sports

Showing 10 posts tagged sports

“Rape culture and violence against women exists in every cultural sphere: the armed forces, music, advertising and a political world where people actually debate the differences between “rape” and “legitimate rape,” But sports bears a very specific responsibility to take this struggle on. No other institution reaches more men and no other institution plays a greater role in teaching boys how to define their own manhood and masculinity.”

Dave Zirin on how pro sports can help end rape culture
Dave Zirin on the “moral cesspool” that is the Notre Dame football program: It says so much that Te’o’s bizarre soap opera has moved Swarbrick to openly weeping but he hasn’t spared one tear, let alone held one press conference, for Lizzy Seeberg, the young woman who took her own life after coming forward with allegations that a member of the team sexually assaulted her. Swarbrick’s press conference displayed that the problem at Notre Dame is not just football players without a compass; it’s the adults without a conscience. Their credo isn’t any kind of desire for truth or justice. Instead it seems to be little more than a constant effort to protect the Fighting Irish brand, no matter who gets hurt. High-res

Dave Zirin on the “moral cesspool” that is the Notre Dame football program:

It says so much that Te’o’s bizarre soap opera has moved Swarbrick to openly weeping but he hasn’t spared one tear, let alone held one press conference, for Lizzy Seeberg, the young woman who took her own life after coming forward with allegations that a member of the team sexually assaulted her. Swarbrick’s press conference displayed that the problem at Notre Dame is not just football players without a compass; it’s the adults without a conscience. Their credo isn’t any kind of desire for truth or justice. Instead it seems to be little more than a constant effort to protect the Fighting Irish brand, no matter who gets hurt.

Debt Deal Winners: Wall Street  In his budget proposal earlier this year, Obama recommended taxing the profit share of private equity managers, venture capitalists and other Wall Street high-rollers at the ordinary personal income tax rate, instead of at the smaller capital gains rate. No such deal was struck under the current bill, so these mega-rich traders won’t spend a penny reducing the deficit—again, unless Boehner undergoes a religious experience and appoints pro-tax, anti-Wall Street Republicans to the super-committee. (He’d have to spend a long time looking first).

Debt Deal Winners: Wall Street 

In his budget proposal earlier this year, Obama recommended taxing the profit share of private equity managers, venture capitalists and other Wall Street high-rollers at the ordinary personal income tax rate, instead of at the smaller capital gains rate. No such deal was struck under the current bill, so these mega-rich traders won’t spend a penny reducing the deficit—again, unless Boehner undergoes a religious experience and appoints pro-tax, anti-Wall Street Republicans to the super-committee. (He’d have to spend a long time looking first).

Debt Deal Winners: Oil Tycoons Obama repeatedly demanded that oil and gas companies lose their tax breaks, since they are raking in record profits and enjoy many deductions and subsidies in the tax code. “If we choose to keep a tax break for oil and gas companies that are making hundreds of millions of dollars, that means we’ve got to cut some kids off from getting a college scholarship (and) that means we’ve got to stop funding grants for medical research,” Obama said in June. Since those tax breaks were preserved, in hindsight that soundbite was more of a prediction than a warning.

Debt Deal Winners: Oil Tycoons

Obama repeatedly demanded that oil and gas companies lose their tax breaks, since they are raking in record profits and enjoy many deductions and subsidies in the tax code. “If we choose to keep a tax break for oil and gas companies that are making hundreds of millions of dollars, that means we’ve got to cut some kids off from getting a college scholarship (and) that means we’ve got to stop funding grants for medical research,” Obama said in June. Since those tax breaks were preserved, in hindsight that soundbite was more of a prediction than a warning.

Debt Deal Winners: The Rich Up until very recently, Obama and most Democrats were demanding that wealthy Americans pony up for some deficit reduction. The demands were admittedly narrow, and focused on itemized deductions on people who owned private jets or multiple homes—but both groups are exempted from sacrifice under the current deal.  Credit: AP Images 

Debt Deal Winners: The Rich

Up until very recently, Obama and most Democrats were demanding that wealthy Americans pony up for some deficit reduction. The demands were admittedly narrow, and focused on itemized deductions on people who owned private jets or multiple homes—but both groups are exempted from sacrifice under the current deal. 

Credit: AP Images 

Losers from the Debt Deal: Veterans Almost half of the first round of cuts will come from “security spending,” which includes the Pentagon budget but also the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and, notably, veterans benefits and compensation. More than 2.2 million veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, many of whom have been seriously injured and require extensive care. The Disabled Veterans of America already has said it is “anxious” to see how these spending cuts are assembled.

Losers from the Debt Deal: Veterans

Almost half of the first round of cuts will come from “security spending,” which includes the Pentagon budget but also the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and, notably, veterans benefits and compensation. More than 2.2 million veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, many of whom have been seriously injured and require extensive care. The Disabled Veterans of America already has said it is “anxious” to see how these spending cuts are assembled.

Losers from the Debt Deal: Students Graduate students would be the hardest hit, as the bill proposes an elimination of the interest subsidy on federal student loans for “almost all” of them. This means that beginning July 1, 2012, grad students will be responsible for the interest on their loans while in school and during any subsequent deferment period. Credit: AP Images

Losers from the Debt Deal: Students

Graduate students would be the hardest hit, as the bill proposes an elimination of the interest subsidy on federal student loans for “almost all” of them. This means that beginning July 1, 2012, grad students will be responsible for the interest on their loans while in school and during any subsequent deferment period.

Credit: AP Images

Don’t miss The Nation’s Sports Issue! This year, Sports Correspondent Dave Zirin guest-edited an edition of The Nation Magazine exclusively devoted to the rich history of progressive politics as told through sport. From Jackie Robinson changing the face of baseball to Title IX funding for women’s sports, this edition of The Nation shows those who care deeply about progressive politics should embrace sports as a historically proven tool to leverage social change.  Highlights Dave Zirin and Katrina vanden Heuvel discuss the progressive historical impacts of sports.  A Slideshow of Nation Contributors’ (Jennifer Egan, Cecile Richards, Ralph Nader, John Sayles, and more) favorite sports stars. Don’t miss publisher Victor Navasky’s childhood memories of Babe Ruth!  And many more!

Don’t miss The Nation’s Sports Issue! This year, Sports Correspondent Dave Zirin guest-edited an edition of The Nation Magazine exclusively devoted to the rich history of progressive politics as told through sport. From Jackie Robinson changing the face of baseball to Title IX funding for women’s sports, this edition of The Nation shows those who care deeply about progressive politics should embrace sports as a historically proven tool to leverage social change. 

Highlights

Dave Zirin and Katrina vanden Heuvel discuss the progressive historical impacts of sports. 

A Slideshow of Nation Contributors’ (Jennifer Egan, Cecile Richards, Ralph Nader, John Sayles, and more) favorite sports stars. Don’t miss publisher Victor Navasky’s childhood memories of Babe Ruth! 

And many more!