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AceOfSpades
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25 Jan 2012, 11:53 am

For those that don't know, Tim Thomas, known for his unreal saves as a cream of the crop goalie that plays for the Boston Bruins, didn't show up at the White House to meet Obama along with the rest of the team. This is his statement that he released a few days ago on why:

Quote:
"I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.

"This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

"Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.

"This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT"
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/tim-thomas-obama-snub-not-politics-party-free-233559431.html

Good for him. I don't understand how people are saying he selfishly put himself above the team and that it was disrespectful to the president. First off, NO collective solidarity is bigger than an individual's convictions, EVER. Secondly, what he brings to the team is strictly about hockey, nothing more nothing less. If he constantly missed practice and slacked off on the ice, then yes he is letting the team down since his skills are meant to serve the team. But his beliefs aren't meant to be beholden to anyone so it doesn't really apply outside of the ice. Thirdly, he wasn't going about this in an attention seeking way like Kanye West so if he really wanted it to be a publicity stunt he could've done something much crazier.

It's just one crap after another and I wish more people would see that it's bigger than just one man or one party.



iamnotaparakeet
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25 Jan 2012, 12:00 pm

Is this something that our current president is whinging about?



Catamount
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25 Jan 2012, 1:08 pm

Bruins fan here. 8)

While I certainly respect the right Tim Thomas has to exercise his individual liberties in choosing not to attend the ceremony, I certainly don't respect Tim Thomas for opting out. As the article I am linking below argues, he placed his own agenda ahead of the team and basically became the story in what should have been (and mostly was) a fun day for all. The Bruins had athletes from all over the globe attend the ceremony at the White House and I don't think anyone in their right mind interprets their presence as being supportive of President Obama, the White House or the US. I love Tim Thomas for lots of reasons and will give him a pass on this one ... even though it was a classless move.

Thomas places himself above team



snapcap
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25 Jan 2012, 1:17 pm

Sounds like he's the kind of guy that knows what's going on.


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visagrunt
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25 Jan 2012, 3:32 pm

There was a time when many Americans might be relied upon to believe that, "you might not respect the man, but you must respect the office."

You now seem to have sunk to a level in which the man is equated with the office, and that no shot is too cheap to make in order to score a political point.

Thomas has made himself the story, and deserves to be called out as a callow, self-centred opportunist. He certainly has the right to be so. And the rest of us certainly have the right to name him so.


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25 Jan 2012, 3:51 pm

AceOfSpades wrote:
For those that don't know, Tim Thomas, known for his unreal saves as a cream of the crop goalie that plays for the Boston Bruins, didn't show up at the White House to meet Obama along with the rest of the team...

Imagine that ... some overpaid jock thinking that he has a significant opinion on how the country is being run.

:lol: :lol: :lol:



Jacoby
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25 Jan 2012, 3:56 pm

Some athlete does this every year

I remember Mark Chmura didn't visit the White House after the Packers won the Superbowl in 1997 because he didn't like Bill Clinton.

It's not really a big deal.

Personally, even tho I'm not the biggest fan of Obama, I'd still like to meet him. Me disliking his policies would actually give me something to talk about with him. :P