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Steelers Running Back Rashard Mendenhall Defends Osama Bin Laden, Saying 'We've Only Heard One Side' by Michael Hurley on Tue, May 3, 2011 at 8:46AM
The mixture of professional athletes and Twitter is rarely a positive one for sports organizations. For examples, you could look at Max Pacioretty's insult toward Brad Marchand last week, WNBA player Cappie Pondexter's assertion that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan may have been punishment for Pearl Harbor or Bills receiver Stevie Johnson blaming God for a dropped pass in the end zone. The list goes on and on and on.
Now, you can add Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall to that list, and he may have instantly vaulted directly to the top.
The 23-year-old native of Illinois didn't like the way Americans were celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden on Monday, and he let out his frustrations on Twitter.
"What kind of person celebrates death?" Mendenhall, who last made national headlines for fumbling in the Super Bowl and "celebrating" a little too hard with Ben Roethlisberger in the playoffs, wrote. "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."
Aside from the obviously questionable position of defending the most well-known terrorist in the world, Mendenhall is factually incorrect. Osama bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, claimed to be the mastermind behind the horrific attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, has shown no remorse in targeting women and children in his attacks and has been the No. 1 most wanted target of the FBI. Maybe -- maybe -- you can make a case against the celebration of a man's death, but to say we've only heard one side of the story, to suggest that we, as Americans, are brainwashed into hating this evil man, that's more than a little over the line.
That wasn't all, though, as Mendenhall expressed doubt that airplanes could have demolished the World Trade Center.
"We'll never know what really happened," Mendenhall wrote. "I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."
Obviously, Mendenhall has spent at least 15 minutes watching some of the awesome 9/11 conspiracy videos on YouTube, and he's passing that off as "enlightenment."
"There is not an ignorant bone in my body," he said. "I just encourage you to [think]."
Safe to say that the rest of America encourages the same for you.
Michael Hurley is a native of the Boston area and has spent much of his life following and covering sports throughout New England. A graduate of Roger Williams University, he joined NESN in February of 2009. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/nesnmhurley.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:06 AM Jmagsr said in reply to John Scotts Mom...
Then not even 30 days after that article he took credit for the 9/11 attacks. http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/osama-bin-laden-mastermind-911-attacks-terrorist-leader-takes-credit-americas-most-tragic-days-international-13505793
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:11 AM Moondog said in reply to davidR...
His comment that "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."
Well I may be wrong, but we have heard him speak, repeatedly through his tapes released to Al-Jezeera. Remember those? Saying how America is the great Infidel, and he wants to destroy America. Remember those? Planes can't take down buildings? Do some engineering homework before you make statements like that. You sound like Rosie O'Donnell's " fire cannot melt steel" comment.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 10:34 AM kasfjakls said in reply to Moondog...
totally agree with the above statement. what other side do we need to know about him, his mind is twisted and sick, and the people that say they want to piss on his ashes just have a strong hatred towards people that do that kind of stuff and that's how they feel. obviously rashard mendenhal is ignorant, if you dont like the way people are reacting suck it up and dont tweet about you emotional wreck.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:50 AM Had Enough said in reply to davidR...
I'll tell you how: There is no defense for knowingly, willingly killing thousands of innocent men, women and children, particularly as your primary target. We are not talking collateral damage during wartime here. Therefore, we don't need to hear UBL's side of anything as there is not justification. Besides, we DID hear from UBL many times and he always took credit for the plan and deaths, he never showed remorse and he promised to keep on doing it. Case closed.
You can't be this stupid, it just doesn't seem humanly possible. A mediator help's settle a dispute. There's no disputing the facts. Osama has admitted to being behind the attacks on 9/11 as well as many other attacks that have killed thousands of innocent people.
"We've only heard one side," Were the two of you living under rocks the days following 9/11 when the tapes of Osama admitting fault, were released to Al-Jazeera news, subsequently airing all over cnn/fox for the next week. "We'll never know what really happened," Not everything in life is a conspiracy, or a Michael Moore film.
Your ignorance is unhealthy. Pick up a history book.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 07:30 PM Nellie said...
This guy is one of the biggest freaking tools in America right now. "We've never heard him speak? Really Rashard???? The guy had been doing interviews for YEARS and admitted that he was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks! THAT is why people HATE him, you expect people to love him for being behind the worst and saddest day in American history! Not to mention all the videos he did with the "death to infidels" statements. "We've only heard one side"...really??? If the man admitted to being behind 9/11 whose side haven't you heard from...Americas?!?!?! This is just more proof that theres no need for brain activity to be a professional athlete. All you need is a Twitter account. For you to question the destruction of the Twin Towers and say you don't think a plane could have caused their collapse is not only pathetic but it's disrespectful. I would never celebrate death but seriously the guy destroyed thousands of innocent lives (people I knew included) and altered a boatload of things. That's just in America, that's not to mention all people he killed in his own country. I certainly celebrated his death and thought it should be a national holiday, apparently I'm not alone in that feeling.
The mixture of professional athletes and Twitter is rarely a positive one for sports organizations. For examples, you could look at Max Pacioretty's insult toward Brad Marchand last week, WNBA player Cappie Pondexter's assertion that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan may have been punishment for Pearl Harbor or Bills receiver Stevie Johnson blaming God for a dropped pass in the end zone. The list goes on and on and on.
Now, you can add Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall to that list, and he may have instantly vaulted directly to the top.
The 23-year-old native of Illinois didn't like the way Americans were celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden on Monday, and he let out his frustrations on Twitter.
"What kind of person celebrates death?" Mendenhall, who last made national headlines for fumbling in the Super Bowl and "celebrating" a little too hard with Ben Roethlisberger in the playoffs, wrote. "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."
Aside from the obviously questionable position of defending the most well-known terrorist in the world, Mendenhall is factually incorrect. Osama bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, claimed to be the mastermind behind the horrific attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, has shown no remorse in targeting women and children in his attacks and has been the No. 1 most wanted target of the FBI. Maybe -- maybe -- you can make a case against the celebration of a man's death, but to say we've only heard one side of the story, to suggest that we, as Americans, are brainwashed into hating this evil man, that's more than a little over the line.
That wasn't all, though, as Mendenhall expressed doubt that airplanes could have demolished the World Trade Center.
"We'll never know what really happened," Mendenhall wrote. "I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."
Obviously, Mendenhall has spent at least 15 minutes watching some of the awesome 9/11 conspiracy videos on YouTube, and he's passing that off as "enlightenment."
"There is not an ignorant bone in my body," he said. "I just encourage you to [think]."
Safe to say that the rest of America encourages the same for you.
Michael Hurley is a native of the Boston area and has spent much of his life following and covering sports throughout New England. A graduate of Roger Williams University, he joined NESN in February of 2009. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/nesnmhurley.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:06 AM Jmagsr said in reply to John Scotts Mom...
Then not even 30 days after that article he took credit for the 9/11 attacks. http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/osama-bin-laden-mastermind-911-attacks-terrorist-leader-takes-credit-americas-most-tragic-days-international-13505793
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:11 AM Moondog said in reply to davidR...
His comment that "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side ..."
Well I may be wrong, but we have heard him speak, repeatedly through his tapes released to Al-Jezeera. Remember those? Saying how America is the great Infidel, and he wants to destroy America. Remember those? Planes can't take down buildings? Do some engineering homework before you make statements like that. You sound like Rosie O'Donnell's " fire cannot melt steel" comment.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 10:34 AM kasfjakls said in reply to Moondog...
totally agree with the above statement. what other side do we need to know about him, his mind is twisted and sick, and the people that say they want to piss on his ashes just have a strong hatred towards people that do that kind of stuff and that's how they feel. obviously rashard mendenhal is ignorant, if you dont like the way people are reacting suck it up and dont tweet about you emotional wreck.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 09:50 AM Had Enough said in reply to davidR...
I'll tell you how: There is no defense for knowingly, willingly killing thousands of innocent men, women and children, particularly as your primary target. We are not talking collateral damage during wartime here. Therefore, we don't need to hear UBL's side of anything as there is not justification. Besides, we DID hear from UBL many times and he always took credit for the plan and deaths, he never showed remorse and he promised to keep on doing it. Case closed.
You can't be this stupid, it just doesn't seem humanly possible. A mediator help's settle a dispute. There's no disputing the facts. Osama has admitted to being behind the attacks on 9/11 as well as many other attacks that have killed thousands of innocent people.
"We've only heard one side," Were the two of you living under rocks the days following 9/11 when the tapes of Osama admitting fault, were released to Al-Jazeera news, subsequently airing all over cnn/fox for the next week. "We'll never know what really happened," Not everything in life is a conspiracy, or a Michael Moore film.
Your ignorance is unhealthy. Pick up a history book.
Reply May 3, 2011 at 07:30 PM Nellie said...
This guy is one of the biggest freaking tools in America right now. "We've never heard him speak? Really Rashard???? The guy had been doing interviews for YEARS and admitted that he was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks! THAT is why people HATE him, you expect people to love him for being behind the worst and saddest day in American history! Not to mention all the videos he did with the "death to infidels" statements. "We've only heard one side"...really??? If the man admitted to being behind 9/11 whose side haven't you heard from...Americas?!?!?! This is just more proof that theres no need for brain activity to be a professional athlete. All you need is a Twitter account. For you to question the destruction of the Twin Towers and say you don't think a plane could have caused their collapse is not only pathetic but it's disrespectful. I would never celebrate death but seriously the guy destroyed thousands of innocent lives (people I knew included) and altered a boatload of things. That's just in America, that's not to mention all people he killed in his own country. I certainly celebrated his death and thought it should be a national holiday, apparently I'm not alone in that feeling.
