Gabby Thomas heckled at Grand Slam Track by Sportsbettor

Classic case of a hero defending free speech. I wish this was happening everyday. Guy is probably bringing more attention and press to Gabby than any single boring track win has ever gained for her. Dude was hilarious and there needs to be more fans allowed to say what they want.

Genuinely shocked that anyone would think this is acceptable behaviour. What kind of a world do you want to live in where a man heckles & tries to humiliate & provoke a woman doing her job? Don't any of you have mothers, sisters or daughters?

Totally gross, misogynistic and racist behaviour. Regardless of whether he may or may not have any issues himself, as some suggest, he should have been removed by the event officials. This is nothing to do with 'freedom of speech', it is harassment.

Why is heckling ANYONE about their family ever OK?

Please educate me.

Dipsh!t

Why are you shocked that many here find this behavior acceptable? This is Let’s Run. The place is filled with beta males that are haters, incels, and that have IQ of a gnat.

The burden of proof is on you to try and prove an affirmative statement. Why is it unacceptable to heckle athletes or anyone for that matter about their families? By not providing reasons you are tacitly saying that you are making numerous assumptions. I challenge you to provide me your reasons.

So where is a link or where is the actual video of this happening???

Everyone has mothers, sisters, and daughters. If anything the commonality makes it more acceptable because there isn’t anything special, provoking, or shocking about having mothers, sisters, or daughters. It’s like heckling someone for wearing shoes. Everyone wears them so it’s no big deal.

It has everything to do with free speech. Who gets to decide who says what and to whom?

Track is generally one and done. Tennis & golf have at least 48+ opportunities to do better on the next try. Even at a meet, track opportunities are at most 5 or less. The jerk doesnt understand and if he does, he's an even bigger !@#$.

Nailed it! The guys saying it's okay to heckle an athlete while she's doing her job wouldn't like it if someone followed them to their job as a custodian and heckled them right as they got to work cleaning a public bathroom.

"YOU'LL NEVER GET THAT TOILET CLEAN!!"

Within most democratic societies, Freedom of Speech does not come without limitations, nor is it an absolute right. Speech that constitutes harassment is not protected and not when it infringes on the rights of others. In this case, Gabby's right to go about her f*cking daily life and do her job.

Remind me to add you to my list of twats on this site.

I up arrowed your comment because though I disagree, it is a response based on reasons instead of exclusively emotions. You can feel free to add me to your list, even though I don’t dislike you for not agreeing with me.

Speech that is threatening or intimidating is indeed not protected. It could potentially be a precursor to bodily harm. However, insults and name calling are not illegal. It’s always been protected by the first amendment. You as the insulted can ignore the insulter, insult him back, or walk away. They’re just sounds coming from the person’s mouth. They do no damage if you ignore them.

And I don’t know that I necessarily agree that the heckler insulting Gabby at a public sporting event is identical to “harassing her in her daily life”. A fool would fall for that argument but it isn’t the same thing.

This is not a Freedom of Speech issue.

The heckler in the video is HILARIOUS, especially considering he heckled Gabby to win sports gambling money. Me and my homeboys watched the video earlier and we were in tears from laughing so hard. If track and field allowed that level of heckling, there is no doubt it would be more popular, because people would tune in every meet to see what the next crazy person says. It may be just what track and field needs. Golfers deal with hecklers all the time and understand it's now part of the sport. I would agree that any actual threats should not be considered free speech, but I don't think Track should ban someone for saying stuff that is distracting and distasteful but not threatening. The athletes would just need time to adjust to the new norm and expect that some of the fans are going to get personal and say insulting things.

He has a point in his final paragraph though. These pro track athletes have been pretty sheltered from the kinds of fans in other sports. The sprinters especially get treated like royalty.

Track and Field may become more popular if fan heckling becomes tolerated to the extent that it is in the NBA and NFL. A lot of people would tune in to see the crazy stuff. It could be just what the sport needs. The problem has always been increasing the entertainment value to attract new viewers and new markets. Maybe playing into the current society's tendencies towards bad taste and trash talk is the way to go. The athletes being heckled will get used to it and won't complain if their stock goes up a few million dollars because the market demand would be finally what it is in other sports.

If I were on track no doubt … would have thrown this instajacka$$ from the stands. Flying. For RE-AL uh-huh.

This is a profession or Gtfo

🥊

That's because you are likely a triggered snowflake wuss who can't take people "hurting your feelings". Sorry they canceled your safe space.

Why? What would you have done tough guy? Asked him politely to stop?