Steelers Running Back Rashard Mendenhall Defends Osama Bin Laden

NESN ^ | 3 May 2011 | Michael Hurley

[LSUfan]

The 23-year-old native of Illinois didn't like the way Americans were celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden on Monday, and he let out his frustrations on Twitter.

"What kind of person celebrates death?" Mendenhall, who last made national headlines for fumbling in the Super Bowl and "celebrating" a little too hard with Ben Roethlisberger in the playoffs, wrote. "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."

That wasn't all, though, as Mendenhall expressed doubt that airplanes could have demolished the World Trade Center.

"We'll never know what really happened," Mendenhall wrote. "I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."

Obviously, Mendenhall has spent at least 15 minutes watching some of the awesome 9/11 conspiracy videos on YouTube, and he's passing that off as "enlightenment."

"There is not an ignorant bone in my body," he said. "I just encourage you to [think]."

[LSUfan]

Pittsburgh Steelers 100 Art Rooney Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15212-5721 Phone: (412) 697-7181

Pittsburgh Steelers 3400 South Water Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203-2349 Phone: (412) 432-7800

[justice14]

Well I’m not picking him up on my fantasy team this year.

[cblue55]

We should listen to a kook who fumbled the Super Bowl?

[massgopguy]

We heard Osama bin Laden speak on 9-11.

[JenB987]

"It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."

He can't be serious...

[Anti-Bubba182]

He will rue the day he opened his mouth!

[Puppage]

"What kind of person celebrates death?"

How's this, jerk?

[TSgt]

As if one needed another reason to hate the Steelers...

[FatherofFive]

"There is not an ignorant bone in my body," he said.

No ignorant bones. Just all the grey matter.

[Mr. Wright]

One more reason why I have stopped watching the NFL.

Give me a GREAT college game any day!! More scoring, more excitement, more heart in the game!!

[dfwgator]

"It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak...

This guy can relate.

[ScottinVA]

"What kind of person celebrates death?"

We're not celebrating "death." We're celebrating freedom from the earthly existence of a vile sub-human who sought OUR death.

[EyeGuy]

“There is not an ignorant bone in my body”.

###

Well you are clearly an ignorant BONEhead, but physiologically it is the abject lack of functioning, firing neuronal synapses that are the problem with big-mouthed dumbasses like you, Mendenhall.

[ozzymandus]

Let’s see how Rush defends this idiotic statement from one of his precious Steelers.

[Rokurota]

Proof that playing football does indeed cause brain damage? Or was he just born that way?

[ScottinVA]

"It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."

I guess this dumbass who alleges himself not to have an ignorant bone in his body missed that April 2002 video in which bin Laden open admits and brags about directing the operation.

[AGreatPer]

He must really want to be traded. The Steelers don't put up with kooks.
Just damn. The guy is one of the best at his job.

[dps.inspect]

I have a degree in construction, and when I saw what had happened on 9/11, I knew it would be a miracle if those buildings did not come down. All you need is a rudimentary understanding of high school physics to know that the likely outcome of planes filled with fuel, crashing into those buildings, even at slow speeds, would do just what they did... that’s why they did it. What a fool...

[ScottinVA]

"It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."

I guess this dumbass who alleges himself not to have an ignorant bone in his body missed that April 2002 video in which bin Laden openly admits and brags about directing the operation.

[OldDeckHand]

I think the first sentence he utters is actually defensible. While I personally don't have any problems with the "celebrations" from that night, most of which I believe originated organically, especially the ones in NYC, I do understand the intellectual argument against them. Ruddy Giuliani made a similar comment the next day - something to the effect of, "I understand the elation but I'm not sure if it's helpful over the long run".

But, the rest of what this guy says is pure idiocy. Mendenhall - I guess - is saying that if we just understood bin Laden as a person, that would somehow make the murder of (literally) thousands of people, not just in the US, but all over the globe, somehow "understandable". It might be the most offensive thing I have ever heard. If the NFL, much less the Steelers, allow him to put a uniform on again, something is wrong - very, very wrong.