Smerlas comments on Sports Final - Page 4 - New England Patriots Forums

JDSal45 · 09-03-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyExpress

Do you find it strange that someone asks you to actually support an argument with evidence? Do you live in a world where no such requirements are necessary? Whether in high school, college, the business world, arguments must be supported with evidence. Your casual disregard for this standard is dumbfounding.

I did. I said from years of listening. That is my proof. Its not good enough for you, you require me to carry around a notebook. Which makes it very convenient and easy to say I'm wrong. I'm a lawyer. I'm well aware what evidence is. Its you who has a mistaken impression of it. Not I. Evidence doesn't have to be the smoking gun you require. It can be a collective mass of small little things. Including listening to someone's opinions for ten years and forming an opinion on their motives, reasons for their opinions, etc. You probably do it all the time. I am sure you have many, many opinions on people you know. Including opinions on things that aren't very overt or has never been straightforwardly said. "I think he may be gay"....."She is flirting with me"......"He is probably a Republican"........."I think my boss may be cheating with his secretary".......whatever. People do it all the time without a single statement. But when it comes to Smerlas, apparently you require me to write down every single piece of evidence I have heard over the years. Sorry, I am just not that interested. I don't really give a flying **** that he is a racist. Whatever. He is irrelevent either way. But its pretty obvious nevertheless and not that important an issue to me.

Smerlas is either a racist or not. It has nothing to do with you or me or either of our opinions. He either is or isn't whether or not he made a statement during the .00001 percent of his life when he has been on 'EEI which reaches your requirements. In my opinion he is. In yours, apparently he isn't. I have based it on ten years of listening and HIS opinions, the collective of all his statements and who he rips and why. That is my evidence. Everything he has said, not just one thing. Okay, so its EVERY statement I have heard. I didn't write it all down, sorry. It isn't that big a deal to me he is a flaming racist. If you really have that much interest, spend the next ten years listening then get back to me and we'll discuss it further.

J D Sal

letekro · 09-03-2007, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDSal45

Sorry, I don't keep a log book. Racism isn't necessarily overt. Sometimes a racist doesn't even realize he is one. They aren't all cross burners. Its my opinion. You can disagree, that is fine. But I also disagree with your convenient requirements. Makes it easy on Fred or anyone else. You're free to feel he isn't one. I am free to feel he is one, based on years of listening to his opinions, who he rips and why and positions. That is my proof. So if you want to analyze it, I guess you'd have to get a tape of every single time he has ever been on 'EEI and take it in total. If this isn't good enough for you, sorry. But you just look at it different. My opinion is my opinion. I'm pretty confident I'm right. Smerlas is one.

J D Sal

I wonder if you would be taking all this grief if you had called gerry callahan a racist?

Like most people, Smerlas is probably prejudiced to some degree. If, based on years of listening, you think it is a very high degree, I have no problem with that.

You're not saying he is a racist, you're saying, you think he's a racist. Big difference.

PonyExpress · 09-03-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDSal45

I did. I said from years of listening. That is my proof. Its not good enough for you, you require me to carry around a notebook. Which makes it very convenient and easy to say I'm wrong. I'm a lawyer. I'm well aware what evidence is. Its you who has a mistaken impression of it. Not I. Evidence doesn't have to be the smoking gun you require. It can be a collective mass of small little things. Including listening to someone's opinions for ten years and forming an opinion on their motives, reasons for their opinions, etc. You probably do it all the time. I am sure you have many, many opinions on people you know. Including opinions on things that aren't very overt or has never been straightforwardly said. "I think he may be gay"....."She is flirting with me"......"He is probably a Republican"........."I think my boss may be cheating with his secretary".......whatever. People do it all the time without a single statement. But when it comes to Smerlas, apparently you require me to write down every single piece of evidence I have heard over the years. Sorry, I am just not that interested. I don't really give a flying **** that he is a racist. Whatever. He is irrelevent either way. But its pretty obvious nevertheless and not that important an issue to me.

Smerlas is either a racist or not. It has nothing to do with you or me or either of our opinions. He either is or isn't whether or not he made a statement during the .00001 percent of his life when he has been on 'EEI which reaches your requirements. In my opinion he is. In yours, apparently he isn't. I have based it on ten years of listening and HIS opinions, the collective of all his statements and who he rips and why. That is my evidence. Everything he has said, not just one thing. Okay, so its EVERY statement I have heard. I didn't write it all down, sorry. It isn't that big a deal to me he is a flaming racist. If you really have that much interest, spend the next ten years listening then get back to me and we'll discuss it further.

J D Sal

It's pretty disappointing that a lawyer has no respect for the requirements of evidence to prove a case. What an embarrassment.

Mainefan · 09-03-2007, 10:17 AM

JD Sal, I've listened to both sides of this and I'm sure you're sincere. However, the word "racist" is an atomic bomb today and shouldn't be used casually, even if you believe it.

What's better is to point out specific language or specific incidents, and perhaps to point out that his preconceptions make his opinions untrustworthy. Patfranken, who knows him, did that as best he could.

But let's end it here. There is no way to prove the charge to everyone's satisfaction, and no way to disprove it either. So further words on the subject are really wasted and unnecessarily provocative.

JDSal45 · 09-03-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyExpress

It's pretty disappointing that a lawyer has no respect for the requirements of evidence to prove a case. What an embarrassment.

Oh really now? Let me know when you passed the bar. There is no requirement you have something on tape or an admission to prove it. I'd say 90% of criminal cases are proven without such evidence.

J D Sal

***DaBruinz*** · 09-03-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDSal45

Sorry, I don't keep a log book. Racism isn't necessarily overt. Sometimes a racist doesn't even realize he is one. They aren't all cross burners. Its my opinion. You can disagree, that is fine. But I also disagree with your convenient requirements. Makes it easy on Fred or anyone else. You're free to feel he isn't one. I am free to feel he is one, based on years of listening to his opinions, who he rips and why and positions. That is my proof. So if you want to analyze it, I guess you'd have to get a tape of every single time he has ever been on 'EEI and take it in total. If this isn't good enough for you, sorry. But you just look at it different. My opinion is my opinion. I'm pretty confident I'm right. Smerlas is one.

J D Sal

Sorry, JD, but this is a cop out and truly irresponsible of you. You make claims of Smerlas being a racist, yet, when questioned on it, you can't give examples of racist comments that Smerlas has made? In fact, instead of giving an example, you attempt to spin it in such a way that even if you gave an example, it wouldn't meet what everyone expects to be a racist comment.

I don't care if you've been listening to the guy for 30 years. Calling someone a racist is extremely damning. Yes, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are also entitled to the repercussions that you get for voicing said opinion. In fact, you do realize that, by not providing a basis for support, you are slandering Fred Smerlas and he'd have the right to subpeona your personal information from Patsfans.com and file a lawsuit against you for your comments since they were made in a public forum.

OH, and, btw, your little spiel about people not realizing that they are racist is the biggest load of crap I've seen since Aquafan4ever posted that he's was trying to be a journalist.

***DaBruinz*** · 09-03-2007, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDSal45

Irresponsible? Give me a ******* break. I have listened to the guy and have an opinionl. He is a public figure. Its not a "feeling"...I told you its based on who he rips and why, his opinions and things he says. Do I write them all down? No I don't. Sorry, but it sure makes it easy to say oh there is no proof. Convenient. I know he made some anti-gay remark on a NY radio station. That isn't racism, but if he had never said that on the radio I guess to you that would mean he isn't anti-gay. When that was pretty predictable before that incident too.

Whatever. You want to defend him for whatever reason. I am free to listen to what he says and his opinions on people and form an opinion without being required to carry around a notebook to form that opinion. I am perfectly comfortable that 10 years or more of listening is sufficiently fair.

J D Sal

Yes, its irresponsible. Extremely so. And if you want a break, go stick your leg out in front of the T when its coming into North Station.

Yes, you are free to listen to what he says and form your opinions. You are free to voice those opinions. As a goddamned lawyer, you should know damn well that you are NOT free from the persecution that could stem from your voicing your opinions. That is the part of Freedom of Speech that people like yourself always forget.

And, while no one said you had to carry around a friggin notebook, if what you claimed were true, you'd be able to real off a half-a-dozen "racist" comments that Smerlas made without a problem.

You, sir, should be disbarred for your comments. Yes, they are irresponsible and your a friggin moron if you think otherwise.

Nordy · 09-03-2007, 10:32 AM

Man would all of you shut up. One guy has an opinion and he's entitled to it. There's no need to keep arguing in circles about it.

JDSal45 · 09-03-2007, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaBruinz

Sorry, JD, but this is a cop out and truly irresponsible of you. You make claims of Smerlas being a racist, yet, when questioned on it, you can't give examples of racist comments that Smerlas has made? In fact, instead of giving an example, you attempt to spin it in such a way that even if you gave an example, it wouldn't meet what everyone expects to be a racist comment.

I don't care if you've been listening to the guy for 30 years. Calling someone a racist is extremely damning. Yes, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are also entitled to the repercussions that you get for voicing said opinion. In fact, you do realize that, by not providing a basis for support, you are slandering Fred Smerlas and he'd have the right to subpeona your personal information from Patsfans.com and file a lawsuit against you for your comments since they were made in a public forum.

OH, and, btw, your little spiel about people not realizing that they are racist is the biggest load of crap I've seen since Aquafan4ever posted that he's was trying to be a journalist.

I think its irresponsible to think someone can only be a racist if I carried around a notebook to prove it. Listen to the guy. Form your own opinion I don't care. I think he is one. Its never been important enough to me to write down something that would make you happy (and likely wouldn't anyways). It makes no difference what my opinion is, he either is or isn't. I think he is. And I can say that if I want. Its not like I have never heard the guy. I have listened long enough to form an opinion. Its merely an opinion.

J D Sal

***DaBruinz*** · 09-03-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDSal45

I don't give a **** if you'd like me to or not. You don't feel he is one. Great. I got your point. I am not changing my opinion or my definition to fit yours. So we might as well move on to something else.

J D Sal

Then take your sorry piece of garbage lying arse out of here and don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out. Your comments are irresponsible and inflammatory. And Smerlas would have every right to slap a slander lawsuit on your sorry arse.

YOU are the type of person who truly disgusts me. You are the equivalent of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. And, honestly, you are nothing but a piece of *****.

Your comments should get you disbarred from practicing law.