Posted on 05/04/2011 12:55:26 PM PDT by raccoonradio
PITTSBURGH — Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall wrote a "clarification" of his comments made Monday on Twitter regarding the death of Osama bin Laden.
In a tweet posted around 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, he linked to an in-depth blog post. In that entry, he wrote that he does not support bin Laden, and that he aimed clear things up, for not only himself, but also the Steelers.
On Monday, Pittsburgh’s leading rusher caused enough of a stir with his tweets, that the Steelers felt compelled to release a statement.
Among Mendenhall’s posts, the day after the bin Laden news broke, was: "What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side..." He also tweeted on the Sept. 11 attacks: "We’ll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."
Wednesday’s offering, though, was a different story.
"I appreciate those of you who have decided to read this letter and attain a greater understanding of my recent Twitter posts. I see how they have gotten misconstrued, and wanted to use this outlet as a way to clear up all things that do not truthfully represent myself, what I stand for personally, and any organization that I am a part of.
"First, I want people to understand that I am not in support of Bin Laden, or against the USA. I understand how devastating 9/11 was to this country and to the people whose families were affected. Not just in the U.S., but families all over the world who had relatives in the World Trade Centers. My heart goes out to the troops who fight for our freedoms everyday, not being certain if they will have the opportunity to return home, and the families who watch their loved ones bravely go off to war. Last year, I was grateful enough to have the opportunity to travel overseas and participate in a football camp put on for the children of U.S. troops stationed in Germany. It was a special experience. These events have had a significant impact in my life."
Mendenhall also specifically pointed out the "celebrates death" tweet.
"This controversial statement was something I said in response to the amount of joy I saw in the event of a murder. I don’t believe that this is an issue of politics or American pride; but one of religion, morality, and human ethics."
He also tried to bring closure to the situation.
"Nothing I said was meant to stir up controversy. It was my way to generate conversation. In looking at my timeline in its entirety, everything that I’ve said is with the intent of expressing a wide array of ideas and generating open and honest discussions, something I believe we as American citizens should be able to do. Most opinions will not be fully agreed upon and are not meant to be. However, I believe every opinion should be respected or at least given some thought. I apologize for the timing as such a sensitive matter, but it was not meant to do harm. I apologize to anyone I unintentionally harmed with anything that I said, or any hurtful interpretation that was made and put in my name."
On Tuesday, as Mendenhall’s offerings became a national story, team president Art Rooney II made sure the Steelers were heard from.
"I have not spoken with Rashard, so it is hard to explain or even comprehend what he meant with his recent Twitter comments," he wrote in a statement. "The entire Steelers organization is very proud of the job our military personnel have done and we can only hope this leads to our troops coming home soon."
Mendenhall, who profiles himself as a "conversationalist and professional athlete" on his Twitter page, turned some heads in March, as well, when he supported a comment by Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson comparing the NFL to "modern-day slavery."
"Anyone with knowledge of the slave trade and the NFL could say that these two parallel eachother," Mendenhall posted at the time.
As a result of the controversy, Mendenhall saw a spike in his followers on Twitter. On Tuesday afternoon, he had 13,631. On Wednesday afternoon, he had 36,914.
If I had to lay my money down on whether Mendenhall wrote this or his agent did it for him I’d bet someone else strung these words together and not him.
He came to the realization yesterday that he blew it big time, and considering lucrative endorsements and other income streams in the future could be at risk his agent probably penned it then made him post it.
>>”It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak,” Rashard said of bin Laden. “We’ve only heard one side.”
>>This is where Mendenhall joined the clowns. This is just wrong. Osama bin Laden’s had plenty to say before and since Sept. 11, 2001. He has released videotapes, audio tapes, al-Qaida training films; he has done everything but tweet and guest host Regis and Kelly. Who can ever forget — other than Mendenhall — the glee behind his wiggling fingertips as he explained and pantomimed on video the collapse of the World Trade Center, the object of his own conspiratorial slaughter of nearly 3,000 Americans?
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11124/1143869-150-0.stm#ixzz1LProY6Z7
Buncha non-apology crap that was probably written for him by somebody in The Steelers marketing office. But - who cares what he thinks anyway - this is the first I am hearing about it - was this a big deal yesterday?
Wonder who wrote it for him?
Yeppers. “Misconstrued” might be a clue as to what sort of scum-sucking bottom-feeding creature it was.
“Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” - Proverbs 17:28.
(Note to self: Listen!)
Be interesting to see how this plays in Pittsburgh. Is it still the patriotic “Steel City”? My guess is ‘no’. As long as Mendenhall racks up yardage & touchdowns most Stiller fans will overlook the rest.
Not everyone in the NFL has a triple digit IQ. Unfortunately for Mendenhall, he's not in that group.
Yeah.
Obama claims to be all about "open and honest discussions", too.
But his actions show him to be a liar who says those things just to cover his ass, just like Rashard is doing.
"look like they were brought down by a controlled demolition"
Both happened because of ....(wait for it)
....(here it comes)
......(Ta Da!)
GRAVITY!
In the words of the deranged bat character voiced by Robin Williams in "Fern Gully",
"Gravity Works!"
My thought also...
Just maybe, a few Ex-Steelers should contact Mendenhall.
I would recommend Joe Greene, Jack Ham and/or Jack Lambert.
Appears to me that he has as much trouble expressing himself on Twitter as he does holding the football in clutch situations.
I about stopped at the ‘misconstrued’. I told my wife last night that he better come out with an apology, and not one of those ‘I’m sorry if I offended anyone’ non-apologies. But, I’m glad I didn’t stop there, because I would have missed: “...I said in response to the amount of joy I saw in the event of a murder”. Murder?!? Our SEALs murdered (has)bin Laden? What a piece of crap.
Nothing was misconstrued you said what you said and now don’t like the backlash. The Steelers should trade you ASAP for your stupidity.
This was written for him. Too much clarity for an illiterate.
The Steelers or his agent got to him and told him that his twisted remarks will cost him a boatload of cash and he better do a mea culpa.
Only one explanation would have ended this issue.
“I’m sorry.
I was high on huge quantities of cocaine.
My bad.”
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have been in the vice grip of DemonRATS since 1934 and the days of the McNair/Scully/Lawrence machine. Moreover, a large portion (admittedly not all) of that "blue collar" crowd are not patriots, they are union members.
I was born there and spent many years in western Pennsylvania before getting fatigued (I'm old and I admit it) from beating my head against the recalcitrant duo of DemonRATS and unionism. Before I fled forever to Texas, I am proud to say that I led a successful campaign to decertify a labor union there, an all too rare accomplishment in that part of America that needs to be repeated many times over.
What I find most tragic about my onetime home is just how many of the unionists still blame President Reagan to this very day for the collapse of the steel industry. They are so bull-headed to acknowledge that it was I.W. Abel and his bunch with the USWA that imposed absurd workrules and unrealistic wages and benefits. That's why J&L, USS and a host of others were doomed. The Kroger grocery store chain left because of union thuggery. I crossed many a picket line of union goons when I lived there.
And, as you stated, it was none other than the Steelers very own Dan Rooney who gave that utterly classless thanks to Obama after the Super Bowl victory over the Cardinals.
It's my fervent hope that the region changes its long entrenched ways, repudiates the DemonRAT party and leads the Keystone State into freedom and liberty by enacting right-to-work laws.
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