Runner Drops Out Of Race Because Her Bib Number Was 666

[twinmama]

rward, that list made me chortle.

I've only had $6.66 ring up once in my life. The convenience store cashier laughed and said "hail Satan" as I walked out the store.

LMAO. Can you imagine the fundie reaction if a cashier said that to them??? LOL.

[Buzzard]

The teen and her coach say race officials refused to allow a number change on the day of the competition and forced Thacker to sit out the meet.

But state high school officials say they were never given advanced notice of Thacker's objections. They insist had they known she was protesting on religious grounds they may have been able to accommodate a number change, as they have in the past.

http://www.myajc.com/news/news/runner-s ... ast/nbjgF/

I can totally understand them not being able to reissue on the day of the race. The question is why she didnt mention it before.

[rward]

I agree. Why couldn't they have just given her a different number? If you can very easily accommodate someone's religious beliefs that have no effect on you why not do that?

Anyway, it sounds like the race organizers are kind of back pedaling a bit now on why they didn't give her a new number.

Why should they? It's a number, nothing more. Besides that, most races, they only accept x number of runners and only print tags for x number of runners. They also get all the tags printed well in advance, at a discount for the size of the order. Printing her a new number, last minute, would be a lot of trouble and expense for nothing.

[thoughtful]

Would she have run if her number was 42? Then she would know the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

[Boogalou]

Why should they? It's a number, nothing more. Besides that, most races, they only accept x number of runners and only print tags for x number of runners. They also get all the tags printed well in advance, at a discount for the size of the order. Printing her a new number, last minute, would be a lot of trouble and expense for nothing.

Why shouldn't they? She has a belief (it's sort of silly, but whatever) and they are giving her something that goes against that belief. I don't think it's completely out there to ask that your beliefs be accommodated in such a small way. Was there another runner who was willing to switch with her? Someone who didn't show up whose number she could have used?

[Haligh the Liar]

I'm not quite sure how to express this, but is there an extent to which religious beliefs must be accommodated? It can be argued that for some, ALL religious beliefs are stupid, so Muslim students shouldn't be allowed to leave class for prayer, Orthodox Jewish girls shouldn't be allowed to wear clothing that violates universal dress codes of skirt length, etc.

In my mind, those accommodations are rational, but for some reason, demanding a new number for a race based on supposedly Satanic symbol is just idiotic. But where do we draw the line?

[lovemygsp]

My experience as an NCAA Xc/track runner... You personally have to check in and they give you your number on the spot based on pervious times your coach submitted and it gives you your starting place for the track. Xc meets are huge and numbers are based on teams.. I've seen people check in without having been preregesitered and a number is designated on the spot.

My bet she got her number and didn't have a problem so walked away only to come back later. It was probably too close to the race time to change at that point so they said no as their chip system has to be ready to go. I tend to doubt she said "for religious reasons" at that point. They probably would have done it for fear of something like this although if it would cause a postponing to update the system maybe I'm wrong. I think something isn't completely right about this though.

[Dinger]

Our telephone number and hubby's workplace number both end in 666. My fringe insists on curling and often looks like I have 666 on my forehead, especially in damp weather :lol:

[ExCatholic]

When I first met my husband, his phone number at the time (minus area code) was 666-1212. The first time he gave it to me I honestly thought he was giving me a fake number.

My husband's phone number also starts with 666. Maybe we should encourage them to start an evil phone club?

[Alice_Fraggle]

I have to be honest, that number freaks me out a bit. But it's not because I'm religious, it's because I watched so many horror movies in my formative years! :angry-devil:

There's a house nearby with a 666 address and I always wonder if I could live there. Probably. I think. Lol

I would LOVE to live there. :) Just keep a spare room for when Satan stops by! ;)

[Alice_Fraggle]

don't forget where the beast sleeps when travelling -- Motel 666, of course! :lol:

Those just made my day! (I live in a 6% sales tax state, so my Beast is slightly more expensive. 8-) )

[Savoring Samsara]

My husband's phone number also starts with 666. Maybe we should encourage them to start an evil phone club?

Well, mine's number has changed since then to something unremarkable. He would have to become an ex-Satanic-phone-number user, winning souls for Christ through the testimony of overcoming his landline with a Verizon contract.

[AnywhereButHere]

A beast would cost me $723.44. Maybe I should wait and buy one in New Hampshire when I go up for Thanksgiving... :think:

[Ms Jess]

I went to a private Christian boarding school where we all had to participate in a work-study program. We tracked our work minutes on timecards and turned them in at the end of the week. One week my then-boyfriend had 666 minutes total up on his card. He rounded it down to 665. That should've been a sign to me not to marry him, but I did and it was a disaster.

Edited to add: when I got a new phone number I picked one with 666 in it just to razz him.

[bucherwurm]

When I worked in a specific department in a grocery store I had to weigh things up for customers. A couple of times something ended up being either 666 grams or $6.66. I was waiting for someone else to notice or say something, but they never did. As for wearing something that has that number on it, I don't know if I could. I think it would just be a little too weird. I will let all of you normal people do it instead.

[FloraKitty35]

If that's the worse problem in this twat's life, she should shut up.

[Ariel]

Why shouldn't they? She has a belief (it's sort of silly, but whatever) and they are giving her something that goes against that belief. I don't think it's completely out there to ask that your beliefs be accommodated in such a small way. Was there another runner who was willing to switch with her? Someone who didn't show up whose number she could have used?

Honestly? If I'd been that official and some teen girl had come up to me whining about her number when I'm trying to orchestrate a huge race (where my butt is on the line for accuracy so the girls can go to state meets and maybe get scholarships etc) I probably wouldn't give her the time of day unless she was crying or something. Bigger problems to deal with.