As details of the shooting at Uwalde Elementary School, Texas, continue to be revealed, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler wrote on Friday that he “is not good with the state of this country” and that he “feels cowardly” because he did not protest. “the lack of fulfillment of the promise of what constitutes our national anthem.”
Going forward, Caper said on Friday that he did not plan to go out on the field for the national anthem, “until I feel better about the direction of our country.”
Kapler, in a blog post posted earlier Friday on the website of his lifestyle brand, said he was disappointed in himself that he did not protest during the national anthem on Wednesday.
An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers on Tuesday at Rob Elementary School in Uwalde, Texas. In Buffalo, New York, 10 people were killed on May 14 when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire on a supermarket. Both armed men used AR-15-style assault rifles.
“When I was the same age as the children in Uwalde, my father taught me to take the oath of allegiance when I believed my country represented its people well, or to protest and sit back when it didn’t. “I don’t think he’s doing well for us right now,” Kapler wrote.
“… Every time I put my hand on my heart and take off my hat, I participate in the self-congratulating glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place. On Wednesday I went out on the field, listening to the message while we honored the victims in Uwalde. I bowed my head. I stood for the national anthem. Metallica rehearsed on City Connect guitars. “
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Kapler said he wanted to make a gesture, but said he was aware that it could be misunderstood as an act designed to be offensive “to the military, to veterans, to themselves.”
“My brain told me to fall to my knees; my body did not listen to me. I wanted to go back inside; instead I froze. I felt cowardly. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I did not want to take away from the victims or their families.
“… But I am not well with the state of this country. I wish I hadn’t allowed my discomfort to compromise my integrity. I wish I could demonstrate what I learned from my father that when you are dissatisfied with you, you make it known through protest. The House of the Brave should encourage this. “
Kapler is the latest example of how several notable sports figures – including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr – have used their platforms over the past few days to plead for action to combat gun violence.
On Thursday, social media teams for the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees worked together to raise awareness of gun violence in the United States. During the game, the teams posted identical facts – attributing where they got them – in agreement with their total of 4.25 million followers on Twitter.
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