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PINEAPPLE BELONGS ON PIZZA! Who knew “them’s fightin’ words?”
ESPN came to Charlottesville, Virginia for February 9th Game Day featuring #1 DUKE vs. #3 UVA. Cavalier students camped out days in advance, only to have their homemade signs confiscated by ESPN Secret Service-like looking men.
Anything political was nixed. You did not see these signs in JPJ Arena.
TONY FOR GOVERNOR (Tony Bennett is the coach)
MAKE UVA #1 AGAIN
CAN YOUR MANAGER SHOOT 100%?
PINEAPPLE BELONGS ON PIZZA
Apparently, alluding to our VA Governor’s current crisis was a no-no.
The slight nod to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN was deemed political.
The word SHOOT was a threat.
???
Context folks. Context. Shoot! My daughter is a nursing student who was merely praising the manager of UVA’s team whose playing time is perfection, never missing a basket. Next time my daughter’s sign will read: CAN YOUR MANAGER !!XXRE!!!! 100%? Or perhaps, CAN YOUR MANAGER throw the ball into the air and sink it into the basket 100% of the time? Somebody said all signs with numbers were removed. So maybe it needs to read CAN YOUR MANAGER HURL THE BALL INTO THE BASKET EVERY TIME WITH PERFECTION? Or would hurl be too offensive, graphic or violent?
One fan sarcastically responded: “As an elderly person what if I find the word DRIBBLE offensive?”
We lost to Duke that evening. It probably had something to do with our intimidating signs being left out in the cold. I have let go of my frustration and poke fun at this political correctness. But I am curious, why the censorship?
Surely my second year Global Security/International Relations Major wearing a giraffe onesie and holding a pizza sign, is not a threat. The contraband confiscators told her, “It can’t have Pizza on it.”
How about YOU? Do you like pineapple on your pizza? Careful! This could be political! Maybe you shouldn’t speak up right now about your favorite pizza toppings. Then again, if you don’t, there may be more signs of censorship and less opportunity to voice your opinion. That would be a downer.
The UPSIDE is that, in America, we do have a voice—if we use it. We have the freedom to ask the questions. We can speak up. We can use our voice to make positive changes. And if we don’t? We might be stuck with cheese pizza.
