Iraqi Olympic Football Player

[zudobug]

I was just reading an article about this... Here's the link:

Iraqi Soccer Players Angered by Bush Campaign Ads

To a man, members of the Iraqi Olympic delegation say they are glad that former Olympic committee head Uday Hussein, who was responsible for the serial torture of Iraqi athletes and was killed four months after the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003, is no longer in power.

But they also find it offensive that Bush is using Iraq for his own gain when they do not support his administration's actions. "My problems are not with the American people," says Iraqi soccer coach Adnan Hamad. "They are with what America has done in Iraq: destroy everything. The American army has killed so many people in Iraq. What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?"

[X-ray]

That report by Grant Wahl is certainly easier to swallow than the one I saw, which mentioned 'shooting Americans' specifically.
I don't think it is covered on the Net, it was a TV interview. I saw it on Channel 5, if that helps.

[DonnyEMU]

I believe in the constitution of the United States of America and the freedom to say what you believe right or wrong.. It's your opinion and you have a right to it, especially if you are  being represented on a country's television without an outlet.. If you are an American and don't believe in Free Speech SHAME on you...

But apparently free speech comes at a premium, even in the USA these days..

did anyone see this news post?

Graphic Designer Fired After Heckling Bush

This proves you don't have to be Whoopi to get in trouble for speaking your mind...

[X-ray]

@ Donny

This isn't a freedom of speech issue. I'm not annoyed by the fact that he said something in public: if he had been down at the local train station and pulled out a bullhorn and started yelling that he hates Bush and wishes Bush was dead, that's a different matter.
What I didn't like is the fact that this dude used his position as an Olympic athlete to make a statement to the effect that if he wasn't in the Games he would be at home shooting Americans, the same Americans that have facilitated his appearance and safe return from the Games.

Do you see the difference? It's more of an issue about the context in which he said it, not the plain fact that he said it alone.

[zudobug]

I can't find any references to 'shooting Americans' in any news stories about this. Could it be Channel 5 news is making it up? Good heavens above!

Anyway, I did find this interesting article...

Iraq fury over Bush campaign [Fox Sports, Australia]

See, Fox reckon the football players were made to say those things by the media to get at Bush. They didn't really mean it and this won't hurt Bush's re-election prospects. We are safe.

-zudo