Brawl erupts after song played at rodeo

ABC13 News - Houston ^ | 3/15/03 | Elma Barrera

[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.

[Red Dog #1]

Your putting words in my mouth. I didn't say that it's alright to harm someone because of thier veiws and he didn't get cited for mutual combat bacause he used the minmum force needed to protect himself.

[Spirited]

I second the motion. This is an absolute intention to divide rather than consolidate opinion. It is uncalled for except in the Comintern papers back in the late 20's.

There is no evidence that the person assaulted was against the war at all. Neither was it legally incumbent on him to stand for this song stirring as it is.

(In other words, this formenting of division in our nation was called for by the Communist Party International at that date.)

[Sandy]

I'm around; mostly lurking these days. Tired of talking I guess.

[OperationFreedom]

Yeah... good idea... since most rodeo fans love their country... and God... and since you love neither... pfffffttttt!

[OperationFreedom]

I am embarassed by this... but then I am also embarassed by some Freepers!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

It happened when a tape of Lee Greenwood's song Proud To Be An American was playing.

Hmmm. Never heard that one. (This is a shining example of my pet peeve.)

[ChemistCat]

I wonder what would happen if I could find an article about Elizabeth Smart, the cruelty of rodeo, child-molesting Catholic priests, AND (always) (of course) some new glorification of the Clintons, and post it?

Would this site actually melt down? Could it stand the strain? Is it possible for people to be more impolite to one another than they've been lately?

[The Coopster]

He is a citizen, born here (says so in the article). No different from me being half Scot, and half Dane. Unless, of course you are the type who thinks we all need to be blonde, with blue eyes?

So what exactly did your asinine comment mean?

[rs79bm]

I love it. GET BACK TO IRAQ! Priceless!

[OperationFreedom]

you assume he did nothing to provoke the jerk he fought with. I assume no such thing.

[deport]

(This is a shining example of my pet peeve.)

---

Don't like title changes?.......

[dalebert]

Kicking the ass of a leftwinger right now seems down right patriotic. Ha!

[dalebert]

I think most people are getting fed up with the anti American jibberish comming from the left and want to let them know it.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

This song takes a real beating in that regard, you know? Drives me nuts!

[meyer]

Is it possible for people to be more impolite to one another than they've been lately?

Of course it is!! :^)

[Stage Fright]

Great picture (#85). Worth a thousand words here. :o)

[deport]

This song takes a real beating in that regard, you know? Drives me nuts!

---

Well I've seen it as:

• God Bless America
• I'm Proud to be an American

You've prolly seen it listed with other titles beyond these...

[Mr. Mojo]

I wonder what would happen if I could find an article about Elizabeth Smart, the cruelty of rodeo, child-molesting Catholic priests, AND (always) (of course) some new glorification of the Clintons, and post it?

If you can interject the Dixie Chicks in there somewhere, you've got a winner.

[ChemistCat]

Google is coming up dry so far, but I'll keep looking. :-)

[Balata]

I counted the active Dixie Chicks threads on FR last night and they totaled 52. Now can you imagine how many Elizabeth Smart threads there are? Unfreckin believable.