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Brawl erupts after song played at rodeo
ABC13 News - Houston ^ | 3/15/03 | Elma Barrera

Posted on 03/15/2003 4:38:19 PM PST by CoolGuyVic

By Elma Barrera

ABC13 Eyewitness News

(3/14/03) — Talk of war with Iraq has sparked an atmosphere of tension and anxiety. And it may be to blame for a brawl that broke out at the rodeo Thursday night.

ABC-13 report

With some 15,000 to 20,000 folks at the rodeo drinking beer and having fun, things can get a little out of hand at times. It happened when a tape of Lee Greenwood's song Proud To Be An American was playing. Some rodeo fans were standing and others were sitting down. Felix Fanaselle and his buddies chose to remain seated.

"This guy behind us starts yelling at us (because) we're not standing up," said Fanaselle. "He starts cussing at us, telling us to go back to Iraq."

The 16-year-old said the man seated behind him started spitting at him and spilling his beer on him and his friends.

"By the end of the song, he pulled my ear. I got up. He pushed me. I pushed him," said Felix. "He punched me in my face. I got him off me."

When the dust settled, Fanaselle had been handcuffed and released. He and John McCambridge were cited for "mutual combat" and fighting in public. That's a $200 fine. Fanaselle's lawyer says you don't have to stand for a country and western song.

"I guess next time, he'll think maybe we need to stand for the Okie From Muscogee," said attorney Clayton Rawlings. "This is phony patriotism. This man needs to be ashamed of himself for what he did."

Rawlings says he and the Fanaselle family will give McCambridge a chance to make this right without going to court. The family says the biggest insult was McCambridge telling Fanaselle to go back to Iraq. Fanaselle is half Hispanic and half Italian.

"He was born in this country and who is this clown to tell him to go back where he came from? He came from Houston, Texas, so he is where he came from," said Rawlings.

Rawlings says if the citation isn't dismissed after witnesses testify, they'll be going to court with accusations of assault and battery, mental anguish and lawyer's fees. Eyewitness news tried to contact John McCambridge in Austin for his side of the story, but so far there's been no response.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abc; brawl; disney; disneynews; drunkrodeofans; leegreenwood; mediabias; mickeymouse; mousesevilempire; notreporting; onesidedreport; propaganda; rodeo
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To: Physicist
However, I love that song about dusty, Dixie roads by Greenwood.
21 posted on 03/15/2003 4:56:45 PM PST by Sam Cree
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To: Red Dog #1
Nowhere in this article does it state that the 16 year-old kid and his friends "refused to stand" for any particular reason.
22 posted on 03/15/2003 4:56:50 PM PST by Alberta's Child
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To: FITZ
It is troubling to this old man that there are so many native born Americans that have little or no respect for their country. Later in life most will become America haters.
23 posted on 03/15/2003 4:57:18 PM PST by cynicom
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To: cynicom
Guess you know who this kid will vote for when he grows up.

When he grows up, he'll vote Republican, but if he just gets older without growing up, he'll vote Dimocrat.

24 posted on 03/15/2003 4:57:55 PM PST by savedbygrace
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To: Red Dog #1
Maybe he was born and lives here. But I know where his heart is.

Rats ass.

I stand for the National Anthem, Dixie, "The Caisson Song", Taps, prayers, and the Pledge of Allegiance. I don’t stand for country western songs, the Pledge to the Texas Flag (family has been here since 1832 but I pledge to only ONE flag), the Marine Hymn, liberal politicians, or most performances that are just ok, even if every dumb a$$ in the place jumps up. BTW if some a$$ poured a beer on me he would need his jaw wired shut for a couple of months.

25 posted on 03/15/2003 4:59:03 PM PST by HoustonCurmudgeon (Compassionate Conservative Curmudgeon)
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To: cynicom
Most people who would go to a rodeo would tend to be somewhat patriot types ---I think this guy was just there looking for trouble in the first place, some kids like to start fights but he doesn't like that $200 fine he got slapped on him.
26 posted on 03/15/2003 4:59:13 PM PST by FITZ
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To: savedbygrace
Very true.
27 posted on 03/15/2003 4:59:42 PM PST by cynicom
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To: CoolGuyVic
The guy who started the fight was a jerk, and anyone who supports his actions is equally a jerk.

I suppose we are supposed to support kickin' the ass of Jehovah's Witnesses because they wont stand for the pledge either. Morons.

I wont bother to suggest they read the Constitution. If they could read it, they certainly wouldn't understand it.

28 posted on 03/15/2003 4:59:53 PM PST by onceone
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To: thinktwice
Accused of lawyer's fees? What's become of our nation?

Yew accuzin' me uh lawyer's fees, punk? Dem's fightin' words!

29 posted on 03/15/2003 5:00:27 PM PST by Teacher317
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To: cmsgop
Hmmm so for 200 bucks I can legally kick the crap outta somebody ? May have to hit the ATM and go Freepin this afternoon........:o)

Stay Safe !

30 posted on 03/15/2003 5:01:42 PM PST by Squantos (Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt.)
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To: CoolGuyVic
Let me get this straight. Some guy went to a rodeo where probably about 97% of the people support Bush and the war effort, and this idiot didn't stand for the song? Did he expect that everyone would understand his right to silent protest and not say anything.

He was lucky several people didn't kick his ass.

31 posted on 03/15/2003 5:01:58 PM PST by irish_lad
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To: onceone
Well, one has only to read your post to make a rapid evaluation of your character and your social behavior. It is all there for the rest of us to read, it is not nice.
32 posted on 03/15/2003 5:02:48 PM PST by cynicom
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To: onceone
You're taking this kid's word that the other guy started the fight ---maybe he wasn't as sweet and innocent as he's trying to appear. Some types will go to rodeos looking for a fight and I know in this part of Texas, Mexicans will call rodeo types "stompers" and try to get a fight going. With most fights, there is a tension building up over time and if someone doesn't want to fight they don't.
33 posted on 03/15/2003 5:03:37 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Alberta's Child
Nowhere in this article does it state that the 16 year-old kid and his friends "refused to stand" for any particular reason.

The 16-year-old kid was the ear-pulling aggressor. The article doesn't say how he ended up with a beer, nor does it give the age of the victim.

34 posted on 03/15/2003 5:04:27 PM PST by Physicist
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To: Alberta's Child
Scratch that, I misread it.
35 posted on 03/15/2003 5:04:52 PM PST by Physicist
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To: irish_lad
"He was lucky several people didn't kick his ass."

So, what you're saying is that he should've known he was going to be around a bunch of people who are so stupid that they can't control their emotions?

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to keep my kids away from future rodeos.

36 posted on 03/15/2003 5:06:19 PM PST by CoolGuyVic
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To: cynicom
Later in life most will become America haters.

IMO, the exact opposite is true. It takes a little bit of seasoning to mature.

37 posted on 03/15/2003 5:06:26 PM PST by ErnBatavia ((bumperootus!))
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To: Enduring Freedom
Kicking the ass of Left-Wing peaceniks is not civil, but neither is rodeo.

Likely you know nothing about rodeo, or those who participate or attend.

Rodeo is one of America's oldest sports, and I'm proud to have participated as a contestant (in high school) and as an announcer recently.

What's your problem with this American institution?

38 posted on 03/15/2003 5:07:23 PM PST by sinkspur
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To: CoolGuyVic
Just another Houston Urban Cowboy Redneck. Nothing to see here folks, please move along.
39 posted on 03/15/2003 5:08:14 PM PST by 38special
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To: CoolGuyVic
"By the end of the song, he pulled my ear. I got up. He pushed me. I pushed him," said Felix. "He punched me in my face. I got him off me."

Sounds like Felix got his a$$ kicked and this is the best way that he could present it.

40 posted on 03/15/2003 5:08:18 PM PST by Centurion2000 (Take charge of your destiny, or someone else will)
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