Baseball Player Has Anti-Gay Slur Under Eyes

Apr 27, 2012
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The Toronto Blue Jays are investigating why shortstop Yunel Escobar played Saturday's game against Boston with a homophobic slur written in Spanish under his eyes.
Several pictures posted online show Escobar with the message written on his eye-black, a sticky tape worn under players' eyes to reduce glare from the sun and stadium lights.
The words under the 29-year-old Cuban's eyes were "TU ERE MARICON," which can be translated as "You are a fa--ot."

— CBCSports.ca

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has scheduled a media conference to address the issue Tuesday afternoon in New York, where the team opens a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Escobar, manager John Farrell and coach Luis Rivera are also expected to attend.
"The Toronto Blue Jays do not support discrimination of any kind nor condone the message displayed by Yunel Escobar during Saturday’s game," the statement said. "The club takes this situation seriously and is investigating the matter."
MLB spokesman Pat Courtney also confirmed the commissioner's office is investigating the incident.
'This is a bad word'

It would seem the phrase on Escobar's eye-black went virtually unnoticed until season-ticket holder James Greenhalgh posted a photograph online.
Greenhalgh sits near the dugout and often takes photos of players that he uploads to Flickr.
Accompanying this particular closeup is a lengthy explanation of Greenhalgh's reservations about posting it in the first place, and his musings as to Escobar's motive.
"This is a bad word" Greenhalgh wrote of Flickr. "It's a homophobic slur.
"It may have made a closeted Blue Jay/Red Sox very upset inside. There are a million insults he could have used that would have been funny, this was not one of them."
Some Spanish-speaking people have said since the incident that the phrase is sometimes used, particularly by men, in a joking way — not in a literal way intended to insult.
Greenhalgh later tweeted a link to the closeup photo of Escobar on his Twitter account @james_in_to.
He also tweeted a link to a previous photo of Escobar with the word "Chilling" on his eye-black, to suggest that the shortstop often writes "funny stuff."
"I like Yunel a lot," Greenhalgh wrote. "He's the one who pays me the most notice when I'm at the games.
"He points to his fans, tips his cap and recognizes the support he is given. This was a mistake I hope he learns and he will never make again."
The photos stirred up controversy on Twitter and several sports blogs Monday afternoon and Escobar was trending on Twitter by early evening.
The Blue Jays open a three-game series Tuesday against the Yankees in New York.
With files from The Canadian Press
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/m...toronto-blue-jays-yunel-escobar-gay-slur.html


A baseball player named Yunel Escobar had a "homophobic" slur under his eyes on the eye-black. The Toronto Blue Jays have scheduled a meeting to address this issue

People are accusing him of being anti-gay and say he should face more discipline.

This is freedom of speech and he has the right to do this, he shouldn't face discipline because he was just using freedom of speech and you dont have the right to not be offended.

People are also calling him to apologize to the gay community, I dont think he should have to do that, This is political correctness run amok

Do you agree that he had the right to do this and shouldn't face any discipline? Is freedom of speech under attack by political correctness?
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,995
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http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/m...toronto-blue-jays-yunel-escobar-gay-slur.html


A baseball player named Yunel Escobar had a "homophobic" slur under his eyes on the eye-black. The Toronto Blue Jays have scheduled a meeting to address this issue

People are accusing him of being anti-gay and say he should face more discipline.

This is freedom of speech and he has the right to do this, he shouldn't face discipline because he was just using freedom of speech and you dont have the right to not be offended.

People are also calling him to apologize to the gay community, I dont think he should have to do that, This is political correctness run amok

Do you agree that he had the right to do this and shouldn't face any discipline? Is freedom of speech under attack by political correctness?

Last time i check, your employer can censor your speech however they want. It's not the government censoring him.

Try posting up the same signs (except in english) at your workplace and tell us how your 'freedom of speech' argument works out for you.
 

lotus503

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2005
6,502
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http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/m...toronto-blue-jays-yunel-escobar-gay-slur.html


A baseball player named Yunel Escobar had a "homophobic" slur under his eyes on the eye-black. The Toronto Blue Jays have scheduled a meeting to address this issue

People are accusing him of being anti-gay and say he should face more discipline.

This is freedom of speech and he has the right to do this, he shouldn't face discipline because he was just using freedom of speech and you dont have the right to not be offended.

People are also calling him to apologize to the gay community, I dont think he should have to do that, This is political correctness run amok

Do you agree that he had the right to do this and shouldn't face any discipline? Is freedom of speech under attack by political correctness?


He is free to say what he wants, his employer is free to fire his ass for it if they choose.


You really dont get it at all
 

styroe

Member
Jan 29, 2005
126
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Typically when they sign those big contracts, they also sign away a bunch of their rights to do all the things normal people can do. (god forbid one of them smoke MJ)

In as far as freedom of speech is concerned, the league and the team can voice their opposition to others speech in the forms of fines and sanctions.

It's all very legal.

And as far as calling to apologize, I am sure no one really believes him anyway. I doubt if he is required to apologize as much as it is some PR rep telling him to fix his brand.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,995
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He is free to say what he wants, his employer is free to fire his ass for it if they choose.


You really dont get it at all

God damn conservatives are fucking idiots. How hard is it for you to get what lotus just posted here, incorruptible.
 
Jan 25, 2011
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God damn conservatives are fucking idiots. How hard is it for you to get what lotus just posted here, incorruptible.

I don't think it has anything to do with him being a conservative. Just ignorant. He's one of those people who would rather wave the Constitution in the air all the time as opposed to taking the time to read and understand it.
 

ScoobMaster

Platinum Member
Jan 17, 2001
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You really lack a basic understanding of what freedoms of speech is and where it applies.

I would submit that it is you who misunderstands free speech.

This mythical notion of "the right to not be offended" baffles me.

No such "right" exists. What people are really implying with the "right to not be offended" is wanting to silence whatever is perceived as offensive. That certainly flies in the face of the concept of free speech as we know it.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
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I don't think it has anything to do with him being a conservative. Just ignorant. He's one of those people who would rather wave the Constitution in the air all the time as opposed to taking the time to read and understand it.

Meh, same thing.
 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
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Amazingly enough the OP is wrong, again! Imagine the odds of a parody troll being wrong...
 
Jan 25, 2011
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I would submit that it is you who misunderstands free speech.

This mythical notion of "the right to not be offended" baffles me.

No such "right" exists. What people are really implying with the "right to not be offended" is wanting to silence whatever is perceived as offensive. That certainly flies in the face of the concept of free speech as we know it.

You can submit it all you'd like. You'd be wrong. He's free to express it. MLB, as his employer, is free to take action whether you like their reasoning or not.
 

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
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dont-feed-the-troll.jpg
 
Apr 27, 2012
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I would submit that it is you who misunderstands free speech.

This mythical notion of "the right to not be offended" baffles me.

No such "right" exists. What people are really implying with the "right to not be offended" is wanting to silence whatever is perceived as offensive. That certainly flies in the face of the concept of free speech as we know it.

Well said, Your one of the few people with a brain:D
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,995
776
126
I would submit that it is you who misunderstands free speech.

This mythical notion of "the right to not be offended" baffles me.

No such "right" exists. What people are really implying with the "right to not be offended" is wanting to silence whatever is perceived as offensive. That certainly flies in the face of the concept of free speech as we know it.

His rights to free speech were not abridged. What you're saying is, instead, property rights should be restricted.