NASCAR owners say they wouldnt tolerate national anthem protests at races

[octoberlib]

Several NASCAR team owners said Sunday they would not condone racers protesting during the national anthem, amid protests by sports players at football and baseball games.

There were no protests reported during “The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in New Hampshire, according to The Associated Press.

Former NASCAR champion Richard Petty told the AP that any member of his team would be fired if they chose to protest the national anthem. Petty now owns Richard Petty Motorsports.


“Anybody that don’t stand up for the anthem oughta be out of the country. Period. What got ’em where they’re at? The United States,” Petty said in comments reported by The AP.


http://thehill.com/homenews/news/352164-nascar-owners-say-they-wouldnt-tolerate-national-anthem-protests-at-races


This is so ignorant.

[OldHippieChick]

1. Golly gee whiz

How many racers are persons of color?

[Marthe48]

4. How many Americans don't get the concept of free speech?

I wholeheartedly disagree with what this asshat said, but I would never bar him from saying it.

[madokie]

50. However many that voted for tRump

the Orange Anus

[MichMan]

13. Cant get racers in NASCAR if they don't race at the local levels

Short rack oval racing has been my passion my entire life. NASCAR has a diversity program to bring in racers of color. One AA racer currently being mentored is an acquaintance that has raced at my local track.

Darrell Wallace Jr won in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at our NASCAR Track at Michigan this summer and competed in the Monster Energy Series there in June.

Having attended over 600 races in my lifetime, there are very very few racers of color competing on the grass roots level. NASCAR can't just find people with no racing background and "promote" them without having experience racing.

Until there are a sizeable number competing at the local race tracks, there will never be more than a handful in NASCAR.

[kstewart33]

29. I've read that NASCAR is on the ropes.

Mainly due to shrinking fan base = smaller crowds at events.

Are you seeing this?

[MichMan]

35. Attendence has been down for several years...

Wouldn't say it's on the ropes however

[Alice11111]

24. They were always Mostly Repub idiots anyway. I bet John Birchers don't support it either. Surprise.

[Skittles]

2. LOL, racist NASCAR takes a stand

[octoberlib]

6. I know , right? The article made me laugh.

[billh58]

23. Of course they would

side with Cheeto Man. Their white, racist, bigoted fan base demands it.

[Blue_true]

52. Yeah, the only things that are whiter.

Are American Nazis and the klan. Wake me up when a diverse organization bash the football players.

[tblue37]

78. Racist racers? nt

[spiderpig]

3. Imagine my surprise!

[Blue_true]

54. Shocking, I tell you, shocking.

What else would anyone expect from NASCAR?

[meow2u3]

5. meow2u3 won't stand for NASCAR

Anyone who thinks he can dictate what the American people can and can't do ought to be kicked out this country.

[LenaBaby61]

7. Of course Petty feels this way ...

He's a white, wealthy male, so he doesn't have to ever worry about getting the Philando Castile treatment.

LOL & SMDH @ rich, white male privilege.

FU Petty.

[MichMan]

21. Why did Petty hire this guy then ?

http://bubbawallace.com/

[billh58]

25. Even the most racist outfits

need a token to show their "diversity."

[MichMan]

38. So if Petty doesn't hire POC, he is a racist, and if he does, he is still a racist. nm

[billh58]

40. No, he's a racist because

he is.

[MichMan]

47. OK, well now that you proven it with facts....... nm

[Iggo]

51. Well, yes. But it's because he's a racist.

If he wakes up in the morning, he's a racist.

If he ties his shoes, he's a racist.

Etc.

[LenaBaby61]

34. WHY did a racist POS like Strom Thurmond ...

Have a black daughter

[rockfordfile]

76. If he protests he will be fired by that idiot

[MichMan]

37. Got it, you hate white males

I guess because I am white, male and enjoy NASCAR , you hate me also

[billh58]

41. Great right-wing response. n/t

[LenaBaby61]

42. "Got it, you hate white people."

Calling me racist when Petty's the racist POS

Strom Thurmond had a black daughter even though he was an avowed racist.

You're the most ignorant, tone-deaf poster I've come across here @ DU.

[MichMan]

44. Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing about you

WTF does Strom Thurmond have anything to do with NASCAR ?

[LenaBaby61]

57. You're in love with and defending a guy who says that .....

“Anybody that don’t stand up for the anthem oughta be out of the country. Period. What got ’em where they’re at? The United States,” Petty said in comments reported by The AP.

And you have nerve to call ME racist and you're caping for and on your knees defending an old, racist POS saying crap like this?

The next thing you'll be telling me is that just because Petty hired a black man, Petty probably doesn't think that what happened to Philando Castile was right ....

Caping for racist POS Richard Pett because he hired an African-American

By the way, WHY did Strom have a black daughter seeing as he was a racist, segregationist POS like Thurmond? Now, if you can't see a link there between Thurmond and Petty I feel sorry for you.

[Nevernose]

59. I'm going to assume you're on the level

And not just messing with us. But maybe we -- the SJWs of the world -- are doing a shitty job explaining ourselves, so here goes:

There are very, very few people in America that hate white males, either on an organized basis or unconsciously. We know this through history, through observable facts (white males are the least discriminated-against group in modern America), and through active science (there's a whole lot of brain science done on the subject; look it up sometime).

People of color are more likely to be the victims of bigotry than are white people; rich people generally have it better than white people. I don't think those statements are particularly controversial. Here's why we think Petty is an asshole: as a rich, white male, he doesn't have to worry about the same shit that Black people do, including rich Black people. So it's very, very easy for him to say how patriotic he is and to wave flags during the national anthem. He doesn't have to worry that he or a friend or a loved one will be beaten or accidentally murdered by a jumpy cop that doesn't even know he's got an implicit bias towards darker-skinned people (which happens frequently in African Americans, too, by the way). Because of that, it's very easy for wealthy white guys to NOT protest.

I sincerely doubt that most of us believe he's a sheet-wearing Klansman on Tuesday night, what we're saying is that he's spouting off about a life-and-death issue for many people of color and doesn't seem to realize that he's spouting off from a place of incredible privilege. He comes across as Marie Antoinette shouting "Let them eat cake!" to the starving peasants. Probably not evil, but definitely tone deaf.

(And I'm sorry, but NASCAR's only good in person, but in person it's freaking awesome)

[MichMan]

63. I am going to defend my sport against ignorant comments

I have been a huge fan of the sport for decades and have attended well over 100 races.

I see this general hatred of NASCAR here constantly and to many here on DU it is automatically a racist sport with racist fans, competitors and management. I get sick and tired of it.

I posted a reasoned response on why there is a general lack of AA racers and not one person made any comment on that, but post after post calling Petty a racist and disparaging remarks about NASCAR fans having no teeth, & being mouth breathing rednecks with little education which is generally given to all people from the South here on DU.

Richard Petty is commenting on a disrespect for the anthem and as a team owner, he doesn't want his employees at the race track protesting it. That is his right as the owner of the team. I think people can have personal views about the anthem protests without automatically making them racists by definition.

The Petty's have a very admirable organization that they founded called Victory Junction which is a free summer camp for children with severe illnesses (many uncurable) and their families that has meant a huge difference to 25K kids and family members at no cost to them. This camp was founded in honor of Richard's grandson Adam who was killed at a race in New Hampshire at a very young age.

Yet all that is ignored and he is called a racist with absolutely no evidence. When I mentioned that he has hired an AA driver, Bubba Wallace, the only comments called Wallace a token, which frankly is a big insult to him and IMO a bigoted comment of it's own.

I take great offense when my sport is regularly denigrated by ignorant people that admit they don't watch it anyway.

[onecaliberal]

68. The athletes taking a knee has NOTHING to do with respecting the flag. To keep suggesting

otherwise shows a blatant lack of knowledge on the issue that should preclude you from commenting on the matter.

[MichMan]

69. Got it, any future comments by me on this issue are prohibited

Toe the line here on DU or STFU

[NobodyHere]

70. The reason they do it is to disrespect the flag

Plenty other avenues to protest and raise a point.

[brush]

88. Learn something. Kaepernick, who started the protests, was taking a knee to protest...

against racist, coward cops killing unarmed, innocent black men.

His protests were not against the flag, the country or the military.

They were against the killings.

Got it?

These new ones today are against asshole trump.

[rockfordfile]

89. You are defending a right-wing racist and fascist. Petty is un-American just like Trump

[VOX]

90. Sorry, but "your sport" has openly supported tRump.

NASCAR CEO Brian France appeared at some of #45's rallies, giving full support to the alleged "family man."

This is precisely why NASCAR isn't big here on Democratic Underground. Its fans pretty much vote Republican.

[rockfordfile]

77. Nascar has had a problem for sometime now.

I'm white, from the south, and been to Nascar races. Not everybody is a racist, but Nascar has a racist problem. The confederate crap is straight forward un-American.

[Iggo]

87. Aw.

[madaboutharry]

8. Richard Petty is an ignoramus.

[rockfordfile]

91. Ford seems to support Petty's far right un-American fascist views.

[sarisataka]

9. Here Petty-

This guy isn't standing, tell him he oughta be out of the country

[samnsara]

10. 'anybody that dont' ....? well it is a different crowd y'know...

[Iggo]

94. That's "differnt."

[Hoyt]

11. LMAO

[octoberlib]

22. Microcosm of Trump's base. Not even a microcosm, they ARE Trump's base.

I would totally expect to see some take the knee action here : There were no protests reported during “The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in New Hampshire, according to The Associated Press.

[dalton99a]

66. .

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. Petty was such a patriot he joined the armed forces immediately upon graduation from high school

Wait, that was not him.

[Voltaire2]

14. Fuck NASCAR.

still can't ban the confederate flag. Fucking hypocrites.

[Skittles]

19. the confederate flag is about as disrespectful as you can get

what a bunch of fucking hypocrites

[MichMan]

31. And NASCAR as an organization has denounced it

They unfortunately can't stop some fans from displaying it.

[TheCowsCameHome]

81. Yes they can...

...but they don't want to.

[More_Cowbell]

15. "tolerate" isn't in their vocabulary

No surprise.

[Man_Bear_Pig]

32. I prefer the word acceptance.

Tolerate implies no change of view, just a putting up with what one can't stand.

[MichMan]

16. Where do you think the POC in NASCAR will come from?

Short rack oval racing has been my passion my entire life. NASCAR has a diversity program to bring in racers of color. One AA racer currently being mentored is an acquaintance that has raced at my local track.

Darrell Wallace Jr won in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at our NASCAR Track at Michigan this summer and competed in the Monster Energy Series there in June.

Having attended over 600 races in my lifetime, there are very very few racers of color competing on the grass roots level. NASCAR can't just find people with no racing background and "promote" them without having experience racing. Should they just go to High Schools and ask people with no experience if they would like to race in NASCAR at 200 mph ??

Until there are a sizeable number on POC competing at the local race tracks, there will never be more than a handful in NASCAR.

There are quite a few pit crew members that are minorities, but no one cares about them apparently

[LeftInTX]

17. I don't know if it is ignorant as much as bigoted

Does NASCAR have a union? Are there any employee protections? Are they under contract? Are they a bunch of "at will" employees?

NFL probably has less restrictions on speech because of unions.

I have no idea if NASCAR has any employee protections. If not, they might be able to fire employees for any reason.

[unc70]

18. Petty is real RW GOP

About twenty years ago, he ran for N.C. Secretary of State and lost to Elaine Marshall who is still our SoS.

[Initech]

20. Well guess I won't be going to any NASCAR events any time soon.

[LuckyCharms]

26. Whew! Petty just changed my mind about NASCAR.

Thank you, Mr. Petty.

I apologize for the many years I spent making fun of NASCAR.

Thank you for taking a stand.

[MoonRiver]

27. Never been to a NASCAR event. Never will.

The racist owners just guaranteed that.

[sinkingfeeling]

28. Hey, Petty, what was the purpose of the CSA? Guess we should have thrown

all the Southern traitors out of the country back then.

[Man_Bear_Pig]

30. Surprise surprise

[billh58]

33. Love it, or leave it.

Where have we heard this before? The Republican (Confederate) battle cry.

[ananda]

36. Aren't they all pretty much racists or racist enablers anyway?

Fuck them!

[Downtown Hound]

39. No problem

Never had much of an interest in watching cars go round and round in circles anyways.

[davsand]

43. Here, hold muh beer.

Exactly who is the demographic for this sport? (The evil dark side of me says, toothless, mouth breathers, and rednecks in answer to that question but that would be wrong and divisive...) NASCAR is heavily associated with the orange assailant's voter base, I would have expected to hear this out of the owners. Probably explains why it's something I've never had any interest in.


Laura

[billh58]

48. Your observation is right on, as

evidenced by the support for this "the South shall rise again" rag-tag group of Trumpsters. They don't have POC drivers because people of color have more sense than to participate in a good-ole-boy, Bubba-filled, ritualistic moonshine running re-enactment.

[rzemanfl]

83. You gave the best description of NASCAR ever-

"ritualistic moonshine running re-enactment."

[procon]

45. Constitutional cherry pickers are no different than bible cherry pickers. nt

[Nevernose]

46. I hope they shut down beer concessions during the flag presentation

Marching it out, the anthem, the whole shebang. Stop selling beer and make everybody say the pledge of allegiance.

(Like that would ever happen! Anybody taking more than half a minute knows none of this shit has to do with anthems or patriotism.)

[Iggo]

49. Because they don't care if unarmed black people are killed by police. (n/t)

[MyOwnPeace]

53. A'hm thinkin'

poor ole' Richard may have hit the wall one too many times without his helmet on!

[lpbk2713]

55. Bless their little hearts.

Who knew?

[Freethinker65]

56. If it cost them money and sponsorships, most owners would care

NASCAR will be ok if they can keep the audience they have. They can pretty much forget about expanding their audience if they choose to rally around Richard Petty.

[MiniMe]

58. What are they going to do? Run the people over?

[kacekwl]

60. Aren't the drivers seated in the car during the anthem ?

[MichMan]

65. No nm

[oberliner]

61. How many non-white NASCAR drivers are there?

Anyone have an approximate number?

[MichMan]

64. Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, Bubba Wallace

Short track oval racing has been my passion my entire life. NASCAR has a diversity program to bring in racers of color. One AA racer currently being mentored is an acquaintance that has raced at my local track.

Darrell Wallace Jr won in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at our NASCAR Track at Michigan this summer and competed in the Monster Energy Series there in June.

Having attended over 600 races in my lifetime, there are very very few racers of color competing on the grass roots level. NASCAR can't just find people with no racing background and "promote" them without having experience racing.

Until there are a sizeable number of minorities competing at the local race tracks, there will never be more than a handful in NASCAR. I have a lot of reasons about why that might be the case, but no sense going into that here

[oberliner]

72. Thanks for the info

Very informative!

[Kaleva]

62. NASCAR is losing fans more rapidly then the NFL.

[RainCaster]

67. BFD

i could never watch that shit myself. Nascar that is.

[Awsi Dooger]

71. Not a surprise and not a sport

Cars driving fast reminds me of simpleton white males, and nothing else

[beachbum bob]

73. as if white people get gunned down by cops under same circumstances...

the idiots don't even know what the protest is about

[Judi Lynn]

75. Most people are not that easily entertained, anyway. Who even goes there?

I'd rather sit on a crate at an intersection and wait for fender benders.

[Ilsa]

79. "Several team owners". I guess not all.

I suppose it is possible for some owners to have some sense and a conscience.

Come on, Chase!

[Bleacher Creature]

80. I would like to protest Richard Petty's debasing of the English language. Nt

[Dawson Leery]

82. Small Dick Petty would be quite content in Nazi Germany.

Never was a fan and will never be a fan.

...and again, fuck country "music".

[Dawson Leery]

84. Remember the 92' campaign?

Bill Clinton went to a race and none of the racers would be seen with him (due to his infidelity).

That included the highly partisan Dale Sr.

Yet, they endorsed a serial adulterer and self-admitted rapist

So again, fuck them and their rape of the environment.

[JI7]

92. the support for trump pretty much exposed them for what they are. they hid behind morals, family

values, christianity and whatever the fuck.

white evangelicals are just white racists.

all the patriotic pro america bs was just cover for their bigotry.

[jalan48]

85. What can you say about drivers that can only turn to the left anyway?

[ProudLib72]

86. Until NASCAR allows wing cars with monster engines again

I'm boycotting them.

But do I want a Superbird or Daytona? Hmmmmmmm....

[Jakes Progress]

93. Racist and ignorant.

Are we surprised?

It's not like them guys are readin' any history books while they're waiting for their heroes to crash and burn up.

[WinkyDink]

95. NASCAR and "Country" think they own America. All they listen to is FOX and R-W tak-radio.