The Inquirer reported that Billionaire James Maguire sent a letter to the University of Pennsylvania President, Amy Gutmann that said, “I am serving notice to you that the Maguire Foundation and I personally will not be renewing any scholarship gifts or pledges (present or future) nor undertaking any future commitments to Penn.”
Maguire is unhappy that the majority of the Penn Basketball Team sits in protest when the National Anthem is played before games.
Maguire also sent the same letter to St. Joseph’s University President, Mark Reed. In the letter he also wrote, “By copy of this letter I am asking Saint Joseph’s to uninvite your team to their campus on December 8th for that game. To openly support disrespect to our country and to our flag is wrong and I do not want to be part of this disrespect.”
Maguire was referring to the game scheduled for next week when St. Joe’s hosts Penn at the Hagan Arena (should be a really good game).
Notwithstanding the fact that Maguire has been by far the most generous financial donor to St. Joseph’s, Liz Kennedy Walsh told the Inquirer, “What I can tell you, St Joseph’s absolutely will be hosting Penn on Dec. 8 as scheduled.”
Delgreco Wilson publishes a blog called “The Black Cager, A Black Perspective On Collegiate Athletics.” He had this to say about Maguire’s effort to cancel the St. Joe’s – Penn Game –
Again, Penn will be just fine… St. Joseph’s, however, is in very a tough spot. It has been and continues to be a primary beneficiary of Maguire’s incredible philanthropy. He has given away hundreds of millions of dollars to educational causes, with billions left to disperse.
A tough predicament for President Reed and Bodensteiner for sure… St. Joseph’s University and the St. Joseph’s Athletic Department need Maguire and the Maguire Foundation.
Does the St. Joseph’s administration accept his assertion that the protests are disrespectful to our country and the flag? If so, how does the administration respond. If not, how does St. Joseph’s manage to remain in the good graces of the most generous benefactor in the history of the school?
Seems almost quaint to be engaged in this conversation at this point. I thought peaceful non-violent protests of the anthem were officially categorized as acceptable behavior in American society – the Kaeperneck effect. I guess I miscalculated. I thought we were trying to figure out if the erection of gallows on the grounds of the nation’s capital was acceptable. I assumed we were more focused on armed insurrections aimed at overturning duly conducted elections. Those seem like more pressing and hot-button protest-related issues these days. Coming after protestors for kneeling/sitting during the anthem is so 2016. Now, if the Penn kids were smearing shit on paintings and statues while rhythmically screaming “Hang Mike Pence” as they invaded the US the Capital to thwart the peaceful transfer of power, I’d understand the trepidation surrounding their activities.
They should keep sitting and protesting in any peaceful matter! I think it is appalling that a person is willing to hurt many others due to the actions of 10 or so young kids who are peacefully protesting the injustices displayed here in the U.S. We send our kids to school to become critical and independent thinkers. And as soon as they display any independent thinking that differs with a wealthy person of power (typically a white male person), that person wants to penalize them. This is the trumpish, putinish and autocratic thinking of these folks. Their motto is “You are allowed to think as you like, as long I agree with it!” There so many more important issues he could be upset with!
We happen to know that so-called white male person you elitist are referring to…. He believes in basic common respect to our heroes, including some of my own family, who were shot in battle and sacrificed their lives in order for the spoiled racist woke movement to be able to have these freedoms…. And it’s those freedoms that also give the rest of us the right to stand together for all races and defy the elite racist woke culture.
Comparing this to a group of foolish idiots from Jan 6th is another example of being completely out of touch!
Woke culture is still free to continue being ignorant and disrespectful – but those of us with integrity also have the right to defy those selfish players by standing up for our great country, it’s real heroes, and our wonderful minorities who are being disrespected by this woke ignorance the most!
In conclusion, this disrespectful and racist woke culture just may need to go right back to sleep!
God bless.
Keep sitting.
The more things change, the more things stay the same.