Posted on 02/08/2008 7:36:51 AM PST by PurpleMan
"I understand that people are upset, but that is part of our Dominican culture and is legal in the Dominican Republic," Martinez said in a statement Thursday.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
What other cultural things are we going to have to accept?
Female genital mutilation? Forced marriages? Honor killings? Women forbidden from driving cars? Banning girls from schools? Polygamy?
Additions welcomed
As loathsome as this activity is, this particular incident took place outside of the U.S. About the most we can expect is for the Met’s organization to speak to Martinez and let him know that it is unacceptable for him, as a NY Met to engage in such activities. They do have ethics clauses in contracts, and he should be held accountable from that point of view. If this took place on U.S. soil, its an entirely different story.
It's the same in the Dominican Republic. If you go there, you can engage in cock fighting. It's not our business.
Had it occurred in the USA, the video would hopefully be sent to the police and used as evidence in a prosecution. That would show that no, we don't accept these things (yet).
We don’t have to accept it, but it’s not our country. My problem would be when they bring it HERE to this country and then try to excuse it as a cultural norm even if it’s illegal.
As it took place outside of the U.S., they did not break the law. All we can do is refuse to purchase tickets and jerseys and gloves or any other products with their names.
Juan at a cockfight? His usual fighting weapon is a baseball bat.
A major league baseball team would not be able to openly discriminate against ballplayers who are citizens of the Dominican Republic without exposing itself to civil lawsuits and legal action by state or Federal authorities, so I have no problem with the notion that those ballplayers should compose themselves -- even in their home countries -- in a manner that is conducive to doing business here in the United States.
[shrug] I almost never agree with the positions you take.
Bravo! Bravo!
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0610/gallery.memorable.brawls3/images/OBIT_ROS.jpg
LOL. Does that mean you don’t agree with me this time? :-P
;)
They trade Benson and Milledge-and I don't see how anyone can make the argument that those trades were pulled for any reason other than the fact that those two don't speak Spanish-and now you find out that the club house is mimicking Major League II.
Omar Minaya is a joke.
They might as well rename the franchise The New York Day Laborers.
Understand that it was in the D.R.
I would have had more respect for him if he had said, “It’s legal here. Shut up.”
Instead he equivocated his comments.
My concern is that soon we’ll have “it’s part of my culture” as an accepted defense.
Most of us...by our choice in sustenance, kill chicken (as in, they wouldn’t raise or kill chicken if we didn’t eat it)....
the only difference being that most of us never bet on the ultimate outcome of the death of a chicken.
It originated in the Roman empire, and was widely practiced in the American south until the mid 20th century. It remains legal in Louisiana.
In other words, it is a European custom practiced by our ancestors. I can take it or leave it myself. Besides the average fighting cock is better cared for in his life than the average breeding cock.
ML/NJ
No, I agree on that point. However, it has been tried with Michael Vick. The whole its part of black culture thing. So hopefully that precedent will prevent what you speak of from happening.
Now big brother is travelling the world....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.