NASCAR Owners WILL fire flag Protesters

[packman]

Source: Huffington Post

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Racing team owners Richard Childress and Richard Petty reacted strongly Sunday as NFL owners defended players protesting the national anthem following criticism from Trump.
...


Asked how he would react if one of his employees protested during the anthem, Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, told USA Today, “Get you a ride on a Greyhound bus when the national anthem is over. I told them anyone who works for me should respect the country we live in. So many people have gave their lives for it. This is America.”


Petty, a seven-time NASCAR champion who is a co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, chimed in on the issue as well.


“Anybody that don’t stand up for that ought to be out of the country. Period,” he told the Associated Press. “If they don’t appreciate where they’re at … what got them where they’re at? The United States.” Petty confirmed with a repor


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nascar-owners-say-they-would-fire-employees-who-protest-anthem_us_59c8c174e4b06ddf45f8e787?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

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"So many people have gave their lives for it. This is America"... "If they don't appreciate where they're at...What got them where they're at?" - Some people have no sense of the ironic.

[Hoyt]

1. Which flag? American or . . . . . .

I'm sure white wing fans would go berserk if someone protested these flags --

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[icymist]

20. Yup!

Link to tweet

[lunasun]

2. Go back to your glory hole fetish dude

Wth is that above his lip? Becuz that's the only reason I could see for having that cut

[gyroscope]

40. Going for the neo-Nazi look

its all the rage these days

[lunasun]

46. his is on an angle but yes a few more shaves and he could have a full on Hitler mustache

goes with his nazi patriotism rules

[IronLionZion]

3. I doubt many NASCAR drivers would join the protest

since their demographics are bit different than other sports

[MichMan]

31. You are correct

It's a moot point because I would be very surprised if any driver would do anything that might anger their team, sponsors and fans like not standing for the anthem. Isn't going to happen. A crew member would be more likely, but frankly they have worked their whole life to get the opportunity to work in NASCAR and are very unlikely to risk that to make a statement

[heaven05]

4. petty is a fucking racist idiot

no clue as to his own stupidity and white privilege blindness, just like his 'supreme leader' in D. C.. Fuck NASCAR...Dale Ehrnhart.jr....kneeled. You think 'firing' him will hurt him. You're not the idiot-potus asshole...you need to carry your racist bigoted ass back to where you came from and do what you're comfortable doing. Put on your sheet with eye holes and go burn a cross in some 'uppity n*****s yard. Childress, same goes for him. They are, like a majority of idiot-potus voter, wanting all people of color, deported, killed or 'in their place', at the feet of the exalted white race and are trying to achieve that. All they are going to achieve is making people very sick and fucking tired of their old tired BULLSHIT. There is going to be reaction to all this open racism by the privileged entitled class. Period.

on edit: Their true color has always been on exhibit in ameriKKKa...especially since both NASCAR and hockey has actively tried to keep their sports majority white in racial makeup...afraid of losing their notions of white superiority, I suppose.. I look at all the confederate flags flown at a NASCAR event and boom!!!!!!, there it is. I suspect they will be flying them at hockey games soon....we'll see, I don't watch either sport, so I'll hear about it soon, I'm sure.

[LonePirate]

5. The owners would be wise not to fire drivers. The sport is in a tailspin.

Attendance at races is downright atrocious and ratings are the lowest in 20 years. Drivers are the only people keeping this sport alive.

[not fooled]

8. As the GOPee funnels money upwards

there's less for NASCAR fans to spend on nonessentials like race tickets.

Oops.

Also, nice try there petty of conflating patriotism with not protesting (issues he agrees with). Of course, it works on his fan base.

[Bengus81]

24. Yup...NASCAR was some hot shit 20+ years ago....

We had neighbors who bought a new 5th wheel just to travel to NASCAR events. It was big big....not so much now.

[underpants]

26. Yep. Richmond removed the whole backstretch seating still can't sell it out.

Richmond International Raceway


Indy


Michigan

[WoonTars]

38. Same thing at Daytona. Removed the back stretch grandstands...

...and downsized the ones on the tri-oval.

[underpants]

39. Didn't know that. Daytona??? Yikes.

That's the holy cathedral.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

45. Thread from February about that:

Nascar, Once a Cultural Icon, Hits the Skids; Stock-car racing's popularity declines

Full disclosure: I do not follow NASCAR. I do not follow professional sports, period. I don't have any beef against people who do follow NASCAR.

Nascar, Once a Cultural Icon, Hits the Skids; Stock-car racing's popularity declines amid 'economics and demographics'

Stock-car racing’s popularity declines amid ‘economics and demographics’

By Tripp Mickle and Valerie Bauerlein

[e-mail]
@trippmickle

[e-mail]
@vbauerlein

Updated Feb. 21, 2017 10:14 a.m. ET

Nascar threw a bash at Kansas Speedway in October to thank Sprint Corp. for being stock-car racing’s top sponsor for 13 years. More than 800 Sprint employees received hot dogs, burgers and seats to a nail-biting race. ... One thing was missing: a new sponsor. Despite knowing for two years that Sprint was leaving, Nascar didn't announce a replacement until December, when it said energy-drink maker Monster Beverage Corp . had won naming rights to the top-tier racing circuit. ... Monster paid about $20 million, below Nascar's asking price of $35 million and nowhere close to the original goal of $100 million, according to television and racing-industry executives familiar with the new contract. A Nascar spokesman wouldn't comment.



With the first big race of the new season set for Sunday, Nascar's problems seem to have spun out of control. ... About a decade ago, the sport was a cultural icon and inspired the hit car-racing comedy movie "Talladega Nights," starring Will Ferrell. Since 2005, Nascar's television viewership is down 45%, according to an analysis of Nielsen ratings by SportsBusiness Daily, a trade publication. That is twice as large as the National Basketball Association's decline from its peak. National Football League viewership has fallen 8%, Nielsen data show.

Tracks have torn out about a fourth of their seats to look fuller but still have wide stretches of empty bleachers on race days. Nascar's fan base, largely working-class and white, is getting older overall and was hit harder by the recession than the more-affluent fan bases in other major sports. ... "There's no magic pill for this one," says Ed Rensi, a former Nascar racing-team owner who was a longtime head of U.S. operations for McDonald's Corp. "It's about economics and demographics."

Many people in the sport blame the France family, which runs Nascar and controls racetrack company International Speedway Corp. ... Long adored for turning fender-crunching races between moonshiners into the nation's richest and most popular form of motor sports, the founding family is now being criticized by drivers and team owners, who fear the Frances are incapable of reversing the fade in fan interest and retreat by sponsors.
....

Write to Tripp Mickle at [e-mail] and Valerie Bauerlein at [e-mail]

[rsdsharp]

6. How can we possibly honor those brave men and women

who fought and died to preserve our rights, if we allow those sons of bitches to exercise those rights?

[BlueIdaho]

7. Wonder how their advertisers would feel

When the owners can’t put a car on the track? Worse yet, they put a car on the track with a third rate driver?

[Baconator]

9. It's not universal

Link to tweet

[Corey_Baker08]

10. I Hope Someone Sues The Fuck Out Of These Bigots

[OldHippieChick]

11. There is no cause for a lawsuit until someone actually protests

and is fired. Then there might be a lawsuit. I sincerely doubt either will happen. NASCAR is pretty red.

[Corey_Baker08]

12. Thats What I Was Referring To...

You never know Dale JR came out in support of the first amendment...

This is his final year he has nothing to lose...

[OldHippieChick]

15. No one would dare fire Dale Jr. He

probably owns his own team. I don't know as I don't follow NASCAR, but he would never be fired and I cannot believe anyone else shares his opinion or would be willing to be fired.

[SouthernIrish]

30. Dale does own his own team in Xfinity class

He stood for banning the confederate flag several years ago. He took his entire team to see Farenheit 911 when it came out. He was asked about it and replied that he liked the film and he doesn't watch Fox, only CNN. He is also married to a woman who happens to be Jewish. This is really not out of the norm for him to voice his opinion. A lot of people may actually listen to him. Hopefully.

[onenote]

19. what would be the legal grounds for the lawsuit?

Private employers generally are free to fire employees for any reason, including political activities. Even in a state like New York, which ostensibly protects employees from discrimination based on their political activities, protection is limited to “political activities outside of working hours, off of the employer’s premises and without use of the employer’s equipment or other property" and "political activities" is narrowly defined as “running for public office,” “campaigning for a candidate for public office,” or participating in political fundraising activities.

[MichMan]

27. Can't let facts get in way on a rant here on DU nm

[Corey_Baker08]

34. So It's Not Illegal To Terminate One's Employment For Exercising Their Constitutional Rights?

In Sure That's Not What The Founding Fathers Had In Mind...

[onenote]

37. Nope. Not illegal.

And I doubt very much that the Founding Fathers were concerned about someone's employer having very broad discretion to fire an employee. The First Amendment limits government action, not action in the private sector. Some states have added to their employment laws protections for employees engaging in political activities, but those provisions are very narrow and the exception and not the rule.

[X_Digger]

44. Your rights are protected from the government. Your employer owes you no freedom of speech.

Here, read the preamble to the Bill of Rights:

The Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution.

This is a 'the government shall not' document. 'Congress shall make no law..'

What, you think that exercising a right should be without consequence? That A&E shouldn't be able to fire that Duck Dynasty half-wit over the homophobic shit he spewed?

[X_Digger]

43. Under what theory of law? The first amendment protects you from the government.

Your employer can fire you for protesting, because you're a ginger, or because you said the word 'banana'.

Unless they fired you for a characteristic in a protected class, there's no violation to be had.

[itcfish]

13. How about those

who wave confederate flags??

[itcfish]

14. How is going around

in circles a sport? Just curious.

[olddad56]

22. NASCAR Non Athletic Sport Centering Around Rednecks.

[Corey_Baker08]

35. LOL

[MichMan]

28. 75% of other athletes couldn't survive for 30 minutes doing what racers do

A lot more physical stamina than most any other sport.

You are just showing your ignorance about something you don't understand

Let's see, races lasting three hours long with no time outs, 120 degree in car temperatures wearing a triple layer firesuit, 3-5g force loads and racing inches part at 200 mph with intense concentration every single second. One slight mistake means crashing into a wall at extremely high speeds and forces not just destroying your car, but also many others. Not to mention the possibility of severe life threatening injuries


https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/are-nascar-drivers-really-athletes.html

[itcfish]

33. You May be Right

I am might be ignorant, but I still do not consider it it a sport. It is still going around in circles, not matter the speed. But thank you for your compliment and explanation.

[olddad56]

41. and how long would a NASCAR driver last on a NBA basketball court, an NFL football field, etc

if you think it is a sport, good for you. I think there is a guy in DC that has a tie and a steak to sell you.

[MichMan]

42. See I consider them all athletes

Different sports require different physical abilities and skills. I wasn't the one denigrating a particular sport

[hamsterjill]

16. "Have gave" their lives... ?????

He probably "seen" an armadillo, too.

I absolutely hate hick mockery of the English language.

[DoctorJoJo]

17. These Dotards ....

... reveal everything you need to know about them, when neither can conjugate a verb or speak English. NASCAR: Where English is a 2nd language, and Goober is 1st!

[jcmaine72]

18. Redneck assholes. n/t

[olddad56]

21. at this point, it is about not respecting the monster in the white house.

[Egnever]

23. WTF

Owner of a racing team can't even speak decent English and he is proud of this country?

Bet that asshole has no trouble pointing his finger at "foreigners that don't speak English" but he hardly speaks it himself.

I am constantly amazed at the level some complete morons can rise to.

[Bengus81]

25. Honestly...I didn't know that old fuck was still alive...

If those red neck NASCAR idiots think their going to reap some huge ex-NFL crowd of Trump voters then they're more stupid than they look and talk.

[underpants]

29. Shut up redneck. Greyhound bus? These guys are set for life.

Johnson and Jr make about $22M a year. The two guys tied at #11 made about $11M last year.

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/58ace2d7a7ea431f3219ecc8/11-tie-brad-keselowski/#efbd4eb7ec7a

[pstokely]

32. "it's NASCAR, not NASCOON"

[Sunlei]

36. must suck to drive for massa petty