For the most part, the San Francisco Giants have been a disaster on and off the field this season.
They’re getting roasted in the National League West, and the team’s response to multiple players writing Bible verses on their pride hats has been anything but smooth.
On Tuesday, the Giants returned for a series against their former crosstown rivals, the A’s, and I made my way out to the city by the bay myself. San Francisco is arguably the most progressive city in our nation, so it shouldn’t be shocking that their fan base and the LGBTQ community, plus their allies in sports media, we’re ready to fuel the fire in the next chapter of this controversy.
I spoke to dozens of fans outside the ballpark, some of whom were disappointed by Giants legend and current president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, refusing to answer any questions about the controversy as he addressed the media over four hours before first pitch, opting to just talk about baseball-related questions.
Unsurprisingly, many fans who identify as part of the LGBTQ community, and their allies, claimed that the pitchers were discriminatory, hateful, bigots.
One fan I spoke with, holding a sign that stated, “Giants Pride. Protest Bigotry,” told me that he was “not shocked that a few players on the team [were] homophobic.” Ironically, the bottom of his sign had the words “love respect inclusion.” That same fan said he didn’t want baseball players to be “social commentators,” but was stumped when I asked him if he would consider players paraded publicly on a baseball field with the colors and symbols of his political and social movement (LGBTQ Pride) as essentially walking political billboards.
Another fan that identified as an “LGBTQ affirming Catholic” had one of the most shocking tapes of all, saying, “The Giants (organization) should have just said, ‘Hey, you put on the uniform the way it is or you can sit out.” He reemphasized throughout the conversation that players should be benched for not wearing Pride gear. When I asked him if he believed that could be considered religious discrimination, he simply responded, “No.”
While not every conversation was as extreme as a few of these examples, some even being enjoyable, classic agreed to disagree, healthy debates and conversations with LGBTQ-identifying fans, most of the people I talked to we’re more interested in labeling these players as the worst of the worst of society.
One fan who was decked out with pride pins and Giants Pride apparel, who identified as a “gay Christian,” tried comparing Christian players writing Bible verses on their hats to the time where Black players were not allowed to play in Major League Baseball. He truly believed that players not supporting the LGBTQ Pride agenda could be labeled as hateful and discriminatory just like players from over 50 years ago who were against Jackie Robinson and other Black baseball players playing in Major League Baseball. Though he couldn’t prove that these players would be against a gay teammate or competitor playing in the league, he believed this was an apt comparison. I beg to differ.
I even interacted with a group protesting outside the stadium holding signs that said, “BAD and BIGOTED,” as well as “No Bigots in SF” with Matthew 22:39 written below it. They figured this would be a safe place where they could be praised and glorified by local media, who surrounded them, so when I pressed them on the issue, they seemed a little caught off guard.
I essentially asked them to explain how that Bible verse which states, ” love your neighbor as yourself,” would mean that the Christian pitchers should affirm things which the Bible clearly condemns. My question was, “Would you say that “loving your neighbor” would be accepting something the Bible calls a sin?” One protester refused to answer, while the one holding the sign with the verse stated, “Jesus loves all of his children.”
Some would argue there’s a fundamental difference between being “Jesus’ children” and being “made in the image of God,” as it states in Genesis 1:27. That verse also states we (mankind) are made “male and female.” The simple fact is: everyone is not a Christian, so everyone can’t be a “child of God.”
I won’t bore you with a thorough theological breakdown, but it’s interesting to see a group complaining about Christian players writing Bible verses on their hats, while they misuse Scripture for their benefit. You can’t have it both ways.
This is another example why conversations with people on the other side of the religious and political aisle are so important. Most of the people I chatted with have probably never been properly challenged in their worldview. Many I would have to assume don’t have consistent or in-depth conversations with actual Christians.
For the life of them, they can’t understand why someone would not promote a movement that states men should be allowed to play in women’s sports, biological sex is a social construct, marriage is not between one man and one woman, that children should be subjected to LGBTQ sexual material at games and in their schools, as well as extremes of even promoting and celebrating medical operations to physically mutilate their body so they could look like the opposite sex.
I wish more Americans were like a young Giants fan who I spoke with and who believed that MLB should focus on baseball and stop the political pandering. He said, “I don’t why [Pride Nights] should be in baseball.” To that I say, amen. All these nights do is politically divide us, and consistently put Christian and conservative athletes in a position where they need to compromise on their faith by participating or face the threats and hate of the LGBTQ community and their allies in and out of the media. Just play baseball.
