The wokeification of sports is getting worse by the minute.
The left will impose its will on people no matter what.
Now Major League Baseball players were harassed by Democrats for refusing to do one thing.
Leftists are always looking to put their foot on the accelerator.
They move from “acceptance” to “compliance” at breakneck speed.
For example, the left made the claim that gay people should not be discriminated against, and broader society accepted that.
But now the left has moved toward compliance, i.e. people must affirm every aspect of the LGBTQ+ movement, or they’re an irredeemable bigot.
Several players on the Tampa Bay Rays found that out the hard way when they chose not to wear a patch on their jerseys for pride night.
From The Tampa Bay Times:
“Pitchers Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson were among those who did not, electing to peel off the burst logo and wear the standard hat…Adam, chosen by team officials to speak for the players who opted out, said it was primarily a matter of religious beliefs and not wanting to encourage the “behavior” of those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
Adam commented, “A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision…So it’s a hard decision. 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.”
The left predictably lost its minds over the issue.
Uber-progressive ESPN commentator Sarah Spain said, “Pride is about inclusion, so you don’t love them, and you don’t welcome them if you’re not willing to wear the patch…This is not just about baseball. That religious exemption BS is used in sports and otherwise also allows for people to be denied health care, jobs, apartments, children, prescriptions, all sorts of rights. And so, we have to stop tiptoeing around it because we’re trying to protect people who are trying to be bigoted from asking for them to be exempt from it when the very people that they are bigoted against are suffering the consequences.”
Spain revealed when she said “this is not about baseball.”
It certainly is not.
It’s about cultural hegemony and enforcement of a political worldview.
Leftists demand compliance of all their policies and proclamations, no matter what.
Acceptance is no longer acceptable.