NBA player Joakim Noah skips Knicks dinner with West Point cadets due to anti-war stance (legal, speech)

[Suburban_Guy]

All these 'heroes' lately, thanks for nothing Colin.

Joakim Noah skips Knicks dinner with West Point cadets due to anti-war stance – ProBasketballTalk

The Knicks have held training camp at West Point the last few years, and last night, the team dined with Army cadets.

But Joakim Noah didn’t participate.

Noah, via Marc Berman of the New York Post:

“It’s hard for me a little bit – I have a lot of respect for the kids here fighting — but it’s hard for me to understand why we go to war and why kids have to kill kids all around the world,’’ Noah said. “I have mixed feeling about being here. I’m very proud of this country. I love America. I don’t understand kids killing kids around the world.’’

Noah received permission from Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek to skip the team function. He was the only member of the team not in attendance. Noah said his decision to skip the dinner and speech was not intended as a form of protest.

“It’s not my way of saying anything – I was not comfortable,’’ Noah said.

Noah has dual citizenship in the United States and France, the home of his father, Yannick Noah, the former tennis star. Noah admitted he’s “not very patriotic,’’ believing people should respect people more than “flags.’’

[NigerianNightmare]

What's wrong with what he said?

[Dockside]

It's NY, no one will care and the Knicks will still suck.

[bullandre]

He's free to do whatever -- have no problem with his stance.

[DerpyDerp]

Freedom of speech. But it would have been classier if he had just stayed away and not made any comment at all.

[odanny]

Originally Posted by NigerianNightmare

What's wrong with what he said?

Not a damn thing.

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by Suburban_Guy

All these 'heroes' lately, thanks for nothing Colin.

Joakim Noah skips Knicks dinner with West Point cadets due to anti-war stance – ProBasketballTalk

"but it’s hard for me to understand why we go to war and why kids have to kill kids all around the world,’’

I wonder what courses he took in high school and college.

Having said that, it us up to is employer to decide to allow it or not.

[eddiehaskell]

We have Anerican children killing people?

[Snowball7]

Cheers for Noah, we need more non-compliance and conscience in this country.
How else can we exercise our INALIENABLE RIGHTS ?

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by NigerianNightmare

What's wrong with what he said?

Wrong by being incorrect or wrong legally?

Using the words kids is apparently acceptable and the right word to use but it shows his ignorance on politics. He'll be a great politician when he leaves the NBA.

Why doesn't he just refuse to step onto west point for ANY practice? He's probably afraid that he'll have to defend his comments with facts and calling everyone kids probably won't go to we'll for him.

Overall, predict that this will be the last year the Knicks practice at all on west point. The Knicks organization decided to make their team a political statement.