As details of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, continue to unfold, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler wrote that he was not okay with the state of this country and felt like a traitor.
Kapler said in a post on his lifestyle brand website that he was disappointed in himself for not protesting during the playing of the national anthem.
A young man killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. In Buffalo, New York, 10 people were killed when an 18-year-old man opened fire in a supermarket. The attackers were using assault rifles.
When I was a kid in Uvalde, my father taught me to stand for the pledge of allegiance when I believed my country was representing its people well or to protest and stay seated when it wasn't. Kapler doesn't believe it is representing us well right now.
It's... Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I am participating in a celebration of the country where these mass shootings take place. I listened to the announcement as we honored the victims in Uvalde. I bowed my head. I stood up for the anthem. The band riffs on City Connect guitars.
Kapler said he wanted to make a gesture, but was aware that it could be misinterpreted as offensive to the military, to veterans, to themselves.
My brain told me to drop to a knee. I froze when I wanted to walk back inside. I felt like I wasn't doing anything. I didn't want to be noticed. I did not want to take away from the victims or their families.
It's... I don't like the state of this country. I wish I had not let my uneasiness compromise my integrity. I wish I could have shown what my dad taught me when I was dissatisfied with my country. The home of the brave should encourage this.
Several notable sports figures, including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, have used their platforms over the past few days to plead for action to combat gun violence.
On Thursday, the social media teams for the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays collaborated in an effort to raise awareness about gun violence in the United States. Throughout the game, the teams posted identical facts, attributing where they got them, in concert with each other to their combined 4.25 million followers.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
