Barkleys comments?

burk48237 · #1 02-20-2008, 10:53 AM

Charles Barkley made this comment about Christian Conservatives. He called them "fake Christians" and "hypocritical". My question is not wether or not he was right. My question is not about the political nature of the comments. My question is this, could a sports commentator have made similar comments about any other group and gotten away without some kind of reprimand or suspension? Muslims? maybe scientologist?

African Americans? Environmentalists? Hispanics? Jews?

I doubt it

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/48184.html

hbarcat · #2 02-20-2008, 10:59 AM

In general, popular figures such as actors, entertainers, artists and athletes are taken seriously only by their immediate fans whenever they pontificate on issues of which they're largely ignorant...such as politics and sociology. When they do succumb to the temptation to ramble on about such issues, it's almost always met with rolled eyes

among the majority of the public.

In summary: Who cares what he says, unless it's about basketball?

Vandelay · #3 02-20-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burk48237

My question is this, could a sports commentator have made similar comments about any other group and gotten away without some kind of reprimand or suspension? Muslims? maybe scientologist?

African Americans? Environmentalists? Hispanics? Jews?

I doubt it

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/48184.html

1. Who's supposed to reprimand or suspend him? Who does he work for these days? I don't know, I don't follow basketball, so I'm just asking.

2. How were his comments substantially different from what commentators say on political talk radio every day?

SnoMan · #4 02-20-2008, 11:01 AM

Now, if he'd said nappy headed christians...then we'd have a problem.

Atoz · #5 02-20-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hbarcat

In general, popular figures such as actors, entertainers, artists and athletes are taken seriously only by their immediate fans whenever they pontificate on issues of which they're largely ignorant...such as politics and sociology. When they do succumb to the temptation to ramble on about such issues, it's almost always met with rolled eyes

among the majority of the public.

In summary: Who cares what he says, unless it's about basketball?

I'd have to agree with this, though burk does bring up an interesting point about accountability in such cases.

I can't be too upset with Charles anyway... he did, after all, pick the Jazz to win the West this year.

Pilgrim · #6 02-20-2008, 11:19 AM

He doesn't work for anyone that can get him in trouble for it - and as it happens, he's absolutely right (at least in many cases).

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #7 02-20-2008, 11:21 AM

He's Charles Barkley. These days he gets paid to be a clown and say controversial things. That's his gig. He can - and does - say pretty much what he wants. He has no "credibility" on any subject other than basketball. I've seen him many times make ridiculous blanket statements about white players in general, and everybody laughs (often at *him* rather than at what he said). Think of him as a comedian rather than a political reporter.

ProgRapture · #8 02-20-2008, 12:59 PM

Of course. For some reason atheists can bash Christianity all they want, but when anyone criticizes Islam, they declare holy war on us. I'm still stinging from an argument with a bunch of atheist neo-evolutionists who essentially assaulted me with all this 'evidence' about why they hate Christians.
For the record, not all Islams are extremist, and not all atheists hate Christians. I just happened upon a bunch of ignorant bigots, and I decided to leave and come back to TalkBass, cause everyone's great here!

**bassybill** · #9 02-20-2008, 01:05 PM

What's a "neo-evolutionist"?

hbarcat · #10 02-20-2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

What's a "neo-evolutionist"?

Yeah, what is that?

I was totally relating to that post except that I don't know what a neo-evolutionist is.

FL Knifemaker · #11 02-20-2008, 01:17 PM

He's big into promoting golf products and pro am tournaments. I think he's biting the hand that feeds. He should consider who is keeping him afloat with his after basketball career.

Beav · #12 02-20-2008, 01:26 PM

How is not wanting gay marriage or abortion to be legal make me judgmental?

ProgRapture · #13 02-20-2008, 01:36 PM

My bad! I just meant evolutionist! I accidentally mixed it up with neo-nazi. True evolutionists essentially don't believe in intelligent design, aka atheists. Not that I have anything against atheists of course, I just don't understand why some atheists hate Christianity.

And Beav, IMO that doesn't make you judgemental. For gay marriage, I'm pretty apathetic about it, and IMO aside from rare cases abortion should carry the same punishment as murder.

I hope my opinions didn't offend anyone! And sorry for derailing the topic!

Gard · #14 02-20-2008, 01:47 PM

Charles Barkley has always been a pinhead. I just ignore him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProgRapture

My bad! I just meant evolutionist! I accidentally mixed it up with neo-nazi. True evolutionists essentially don't believe in intelligent design, aka atheists. Not that I have anything against atheists of course, I just don't understand why some atheists hate Christianity.

And Beav, IMO that doesn't make you judgemental. For gay marriage, I'm pretty apathetic about it, and IMO aside from rare cases abortion should carry the same punishment as murder.

I hope my opinions didn't offend anyone! And sorry for derailing the topic!

Ever been an atheist/agnostic in the USA? Maybe you should walk a few miles in their shoes before you judge them for being a bit reactionary at times.

Did you know that a professed atheist/agnostic cannot hold political office in Tennessee? No kidding.

Name ONE set of beliefs that excludes you from holding political office anywhere else in the USA. Go ahead.

You CAN'T.

However, if you have NO set of beliefs, it's completely OK to be told you cannot hold office?

We don't "hate" anyone, we are just tired of being told, in the words of former President George Herbert Walker Bush (aka, Bush 1) that "atheists cannot be good Americans".

Conservative Fundamentalist Christians only THINK they're being persecuted, all the while, they seem completely OK with persecuting those that don't agree with them.

...now that I think about it, maybe Charles is right...

...if this isn't locked, it's heading quickly for the Lobby now...

Deluge Of Sound · #15 02-20-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

Did you know that a professed atheist/agnostic cannot hold political office in Tennessee? No kidding.

Name ONE set of beliefs that excludes you from holding political office anywhere else in the USA. Go ahead.

You CAN'T.

Oh, but I can. You can't hold political office anywhere in the United States of America if you're an......

Anarchist.

ProgRapture · #16 02-20-2008, 02:00 PM

Whoa, hey, I wasn't accusing all atheists of being this way! I was talking about a group that personally attacked ME for my beliefs. I know that many Christians have acted like complete hypocrites (Westboro Baptist Church, aka godhatesfags.com), and I may not have mentioned this, but many of my best friends are atheist. I don't want to accuse anyone of being anything, but as they personally attacked my beliefs, I can't help but get upset. Many people I know, plus a lot of you on TalkBass have proven to everyone that atheists can be good people, just like how Muslims, Christians, Jews, and agnostics can be good people. We've both suffered ridicule from both sides, and I just wish both sides could live with their beliefs without attacking the other sides.
P.s. The website godhatesfags.com does NOT represent the Christian community as a whole, and they are an extremist group that don't follow their own religion.

Jeremy Crockett · #17 02-20-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

Ever been an Christian in the New York or California? Maybe you should walk a few miles in their shoes before you judge them for being a bit reactionary at times.

Did you know that a professed Christians generally don't get tenured in Universities No kidding.

Name ONE set of beliefs that gets attacked more often than Christianity.

You CAN'T.

We don't "hate" anyone, we are just tired of being told that we're ignorant, provincial rubes.

Atheists only THINK they're being persecuted, all the while, they seem completely OK with persecuting those that don't agree with them.

fixed

FL Knifemaker · #18 02-20-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OctoberMooN

fixed

We won't see a muslim or an atheist president in our lifetime anyway................

ProgRapture · #19 02-20-2008, 02:24 PM

I wouldn't care either way as long as Church and State stay separated. Just because we have a Christian president doesn't mean we should hate atheists or Jews. Unfortunately people like that still exist...I've actually visited the Neo-Nazi website, and quite frankly, it's both disturbing and humorous how serious they take themselves.

MJ5150 · #20 02-20-2008, 02:31 PM

Leave Chuck alone. He can school anyone of us at basketball. I like his commentary, it's usually pretty funny.

That being said, I don't listen to anything he says beyond his observations on basketball and Kenny Smith or Ernie Johnsons wardrobe/style.

-Mike