Thursday 6 January 2011

Hockey Fans for Peace

And for getting Sour Grapes to STFU.
A newly formed Vancouver-based group is challenging Don Cherry to a debate on Coach’s Corner to offset criticism that the fiery commentator is using Hockey Night in Canada to promote militarism and the war in Afghanistan.

Hockey Fans for Peace plans to rally outside the HNIC broadcast of Saturday night’s Vancouver Canucks game against the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver to make the point that hockey fans have the democratic right to speak out against the war in Afghanistan.

Spokesman Kimball Cariou said Wednesday the group is calling on the CBC “to either stop the promotion of militarism during hockey broadcasts, or else to allow one of its members to debate Cherry during an upcoming Coach’s Corner.”

Hockey fan and peace activist Derrick O’Keefe agrees.

“It’s something that’s bothered me for a lot of years that Don Cherry’s Coach’s Corner has been used to really give a one-sided platform to talk about the war only in full support,” said O’Keefe, a member of the group’s Facebook page. “And when Don Cherry makes political comments during the hockey broadcast he’s never challenged.”

Of course, there's a Facebook group.

I just joined.

18 comments:

Pseudz said...

Thumbs up to that!

I imagine that Cherry could be lead to agree that support for the troops and support for the war in Afghanistan are not the same thing.
He's good on 'hits from behind' leading to concussion (and that there) . . . he gets passionate about 'no touch icing' of the puck. It's time he extended his 'safety principles' to the idea of saving lives and limbs and souls by supporting the troops at home.

Bina said...

I'm not a hockey fan, but I'm a fan of anything to do with peace...and getting mouthy boors to STFU. Join request hereby sent...

double nickel said...

Joined!

Anonymous said...

I am anti war as much as the next person, but if you think for one moment that Don Cherry is doing anything more than honouring the lives of those who are willing to go to battle to protect the rights and freedoms (including the right to protest) that we all take for granted then give your head a big shake. To think that someone could spin it to say that by Cherry honouring those who have lost their lives is somehow promoting war is quite honestly, moronic.

fern hill said...

Anonymous: you're as anti-war as the next person, if the next person is Airshow MacKay.

If you don't see what Cherry is promoting as jingoist militarism dripping in ultra-sentimentalism, then you're as moronic as the next person.

Anonymous said...

So Cherry also gives honour to individuals that have lost their lives to Cancer. Does this mean that he therefore is pro cancer??? So will those of you who are willing to protest against Don Cherry are equally willing to stand up loud and proud against Sharia Law in Canada?

fern hill said...

Two strawmen for the price of one.

Priceless.

Kayden said...

Im so angry by this. A hundred of my fellow citizens died in 9/11 because of terrorists. I fully support the war against this terrible crime. These bleeding hearts should be ashamed of them selves. Who else in Canada supports these brave men and women as much as don? What a Joke. He's a GREAT Canadian and you should all show the man the respect he deserves.

fern hill said...

nkaulius: 'fully support the war against this terrible crime'. Since when do countries go to war against crimes?

Don Cherry is pro-war and uses our state-funded CBC as a bully pulpit to trumpet the idiocy that 'not support war = hate troops/hate Canada/unCanadian'.

fern hill said...

Anonymous @10:22. Huh? Three idiots?

This Anonymous, like so many Anonymice, makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

fern hill
And yet you think its o.k. for our "state-funded" CBC to continue to push the left-wing agenda that it so blatantly does on most of its radio shows?

fern hill said...

Most recent Anonymous: You need to work on your talking points. 'Push' too mild. Need to get homophobic/homophilic 'shove down our throats' in.

And yeah, CBC Radio is the last bastion of journalism in Canada. Big kudos to Radio-Canada in that respect. English radio not so much but still waaay better than TV. Mansbridge -- ptui!

The rest of CBC -- piss-pantsedly skeert of funding cuts.

deBeauxOs said...

Anonymous DWK - what do those initials stand for?

Dick Without Knowledge?

deBeauxOs said...

Dim Wit Kookoo?

Anonymous said...

Don Cherry honouring fallen soldiers is a NO NO. Yet using the dead soldiers in order to get some cheap nedia exposure by peace activist Derrick O’Keefe & Kimball Cariou is OK . One honours the other two exploit & most of you commentators are agreeing with the exploiters. You all should give your heads a shake.

deBeauxOs said...

Anonymous, you missed the point - what a surprise, eh?

Don Cherry uses soldiers killed during the ongoing invasion of Afghanistan to boost his own image, to curry favour with ReformaTories and to get some free PR.

The exploiter here is Don Cherry, not peace activists who are exposing the lies politicians blather to justify the war against Afghans.

Anonymous said...

should be sports fans for peace. i'm sick of cherry, haven't watched him for years. sick of cfl pushing war support in af'g. enough already. empire building has no place here.

fern hill said...

CFL does it too? Join the Hockey Fans group, Anonymous, and suggest that.

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