STAND SPEAK UP TO RACIST TAUNTS
Hear something, see something? Say something, do something. It’s that simple. The Red Sox essentially have confirmed Baltimore’s Adam Jones’ charges that he was the subject of racist taunts on Monday night at Fenway Park, offering a formal apology to the AllStar outfielder for the “inexcusable behavior” of any fans who allegedly directed the N-word or other vile things at Jones, who also said someone threw a bag of peanuts at him during Baltimore’s 5-2 win over Boston.
“The Red Sox have zero tolerance for such inexcusable behavior, and our entire organization and our fans are sickened by the conduct of an ignorant few,” Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy said in a statement Tuesday.
Clearly, the mobilization in Beantown in the aftermath will be to explain that such despicable slurs at the ballpark or elsewhere are isolated incidents, and not representative of the overwhelming majority of the fan base or the populace of the city.
One bad apple, we’ve heard it all far too many times before. But if that’s truly the case and you witness such boorish acts, don’t sit idly by and allow or encourage it to continue.
While Kennedy also stated that the Sox are fully “reviewing the incident,” he added that this type of despicable conduct should be immediately reported to stadium security by other fans. And he couldn’t be more right. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston mayor Marty Walsh also chimed in, with Baker saying on Twitter that “Fenway fans behavior at the #RedSox game last night was unacceptable & shameful. This is not what Massachusetts & Boston are about.”
In an interview with a local radio station, Walsh even implored Boston fans to “step up” on Tuesday night and give Jones “a standing ovation when he hits the field.”
“Something like this doesn’t belong in sports,” Walsh added. “I wish we could find out who these people were or who this person was that says this. If they claim to be a sports fan, they’re not a sports fan – nothing but a racist.”
Jones had told USA Today following Monday’s game that he was called “the Nword a handful of times” throughout the game. The centerfielder said he’s experienced racial slurs previously in his career, including at Fenway, but he felt that Monday’s experience was “different” than the others.
“It’s unfortunate that people need (to resort) to those type of epithets to degrade another human being,” Jones said. “I’m trying to make a living for myself and for my family.
“The best thing about myself is that I continue to move on, and still play the game hard. Let people be who they are. Let them show their true colors.”
USA Today confirmed with the team Jones’ claim that the fan who threw peanuts at him was found and ejected from the game. Jones added that he was informed that as many as 60 fans were booted from the stadium on Monday night, but that figure has not been confirmed by the Red Sox.
“It’s pathetic. It’s called a coward,” Jones said. “What they need to do is that instead of kicking them out of the stadium, they need to fine them 10 grand, 20 grand, 30 grand. Something that really hurts somebody. Make them pay in full. And if they don’t, take it out of their check.
“That’s how your hurt somebody. You suspend them from the stadium, what does that mean? It’s a slap on the wrist. That guy needs to be confronted, and he needs to pay for what he’s done.
As for the peanuts, Jones added: “At the end of the day, when you throw an object onto the field of play, the player has no idea what it is. What if something hit me right in the eye and I can’t play baseball anymore. Then what?
I just wear it? No. Things like that need to be handled a little more properly, in my opinion.”
And that’s where you and other rightminded fans have to come in.
See something or hear something that truly “sickens” you?
Then, say something. Do something about it.