Trending
By Jim Caltagirone
For the Mirror
Gabe Kapler has been described as an analytics fanatic, and it's hard to argue with his approach to managing.
Last season, he directed the San Francisco Giants to 107 wins and the best record in baseball.
In some quarters, however, the logic that is currently influencing his preferred method of social protest has been questioned.
Three days after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Kapler posted a long message on his blog that, in part, explained his dissatisfaction with existing gun legislation and the police response to the tragedy at Robb Elementary School.
He also advanced his plans to remain in the clubhouse during the playing of the national anthem, as a form of protest related to the "state of this country."
Kapler's revulsion to the school shootings is shared by every sane person who values life.
However, his rationale behind shunning the anthem doesn't add up, especially considering his decision to "stand on the line" on Memorial Day to honor those "who have paid the ultimate price for our rights and freedoms."
The national anthem and American flag are symbols of our country's diverse strengths. Boycotting them is not the same thing as boycotting a segregated lunch counter.
The lunch counter is not a symbol. During one regrettable period in our nation's history, it was a convenient means for racists to inflict humiliation and deprivation.
By contrast, the anthem and flag both represent a perpetuation of the ideals that have placed the United States at the center of the free world.
In his blog post of May 27, Kapler explained, "When I was the same age as the children in Uvalde, my father taught me to stand for the pledge of allegiance when I believed my country was representing its people well or to protest and stay seated when it wasn't. I don't believe it is representing us well right now."
The meaning associated with the national anthem does not change from day to day. There is no qualification on a national holiday. Kapler's decision to stand for the anthem on Memorial Day was respectful but also hypocritical based on the personal feelings expressed in his blog post.
"Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I'm participating in a self-congratulatory glorification of the ONLY (Kapler's caps) country where these mass shootings take place," Kapler wrote.
It's a giant leap for Kapler to infer that singing the national anthem at a ballgame is collective approbation of mass slaughter of our fellow citizens.
Kapler said that he will be donating money to organizations dedicated to ending gun violence and devoted to veteran health and linking the experience of veterans to civilians.
He would significantly expand his impact, if he used his platform to advocate for increased availability of mental health resources and lobby for enhancements to security in schools, places of worship and public spaces.
As White Sox manager Tony La Russa said, the flag and anthem "are not appropriate places to try to voice your objection" to how societal problems are being addressed.
Kapler harbors good intentions. Maligning sources of national pride is a bad way to build consensus in a fractured society.
The crisis of gun violence in our country will be resolved when everyone comes together.
Sitting out the national anthem alone in a baseball clubhouse does not exemplify a constructive path forward.
Jim Caltagirone resides in Altoona. He contributes monthly to Voice of the Fan.