Friday, August 29, 2008

Fan ejected for trying to go to the bathroom during God Bless America?

First I should mention that I've made it a habit to go to the bathroom during God Bless America because it happens to be the best time to go. There are no lines and you don't miss any of the game. And I have yet to be stopped, but that's probably because I usually sit in the bleachers and the cops out there have bigger fish to fry. Anyway, on to the story...

From UPI (hat tip to Steve Lombardi):
A New York Yankees fan says he might sue after he was allegedly ejected for trying to use the Yankee Stadium men's room while a patriotic song was playing.

Bradford Campeau-Laurion told WCBS-TV in New York Thursday that the seventh-inning stretch seemed like an opportune time for a pit stop during Tuesday's game against Boston. However a police officer allegedly blocked his departure until the traditional recording of "God Bless America" was finished playing.

Campeau-Laurion said when he protested that his priority at the moment was the rest room, two officers pinned his arms behind him and gave him the bum's rush out the gate.

"He shoved me out the front gate and told me get out of their country if I didn't like it," Campeau-Laurion said to the television station.

A police spokesman told WCBS that Campeau-Laurion was abusive and appeared to be drunk, which Campeau-Laurion and the person he was attending the game both denied.

The Yankees have a policy that prohibits fans from wandering around when "God Bless America" is playing, but the American Civil Liberties Union said having the police throw someone out for simply wanting to use the bathroom probably crossed the line, WCBS said.

Patriotism is fine, and it certainly has its place at America's favorite pastime, but this policy that prohibits fans from moving around during the playing of God Bless America is a complete and utter joke, and as a Yankees fan I'm embarrassed by it. How to celebrate this fine free country of ours? Well by forcing people not to move during patriotic music, and then physically removing them from the premises if they do, of course. You have no freedom while honoring freedom.

And of course the police are going to say that the guy was drunk, that's there easy way out. Just say the guy was drunk and then you can get away with anything. So I can't see the victim winning if he does actually decide to sue. Unless the incident was video taped, there's really no way to prove what really happened.

Although the article states that this guy was a Yankees fan, many others are claiming he is a Red Sox fan, and though that might make this incident OK for some people, it doesn't change my opinion. NOBODY should be kicked out of a sports venue for trying to go to the bathroom during a song, ANY song.

5 Comments:

M-Rod said...

dude my girlfriend and i got kicked out of the last sunday game because some guy walked down by our seats and poured water off the edge of the upper deck onto a security guard. they basically had no idea who did it so they grabbed the people next to us and then they must have said it was us so we got escorted out. they said they had me on video and i told them to show me the video and if they could prove it was me i would walk out without a problem. i tried to plead my case and they said i was going to be put under arrest if didnt leave right then for disturbing the peace. fucking bullshit. i called my ticket agent and sent an e-mail to the head of stadium operations but they obviously dont give a fuck. they just said basically that for something stupid like that i dont have to worry about losing my ticket plan. that will just get you kicked out for that game. no idea what is gonna happen when i see that motherfucker that did it. hes like 45 years old too thats the sad part. he needs to grow the fuck up

Greg Cohen said...

Wow, are you serious? The part about telling you they had video is great, especially when you know you did nothing wrong. At Yankee Stadium you are guilty until proven ... well no, you're just guilty.

M-Rod said...

yeah it was fucked up. the cops were complete assholes. like five cops for me and my girlfriend. i got names of everyone along the way and included them all in my email. i basically told them that i paid for 9 innings and its completely unfair to toss us out after 7 against our will for something they could not prove we did.

Anonymous said...

This is a total disgrace, and completely un-American. This is the kind of thing you would expect in Soviet Russia, or China, not the good 'ol US of A.

Greg Cohen said...

I agree anon.