Rashard Mendenhall Reacts To Osama Bin Laden's Death: 'What Kind Of Person Celebrates Death?' [UPDATED]

UPDATE: Rashard Mendenhall tried to clarify his tweets about Osama bin Laden on Wednesday.

"This controversial statement was something I said in response to the amount of joy I saw in the event of a murder," he said in a blog entry. "I don't believe that this is an issue of politics or American pride; but one of religion, morality, and human ethics."

Click HERE to read the rest of Mendenhall's his remarks.

EARLIER:

Plenty of athletes tweeted their excitement at the news of Osama bin Laden's death. Rashard Mendenhall, however, wasn't convinced a celebration was in order.

"What kind of person celebrates death?" the Pittsburgh Steelers running back tweeted. "It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side..."

He also expressed his opinions on whether the planes that hit the World Trade Center on September 11 caused them to collapse.

"We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style," Mendenhall said.

Steelers President Art Rooney II addressed Mendenhall's comments in a statement posted on the team's website.

“I have not spoken with Rashard so it is hard to explain or even comprehend what he meant with his recent Twitter comments,” Rooney said. “The entire Steelers’ organization is very proud of the job our military personnel have done and we can only hope this leads to our troops coming home soon.”

What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyRashard Mendenhall
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@dkeller23 We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition styleless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyRashard Mendenhall
R_Mendenhall

Comments

[Eric Hirota]

03:47 PM on 06/13/2011

I agree with the part about bin laden not being as involved with 9/11 as the gov would like us to think, and i also agree that it is a little hard to believe that a skyscraper that's stronger than most others (because it's built with an exoskeleton instead of internal girders) would completely fall down after a relatively small portion of it was destroyed. the only part that i don't agree with is that he thinks it's wrong to celebrate death. it's understandable that he has an unhealthy fear of death being that he's a christian, but I think death is something that should be embraced for all people, including bin laden. this is just personal belief here but i think that death is just a transition into another phase of your existence in this universe, and like any time someone enters a new phase in their life, it should be met with celebration, not bitterness or sadness. I do think he's spot on with the skepticism about bin laden being behind it though... the gov has been making up threats to its own home security to carry out their own unscrupulous agendas since the 18th century.

[OnionPeeler]

11:58 PM on 05/17/2011

I understand what he is what he is saying. I am also sad that we spent 4000 young Americans to die and engaged in two wars to get one man and one system which will not be killed. . Bring the survivors home and leave our psychopaths in uniform there with drones to clean up the residual.

[Gavalayde]

05:29 PM on 05/13/2011

I'm very surprised that anyone could give osama bin laden or rashard mendenhall any lovin' after his comments. Perhaps the thousands of people who died in 911 was just a fantasy to mendenhall? Afterall, I'm sure he doesn't know even one! of their names. But he sure knows who bin laden is...

[JBOO46]

11:12 AM on 05/12/2011

I celebrated Bin Laden's death, and I'd gladly do it again, in fact I'd bring more party favors next time. Just as I'd celebrate the death of any terrorist/extremist mastermind that has no problem committing mass murder against thousands of innocents. If that makes me a "worse" person that Mr. Mendenhall who feels he is so "enlightened"... well, I don't really give a hoot.

[scifidelic]

01:03 PM on 05/08/2011

It was disgusted for the media to feature the excessive rejoicing and celebration of a humans demise. When justice is served, it should be served with dignity. There is no denying that humans have a large gap to close to become one world, and for a good reason. For thousands of years governmental and religious leadership has been closed minded. The results have been prejudices at every level of lifestyles. Humans had judged people based on their race, beliefs, hair color, fashion sense, vocal accents, choice in alcoholic beverages, sports team preferences, you get the point.. There were many factors leading to the events on 9/11 and I assure you on both sides of the coin, there has been a lack of love, wisdom, education and understanding. I can say from my personal experience, leadership in the United States has made an enormous effort to the point of being one of the most proactive nations regards to creating an open society built by cultural diversity. I can also say, I have no experiences living on the other side of the world, but I have met a cab driver from there, and it was one of the most educational experiences. I found that we thought alike in so many ways, and that we both want to see one world in the pursuit of peace and prosperity. Humans are not born with the ability to process all information required to make a clear and sound judgment guided by love.

[Dieter Zerressen]

09:39 PM on 05/07/2011

I don't know where we are as a people when someone can see the life TV broadcast of the planes hitting the WTC, watching for an hour and a half as the buildings burn and then collapse and this clown STILL HAS QUESTIONS IN HIS MIND? Pluuueeze. I hope he loses all of his indorsements . Sure he has a right to his opinions and it's a free country but I'm also free to boycott any of his sponsors and the sponsors darn well know it.

[usorthem3]

06:08 PM on 05/07/2011

Where was he on 9/11 and did he not see two planes fly into the buildings like the rest of us and watch them destroy them completely? Maybe too many hits to the head. I agree that celebration of the news only made the USA appear no different than the shots of celebration the day after 9/11 in various parts of the world by those who supported the terrorist action.

[Issa AJ]

09:00 PM on 05/06/2011

every person is entitled to their opinion no matter how little we agree with it, i dont know why he should be punished for stating his views.

[VKoval]

03:57 PM on 05/06/2011

i celebrate his death, i wish they buried him so i could pee on his grave site.

[VKoval]

03:57 PM on 05/06/2011

lol what a fool fire him

[Dad of Marine]

01:54 PM on 05/06/2011

I commend Mendenhall for this initial comments: He is correct; what kind of person celebrates death is a very thoughtful statement. His opponents is his statements are the same people in general and in my opinion that were also praising GW and his administration when he was saying; "you are either with us or against us. for those who also opposed the war he created in the middle east. Nothing at all wrong with his statements but what he feels in his heart about what happened in Pakistan.

[DannyGee]

09:25 AM on 05/07/2011

agree with the first statement as well. I celebrated, but am not proud of it.

[rcampbell]

01:37 PM on 05/06/2011

Do I have this right, the guy tweeted that he didn't think celebrating OBL's death was appropriate and he loses an endorsement? Do folks think Palestinians celebrating in the streets immediately after the 9/11 attacks was appropriate? If one is, both are. If one isn't neither are.

[hackerblaster]

12:24 PM on 05/06/2011

A truther....facepalm

[kjohn3005]

12:04 PM on 05/06/2011

If you have never heard Bin Laden speak you have not been paying attention for the past 10 years.
His speeches have been posted on the internet in various forms with snipets played on the news and so forth. In Osama world Mendenhal would not be allowed to live the life he lives in this country. Now, so if the planes did not take down the buildings, then what we should be looking at is the contractors that built them. Good luck with that..

[saridout]

12:00 PM on 05/06/2011

I've never even heard of this man, but his comments reveal him to be a peaceful and skeptical person. I don't think he deserves this.