>< http://www.nyjournalnews.com/newsroom/022103/a0121protest.html>
Thanks for this, Kel. Utterly sickening, and mad props to Toni Smith for her guts in the face of -- let's call it what it is -- fascist bullying. I wrote about this type of thing in "American Fan" --
"Take the case of Denver Nuggets point guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. During the 1995-96 NBA season, Abdul-Rauf (slave name: Chris Jackson) led the Nuggets in scoring and was regarded as one of the better points in the league. As the season progressed, members of the press noticed that he was always absent during 'The Star Spangled Banner.' Abdul-Rauf, whose name means 'Elegant and Praiseworthy, Servant of the Most Kind,' felt it was his Muslim duty to not honor a symbol of, in his words, 'oppression and tyranny.' He would either come late to the court or sit on the bench until the song's end. He did this quietly, made no proclamations. He didn't need to: The press was happy to shatter his silence.
"The predictable occurred. NBA commandant David Stern placed Abdul-Rauf on indefinite suspension. He was not allowed to return until he praised Old Glory in full view of the league and its paying customers. Abdul-Rauf held out for three days, missed one game (which cost him over thirty grand), then finally acquiesced. 'I'll stand,' he said. 'I will offer a prayer, my own prayer, for those who are suffering -- Muslim, Caucasian, African American, Asian, or whoever is in that position, whoever is experiencing difficulty. This is what I cry out for.' The notion of U.S. complicity with terror and oppression is science fiction to defenders of the faith, thus Abdul-Rauf was vilified from coast to coast. But the real fun took place on March 15, 1996, the night he returned to his team. The Nuggets were in Chicago to play the Bulls. With the opening notes of the anthem, the fan barrage began. An oversized American flag was held just to Abdul-Rauf's left; placards were waved, insults shouted. It was a lesson in mob behavior hopefully absorbed by the children present. What better way to honor freedom than to harass someone who has a minority opinion and virtually no power to enforce it? Through it all, Abdul-Rauf remained silent, composed. During the game, he was booed whenever he touched the ball, while Citizen [Dennis] Rodman received cheers as he smirked and strutted between rebounds, and MJ [Michael Jordan] pondered stock options during the timeouts."
See why Murdoch's HarperCollins loooovvved this book? Right up their alley.
DP