San Francisco Giants coach Gabe Kapler made a strong statement last week following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, penning an emotional blog post in which he said “I am not okay with the state of this country.” He would then go on to say that he would skip the national anthem before MLB games until he can “feel better about the direction of our country.”
“When I was the same age as the children 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 wrote. “I don’t believe it is representing us well right now.”
While he’s received a lot of support over the stance, Kapler did receive pushback from Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa, who said that while the Giants manager is “exactly right to be concerned,” he disagreed with the idea of not standing for the national anthem out of respect for servicemen and women.
“Some of their courage comes from what the flag means to them and when they hear the anthem,” La Russa said. “You need to understand what the veterans think when they hear the anthem or see the flag. And the cost they paid and their families. And if you truly understand that, I think it’s impossible not to salute the flag and listen to the anthem.”
Monday is Memorial Day and the Giants will play in Philadelphia. When asked if he planned to boycott the anthem before that game, Kapler admitted that he might appear for the anthem given the meaning of that day.
“I’m very comfortable taking it day by day,” Kapler said. “I think I’ll just decide what makes the most sense in the moment.
“Memorial Day is an important day in our country’s history and a special day and a unique day,” he said. “I find it to be one that deserves special attention.”
Of course, whether or not Kapler stands for the national anthem is secondary to the reasons behind his protest, but all eyes will likely be on the Giants manager to see what he does and what kind of reaction it causes.
[ESPN]
