CJ Banned?

[Andrew Camp]

It provoked someone to ask CJ not to present trophies.

It has provoked a 16 page thread in 12 hours on a forum that normally gets less than 50 posts a day.

[PaulTalbot]

the arbiter who objected to CJ's 'T' shirt, well good for you. I fully agree and support you. If CJ has done wonders for chess over the last year then I congratulate him and thank him for his efforts, but that doesn't mean he is right on this

Didn't think it would take long before the homophobic hate-mongers emerged to tap out their bile.

I didn't think it would be long before some ignoramus accused me of being homophobic and tapping out bile. If the ignoramus bothered to read my previous post he would know that I have friends who are gay.

I totally deplore bullying and sympathise with anyone who has been bullied for the orientation/beliefs/whatever.

I have read the bible and nowhere does it say that David had a homosexual relationship with Jonathan (son of king Saul). It does say that David loved Jonathan but as a brother.

I have been factual about what I said about the guest house owners and their court case. The entire incident was set up and pursued by stonewall.

I hope CJ carries on with his efforts to promote chess but hope he doesn't seek to use chess as a platform to promote his other interests.

[Michele Clack]

We need an official statement from whoever made the decision. I was going to offer my services to the ECF to work on the grading database post Carl, but am going to hold until I know exactly what happened.

Simon if you do decide to help with the grading database, and I do hope you do, then you might be able to get some assistance from Nicky Chorley who said on a grading thread:

Thanks to Carl for his work on the database.

Quick question: is it a one person job? I don't have the experience to do it myself, but I could probably learn enough PHP/other technology to help out. Worth a try and I could do with the experience, but I'm sure they've got better people .

[William Metcalfe]

Everybody is overlooking 1 thing the ECF is now going to come across as a homophobic organisation something that could cost us potential sponsors.
I can see how the tabloids are going to spin this story sigh.
I am in agreement with Christopher here i do not want tolerance i want acceptance in society for all minorities

[Paul McKeown]

I have read the bible and nowhere does it say that David had a homosexual relationship with Jonathan (son of king Saul). It does say that David loved Jonathan but as a brother.

You either
a) haven't read the Bible at all in spite of your claim, or
b) skipped right past anything at all to do with David and Jonathan, or
c) don't read very well, or
d) read it with a mind already made up.

Your statement is risible. David was bisexual. Get over it.

[Nick Thomas]

It provoked someone to ask CJ not to present trophies.

It has provoked a 16 page thread in 12 hours on a forum that normally gets less than 50 posts a day.

The point I am trying to make is that we don't know what it was exactly about this particular t-shirt which caused this fuss. BTW I think it was mostly the decision to make a fuss about it which has provoked all this discussion. Without that I don't think most people would have cared a jot.

[LozCooper]

I think I must be missing the point about this banning business. CJ is head of the ECF and is answerable to the board for what he does or does not do. Therefore who could ban him apart from board members? could we not be talking about a situation where someone expressed concern and CJ being the intelligent individual he is instantly recognised an opportunity to further his cause in support of stonewall? Lets be honest who at Sheffield could have prevented him from doing the job if he really wanted to do it. Had he done the presentations notwithsatnding the adverse comments made to him there would not have been this thread!

Now that post may not sit well but ones does have to ask the question was it really a ban or an opportunity borne out of someones genuine concern or prejudice.

It's somewhat hard for board members to rule on something they knew nothing about until it appeared on the forum and twitter

[Paul McKeown]

In fact David said that Jonathan's love "was more wonderful than the love of women". That is a direct quote from Solomon. Provoke me and I will look up the passages where they take their clothing off and kiss each or those funny passages where they speak of "quivers".

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Your statement is risible. David was bisexual. Get over it.

Let's not get too far away from the chess. I want to know who in the bible played chess!

[IM Jack Rudd]

As far as I know, the only board members present at the time were CJ, Stewart Reuben and Peter Purland (I arrived after the events in question had happened). The rest of us have all found out about this via e-mail or the forum.

[Paul McKeown]

No one. Chess was not invented until the 6th Century, and then in North West India.

[William Metcalfe]

Damn Martin stole my tshirt idea

[Simon Ansell]

Furthermore, I did turn up to one of my games wearing a t-shirt advertising a charity (the National Autistic Society, as it happens). Nobody commented at all.

Jack theres a big difference, you were not about to stand in front of a great many people as head of our national organisation knowing full well photographs would be taken.

Maybe, but I was on board 3 in front of many spectators and lost the "game of the day". There are photos on the tournament website. So would I have been asked to change?

Come to think of it, I hope Simon Williams isn't reading this, as I had a bet with him several years ago that the loser of our meaningless last round game at the Coventry International would wear a t-shirt of the winners choosing for a chess game of their choosing. I lost. He's yet to claim his winnings

[Andrew Camp]

Ray Keene is really stirring it up on Twitter/Facebook.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Ray Keene is really stirring it up on Twitter/Facebook.

He really is giving it some welly isn't he? (see my comments on this thread many many pages ago). Good old Ray. Never one to miss an opportunity.