Cubs declined to ban fan who struck another fan for not standing for the anthem

[u/OtherwiseMammoth]

https://www.nbcchicago.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/viral-video-shows-cubs-fan-being-slapped-for-not-standing-during-national-anthem/3964302/

[u/trendingtattler]

This post has reached r/all or r/popular, which means it’s now being seen by a much wider audience outside our usual community. To help keep the discussion high-quality and protect the space from spam, trolling, and rule-breaking, we’ve turned on "Players Only" mode.

What that means:

• Regular contributors (based on subreddit karma) can comment freely on the post while this mode is active.
• Comments from users below that threshold will be held for review and approved if they are not rule-breaking.

Thanks for your understanding and for helping keep the conversation thoughtful and on-topic.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/TemptingPi]

They banned that fan years ago for doing an ok symbol with their hands... But straight up battery is completely fine I guess 

[u/anaxcepheus32 → u/TemptingPi]

That’s excusable though. The cubs thought they were a south sider. /s

[u/rugger87 → u/anaxcepheus32]

I just wanna say that growing up in STL, I never thought I could hate Cubs fans as much as after I moved to Chicago. They’re such a popular team and located in such an affluent part of the city that they attract the worst kind of people.

[u/LA-SKYLINE → u/rugger87]

The whole Steve Bartman fiasco was fucked up beyond belief.

[u/BaltimoreBaja → u/LA-SKYLINE]

Not only was it morally wrong but it showed low baseball IQ

[u/RCocaineBurner → u/BaltimoreBaja]

No hustle either, Skip

[u/gr0c3ry → u/RCocaineBurner]

That's right, Darryl!

[u/Themoosemingled → u/gr0c3ry]

It’s called playing the odds and it’s what good managers do.

[u/crystallmytea → u/LA-SKYLINE]

The national broadcast tv commentators drummed it up to the masses. Eric Karros was on the panel I believe.

[u/Archer-Saurus → u/rugger87]

They're from such a nice part of the city, their HOA basically wouldn't allow lights to be installed at Wrigley until 1988. And they still play games at noon on Fridays because the same HOA can tell an MLB team to play over half their home games during daylight hours.

[u/KindnessEnjoyer67 → u/Archer-Saurus]

They use HOAs as an excuse. Everyone who lives around there rents. The real reason is that the bars/restaurants have a ton of pull in the city council and want to have at least one day per week where people are forced to come in during the afternoon and stick around to drink all day.

[u/watchpigsfly → u/Archer-Saurus]

TIL there are HOAs in the middle of old cities and aren’t limited to crappy new housing developments on old farmland

[u/Aquaman33 → u/watchpigsfly]

The Wrigley thing is mostly businesses pushing for it, but every multi unit building in Chicago has an HOA. However, it's just what most cities would call a communal maintenance fund or whatever.

[u/Archer-Saurus → u/watchpigsfly]

I mean I don't know if it's an HOA per se, just aggressive NIMBYism really.

[u/ToxicSteve13 → u/rugger87]

I grew up near Cleveland and moved to Chicago, already hated the Cubs for obvious reasons but holy shit are they the worst fans ever. I go to a shit ton of Sox games and everyone is just way nicer.

[u/megacia → u/TemptingPi]

Right? If this wasn’t about a political hot topic the fan would be gone. Insane choice.

[u/diaboliqueturkeybeet → u/megacia]

The OK hand signal wasn't?

[u/megacia → u/diaboliqueturkeybeet]

No it is. But the anthem/GBA are another world of importance for these people. This would become a 24/7 story about “Murican discrimination”

[u/Majestic_Dildocorn → u/megacia]

GBA isn't the anthem, I don't get standing and removing your caps for it. It's terrible.

I will however, always stand and remove my cap for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" which is Baseball's anthem

[u/14ktgoldscw → u/Majestic_Dildocorn]

I love how many of the Proud to be an American crowd don’t know anything about like flag, etc pomp and circumstance. Like George Washington would stab you if you saw you wearing an American flag hat. If you were following rules for respecting the flag it would have some sort of bunting pattern instead.

[u/NitroBike → u/megacia]

That fan would probably get interviewed on a certain news channel and Rob Manfred would be called "woke" if that dude got banned

[u/BigOlBurger → u/NitroBike]

He'd be a guest speaker at the next RNC

[u/Iam_nighthawk → u/BigOlBurger]

He’d probably get an invite to the next wrestling event at the White House

[u/WetGrundle → u/TemptingPi]

Well, reddit gave me a ban warning for commenting that we can now do something similar anytime we see ketchup going on a hot dog at Wrigley

[u/northSideways → u/TemptingPi]

Literally a quote taken directly from the article

Our security team spoke with the fan who had been struck. He indicated that the matter had been resolved, he did not want to have anyone ejected from the ballpark or any further action taken, and we respected his wishes.”

[u/RollTh3Maps → u/northSideways]

It’s weird for a sports team to not want to take action against someone being violent in their facility no matter what the victim wants. The next person might not feel that way and could escalate, causing even more injuries.

[u/bonfire57 → u/RollTh3Maps]

And if that fan assaults someone else again at Wrigley the victim will have quite a case against the Cubs for allowing a known violent person to continue to attend.

[u/NeverDieKris → u/bonfire57]

Bingo. The Cubs are now going to be on record as not providing a safe environment and basically allowing violence in their stands without repercussions. They’ve opened themselves up to a major lawsuit in the future with a pattern of willful negligence.

[u/RollTh3Maps → u/bonfire57]

Yeah, it's amazing how often people will seemingly intentionally ignore any kind of forethought JUST so they can be condescending online. "But the hitting guy is totally innocent since the hit guy said it was ok!!" Yeah, ok, but the private organization who runs that business may not want a slappy idiot on their property in the future for liability reasons. Just seems like it's not a very hard leap to make. More of a hop or maybe even shuffle.

[u/sugarcoatedpos → u/RollTh3Maps]

Yup. Cubs just made it ok to beat people in their stadium for political reasons.

[u/amillert15 → u/northSideways]

In fairness, that fan is probably smart enough to realize the incident could have drawn even more unnecessary and toxic attention his way.

[u/PWNtimeJamboree → u/amillert15]

honestly my first thought when i saw the video was this kid is about to be famous on Fox News and i hope they dont dox him.

[u/cahir11 → u/PWNtimeJamboree]

Also you just know the old guy was chomping at the bit to go on TV as "Brave Patriot Who Stands for the Anthem"

[u/Thunderstormwatching → u/northSideways]

Doesn’t change they set a precedent that people can assault other fans in their ballpark without being banned.

[u/Captain_Blue_Tally → u/northSideways]

We all saw that guy hit him on camera lol. I understand respecting that victims viewpoint..but the guy still broke the law and was let off with a warning.

Edit-Reddit is so dumb. Charges can still be filed regardless of the victims wishes. The cubs could have done literally anything to tell this guy to fuck off forever.

[u/axeil55 → u/Captain_Blue_Tally]

Agreed. It's literally on camera you do not need the guy to testify at trial. When the victim "doesn't want to press charges" what they're effectively saying is they won't testify at trial and as a result the criminal case will likely fall apart.

That doesn't work when the whole thing is on video.

[u/FrostyD7 → u/northSideways]

The assaulter must be a season ticket holder. The victim should not decide if he's banned, this is an excuse.

[u/canman7373 → u/northSideways]

Was on a jury once, the wife was badly beaten but retracted everything and refused to testify. The city still pressed charges on him because a crime is a crime, doesn't matter if the other person does not want to press charges if there is evidence of the crime.

[u/pasta_chovie → u/northSideways]

They totally gave that boomer a pass for hitting that kid, and now in his head he thinks he did the right thing, and could very well do it again.

This should’ve been an easy lifetime ban. There should be zero tolerance for this stuff.

[u/maringue → u/northSideways]

They could have not ejected him AND banned him.

[u/ThoughtPolice66]

Perhaps next time, someone will slap the old man's head and it's no big deal.

[u/FAHQRudy → u/ThoughtPolice66]

https://giphy.com/gifs/12a2jqBUibjObS

[u/M1L0 → u/FAHQRudy]

Classic lol. Just laid him down to sleep.

[u/solariam → u/M1L0]

Don't start none, won't be none, from Pedro's perspective.

[u/843_beardo → u/FAHQRudy]

Never seen someone grab a bowling ball by the ears before

[u/addage- → u/FAHQRudy]

Zimm wrote checks his body couldn’t cash.

[u/84002 → u/addage-]

I remember feeling the tiniest bit bad for the old man and the optics of this, but then Zimmer said something like "I was coming at him to hit him, I probably shouldn't have done that", and I was like, fuck yeah, cause that was awesome

[u/nivanbotemill → u/84002]

To his credit, IIRC, Zimm was in literal tears about how he embarrassed his family.

[u/923kjd → u/ThoughtPolice66]

If I had witnessed that in person there would have been some boomer-on-boomer violence right then and there. I am a veteran, and patriotism does NOT mean blind obedience.

[u/Dak6969696969 → u/923kjd]

https://giphy.com/gifs/VXiaZy7wx9cTCPXwaN

[u/farva_06 → u/ThoughtPolice66]

Really wonder how this situation would play out if the guy had hit back.

[u/screech_owl_kachina → u/ThoughtPolice66]

No no, bullying is allowed but retaliating is UNACCEPTABLE 

[u/chief_sitass]

The same franchise that took 14 years to formally apologize to Bartman after Cubs fans tried to lynch mob him

[u/No_Trade3571 → u/chief_sitass]

And that was only after they won a WS.

[u/jesonnier1]

MLB can still ban him from any stadium they perform in.

[u/gingerblz → u/jesonnier1]

Don't hold your breath...

[u/DankUsernameBro → u/jesonnier1]

Yeah that ain’t happening. It’s the old white man majority demographic for its fans. I’ve gotten talked to multiple times at games over the past decade and I just said something along the lines of “cool, mind your business” after hearing some delusional 70-80 year old man convincing me him banging heroin and going to bath houses in Vietnam saved democracy and that demands to be respected or whatever lol. Then they just grumble under their breath and they get over it

I wish the guy hadn’t have been such a pushover about it, I get it and not wanting to be confrontational but that out of shape old man shouldn’t be able to think he can or should do that.

[u/Momik → u/DankUsernameBro]

Yeah it bummed me out that he stood up anyway. I don’t blame him for wanting the confrontation to end, but it ends up making the bully look justified.

[u/B3ARJOY]

That’s a really interesting choice they’re going with

[u/Extra-Bite2324 → u/B3ARJOY]

https://giphy.com/gifs/65os7odbIW6pa

[u/_jump_yossarian → u/B3ARJOY]

What could possibly go wrong by tacitly endorsing vigilantism.

[u/Tyrannosapien → u/_jump_yossarian]

It's very much terrorism and not vigilantism. At least with vigilantism one might argue they are (illegally) enforcing actual laws. In the US, where there (mostly) aren't laws requiring patriotism, this attack had no illusion of legality. It's just straight terrorism.

[u/sheep_duck]

Ngl that’s kinda bullshit

[u/asmallerflame → u/sheep_duck]

It was bullshit when he hit someone who was exercising freedom

[u/BusinessWatercrees58 → u/asmallerflame]

"Freedom for me, not for thee"

Which is par for course given American history in general

[u/sheep_duck → u/asmallerflame]

Exactly.

[u/StealieDan → u/sheep_duck]

I sent this to my wife and was like this dude would have a hernia seeing how many people sit at Oracle park lol

[u/cmgriffith_]

This won’t be the last time we hear about this, Cubs organization really dropped the ball here.

[u/SanjiSasuke → u/cmgriffith_]

Hopefully, someone sues. The Cubs know this person comitted a violent misdemeanor in their ballpark and actively chose not to do anything about it.

That's gotta be a start to a good argument for someone better versed in civil litigation than me.

[u/ToiletPunisher19 → u/SanjiSasuke]

Judging by the million lawyer billboards I see entering the city of Chicago I’d imagine someone will be reaching out to him by Friday at the latest.

[u/tonsofgrassclippings → u/ToiletPunisher19]

T O P
D O G

[u/Hebrewer183 → u/ToiletPunisher19]

Lawyers can’t reach out to him. He has to contact them, it is a big no no ethics wise.

[u/Madball73 → u/SanjiSasuke]

Who would sue? What would their standing be? (the guy that was hit decided he didnt want to press charges and said he didnt the other guy banned)

[u/NonMagicBrian → u/Madball73]

The next person who gets assaulted following the Cubs decision to allow politically-motivated assault at their events.

[u/mikelo22 → u/Madball73]

FYI, no one gets to decide whether they want to "press charges". That's 100% prosecutorial discretion. He only gets to decide if he wants to bring a civil suit.

[u/mattbuilthomes → u/cmgriffith_]

They've got a public email address, so it shouldn't be the last time they hear about it either.

[u/JudgementOwls]

Huge L for the Cubs. Assault is assault

[u/vegan-trash → u/JudgementOwls]

So does this mean other fans can assault other fans?

[u/Lathundd → u/vegan-trash]

If they do it for a reason the Ricketts would approve of, yes.

[u/923kjd → u/vegan-trash]

If Cubs fans, yes.

[u/djfried → u/923kjd]

Sox fans should sit for the anthem in protest when we head there in a month lol

[u/NicCage420 → u/djfried]

Do it, make an ass of Cubs upper management for this.

[u/DOWNVOTES_SYNDROME → u/vegan-trash]

only if you are doing it because foxnews destroyed your brain and turned you into a scared, angry shell of a husk 100% of the time

[u/cassinonorth → u/vegan-trash]

HE CAN. HE CAN. He can hit at that price point. ITS FINE.

[u/mustang6172 → u/JudgementOwls]

https://giphy.com/gifs/AEuYczrPGIZ46vLYim

[u/Dickies138 → u/JudgementOwls]

I don’t think even the Giants could screw this up, but somehow the Cubs did

[u/anaxcepheus32 → u/JudgementOwls]

Raise the flag!

<__>
||______________________________
||############################|
||############################|
||###### #####################|
||###### #####################|
||###### #####################|
||###### #####################|
||###### ################|
||############################|
||############################|
||############################|
||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
||
||
||
||

[u/NSNick → u/anaxcepheus32]

Lemme just fix that flag real quick:

 

<__>
||____________________________________
||############################|
||############################|
||######   #####################|
||######   #####################|
||######   #####################|
||######   #####################|
||######              ################|
||############################|
||############################|
||############################|
||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
||
||
||
||

[u/0-2er → u/NSNick]

betsy ross over here

[u/Gryphon999 → u/0-2er]

Betsy Loss

[u/testylawyer]

https://giphy.com/gifs/I52DAxq2XPwnlVxO0I

[u/Zealousideal-Yak5182 → u/testylawyer]

At that price point they can hit

[u/HealthyBullfrog → u/testylawyer]

Boomers when fans don't stand for the National Anthem

https://giphy.com/gifs/KiICaQKQkdu3rWxNCT

[u/kaehvogel]

Cool. So unprovoked assault and battery is now totally okay for the Cubs.

[u/Corregidor → u/kaehvogel]

Cubs stadium is now the thunder dome!

[u/JoeDiesAtTheEnd → u/Corregidor]

Oh come on, can't we just get beyond thunderdome?

[u/kingwoodballs]

People take the anthems far too seriously.

[u/corndog_thrower → u/kingwoodballs]

It’s a flag and a song. People respect those more than the “freedom” those things are supposed to represent or the actual human beings exercising that freedom.

[u/rugger87 → u/corndog_thrower]

The anthem doesn’t even represent patriotism in my eyes, half the time there’s some paid military flyover. The whole spectacle usually just feeds the military industrial complex. It’s okay to feel some kind of way about that when we’re enabling genocide and bombing another country.

[u/thegrayphox → u/rugger87]

I always liked the flyovers. More because I think planes are cool lol

But the planes are going to be in the air regardless. Military pilots are required to have a certain number of training hours per year. The flyovers and training hours overlap.

[u/G-Yeet → u/kingwoodballs]

It's weird ass nationalism and if people saw a video of Chinese people doing it at a sporting event they would criticize it

[u/Pennsylvasia → u/G-Yeet]

People are quick to point to "authoritarianism" in China or Russia when there are examples of big, public nationalism / militarism, yet don't bat an eye at all the banal nationalism and militarism that permeates the American public. It would be great if this assault drove a conversation to help Americans and American institutions rethink forcing the anthem at every single opportunity, but the backlash to that among Muricans would be greater than the backlash to choosing to sit through an anthem.

[u/josephcampau → u/kingwoodballs]

As Americans we're forced to listen to it far more than any other song over the course of our lives if we have any interest in sports. Hell, at one of my kid's sporting events they didn't have the anthem so made everyone stand for the pledge of allegiance.

At least ball players get paid to listen to it 162 times a year.

[u/azsnaz → u/josephcampau]

Idk, I was forced to listen to Firework a shit ton when I worked at a carwash

[u/MalWinchester → u/azsnaz]

Thank you for your service. I would have gone insane.

[u/b-rar → u/kingwoodballs]

There is absolutely no reason to play the anthem at a baseball game.

[u/YoungNasteyman → u/b-rar]

I don't have a problem playing the anthem. I have a problem with this hyper nationalism surrounding it. It's hella weird we pressure kids to stand, put their hands over their heart, and pledge allegiance to the country daily. Cult like behavior imo.

And of course the propoganda is always "YoU'rE DiSrEsPeCtInG ThE TrOoPs."

[u/thenatsguy → u/kingwoodballs]

Go to at least five games per year and haven’t stood for one since ~2017. Can’t do it in good conscience with the way things are in this country + it’s a silly tradition imo.

[u/BusinessWatercrees58 → u/thenatsguy]

Same. And it's not even me trying to be edgy or make a point. I just don't think we should stand over an anthem and knowing this, if I do stand, it won't be because I want to. It'll be because other people want me to, which is antithetical to the entire damn idea, and a bad habit I try to avoid in general because giving into people pleasing and peer pressure is bad.

[u/axeil55 → u/BusinessWatercrees58]

I tell myself its to be polite to the person singing who frequently is some struggling local singer, children's choir, etc. who would appreciate the support.

[u/CrushedByCharybdis → u/BusinessWatercrees58]

It's funny to me that sitting in my seat through the anthem gets me glares, but nobody notices or cares if I just leave to go pee right before, even tho that could be considered "ruder." And I'm back to my seat before first pitch/puck drop/kickoff.

[u/MisfitAnthem]

I have a feeling that, because the dude was a Vietnam Vet, the Cubs don't want to touch this with a 10-foot pole.

As a 10 year vet myself, being a veteran does not excuse you from being an asshole. Don't put your hands on other people, if they don't want to stand for the National Anthem, that's their right.

[u/AcidaliaPlanitia → u/MisfitAnthem]

He'd be the first asshole to say "I fought for your freedom", but go insane at anyone exercising that freedom in a way he doesn't like.

[u/optiplex9000 → u/AcidaliaPlanitia]

And there's been no war defending "freedoms" since the 40s

[u/HaruMistborn → u/MisfitAnthem]

I'm a vet and I feel like I would be more inclined to sit than stand. Honestly haven't thought about it much, but my gut reaction is fuck that.

[u/PM_me_your_Jeep → u/HaruMistborn]

GWOT vet here. Sometimes I stand. Sometimes I sit. Honestly I’m there for baseball, not some patriotic circle jerk.

[u/MisfitAnthem → u/HaruMistborn]

Current state of the country makes me agree with you on that.

[u/Disconnected_NPC → u/MisfitAnthem]

I don’t really believe that guy when he says he was a Vietnam vet.

[u/helloyesthisisasock → u/Disconnected_NPC]

So many men of that age love to falsely claim they went to Vietnam when in reality they were sent to, like, Fort Benning to work on trucks for three months and then the war ended.

[u/Disconnected_NPC → u/helloyesthisisasock]

This exactly. The ones on the front lines were spit on when they came back. They aren’t exactly the most Patriotic bunch of military service.

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/Disconnected_NPC]

I don't know I think it's a bit weird to be so patriotic and gung-ho America when you were just lucky enough not to be one of the young men sent to their deaths in that war.

[u/StonedGhoster → u/MisfitAnthem]

I'm also a vet, and I get into discussions all the time with people who are DEEPLY offended when others exercise their First Amendment rights in ways they don't like. People have for years told me they would assault a person for flag burning, and I find the whole notion absolutely fucking absurd. I don't care if someone sits during the anthem, doesn't take their hat off, doesn't put their hand over their heart, burns a flag, I just don't care about any of it, and certainly not enough to assault a person and thereby risk my own freedom. My countrymen are so fucking stupid they don't even understand their own rights or how they work.

[u/MisfitAnthem → u/StonedGhoster]

Yeah brother it drives me crazy. Just shut the fuck up and leave people alone, you're not the Patriot Police.

[u/MongolianDonutKhan → u/[deleted]]

Elmer Fudd season

[u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

The same franchise that honoured Charlie Kirk turned a blind eye to assault? Quelle surprise!

[u/bigz22 → u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

Hey now, they gotta keep Matt Shaw happy. Where else will they find a 0.7 WAR third basemen?

[u/StatPaddingChampsNY → u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

I still can’t believe that the Cubs and Yankees (my team) paid tribute to Charlie Kirk. They were the only two MLB teams to do it.

There was literally zero reasons for them to do it.

[u/cajunsamurai]

I’d like to thank the Cubs organization for reminding everyone that the Giants are not the only ones who are stupid.

[u/manningthehelm]

So the cubs do not support the first amendment. Got it.

[u/jimibimi → u/manningthehelm]

And support unwanted touching

[u/mateorayo → u/jimibimi]

checks out.

[u/GanacheOk2887]

Considering the owner of that team is a proud nationalist he’ll probably invite the old fart to throw out the first pitch

[u/LosingSideOf25]

Seems like a dangerous precedent to set.

[u/Headstar24]

Unsurprising from franchise that didn’t give a fuck about how Bartman was treated for years.

Stay classy, “lovable losers”

[u/Hafslo → u/Headstar24]

I'm having a really hard time agreeing with the White Sox/Yankees fan.... but here we are.

[u/ahoypolloi_]

Reason #18,693,541 why the anthem is a stupid waste of fucking time at sporting events

[u/Weekly-Hurry-6031]

How about no one stands at the Cubs game for the anthem now? That will be a great look for the Cubs.

[u/verbutten → u/Weekly-Hurry-6031]

That would be genuinely fantastic

[u/Valuesauce]

Everyone should sit for the anthem at wrigley this week. Just sit.

[u/MisSigsFan → u/Valuesauce]

I wish but let's be real

[u/Kidspud]

The reason it's important to ban guys like that is because it opens the door to anybody slapping anyone else on the head over mild personal annoyance.

[u/93195]

Politically charged incidents like that, a team is just praying it goes away without them having to make a stand.

[u/unabashed_nuance → u/93195]

This isn’t political. One fan assaulted the other. Regardless of why it is what it is.

[u/Zraknul → u/unabashed_nuance]

It's a violent response to political speech. Did St. Charlie Kirk die for nothing?

[u/2nd2last → u/Zraknul]

Counting or not counting gang violence?

[u/unabashed_nuance → u/Zraknul]

I’m presuming a /s because chuck was a fuck.

[u/elconquistador1985 → u/unabashed_nuance]

You know damn well that right wing media would frame this as a hero defending the flag and shit on the Cubs as "murica haters" for banning him.

[u/FrostyD7 → u/elconquistador1985]

Just check out the boomer discourse on Facebook.

[u/Eagle7546_ → u/unabashed_nuance]

It’s not political in the normal sense, but it definitely is to the cubs (unfortunately) they know that if they take a stand here by shaming and banning the assaulter then there will be pushback from right wing grifters talking about “you get punished for standing up for for your country now”

[u/HotelAmericana → u/93195]

I’m asking every boomer in my stadium to show respect for Juneteenth and if they don’t I’m assaulting them. What a fucking joke

[u/TheMrBent]

Oh no! New curse!

[u/manningthehelm → u/TheMrBent]

https://giphy.com/gifs/pkY4ra5dhljDW

[u/illiter-it → u/TheMrBent]

Inshallah

[u/JD42305]

I stand for the anthem, moreso out of tradition than a need to blindlessly worship a symbol, but I absolutely hate that one of the first words from the Cubs response is how they'd appreciate if we stood. This should only be about putting your hands on someone else and it should be condemned and nothing else. Also, if the billionaire Ricketts want to honor and respect our country how about you stop charging your fellow Americans $20 for a shitty beer while also paying your employees that pour those beers minimum wage.

[u/SeattleSounderGaming]

Military personnel, like many of my friends and family, fight for everyone’s freedom and you have the freedom to not stand.

One day that guy is going to do something idiotic to the wrong person in the name of BUT MUH PATRIOTISM and get his world rocked

[u/Kestrion]

He should be banned from all MLB ballparks.

[u/evanwpm]

You’re allowed to assault people in Wrigley? Makes me reconsider going.

[u/TellTaleTimeLord]

The amount of people who are justifying that guy hitting someone (not necessarily this thread) because "patriotism" is wild

[u/Wings81]

The story is credited to "NBC Chicago Staff." Is this another way of saying AI? Because this story reads a lot like it was written by AI, especially the summary of online reactions.

[u/DrWinstonOBoogie1980 → u/Wings81]

I'm not saying this one in particular isn't AI, but a staff byline traditionally has just meant a whole bunch of reporters (and/or interns, fellows, et al.) contributed to a roundup-type story, the kind of thing where there basically is no primary writer and the report isn't long/significant/weighty enough that you'd want to include an end credit listing a bunch of names as contributors.

Source: have worked in (small) newsrooms for decades. Even the wee ones use staff bylines on occasion.

[u/Little_Plankton4001 → u/DrWinstonOBoogie1980]

In addition to what you said, "staff" sometimes means an editor wrote it.

[u/Schwettes → u/Wings81]

No, not necessarily. This is not a new practice. The Economist for example never publishes the names of their authors because they believe it allows them to have a unified voice as a publication. In addition, it’s not uncommon for articles to be published without bylines if they got it from a wire of if it was or is going to be syndicated to other publications.

If you read Reuters or the Associated Press, they often have articles written by Reuters or written by the Associated Press. It can also mean that there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen to write that piece and without one clear author, they list the publication or staff as the writer.

[u/kilpatrickbhoy → u/Wings81]

When I worked in local TV, I figured out quick to use the "staff" option on articles I published. I wasn't an on air personality, and was usually just pushing out stories that some producer/reporter had written. Suddenly my personal social media had all sorts of crazies trying to talk to me about the stories I really had nothing to do with.

[u/mooburpcow → u/Wings81]

No, I used to work in local news. If they don't want their byline on it, then it usually means they didn't do much original reporting and are just regurgitating press releases they got.

[u/hibbert0604]

I'm so tired of performative nationalism.

[u/Awkward-Fox-1435]

These fucking boomers care more about a flag or a song than they do the people in this country or the freedoms they supposedly love so much. I can’t stand them.

[u/KittenExtravaganza]

They just emboldened that old man to hit more people during the national anthem. Great way to do deterrence, Cubs!

[u/parrotz]

Piece of shit owners being pieces of shit. That’s Cub baby.

[u/TerlocTheRanger]

That’s bullshit.

[u/EmmThem]

Embarrassing.

[u/jay78910]

If that guy tugged on the assholes shirt, and he tumbled down into the seats, he sure as hell would be in trouble for it. The problem is people like this know they can just play victim if you react. It doesn't matter if its being filmed by dozens, there are millions that love people like this.

[u/FittedsRDope]

Final verdict: The Chicago Cubs condone Assault.

[u/Puddington21]

The owner's are terrified of the orange pedophile's tweets.

[u/farmtownsuit → u/Puddington21]

The owners love the orange pedophile 

[u/JerkBezerberg]

2026 Fun facts: You can assault someone if you go to a Cubs game, and you can commit extrajudicial murder without consequence if you join ICE (and many police forces), all while your tax dollars go to Israel so they can have free healthcare and commit genocide. Meanwhile public education, environental, worker and consumer protections, and the last remnants of a social safety net are being gutted by oligarchs led by a fat, felonious, fascist, rapist who calls people who support the things that once made America great terrorists. Yeah... All true. Until sometime changes, fuck every jingoistic dipshit who has a problem with not standing for the anthem and supports the pay-for-patriotism horseshit at sports events.

[u/trickman01]

https://giphy.com/gifs/AEuYczrPGIZ46vLYim

[u/Psymon_Armour]

Man, you'd think banning someone for striking someone else would be the easiest layup possible in terms of the right move.

[u/Jaylaw]

Classic Ricketts

[u/IWasOnThe18thHole]

People are so pathetic about the anthem. Had a guy scream at me that I needed to leave the country because I was hungry, didn't eat all day, and was eating my hotdog sitting down during it

[u/Greful → u/IWasOnThe18thHole]

It's so weird to me that it only applies to the people in the seating area for some reason. Some dude working at the customer service desk? He can sit. But you? You aren't allowed to. He should go into the bathrooms during it and kick open stall doors of people taking shits like get the fuck up! You DO NOT shit during the Star Spangled Banner!

[u/deepstatediplomat]

They wouldn't have had to ban the guy if he did it to me. They would be banning me afterwards.

[u/narfoleptix]

Freedom!

Lol.

YOU MUST STAND FOR IT OR ELSE!!!

[u/cerealfordinneragain]

Error

[u/GomezFigueroa]

The reason isn’t important. You can’t assault people.

[u/MarioStern100]

This WILL encourage more old man anthem slapping. Wrong call.

[u/txtoolfan]

I hope that guy gets charged with battery.

[u/baeb66]

Cubs trying to both-sides this with a mealy-mouthed statement about encouraging fans to stand for the anthem and then claiming: "the safety and security of our fans is our top priority".

Nah. Zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.

[u/Adventurous-Tea-876]

Assault is allowed at Wrigley Field. Good to know.

[u/CanaDoug420]

Yikes. Careful going to wrigley. They are fine with fans battering you

[u/bigframe79 → u/CanaDoug420]

OR you can batter other people and get away with it...

[u/ComeAbout]

I feel like I’m going to sound like a jerk here puffing my own chest out but I was in the military for 25 years. I’m on Reddit because I’m combat injured and can’t work.

I don’t care if you stand, sit, or throw a tea party during the National Anthem. If I see you put hands on someone trying to be a tough guy, that’s when I’m actually prone to stepping in. That’s what I signed up for, not songs about bombs.

[u/whiskeyrocks1 → u/ComeAbout]

Thank you for serving and believing in actual freedom.

[u/UrsaMajor7th]

Could have escalated after being slapped by taking a knee.

[u/dokocha0216]

I guarantee if bro went postal on that dude (which i 100% would’ve done, don’t put your hands on me) he probably would’ve gotten banned and jailed

[u/Padre26]

Well it's now open season at Wrigley

[u/infinityislikehuge]

Precedent, consider yourself set.

[u/DDD8712]

https://giphy.com/gifs/18kPwV9qSCY9O

[u/MochaJoe_]

Anthems before sports is strange anyway. I seriously don’t know why they do it.