Oy Vey, Part Deux

Before you read this post, you might want to go through the first post in this now series of post.

Then again, you might be tired of this and don’t want to read about it anymore and that’s alright too I guess. Still, in the interest of offering the full story, I’ve posted below the fold the full version of one of Mark Sawyer’s emails, seems he left off a portion of it when he sent it to me the first time. In addition, I’ve posted a response from Mel Abshier that I was not sent.

From Sawyer to Abshier-

I’ve learned a lot.

1. That some people still don’t know the difference between a lie and a difference of opinion. I should have known better some people also still don’t believe in evolution.

2. Liverpool fans along with people in the mountains above pakistan are intolerant of opinions other than their own.

3. A friend in England (psychology professor) uses football supporters to study negative concepts of identity politics and formation. I thought you could not compare football fans to other kinds of loony tribalism. I was wrong. He is completely right. This episode has demonstrated the worst of identity politics.

4. I learned that some people like yourself are willing to compare minor tragedies to the holocaust in a cavalier fashion.

5. I have learned that folks like yourself are at best tolerant of casual anti-semitism and at worst guilty of it yourself.

6. I have also learned that Liverpool fans are so defensive that any criticism of themselves of the club by not one of their own is met with ridiculous defensiveness.

7. People can be stunning in their myopia. On one hand talk about recognizing tragedy and on the other ignoring serious and bigger wrong.

8. That the tribal instinct in the game is still there just beneath the surface and could erupt in violence at any time.

From Abshier to Sawyer-

Dear Mark:

A very curious title to an email—get serious.

I have been serious the whole time. And honest. Apparently being honest has confused you. It shouldn’t.

You’ve researched various websites and if you take off your “Cohen” glasses you should have easily picked up the angst over Hillsborough and those who lie about it. Steven lied and is wrong. Even you admit that.

You talk about the small but growing soccer community. And yet your task was to negotiate on behalf of a liar who wants his “freedom” to poison the airwaves with that lie for as long as he wants and have generations of US soccer supporters learn his version of the Truth. Or as he puts it the dark secret the rest of the media won’t touch.

Somehow this is to be acceptable to Liverpool supporters. It is not.

You question our motives, our reasoning, and our methods. Your opinion on how and why went went wrong is what we should learn from you and just move on.

I think you have learned little. A 20 year Anniversary of real life and real passion over a tragic event by a small group of supporters. Yes small, because in the worldwide scheme of things Liverpool FC is but one club. A club of high stature in the game but never the less one club. There are a billion who follow the game.

We are all pressed for time. I won’t try to burden you with what is going on in my life as it is not relevant to the situation. As far as I know none of us are rich and famous and have little else to do. I too volunteered for this, along with others. But be that as it may, you obviously have more important things to do and should concentrate on them.

You can communicate to Steven that from now on no more mediators or others to be involved in negotiating anything to do with the Boycott. He will need to contact us directly.

Sincerely,
Mel Abshier

From Sawyer to Abshier-

I am sorry. As I am currently involved in working with the OAS on mediation the situation of the coup in Honduras and my eldest cousin had a stroke today, I can’t be bothered with your posturing. Whether or not its on behalf of the branches or not or whether or not you think you are a moderate, or whether or not you think you make sense, you don’t. You also take yourself far too seriously. My role in this has always been voluntary. I have nothing to gain, perhaps lots to lose in that my time is valuable. Steven was giving me a hard time at one point while I was explaining something to him and I reminded him about what I bill my time out at.

I don’t know if you hate Steven or what, but your defensiveness about Hillsborough and your defensiveness about the actions of the branches etc. clouds some of your judgement in my opinion. I talked to Steven for hours, argued, cajoled etc. I don’t think his position is far off from yours. I hate to say it but the reactionary response to Steven’s remarks wreaks of a kind of political correctness. Is he wrong, of course. But you attribute some things to him he would not associate himself with. Your view of Steven’s remarks is not the only or probably in my estimation the most obvious interpretation. To be honest Steven did not help himself with tone, the jokes were tragic, though some of the anger and urgency in his remarks at other points are taken out of context. In the most recent case the context was his anger over the deaths in Ivory Coast and his agreement that no fans should go to a ground and not return home. Liverpool fans included. The debate between you and Steven is a classic debate in the social sciences, it is called the structure agency problem. What about human behavior and outcomes is determined by structures in place and what is determined my a conglomeration of individual actions. As a socialscientist there are no bright lines in that debate, it is endemic to understand any event. Steven has it wrong but he sees it as a continuum not a bright line. Liverpool fans and victims families for obvious reasons see it as a bright line, and I am not sure that is defensible. Yes, they are right, but to go after anyone that suggest its more complicated is not really defensible on any grounds. Social outcomes are never ruled by axioms and laws. There is no gravity in social causation and Liverpool fans use some conclusions of the Taylor report (that are most likely right) as if they have that force.

On reports. There are as yet no reports as my understanding is the investigation is ongoing. I perfectly well understand the branches are a loose confederation including the idea there are some non-offical sites etc. Have you said anything publicly about racism or anti- semitism? I also know while you have said don’t email Steven have you specifically referenced problematic behavior and called it by name and stated it is unacceptable. I ask in earnest. Because it is the responsible thing to do if you are going to continue to pursue your action. Lots of people are hurt by this. I have a friend who’s parents are holocaust survivors and when they saw that email they gasped. Just like you feel Steven opened a wound for Hillsborough survivors, perhaps since you are not a minority or don’t have that kind of trauma in your past you feel the “hit delete” etc. is good enough. It isn’t. At least not for me. If the families of Hillsborough are traumatized think of holocaust survivors and their families when they hear some of that garbage. Even if it is one person!?!?!

I also don’t think Steven is an angel. I’ve been clear about that. But I also find the lack of self reflection and thoughtfullness on all sides of this completely stunning. What’s really at stake for you and the branches? It is not clear to me and it is not clear to me that the path your are taking is much more than spight. The soccer world in the US is a very small, though growing community. In the miidst of a historic US win on the pitch Jim Rome described soccer as a “reason to riot.” A lot of sponsors companies already not involved with the game internationally may see this episode and conclude that all invovled are a bunch of idiots. I have tried to explain this to Steven about attacking former sponsors and encouraging counterboycotts and the same goes for you. There is a small group of people who are hurt either way. It is evident in the anger and personal hatred that has circulated- a good deal of it from Steven. But those folks also feel bullied and they are too small to fight back.

Henry Kissinger once said that debates in academia are so ferocious because, “so little is at stake.” I think he was wrong. There is a lot at stake in a very small world and this mirrors that exactly. But none of you see the wider world or context or consequences of your actions. You actions can still be wrong or disastrous even if derived from righteous intentions. Have you ever considered that? While you say you are a moderate, you have not once considered the idea you may be wrong. Not on the substance (I’ve never challenged that) but in your view of the situation. You are a perfect mouthpiece because you don’t question the logic of the action.

I don’t know what your motives are Mel and I can’t assume they are bad. My apologies for doing so. But I can question them. And it seems apt. You approach here has been “scorched earth” with little thought or reflection. Good for you. Maybe you’ll win and you’ll have Steven’s ead on a poll or the listeners of WSD will be deprived of their entertainment. You will blame Steven, folks will hate Liverpool FC and their fans. Who knows?

Good Luck. I have a center to defend from California budget cuts, a coup attempt to beat back, consulting to try to win gay marriage in California, a book to write and an 8 month old daughter to raise. I’m done with this. You deserve one another.