Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE.
Thursday marked opening day for the 2020 Major League Baseball season in a sport often referred to as America’s favorite past time, but it seems that America has been relegated to the backseat in favor of the Black Lives Matter political movement.
In the two games featured, to include what has to be seen as the stellar game of the night, a contest featuring the World Series champion Washington Nationals and the storied New York Yankees, the participants took grandstanding to another level.
Every player and coach from the teams took a knee before the national anthem was played while holding a black ribbon-like fabric.
Players from both teams kneel together in unity before tonight's National Anthem. #OpeningDay #NYYforNY pic.twitter.com/ptW2FgfzUe
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 23, 2020
If the political theater seen on the field wasn’t enough to make fans forget about the game at hand, liberal actor Morgan Freeman’s voice echoed across the ballpark as he preached a social justice message.
“Today, and every day, we come together as brothers,” Freeman read as coaches and players knelt. “As equals, all with the same goal – to level the playing field. To change the injustices. Equality is not just a word. It’s our right.”
Today, and every day, we come together as brothers. As equals, all with the same goal – to level the playing field. To change the injustices. Equality is not just a word. It’s our right!
Today we stand as men from 25 nations on 6 continents.
Today, we are one. pic.twitter.com/vKUGdRfwgQ
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2020
Fittingly, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci, who heads up the White House coronavirus task force, threw out the opening pitch.
Turned out, the good doctor was no more accurate here than he has been with some of his projections.
The Yankees and the Nationals reportedly stood during the actual playing of the Star Spangled Banner.
None, however, knelt during the national anthem. It was during the pregame ceremony in which all of the players held a long, black piece of fabric and Morgan Freeman read a speech addressing social injustice.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 23, 2020
The same scene played out on the west coast in a game featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, though some players also knelt during the national anthem.
"Today, we are one." pic.twitter.com/fqH8NkJm8A
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2020
So much for sports being one of the few things that unite the country, as that notion has fallen to the wayside in what amounts to a knee jerk reaction to the social justice rage mob thrust upon America as the moral authority on equality. This being the end result of the media’s success in exploiting the death of George Floyd to establish the narrative that racially-motivated police brutality is rampant in America, even though recent statistics prove this to be false.
CNN touted how Major League Baseball placed took Opening Day to place Black Lives Matters center stage, excitedly sharing that BLM was stamped on the field, as seen in the video above.
Baseball is no longer America’s favorite pastime.
— 𝕔hi𝓁𝓁iຖ໐iˢ (@chiIIum) July 23, 2020
But that wasn’t the only promotion of a cause that has radical, hard-left views.
“The left sleeve of some of the four teams player jerseys — the Nationals, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants — have patches reading, ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘United for Change,’ alongside what the MLB says is an, ‘inverted MLB logo where the silhouetted batter is black,'” the network reported.
Several San Francisco players (of course) continued to kneel during the national anthem, as well as one player from Los Angeles.
The Dodgers tried to sell this sign of disrespect as being “united.”
United. pic.twitter.com/ZnFyqyMNm3
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2020
The Giants and Dodgers all took a knee together before the anthem. Several Giants have continued to kneel during the anthem, including manager Gabe Kapler: pic.twitter.com/7F4DkAdalN
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 24, 2020
Players on both coasts also wore Black Lives Matter shirts during pre-game batting practice.
Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/uiyM2jc0n3
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2020
It’s all part of a new policy from Major League Baseball, according to CNN.
“MLB stands in solidarity with the Black community in the fight for racial and social justice,” the league declared in a document obtained by the network.
“MLB recognizes more needs to be done. MLB will continue to listen to the Black community including MLB players, The Players Alliance and MLB and Club staff about this issue; enhance initiatives to improve Black representation in baseball on and off-the-field; expand charitable donations to social justice organizations; and continue to amplify the voices of our players.”
Here’s a quick sampling of some of the responses to the story from Twitter:
You have lost the support of many patriotic people. There’s a time and place for stuff like this and it’s not on a ball field. Kneeling only shows one way people are feeling. You picked a side instead of staying neutral. The side you alienated will no longer be supporting you.
— MichaelMAGA (@StMichaelrulz) July 24, 2020
Never a good idea to push political agendas into sports. This country needs a welcome distraction from politics, not a heavy handed agenda that will send more fans away from this game. So many Americans out of work and just looking for a few hours of peace to watch a ballgame.
— Brent Naughton (@NaughtonArt) July 24, 2020
I just cancelled the MLB package and I’m a lifelong baseball fan. There was a time you could tune into a sporting event just to watch a game, no more. I’ve had enough of the BS, you’ve lost me.
— Don Stratton (@drs295stratton) July 23, 2020
Goodbye Yanks. You lost a fan forever and believe me I’m not the only fan your going to lose.
— Rich DePrima (@richdeprima) July 23, 2020
I was always taught that Americans don’t kneel to anyone except their God. Frank Sinatra made the same point, in song. What are my Yankees kneeling to, exactly?
— Nelson G (@IamNelsonG) July 24, 2020
Absolutely disgusted by this. Born and raised in LA . Grew up a dodger fan. Won’t be watching or purchasing anything. Btw feel the same about the NFL AND NBA .
— CCarr (@Csillacarr) July 24, 2020
Dodgers really … how about all lives matter !
20 year LASD veteran here and see no@love from LA Dodgers .
— Caroline Scott (@lasdcrodriguez) July 24, 2020
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!