Jim Howard, of Garden City, Kansas is a red-blooded, American patriot and a faithful supporter of the athletic program at the local community college.

For 32 years he’s volunteered with the booster club – keeping scorebooks, holding fundraisers, running the chain gang for football – and even providing a place for players to have a Thanksgiving meal.

He was in the stands on Nov. 1 for the season-opener of the Garden City Broncbusters basketball team. And when the announcer asked everyone to stand for the national anthem, he dutifully joined the crowd and stood at attention.

That’s when he noticed a lone player seated on a bench at courtside – Rasool Samir, a 19-year-old Muslim red-shirt.

It was unusual because there’s a team rule that the entire basketball team was supposed to stay inside the locker room until after the national anthem had concluded.

But as the crowd began singing about the bombs bursting in air and the rocket’s red glare, the Muslim basketball player grabbed a ball, walked onto the court and began shooting baskets.

“It was an ‘in your face slam,’” he said.

Mr. Howard decided enough was enough. He was tired of people disrespecting the national anthem. So at the conclusion of the song he walked onto the court and confronted Samir.

“I walked onto the floor and I told the guy he should respect the flag and if he’s not going to respect the flag, he should get off the court and get out of the gym,” Mr. Howard told the Todd Starnes Show.

“You should respect the flag. If you don’t respect the flag, just stay seated. Don’t make a big scene,” he said. “At least respect the people that paid for your scholarship to get you on this campus – like myself and everyone else in that gym.”

The Garden City Telegram reported that a police officer broke up the confrontation – telling Mr. Howard to return to his seat and escorting the player off the court.

When that happened, a number of people in the stands gave Mr. Howard a standing ovation and some fans even came over to shake the man’s hand.

It seems, they too – had had enough.

“Everyone around town was patting me on my back and saying thank you,” he said.

The following day Samir was dismissed from the team.

However, there are two versions as to what happened. The local newspaper says it was Samir’s decision to leave. But the American Civil Liberties Union claims the young man was kicked off the team.

The Kansas chapter of the ACLU fired off a letter to the community college demanding answers and claiming that Samir’s constitutional rights were violated.

“He refrained from participating in the national anthem because he is a Muslim and his faith prohibits acts of reverence to anything but God,” the ACLU wrote in a letter to the school.

Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t Samir stay inside the locker room with the rest of the team during the national anthem?

“Samir was engaged in protected First Amendment activity when he declined to observe the national anthem,” the ACLU wrote. “Moreover, Samir’s objection was motivated by his religious beliefs and thus, was protected on free speech exercise grounds.”

If, in fact, Samir’s Muslim faith prohibits him from honoring America and our flag, perhaps he might feel more comfortable playing basketball somewhere else? I hear the Iran and Saudi Arabia are quite lovely this time of year.

As for Mr. Howard, I’m not surprised to hear that many folks around town are giving him a pat on the back and shaking his hand. He did what every patriotic sports fan in the country has wanted to do.


https://www.toddstarnes.com/co...ring-national-anthem

disrespectful, ungrateful fuck.

I would shake Mr. Howard's hand. Samir? He can fuck right off.

I just found myself wondering how many unreported, private, ceremonial ass-beatings have occurred since Kaepernick's "protest" last year. I only went to highschool in the 90's, but I can't imagine a guy like this not getting tuned up by the team once the party's over. Getting shit-stomped by a dozen dudes tends to take the protest out of a fella.

A few more details here, including:

Samir told the Telegram he did not “mean any disrespect at all to the fans or the flag … I am truly sorry to anyone that felt disrespected, and I am also sorry to the school. I apologize for what happened.”

Complete article:

http://www.kansascity.com/spor...rticle185001683.html

Muslim player says he was kicked off Kansas team for shooting baskets during anthem

BY PETE GRATHOFF
pgrathoff@kcstar.com
Nov 16, 2017

A Garden City Community College men’s basketball player believes he was kicked off his team for shooting baskets during the playing of the national anthem.

Rasool Samir continued shooting baskets while the national anthem was being played before a game on Nov. 1, and he was confronted by a school booster, the Garden City Telegram reported. The two had to be separated by a campus police officer.

In a separate story, the Telegram identified the booster as Jim Howard.

“I’ve had enough of disrespecting our flag,” Howard told the Telegram. “I’ve been raising money for 32 years for this college, trying to help pay for scholarships for these kids. If they’re not going to respect our flag, then they need to get off of our campus and out of Garden City.”

The ACLU of Kansas said in a letter on its website that Samir was not protesting. Instead, as a Muslim, Samir chose not to stand for the national anthem for religious reasons and that he had abstained in previous games without incident.

Samir told the Telegram he did not “mean any disrespect at all to the fans or the flag … I am truly sorry to anyone that felt disrespected, and I am also sorry to the school. I apologize for what happened.”

The ACLU said Samir met on Nov. 2 with basketball coach Brady Trenkle, who told Samir he was no longer on the team. He was given a plane ticket back to his hometown of Philadelphia.

Garden City Community College athletic director John Green initially told the Telegram that Samir chose to leave the team but later informed KWCH in Wichita that Samir was removed because of a violation of team rules.

“This dismissal is not related to the national anthem, but for conduct following the event,” Green told KWCH.

The ACLU of Kansas said it was contacted by Samir about the incident, and the organization believes he was kicked off Garden City’s team for not participating in the national anthem, which it says is a violation of his First Amendment rights.


Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
A few more details here, including:

Samir told the Telegram he did not “mean any disrespect at all to the fans or the flag … I am truly sorry to anyone that felt disrespected, and I am also sorry to the school. I apologize for what happened.”

I'll just post this while my first reply is being approved by the boss...

You know Samir...you can play stupid for just so long until it eventually catches up to you. I see your strategy is there is no remorse until you're caught and forced to face your moronic behavior. Got news for you bub...we infidels aren't as dumb as you may think. If you HONESTLY thought your actions would not result in repercussions, then you need a refund on your education. Oh wait...you didn't pay a single dime for that, did you? Oh well...flush that full-ride scholarship right down the toilet, idiot! You're a complete and total asshat Samir, you blithering dolt.




HUGE props to Mr. Howard. Wish I could buy him a steak dinner...

Samir is a terrorist in waiting.

And we are pandering to him. As he laughs at us.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hopefully he squarely put his own ass on the FBI watch list.

"Samir was engaged in protected First Amendment activity when he declined to observe the national anthem,”

So life, liberty and shooting hoops?

I decline to watch NFL games. Does that mean I can stand on the 50 yard line of the sea slugs and shoot skeet?

quote:

Samir met on Nov. 2 with basketball coach Brady Trenkle, who told Samir he was no longer on the team. He was given a plane ticket back to his hometown of Philadelphia.

Why did they waste the money on a plane ticket? A bus ticket would have been more than adequate.

About time that happens. Things like this make me wonder how liberals don't see muslims as anything else but someone who doesn't want to assimilate, at the least.

If you're on a college basketball team, I think you should be kicked out for playing basketball on the floor while the national anthem is playing.

quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:
"Samir was engaged in protected First Amendment activity when he declined to observe the national anthem,”

Shooting hoops during the anthem is only protected “speech” if it’s meant as a form of protest. But Samir says he didn’t mean anything by it, so it’s not speech. Can’t have it both ways.

Rasool Samir

someone should consider using his head as a basketball and shoot a few hoops

hey Samir - get the fuck out of my country

While the rest of the world hates on Samir, I see a kid who just "bought" himself a Harvard scholarship. Am I too cynical?

Hey, Samir? Get the fuck outta my country ya jackass.

And of course...The fucking ACLU has it's nose in it , in an instant.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
… I am truly sorry to anyone that felt disrespected, and I am also sorry to the school. I apologize for what happened.”

You think? anyone felt disrespected? Le'me see, music is playing, everyone is standing, singing in a solemn but respectful manner focused on the flag of the country but, you decide it's a good time to work on your jumpers. You did it on purpose, you know damn well that you were saying F-U to everyone in that arena. You know were not that dumb and we know that you're not that naive. Good bye Rasool Samir, situational awareness and intuition are not one of your strong suits.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
… I am truly sorry to anyone that felt disrespected, and I am also sorry to the school. I apologize for what happened .”

You think? anyone felt disrespected? Le'me see, music is playing, everyone is standing, singing in a solemn but respectful manner focused on the flag of the country but, you decide it's a good time to work on your jumpers. You did it on purpose, you know damn well that you were saying F-U to everyone in that arena. You know were not that dumb and we know that you're not that naive. Good bye Rasool Samir, situational awareness and intuition are not one of your strong suits.

If you were sorry you'd own what you did. Being sorry for "what happened" disconnects you from responsibility. This nuance indicates you are only sorry for yourself but not for what you did.