Silent But Strong: Toni Smith's flag protest is a refreshing display of courage rarely seen

CollegeSports.com ^ | 03/01/2003 | Postaledde

[postaledde]

Manhattanville College basketball player Toni Smith has been drawing unusually large crowds to Division III women's basketball games lately. Five hundred fans packed the gym for a road game at Mount St. Mary's. More than 300 showed up to see her at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

But they're not there to be dazzled by her skills on the court or to watch a big conference game as the regular season wears down. Nor are they there to cheer on the home team. They show up to heckle Smith because she has the courage to stand up for what she believes in.

Smith has been silently protesting American policy throughout the season at Manhattanville basketball games. When the national anthem is played before games, Smith turns her back to the American flag because, in her words, "the government's priorities are not on bettering the quality of life for all its people, but rather on expanding its own power."

[VaBthang4]

Only a chic could pull this....cause if a guy did it he would catch such a vicious elbow in the grill that he would need reconstructive surgery.

[VaBthang4]

5

[Alberta's Child]

I remember the time I attended a hockey game between the Central Red Army and a National Hockey League team back in the 1980s. The Soviet players stood respectfully for the U.S. national anthem, and the U.S. players did likewise for the Soviet anthem.

Which really shows what kind of an @sshole this Toni Smith is.

[Nachum]

You know, I think that Toni Smith looks kind of hungry. Maybe all the fans can bring some tomatoes to a game to... um- share with her.

[capitan_refugio]

I don't coach basketball on the college level. But if one of my players pulled this crap, they would need to get treatment for the splinter in their butt, due to bench time.

If Ms. Smith were of my opponents and pulled this crap, I guarantee that on the first contested rebound she'd earn a forearm shiver under her chin. In these parts, it's called a "how-do-you-do?"

[Sir_Humphrey]

If Ms. Smith has the constitutional right to figuratively "spit" on the flag (and I believe she does) don't we also have the constitutional right to use our freedom of expression to humiliate and shame her?

Plus I agree with the poster who mocked her for being a sociology major. Isn't that for people too dumb to tackle a real academic major.

[End Times Sentinel]

"Now there's a twisted irony in the fact that the very people who protect our freedom to speak our minds are telling someone who demonstrates that freedom to get the hell out. "

There's also a twisted irony that this little twerp turns her back on the flag that assures her the freedom to have and express her idiotic opinions.

 

"For some time now, the inequalities that are imbedded into the American system have bothered me," she wrote. "As they are becoming progressively worse ... it is clear that the government's priorities are not on bettering the quality of life for all of its people. ... The war America will soon be entering has reinforced my beliefs, while further angering me."

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/5280437.htm

Dear Toni,

It's a shame that someone can get into college having so little familiarity with The Constitution and the principles this country was founded upon.  Rather than advocate changing what so many respect and uphold and what our ancestors died to protect, because it doesn't jibe with your adolescent sensibilities, why don't you try living in one of the socialist utopias you seem to advocate.

It's also a shame that your parents did such a rotten job of raising you that you'd think that during the playing of the National Anthem would be a good place to air your poorly reasoned umbrage.

 

 

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[noutopia]

I bet she just loves the Clintons.These people like her make my blood boil.

[Missouri]

>>They show up to heckle Smith because she has the courage to stand up for what she believes in.<<


Courage is what our soldiers have when they go into battle to fight for our country. My uncle is a WW2 veteran who tells of the horror of a war fought by common men who somehow found the courage and will deep inside themselves to do things most of us can not truly comprehend. That flag means something more to them.

This college girl has not courage just spite.

[mathurine]

She represents Manhattanville College. That's the uniform she wears and the team she plays for. Let us hear the president for whom she has preempted the dialogue explain it a few more times. Kick her off the team and end the side show. Is that hard to comtemplate? I think Manattanville is the place where the bicycles have no seats, just spikes, and to make the ride even better they run along over bricks and cobblestones.

[CARepubGal]

What a noxious idiot this child is. I think she missed the good sportsmanship lessons early on. Too bad she did not have a coach who was able to instill sportsmanship into her empty little head. And she is an insult to her school, her church and her nation.

[judgeandjury]

Interesting how so many here feel free to criticize the government but condemn this girl for doing the same thing.

To me, the flag represents our country, not our government. I have many times criticized our government, but I would never turn my back to our flag in order to protest our government.

[Libertina]

This should not be posted without a SUPERSIZED BARF Alert.

[goodnesswins]

"We have a government run by predatory, greedy, power mongering fools, for the most part. The GOP, having promised term limits, reduced regulations, fewer subsidies, an end to such anachronisms as the NEA, Dept of Educuation, etc. has reneged on its promises and voted for such abomimations as the Patriot act."

And, if what I've read the last few days about this obnoxious twerp are true....she wants what Al Gore and his buddies would likely have brought us.....socialism and the destruction of the Constitution. ( and, no, I don't like everything President Bush has done either, but is't sure as heck better than the alternative.)

[stands2reason]

Even during the mess of impeachment would I never have considered disrespecting the flag...

[per loin]

"the government's priorities are not on bettering the quality of life for all its people

Her monthly check from the government isn't big enough?

[cubreporter]

But she feels no guilt or shame at turning her back on children who are being raped and abused in front of their parents and parents who are being abused as well along with all the other atrocities that are going on. This is a ploy to gain attention and the media jumps right in there and supports it. They are so stupid.

So she plays basketball...so what? She can turn her back on the flag all she wants....I doubt it will help her future any.

I will stand tall and salue the flag while praying for the US to get into Iraq and liberate those children and parents from the evil hands of that garbage truck, SaDAMN!

[cubreporter]

Exactly!!!

[ImpBill]

Barf Alert?

[MEG33]

What did she want? ATTENTION.