Althouse: Unfit.

June 8, 2020

Unfit.

"A tweet Saturday from CrossFit founder Greg Glassman that appeared to make light of both the death of George Floyd and the novel coronavirus pandemic resulted in a widespread backlash within the CrossFit community. On Sunday, Reebok announced it was ending its corporate partnership with the popular fitness company, and after some gyms said they were cutting ties to the CrossFit brand, and others said they’re considering doing so, Glassman issued an apology. Glassman was responding Saturday to a tweet posted by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), in which the research center declared, 'Racism is a public health issue.' 'It’s FLOYD-19,' replied Glassman, 63. That sparked outrage among some owners of CrossFit gyms, or 'boxes,' as they’re called, that pay fees of several thousands of dollars annually to license the brand."

From "CrossFit founder jokes about George Floyd as Reebok, gyms drop the brand" (WaPo).

If what you're selling is branding, you'd better maintain that product. You're asking other people to put your reputation on themselves! You're not a solo, roving comedian. Even if it had been a great joke — which it wasn't — Glassman was an idiot to tweet it.

87 comments:

Static Ping said...: You don't seem to understand. There is now only one proper worldview for all topics. You will be made to care.; 6/8/20, 8:35 AM
Static Ping said...: For the record, I am not saying that the joke is not in bad taste. The thing is that is not even relevant. You will have the opinions that are assigned to you or else.; 6/8/20, 8:37 AM
Lucien said...: “Racism is a public health issue”. And since everyone knows that governors, mayors, heck, even unelected county health officers, can rule by decree without letting any pesky constitutional rights getting in the way, so long as there’s a public health emergency (which can last at least until there’s a vaccine for racism), they can take necessary action BAMN.; 6/8/20, 8:41 AM
Dave Begley said...: The real story is how wildly wrong the IMHE and how much damage its flawed models did to the economy and physical health of Americans. How many people didn't get the surgery they needed during this so-called crisis?

Nebraska still hasn't reached the low end of the range (220 dead) that IMHE predicted.

And what *evidence* did IMHE have to reach this "medical" conclusion? How many dead per year due to racism?

I was by a Starbucks in Omaha today. Guys wearing masks were standing outside - at least six feet apart - wearing their masks. A bunch of liberal babies. And I *never* buy Starbucks. But I did own the stock.; 6/8/20, 8:42 AM
Todd said...: Just say NO to twitter, to facebook, to all of it. It will ONLY hurt you when you [as humans will] screw up. No good can come of it. The mob comes for everyone eventually.

The only folks who should be on those things is someone that has nothing to lose cause the mob is fickle and what was "safe" last week will get you burned at the stake next week.; 6/8/20, 8:43 AM
Fernandinande said...: Sleazy IHME misleadingly says: Racism is a public health issue

"Fighting health inequity means fighting against racism. Black lives matter.

Recent events including the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Manuel Ellis, Tony McDade, James Scurlock, and Ahmaud Arbery testify to the racial injustice that persists across our country and within our communities."

20 blacks killed by other blacks, in just one town and over just one weekend, doesn't count as a health issue because no white people were involved.

~ 95% of blacks who are murdered are murdered by other blacks, therefore not a health issue.; 6/8/20, 8:43 AM
daskol said...: Ha, this was dinner table conversation at our family gathering this weekend, as my sister's gym (I will not say my sister's box) is among those that are dropping their CrossFit affiliation, as a Brooklyn-based black-owned gym box thing.; 6/8/20, 8:45 AM
lgv said...: Anyway who has used the "n" word in the past and anyone who says the wrong thing in the future will forever be shunned. They will not be hired by anyone, nor be able to sell anything to anyone.

This is the new code. This is the new America.

Police budgets will be cut in order to transfer the money to minority communities. To not do so is racism. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton can only dream about heading the BLM movement since it is going to have a huge pile of money and power.

I still don't get why people tweet so much. No matter what you tweet, at some point you risk posting the big one that gets you punished.; 6/8/20, 8:48 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: That's not funny!

You will be destroyed!

* the real fascism in America is the speech-crime police. Worse than Hitler.; 6/8/20, 8:48 AM
Fernandinande said...: Even if it had been a great joke — which it wasn't — Glassman was an idiot to tweet it.

Perhaps from a business standpoint, but IHME is spewing dishonest anti-white racist nonsense and they should be made fun of, at the very least.; 6/8/20, 8:51 AM
rhhardin said...: It would be FLOYD-20. The 19 is the year it first turned up.; 6/8/20, 8:54 AM
Paul Zrimsek said...: I miss the days when you weren't obliged to react to a not-great joke in any way other than not laughing.; 6/8/20, 8:59 AM
narciso said...: the ihme forgot that a march for feminism was the catalyst for the spread in spain, or they just don't care,; 6/8/20, 9:00 AM
narciso said...: hundreds of police officers killed or wounded, thousands of businesses shuttered or destroyed, yes some loose words are the problem,; 6/8/20, 9:07 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: It's in poor taste to mock the death of George Floyd. Of course. but to take it to such a level that your life is destroyed after a goof. An apology isn't good enough?

No way! Not in progressive-thought-only 'Merica. burn the witch.

Isn't it funny how the democrat party and their hack press can destroy whole cities and states - and they are never held to account? Ever.

If you're a Democrat and you run Minneapolis - you are blameless.; 6/8/20, 9:08 AM
AustinRoth said...: In the 70’s, those who talked about the weaponization of the education system by Socialist and Communists to destroy America and Western Civilization were considered demented conspiracy theorists.

Now, of course, it is obvious they were correct.; 6/8/20, 9:09 AM
Jeff Brokaw said...: It’s kinda funny.

Some folks think a kinda funny joke is the Worst Thing Ever —> this needs a “that’s not funny” tag.; 6/8/20, 9:10 AM
iowan2 said...: Hundreds of commenters here understand enough to protect their professional creds by not having anything controversial attached to their identity.

Whats the song lyric? "Freedom is have nothing left to loose"

I'm not there yet. Doing contract work does not lend itself to defending nuanced social justice positions.; 6/8/20, 9:11 AM
Lurker21 said...: Gyms have been closed for months and people were told to avoid large groups and wear masks and social distance and keep the country on lockdown or thousands would die, but all of a sudden it's alright to go to mass protests because "racism is a public health issue." No wonder the guy is mad.; 6/8/20, 9:12 AM
Temujin said...: Well...Glassman, owner of a business, and brand leader of that business, should have more sense than to be on Twitter anyway. I joined Twitter shortly after it started up years ago, and immediately canceled myself. I could see nothing but problems for myself and my business if I had kept it. Emotions run hard at times. Censoring oneself can be harder for some of us than others. I un-Twittered (and un-Facebooked) myself early on. And I've been just fine w/o either of them.

That said, I am keeping track of every virtue signaling company out there. Reebok bailed so quickly, they're unworthy of a dime from me. Apparently you can't have unpure thoughts while buying cross training shoes or shirts with 'wicking'!; 6/8/20, 9:14 AM
n.n said...: Diversity is a social health hazard. Warlock judgments are a social health hazard. Witch hunts are a social health hazard. Abortion... cancel culture is a social health hazard.

IHME is spewing dishonest anti-white racist nonsense

Like a beautiful rainbow without black, without brown, and the shredded bands of white remains. Embrace the diversity, the color judgments.; 6/8/20, 9:22 AM
Mark O said...: We are not amused.; 6/8/20, 9:23 AM
Marcus Bressler said...: I've been banned from Twitter. No big loss. I use my FWB's account to read the breaking news and some interesting tweets. Other than that, I don't engage. Not good for my sobriety.

THEOLDMAN

Even taking a break from political posts on FB for a while.; 6/8/20, 9:26 AM
n.n said...: Just say NO to twitter, to facebook, to all of it.

On one hand, social distancing to mitigate progress of contagion. On the other hand, there is Sun Tzu's sage insight. A synthesis requires reconciliation with the real world and priorities.; 6/8/20, 9:27 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: CrossFit is a cult, and I'm always glad to see cults get in trouble.; 6/8/20, 9:34 AM
frenchy said...: It just goes to show that when he was putting the 1st Amendment together, Madison had a limited and incomplete understanding of censorship.; 6/8/20, 9:34 AM
MadisonMan said...: "I want to be witty on twitter" A Twitter Wit. A Twit. No.
CEOs should not be voicing their thoughts on current events on Twitter. They should be working on improving efficiency and working conditions under their brands.; 6/8/20, 9:36 AM
Greg the class traitor said...: "public health professionals" using the positions to push their personal left wing politics is vile, evil, sick twisted and wrong.

Mocking them for doing it is ALWAYS a good thing.

But it's Floyd-20, not Floyd-19.

Apparently this needs your "That's Not Funny" tag; 6/8/20, 9:38 AM
holdfast said...: If racism is now a public health issue, I assume the CDC will spend its time and resources stunning racism instead of studying actually infectious diseases. Oh wait, that’s probably what they were doing already which is why they dropped the ball so badly on the Woo Flu.; 6/8/20, 9:40 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy Negro in vain.; 6/8/20, 9:40 AM
Unknown said...: > Glassman was an idiot to tweet it.

He's a witch!

Burn!; 6/8/20, 9:43 AM
Kevin said...: If what you're selling is branding, you'd better maintain that product.

The mob is selling a brand: police defunding.

Today we're being told it doesn't really mean defunding.

No one's getting fired for that lack of product maintenance.; 6/8/20, 9:52 AM
Doug said...: So, Althouse, you are all in on this individual having his life and business ruined? He should have known better. He was asking for it.

Girls that dress like that WANT to be raped.; 6/8/20, 9:54 AM
mezzrow said...: "I think it's time to put him in the cornfield, now.
That would be good, wouldn't it Anthony?
That would be real good."; 6/8/20, 9:56 AM
Howard said...: You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names. How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?; 6/8/20, 9:59 AM
DanTheMan said...: >>so long as there’s a public health emergency (which can last at least until there’s a vaccine for racism)

Soon, this will be some city's justification for a lockdown.; 6/8/20, 10:01 AM
Eleanor said...: Pay your indulgences to Our Lady of Perpetual Grievances! Pray to Saint Trayvon of the Sidewalk! Pay homage to the Prophets Talcum X and St. Kaepernick! Burn the heretics, Candace Owens, Thomas Sowell, Ben Carson, and Clarence Thomas, at the stake! It's a new religion with all of the trappings that go with one. Instead of being outed for being an atheist, now the non-believers are racists!!!! It might catch on, and then again, it might not. Not many religions have survived the test of time. The history of theology is littered with ones that didn't last long before the non-believers swallowed up the believers and spit them out.; 6/8/20, 10:04 AM
Jupiter said...: Defund the University of Washington.; 6/8/20, 10:05 AM
Mattman26 said...: Not a great joke? I sure laughed. Reminiscent of those old Soviet-era jokes of a people who refuse to be completely defeated.

Whether a wisecrack like that makes good business sense is another matter. I wouldn't be surprised if a substantial portion of the cross-fit community would share his disdain for rules allowing mass gatherings of "protesters" while keeping people from coming to the gym.; 6/8/20, 10:10 AM
Jupiter said...: "How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?"

There is a certain melancholy splendor. "Apres moi .." type thing.; 6/8/20, 10:13 AM
Lurker21 said...: Glassman should have realized. He fired an exec two years back for an anti LGBTQ Pride tweet.

He's also had trouble with affiliates wanting him to take stands and make statements about George Floyd and Covid.

His tweet does kill two birds with one stone in the least possible number of words, but somehow I don't think it's what they were hoping for.

Glassman is an old fashioned, brash, brusque, rude politically incorrect, libertarian CEO, maybe the salt of the earth and the motor of the American economy, but not somebody you'd expect to be in charge of an upscale urban firm that has to compete with yoga instructors who tweet their concern about everything under the sun.; 6/8/20, 10:17 AM
Jupiter said...: "That sparked outrage among some owners of CrossFit gyms, or 'boxes,' as they’re called, that pay fees of several thousands of dollars annually to license the brand."

It's a new fitness craze, called the knee-jerk.; 6/8/20, 10:19 AM
gilbar said...: Doug said...
He should have known better. He was asking for it.
Girls that dress like that WANT to be raped.

now now! we can ALL AGREE (and In Fact; we All HAVE TO AGREE) that:
A) a chick can dress as slutty as she wants,and walk down the street without fear of rape
B) ANY Bitch that don't toe the BLM line (in FACT, ANY Bitch that doesn't KNEEL on that line);
is a FREE TARGET, to be Raped and Murdered and Killed; by ANY Righteous Black Dude

Dress is a constitutional right; Speech is RESTRICTED, and MUST COMPLY with code
This is America, after all; 6/8/20, 10:25 AM
wild chicken said...: It was kinda cool working for Asians. They'll do whatever they legally have to do, render unto Caesar and all. But they don't internalize this bullshit antiracist nonsense the way Nice White managers do.

I never had to attend struggle sessions or diversity training or any of that bs.

And they would hire anyone who could make them money.; 6/8/20, 10:25 AM
Francisco D said...: The Crack Emcee said...CrossFit is a cult, and I'm always glad to see cults get in trouble.

I used to date a woman who was in CrossFit with several other women. It seemed like a cult to me.
It was almost the center of their lives; 6/8/20, 10:27 AM
Wince said...: Did Glassman take Michelle Obama's advice seriously?; 6/8/20, 10:43 AM
Kai Akker said...: Only a comedian can lead us out of this unholy mess, Dexter.; 6/8/20, 10:43 AM
tim maguire said...: I'm really surprised he didn't have more sense. I admire his desire to push back, to not knuckle down to such an absurd claim that undermines true public health by muddying it up with stupid politics.

But "Floyd-19"!? That's just dumb. Dumb in a way that makes it impossible for other sensible people to come to his defense.; 6/8/20, 10:46 AM
William said...: The punishment seems disproportionate to the offense: Non violent looters were released without bail. This guy loses his business....My responses to current events do not jibe with what I see on television and read in the newspapers. I try not to watch too much news or read the papers, but it seeps in. There's apparently some kind of large contingent in America that feels we don't need the police. In NYC where I live, they will run on that platform and maybe even win. If you have any negative opinions about any of this and you have a business or any kind of public life, best to keep them to yourself.; 6/8/20, 10:49 AM
Lurker21 said...: In the 70’s, those who talked about the weaponization of the education system by Socialist and Communists to destroy America and Western Civilization were considered demented conspiracy theorists.

People generally thought Howard Zinn and Angela Davis were up to no good, but they didn't expect things to go this far this quickly (and a lot of the screamers really were demented conspiracy theorists).

You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names. How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?

Not exactly John Stuart Mill there. And historically, you know who else was 'just kicking ass and taking names?"

A lot of people play Madame DeFarge - keeping a list of those who should be punished - but we don't let them have working guillotines.; 6/8/20, 10:56 AM
Achilles said...: If what you're selling is branding, you'd better maintain that product. You're asking other people to put your reputation on themselves! You're not a solo, roving comedian. Even if it had been a great joke — which it wasn't — Glassman was an idiot to tweet it.

This is true.

Because the world is full of moral cowards.

Are you going to vote for Democrats Ann?; 6/8/20, 10:58 AM
Achilles said...: Howard said...
You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names. How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?

At least Howard is completely amoral rather than a moral coward like Ann.

That would be less humiliating in a way.; 6/8/20, 11:02 AM
Dude1394 said...: You'd best self censure if you don't want to be cancelled by the democrat machine.; 6/8/20, 11:07 AM
cubanbob said...: "I still don't get why people tweet so much. No matter what you tweet, at some point you risk posting the big one that gets you punished."

Igv is correct. Any businessman who engages in social media with respects to anything other than the business is an idiot. One never knows one's customers politics and only a fool intentionally alienates a customer or potential customer.; 6/8/20, 11:10 AM
Drago said...: Howard: "You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names. How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?"

This sounded better when Robespierre and Mao said it.

Probably because their vocabulary was much broader than Howard's.

My favorite part of the Maoist public struggle session "cleansings" is how the mob goes after the liberals first.......

Howard's Heroes have already forced hundreds of woke democrats to lay face down on the road at their feet, chant their slogans, pledge their loyalty and even wash the feet of BLM masters. Literally.

Yep.

Leftism is not just a religion, its a cult.; 6/8/20, 11:16 AM
mikee said...: Ahhh, the old "public health" approach to collectivist power grabbing. The Left has tried the same thing with other individual rights, from free speech to religious practice to firearm ownership to race-based sentencing parameters. It is an argument that basically goes, "If you don't ascribe to our policy, you're killing people." And it is bullshit on stilts.

How about this? Stop the government and the academy and business from ever, ever, ever taking official notice of the color of any individual's skin tone. Then celebrate the 90-95% decrease in actual racism in the US.; 6/8/20, 11:17 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: "CrossFit is a cult, and I'm always glad to see cults get in trouble."

What about when a cult gets in trouble with another cult?; 6/8/20, 11:18 AM
Howard said...: Even being from Santa Cruz wants save CrossFit now. Chiropractors will suffer the most from this.; 6/8/20, 11:23 AM
Yancey Ward said...: The hilarious thing is that Glassman is all but certain to be a dyed-in-the-wool leftist given his background. Another one eaten by the tribe.; 6/8/20, 11:26 AM
Howard said...: ...starring Drago as Colonel Klink and introducing Achilles as Sgt. Schultz.; 6/8/20, 11:27 AM
Greg the class traitor said...: Howard said...
You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names. How do it felz to be on the wrong side of history?

Oh, Howard, it's going to be so much fun when the mob goes after you; 6/8/20, 11:31 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Jokes about murder victims...

Let's compare the famous joke about the Manson murders: "Dig It. First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them, they even shoved a fork into a victim's stomach! Wild!"

Bernardine Dohrn thinks it is terrible how consequential that one joke turned out to be for her. It was a joke, clearly a joke she says.; 6/8/20, 11:32 AM
Jupiter said...: There is an interesting point here. They can cancel us, but we can't cancel them.
I don't really see how Dohrn's quote could be read as humorous, unless perhaps she intended it to be taken as mocking a particularly bloodthirsty associate. But "consequential"? What? Isn't she now the Distinguished Chair for Sharon Tate Murder Jokes at some academic shithole or other?

We really need to defund the universities.; 6/8/20, 11:44 AM
tim maguire said...: Howard said...You Cucks can call it cancel culture, but it's really just kicking ass and taking names.

Sure, kicking ass and taking names of people who don't fight back. Right now, most people tolerate you because they have better things to do with their time. The people you hate are are patient and indulgent and you are taking advantage of their basic decency to attack them. Thus the cowards are emboldened.

But at some point, their patience will run out and you won't like what happens next. (Right side of history? History doesn't have a side). The left always overplays its hand. Always.; 6/8/20, 11:50 AM
Yancey Ward said...: Yes, black humor has no place in a polite society.; 6/8/20, 11:54 AM
tim maguire said...: William said...The punishment seems disproportionate to the offense

As the professor pointed out, his product is his brand and he damaged his brand so people don't want it anymore. Was the punishment disproportionate when Coke came out with New Coke? When Ford came out with the Edsel? When Powell Motors came out with the Homer?; 6/8/20, 11:55 AM
Fernandinande said...: Jokes about murder victims...

Floyd wasn't murdered. He died from a heart attack caused by severe heart disease combined with a fatal level of fentanyl.

Let's compare the famous joke about the Manson murders:

That wasn't a joke. At least "FLOYD-19" was actually a bit humorous.; 6/8/20, 11:58 AM
Fernandinande said...: fentanyl

And meth.; 6/8/20, 12:04 PM
Rabel said...: That was sarcasm at 11:32, I think. I hope.; 6/8/20, 12:05 PM
Greg the class traitor said...: Ann Althouse said...
Jokes about murder victims...

Glassman wasn't joking about Floyd's murder, he was joking about the insane response from "public health professionals" to the riots and protests surrounding Floyd's death.

Really, Professor, I know your mind works better than that. At least, it does when you're not doing the humorless scold; 6/8/20, 12:05 PM
Richard Dolan said...: Whether it was a good or bad joke will be a matter of some dispute. One could have said the same (many did) about Ricky G's routine at the Golden Globes. What is beyond dispute is that twitter is a forum dominated by wokidoke mobs whose mission in life is to punish heresy. And we know how they insist that everyone bend the knee to all the usual pieties -- no exceptions ever, and all heretics to be burned alive. Companies catering to an athletic clientele are completely on board (they know their clientele). So no unapproved joking in church, especially that one.; 6/8/20, 12:14 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Those are horrible jokes, Ann.

I don't think a poor taste one-word joke is on par with psychotic Manson-murderer psycho jokes.

In today's cancel culture, one word can end your career. Is that really where we want to go?; 6/8/20, 12:39 PM
Ralph L said...: Zuckerburger genuflects; 6/8/20, 12:47 PM
Paco Wové said...: "how consequential that one joke turned out to be"

Not nearly consequential enough.; 6/8/20, 12:52 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Bernardine Dohrn‘s joke is perhaps the worst joke we’ve ever heard. Of course it’s worse than Glassman’s joke!

My point is that it’s a miserable idea to premise a joke on a murder victim.; 6/8/20, 1:37 PM
Rabel said...: And my point is that it wasn't a joke and I find it utterly amazing that you think that it was.; 6/8/20, 1:38 PM
cf said...: Temujin said
"I am keeping track of every virtue signaling company out there."

can i copy your homework?; 6/8/20, 1:49 PM
Rabel said...: Horowitz's view in Salon.; 6/8/20, 1:57 PM
Rabel said...: Horowitz's view in Salon.; 6/8/20, 2:01 PM
narciso said...: it wasn't a joke, it was a promise, these are what cuban regime trained terrorists do,; 6/8/20, 2:10 PM
Known Unknown said...: "My point is that it’s a miserable idea to premise a joke on a murder victim."

No Lee Harvey Oswald jokes! Got it?; 6/8/20, 2:50 PM
n.n said...: Sometimes, death (i.e. her Choice, self-Choice, Her Choice) is a joke, and other times it's a source of gay satisfaction, celebrated as a natural rite, progress, even, and spread with dark sarcasm.; 6/8/20, 3:23 PM
svlc said...: I thought it was kind of funny but I like dark humour. I am also tolerant of other people's expression and do not immediately assume the worst and then condemn people. We used to call that classical liberalism. Now, apparently it is a form of white supremacy or nazism.

I do agree though, as a corporate lawyer, I would advise a client to just STFU and remain quiet. For the same reason, when I see solidarity statements from corporations (Nike, NYT, etc), I read those like I would meaningless hostage statements taken under duress. Those corporations are trying to sell a product, nothing more and nothing less, and their statements are usually vacuous gibberish for the masses to impart whatever meaning they want to them.; 6/8/20, 3:36 PM
DavidUW said...: The annihilation of the "public health" establishment's credibility has been even swifter than the media's.

Truly breathtaking.; 6/8/20, 4:24 PM
Birkel said...: CANCEL ALL THE THINGS
--Leftist Collectivists throughput history; 6/8/20, 6:20 PM
Jupiter said...: "Embarrassed today by this memory, but unable to expunge it from the record and unwilling to repudiate her terrorist deeds, Dorhn resorted to a baldfaced lie. "It was a joke," she told the credulous Times reporter, Dinitia Smith; she was actually protesting America's crimes: "We were mocking violence in America. Even in my most inflamed moment I never supported a racist mass murderer." In 1980, I taped interviews with 30 members of the Weather Underground who were present at the Flint War Council, including most of its leadership. Not one of them thought Dohrn was anything but deadly serious. Outrageous nihilism was the Weatherman political style."; 6/8/20, 7:45 PM
TML said...: Why did you assume it was a joke and not a pointed message about racism connected to Floyd? Doesn't it just imply we have an epidemic of racism? Am I missing something?; 6/9/20, 10:30 AM