Ronan Tynan is a celebrated Irish tenor who sings "God Bless America," at Yankee Stadium during the formerly forced seventh inning patriotism stretch. He was supposed to perform at tonight's American League championship opening game between the Yankees and the Angels, but the Yankees have thrown him under the bus following some awkward, anti-Semitic comments Tynan made in his East Side apartment building. more ›

You'll recall that the city recently agreed to pay $22,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the NYCLU on behalf of a man who says cops ejected him from Yankee Stadium last summer when he tried to use the bathroom during "God Bless America" in the seventh inning stretch. And the Yankees, as part of the settlement, affirmed that there was no policy restricting fans’ movements. So the Times checked in on Friday night's Yankee game and found that although most fans stayed in their seats during the song, one Rich Popaduke defiantly proceeded to the men's room, declaring, "Freedom is what makes us American!" Why do sports fans with full bladders hate America? A security guard, Nicole Farrell from East New York, opined, "Everybody has free choice. You cannot interfere with that." But at least one fan is here to remind us the freedom to pee freely isn't free; Sue Coster, whose brother is a Gulf war veteran, vowed retribution against anyone exiting during God Bless America: "If they tried to do that in my aisle, I would have stuck out my leg." more ›

As expected, the NYCLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man who says two NYPD officers forcibly ejected him from the old Yankee stadium last summer when he attempted to use the restroom during the seventh inning stretch, during a broadcast of insipid jingoistic jingle "God Bless America." You'll recall that during a game on August 26th an officer stopped Red Sox fan Brad Campeau-Laurion on his way to the bathroom, telling him that he must wait for the song to conclude. When Campeau-Laurion replied, "Look, I don't care about God Bless America," the cop allegedly grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind his back. more ›

A witness has come forward to contradict the NYPD's assertion that Red Sox fan Bradford Campeau-Laurion was ejected for "standing on his seat, cursing... and acting in a disorderly manner while reeking of alcohol." Witness Pete Montenez tells CBS 2 that "as far as him hootin' and hollerin' and standing on the chair, no way." He doesn't know Campeau-Laurion, who claims cops ejected him when he tried to go to the men's room during the stadium's enforced moment of nationalism/"God Bless America". But Yankee officials have a witness, who says Campeau-Laurion "stuck his hand out and says, you know, 'I need to get by here,' and he used some profanity." Profanity at a Yankee game? It makes one blush just thinking about it. more ›

The NYCLU seems inclined to follow through with last year's promise to sue the Yankees over their policy of confining fans to their seats during the national anthem and "God Bless America," which is played during the seventh inning stretch. Yesterday Red Sox fan Bradford Campeau-Laurion, a Queens resident, told us about his rough ejection from Yankee stadium at the hands of the NYPD after he tried to go to the men's room during the seventh inning's moment of mandatory nationalism Monday night. more ›

From the inbox: Baseball fan Brad Campeau-Laurion says a uniformed police officer (perhaps off-duty but working security for overtime) forcibly ejected him from the stadium last night during the Yankees-Red Sox game. Why? He says all he did was try to go to the bathroom while "God Bless America" was played during the 7th inning stretch. His letter reads (plus some updates after the jump): more ›