Football Players Penalized for pointing towards Heaven.

Quote from the article: " As the AP reported, Ohio High School Athletic Association assistant commissioner Henry Zaborniak said that the game officials responsible for the call were actually correct in penalizing the tribute, as it could be considered offensive to the other team without first knowing the context of the gesture."

Players Penalized

Can anyone here convince me how anyone could have considered pointing towards heaven offensive? I would like to hear it. Legally I think *someone* could be held liable and here's why.

Laws Regarding Religion in Public Schools... (1 example)

Student Prayer and Religious Garb

Students are allowed to pray silently or aloud either individually or within groups as long as their actions are not disruptive or inciting. Students may also read their Bibles during times when they are not scheduled to participate in any other school activities. Students are permitted to wear clothing and accessories that express their religious beliefs.

Read more: Laws Regarding Religion in Public Schools | eHow.com www.ehow.com...


As I said above, I believe the penalty should be over-turned based on the *Students Rights concerning Religion and Expression.* As long as their actions are not disruptive or inciting. I do NOT in anyway see this as inciting anyone or how anyone could take pointing towards the sky as offensive as the Ohio High School Athletic Association assistant commissioner Henry Zaborniak had said.

Video of Offensive Gesture

The football players friend had died. It's hard enough to deal with death at that age let alone dealing with a friends death. I'm not sure whether the other team knew that these boy's friend had died, and that's basically what Mr. Zaborniak said. The other team didn't know the context of the gesture. Again, ridiculous! I'm sure the other team would know if someone was flipping them off or not. I'm also sure that the other team did NOT take offense to 2 boys pointing towards the heavens. Hell, they probably thought they spotted Elenin.

It has been a rule for quite sometime. All players are aware of it.

Fans pay to see a game played. They do not pay to witness God.

What if he used the excuse that he was pointing at comet Elenin, or the sun?
Why should someone's personal perspective be cause for a penalty like this? Just because people assume he's referring to his religious beliefs, there has to be a penalty?

I'd love to see a player point towards the ground & throw up devil horns with the other hand! Hell, even if I don't believe in that mess. A Player from The Raiders of the 70's doing that wouldn't have surprised me! They looked like they did strength training in the underworld!

reply to post by Annee


That's BS and you know it. Emotion is a part of the game. So is teamwork and loyalty. If someone wants to show respect to their God, or their fallen brethren, it is perfectly fine. The rule is there to prevent "excessive celebration," but not to stop a simple gesture.

So I guess the cheerleaders should wear burqas so as not to offend anyone with their bare legs and arms? And the football should be made out of something other than "pig" skin? And the team names and mascots should all be ambiguous and the unsymbolic in nature?

If we legislate and rule-make to stop all possible forms of offense, then what will we be left with?

By the way, I am offended by sensitive people, how the hell do you suppose we get rid of all those so that I may live in peace?

reply to post by Annee


It didn't have anything to do with GOD!! Did you read anything I said? Their friend had died! The gesture was a religious symbol so to speak. Pointing towards heaven.



You should read and absorb first before inserting a comment that wasn't well thought out. imoNh

To Former Mod... omg... you nailed it!!! That was MY POINT. So now we're really going to tell people how to properly grieve? errr... how NOT to grieve or pay your respect. As I tried to point out and you did very very well... it was NOT an overTHEtop gesture... simple and respectful. Thanx...you're post is spot on!

If I was the athlete I'd sue the school for persecution of his religious beliefs; I thought that was the conventional belief as to why the United States started.

All in all, it's just uhh, like not important. A high school football game... I mean come on... Public school system is atrocious I know and getting worse with the government cutting their funding... I thought Obama was about the 'no child left behind' thing, but then again he lied to me many times.

Originally posted by bunnydisaster
I'd love to see a player point towards the ground & throw up devil horns with the other hand! Hell, even if I don't believe in that mess. A Player from The Raiders of the 70's doing that wouldn't have surprised me! They looked like they did strength training in the underworld!

THEY STILL DO!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Football players are the type that are going to do it anyway. Most of them at least have convictions stronger than a $10,000 fine. Especially the wide recievers who just earned that much on the end-zone catch they made.





Sorry about that, I was on a little roll about the Raiders and forgot this was High School.

It's BS. Pure and simple. The entire team should do the same thing next time they play.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Annee

 

That's BS and you know it. Emotion is a part of the game. So is teamwork and loyalty. If someone wants to show respect to their God, or their fallen brethren, it is perfectly fine. The rule is there to prevent "excessive celebration," but not to stop a simple gesture.

Not to me. I don't agree with you.

It costs a lot of money to go to any professional sport these days. As a paying customer - - I do not want anyone's personal belief displayed.

Originally posted by tracehd1
reply to post by Annee

 

It didn't have anything to do with GOD!! Did you read anything I said? Their friend had died! The gesture was a religious symbol so to speak. Pointing towards heaven.

Explain to me how a religious symbol is different then God.

And all I said is the rule not to display a god belief has been in affect for a long time. All players know it.

What exactly are you disagreeing with?

Originally posted by Annee

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Annee

 

That's BS and you know it. Emotion is a part of the game. So is teamwork and loyalty. If someone wants to show respect to their God, or their fallen brethren, it is perfectly fine. The rule is there to prevent "excessive celebration," but not to stop a simple gesture.

Not to me. I don't agree with you.

It costs a lot of money to go to any professional sport these days. As a paying customer - - I do not want anyone's personal belief displayed.

You my friend are a shining example of what is wrong with the world today.

Celebrations are regulated. That's what it is.

Personally, I find the pointing to God thing to be totally tacky.

People are starving to death, but God loves me enough to give me a touchdown. Woo-Hoo. Frackin' Narcissistic Idiots.

reply to post by Annee


What if someone seated next to you started praying that their team won? I'm just asking out of curiosity.
I'm atheist and all for noT having religion shoved down my throat but this seems excessive.

What does God have to do with any of this?

A kid scores a touchdown and raises his arm with one finger pointing up gets penalized for celebrating the fact that he's #1?

So being number 1 is against the rules?

...the point is. NONE of you know what that "gesture" means. Only the person doing it knows. If you are offended by your own interpretation of a gesture, then GET HELP.

As always, Atheists get butthurt by something they DON'T believe in. TYPICAL.

reply to post by tracehd1


Why I might point to the sky is strictly my own business. I might be saying hello to a passing bird or talking to God. But either way, the state and/or the school system... or anyone else, have no rights that extend into such things.

reply to post by CastleMadeOfSand


Not all atheists get butt hurt about trivial crap like this so please don't group us all together, thanks.

Explanation: S&F!

Having played several sports I can see how this is being blown way out of proportion!

Was there a valid case for busting them for grandstanding! [how ever minor that was and for what ever reason]?

Yes!

Is that being blown completely out of proportion?

Yes!

Next time let the fans know what is going on before hand with say a gesture of a minutes silence for a fallen fellow human being and maybe wear some black armbands as a person tribute to the deceased if feel the need to publicly mourn whilst in the middle of a game!

Personal Disclosure: Everything can be included reasonably... Uh-oh... Far out next I'll be called a bloody communist for supporting local team sports! :bnghd:

reply to post by Annee


You do not want any individualism shown? Why would you pay big bucks to go to a professional sporting event to watch a bland computer animation of what used to be a game?

If we follow your advice, then we take away all of the individuality of the players in the game, then we really don't have a game at all do we? Why not put jerseys on cows, and line them up at each end of the field and let them mosey back and forth?

I think you are intentionally being stubborn about this, because I cannot believe any sporting fan would want to remove all emotion and individualism from the game? Perhaps you are not a sporting fan, and you are just hypothesizing? Or perhaps you are being intentionally obtuse? No matter your motivation, what you propose is not a sport at all.

Originally posted by WildWorld
reply to post by CastleMadeOfSand

 

Not all atheists get butt hurt about trivial crap like this so please don't group us all together, thanks.

If that was true, then your comment and this story would have never happened. Deal with it.

Originally posted by Aeons
Celebrations are regulated. That's what it is.

Personally, I find the pointing to God thing to be totally tacky.

People are starving to death, but God loves me enough to give me a touchdown. Woo-Hoo. Frackin' Narcissistic Idiots.

Actually, I totally agree with you. With all the pain and suffering in the world, thanking God for a touchdown is extremely tacky. So is doing the moonwalk, or signing an autograph (although I did love the T.O. dance on the Cowboys Star! That was priceless!)

Anyhow, I don't believe anyone deserves criticized for how they decide to celebrate, as long as it is extremely brief, but my respect will always go to the players that toss the ball to the Ref and hug a teammate and run off the field. The ol' coaches always say, "If you score, act like you've been there before."