Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Hot on the Blog
Raffi Cavoukian
Ryan Doyle

GET UPDATES FROM Ryan Doyle
 

Baseball Is a Job, So Fire Escobar

Posted: 09/19/2012 7:45 am

Imagine walking into your workplace tomorrow morning, grabbing a marker from the supply closet, walking into the boardroom and writing the words "You are a Faggot" on the company white board.

How do you think the boss would react?

Would you be able to get away with a simple apology? What if you told the boss that you didn't mean to be offensive, and that some of your friends are gay?

The answer in most sane, rationale workplaces would be simple: You would be canned, fired, terminated. However, the world of major league sports has none of the aforementioned qualities.

Enter Yunel Escobar, the 29-year-old shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays.

During Saturday's game against the Boston Redsox, Escobar took to the field with the words "TU ERE MARICON" -- Spanish for "You're a faggot" -- printed brazenly on the black tape below his eyes.

Two days passed, and pictures of Escobar's tasteless under-eye-wear hit media outlets, circulated throughout social media, and public outrage ensued.

Late Monday, the Jays realized that they had no choice but to react and called a press conference for Tuesday afternoon.

This is where I figured a swift and just punishment would be meted out on Escobar. Surely this was a team and a league that would speak out strongly against these deplorable words and ignorant actions.

I was wrong.

What the public got instead was a vague explanation from Escobar as to why he decided to wear the message on the field.

"I don't have anything against homosexuals," he explained, "I have friends who are gay." A common cliché that most homophobes and bigots cling to when they let their true feelings slip out.

But Escobar's words didn't "slip out." They were loud and proud (pardon the irony), and written all over his face. Not proverbially, quite literally.

So what meaning did these words, and one word in particular, have to him?

"It's just been said around amongst the Latinos. It's not something that's meant to be offensive. For us, it didn't have the significance in the way that's being interpreted...It's a word without meaning."

Let me get this straight, you took a word that means absolutely nothing to you, put it on your FACE, went in front of fans, and thousands of people watching on television?

Nonsense.

After their shortstop finished rambling off meaningless clichés and empty promises, the Jays brass announced that his punishment would be a three game suspension and a loss of pay for the games he would miss.

Three games? For offending every homosexual watching at home, for making the young person in the stands that is struggling with his or her sexuality sink deeper in their seat with shame? For telling every athlete out there that even in 2012 you shouldn't feel comfortable coming out of the closet?

They should be ashamed of themselves. This is a huge black eye for the team and the league as a whole.

With a slap on the wrist punishment like this, the four major sports leagues will continue to look like an old boys club, pushing homosexuality as far away from their teams as possible instead of understanding that many of their players are gay and want nothing more than to come out.

With that being said, I encourage every sports fan, Jays fan especially, to do something to fight back.

To do something unprecedented.

I encourage anyone holding a home game ticket for the Toronto Blue Jays from September 28th-September 30th to rip it up. Get rid of it. Burn it if it makes you feel better.

Why don't we serve this team a three-game-suspension from the fans? Let them know that bigotry, homophobia, racism and intolerance isn't a "cultural misunderstanding" and the fine print under Escobar's eyes has meaning and consequence.

Silence on such an important issue, should be met with silent, empty stands. Baseball is a game, but baseball is also a job and a responsibility, and a symbol for how far we have come.

Is this how far we've come? I'd like to aim higher.

 

Follow Ryan Doyle on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ryandoyleshow

FOLLOW CANADA
Imagine walking into your workplace tomorrow morning, grabbing a marker from the supply closet, walking into the boardroom and writing the words "You are a Faggot" on the company white board. How do...
Imagine walking into your workplace tomorrow morning, grabbing a marker from the supply closet, walking into the boardroom and writing the words "You are a Faggot" on the company white board. How do...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 53
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2  Next ›  Last »  (2 total)
07:21 AM on 09/20/2012
Thank you for your outrage! I am appalled not only by Escobar's actions but the inaction of the Blue Jays management. The public needs to boycott their games, buying their products etc.. We need to send a clear message until the Blue Jays management takes proper measures
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
05:57 AM on 09/20/2012
"You are a Faggot" would justifiably get you fired. Should "you are a sissy" get you fired as well?

Oh, the labor lawyers would have had a field day had he been fired. Sports radio, is there another more lower form of "entertainment"?
04:58 AM on 09/20/2012
Yes lets ruin a mans life because of something he "said" that hurt someones feelings. Lets not educate lets just burn him alive. Bravo
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
James Tanner222
12:28 AM on 09/20/2012
If the argument is that he would be fired at a normal job, so fire him from baseball, then I think that brings up a very interesting topic: Why should a normal guy be fired for doing something similar? Why not just educate him and let him try to improve himself? What is with the need to fire or punish people all the time? What do we get out such retrebution? If its a deterent, then its after the fact and wouldnt a 20 minute power point presentation have the same deterring effect? If its not a deterrent, then its an immature vengful notion not worthy of discussion. Punishment is innafectivfe and is only satisfying as blood lust. There is nothing else to be gained from firing Escobar, the guy has been internationally embarrassed and he will learn his lesson. But, the call for vengence is just as offensive to the intellectually high minded people in the audiance as Escobar's writing was to homosexuals. Maybe worse because unlike Escobar, the author here probably does know better.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dizzee
10:17 PM on 09/19/2012
holy crap,...u guys are going to far with this... ure making a scapegoat out of Escobar... i have had (male) friends that are latino and i hear them saying this to each other lots of time.. they use like we would call someone maggot, or say out loud when someone did spmething to bug them "im gonna kill u" should we all be disciplined for that ... and who goes to baseball games to take photos that can read words on the black patches.. they not there to watch a game??? can we all just let it be.. he didnt mean it in the way its being now out of context...
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
calisel99
life began wit the first self replicating molecule
01:43 AM on 09/20/2012
why dont you go ahead and do the same thing at your workplace, i agree with the author that if i did this at my work place i would be fired ! but then again im not an overly paid primadonna man playing a childs game (a game that i love)
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dizzee
11:34 AM on 09/23/2012
ever called someone a wuss or anything like that... whats the difference... how could u see those marks clearly... they were in spanish does everyone speak spanish... im not defending him but im not condoning him.. its a slang.. who would he be saying this to...does that person know it was directed to him
07:08 PM on 09/19/2012
He should be fired just like we would be if we were at work. What purpose did those words on his face serve? only to degrade and insult gays, that's it. I'm so tired of hearing about free speech. Free speech has become a free ticket to degrade anyone or anything you disagree with. Free speech creates intolerance because people feel they are protected by the law. I'm not totally against free speech but people today use to hurt others. If you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything. Just shut up.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
calisel99
life began wit the first self replicating molecule
01:48 AM on 09/20/2012
this is not about free speech! this is about taking responsibility ,of course hes free to not like gays and make it public ,BUT there are serious repercussions and yes he should be fired ,but he is free to feel and say what he truly believes "are you kiddin" maybe you'd like russia or china where speech is severely curtailed
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
05:22 PM on 09/19/2012
Ryan Doyle:
I said this to you on your radio show yesterday and, I said it to Mike Bullard on his radio show today. Four of CFRB 1010's hosts and many phone guests have said this word on live radio now.

Condemning the use of this word while using it over and over again. On live radio and in print.

In context or not, I just don't see how that works.

If you disagree with the use of the word. Then refer to it without saying it. Like you would for the N-word or an F-bomb.

Saying it over and over is just ridiculous. It illustrates that you do not care about the use of it.

Please stop it!

Nathaniel Adie
04:55 PM on 09/19/2012
Escobar is full of crap when he says that the word Maricon in spanish does not insult any one, well I am a spanish woman and the word is only beeing said when they really want to hurt a gay guy in the worse posible way, shame on him.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dizzee
10:20 PM on 09/19/2012
yah u may be spanish but do u hang out with guys goofing around that use that word... it can be used to hurt a gay guy im sure as translation says... but again its a slang word not meaning to demean anyone... and why would he do this, he telling everyone they are faggots cause i dont see him singling out one person with the slogan
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
James Tanner222
12:38 AM on 09/20/2012
Its not just spanish people or latinos, people use the word fag a lot. It is a word almost devoid of meaning when hanging around a bunch of white heterosexual guys. Just like saying "Thats gay" "youre a fag" is unbelievably common, though its funny for people to act like its this verboten word you dare not say. Like, use a little context.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Burlesque Lea
the dog is the only animal that has seen his god
02:04 PM on 09/19/2012
You cannot prevent intolerance with more intolerance, otherwise you are falling at the same level of the intolerant. Where is your superiority as a human being, that differentiate you from the intolerants then?
07:10 PM on 09/19/2012
No one should tolerate people insulting other people. It's called RESPECT!! why don't you join the human race.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Burlesque Lea
the dog is the only animal that has seen his god
08:12 PM on 09/19/2012
you tell me, lol
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
spinnerator
09:29 PM on 09/19/2012
That word is over used and over rated. I don't have to respect you, or anyone else. You want it, you have to earn it and it doesn't come free.
12:50 PM on 09/19/2012
PEOPLE NEED TO LIGHTEN UP !! He didn't rob a bank or murder anyone.
05:48 PM on 09/19/2012
He insulted millions of gay guys if he is not well educated and does not know his own language then he should go back to school.
08:14 PM on 09/19/2012
blakesandra, He didn't insult anyone !!!! Besides I doubt VERY much millions of "gay guys" are watching the Blue Jays.
photo
Gnomish
ego doctus ignarus
09:18 PM on 09/19/2012
Fire his @ss he'll be out of work about a week.
He'll hardly even notice.
The point will still have been made.
This comment has been removed.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
11:48 AM on 09/19/2012
Ridiculous column. Do you think the Jays would have suspended Escobar if they were contending for a Playoff spot? Not on your life! This is merely damage control with no down side to the team. Getting fired for this? Laughable.
11:32 AM on 09/19/2012
Storm in a teacup.
11:16 AM on 09/19/2012
The bottom line is that it's comments like these that, while not intended to offend, come together to create an overall hostile world for those who already have it bad enough. I believe that if we really want this world to change and become a better place for all of those who live in it, then a zero tolerance position must be taken. A punishment of three games of suspension is a slap on the wrist and will not serve as a lesson to other players in the industry, which I believe it needs to. The only way we are going to come close to putting a legitimate end to discrimination is to actually PUNISH those who promote it (whether it be intentional or not). To all of who who disagree with Ryan's stance on the matter, it's only because it doesn't affect you, therefore you cannot possibly imagine its severity. While this specific situation may not be the only reason for a homosexual man or woman to be singled out and put down, it is a combination of this and all other similar situations that inevitably alienate those who are desperately seeking a normal life. The only way to stop the overall problem of discriminatory behavior is to adequately punish those who are responsible for each specific instance of it.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
James Tanner222
03:52 PM on 09/19/2012
It seems ironic to me that a zero tolerance policy would be asked for on an issue like this. Zero Tolerence is the exact opposite of what people want: tolerance. If you enact a zero tolerance approach it will not work. There has never, in the history of the world, been a zero tolerance policy on anything that worked because actual problems are far more nuanced than such a dumb policy allows for. If anything, Escobar has affored the public an opportunity to become more educated on how hurtful these things can be. I fully agree that homosexuality should not only be tolerated, but accepted and welcomed. However, you can't just ask people to flip a switch. While North America has come a long way at a glacial pace over the last 20 years to overcome this kind of intolerance, you have to realize that Latino culture is way, way behind on this type of thing and adjust your expectations accordingly. Escobar is 29 and basically just a kid who has been raised in the mach world of professional sports. He has no education and isnt a smart guy. I am not excusing him, because he is in the wrong, but to call for him to be fired is a joke. Let him learn and improve. He won't do it again and he's probably a better man today than he was Saturday. Why do people always want to just punish people? Its as immature as the intolerance youre preaching against.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dizzee
10:28 PM on 09/19/2012
i think ur message has gone too far
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AlwaysCanadian
Lifelong Pacifist
10:57 AM on 09/19/2012
It's free speech. get over it.
11:27 AM on 09/19/2012
Free speech ends when you go to work. When you are on the job you agree to follow the rules and regulations that your employer has set forth. Had he been walking down the road doing the same thing then yea that's free speech and we cannot do a thing about it. The issue here is that it was during a nationally publicized event. If he had wrote "I Hate Black People" on his face and then played a baseball game do you think the punishment would have been the same? I mean, it's free speech right? Wrong, the argument would then be that one statement is worse than the other. The line of what is acceptable and what is not has to be drawn and must include any and all form of discriminatory behavior. There can be no comparison as to what is worse. We cannot just come up with a scale and judge every instance's severity. If we truly want to progress into a better world, it all has to stop.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AlwaysCanadian
Lifelong Pacifist
11:38 AM on 09/19/2012
My comment was meant sarcastically for those posters who invariable claim that "free speech" trumps everything. Pity HP doesn't have a sarcasm button.