Don Cherry and Wayne Gretzky have both been taking some heat for their support of the American/British invasion of Iraq. But you know what? I'm not going to add to that grief. The same rules apply to Wayne Gretzky that apply to Janeane Garofalo: celebrities are still citizens of democracies, and are welcome to speak their minds. (Actually, one rule applies to Garofalo that doesn't apply to Gretzky, but that's between me and my partner.)
Now, Don Cherry is a slightly different case. Gretzky's advocation of the war is something he did as a private citizen. But Cherry used his few minutes on Hockey Night in Canada --- his job --- to make his point of view clear. That's a little different. Some people would tell you it's a lot different, and if it had been Ron McLean, I'd agree.
But it was Don Cherry. His job title is "Loudmouthed, nationalistic to the point of idiotic arrogance, troublemaking, racist (though, in fairness, almost always against white non-anglos: Russians, Finns, Quebecois) anger-provoking asshole". (In the CBC organizational charts, the position is simply listed as "hockey asshole")
Okay, that's probably not true. But can anyone deny the description fits what he's employed to be? Tell me his pro-war stance, and his over-the-top rhetoric around it, weren't exactly what you would have expected? It's the Michael Moore Oscar speech from the other side of the fence --- it's Don being Don.
Cherry said his pro-American stance brings praise from ordinary Canadians but criticism from the media.Hee, hee! Don being Don indeed.
"Our media up here is totally left wing," he explained.
"It's socialist, left-wing, pinko, Commies. I got ripped to shreds in the left-wing media. That's the chance you take."
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