Bruins go to White House-Tim Thomas declines invite

Hugh Freaking Dillon · January 2012

from: http://www.nesn.com/2012/01/tim-thomas-releases-statement-on-white-house-absence-says-government-has-grown-out-of-control.html

The Boston Bruins made a trip to the White House on Monday afternoon to celebrate their Stanley Cup championship. However, the man perhaps most responsible for that Cup title, Tim Thomas, was absent.

The defending Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe winner released a statement on Facebook regarding his absence on Monday evening.

It reads in its entirety below.

"I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.

This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.

This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT"

Pearl Jim · January 2012

Making all us UVMers proud... :?

Seriously ~ although I appreciate his ability to do so,
slighting the White House (& his teammates) to make
this kind of political statement seems ill-advised...
Besides, if he is so unhappy, why not take advantage
of the opportunity to grill the boss to his face???
Dunno, could be spun badly for Boston, hockey, & Vermont ~

polaris_x · January 2012

obviously i do not support the tea party but i do support tim thomas's choice to not attend ... all the power to him ...

MayDay Malone · January 2012

Tim Thomas is my hero.

Gingrich/Thomas in 2012.

gimmesometruth27 · January 2012

he is entitled to his opinion. now the blowback, if any, is squarely on him. that is the risk celebrities/athletes take when they make political statements...i doubt it will happen to this extent, but just look at tebowmania...

if i had won a stanley cup while gwb was in office i would not have gone.

cincybearcat · January 2012

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

he is entitled to his opinion. now the blowback, if any, is squarely on him. that is the risk celebrities/athletes take when they make political statements...i doubt it will happen to this extent, but just look at tebowmania...

if i had won a stanley cup while gwb was in office i would not have gone.

I'd have gone, regardless of who is in office. But, as he says, it's a personal choice.

zarocat · January 2012

Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

from: http://www.nesn.com/2012/01/tim-thomas-releases-statement-on-white-house-absence-says-government-has-grown-out-of-control.html

The Boston Bruins made a trip to the White House on Monday afternoon to celebrate their Stanley Cup championship. However, the man perhaps most responsible for that Cup title, Tim Thomas, was absent.

The defending Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe winner released a statement on Facebook regarding his absence on Monday evening.

It reads in its entirety below.

"I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.

This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.

This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT"

Fuckin' A!

Godfather. · January 2012

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

he is entitled to his opinion. now the blowback, if any, is squarely on him. that is the risk celebrities/athletes take when they make political statements...i doubt it will happen to this extent, but just look at tebowmania...

if i had won a stanley cup while gwb was in office i would not have gone.

I knnda understand what he's saying,it would be hard for me to feel any admiration or respect shaking hands with men or women that I believe to be a big part of the problem in our country...but I could of faked it for an opertunity to visit the white house and just soak in the history of our country and see the art and places our forfathers sat and worked.

Godfather.

zarocat · January 2012

Pearl Jim wrote:

Making all us UVMers proud... :?
Seriously ~ although I appreciate his ability to do so,
slighting the White House (& his teammates) to make
this kind of political statement seems ill-advised...
Besides, if he is so unhappy, why not take advantage
of the opportunity to grill the boss to his face???
Dunno, could be spun badly for Boston, hockey, & Vermont ~

He didn't say he was unhappy. I bet it made him actually HAPPY not to go.

The actual Boss doesn't reside in the white house. Plus, do you seriously believe that a hockey player is going be able to place himself in a position to have a FULL ON conversation with the PLACED representative of the global monetary system?
C'mon, you're not being serious are you? You're kidding around, right?

I think his actions are far from ill advised because he is being advised from within himself and not the 'machine'. Fuck the machine!

My intention is not to offend anyone but I must say these I WOULD HAVE GONE ANYWAY responses in this thread is really, really scary to me & what I see as being part of the bigger problem. This personal gain instead of the effort to hold out and be responsible for a collective good.
i.e. Shopping at Walwart instead of your local independent shops

People are so easily influenced when the shiny red apple is dangling in front of them (in my opinion)

Ever look at america as one big giant social experiment that is unfolding? If not, do it. See if things that have yet to make sense to you start making sense.

Have a nice day

Dedicated to Tim Thomas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmed-yUF2-s

Hugh Freaking Dillon · January 2012

Godfather. wrote:

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

he is entitled to his opinion. now the blowback, if any, is squarely on him. that is the risk celebrities/athletes take when they make political statements...i doubt it will happen to this extent, but just look at tebowmania...

if i had won a stanley cup while gwb was in office i would not have gone.

I knnda understand what he's saying,it would be hard for me to feel any admiration or respect shaking hands with men or women that I believe to be a big part of the problem in our country...but I could of faked it for an opertunity to visit the white house and just soak in the history of our country and see the art and places our forfathers sat and worked.

Godfather.

you can take a tour if you want. I doubt the hockey team gets any "inside tour" that regular folks don't get. you don't have to shit on your own principles to visit a building.

Hugh Freaking Dillon · January 2012

regardless of what a person's personal views are, there's never anything wrong with standing up for what you believe in by peacefully protesting for said beliefs.

good for you Tim.

and it's right in the quote that he isn't even making a statement for/against any current politician. he said ALL of them suck right now.

ledvedderman · January 2012

Make any political statement you want, Tim. Personally, your facebook post made you sound like a nutcase. However, you've taken the day away from your organization and made it about yourself. Being invited to the White House is an honor and, regardless of politics, you support your team and organization. I think this is quite selfish on Tim's part.

Make any political statement you want on FB or any other public forum, that's your right and obligation as an American citizen. He also has an obligation as a leader of the B's to not bring any distractions to the club...which he did.

zarocat · January 2012

ledvedderman wrote:

Make any political statement you want, Tim. Personally, your facebook post made you sound like a nutcase. However, you've taken the day away from your organization and made it about yourself. Being invited to the White House is an honor and, regardless of politics, you support your team and organization. I think this is quite selfish on Tim's part.

Make any political statement you want on FB or any other public forum, that's your right and obligation as an American citizen. He also has an obligation as a leader of the B's to not bring any distractions to the club...which he did.

:?

Hugh Freaking Dillon · January 2012

ledvedderman wrote:

Make any political statement you want, Tim. Personally, your facebook post made you sound like a nutcase. However, you've taken the day away from your organization and made it about yourself. Being invited to the White House is an honor and, regardless of politics, you support your team and organization. I think this is quite selfish on Tim's part.

Make any political statement you want on FB or any other public forum, that's your right and obligation as an American citizen. He also has an obligation as a leader of the B's to not bring any distractions to the club...which he did.

I don't even know what to say to this. This isn't a school field trip he's being forced to go to as part of the learning curriculum. They were invited by the White House. This is nothing new. Don't all Stanley Cup Champs (and other sports champs) get invited? Not saying it's not a big deal, but why would you go if you don't agree with the current political climate? You said yourself it is the right and obligation as an American citizen to make a political statement.....why is this exempt? Isn't this the PERFECT vehicle to make that statement? He didn't come out and start going off on current events/policies without provocation. This was precipiated by an invitation that he decided to decline, and as a public figure, he'd either be asked about it after the fact anyway, or he makes a statement.

Do you think his obligation to his team supercedes his obligation to his country?

dignin · January 2012

Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

regardless of what a person's personal views are, there's never anything wrong with standing up for what you believe in by peacefully protesting for said beliefs.

good for you Tim.

and it's right in the quote that he isn't even making a statement for/against any current politician. he said ALL of them suck right now.

I agree with you, it's good to see he has balls. But I think he is being a little disingenuous when he says it isnt against any current politician, IMO if this was a republican president....he would be there.

"Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty of CSNNE sheds a bit of light on Thomas's views, sharing an anecdote on that includes the goaltender opining that he doesn't believe in the scientific theories behind global warming. "

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/h ... le2312836/

Bruins go to White House-Tim Thomas declines invite

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