When you are reporting on another business? Maybe if this was in your own workplace, yeah I could see that. But when you step foot into another business to report on what happens there, can you claim sexual harrassment on something that they find acceptable? If a reporter wants to make a column regarding the HBO series "Real Sex" and walks into an office to find a lithograph with the Real Sex opening scene on it, can they claim sexual harrassment because there is a picture of TNA in an HBO office? This blowup doll wasnt intended to offend any specific person. As said earlier, nobody put a nametag that said "Slezak" on this blowup doll.

 

Good point. I'm not exactly sure what the laws/ lines of sexual harassment are, so I don't know how this would fit in. Maybe some sort of "expectations" clause or something -- its fair to expect such a thing if you're reporting in an adult book store, but is it fair to expect it in a clubhouse?

 

Either way, I don't care about this incident too much. I think its stupid and childish, but its not going to stop me from going to the games. Their terrible play might, though.

were going to need to up the offensiveness in our slumpbusters if we plan to get out of this one. Maybe if we say the blow up doll is black, a gay dude that had a sex change, and prefers christian bale instead of val kilmer in batman movies.

What law prohibits a blowup doll from an office? Companies may have policies that prohibit them, but I doubt any law is in place making blowup dolls illegal in a workplace

It is a form of sexual harassment which is illegal, same as hanging pornography.

Are you suggesting that a business can declare themselves exempt from laws? Laws are written that specifically exempt certain companies from specific laws, but it doesn't work in reverse. Companies cannot declare themselves above the law.

Not exempt from the law, just above it. Atleast in this circumstance. The reaction from a blowup doll with baseball bats inserted up its ass will have two different reactions within an office building and a baseball clubhouse. Unlawful and unfair as it may be, the atmosphere associated with a baseball clubhouse should lend people to, atleast, expect acts such as this are possible. You'd never expect hazing, such as RockRaines has been talking about, in an office.

Edited May 6, 200817 yr by Flash Tizzle

YEEHAWW! Them Sox sure is funny! They likes ta cuss, they likes ta put bats 'n dolls. Gosh dern wimin in thir complainin'! Where's mah rifle? YEEHAWW!

and prefers christian bale instead of val kilmer in batman movies.

There's nothing offensive about that...

No exempt from the love, just above the law. Atleast in this circumstance. The reaction from a blowup doll with baseball bats inserted up its ass will have two different reactions within an office building and a baseball clubhouse. Unlawful and unfair as it may be, the atmosphere associated with a baseball clubhouse should lend people to, atleast, expect acts such as this are possible. You'd never expect hazing, such as RockRaines has been talking about, in an office.

 

well, then you get into the whole argument of why should we continue to allow/ expect it even if we allowed/ expected it in the past?

were going to need to up the offensiveness in our slumpbusters

 

Or we can bring up the fact that very few baseball players are faithful to their wives, or a myriad of other problems in MLB's culture. This is peanuts in comparison.

 

 

I will say that, regardless of if your offended by this or not (and I'm not), the guys should know better than to throw out a stunt like this. That is, unless they enjoy controversy, because the fact is everybody knew this was going to "blow up" (pardon the pun) into a big story. Carol Slezak should still be ashamed for writing that cliche ridden, predictable, mail it in column though. No new perspective in that at all.

Edited May 6, 200817 yr by whitesoxfan101

It is a form of sexual harassment which is illegal, same as hanging pornography.

 

Given that MLB owners have been knowingly allowing steroids and amphetamines to be used on their property for decades and no charges have been brought against them, good luck with that argument.

 

 

There's nothing offensive about that...

 

lol, i thought you'd get a kick out of that

I think I found the reporter that ratted out the sox on this.

 

He wrote a poem about it and used Dolphin safe tuna as well.

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 200817 yr by southsideirish71

Yes, this is a locker room, it is also the area that the EMPLOYER has opened up and wants visitors to come in and report on what they see. The EMPLOYER hopes to parlay that publicity into more profits for them. They use those profits to pay the employees millions of dollars. The image the team portrays, whether accurate or not, also increases or decreases the profits for the team. Players understand this and some perform better in that role (Thome, Payton) then others (Bonds, Thomas)

 

Perhaps this publicity will increase the fan base with people who think blow up dolls are great entertainment. That will really improve the image of Sox fans everywhere.

YEEHAWW! Them Sox sure is funny! They likes ta cuss, they likes ta put bats 'n dolls. Gosh dern wimin in thir complainin'! Where's mah rifle? YEEHAWW!

LOL, so people who don't care about this story and fail to see its offense suddenly have become hillbillies? You've made quite the assumption from just a simple incident such as this.

 

It'd be like me calling you some limp wristed Clay Aiken fan because you care about the feelings of women with a simple prank in a profession where it's hardly unexpected.

What should be done? I see a lot of people are very angry right now, and that's your right, but what should be done to "fix" this? Complaining and being offended doesn't fix or change anything.

Edited May 6, 200817 yr by whitesoxfan101

LOL, so people who don't care about this story and fail to see its offense suddenly have become hillbillies? You've made quite the assumption from just a simple incident such as this.

 

It'd be like me calling you some limp wristed Clay Aiken fan because you care about the feelings of women with a simple prank in a profession where it's hardly unexpected.

 

+1

 

Yes, this is a locker room, it is also the area that the EMPLOYER has opened up and wants visitors to come in and report on what they see. The EMPLOYER hopes to parlay that publicity into more profits for them. They use those profits to pay the employees millions of dollars. The image the team portrays, whether accurate or not, also increases or decreases the profits for the team. Players understand this and some perform better in that role (Thome, Payton) then others (Bonds, Thomas)

 

Perhaps this publicity will increase the fan base with people who think blow up dolls are great entertainment. That will really improve the image of Sox fans everywhere.

Nobody wants reporters to come in and report on what they see. They are there to get quotes and such on BASEBALL.

Current poll on the sun times website:

 

50 percent aren't offended by the doll

32 percent are more concerned about the losing streak

18 percent are offended

 

Just for the sake of discussion, and that was with a couple thousand votes in.

LOL, so people who don't care about this story and fail to see its offense suddenly have become hillbillies? You've made quite the assumption from just a simple incident such as this.

 

It'd be like me calling you some limp wristed Clay Aiken fan because you care about the feelings of women with a simple prank in a profession where it's hardly unexpected.

+2

Nice stretch Steve.

What should be done? I see a lot of people are very angry right now, and that's your right, but what should be done to "fix" this? Complaining and being offended doesn't fix or change anything.

 

fix what? creativity and humor

sorry i shouldn't have started the argument again.. just nevermind

Nobody wants reporters to come in and report on what they see. They are there to get quotes and such on BASEBALL.

 

They love the human interest stories as well. Visiting sick kids in hospitals, etc.

 

And once again, everyone knows the rules. This is nothing new. reporters have been in the lockers room foreverm female reporters for thirty years. But these guys are too stupid to unerstand boundaries in an area that the public will see?

It'd be like me calling you some limp wristed Clay Aiken fan because you care about the feelings of women with a simple prank in a profession where it's hardly unexpected.

What're you talking about? Obviously this dude is just plain awesome! He likes football!

 

 

And sorry, the yeehaw's wasn't what I think anyone who disagrees with me is like. It's what I think outsider's perceptions of Sox fans might become, which would group me into it.

 

 

I think the business comparison is a good one. And i think that their business takes place on the field, not in the lockerroom. While the reporting creates exposure and influences the bottom line, i think it is an indirect source and does not need to completely comply to business policies.

And sorry, the yeehaw's wasn't what I think anyone who disagrees with me is like. It's what I think outsider's perceptions of Sox fans might become, which would group me into it.

 

Why would the perception of fans become that over something the team did? And that's besides the bigger point which is our fans have a lousy perception anyways, so too late.