Legendary hockey commentator Don Cherry was fired on Monday over pro-veteran comments deemed too controversial towards immigrants. But he’s not backing down.
Cherry, a sports writer, retired professional hockey player and National Hockey League coach, made the comments during a broadcast that was about to segue into a segment on Remembrance Day, similar to Memorial Day in America.
The icon voiced his disdain for people that come to live in the downtown Toronto area but refuse to take a moment to honor fallen veterans.
“You people love — you, that come here, whatever it is — you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey. At least you could pay a couple of bucks for poppies or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life, that you enjoy in Canada,'” Cherry said.
For that, he was fired.
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Comment that got Don Cherry fired:
“People … come here, whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk & honey. At least you can pay a couple of bucks for poppies .. These guys pay for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada. These guys pay the biggest price.” pic.twitter.com/QWoQPaiY47
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) November 11, 2019
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Backlash
The network Cherry worked for, Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet, almost immediately caved in to the far-left backlash over his comments, which included a ‘#FireDonCherry’ hashtag campaign.
“Sports bring people together — it unites us, not divides us,” reads a statement from Network President Bart Yablsey. “During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for.”
Your values don’t reflect basic respect for veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice? Hell of a place to work for, Mr. Yablsey.
The NHL followed suit in kneeling to the outrage mob.
“While we recognize Don Cherry’s four decades of service broadcasting NHL games, today’s decision was a justifiable response to his comments on Saturday night,” a statement by the league declares. “The opinions he expressed are in direct conflict with the values of diversity and inclusion that we embrace as pillars of the sport.”
Another entity that doesn’t value veterans. Wonderful.
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If only [Don Cherry had] done something more innocuous, like repeatedly wearing blackface as an adult, he’d have qualified to earn the support of millions of Canadian liberals who are happy to see him booted off the air today. https://t.co/csNQ7mXPKf
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 12, 2019
Don Cherry Fights Back
Following his firing, Cherry has opted to keep voicing his opinion. And he isn’t backing down any time soon.
When asked about his dismissal by the Toronto Sun, the 85-year-old commentator simply responded, “No problem.”
“I know what I said and I meant it. Everybody in Canada should wear a poppy to honor our fallen soldiers,” Cherry added, noting that his comments weren’t bigoted but rather, patriotic and respectful of our troops.
WARMINGTON: Fired and betrayed, Don Cherry stands firm | Toronto Sun https://t.co/xKameiFZbR
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) November 12, 2019
“I speak the truth and I walk the walk,” Cherry went on. “I have visited the bases of the troops, been to Afghanistan with our brave soldiers at Christmas, been to cemeteries of our fallen around the world and honored our fallen troops on Coach’s Corner.”
“To keep my job, I cannot be turned into a tamed robot.”
