Is Hamilton Turning Too Political?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8727731/Lewis-Hamilton-dons-T-shirt-calling-arrest-cops-shot-killed-Breonna-Taylor.html
Just drive the jam jar Lewis!

[Ellipsis]

He can do what he likes. Why should he listen to you? Or anybody else, for that matter.

[ToraToraTora]

crikey me old china, take a chill pill, this is a Q&A site and I am asking a question.

[Ken4155]

Why does it bother you so much, TTT? Lewis Hamilton believes he has a message to deliver and what better place than in front of the cameras. Does it detract from his skills as a driver? Obviously not. Same as other sportsmen taking the knee. It doesn't affect their performances on the field of play. Can't see why so many are getting their bloomers in a bind over it.

[Old_Geezer]

There are usually limits to doing what you like. His sponsors should be wary of political statements that could affect their business.

[Spicerack]

I can.

[jim360]

I suppose it all depends on what you think about the message he's trying to spread -- but there's nothing inherently unreasonable about using your public profile to try and spread a message about your political views.

Otherwise we're left in the position where political discussion is restricted to politicians and to people nobody can ever listen to.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Couple of very naive answers here. If hamilton had a hoody on stating ' Covid is a government lie to oppress people' he would probably be criticised for being 'political' too. It depends on the message who decides if it's wrong. He is a very high-profile sportsman and as such should not be allowed to give a platform to controversial political statements.
As for his motivations...like most other 'celebrities' it's to get publicity and endear themselves to certain factions of the public.

[Spicerack]

Imagine all the real good he could do if he came home and paid tax. Not holding my breath mind.

[ichkeria]

You can't even wear a T-shirt these days without the thought police getting at you. Whatever next :-)

I was alarmed tho to see that a BBC DJ had been reprimanded by the boss for calling the governemt a pile of faeces or something. Not a very clever comment perhaps, but done on his personal Twitter account not live on air, which would not be good.

[Mozz71]

The cops who shot unarmed Breonna Taylor should be prosecuted? Well, regardless of what you feel about Hamilton, he's not wrong in this instance. Breonna's murder was one of the worst instances of police incompetence in recent times. The cop shot several rounds blindly into rhe apartment. It was fortunate there were no kids involved.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/breonna-taylor-police.html

[mushroom25]

// He can do what he likes. //

no he can't.
https://www.fia.com/regulation/category/110
the FIA could pull his licence if it thought it necessary.

[Ken4155]

Sport and politics are forever linked. Jesse Owens flicking Hitler off by winning multiple gold in '36, the war between El Salvador and Honduras, the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the 'Old Firm' derby, etc, etc.

[ichkeria]

I suppose the point is, should he make his point in that way.

I don't know.

[jim360]

Not naive at all, APG. You could institute a blanket rule that all political messages of any kind whatsoever, even the "uncontroversial" ones, are banned at least in the immediate environment of the race. I'm not sure what's controversial about asking for these particular policemen to be arrested and charged, given the circumstances, but there we are.

The alternative is to allow people to spread whatever message they choose, as long as they're happy to accept the reaction.

[bednobs]

what do [eople think of sports men and women wearing poppies? That could be viewed as a "political" statement, but I guess that's ok

[Ken4155]

Dismissing his actions as a mere publicity stunt shows just why he feels the need to do it in the first place.

[ichkeria]

The difficulty with these things is where do you draw the line.
The message in itself is not all that controversial I would have thought, but I can see why they have a rule, because once you use your job to highlight it then it does become an issue.
Someone else might wear a T shirt saying something like "Ban gay marriages" or "I support gay marriages" or "Boris Johnson is a ****".
Easier to say "no" to all.

[-SharonA-]

Ttt I am sure if you felt strongly about something, you would do something about it. Even in the workplace, maybe fire up a few colleagues, put a poster up on the notice board etc.

[dannyk13]

Bednobs // That could be viewed as a "political" statement, but I guess that's ok//
The wearing of poppies is to commemorate the dead of two world wars.That is not political in any shape or form.

[Spicerack]

Didn't FIFA ban (or try to ban) players wearing poppies, bednobs?
All these fools, and quite a few on here, jumped on the BLM bandwagon without having a clue what they were about