NJ teens sue over 'God Bless America' ejection

hosted. ^ | Sep 14 | BETH DeFALCO

[JoeProBono]

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Three teenagers who say they were tossed from a New Jersey ballpark for sitting through the song "God Bless America" are suing the minor league Newark Bears.

[timm22]

They claim that their "constitutional rights" were violated. Kind of an odd claim, since I'm pretty sure the Constitution does not protect the right to attend a ballgame against the park owner's wishes.

Maybe some kind of breach of contract claim would be better. Assuming of course that the reported details of the story are true and complete, and that these kids actually paid for their tickets.

[thefactor]

yeah, it's a contract to let them watch the game...unless they do something that is prohibited. i have been to a lot of sporting events and i have seen people thrown out for a number of reasons. most involved verbal arguments, not physical fights.

so technically, you can be thrown out for yelling.

[fortunate sun]

I understand the attachment but it ain’t the National Anthem. They would have received a swift kick in the ass in that event.

[Hodar]

Lovin’ it....

Told my kids, if Dishnetwork offered a Sports-free package, I would pay extra just so I didn’t have to wheel past Basketball, Baseball, Football, golf, hockey, tiddly-winks, darts, volleyball, Lumberjack competition, horse racing, car racing, reindeer games and let’s not forget bowling.

Now, if they had topless women’s sports - that would be something entirely different. However, I think given my history regarding sports, this would be a hard-sell for my wife.

[Godwin1]

Look at those family names. What do you expect from such people? We are importing the seeds of our own destruction.

[JoeProBono]

[Hodar]

...Constitution does not protect the right to attend a ballgame against the park owner's wishes.

Who owns the park? Chances are the park is paid for by the taxpayers. Now if it's privately held - super, fantastic and wonderful. I would sincerely and truly love that. I believe that 100% of the parks in the USA should be utterly and completely funded with private funds, not a dime of taxpayer money.

But, chances are better than fair that the taxpayer had a gun put to his head and was given a choice of losing his home and going to jail - or pay taxes for the ball park. As such, NO ONE can force others to abide by their cultural values, as everyone has equal rights to be there.

Chances are, if this is a taxpayer asset, these people will win and the taxpayers will have a gun placed against their heads again - and these kids will all be set for life.

[timm22]

yeah, it's a contract to let them watch the game...unless they do something that is prohibited.

Unless there was a sign at the ticket booth, how would these kids know that sitting during "God Bless America" is a prohibited act?

I'm not much of a sports fan but I've attended games for just about every sport, at every level from high school to professional. Until reading this story I would have never guessed that refusing to stand for patriotic songs, or even the national anthem, was grounds for removal. In bad taste, yes, but not a reason to kick someone out.

Maybe I'm just clueless on this one, but it doesn't seem like a requirement a reasonable ticket purchaser would anticipate unless they were given advance warning.

[timm22]

I'm also opposed to public funding for stadiums.

I hadn't considered the complications involved if the stadium was built on the taxpayer's dime. For some reason I assumed it was privately funded, maybe because it is a minor league team.

[Vendome]

Here is your fish:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2339563/posts?page=3#3

[Vendome]

That is so dang cute. I am printing it and giving it to my friend.

She is going to laugh her butt off.

[takbodan]

I would have spilled my beer on them.

[TruJess]

Most tickets to professional sporting events have a clause on the back allowing for the revocation of the “contract”/ticket for any reason at any time. Therefore, most of these lawsuits never go anywhere. They may have a case if they directly sue the employee(s) who kicked them out but that’s not where the $$$ is, and they know it.

[pnh102]

I totally agree with you regard banning taxpayer funding of sports venues. Rich team owners don't need the humble taxpayer to help them build their play pens. These people are the worst kinds of welfare queens in my book.

But anyone who disses the USA in the USA still deserves to be mocked, ridiculed and spat upon.