As you live, so you judge.

LaRussa and Pujoles have every right to attend this evangelical gathering for believers in white supremacy, but they will forever be stained for their complicity. Beck's rally is a calculated attempt to degrade King's legacy and reinvent history. It is also an attempt to turn this nation into a theocracy. You better believe that Albert's support of these ideals will have far greater impact than his opposition to the Arizona law.

Have fun at the rally, Bruce.

I see the Shit-for-brains right-wingers are monitoring the most relevant sports writer in the business. Good - gives them something to do with their otherwise pointless lives besides goose-stepping to Beck's blathering boobisms.

Right on Dave -- Don't do it Albert!!

Dave,

Keep it up, thanks for speaking at the Heartland.

If they are mad at you your doing the right thing, If they are really true to their beliefs, i urge them to get up from their chair and come out of there basement and say these things. It is their right.

but I would suggest they look in the mirror and maybe meet with an anger management specialist on the way. Cause breeding hate is lame.
-Mallard

How is racist to criticize an athlete for aligning himself with a reprehensible event. Pujoles obviously knows that Beck is a white supremacist who clings to an America where slavery and attempted genocide were part of this nation's fabric. Furthermore, Pujoles is a public figure and therefore subject to criticism. Finally, it's not about being a leftist - any intellectually honest person knows that Beck and his ilk help build a climate of hate and it is shameful that Pujoles would support such a heinous political agenda while disingenuously denying that it is about politics.

Tornado, LaRussa and Pujols both claimed they were going to the rally because they believed it to be a "non partisan" event, that was meant to restore "honor." My whole point in bring this up is that neither of them has said that they agree with Becks agenda or his politics. So your claim that DZ is persecuting Pujols for his beliefs is completely without merit.
Overall good work DZ, you rattled little brucey so bad that he had to pull the race card on his first post. Usually he waits until some points out a lie in his post and then calls them a racist for pointing it out.

Someone

Ummm..... maybe it's just me, but is Bruce getting a little scary? He doesn't seem to just hate Zirin's ideas. It feels creepy and a little personal. Bruce: prove me wrong and keep it to the ideas... or maybe up your meds.

I disagree with Dave that Pujols' opposition to the Arizona law is "remarkable." His words seem rather tepid and he amy just be liberal on this one cause. He and Beck are in the same pay grade and may well share many of the same economic policies. They also both represent large corporate interests that benefit from fleecing the public.

And Bruce...I know it's difficult for you to understand, but I was calling Beck, Palin and their followers white supremacists.

Like the rest of us, Pujols is a complicated human being. He's hispanic and against AZ;s immigration law, he's catholic and probably against abortion and gay marriage. He's entitled to those views, but supporting glenn Beck will only bring embarassment to one of the finest baseball players of his generation. Say it ain't so Albert. As for DZ wishing he wasn't attending, I think he speaks for most of us. Not you racist idiots, buut most of us.

Like the rest of us, Pujols is a complicated human being. He's hispanic and against AZ;s immigration law, he's catholic and probably against abortion and gay marriage. He's entitled to those views, but supporting glenn Beck will only bring embarassment to one of the finest baseball players of his generation. Say it ain't so Albert. As for DZ wishing he wasn't attending, I think he speaks for most of us. Not you racist idiots, buut most of us.

Don't make me sue you, you are stealing my material and trade mark phrases and are not paying me my royalties. You should be more grateful for all the entertainment that I have provided you over the years, and pay me my royalties.

Bruce -

Real clever line about Byrd (who repeatedly apologized and disavowed this shameful eipisode). Next thing you know Hannity, Rush and Beck will endlessly repeat this tired line.

The official Republican ideology is predicated on hate - Reagen's welfare queen, Willie Horton, McCain's black baby, war her Max Cleland supporting Bin Laden, homophobia, Islamaphobia...take your pick.

Plus, Beck is a Mormon, a "religion" with a long history of racial exclusivity.

Hate to let facts get in the way.

Pujols may or may not be the best hitter in baseball today, but expecting more of him is quite possibly an error... given that he is a devote Catholic and "male", etc and so on.
Aside from his much appreciated criticism of racism masquerading as immigration policy in AZ, little more should be expected of him, I think.
His apparently close relationship with the rather repulsive LaRussa says it all, I should think.
Wish it were different, but I think you may be barking up the wrong tree on this one DZ...
unless, of course, this was meant to stir up the TELFON?????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[should conclude]... TEFLON TROG and his ilk.
Still, the timing of the event is repugnant in and of itself.
And anybody who believes their claims that was not deliberate is as blind as they to what this nation needs if it is ever to achieve the "dream" that MLK spoke of.
(Was that an MLK grand-daughter there as well?)

Well said dave. I also have that struggle sometimes. I think atheltes should speak more about their beliefs, but it is hard to watch someone you like speak out for something you know in your gut is wrong. There are other progressive blogs out there, one written by me. Zirin is not alone in the struggle to add another view to sports media.

Dave, I used to be like you and wished that more athletes would speak out regarding social and political issues. Now I'm of the belief most athletes identify with the communities they've become a part of (wealthy, elite) instead of the communities they come from (working class, poor). These guys just aren't sympathetic to progressive concerns.

Bruce, if Obama loses in 2012, I'll be the first to admit that this is a conservative country and that Obama was a fluke. But if by some miracle Obama wins, you will go back to your tin shack and shut the f*** up for good, and take your tea party cult with you, deal?