Dion skips national anthem b/c he's Muslim? | Page 4 | Syracusefan.com

Dion skips national anthem b/c he's Muslim?

Col. Bleep said:
Not in this case. Take a look a the original Cleveland Plain Dealer story. It's from the Cavs' beat writer: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/11/dion_waiters_informs_neomg_tha.html#incart_most-read It has the ring of truth to it. And Dion's tweets don't. Not for me, anyway. I'm guessing Dion got a phone call from his agent after the first story appeared. Unlikely the Cavs beat writer is going to invent a story. Unlikely he'd make up quotes. Yes, I know from firsthand experience newspaper guys do make up quotes and even entire scenarios. But I doubt very strongly that happened here.
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Waiters knows what he did wasn't right. Took him once to realize it. His tweets are just trying to backtrack on it.
 
I've read through this thread and all the stories and there is one piece of the puzzle I'm not seeing that I need before I can really have an opinion on this:
1. Dion is a Muslim now apparently
2, Dion refused to be on the court during the National Anthem because he said he's a Muslim

How does #1 and #2 go together? Is there a segment of the Muslim religion that is against the National Anthem? I'm honestly asking. Everybody seems to have skipped over this point. What's the motive?
 
eman77ster said:
I've read through this thread and all the stories and there is one piece of the puzzle I'm not seeing that I need before I can really have an opinion on this: 1. Dion is a Muslim now apparently 2, Dion refused to be on the court during the National Anthem because he said he's a Muslim How does #1 and #2 go together? Is there a segment of the Muslim religion that is against the National Anthem? I'm honestly asking. Everybody seems to have skipped over this point. What's the motive?
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The only reason I can think of if it was time to pray and he was doing that in the locker room, and that the time was different the next game when he was present for it.
 
eman77ster said:
I've read through this thread and all the stories and there is one piece of the puzzle I'm not seeing that I need before I can really have an opinion on this:
1. Dion is a Muslim now apparently
2, Dion refused to be on the court during the National Anthem because he said he's a Muslim

How does #1 and #2 go together? Is there a segment of the Muslim religion that is against the National Anthem? I'm honestly asking. Everybody seems to have skipped over this point. What's the motive?
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"It's because of my religion," Waiters told NEOMG. "That's why I stayed in the locker room."

This is the quote that cleveland.com ran with that caused this entire shitstorm. Dion never explicitly said he was skipping national anthems from now on. He was asked why he missed intros and the national anthem in Denver and he answered it open-endedly and said he didn't want to expound on it. The connection/assumption was made by a reporter.
 
Cheriehoop said:
Baye is Muslim and always has been, yet he stood respectfully every game during the national anthem. Ironic isn't it, how these two different personalities , Baye and Dion, interpret the same religion in such contrary ways. It sure seems to me to be a reflection of their personalities rather than anything having to do with religion.
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If someone offers me Baye for 4 years or Dion for 2 I take Dion every time.
 
EastCoast2 said:
I believe Dion threw a hissy fit when he found out he wasn't starting, made a scene in the locker room, contemplated going AWOL to prove a stupid point, thought better of it after 5-10 minutes and came back.
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180%
 
Time to put this one to rest. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter who "broke" this big story:

"Dion and I had a long conversation on Saturday and we came to the realization that we were thinking two different things. When I asked if he planned to continue his pregame ritual, I meant did he plan on skipping the national anthem from here on out. He said he was under the impression that I was asking if he would continue his prayer and meditation before games. Fair enough."
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/11/claveland_cavaliers_guard_dion.html
 
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Delmar said:
Islam is no more a monolith than is Christianity. There are many different expressions within Islam. Within Christianity, some evangelicals drape themselves in the American flags, other traditions don't allow the flag in their sanctuaries, and Jehovah's Witnesses won't pledge allegiance to the flag or sing the anthem.

Having said all that, your point may be still accurate. This may be more about personality than anything else.

My guess is that Dion isn't going to miss another national anthem anytime soon.
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They sure as hell will the next time they show up on my doorstep! ;) Some consider JW's a cult rather than a religion. I know a couple people who are JW's and very nice people, but the fact they don't celebrate holiday's, including Christmas, is just bizarre.
 
My two cents on this:

1. I think the SSB is an out-dated anthem of war and should be replaced by America The Beautiful to begin with as the NA.

2. I am not sure why there is a need for the national anthem to be played before sporting events.

3. Notwithstanding points 1 & 2 above, the NA should be respected whenever it is played. As many issues as we have in this country - where would any one of us rather live ? If anybody answers a country other than USA, one of the beauties of our society is that you should and would have the right to go there.

4. Dion - some have speculated he had a hissy fit because he wasn't starting. Others have speculated he was in the locker room praying. Some say he intended disrespect to the flag. My two cents is that whatever the reason he did in fact disrespect to our flag, but couldn't stand the heat and backed off. If Dion would just come out, state the REAL reason for his action, and then apologize and admit he was wrong, I would have no problem having that be the end of the controversy. But to me, what he is doing now just shows a lack of backbone in whatever issue or conviction he had in not coming out in the first place.
 
Fireball Jr. said:
Time to put this one to rest. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter who "broke" this big story:

"Dion and I had a long conversation on Saturday and we came to the realization that we were thinking two different things. When I asked if he planned to continue his pregame ritual, I meant did he plan on skipping the national anthem from here on out. He said he was under the impression that I was asking if he would continue his prayer and meditation before games. Fair enough."
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/11/claveland_cavaliers_guard_dion.html
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That still doesn't answer what his motive is for skipping.

1. "He had to pray at a certain time" - Do we know that Muslims have to pray at a specific time?
2. "He threw a hissy fit and used it as an immature excuse" - This makes a bit more sense, but we know way too little to jump to a conclusion like that. We would need to know his body language and tone of voice when he said it.

So my opinion on this now is that the quote was weird and we still don't know why he said it, the reporter couldn't wait to run with the open-ended quote, and everybody jumped to the conclusion that "Dion disrespected his country" just as the media hoped. Hook, line, and sinker.
 
If Dion joins ISIS, he'll be the best head-chopper they ever had, (in his own head).

I have no problem with the national anthem being played before games. I'm tried of "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch. Let's give that back to baseball and sing "Take Me Out to the Ball game".
 
Fireball Jr. said:
I shudder to think what Muhammad Ali would have to endure in today's world, as if he didn't suffer enough politically driven injustice in prehistoric times, technologically speaking.
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yeah, as someone who had a relative die in Viet Nam, I really worry about what Ali would have to endure.
 
dasher said:
Take this crap to the other board. But in response, I guess it's better to deny science( i.e. evolution, global warming) better to be homophobic. Better to think people on walfare have a sweet ride. Moronic.
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http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/08/19/work-or-welfare-what-pays-more/
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/03/the_farce_of_global_warming.html
By the way, people who don't approve of homosexuality are not necessarily afraid of homosexuals. I hate the term homophobic. Its a made up word that has nothing to do with the issues.
 
In the muslim faith there are specific times of prayer. Praying at these times is a symbol of their commitment to their faith. This thread is just a waste of time but i can say having two employees of mine who are of muslim faith that they have both asked to be dismissed to pray for various meetings. Sometimes those were holidays sometimes they were not. In this instance that is likely what he is referring to and will let the tmz crew on here continue to hunt for insignificant little details. Oh and both that work for me are also war vets so they are standup guys and a good source of information. I recall a fellow floormate of mine frosh year in brewster who missed classes at certain times on certain days for prayer as well.
 
="eman77ster, post: 1188941, member: 1574

So my opinion on this now is that the quote was weird and we still don't know why he said it, the reporter couldn't wait to run with the open-ended quote, and everybody jumped to the conclusion that "Dion disrespected his country" just as the media hoped. Hook, line, and sinker.
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Yup- that and the prevailing attitude of "always assume the worst", which is readily displayed thru-out this thread, sums up WHY the media does what they do...because it work$$.
 
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