With the month of June underway so, too, comes the virtue-signaling to curry favor with the LGBTQ community, but in Florida on Saturday some professional ballplayers made a “faith-based decision” to take a stand against woke corporate activism.
In the middle of a three-game series hosting the Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays held their 16th annual Pride Night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Saturday afternoon. With a myriad of overtures toward LGBTQ supporters that included handing out mini pride flags and a $20,000 donation to Metro Inclusive Health as part of the pregame events, at least five players reportedly fell out of sync with the rest of their team on certain displays, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Player uniforms incorporated a rainbow color scheme in the “TB” logo on their caps as well as in their sunburst logo that was worn on the sleeve of their jerseys.
Today, we wear our #Pride on our sleeves pic.twitter.com/bcOLJNhx6Y
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
Rays relief pitcher Jason Adam was one of the players who chose not to opt-in to the Pride Night ensemble and explained, “A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision.”
“So it’s a hard decision,” he went on. “Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe – not that they look down on anybody or think differently – it’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like [Jesus] encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different.”
Team manager Kevin Cash appeared to try to find a neutral position on his players’ decisions to not participate by offering a brief statement that showed more support for the organization.
“First and foremost, I think the organization has done a really good thing to have Pride Nights supporting our gay community to come out and have a nice night at the ballpark. Impressed that our players have had those conversations and we want to support our players that choose not to wear to the best of our capabilities,” he said.
Just people showing their #Pride pic.twitter.com/jtdgHJSLOO
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
We line up with a little extra #Pride tonight pic.twitter.com/mjGZqTPEIX
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
Matt Silverman, president of the Tampa Bay Rays, boasted about the promotions they worked into the event that included posting the lineup in a rainbow scheme as well. “Our Pride Nights continue to grow both in terms of visibility and participation. By doing this, we extend an invitation not just for this game but for all our games that the LGBTQ+ community is invited, welcomed and celebrated.”
Joined by Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson in leaving the rainbow colors off their uniforms, Adam made clear his choice was an affirmation of his lifestyle and not meant to be a slight against the choice of others, stating, “It’s not judgmental. It’s not looking down. It’s just what we believe the lifestyle [Jesus] encouraged us to live for our good, not to withhold. But we love these men and women, we care about them and we want them to feel safe and welcome here.”
Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier took a different position on the event and joined the majority of his teammates in opting in to the uniform tweaks.
“It’s one of those things, my parents taught me to love everyone as they are, go live your life, whatever your preferences are, go be you,” Kiermaier said. “I can’t speak for everyone who’s in here, obviously, but this is a family-friendly environment here at a big-league ball field … We just want everyone to feel welcomed and included and cheer us on. No matter what your view on anything are.”
DeSantis vetoes $35 million for sports facility of team that politicized national shootings https://t.co/X0RZglHL4w
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) June 3, 2022
Like other teams around Major League Baseball, the Rays have been outspoken when it comes to taking political stances. In addition to their Pride Night, they have sided with gun control activists as calls for action have risen in the wake of recent tragedies. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has postured against corporations being intertwined with government bodies and recently vetoed budgeting that would have provided the franchise $35 million in taxpayer funding toward a practice facility.
The White Sox went on to beat the Rays 3-2 and also took the series winning two of the three games.
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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