Bill Peters' open apology to Treliving. UPD: Aliu responds

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

FWIW, I don't think Bill Peters is a racist.

I do, however, believe that he is a bully that has tried to intimidate players through offensive language, taunts and even physical contact. This is not things in the distant past; there have been numerous examples of these actions at just his last coaching stop.

Peters should not be coaching the Flames. An apology after you have been caught red-handed isn't an apology made out of remorse; its an apology made for self-preservation

This doesn't mean he should not be coaching hockey ever again. No one is beyond the opportunity for rehabilitation so long as they are honest and truly contrite about their past behavior.

You simply don't drop an N-bomb if you don't have any racial prejudices, especially when speaking to a person of color. The fact that he so casually said it multiple times is enough proof that Peters has some level of dislike for black people. And even if he just used the word in a bully/intimidation tactic, he purposefully chose it to single out a specific player for the color of his skin, making him a racist

This isn't like 20 years ago when I was a kid and it was cool to use the word "gay" as slang for something you didn't like, LGBT equality is a fairly recent thing and it took awhile for casual language habits to change. The N-word has been explicitly off-limits since before Peters was born, he has no excuse

[Nage Waza]

I have had racist stuff said to me. Some of it recent, much of it from my school days. I still see some of those people, and don't hold that stuff against them. In fact, I probably handled it poorly back then, compared to how I handle that stuff now.

The point is that some people really are just a product of their environment, and that type of environment is becoming far less common here in Canada. I believe we should be teaching why things are wrong, recognizing that things are different, especially in the past. Once upon a time, that word was pretty damn common, as were many other derogatory names.

Peters might be a changed person, maybe not. I think what matters most is what has he done since that day, did he truly apologize and how much has he grown as a person.

Either way, he doesn't work for me, and his bosses will decide if this is something that they want hanging on them going forward.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

The N-word has been explicitly off-limits since before Peters was born, he has no excuse

Certainly has had enough given to him by this board though.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

There is seemingly no doubt about whether Peters is well liked or not.

I guess what I’m getting at is I feel like it would be unlikely for someone to go down like this if the allegations were false. Which is something I believe some people fear.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I feel like if Peters was a well liked guy a bunch of people would have come forward immediately. (If there was something to defend)

Buried somewhere in one of these threads one Canes player did come out and said he liked Peters as a coach on Twitter. You can imagine how that went.

Are people willing to go stuck their neck out that far for him right now (and by sticking neck out, simply meaning clarifying or adding to Aliu's depiction of events as far as apologizing) when this is hot, and when it looks like it may not immediately matter for his current coaching position because it is so hotly contested?

[Slowne]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

So this is the thread with all the Boomers in it eh?

Ah yes "Bxxmers"...

I'm guessing you are not aware how hypocritical it is to post a word that categorizes a group of people in a thread condoning a person that did just that.

As long as it fits your truth right...

good grief.

[GioforPM]

I’m a Boomer (barely).

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by browna

Buried somewhere in one of these threads one Canes player did come out and said he liked Peters as a coach on Twitter. You can imagine how that went.

Zach Boychuk handled that so poorly though. He brought Peters up as being an "old school" coach while seemingly ignoring why everyone was mad at him...and then got into a fight with a person who was either sliding into his dm or he was sliding into hers. Either way, he came off as a tool because he couldn't understand why people were upset.

So what’s everyone’s thoughts on the Bill Peters & Akim Aliu situation? Can people make comments without getting all the facts? I liked playing for Billy. Does he have some old school in him? Yes I think he does. Does that make him a bad person? Maybe it does? Times are changing

Just for context the quote that started it. It was poorly expressed and he went defensive right away. Even a "These accusations are troubling but let's remember to wait for the facts. I never had a bad experience playing with Billy" probably leaves very little people 'attacking' him on Twitter but the weird segway, let's ignore his bad qualities and talk about his lesser bad qualities and then blame the times changing.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Slowne

Ah yes "Bxxmers"...

I'm guessing you are not aware how hypocritical it is to post a word that categorizes a group of people in a thread condoning a person that did just that.

As long as it fits your truth right...

good grief.

ok

[Jaydee]

Was it an “-ah” or hard “-er” is the real question

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

I have had racist stuff said to me. Some of it recent, much of it from my school days. I still see some of those people, and don't hold that stuff against them. In fact, I probably handled it poorly back then, compared to how I handle that stuff now.

The point is that some people really are just a product of their environment, and that type of environment is becoming far less common here in Canada. I believe we should be teaching why things are wrong, recognizing that things are different, especially in the past. Once upon a time, that word was pretty damn common, as were many other derogatory names.

Peters might be a changed person, maybe not. I think what matters most is what has he done since that day, did he truly apologize and how much has he grown as a person.

Either way, he doesn't work for me, and his bosses will decide if this is something that they want hanging on them going forward.

Even if Peters has changed dramatically in 10 years it doesn't matter, he needs to be fired. He has a very public job in an organization that reaches millions of people, there have to be standards that can't be crossed. Especially today with a guy like Trump giving rise to a new white nationalism movement, you simply have to stamp out any kind of racial injustice and provide real consequences, so that everyone in and around the league knows that it will not be tolerated

[ST20]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

As others have pointed out, no direct apology to Aliu in that statement.

If he apologizes to Aliu that means he apologizes for not only being racist but also for torpedoing his career. A claim that Aliu put in his Twitter posts and interviews. This will open him up to a law suit by Aliu for wages lost which I think his lawyers are having him avoid.

Many seem to suggest the letter is about severance but I think it has more to do with a potential law suit from Aliu.

[DionTheDman]

Another possibility is that since this letter is specifically addressed to Tree, there may be other letters addressed to other people involved. I think it would be strange to apologize to Aliu in a letter addressed to Tree.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ST20

If he apologizes to Aliu that means he apologizes for not only being racist but also for torpedoing his career. A claim that Aliu put in his Twitter posts and interviews. This will open him up to a law suit by Aliu for wages lost which I think his lawyers are having him avoid.

Many seem to suggest the letter is about severance but I think it has more to do with a potential law suit from Aliu.

Not if he words it right. Plus Aliu is way out of time for a lawsuit.

[GullFoss]

When did we stop using gay in a negative way? I think the first I used it I was 8 and it was 1994. And the time it was brought to my attention not to use that word as a euphemism for silly/lame/dumb/stupid was in 2005 and I was 19. And after that it probably took 10 years until I finally rid myself of the habit.

And I've been pro-gay rights since 1998. Crazy how we didn't even think about it as kids. So ingrained in the culture.

[zamler]

Tree hehe. Brad Treeliving.

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

Another possibility is that since this letter is specifically addressed to Tree, there may be other letters addressed to other people involved. I think it would be strange to apologize to Aliu in a letter addressed to Tree.

[ST20]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Not if he words it right. Plus Aliu is way out of time for a lawsuit.

I'm not sure how you would word it... I apologize for saying the N word but I did not torpedo your career? That'll look really bad.

I'm not familiar if there is a statute of limitations on things like this. But if he's not suing it seems like meeting with a lawyer seems like a waste of money (or time if pro Bono).

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[Johnhitbox]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

When did we stop using gay in a negative way? I think the first I used it I was 8 and it was 1994. And the time it was brought to my attention not to use that word as a euphemism for silly/lame/dumb/stupid was in 2005 and I was 19. And after that it probably took 10 years until I finally rid myself of the habit.

And I've been pro-gay rights since 1998. Crazy how we didn't even think about it as kids. So ingrained in the culture.

It still slips for me on the rare occasion too. But I mean no harm. My gay friends get it.


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[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ST20

I'm not sure how you would word it... I apologize for saying the N word but I did not torpedo your career? That'll look really bad.

I'm not familiar if there is a statute of limitations on things like this. But if he's not suing it seems like meeting with a lawyer seems like a waste of money (or time if pro Bono).

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

“I’m sorry for what I said to you”. No need to say anything about his career.

As far as lawsuits, there are plenty of lawyers who’d do contingency in the hopes of getting some fees paid by Peters/Chicago for nuisance value. Or for publicity.

But perhaps the lawyer was just because he was being interviewed and wanted to ensure what he said was protected somehow.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

When did we stop using gay in a negative way? I think the first I used it I was 8 and it was 1994. And the time it was brought to my attention not to use that word as a euphemism for silly/lame/dumb/stupid was in 2005 and I was 19. And after that it probably took 10 years until I finally rid myself of the habit.

And I've been pro-gay rights since 1998. Crazy how we didn't even think about it as kids. So ingrained in the culture.

That's why I give a bit of a pass to anyone who grew up before the civil rights movement. I've met more than a few old people over the years who drop racist terms casually with no ill intent, because it's just how they were raised. Hell a few months ago I was asked by an elderly woman if I had married "One of them orientals" when she saw me walking with my half-Viet daughter, but as she had called my daughter "absolutely gorgeous" right before I knew she didn't mean anything negative by it

Peters doesn't get that luxury though