Thursday, July 02, 2015

Tracks Ask Fans Not To Fly Confederate Flags

A comprehensive group of NASCAR Industry Members issued a written statement today, asking fans and partners to voluntarily abstain from displaying the Confederate flag at race events.

As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment,” said the statement. “To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events.

“We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing.”

All 13 International Speedway Corporation (ISC) facilities, including Auto Club and Chicagoland Speedways, Darlington Raceway, Daytona, Homestead-Miami, Kansas, Martinsville and Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway, Route 66 Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International signed the statement.

They were joined by the eight Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) facilities, including Atlanta, Bristol and Charlotte Motor Speedways, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

Dover International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Iowa Speedway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Road America, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Eldora Speedway and Gateway Motorsports Park also endorsed the statement.

4 comments:

  1. Thank you Dave Moody for your efforts, and for taking heat from people who will never understand.

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  2. Anonymous5:33 PM

    Although I do believe the vast majority of people who flew those flags meant no disrespect by it, (meaning only that they were proud to be southern) I certainly can understand NASCAR's decision and couldn't agree more. Perhaps in the future NASCAR and the tracks may again put on their "big boy" pants and do something about the hundreds of drunks who put a huge damper on attending races.

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  3. Anonymous9:31 PM

    It's sad it took NASCAR so long to realize how derisive the flag is.

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  4. Anonymous10:11 PM

    John Natalie, as I have stated in another comment to another post on this subject my Grandfather, Great Grandmother, and Great Grandfather had a cross burned in their yard by the klan. My Grandfather spent his life standing up and fighting for things that were right not things that were knee jerk decisions that were aimed at making people "feel good".

    The confederate battle flag meant nothing to him and means nothing to our family. It is a piece of fabric. For those who stand on their high soap box and want to tell the rest of us how to think and act my grandfather would have ask them one simple question about banning anything. It would have been:

    "OK, you banned it. What did you get out of that action?"

    In the PC world in which we live we now have to banish any and all things that might offend someone. If that's the world you want to live in then you want to live in some la la land. You can't create a world in which someone isn't going to be offended by something.

    The Supreme Court long ago ruled that advocacy is OK under freedom of speech. Flying a flag, or whatever is fine as long as you aren't doing it to incite violence. Flying a confederate flag during a race weekend isn't inciting violence.

    While I and my family could care less about the flag NASCAR is attempting to ban or stop fans from flying I would have to believe the tracks and NASCAR is moving into a very iffy place. What happens if a large group of fans suddenly decide that whatever "symbol" someone else is flying shouldn't be allowed to be allowed? Where does the "I'm offended" by this or that stop? Do you listen to complaints by 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10,000 or more fan complaints before something else gets banned? While you might not like this "symbol" at some point some symbol that has meaning to you will be considered to be offensive to someone and you won't be able to stand up for symbol because you allowed this one to be banished.

    As Martin Niemoller stated:
    “In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

    (Yes, I know all freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution refer to Gov't vs. The Citizen).

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