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niyad

(112,440 posts)
Tue May 24, 2016, 09:32 PM May 2016

Humiliation In San Diego--SD padres' disgusting treatment of SD Gay Men's Chorus

(sorry, I cannot get the link to display properly. it is on today's daily kos)

(yet another reason to despise professional sports teams)


Humiliation In San Diego



Sometimes there are stories that make me so angry I’m practically incoherent with rage. This is one of them. Last night, the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus was scheduled to sing the National Anthem at Petco Park for the game between the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. What should have been a highlight of the performance year turned into something far worse. From the Facebook page of the SDGMC:

?1463962891

SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2016—What should have been a night of joy and celebration at Petco Park last night, instead turned into a nightmare raising serious questions about homophobia within the San Diego Padres organization and its relationship with the LGBT community.

Before the start of the last night’s San Diego Padres game, 100 volunteer singers of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus took to the field to proudly sing the National Anthem. Instead, in front of the large crowd gathered for the LA Dodgers game, the San Diego Padres played the recorded voice of a woman singing the anthem. No attempt was made to stop the recording and start over. No announcement of apology was made to the singers or their friends and families in the stands. No attempt to correct the situation occurred other than to force the 100 men to stand in the spotlight of center field for the song’s duration and then be escorted off the field to the heckles of baseball fans shouting homophobic taunts including “You sing like a girl.”

This incident followed several days of troubling comments and behavior within the San Diego Padres organization. Three days before the game, San Diego Padres representatives aggressively sought to prevent singers from performing the National Anthem unless they purchased a ticket to the game—even if they did not plan to stay for the game—which was not part of any previous discussion or written or verbal agreement and would have cost the small, community-based non-profit thousands of dollars. The demand eventually was rescinded on Friday following repeated complaints made by SDGMC and San Diego Pride to San Diego Padres management.

With this as background, we call on the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball to immediately launch a full and transparent investigation into the incident to determine if someone or some people intentionally engaged in anti-gay discrimination or a hate crime by playing a female’s voice to represent a group of gay men with the purpose of denigrating and/or ridiculing gay men. The historic significance of such an act is not lost on the LGBT community—especially in relation to professional sports—and added to the depth of embarrassment experienced by the singers and their families.

. . . .

37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Humiliation In San Diego--SD padres' disgusting treatment of SD Gay Men's Chorus (Original Post) niyad May 2016 OP
The DJ apologized profusely, MLB is investigating, and the Padres invited them back. Initech May 2016 #1
the typical non-apology apology niyad May 2016 #2
Sounds like an apology to me. Throd May 2016 #4
"we're sorry if anyone was offended" is typical rw bs non-apology. niyad May 2016 #5
granted, the second apology was a bit better. niyad May 2016 #3
They fired the DJ ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2016 #7
Post removed Post removed May 2016 #6
I'm skeptical of the explanation. MindPilot May 2016 #8
Monday on the Baseball Tonight podcast LeftyMom May 2016 #10
Seems to me, there would be a dj who queued the track Jesus Malverde May 2016 #36
I'm sorry for what the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus went through that night. senz May 2016 #9
After mulling the facts for a while, I've realized that it must have been very humiliating for the Little Tich May 2016 #11
Yeah... Dorian Gray May 2016 #12
Here's a story with the DJ's statement ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2016 #33
That could be true, as well Dorian Gray May 2016 #37
Post removed Post removed May 2016 #13
. . . niyad May 2016 #14
This happened at Pride night at Petco-you didn't include this in your post BuddhaGirl May 2016 #15
what part of this did you not understand? niyad May 2016 #16
My point is BuddhaGirl May 2016 #17
we all understand that it was Pride night. I am looking at your statement: niyad May 2016 #18
you didn't put that in your post that it was pride night BuddhaGirl May 2016 #19
all you are focusing on is Pride night mention. you don't think there was anything deliberate niyad May 2016 #20
I already said what I thought happened BuddhaGirl May 2016 #21
then explain how that mistake was made? the tape, from a previous singer, was cued, ran without niyad May 2016 #22
what part of "it was a mistake" do you not get? BuddhaGirl May 2016 #23
mistake implies accident or lack of intention. that was not the case here, but keep trying. niyad May 2016 #24
were you there when it happened? BuddhaGirl May 2016 #25
sorry, but the reality of what happened is NOT "opinion" . you apparently still have not read niyad May 2016 #26
Yes, it's all interesting BuddhaGirl May 2016 #27
opinions and facts are two different things, but keep trying. niyad May 2016 #28
Trying to make them pay when no other singers were asked to do so? DonRedwood May 2016 #31
Why did they try to force them to buy tickets to sing at Pride Night? DonRedwood May 2016 #30
Fuck the Padres. I live in SoCal and I'll never go to one of their games. nt TeamPooka May 2016 #29
Most people don't already GummyBearz May 2016 #32
I really hope that DJ and his cronies never get a job again ericson00 May 2016 #34
Really strange....nt Jesus Malverde May 2016 #35

Initech

(99,915 posts)
1. The DJ apologized profusely, MLB is investigating, and the Padres invited them back.
Tue May 24, 2016, 09:36 PM
May 2016

So while it was a colossal fuck up, it does have a good ending, sort of.

niyad

(112,440 posts)
2. the typical non-apology apology
Tue May 24, 2016, 09:38 PM
May 2016

“This evening, during the pregame ceremony, a mistake was made in the Petco Park control room that prevented the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus from performing the National Anthem as scheduled. We apologize to anyone in the ballpark who this may have offended, and have reached out to the Chorus to express our deep regret for the error.”

niyad

(112,440 posts)
5. "we're sorry if anyone was offended" is typical rw bs non-apology.
Tue May 24, 2016, 09:45 PM
May 2016

hmm, what should the padres do? how about season tickets for the SDGMC for starters? a public and direct apology from the assholes who did this deliberately for another. I am sure the organization can come up with some appropriate mea culpas.

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
7. They fired the DJ
Tue May 24, 2016, 11:49 PM
May 2016

I post on another board, and a guy from San Diego claims he knows the DJ who was just hired this year. Said the backing track from the night before (which was a woman singer) was cued up.

Not really sure why they couldn't just stop the track and let them start over.

Response to niyad (Original post)

 

MindPilot

(12,693 posts)
8. I'm skeptical of the explanation.
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:08 AM
May 2016

Put yourself in his place; you are a professional. You produce your work in front of tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands more on TV and radio. You don't make on-air mistakes...you just don't.

I don't know much about DJ-ing but I have participated in the production of live TV broadcasts.

So the two things that jump out at me. That recording had to be cued up and ready to play. Somebody think maybe the guys wouldn't show? Second, there is absolutely no way he could have not known the instant it happened. But instead of cutting it off, he let it play all the way through. And nobody from the Padres management called the DJ booth to say "hey man you got the wrong thing playing".

That was no mistake.

LeftyMom

(49,212 posts)
10. Monday on the Baseball Tonight podcast
Wed May 25, 2016, 01:09 AM
May 2016

Buster Olney said he didn't think it was accidental, or even a possible accident.

And he's 1. a guy who spends a lot of time in baseball stadiums and 2. previously covered the Padres full time, so I trust his opinion on this one when he says somebody did it intentionally.

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
36. Seems to me, there would be a dj who queued the track
Thu May 26, 2016, 01:48 AM
May 2016

But then there would be someone on the field who would recognize right away something was wrong. It's not like it's a short song.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
9. I'm sorry for what the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus went through that night.
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:50 AM
May 2016

LGBTs suffer so much humiliation and rejection from unthinking, unfeeling people. I'll bet they would have given a beautiful performance. I hope the Padres can make it up to them and that the SDGMC will have much recognition and success in the coming months and years.

Little Tich

(6,171 posts)
11. After mulling the facts for a while, I've realized that it must have been very humiliating for the
Wed May 25, 2016, 02:36 AM
May 2016

singers.

This story makes me a bit angry too.

Dorian Gray

(13,469 posts)
12. Yeah...
Wed May 25, 2016, 06:22 AM
May 2016

it sucks for the singers. Totally.

The Padres need to apologize and make things right here.

Firing the DJ is a good start. (I saw someone posted that, but no proof from a news article.)

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
33. Here's a story with the DJ's statement
Wed May 25, 2016, 09:10 PM
May 2016
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/fired-padres-dj-defends-himself-after-national-anthem-controversy-072515658.html

It says he "defends himself" but it doesn't really explain why the tape/file couldn't have been halted and they just start over.

I suspect this guy is taking a fall for the Padres playing games.

Response to niyad (Original post)

BuddhaGirl

(3,586 posts)
15. This happened at Pride night at Petco-you didn't include this in your post
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:00 PM
May 2016

Sounds like a colossal fuck up and yeah, the Padres could have handled it better, but it doesn't sound like they were deliberately prevented from singing. I hope they are invited back at some point.

niyad

(112,440 posts)
16. what part of this did you not understand?
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:03 PM
May 2016

Before the start of the last night’s San Diego Padres game, 100 volunteer singers of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus took to the field to proudly sing the National Anthem. Instead, in front of the large crowd gathered for the LA Dodgers game, the San Diego Padres played the recorded voice of a woman singing the anthem. No attempt was made to stop the recording and start over. No announcement of apology was made to the singers or their friends and families in the stands. No attempt to correct the situation occurred other than to force the 100 men to stand in the spotlight of center field for the song’s duration and then be escorted off the field to the heckles of baseball fans shouting homophobic taunts including “You sing like a girl.”

This incident followed several days of troubling comments and behavior within the San Diego Padres organization. Three days before the game, San Diego Padres representatives aggressively sought to prevent singers from performing the National Anthem unless they purchased a ticket to the game—even if they did not plan to stay for the game—which was not part of any previous discussion or written or verbal agreement and would have cost the small, community-based non-profit thousands of dollars. The demand eventually was rescinded on Friday following repeated complaints made by SDGMC and San Diego Pride to San Diego Padres management.

BuddhaGirl

(3,586 posts)
17. My point is
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:48 PM
May 2016

that this happened at Pride night at the stadium - that's why the SDGMC was there. Thus it sounds like a big fuck up, IMO. Why would they have deliberately been prevented from singing at Pride night?

niyad

(112,440 posts)
18. we all understand that it was Pride night. I am looking at your statement:
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:51 PM
May 2016

but it doesn't sound like they were deliberately prevented from singing-- really?????? what do YOU think happened, then?

BuddhaGirl

(3,586 posts)
19. you didn't put that in your post that it was pride night
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:55 PM
May 2016

which would have provided more context.

I think it was a big mistake, a preventable mistake - but I don't think there was anything deliberate going on. Just my opinion.

niyad

(112,440 posts)
20. all you are focusing on is Pride night mention. you don't think there was anything deliberate
Wed May 25, 2016, 12:58 PM
May 2016

going on? seriously? then please explain what happened in non-deliberate terms.

niyad

(112,440 posts)
22. then explain how that mistake was made? the tape, from a previous singer, was cued, ran without
Wed May 25, 2016, 01:17 PM
May 2016

being cut off, and there was no immediate action to correct. and you think this was a simple "mistake"? again, explain how, when the cuing of the recording was a deliberate, uninterrupted action.

BuddhaGirl

(3,586 posts)
25. were you there when it happened?
Wed May 25, 2016, 01:44 PM
May 2016

neither was I. I stated that imo it was a mistake.

Whatever you're saying is also opinion.

Yay for opinions.

niyad

(112,440 posts)
26. sorry, but the reality of what happened is NOT "opinion" . you apparently still have not read
Wed May 25, 2016, 01:53 PM
May 2016

what happened, the technical aspects, which made "mistake" an impossibility.

but, your only concern is that the article did not say "Pride Night". interesting.

BuddhaGirl

(3,586 posts)
27. Yes, it's all interesting
Wed May 25, 2016, 01:59 PM
May 2016

as to what happened. We all have our opinions. I look forward to hearing that the Padres invite the SDMGC back, don't you?

DonRedwood

(4,359 posts)
31. Trying to make them pay when no other singers were asked to do so?
Wed May 25, 2016, 04:46 PM
May 2016

Someone was messing around and doing their best to make sure the choir did not feel welcomed....when they were overruled and the choir was allowed to come without paying, the wrong music was played, and not stopped... and 100 singers, all of whom probably paid for parking, cleaned and ironed their choir uniforms, drove to the stadium were then treated like garbage and not allowed to sing.

As a gay person this reeks of homophobia. Take out "gay" and put in African American Choir, or Jewish Choir, or any other group who has a choir and it would be racism clear and simple.

DonRedwood

(4,359 posts)
30. Why did they try to force them to buy tickets to sing at Pride Night?
Wed May 25, 2016, 04:42 PM
May 2016

That is not standard and the singer is never asked to pay for a ticket. I was asked to sing at a Blazers game and it is considered an honor but the singer does not pay.

It seems that Pride Night was more of a No Pride Night.

 

GummyBearz

(2,931 posts)
32. Most people don't already
Wed May 25, 2016, 05:01 PM
May 2016

Sarcasm aside, this is really shitty thing to happen and my first impression is that it was done on purpose. It makes the city I live in look pretty damn ugly. I hope something is done to make it up to those men... what a shitty thing

 

ericson00

(2,707 posts)
34. I really hope that DJ and his cronies never get a job again
Thu May 26, 2016, 12:18 AM
May 2016

and how they're not fired yet surprises me.

however, I can't see any legal ramifications since no one was physically hurt, unless the voice on the recording was not authorized to be used

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