Notorious anti-Black Lives Matter kneeling Columbus Blue Jackets hockey coach John Tortorella changed his hardline stance on national anthem kneeling in June. I am surprised that this didn’t make news here because Tortorella is one of the most well-known figures in hockey for his violent tempers:
“Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella once threatened to bench any player who protested during the national anthem. But as he's watched protests against racial injustice grow around the globe, he said his stance has changed.
Tortorella told The Athletic on Wednesday that he would no longer punish a player that protested during the anthem.
"I would hope that if one of my players wanted to protest during the anthem, he would bring it to me and we would talk about it, tell me his thoughts and what he wanted to do. From there, we would bring it to the team to discuss it, much like it's being discussed in our country right now," he said.
Tortorella said he's been reconsidering his stance on anthem protests since 2016, when as head coach of Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey he told ESPN: "If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game."
"I have learned over the years, listening and watching, that men and women who choose to kneel during this time mean no disrespect toward the flag," he said.
Tortorella suggested that there be a moment of "unity and reflection" prior to the national anthem at sporting events "dedicated to protesting the racial injustice in our world."
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From 2016:
"I'm not backing off," Tortorella said after the team's on-ice workout Wednesday.
"I'll tell you right now. Try to understand me. I'm not criticizing anybody for stepping up and putting their thoughts out there about things. I'm the furthest thing away from being anything political. No chance I'm involved in that stuff," Tortorella said.
"Listen," he told reporters. "We're in a great country because we can express ourselves. And I am not against expressing yourselves. That's what's great about our country. We can do that. But when there are men and women that give their lives for their flag, for their anthem, have given their lives, continue to put themselves on the line with our services for our flag, for our anthem, families that have been disrupted, traumatic physical injuries, traumatic mental injuries for these people that give us the opportunity to do the things we want to do, there's no chance an anthem and a flag should come into any type of situation where you're trying to make a point.
"It is probably the most disrespectful thing you can do as a U.S. citizen is to bring that in. Because that's our symbol. All for [expressing] yourself. That's what's so great. Everybody does. But no chance when it comes to the flag and the anthem. No chance."
www.espn.com/…
A change of heart. Hmmm…..