Anti Bush sign has the World of Bridge in an uproar

«We did not vote for Bush» ...... la controverse
Des joueuses de bridge américaines anti-Bush
censurées par leur fédération
From left, Jill Levin, Jill Meyers, Debbie Rosenberg and Irina Levitina of the Venice Cup
championship team in Shanghai.
15 novembre 13:19 - WASHINGTON (AFP) - Des joueuses de bridge américaines se sont attirées
les foudres de leur fédération pour avoir osé, au cours d'une remise de médailles à l'issue d'un
championnat en Chine, brandir les mots: "Nous n'avons pas voté pour Bush!".
Un championnat de bridge à New York, en 2004 AFP/GETTY IMAGES - Mario Tama
Le mois dernier à Shangai, l'équipe féminine américaine de bridge a gravi le podium des
championnats 2007 de la fédération mondiale de bridge en tenant ces mots inscrits au dos d'un
menu, alors qu'elles allaient recevoir la médaille d'or.
La fédération américaine de bridge a crié au scandale contre "cette déclaration politique" arguant
qu'il était particulièrement déplacé de la faire en Chine où les actes de dissidence ne sont pas
tolérés. La fédération a même menacé de suspendre ses joueuses pour un an, a indiqué à l'AFP la
capitaine de l'équipe, Gail Greenberg.
"Nous avons fait cela ensemble pour différentes raisons", a-t-elle expliqué.
"En tant que capitaine, je l'ai fait car j'en avais assez d'entendre parler de ce sentiment antiaméricain", a indiqué Mme Greenberg.
Leur action a d'ailleurs été chaleureusement accueillie par le public, a-t-elle raconté: "Ils ont
applaudi, ils ont ri, ils sont venus à nous pour nous remercier".
"La réaction de colère est venue du côté de nos compatriotes américains qui ont pensé que nous
manquions de patriotisme, particulièrement en Chine, où on ne peut rien dire contre son
gouvernement", a-t-elle ajouté.
Le directoire de la fédération américaine de bridge (USBF) a même voté pour des poursuites envers
les joueuses pour "comportement indigne d'un membre", selon le site de l'USBF.
Selon la fédération, il ne s'agit pas d'un cas de défense de la liberté d'expression, mais "de
déterminer si l'USBF peut imposer des sanctions contre ceux qui agissent contre l'intérêt de
l'organisation et de ses membres".
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE USBF BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE 2007 VENICE
CUP-WINNING TEAM
The United States Bridge Federation (USBF) and the US Venice Cup world championship bridge
team are pleased to mutually announce that we have resolved all issues relating to events that
occurred at the closing ceremony of the 2007 World Bridge Championship in Shanghai. We all
believe that it is in the best interests of bridge to put this behind us so that we can focus on
playing the game we love.
The USBF Board has dismissed all charges against the members of the Venice Cup team.
The members of the USA1 Venice Cup Championship team recognize that it is a legitimate
request of the USBF, when sending teams to represent the United States, that all participants
refrain from using the stage for the Medal Ceremonies as a platform for anything other than
receiving their medals.
For the future the USBF will make certain that the Guidelines are clearer as to what is expected.
We all look forward to resuming our mutual enjoyment of bridge and to working together to
promote the game.
L'article du New York Times
Anti-Bush Sign Has Bridge World in an Uproar
New york Times Published: November 14, 2007 by Stephanie Strom
In the genteel world of bridge, disputes are usually handled quietly and rarely involve issues of
national policy. But in a fight reminiscent of the brouhaha over an anti-Bush statement by Natalie
Maines of the Dixie Chicks in 2003, a team of women who represented the United States at the
world bridge championships in Shanghai last month is facing sanctions, including a yearlong ban
from competition, for a spur-of-the-moment protest.
At issue is a crudely lettered sign, scribbled on the back of a menu, that was held up at an awards
dinner and read, “We did not vote for Bush.”
By e-mail, angry bridge players have accused the women of “treason” and “sedition.”
“This isn’t a free-speech issue,” said Jan Martel, president of the United States Bridge Federation,
the nonprofit group that selects teams for international tournaments. “There isn’t any question that
private organizations can control the speech of people who represent them.”
Not so, said Danny Kleinman, a professional bridge player, teacher and columnist. “If the U.S.B.F.
wants to impose conditions of membership that involve curtailment of free speech, then it cannot
claim to represent our country in international competition,” he said by e-mail.
Ms. Martel said the action by the team, which had won the Venice Cup, the women’s title, at the
Shanghai event, could cost the federation corporate sponsors.
The players have been stunned by the reaction to what they saw as a spontaneous gesture, “a
moment of levity,” said Gail Greenberg, the team’s nonplaying captain and winner of 11 world
championships.
“What we were trying to say, not to Americans but to our friends from other countries, was that we
understand that they are questioning and critical of what our country is doing these days, and we
want you to know that we, too, are critical,” Ms. Greenberg said, stressing that she was speaking for
herself and not her six teammates.
The controversy has gone global, with the French team offering support for its American
counterparts.
“By trying to address these issues in a nonviolent, nonthreatening and lighthearted manner,” the
French team wrote in by e-mail to the federation’s board and others, “you were doing only what
women of the world have always tried to do when opposing the folly of men who have lost their
perspective of reality.”
The proposed sanctions would hurt the team’s playing members financially. “I earn my living from
bridge, and a substantial part of that from being hired to compete in high-level competitions,”
Debbie Rosenberg, a team member, said. “So being barred would directly affect much of my
ability to earn a living.”
A hearing is scheduled this month in San Francisco, where thousands of players will be gathered for
the Fall North American Bridge Championships. It will determine whether displaying the sign
constitutes conduct unbecoming a federation member.
Three players— Hansa Narasimhan, JoAnna Stansby and Jill Meyers — have expressed regret
that the action offended some people. The federation has proposed a settlement to Ms. Greenberg
and the three other players, Jill Levin, Irina Levitina and Ms. Rosenberg, who have not made any
mollifying statements.
It calls for a one-year suspension from federation events, including the World Bridge Olympiad next
year in Beijing; a one-year probation after that suspension; 200 hours of community service “that
furthers the interests of organized bridge”; and an apology drafted by the federation’s lawyer.
It would also require them to write a statement telling “who broached the idea of displaying the
sign, when the idea was adopted, etc.”
Alan Falk, a lawyer for the federation, wrote the four team members on Nov. 6, “I am instructed to
press for greater sanction against anyone who rejects this compromise offer.”
Ms. Greenberg said she decided to put up the sign in response to questions from players from other
countries about American interrogation techniques, the war in Iraq and other foreign policy issues.
“There was a lot of anti-Bush feeling, questioning of our Iraq policy and about torture,” Ms.
Greenberg said. “I can’t tell you it was an overwhelming amount, but there were several specific
comments, and there wasn’t the same warmth you usually feel at these events.”
Ms. Rosenberg said the team members intended the sign as a personal statement that demonstrated
American values and noted that it was held up at the same time some team members were singing
along to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and waving small American flags.
“Freedom to express dissent against our leaders has traditionally been a core American value,” she
wrote by e-mail. “Unfortunately, the Bush brand of patriotism, where criticizing Bush means you
are a traitor, seems to have penetrated a significant minority of U.S. bridge players.”
Through a spokesman, the other team members declined to discuss the matter. Ms. Narasimhan, Ms.
Stansby and Ms. Meyers have been offered a different settlement agreement, but Ms. Martel
declined to discuss it in detail.
Many of those offended by the sign do not consider the expressions of regret sufficient. “I think an
apology is kind of specious,” said Jim Kirkham, who has played in several bridge championships.
“It’s not that I don’t forgive them, but I still think they should be punished.”
Mr. Kirkham sits on the board of the American Contract Bridge League, which accounts for a
substantial portion of the federation’s financing, Ms. Martel said, and has submitted a proposal that
would cut the league’s support for the federation, one of two such proposals pending.
Robert S. Wolff, one of the country’s pre-eminent bridge players, who has served as an executive
and board member of several bridge organizations, said that he understood that the women might
have had a legal right to do what they did but that they had offended many people.
“While I believe in the right to free speech, to me that doesn’t give anyone the right to criticize
one’s leader at a foreign venue in a totally nonpolitical event,” he wrote by e-mail.
David L. Anderson, a bridge player who supports the team, said it was common to see players at
international tournaments sporting buttons bearing the date “1-20-09,” when George W. Bush will
hand off to a new president, as well as buttons reading “Support Our Troops.”
“They don’t go after those people,” Mr. Anderson said.
Le lien
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/arts/14brid.html?ex=1352696400&en=b90e0afa07fabb1a&ei=
5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
LaVideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA4yv1tfXYk&
feature=related
Les Blogs qui en parlent
US Team Protests President Bush at World
Bridge Championships.
http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2007/11/usteam-protest.html
Bridge Too Far, on Jon Swift Blog
http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2007/11/bridge-toofar.html
Resolved by Stacy Jacobs
http://stacyjacobs.com/2007/11/20/resolved/
Les Forums
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