McClean whinging again.

[Brin]

It's another annual whinge from James McClean we are all now accustomed to. This is the player who started all of the attention on him by bringing politics into football. The same man who once pictured himself wearing a balaclava in front of two children, with the caption "Today's school lesson - History" along with a laughing emoji.

You reap what you sow as they say.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63284150

[John2]

It's another annual whinge from James McClean we are all now accustomed to. This is the player who started all of the attention on him by bringing politics into football. The same man who once pictured himself wearing a balaclava in front of two children, with the caption "Today's school lesson - History" along with a laughing emoji.

You reap what you sow as they say.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63284150

Would you find it acceptable if a player was subjected to sectarian abuse for expressing views you agree with, or does free speech only apply when it's speech you also support?

[Brin]

Would you find it acceptable if a player was subjected to sectarian abuse for expressing views you agree with, or does free speech only apply when it's speech you also support?

And like the proverbial penny up you pop as this involves something political .

Politics and football do not go together so you should not involve them that is on display for all to see on a field of play. By all means everyone has the right to support/believe in whatever they wish but, there is a time and a place to express them not involving your club, fanbase or other.

I know you're not a royalist so you probably thought what he did for the minute's silence to pay respect to the late Queen Elizabeth was okay.
He actually stood to the side, away from his team mates while the minutes silence was held. There was no call for that, he was clearly making a political statement or do you agree with his actions?

[great_fire]

I think the issue is that if he hates the UK, the Royal Family, the British national anthem, he could play football in Ireland, but he wouldn't get nearly as much money.

So he's not a principled person.

[Brin]

I think the issue is that if he hates the UK, the Royal Family, the British national anthem, he could play football in Ireland, but he wouldn't get nearly as much money.

So he's not a principled person.

Indeed.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

McLean us a sh*thouse, full stop.

[millertop]

If he’s getting abuse at games then understandable it needs looking into but he needs to ****ing grow up and stop bringing it in on himself in some cases
Also if he doesn’t want/agree with poopy or minute silence then I’ve no problem with him standing at side of pitch out of way but by no means turn your ****ing back and not expect a backlash

[John2]

And like the proverbial penny up you pop as this involves something political .

Politics and football do not go together so you should not involve them that is on display for all to see on a field of play. By all means everyone has the right to support/believe in whatever they wish but, there is a time and a place to express them not involving your club, fanbase or other.

I know you're not a royalist so you probably thought what he did for the minute's silence to pay respect to the late Queen Elizabeth was okay.
He actually stood to the side, away from his team mates while the minutes silence was held. There was no call for that, he was clearly making a political statement or do you agree with his actions?

Yes, I do agree with his actions, because I value free speech.

I have a huge admiration and respect for those people who died for our freedoms.

We live in a country where I am allowed to say that I don't believe in god, or that I don't support the monarchy.

I'm also acutely aware that many of the people that died for this country will have disagreed with me on those things.

The reality is, thanks in great part to many of those people, I do enjoy that free speech - statements which in the past I could have been given the death penalty for in this country, and still could be in others.

That's the whole point of free speech, the thing I value about it, is it applies to everyone.

I'm quite happy to be strongly disagreed with when I say these things. That's free speech too. I don't come here expressing my views and getting upset when people oppose them.

I just think it would be very sad for our country if people felt uncomfortable saying things not because people were going to disagree with them (which is fine), but rather because they knew they were going to be subjected to abuse.

So, in summary, I think those who dish out such abuse are actually doing a disservice to those who died for our freedom.

In a way, by saying what he believes, McClean is doing more to honour the sacrifice that those have made for this country than those who would gladly have opposing views to theirs subjected to so much abuse that people don't feel comfortable expressing them.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

McLean us a sh*thouse, full stop.

He was good in Die Hard though

[howdydoo]

statements which in the past I could have been given the death penalty for in this country.

Oh, for the good old days to return.

If only, for a day.