Lady Bridge Champs Threatened for Anti-Bush Message

Posted by D. Cupples  |  According to the New York Times, the United States Bridge Federation has threatened to impose sanctions against a team of lady bridge players, one of whom held a small sign at the bridge championship in Shanghai last month that said "We did not vote for Bush."  Some people have accused the ladies "treason" and "sedition."

If stating that one didn't vote for a U.S. politician is treasonous or seditious, then many Americans should already be in jail -- including Newt Gingrich and all Americans who hurled insults at Bill Clinton when he was Commander in Chief during the Bosnia action.  Satirist Jon Swift commented:

"The First Amendment does not give people the right to yell anti-Bush slogans in a crowded theater, or even to talk during the movie at all. If we let a few lady Bridge players criticize the President, it could spread. The next thing you know Democrats in Congress will start opposing the President's appointments, passing laws against torture or defying him on funding for the Iraq War....

"Although I'm much too lazy to do it, I'm sure my friends in the conservative blogosphere are already digging up negative personal information about these players and trying to learn their email addresses and telephone numbers and where their children go to school so that they can spur their readers to attack and harass these women and ruin their lives.

"Soon small towns around America will be aglow with bonfires as members of local Bridge clubs toss their playing cards into the flames in protest. And Congress will take some time away from less important business to sponsor a resolution condemning these women, which even Democrats will vote for because they don't want to seem un-American. These lady bridge players will learn soon enough what freedom of expression really means in America. (Jon Swift, links in original).

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Comments

[Jan Martel]

You can voice your opinion to Jan Martel, President of the USBF at:

Postal Address
1511 Portola Street
CA 95616 Davis
Telephone
+1-530-758 4088
Fax
+1-901-398 7754
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web site
http://www.usbf.org/

source: http://www.worldbridge.org/zones/nbo.asp?orgid=141

[Jan Martel]

You can voice your opinion to Jan Martel, President of the USBF at:

Postal Address
1511 Portola Street
CA 95616 Davis
Telephone
+1-530-758 4088
Fax
+1-901-398 7754
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web site
http://www.usbf.org/

source: http://www.worldbridge.org/zones/nbo.asp?orgid=141

[Jan Martel]

You can voice your opinion to Jan Martel, President of the USBF at:

Postal Address
1511 Portola Street
CA 95616 Davis
Telephone
+1-530-758 4088
Fax
+1-901-398 7754
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web site
http://www.usbf.org/

source: http://www.worldbridge.org/zones/nbo.asp?orgid=141

[Jan Martel]

You can voice your opinion to Jan Martel, President of the USBF at:

Postal Address
1511 Portola Street
CA 95616 Davis
Telephone
+1-530-758 4088
Fax
+1-901-398 7754
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web site
http://www.usbf.org/

source: http://www.worldbridge.org/zones/nbo.asp?orgid=141

[Jan Martel]

You can voice your opinion to Jan Martel, President of the USBF at:

Postal Address
1511 Portola Street
CA 95616 Davis
Telephone
+1-530-758 4088
Fax
+1-901-398 7754
Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web site
http://www.usbf.org/

source: http://www.worldbridge.org/zones/nbo.asp?orgid=141

[Melonie (Workerette.com)]

Forgive me if I mis-read this, but it appears that only one of the bridge players held up a sign? I don't have to agree with her to wonder why the entire team would be sanctioned if only one member of the team did this. Now, if the entire TEAM held signs up, I could see punishing them all.

On the flip side: does anyone know if there are any by-laws or competition rules stating that players are there only to play bridge and are not allowed to make political or religious statements during tournaments? In that case, and if the repercussions for making such statements are spelled out as well - then I can understand this. At that point it kinda becomes like when one is on private property - one has to follow the rules of the property owner or deal with consequences. But still .... the whole team punished for one woman's actions? Granted the observers assumed agreement of the team since they didn't stop the woman - but I'd like to know what went on behind the scenes. Did they all want to do it and only she ended up doing it? Did they tell her not to and she did it anyway?

Points to ponder....

[The Crux]

Melonie,

No doubt, you make valid points.