Ozzie Guillen's recent comments

[Cowtipper]

Interesting! Guillen exercising his right to free speech, expresses admiration for a regime that eliminated free speech, only to have his free speech punished by people who oppose the tyrant who eliminated free speech.

No irony to see here! Move along!

The right to free speech, as stated in the Constitution, limits Congress and (by extension) the government's ability to limit what people can say.

Guillen said what he said. He has that right. No governmental force is stopping him from saying it.

But any private group or organization has the right to criticize, condemn or silence an internal cog or piece that can and will harm its interests. That's why people can get banned from this website. The Marlins' interests include a large swath of Cuban fans, who clearly do not like Castro--which is why they are in Florida and not in Cuba.

Guillen always has and will have the right to say what he said. He can keep saying it as he is sitting at home on his couch, wondering why he is out of a job. He won't go to jail for it.

[jnakamura]

Ummm... thats not praising Castro.

Praise
noun
1. the act of expressing approval or admiration

Ozzie: "I admire him"

Ummm...yeah, it is.

[doctor_gogol]

Praise
noun
1. the act of expressing approval or admiration

Ozzie: "I admire him"

Ummm...yeah, it is.

Yet he expressly stated that its not his policies, its his staying power. Get it?

[jnakamura]

Yet he expressly stated that its not his policies, its his staying power. Get it?

Makes no difference.

Same as if he said he admired Adolf Hitler--not because of his policies, but because he was a commanding public speaker.

You can't cherry-pick admirable qualities of brutal dictators. Life doesn't work that way, as Ozzie's now finding out.

[Rich the Giants fan]

This is hardly the first, or even fifth or sixth time Ozzie's mouth has gotten him in trouble. He's lucky he only got a five-gamer out of it. I hope he'll finally learn something from this, but I somehow doubt it. That mouth will roar again, I have no doubt.

[Matthew C.]

Makes no difference.

Same as if he said he admired Adolf Hitler--not because of his policies, but because he was a commanding public speaker.

You can't cherry-pick admirable qualities of brutal dictators. Life doesn't work that way, as Ozzie's now finding out.

Exactly. Walk into a Jewish synagogue and explain how you admire Hitler's love and treatments of domesticated animals. See what happens. You have to know your audience. Leaving politics out of it, we should all agree that Guillen made a very foolish choice.

[ol' aches and pains]

Exactly. Walk into a Jewish synagogue and explain how you admire Hitler's love and treatments of domesticated animals. See what happens. You have to know your audience. Leaving politics out of it, we should all agree that Guillen made a very foolish choice.

Hitler was a vegetarian, as am I. But I don't go around saying I admire him for it. It didn't make him a better person, obviously. Guillen, whom I like, has to be the most politically naive man in the world to say what he said. I hope it doesn't cost him his job, but I think it likely will. If he gets fired, it won't be because The Marlins are sensitive to the feelings of their Cuban fans, it will be because of money. Strictly a business decision. MLB will cozy up to Castro when it suits them, play an exhibition in Havana when there's a buck to be made. But this time, it will cost them money if Cuban fans boycott The Marlins, which is probably already being discussed.

[Melottfan]

Open mouth insert foot.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

You can't cherry-pick admirable qualities of brutal dictators

But you can sit in his box for three hours and have a cordial game

total double standard

I always thought actions speak louder than words

and hitler killed 6 million jews and devestated and over ran countries with a devestating war machine

how many has castro killed and and what countries did he attack with a war machine

totally innappropriaite comparison which was self serving

i understad why miami cubans are upset i dont see why they are/were not so upset about selig and the exhibition game

you cant have your cake and eat it too

[Captain Cold Nose]

And you being from Cuba can speak for them yes?. The captain has already stated to leave the politics out.

He gets the same pass as you did.

[Captain Cold Nose]

You can't cherry-pick admirable qualities of brutal dictators

But you can sit in his box for three hours and have a cordial game

total double standard

I always thought actions speak louder than words

and hitler killed 6 million jews and devestated and over ran countries with a devestating war machine

how many has castro killed and and what countries did he attack with a war machine

totally innappropriaite comparison which was self serving

i understad why miami cubans are upset i dont see why they are/were not so upset about selig and the exhibition game

you cant have your cake and eat it too

Not an issue of that. The exhibition game did not affect the city of Miami and its Cubano/Latino community. Guillen's statements directly did, and, as it happened in their community, they can do something about it.

No double standard involved. This is about their interests. Which, foremost, is Miami.

[tom3]

I don't think Ozzie was supporting the policies of Castro, he's just admiring how Castro's thumbed his nose at the white man and survived all these years.
I'm disappointed to learn that Ozzie's made a lot of anti-white american statements in Spanish speaking publications over the years - perhaps these sentiments will now become scrutinized as well.

Ozzie was just making a clumbsy attempt at gaining street cred - not much different than if he was seen wearing a Che Guevara Tshirt.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

The exhibition game did not affect the city of Miami and its Cubano/Latino community. Guillen's statements directly did

how so?

other than political BS

[jnakamura]

The exhibition game did not affect the city of Miami and its Cubano/Latino community. Guillen's statements directly did

how so?

other than political BS

Are you serious? I mean I'm really wondering--no offense intended--if you're this seriously naive about these kind of things or is this some kind of act for the sake of a good argument.

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Interesting I just heard a interview with Dan Levatra? from the sports community in Mimi on ESPN radio and he said in fact the cuban miami community was upset with the selig/angelos castro thing

so the double standard exists

guillen punished

selig gets away scot free

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Are you serious? I mean I'm really wondering--no offense intended--if you're this seriously naive about these kind of things or is this some kind of act for the sake of a good argument.

did the statement by guillen keep food out of their familys mouths or endanger their children or anything else
?? NO!
or just inflame passion

I stand by it

[UnderPressure]

Who is Dan Levatra?

[Dude Paskert]

Interesting I just heard a interview with Dan Levatra? from the sports community in Mimi on ESPN radio and he said in fact the cuban miami community was upset with the selig/angelos castro thing

so the double standard exists

guillen punished

selig gets away scot free

It's good to be king...

[9RoyHobbsRF]

seems the name is :

Dan Le Batard

[Captain Cold Nose]

Interesting I just heard a interview with Dan Levatra? from the sports community in Mimi on ESPN radio and he said in fact the cuban miami community was upset with the selig/angelos castro thing

so the double standard exists

guillen punished

selig gets away scot free

Thinking about it, I do get your point and see how it is related. But it's easier to react locally than globally. The impact is greater in Miami than it is on a league-wide level, and their actions will get more attention in Miami than at the league level.

[dominik]

The right to free speech, as stated in the Constitution, limits Congress and (by extension) the government's ability to limit what people can say.

Guillen said what he said. He has that right. No governmental force is stopping him from saying it.

But any private group or organization has the right to criticize, condemn or silence an internal cog or piece that can and will harm its interests. That's why people can get banned from this website. The Marlins' interests include a large swath of Cuban fans, who clearly do not like Castro--which is why they are in Florida and not in Cuba.

Guillen always has and will have the right to say what he said. He can keep saying it as he is sitting at home on his couch, wondering why he is out of a job. He won't go to jail for it.

this. it's hs right to say whatever he wants but you cannot talk stuff that hurts the company.

that would be like a high executive of mc Donalds stating publically that burger king is superior. that is just plain stupid. some people should use their brain before they open their mouth.

[White Knight]

"Fidel Castro, he's a bull--dictator and everybody's against him, and he still survives, has power. Still has a country behind him. Everywhere he goes they roll out the red carpet. I don't admire his philosophy. I admire him."

--Ozzie Guillen, Mens Journal, 2008

It's hard to buy Ozzie's backtracking when this isn't the first time he's praised Castro in a public article.

To me that sounds like he's saying he doesn't admire his politics, just his ability to somehow survive.

[jnakamura]

To me that sounds like he's saying he doesn't admire his politics, just his ability to somehow survive.

No one claimed Ozzie was a communist sympathizer or agreed with Castro's brutal human rights violations, murders and other atrocities. He simply said he loved and admired the man.

[Imapotato]

Yes, censorship at its finest at baseball cuba

I stated an ironic fact, not politics

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Does anyone know why he said this? I never read the Time Magazine article but it really is a strange thing to say. He got away with alot in Chicago but I have to think he must almost think he's above everyone else to make such a ridiculous comment in a Cuban city. Why was Castro even bought up in the interview is basically what i'm wondering.

I'd be really surprised if he sticks around and it's too bad because the Marlins really have done a good job of making that stadium appeal to thier fans.