Don Cherry Fired by SN - Poll Added

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Steve Bozek

Isn’t he employed by those highly competent guys at Sportsnet?

He is.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

A thinly veiled apology from one person or the other is completely disingenuous when you should expect them to carry themselves in a much better way to begin with. It certainly isn't a get out of jail free card for actions like this and shouldn't be viewed as such. I have a hard time ignoring the fact that an irrelevant broadcasters comments are kicking up a comparable amount of clout to a similar, yet worse incident from the PM.

Trudeau was running against a guy who wanted to become PM after comparing homosexual love to a dogs tail and refused to apologize for it. I suspect that also played a role for Canadians, one man apologized and said it was wrong and one man stood by his statement that homosexual love is akin to a dogs tail.

[ST20]

lol it's funny that the same people that are blaming outrage culture seem to throw out the red herring argument of Trudeau wearing black face. What does Trudeau have to do with Cherry? If you want to go into it...

1. Trudeau did it years ago and Cherry said his piece two days ago
2. Lots of dumb people wear black face every single year and most understand that it's due to stupidity not hate. Cherry didn't leave much up to interpretation he said what he said loudly and clearly.
3. Trudeau has repeatedly apologized and has done many things to promote diversity and inclusion since. Cherry has said nothing.

I also think people need to stop blaming outrage/cancel culture for everything. It does not apply in this circumstance.

1. It is not something that has been done year's ago that people are digging back up.
2. It is not a joke or a comedian pushing boundaries.
3. He is not being misinterpreted.
4. What he said was not a reaction to people trying to make him conform to any sort of new norms or a reaction to people infringing on any sort of rights.

[MoneyGuy]

I’m getting ready for our local Remembrance Day ceremony or, as one poster calls it, a ceremony to “glorify war.”

I try to go every year because when so many brave men and women gave their lives for us the least I can do is give a couple of hours to honour their sacrifice.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I’m getting ready for our local Remembrance Day ceremony or, as one poster calls it, a ceremony to “glorify war.”

I try to go every year because when so many brave men and women gave their lives for us the least I can do is give a couple of hours to honour their sacrifice.

ugh, glad I have ignored this thread since Saturday.

I am actually very interested to see how all this turns out. Sportsnet has formally put out an apology. Ron Maclean has put out a formal apology.

Can Don Cherry really be back on the air come Saturday, without apologizing first, or at least apologizing within the segment itself? If he doesn't apologize, there is no way Rogers/Sportsnet can keep his segment running and him employed.

[hwy19man]

I wonder if Rogers will reinstate the seven second delay the CBC did when Cherry spoke about the Iraq war. That was another major controversy where Cherry could have been fired.

[Bingo]

He's an older guy, showing some very poorly placed paranoia.

We see this all over the world. You can come here, but you better behave like us or you're in trouble. It's largely irrational but it's pretty common for a traditionalist to fear change, and what he believes to be the way things should be fading.

Cherry is very pro military, which I've always admired, but in this case he let his fear of losing something or change drive him into a very stupid bigoted comment.

Certainly don't blame anyone for being upset about it, his comments were wrong, but not all that surprising to me.

He had the same fears with Europeans taking over the NHL in the 90s.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by fleury

...The comment "you people" is pretty xenophobic to be more precise because of his history and to some degree the history of the phrase. It's not racist unless he's mentioning specific races, so unless he were to explain himself, I'm not jumping to conclusions and calling him a racist...

This is a really great post, but I wanted to chime in on something I have seen in this thread a few times. The idea that the word "racist" is applied only woodenly to a specific understanding of "race" as a matter of descent or inherited traits is wrong. Usages of words change over time, and we are clearly living at a time when the word "racist" is applied more broadly to proponents of any and all forms of discrimination on the basis of regional origin or settlement. OED makes this clear in its primary definition of the word:

racist, n. and adj.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈreɪsɪst/, U.S. /ˈreɪsᵻst/

a person whose words or actions display prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of race (see race n.6 1b, 1c, 1d). Also in extended use: a person who is prejudiced against people of other nationalities.

So, yes. What Cherry said is racist. The implication that those who "come here" are coming from somewhere else is a recognition of regional, national, racial distinction, and to single that out for disparagement is wrong.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Gotta admit its kinda funny that most of the people that are upset at Cherry just voted for a habitual blackface user to be our country's leader less than a month ago. Im not sure if I am supposed to be taking this seriously or laughing at the hypocrisy right now.

Habitual?

[DeluxeMoustache]

We are working pretty hard to justify the use of the term racist when it seems the intent of the comments was directed at people who were perceived not to appreciate or support veterans.

Carry on.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

We are working pretty hard to justify the use of the term racist when it seems the intent of the comments was directed at people who were perceived not to appreciate or support veterans.

Carry on.

Only Cherry knows, but isn't this more anti-immigration than it is racist?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Only Cherry knows, but isn't this more anti-immigration than it is racist?

Given the way he's talked about Europeans over the years I'd say it's hardly racism. Xenophobia maybe

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Only Cherry knows, but isn't this more anti-immigration than it is racist?

I don’t think he is anti immigration.

I suspect we are talking about assimilation.

[Bingo]

When you think about his European comments 30 years ago it was anti-import for sure. Loss of spots to Canadians.

[DeluxeMoustache]

True, and those were mainly related to hockey positions. He definitely has a pecking order for hockey related jobs which is Canada first.

[Johnhitbox]

Fire him because he might have been racist. It’s a mixing pot until someone gets offended by another’s ideals or opinions. Nobody here has to wear a poppy, or wait till the 12th of November to turn their Christmas lights on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

We are working pretty hard to justify the use of the term racist when it seems the intent of the comments was directed at people who were perceived not to appreciate or support veterans.

Carry on.

I think the discussion about whether it was racist, Cherry's intention, or whether his comments were directed to immigration completely skirts the issue.

The problem is that he disparaged a segment of the population to make his point, whatever it was. Call it whatever you want; it was wrong.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think the discussion about whether it was racist, Cherry's intention, or whether they were directed to immigration completely skirts the issue.

The problem is that he disparaged a segment of the population to make his point, whatever it was. Call it whatever you want; it was wrong.

We agree, he chose some wrong words.

I think it also skirts the issue to ignore the intent of his actual point.

He was taking issue with people who don’t value the contribution of veterans

Would he take issue with immigrants that don’t value veterans? Probably
Would he also take issue with Canadians that don’t value veterans? I don’t doubt it

[Wastedyouth]

Are people becoming more sensitive or are they just finally speaking out about people being unrepentant #######s?

This new generation isn't a bunch sensitive snowflakes, in my opinion, they are just strong enough to tell people when they are being inappropriate and offensive.

Nothing is more "OK Boomer" than wanting to be able to say whatever you want and no one should get upset.

Also, when did it become Rememberance Week? When was the expectation that people HAVE to be wearing poppies a week before November 11? I have never heard of this.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

We agree, he chose some wrong words.

I think it also skirts the issue to ignore the intent of his actual point.

He was taking issue with people who don’t value the contribution of veterans

Would he take issue with immigrants that don’t value veterans? Probably
Would he also take issue with Canadians that don’t value veterans? I don’t doubt it

Its up to him to be clear about the actual point he's making. From the words he directly spoke, he was singling out immigrants.
He's the one with a platform, he has every opportunity to clarify what he meant if he indeed meant something else.

Not sure why you feel the need to do it for him.