Comments

1

What's the evidence that the ECS kids are the "Sounders" most loyal supporters"? Seriously.

I mean kudos to them for sticking to their principles on the day, but to presume they're more loyal than anyone else in the stadium is like presuming self-proclaimed "patriots" love this country more than the rest of us.

2

So you think that anyone should be able to fly any damn flag they want at sporting events? And your not going to shit yourselves 5 ways to Sunday when someone who agrees with that flies the Confederate Battle Flag (or a German Swastika) at a game? Instead you will be lining up to defend their freedom of speech?

3

@1 You don't have to go to two Sounders games to figure out who the most enthusiastic fans in the stadium are. Don't get all #notallsounderssupporters about this, it's embarrassing enough to be an MLS fan without shovelling crap like that into your own hat.

4

@2 That's cute.

https://usatodaysports.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/ap_a22g1flag27.jpg

https://cdn.chatsports.com/cache/ea/2f/ea2f836233b9340edae7b4269c378e61-original.jpg

6

If MLS banned freedom-loving fascists
how might they support themselves?

7

What don't these ppl else their damn privilege to riot, smash windows, and overturn cars like real football fans?
That's why Seattle is and will always be a backwater, no matter what we keep telling ourselves.

9

@7 *use, not else

10

I didn't see it in your box score, Lester - was this a friendly against Dynamo Dresden? If MLS wants to develop gangs of "ultras" among their fan base, I can learn to avoid downtown on game days.

11

Everyone knows that free expression is for me, and not for you.

Oh and them, but not those other guys, duh.

12

Everyone is Hitler to the whiny left.....

13

@3 Enthusiastic is not equal to Loyal. I'm just raising the point that one shouldn't infer loyalty from the amount of jumping and flag waving one does.

words.

14

I thought as good citizens were supposed to leave our political axes at home and just enjoy the game.

15

Organized sports in the United States is no place for anti-fascist sentiments. Duh.

15

@12 another triggered conservative snowflake online

16

@4: Those look like they're from rallies (who wears their tie to ball game?) instead of a sporting event - maybe you can search all afternoon for a better example.

17

No, the US flag does not stand for the ruling elite. Only in your head.

17

White people.

18

I can't imagine how big of bores you must be to live your politics every single day of your life. Give it a fucking rest and enjoy a game.

19

@4 What do those photos prove? There's no context. Looks more like a NASCAR crowd.

20

Who the fuck cares, it's soccer. The entire stadium could walk out and it wouldn't matter.

21

@16, @19 College (American) football, and inside the stadium during the game, too. Ole Miss is particularly bad, having the team name "rebels," but you'll find it throughout the S.E.C.

Sometimes done in team colors: https://datwinningdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/lsufansflag.jpg

I figured everyone knew about this crap, but I guess some of you are pretty sheltered.

22

@18: Considering your screen name that's a pretty fabulous self own you just performed right there....

23

It is truly satisfying to see the left co-opting the rhetorical tricks of the right. In the US, casual right-wing politics seeping into every facet of national life is "normal" because it's been happening for so long. As the right starts to co-opt the tactics of the left (such as organized protests), the left has begun inserting their politics into traditionally right-wing spaces such as sports (that right-wingers assume are apolitical because seeing their own worldviews reflected back at them doesn't trigger them).

Keep it up! If you really want to make an impact and set in motion a blizzard of outraged conservative snowflakes, bring to the Seahawks games. ;)

24

Just to be devil's advocate, would you support kicking out people waving Nazi/white nationalist flags like the black sun and swastika, or should they be allowed to fly that at a Sounders game without being ejected?

25

I'm with @23.

Let's trigger the conservative snowflakes at all costs.

26

@20 - This is the correct answer.

27

Wow. Um, antifa ≠ "liberal politics."

28

@24: Unfortunately, arrogance trumps logic in young sophomoric minds.

29

@24 I encourage all Nazis and white nationalists to publicly out themselves in an arena full of drunken sports fans. Things will sort themselves out.

30

I love when Donald Trump writes The Stranger headlines... "Hundreds protest"... hundreds? Like a hundred? Like almost two hundred? Or way more people than Obama's inauguration?
Get back to me when it is "thousands" or "a number significant in any way shape or form to make me care about a bunch of anarchists waving flags at football games" sorry, sorry, "soccer"

31

So that's why all the weird camera angles last night.

Also, Nazis should definitely out themselves in public.

32

Funny, you'll see more people of color at a Trump rally than in that photo of Sounders fans.

33

@21: That doesn't appear to be from a sporting event either.

34

Despite our free market society, professional sports in the US is probably the most regulated in the so-called free world.
This regulated franchise system is outdated and should be abolished. Yes, deregulation is likely to allow more teams from big metropolitans but can also bring local pride and sense of community.
Underperformed teams should be relegated, just like in other parts of the world, making a chance for newcomers from a lower division

There are currently six London-based teams out of the 20 qualified to be in the Premiership. All have their own characters, with some ongoing traditions and rivalries.
Oh, and a new comer, a team from a small town that finished on top of a lower division and moved up, just beat an unlimited budget beast that won the championship so decisively last year.

35

Fuck Andy Ngo!

36

"Major League Soccer (MLS) is trying to censor liberal politics at its soccer games . . . ."

No. MLS has censored ALL politics at its games. For example, a fan flying a "Trump 2020" flag was ejected from a Timbers game earlier this season.

37

Do you think it would upset the ECS if I brought the US flag to a Sounder’s game?

38

This is just like the MAGA folks burning their Nikes after Kaep signed with them. You already paid for the tickets...

39

@38 Close
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/betsy-ross-american-flag-banned-utah-soccer-teams-games

Apologies for linking to a Fox news site, the article is surprisingly light on hyperbole.

41

The only people offended by an antifascist symbol are fascists. A decent human being would never be offended by a banner first raised by the first people to warn the world about Hitler and to try and stop him from taking power.

There's no valid reason ever to appease people offended by a heroic symbol of opposition to the Third Reich. It's immoral and cowardly to even want such people to attend the games.

And nobody here who is attacking the Iron Front flag has any right to even claim to oppose fascism. It really is that simple.

42

5: Because it was on the field, which is public property. Public property is supposed to be totally separate from symbols of any religion in this country. If he'd had the prayer at his house the afternoon before the game, or at a church next door-and those players who don't follow the coach's version of religion were free NOT to attend-the guy would still have his job. Why is the religious right OBSESSED with imposing Christianity on public schools and public property? Why isn't it enough for them to be able to have group prayer everywhere freaking ELSE?

43

@41 Except these cosplay-politics kids aren’t fighting Hitler. They’re fight a thoroughly incompetent president who couldn’t make trains run in time even if he tried, and people who think your pronoun choice is stupid.

44

Part of the story was insulting to me. I believe the flag was offensive to anyone with common sense and terrible for our children.

45

It's best to leave out socio-political demonstrations at events such as this. Sometimes peoples emotions can get on edge and then a riot can erupt.

46

Many people here don't realize that the MLS uses images and videos of supporters groups in their promotions. They use images and videos of the Timbers Army and the ECS most often. These protests, such as staying silent & still and leaving the stadium, are about denying MLS their free promotional material to inspire change. The Iron Front flag isn't a political message, it's an anti-hate message. It's not left vs right. The right isn't inherently hateful or fascist. Confederate flags are hate symbols. @24 Nazi/white nationalist flags are hate symbols. Hate speech is not protected, per the Supreme Court.

47

Was there an anti-fascist team on the field? If not, I fail to see the relevance of waving an anti-fascist flag at the game.

Don't go away mad, anitfa. Just go away. Oh wait, they did. Excellent.

48

5, 42.

Don’t forget the fucking pathetic neuters showing up to a suburban soccer game dressed as demons.

Very adult.

If you can’t have neither, I’d take prayer.

Prayer has a future.

Neuters do not.

49

God damnit too much world.

Football. Not soccer football, football football.

50

@47 White folkx gotta virtue signal, especially among themselves. It’s like having a “black lives matter” yard sign in front of your $2 million Queen Anne mansion on the off chance one walks buy.

51

It is true that MLS has a much more liberal policy toward displaying personal colors etc. I have no issue with the Sounders clearly stating their policy and enforcing it at their event. Soccer match is not the place for this. And this piece is pandering. Boo.

52

Black Lives DO matter tho Five Oh. Even the cynical ones.

53

I don't get it. These "fans" go to see a team play sports and support their team, right? So why are the funes such attention-seeking ninnies? OTOH WGAF.

54

I really appreciate the coverage of this issue and the sentiment of the article, but this is factually incorrect:

Europe and Latin America have never bought into the deception that sports are politically neutral. They let their soccer (football) fans show their politics.

UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, has on multiple occasions fined clubs because of political actions taken by fans of the clubs during games.

See for instance:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/27/celtic-fans-politics-uefa-banners-milan-champions-league
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2529596-barcelona-fined-eur30000-for-political-banners-at-2015-champions-league-final

55

Expanding on @54, yes, Lester's "reporting" is dead wrong. UEFA regulations have, for as long as I can remember, banned "the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative
messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature."

https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/uefaorg/UEFACompDisCases/02/48/23/06/2482306_DOWNLOAD.pdf

56

Has UEFA taken a position yet on European fans throwing bananas at black players?

58

You mean hundreds of “my way or you’re a racist and fascist” babies left? Who gives a fuck, let them leave, and take their cute little virtue signaling flag with them.

I go to watch a soccer game, not be bombarded with the politics of fear, and irrationality.

59

There are way too many reasonable comments here. Where are all the raging leftists?

60

@59 their parents told them "no internet until the garage was clean"


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