Bill Maher is a comedian and talkshow host. He was responding to the Washington Commanders’ decision to punish Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator for tweeting his views on Twitter.
Del Rio reached out to Congress via Twitter to inquire why Congress would not hold hearings concerning the January 6 Capitol Rios. However, he did ask for hearings regarding months of violence wrought by the BLM in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
Del Rio tried to explain the tweet to reporters on the week following.
“I see the images on TV, people’s livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being burned down,”Del Rio made the comment in a now-deleted Tweet. “No problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, where nothing burned down. And we’re going to make that a major deal.”
The media honed in on Del Rio’s characterization of the January 6 riot as a “dust-up”He launched a social-media campaign against Del Rio that culminated in Del Rio’s public blundering and being fined $100,000.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 10, 2022
Del Rio was noted by the Commandants in their statement “does have the right to voice his opinion as a citizen of the United States and it most certainly is his constitutional right to do so.”
Maher was prompted to make this statement. “Don’t pee on my shoes and tell me it’s raining.”
HBO’s @BillMaherJack Del Rio is subject to a $100,000 penalty “He has a right to be wrong….Fining people for an opinion. I’m not down with that.”Ron Rivera, Re Coach: He has constitutional right of expression “Don’t pee on my shoe and tell me it’s raining.” #RealTime pic.twitter.com/o4yAc1grdJ
— Brent Baker 🇺 (@BrentHBaker) June 18, 2022
“He has the right to be wrong,”Maher stated. “In America, you have the right to be wrong. They fined him, the team fined him, $100,000 for this opinion. Fining people for an opinion. I am not down with that.”
Maher’s opinion used to be established fact. A person’s opinion could be entirely wrong, yet the person still had a right to express it. This is the frightening turn in culture that Del Rio represents. A coach cannot have a personal opinion and risk being fined.
That’s terrifying.
Del Rio’s description of the 1/6 Riot as “a riot” initially seemed to be a reason for being fined. “dust-up.” However, after reading the Commanders’ statement, it becomes abundantly clear that he was punished for his opinion on comparing the 1/6 hearing to the Floyd riots. If they didn’t, then why would they say so? “not tolerate any equivalency between those who demanded justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the actions of those on January 6 who sought to topple our government.”
They were clearly shaming Del Rio and his views, not calling the 1/6 Riot “a joke”. “dust-up.”
Del Rio deleted his twitter account following the news of the fine.
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