NY Yankees use chains to keep fans still during the anthem - patriotism run amok

[Neecy]

From today's NY Times:

Seconds before “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” are played, police officers, security guards and ushers turn their backs to the American flag in center field, stare at fans moving through the stands and ask them to stop. Across the stadium’s lower section, ushers stand every 20 feet to block the main aisle with chains.

As the songs are played or sung, the crowd appears motionless.

...Trost said the ushers were instructed to allow fans with emergencies to move through the stands. Because one end of each chain is held by a person, instead of secured in place, the system is not considered a fire hazard, a spokeswoman for the New York Fire Department said.

...“Before 9/11, we recognized the spirit and importance of the way of life we live in this country,” he said. “We have always been a major supporter of everything that relates on a patriotic basis. Men and women are serving, and we believe as an organization we should remember them and how they are out there on the forefront.”

Unfortunately, the A's ask their ushers to restrict crowd movement as well during the anthem, but they haven't resorted to using chains yet. I guess they know better...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/sports/baseball/10stadium.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[LisaM]

1. Why don't they just play Deutschland Uber Alles?

Note to self: Root against Yankees. Oh wait! I do that anyway!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

33. Franz Joseph Haydn would redline the marble tachometer.

He wrote the original string quartet with the theme called "Austria" in it, which later was turned into Hitler's fight song. The string quartet version is quite beautiful.

[Lars39]

2. I'm having a serious WTF moment here.

People are going along with this?

[Neecy]

3. If I lived in New York...

You can bet I'd test this.

The local head of the ACLU said this:

The organization said it would consider legal action only if a fan were arrested for disobeying the measure.

[ORDagnabbit]

4. SIEG HEIL!!!!!! dont question..... be a good german. n/t

[jobycom]

5. Honor the symbols by rejecting that for which they stand. nt

[JerseygirlCT]

6. The evil empire doesn't seem to see the difference between

expressing their own patriotism and *forcing* others to conform to their expression.

I'm so surprised.

Not.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. "WE LOVE YOU, BIG BROTHER!" seems more appropriate than

the Star Spangled Banner and The Pledge.

[villager]

8. Great way to "celebrate" a song ostensibly about "freedom"

Fuckin' Yankees. Now I can stand them even less than before.

and:

Let's Go A's!

[Neecy]

10. I love the irony, too

...the use of chains to celebrate freedom.

A's are opening up a big can o'whoop-ass on the Royals this afternoon

[villager]

12. I'm an expat Bay Area boy, here in L.A. I follow the A's & Giants

through the audio feeds at MLB.com. $14 gets me the whole season(s)...

[gollygee]

37. Yes - the height of irony

Chain them in to sing about the land of the free

[HockeyMom]

9. Don't remember if it was Mets or Yankees

Last game of a World Series, they had cops on horseback lining the field. Try to go onto the field, and you were going to get trampled by a horse.

[Forkboy]

11. Well,the Yankees ARE the Evil Empire...

what did you people expect? :)

[TahitiNut]

13. We'd be so much more patriotic if it wasn't for people. People just don't obey.

:sarcasm:

[NYC Liberal]

14. I'm going to a bunch of games during the summer, starting at the end of the month

so I'll see how this really works/is enforced.

[Sequoia]

27. Don't stand up and see what happens.

[Neecy]

34. have a look and let us know

Keep in mind, though, that they're using off-duty cops to man the chains - meaning they might try to arrest you if you try to go under/over it. That's the only reason I can think of they'd be using cops.

[Reverend_Smitty]

15. Reason 1,290,035 why it's better to be a Mets fan...

"The Mets, meanwhile, have not heard complaints from fans about behavior during the songs and have not implemented similar restrictions, a team spokesman said."

:evilgrin:

[lies and propaganda]

16. I worked Spring Training games here in Phx..

it was SCARY when that damn song started to play. Not chains scary albeit, but they would make you stop, and they would yell as if that is less respectful then not paying attention.

[lies and propaganda]

17. I actually just saw your part about the A's,...

that was who I worked for!!!

The best thing was getting to see Zito all the time, too bad!

[Neecy]

19. Zito was a little too freepy for me

I'm surprised he didn't sign with the Yankees since he's such an uber-patriot and all...

[trumad]

18. I've noticed now

that tell us to remove out hats.... uh---why?

[LibDemAlways]

20. Most people will stand at attention during the Star Spangled

Banner without being forced or coerced. Putting up chains to impede people moving through the stands is ridiculous and unnecessary.

And if someone chooses not to pay attention....oh well. Isn't that what we're told the armed forced are fighting for - freedom?

[ProudDad]

24. I never stand and never take my hat off

I am a citizen of the Earth. I am NOT a citizen of some silly construct built by drawing lines on a map and then killing everyone within those lines who gets in your way.

As a great economist and great friend once said, "Piss on ALL FLAGS!!!"

[LibDemAlways]

31. You would have come to blows with my daughter's

social studies teacher if you had been in my place one morning.

I went in to see her before school about a grade my daughter received on a test. Anyhow, the teacher doesn't have a first period class, so I was still sitting with her in an otherwise empty classroom when the school day started with the pledge of allegiance recited over the intercom.

When the pledge began, she jumped up, hand over heart, and recited it loudly. Said that she recites it just that way every morning, even though she's the only one in the room because she "loves this country and all it stands for." I just stared. She was positively wild-eyed about it. I couldn't get out of there fast enough and told my daughter just to lay low and try to make it through the year.

[dsc]

39. I am supposed to lead my second period class in the pledge

I don't since it isn't on the EOC (end of course exam)

[Zywiec]

21. O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I always try to show respect when the national anthem is playing, but still manage to laugh whenever I hear those lyrics.

[Oeditpus Rex]

22. One more reason to despise the Jankees

"We don't CARE if you have a dysfunctional bladder and need to get to the bathroom! STAND STILL, ASSIMILATE AND BE REVERENT!"

[Neecy]

25. Here's their plan for those with weak bladders

Remember that eagle or falcon or whatnot they used to launch during the end of God Bless America that would circle the field and then land on a fireman or something?

They should bring it back and have the bird target and attack anyone who dares to move a muscle during their 'stand and salute' moments at Yankee Stadium. That should terrify the proles enough to not just stand at attention but sing along.

[ProudDad]

23. Further proof, as if it were needed,

that Steinbrenner is a fucking, fascist idiot.

I ALWAYS root against the jankees if only because they are owned by this prick and they think they can buy the pennant every year. I love it when they fail.

[One_Life_To_Give]

26. Never seen chains at a NASCAR event

And we didn't even stand or anything during the National Anthem at Loudon last fall. Of course the power failure might of had something to do with that. :D

[RavensChick]

30. Never seen chains

What on earth are the Yankees thinking? Yes, we're patriotic and all that, but chains during the National Anthem? WTF????? What are we supposed to do, hold it until the song is over? Not good for the bladder let alone taking the fun out of seeing the game in person, paying all that money, which a fraction of it pays the players salaries!! They need to get a grip!

[frylock]

28. sign the loyalty oath at will call..

if anyone asked me to remain still during Godless Amerika, they would be met with a string of expletives.

[LSK]

29. holy 1984 batman!!!!!

:scared:

[bullwinkle428]

32. When did "God Bless America" become an official anthem that

required standing?? :wtf:

(I realize they've been doing it since 9/11 with that Irish dude, but I never recall hearing it had any kind of "official" status.)

Next thing you know, they'll be making people stand for Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to be an American"... :puke:

[ProudDad]

35. Nope, next they'll be playing

"Okie from Muskogee" followed by the playing of that egregious "eagle flies" thing that john ashcroft wrote, sang and recorded...

[AnnieBW]

38. In Bawlmer, we play "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" at 7th inning stretch

Because John Denver was an O's fan. We also yell "O!" when they sing "Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave..." Embarrassed the crap out of MLB when they held the All-Star game in Baltimore. :D

[KamaAina]

41. Or Toby Keith's "Boot in the Ass" song...

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[ComerPerro]

42. I, for one, am way beyond sick of "God Bless America" at baseball games

[AnnieBW]

36. What if you get there late

And are going to your seats during the National Anthem? Normally, people coming in would stop while the Anthem was being played, THEN go to their seats. Then again, this is YANKEE FANS that we're talking about. They're some of the rudest people on the face of the Earth. I know. I had the misfortune to be at several Orioles games where they were playing the Yank-mes. The fans were rude, obnoxious, drunk, and yelling obscenities around kids. I don't mind Yankees fans coming down to Baltimore to spend their money. Just don't act like a jerk when you're in our city.

[rove karl rove]

40. they should make a pa

telling them to remain where theya re

that would be better than using all these chains,