Posted on 01/02/2007 12:37:45 PM PST by NapkinUser
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Former Major League Baseball pitcher John Rocker is starting a campaign to encourage English-speaking Americans to start demanding respect from legal and illegal immigrants who do not speak English.
Rocker is also pushing for immigrants to respect the customs, heritage and culture of the United States.
In a news release, Rocker said the "'Speak English' campaign is to encourage people to promote and support the sustainment of the American heritage and the American culture. This campaign is in no way intended to degrade or demean the cultures or heritages of others' nationalities or races, but instead to bolster American nationalism and promote pride in the American culture."
To further his cause, Rocker is selling "Speak English" T-shirts on his Web site.
In the past, Rocker has been called a racist and anti-homosexual for comments made during interviews and drawn heavy fire from New York Mets fans after comments about the city of New York.
While in the major leagues, the Georgia native was a closer for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Rocker played his first major league game in 1998 and stepped out of baseball in 2004 to recover from shoulder surgery. In 2005 he signed with the Long Island Ducks and retired after 23 games.
Rocker's book is due out in 2008.
"He's damaged goods. "
The only person who isn't "damaged goods" died on a cross over 2000 years ago.
I've had enough of this "perception is reality" crap because it is just that, crap.
"There's a reason not ONE Of his teammates backed him up when this stuff came out."
Most said nothing. Out of the ones who did speak, John Smoltz was the most supportive and Brian Jordan was the one lobbying to get him off the team.
And Chipper Jones called him a cancer to the 24 others guys in the lockerroom...
2-1 I win....
Unlike John Rocker and most people posting on this thread, I actually ride the subways on a regular basis, including the No. 7 train to Shea Stadium. Something like 7,000,000 passengers ride the NYC subway system every day, and with that many people, there are bound to be homos with aids, drug addicts, ex-cons, and 20 year old women with four kids in toe. But the vast, vast majority of people who ride the subways are regular working stiffs trying to make a buck. (I'll bet there is a larger percentage of aids inflicted homos, ex-cons, drug addicts, unwed-teenage mothers, fat people, and illegal aliens who shop at Walmart, than ride the NYC subway system.) The fact that Rocker stereotyped 7,000,000 people based upon an experience that he has probably never had shows that the guy is certainly an idiot if not a racist.
I was very careful NOT to say that. Perception is NOT reality. However, in an issue where PR is the primary factor, perception is all-important at that time. If that was NOT the case, women wouldn't pay hugh and series cash for fake breasts, cosmetics, etc.
BS makes the world go 'round. It's how Bubba managed to beat two WWII vets who were better men than he'll ever be.
Yes, people should be more objective and analytical about selecting candidates, and men should pay more attention to personality and less to looks. Good luck with that.
You know what I mean. The media will tear him apart over this book and used skewed comments to, in their feeble minds, prove all people for secure borders share exactly the same sentiments over what Rocker said in 1999.
Rocker doesn't have to travel to NYC to find this. I would suspect this exists in many American cities -- even Atlanta, in Rocker's home state.
Or his local Walmart or 24 Hour Diner.
Oh for God's sake, the link to the article with the man's own words has been posted on this thread half a dozen times. Read it.
In fact if a guy like, say, Tom Tancredo was smart, ruthless and dirty like Bill Clinton he'd "Sister Souljah" Rocker just to prove he wasn't a racist bigot.
I suspect Tom and others who agree with him on the borders won't been seen anywhere near Rocker.
Interestingly, we've at least one other New Yorker on the thread, who corroborates Rocker.
I know my experience is closer to Rocker's. Perhaps it's the difference between commuting at rush hour, when "normal" workaday folks predominate, and using it at off-times?
This is being reported and discussed in the Spanish media. The reaction is quite interesting.
Illegals (former and current) are split with many agreeing on English first. My (previously illegal) wife is just one of many who tell the restaurant worker (or whomever) "Speak English to me."
At the same time, a smaller, but vocal number think they should have the freedom to speak any language they want. Of course, most illegals are not certain which way to go and go along with whomever is dominant a particular situation... provided dominant is not confused with obnoxious.
No question the type of person who rides the subway varies with the time of day and the area serviced by the particular subway. But the same can be said about a lot of life's experiences. My point is that you shouldn't sterotype seven million subway riders when you have never actually riden the subways let alone ride them on a regular basis, and anyone who does that is setting themselves up for criticism. Rocker's comments about the lack of English speaking people in Times Square is also pretty stupid given the fact that NYC draws tourists from around the world and many if not the vast majority of those tourists will visit Times Square.
OMGGG that soo FUNNY ROFL thank for the ping Mike
If you have ever ridden the 7 Train you would be hard pressed to find fault with Rocker's comments. Somtimes the truth hurts and the PC crowd can't take it.
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