General Discussion

TheBlackAdder

(28,190 posts) Wed Jun 10, 2020, 05:25 PM Jun 2020

C&L: CrossFit CEO Resigns After Racist Zoom Call Goes Public

Over the weekend, as worldwide protests raged on, Crossfit CEO Greg Glassman decided it was a great time to minimize the death of George Floyd. His comments were not misinterpreted. They were not confusing. He did not intend to say something but slip up. No, he was really clear. During the call on Saturday, he said:

“We're not mourning for George Floyd — I don't think me or any of my staff are...Can you tell me why I should mourn for him? Other than that it’s the white thing to do — other than that, give me another reason."

Buzzfeed released a recording of the call Glassman had with investors, staff and gym owners on Saturday and, wow, it is BAD.

Once news broke about the comments, numerous companies and athletes immediately cut ties with CrossFit.

Some of his incendiary comments regarding George Floyd include:

** “I doubt very much that they’re mourning for Floyd", regarding protestors

** “It's very interesting that George gets popped with counterfeits, and who comes but the head of security from the dance club? Watch: This thing's going to turn into first-degree murder", pushing forward some weird conspiracy theory

** Glassman also complained about looting, saying “Moved to action? Burning the city down, is that the action? Destruction of Black- and minority-owned businesses, is that the action?”

** He also said he wasn’t going to “fund antifa” — another conspiracy theory — because “a guy got killed.”

** Regarding defunding police departments, he said “It sounds like more of the same. It sounds like punishing the cops. It sounds like blaming the police for all of the problems in blighted communities, and I don’t think anything could be farther from the truth. Have you ever done a ride-along with cops in a rough neighborhood?”

** Regarding coronavirus, he said: “The Chinese let this virus get out of the laboratory, and that indeed did happen." (this is not true, fyi)

** Finally, he bashed lock down measures, parroting the Trump and MAGA line about this costing more lives and actually encouraged his gym owners to PRETEND TO COMPLY with health precautions. WHAT? He said: “It was a panic. Absolute panic right from the start. And I think it's inevitable that it's going to turn out that this has cost way more lives than have been saved. Way more. At some point, you've got to do what's right, and it may not come with approval. It may not be seen as the right thing to do, but you still have to do it. It's the burden. I was asked by the Italians, 'What would you do, coach?' And I said, 'I would agree to any restrictions put on me by the health authorities, and I would open my gym, and then 10 minutes later I would do whatever the fuck I wanted. That's what I would do.'

More at C&L:
https://crooksandliars.com/2020/06/crossfit-ceo-resigns-after-racist-zoom