and we are not all going to agree with each other. If we through a guy under the bus for speaking his mind then the terrorist have indeed accomplished one of their goals of taking our freedom of speech away from us.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[mrveggieman]

This guy is a complete idiot. Steelers should drop him now and no team should pick him up. This is the same dip that supported and still supports adrian petersons slavery comments. If there is one thing I hate more than ignorant race hustlers, its 9-11 truthers. Mendenhall is both.

http://mike-freeman.blogs.cbssports....64363/29009578

Like people on here have stated before the 9/11 truther movement is either a leftist or right wing movement. There is a guy that I chat with from time to time on facebook who is a card carrying tea party member who dosen't believe what the government said about 9/11 just like he dosen't believe the official story about bin Laden's capture and killing. I feel like Mendenhall was simply speaking his mind and saying that if we celebrate the death of another human being we are no better or different than the terrorists. I also would have liked to see bin Laden captured, interrogated and put on trial (even though that may have not been possible if he did indeed resist arrest) so that we could find out what he was thinking. Bottom line is most of the readers on here live in the USA and we are not all going to agree with each other. If we through a guy under the bus for speaking his mind then the terrorist have indeed accomplished one of their goals of taking our freedom of speech away from us.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[mrveggieman]

This guy is a complete idiot. Steelers should drop him now and no team should pick him up. This is the same dip that supported and still supports adrian petersons slavery comments. If there is one thing I hate more than ignorant race hustlers, its 9-11 truthers. Mendenhall is both.

http://mike-freeman.blogs.cbssports....64363/29009578

Like people on here have stated before the 9/11 truther movement is either a leftist or right wing movement. There is a guy that I chat with from time to time on facebook who is a card carrying tea party member who dosen't believe what the government said about 9/11 just like he dosen't believe the official story about bin Laden's capture and killing. I feel like Mendenhall was simply speaking his mind and saying that if we celebrate the death of another human being we are no better or different than the terrorists. I also would have liked to see bin Laden captured, interrogated and put on trial (even though that may have not been possible if he did indeed resist arrest) so that we could find out what he was thinking. Bottom line is most of the readers on here live in the USA and we are not all going to agree with each other. If we through a guy under the bus for speaking his mind then the terrorist have indeed accomplished one of their goals of taking our freedom of speech away from us.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[Titantron]

Congratulations, what you said is just as stupid, just as paranoid, and just as illogical as what the 9/11 truthers and Mendenhall say. Do you still believe that the Communists are out to get you?

The fact is that there are as many people on the right who make stupid comments about 9/11 as those on the left. However, I suspect that because you consider yourself as a right-winger, you ignore these and only focus on the left. At the end of the day neither the left or the right have a monopoly on saying and doing stupid things. By only singling out the left you are showing yourself to be just as big a conspiracy theorist as the 9/11 truthers.

But guess what, you have the right to say it, just like Mendenhall - but when you do say something stupid, expect to be criticised for it, just like Mendenhall.

Do I agree with what Mendenhall said? Not at all. However, that isn't to say that he shouldn't say it, nor that there isn't the possibility that something may be wrong with the official line. I know a number of civil engineers, some who are engaged in the construction of large office buildings. Some say that a plane could have caused the twin toers to collapse based on their professional experience, others have doubts based on their professional experience. Personally I believe it was the planes crashing into the twin towers that caused them to crash. That being said, if someone were to present evidence to the contrary I would listen to it.

As for the truthers and the left being rabid Bush haters, here is a news flash for you - most people in the world who know of George Bush and what he has done hate him - and that includes conservatives. All of my conservative friends in Australia and Europe hate the guy, largely based on the Iraq invasion and the lies he told around it. You don't need to be a 9/11 truther or on the left to hate George Bush.

In summation, I suggest that if you are going to attack Rashard Mendenhll for his stupid comments and 9/11 turther for their irrationality, and bigotry, don't make stupid comments that display your irrationality and bigotry. There are planty of nutcases on both the left and right.

You are wrong and misguided on so many fronts. Just because the media hates Bush doesnt mean everybody else does. I know all the cool kids hate Bush, but most rational people dont. You said it yourself. most people hate Bush for the lies he told about Iraq. The only problem is that he didnt lie. You will never admit or understand that and its an argument that people like you have won. its just like the 9-11 truther crap. Most people like me are just tired. The endless assault from the media just wears normal people down and they give up. We cant devote every moment of our lives combatting the lies and distortions. niether could Bush. Thats why he mostly ignored it and did his job. i guess he assumed people would wake up after dan rather went down. maybe people would realize what the media has become, but no. Everybody just went on like it never happened. You probably didnt know that Bush is loved by millions all over the world for what he did to fight aids. They love him in Africa. You wont find pictures of Bono or anyone in the Hollywood crowds hanging on those kids walls. You will find pictures of George Bush. He did more for the world than any other president and most of it you have never heard about....Now its trendy to invade other countries and take out dictators. Now its just fine to do everything bush did as long as the president is on thier side. Its just sad.

[mrveggieman]

Like people on here have stated before the 9/11 truther movement is either a leftist or right wing movement. There is a guy that I chat with from time to time on facebook who is a card carrying tea party member who dosen't believe what the government said about 9/11 just like he dosen't believe the official story about bin Laden's capture and killing. I feel like Mendenhall was simply speaking his mind and saying that if we celebrate the death of another human being we are no better or different than the terrorists. I also would have liked to see bin Laden captured, interrogated and put on trial (even though that may have not been possible if he did indeed resist arrest) so that we could find out what he was thinking. Bottom line is most of the readers on here live in the USA and we are not all going to agree with each other. If we through a guy under the bus for speaking his mind then the terrorist have indeed accomplished one of their goals of taking our freedom of speech away from us.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[mrveggieman]

Sorry for the multiple posts.