F1 Fanatic

Ned Flanders offered to do his own small step to support the Bahraini people if the race is not cancelled despite the Government not backing down on hard boiled actions to suppress protests.

I have decided I will join in this very small but symbolic act of resistance.

Care t join in as well, voice your support here. If not, give us your reasons.

PM, you might not agree with this action. If so, please keep your thoughts to only one or two short ones. If you care to join in I would feel obliged.

If holding a race in Bahrain indicates F1 supports despots, then F1 took that position several years ago, when first it sanctioned a race in Bahrain. Any other stance on that point is disingenuous. Does F1 support Communism because there is a Chinese GP ? Did F1 support Fascism when there was a GP in Argentina?

But F1 (read that Bernie) has consistently maintained that F1 is not a political body. And knowing Bernie, I believe him. Bernie never cared a lick for politics, only success. (No, not money, but success. Wringing every last cent out of a deal isn’t about the money, it’s about soundly trouncing your opponent…about success.)

But I digress. I believe that if F1 is to be a totally apolitical body, and I believe it should be, then it can decide on holding or canceling the race based only on the safety issue. I know this is probably not going to be a popular statement, but it is a true one.

On a tangent, if the F1 weekend goes on as planned the situation will receive even more news coverage, which can only serve to spotlight the plight of the protesters there.

Hi, I’m a new member, though long time lurker.. I actually registered to join in the ‘debate’ *ahem re this yesterday, though for some reason none of my posts appeared…
Probably only too right really, as my first comments after visiting this site everyday for over two years should have been a little more F1y;

‘Geez that *Alonso/Schumacher/Hamiltion is so over rated, he shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath as *Alonso/Schumacher/Hamiltion.’

*Delete as applicable*

Phew, that’s better.

Anyway, back on point – yes, I agree to the boycott. As I said yesterday in my none appearing posts, I would hate to see the sport I love supporting a regime willing to send tanks in on it’s own people. Despite what some people think a separation between sport and politics, well anything and politics, just doesn’t exist. The reason some countries divert billions of dollars into securing (and then propping up) GP’s is because it gives international credibility to them. That kind of propaganda is well worth the billions. Some asked how cancelling the race could possibly help those protesting for more rights. Well, it will simply show them that the world is listening and that some people value human lives above sporting events, convenience and money.

Hi Ned, I really should have thought about my username before I banged it in as usual (other outlets don’t often let you use a space do they?… that’s my excuse anyway…)..
So, what should have been ‘Cat in a Cardigan’ reads ‘Catina Cardigan’
D’oh
Well, it’ll just have to be my new alias, Miss Catina Cardigan… no – Madam Catina Cardigan even better! ;)

Alright, forget my earlier post. I just read Keith’s current entry, the latest on what’s happening there. I just don’t see how in good conscience F1 can continue on as planned. Unarmed people and medical personnel being gunned down is heinous.

Hell No!

I want the race to go ahead and I will definitely watch it.

F1 has no place getting involved in a country’s internal politics and a couple of people boycotting the event will not make any difference to anything!

This is an interesting question.

I think honestly, I’ll still watch it. That’s because I love F1, which transcends politics for me.

Further, i’m not sure I disagree with F1 going to Bahrain. Of course I disagree with the terrible occurrences there, but I would imagine that F1 would draw even more attention to the conflict and hopefully increase the pressure for it to be resolved. However, this might also go in the way of violence, which must be condemned.

Difficult to say though. I think, to be safe, the race should be cancelled. This disappoints me though as I need me some F1

I for my part won’t take part in any endeavour such as this and I think I have some more or less acceptable reasons.

1.: I love F1 and it takes a lot more than moral objections to keep me from enjoying it. You’d really have to cause me personal suffering in order to stop me from watching motorsports and I for my part do not (yet?) feel threatened by the events happening in the Middle East.

2.: A boycott would disturb my mental state of total political apathy. It has taken time to stop caring about politics and I won’t throw that away just for one uprising.

3.: Sports are not politics.

4.: It would be the textbook definition of “pointless”. Even if we were to boycott the Bahrain Grand Prix, there are millions of casual fans everywhere who do not feel like bothering with the political situation in a country they couldn’t even find on a world map. The loss in viewing figures would be somewhere in the 0.0X percent region and that is a generous guess. And if one of the protesters actually get their head bashed in the last thing that would help them is: “Some internet dudes think I’m cool.”

Suit yourself.