'I Can't Breathe' t-shirts see high-school basketball team disinvited from event

[inanna]

Source: Associated Press

A high school basketball tournament on the Northern California coast has become the latest flashpoint in nationwide protests over police killings of unarmed black men.

The boys and girls varsity basketball teams from Mendocino High School were disinvited from a tournament which starts on Monday at nearby Fort Bragg High, because of concerns players would wear T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe” printed on them while warming up.

<snip>

Brian Triplett, the athletic director at Fort Bragg High, did not return a call and email seeking comment. Principal Rebecca Walker issued a written statement on Friday saying school administrators respected the Mendocino teams “for paying attention to what is going on in the world around them” and that the T-shirts were being prohibited as a security precaution.

“To protect the safety and well-being of all tournament participants it is necessary to ensure that all political statements and or protests are kept away from this tournament,” wrote Walker, who said she was speaking on behalf of the athletic director and the Fort Bragg school superintendent. “We are a small school district that simply does not have the resources to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff, students and guests at the tournament should someone get upset and choose to act out.”

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/27/i-cant-breathe-t-shirts-high-school-basketball

[juxtaposed]

1. I think she could be referring to the cops as acting out

[mahannah]

2. No"political statements"...except the pledge and anthem.

[mountain grammy]

12. Yeah right, so all can sing about the "home of the brave" that doesn't exist!

[Omaha Steve]

3. Should someone get upset and choose to act out?

I've witnessed lots of players or fans get in fights at ballgames that had nothing to do a protest etc.

I guess the small school should cancel the tournament for the safety of ALL!!!

[billhicks76]

6. These Jerks Are Un-American

Kind of ironic they act like a bunch of Commies.

[Bette Noir]

4. Fort Bragg is a military town.

[itsrobert]

7. That's a different Fort Bragg

This is Fort Bragg California. It hasn't been a small military outpost since the 1800s.

[billhicks76]

5. Racist Scum

They don't support freedom of speech. Troops fighting for our rights??? What a joke. The White, police-state establishment in this country is one big disgusting lie.

[Sunlei]

8. Is warm-up on the court considered a part of the game?

[99th_Monkey]

9. What a crock of shit.

So proactively violating players free speech and banning this team isn't "being political"

What a stunning display of hypocrisy. sheesh.

[AlbertCat]

10. Well....

In a country where you can shoot someone for no good reason and get away with it and where any idea or notion, "deserves respect" no matter how ridiculous and unconstitutional it may be.... we can have no protests of any kind. "Hey I wanted Splenda instead of Equal!" BLAM!

[truedelphi]

11. What you say - Yes!! n/t

[Enthusiast]

19. Precisely.

[geretogo]

13. The first amendment applies only if it is OKed by the Corporate State .

[dembotoz]

14. yep

[Ramses]

15. Thats funny, a large bunch of cops in uniform

Can turn their backs in insubordination and nothing will happen to them. I guess there are two classes of free speech. One for us and one for the 1% and their goons

[Tommymac]

16. Wonder if they would have Banned the 'I Can Breathe' T-shirts. eom

[FairWinds]

17. What a steaming pile of crap -

I love Mendocino - it's full of people with big hearts who think for themselves. They just voted to ban fracking.
I hope those kids and their coaches don't put up with this.
How about playing the game(s) outside in a park?
And I would also ban Ms. Rebecca Walker from the Mendocino school grounds -
purely for security reasons of course. Who knows, someone might get into a snit!!

[WillyT]

18. Ah... My Old Stomping Ground...

Lived and worked there from 1989 to 2000.


The village of Mendocino on California’s rugged North Coast. (George Rose/Getty Images)

Mendocino Village and Fort Bragg have been doing this dance for decades...

[Enthusiast]

20. Are there still hippies there?

My guess is no.

[roody]

24. Yes, and throughout all of Mendocino

County. This will show the Fort Bragg admins how stupid they are.

[calikid]

23. My stomping grounds also, from 86' to 02'.

In fact I can see three buildings in your photo that I worked on or in.
And you're right the dance between the redneck (Koch owned) mill town and the liberal village of Mendoland have been going on for a looonnngggg time.

[WillyT]

28. Cool !!! - I Bartended At Dick's Place For A Couple Of Years.. Around 2005 and 2006...

Also The Hill House, MacCallum Hose, Patterson's Pub, etc...

[calikid]

29. Then there's little doubt we've met.

I've worked, dinned and drank at all three. I lived north of FB about twenty minutes, so I didn't do a lot of drinking down Mendo way. Thinking of work, I tended at The Purple Rose in Cleone for a several years.

[bemildred]

21. Those shirts are going to be very popular.

I may have to buy a couple myself.

[DeSwiss]

22. Principal Rebecca Walker issued a written statement on Friday saying school administrators:

[center]

''...respected the Mendocino teams for paying attention to what is going on in the world around them and that the T-shirts were being prohibited as a security precaution.''

[font size=10] =
BULLSHIT
[/font][/center]

- What a reward she's given them for ''paying attention to the world around them.'' The absence of her company! I'm sure they have no idea how lucky they are!!

K&R



Just another ''Police officer murders his ex girlfriend & wounds her daughter'' story.

[roody]

25. Good for Mendocino High.

The absurdity of it all is that there are so few black people in the whole county, much less the coastal communities. Ms. Walker is going to end up toast over this stupidity.

[randys1]

26. Nobody said telling the truth is easy --

Lots of folks out there dedicated to silencing the truth the instant it is spoken.

[Kalidurga]

27. She should get fired, but these days I wouldn't be surprised if she gets a promotion

you know for always being mindful not hurting the feelings of the police.

[gopiscrap]

30. Fucking asswipes

when they did that to the team, the team should have made it impossible for the tournament to go own...Civilrotest that stopped all business as normal should have ensued!