It's baseball season, and I am excited. The boys of summer are starting up and I already have my tickets to see the Braves vs the Angels in May. The Braves hardly ever play at Anaheim, and this year I'm going, and I'm going twice. But, before I go, I have to take into consideration a few things. Can I wear my Braves gear without the fear of being attacked for expressing my like for the visiting team? If the events of this past week have any bearing on that decision, I don't know.
If you've been watching the news this week, you've probably heard about the vicious attack at Dodgers stadium. A fan was beaten and put in a coma by two drunkards who have yet to be arrested. The organization has agreed to let LAPD have a known presence at their games next week, and my thought is, DUH!
It took your security, ten minutes to respond to the attack, and the attackers got away! I'm not a fan of going to Dodger stadium in the first place and this is one of the reasons why. There is some feeling of entitlement that people who live in L.A. have when it comes to their sports teams. If you wear a team supporting someone other than that team, you are met with hostility and sometimes violence. Even if you are from that city where that team is from, there is some code that prohibits you from wearing a jersey that is not blue and has the name Dodgers written on it. Be proud of your team and their history, but for crying out loud, you're not on the team, what gives you the right to determine what people can or cannot wear? I am all for being proud of your team, being a fan, but when that feeling expresses itself in a negative way, things have got to change.
There is an obsession that must be dealt with. It's no longer safe to express opinion. I feel that even I, will get some form of backlash from readers who think I'm simply attacking the Dodgers with this post when I'm attacking extremism. They are simply the example I'm using. Bryan Stow was simply a fan of the game, came to cheer on his favorite team, and he was greeted with hostility and his assailants got away.
Going to a sporting event should be a family friendly environment, and you should be able to stand up and cheer whomever you want, regardless if it's the home team or not. Home town pride is one thing, but when that pride is taken to the extreme and it is not longer safe to express an opinion, you have to look at priorities in this country. Be proud of your city, be proud of your teams, but stop thinking that it gives you the right to act out against someone who is not there cheering on your team.
The good news, Bryan Stow is stable and his vitals are looking good. The bad, unless measures are taken to enhance safety at these games, things like this will happen again.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called this incident a cut on the face of L.A. and I have to agree. This act doesn't give the city a good name, and it hurts ticket sales for the team. Who wants to go to a place where you can't feel safe? Who wants to go and cheer on a team that you don't like? You have to hide your feelings because you don't want to be killed.
Another issue that might need to be resolved is the removal of alcohol from the stadiums as the men who attacked Bryan Stow were drunk. If alcohol is going to be served and there's no accountability, problems will continue.
I am disgusted at this act, disgusted at the fans, the organization, the city, the security at the stadium, society. This isn't what America's about. At least not my America.
Until next time
P
