Lio Rush Publishes Email Complaint Sent to WWE

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

He posted the following along with the screenshots:

"For too long now I’ve dealt with a lot of bad publicity, rumours and stories on the internet that attack, not just me as a wrestler, but attack my integrity. The attacks on my character have gone on too long without my side being heard.
With everything going on in the world and a lot of social issues being brought to the forefront, I have to empower others by empowering myself. How can we expect change without sharing the experiences that illustrate the insensitivities that divide us?

Please be clear, I am in no way insinuating that the WWE is a racist company, nor am I commenting on the racial attitudes of any of the companies individuals. However, this email shows that I expressed concerns of racial insensitivity and my feelings as a young African American male to the WWE office during the incidents that have brought so much negativity to my name.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter - Martin Luther King"

[Final Countdown Jones]

Racially motivated or not "perform these tasks to show respect to the veterans" is dumb and people like hanging on him after he's said he doesn't believe he should to keep nagging at him for it and try to pressure him into doing it helps literally nothing.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Jun 5, 2020 14:33:07 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

Racially motivated or not "perform these tasks to show respect to the veterans" is dumb and people like hanging on him after he's said he doesn't believe he should to keep nagging at him for it and try to pressure him into doing it helps literally nothing.

I have the total opposite view, if it’s basic shit like you carry the gear or you’re in charge of handing out beers, I’m fine with it. It happens almost everywhere, I’ve had plenty of jobs where that’s a thing. As long as it’s not escalating to full out hazing, like biscuit games or locking rookies in the tour bus bathroom for an hour, I see nothing wrong with it.

In my experience, there’s usually a pretty big correlation between dudes who make a stink about carrying the equipment and dudes you don’t want on your crew.

[4TheGlory]

From every book I’ve ever read from wrestlers, this is common and has nothing to do with race. It’s outdated and a total waste of everyone’s time but I don’t think he was being targeted in anyway other than the fact he was new and then got heat for not doing it.

[government mule]

Just because it's the way things have always been done does not make it right in the first place. I think Lio is perfectly entitled to feel uncomfortable about an archaic practice.

[XIII]

No grown person should have to carry another grown person’s personal bags.

[Honeybear Lyder]

While he's correct about being hazed, IMO (if a rookie volunteers to carry bags or buy drinks for the vets it's all good, but no one should be forced to do so), I don't see what does it has to do with Rush being African-American.

[Deleted]

He's completely right.

Carry your own f***ing bags.

[Deleted]

We really do need to cut this shit out in sports where the new guy is expected to be at the beck and call of the veterans. It can be fun like how the NFL rookies generally do a talent show for the vets to laugh at, but no one should feel pressured to do anything for a vet.

[4TheGlory]

I know at least in Major League Baseball for example it’s common to make rookies wear little kid backpacks and carry everyone’s stuff around. It seems much more casual and for fun than pro wrestling’s equivalent to it

[Final Countdown Jones]

Jun 5, 2020 14:49:20 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Jun 5, 2020 14:33:07 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

Racially motivated or not "perform these tasks to show respect to the veterans" is dumb and people like hanging on him after he's said he doesn't believe he should to keep nagging at him for it and try to pressure him into doing it helps literally nothing.

I have the total opposite view, if it’s basic shit like you carry the gear or you’re in charge of handing out beers, I’m fine with it. It happens almost everywhere, I’ve had plenty of jobs where that’s a thing. As long as it’s not escalating to full out hazing, like biscuit games or locking rookies in the tour bus bathroom for an hour, I see nothing wrong with it.

In my experience, there’s usually a pretty big correlation between dudes who make a stink about carrying the equipment and dudes you don’t want on your crew.

It can happen everywhere and still be super shitty. That's not everyone pitching in, that's people grinding at everyone else's menial work to earn their 'respect' and that's a load of horseshit. That's just not the way you actually develop the bonds where people will have your back and belong 'on your crew'. Normalization doesn't make that okay.

Edit: Conversely, I'm honestly ultra wary of people who see not wanting to do this junk as a red flag or make a judgment call off of it.

[Aceorton]

It's amazing to me that so many of the veterans go along with it. Someone should be willing to break the cycle. I'd be personally embarrassed if the new guy were lugging my shit around.

[Mozenrath]

I think that gestures of basic respect can be good, but the idea of enforcing unwritten ones as an expectation are ridiculous as hell.

If someone wants to buy guys beers, sure, fine, but it's goofy as hell to take this tact with it.

[Deleted]

Its not racism, it's carny bullshit that should have ended years ago.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

I don't think he should be evoking race in that when it really has nothing to do with it. Anything race related is a fire cracker right now that should not be used lightly but I get what he means as a black man myself.

In regards to the trend. You can take it or leave it. EVERYONE has done it though the buck has to stop somewhere if people don't want to do it. It is a sign of respect and really a staple in all sports and even some jobs in terms of the junior member doing stuff for the older staff. If you don't want to do it that's fine but you also have to know there is shit behind that as well because it makes it come across like you're better then then everyone

Since we are talking about this. What are y'all thoughts on the young lion system in Japan? They cook, clean, do laundry etc as cutting their teeth and being humble in the beginning before they become their own person. Obviously was much worse stupid shit back in the day that thankfully got erased but that's what they do today. So how y'all feel on that?

[111111]

I thought this shit was supposedly done with now, I guess the guys who insist the locker room is chill and all that stuff is in the past don’t want to jeopardise any career opportunities so keep quiet about it, in about 10 or 15 years or so I bet we’ll hear some horrendous stories about backstage politics.

Expecting the guys earning less money than you to buy your f***ing drinks just cus you’ve been in the job a while is f***ing ridiculous, as is making them carry your bags, I think the old timers know a lot of younger wrestlers are fans who haven’t had all their positivity sucked dry yet so exploit their fandom and joy of being there to make them their bitch.

[Final Countdown Jones]

Jun 5, 2020 15:19:16 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Since we are talking about this. What are y'all thoughts on the young lion system in Japan? They cook, clean, do laundry etc as cutting their teeth and being humble in the beginning before they become their own person. Obviously was much worse stupid shit back in the day that thankfully got erased but that's what they do today. So how y'all feel on that?

I think it has some questionable issues, but I do see differences in the way it works. For one, it's their actual job. Not an unspoken rule that they get socially pressured in, it's literally their job. They live in a house where they train and perform household tasks, including cooking for the people training them. They're being paid to train, their responsibilities in turn are both to the people training them, but also to just the house in general. It's a lot easier to stomach the idea of doing someone's laundry when they're teaching you their craft firsthand, and you're also doing your own laundry in there and cooking for your housemates. It's an apprenticeship, and there's a willingness and explicit agreement being signed onto as part of a genuine exchange.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Jun 5, 2020 15:09:29 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

Jun 5, 2020 14:49:20 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

I have the total opposite view, if it’s basic shit like you carry the gear or you’re in charge of handing out beers, I’m fine with it. It happens almost everywhere, I’ve had plenty of jobs where that’s a thing. As long as it’s not escalating to full out hazing, like biscuit games or locking rookies in the tour bus bathroom for an hour, I see nothing wrong with it.

In my experience, there’s usually a pretty big correlation between dudes who make a stink about carrying the equipment and dudes you don’t want on your crew.

It can happen everywhere and still be super shitty. That's not everyone pitching in, that's people grinding at everyone else's menial work to earn their 'respect' and that's a load of horseshit. That's just not the way you actually develop the bonds where people will have your back and belong 'on your crew'. Normalization doesn't make that okay.

Edit: Conversely, I'm honestly ultra wary of people who see not wanting to do this junk as a red flag or make a judgment call of of it.

Nobody is being asked to do an extra 4 hours of backbreaking labour, but if you're not willing to carry a drink cooler, or wheel the mitre saw on to the jobsite without bitching about it then it raises questions about how you'll fit into the team. Everyone you're working with has done it before you, whether they've been working 10 weeks or 10 years. It comes across as arrogance, and an unwillingness to work with the team if you're raising hell about it. You roll with it for a bit, and it's generally pretty f***ing quick that someone steps in and says "Hey man, that's not you job to worry about anymore"


And just to make sure we're on the same page, I'm specifically referring to low level stuff. Like I said in my last post, there's a definite line between team building and abusive hazing. I'm not talking about shower room sexual assault, or "Hey, you're not a team player if you don't drink this 40 of Jack/snort this gram etc".

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Jun 5, 2020 15:29:59 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Jun 5, 2020 15:09:29 GMT -5 Final Countdown Jones said:

It can happen everywhere and still be super shitty. That's not everyone pitching in, that's people grinding at everyone else's menial work to earn their 'respect' and that's a load of horseshit. That's just not the way you actually develop the bonds where people will have your back and belong 'on your crew'. Normalization doesn't make that okay.

Edit: Conversely, I'm honestly ultra wary of people who see not wanting to do this junk as a red flag or make a judgment call of of it.

Nobody is being asked to do an extra 4 hours of backbreaking labour, but if you're not willing to carry a drink cooler, or wheel the mitre saw on to the jobsite without bitching about it then it raises questions about how you'll fit into the team. Everyone you're working with has done it before you, whether they've been working 10 weeks or 10 years. It comes across as arrogance, and an unwillingness to work with the team if you're raising hell about it. You roll with it for a bit, and it's generally pretty f***ing quick that someone steps in and says "Hey man, that's not you job to worry about anymore"


And just to make sure we're on the same page, I'm specifically referring to low level stuff. Like I said in my last post, there's a definite line between team building and abusive hazing. I'm not talking about shower room sexual assault, or "Hey, you're not a team player if you don't drink this 40 of Jack/snort this gram etc".

I've spoken on this before so I will keep it short

I don't see nothing wrong with it since I played sports. I think it is just some little 5 min task that just shows you're not above the crowd. If you were trying to shave my head or do anything physically to me we'd have a big f***ing problem but this isn't it. Hell, it isn't the first time you do this and you most likely volunteer to say hey let me help with that which is what HHH did with HBK and Brock has said he offered to do it for Kane and Taker

If he don't want to do it that's fine too but it is what it is really and shouldn't need to be blown up to this proportion either

[britishbulldog]

So a harmless initiation yep don’t see it as hostile. Not a wrestling thing not a race.