MLB Players Association Responds to S.B. 1070
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As the Chicago Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks through the rest of the weekend, the Center for New Community, a national civil rights organization, attempted to buy three 5th Inning messages on the Cubs Scoreboard for Sunday’s game. They would have said the following:
1). Cubs Welcome Arizona Immigrant Players. Repeal SB-1070!
2). Cubs Welcome All Immigrants. Repeal AZ SB-1070!
3). Cubs Welcome D-Backs Please Repeal Arizona SB-1070!
The response from the Cubs was as follows:
“Unfortunately we are unable to process your scoreboard request due to the content of the messages.”
Some have asked what does this law have to do with Major League Baseball? Well, in 2010 the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s 3rd highest contributor was the Arizona Diamondbacks, specifically Ken Kendrick, the managing general partner, giving around $121,000. The team’s owners also contributed over $129,000 to the Republican Party Committee and rank at about the 20th highest contributor to Senator McCain at $9,000. Senator McCain openly supported the Senate Bill 1070.
The Diamondbacks owners give to a political party, a political party that supports this bill. Law enforcement can’t target specific people based on their race in the US, much less enshrine that racial policy into state law. It’s called racial profiling.
The Diamondbacks have players such as Juan Guttierez, Gerardo Parra, and Rodrigo Lopez who could be put in a position where they or their families are unfairly targeted under this law. Because of a bill their boss helped finance.
Today the Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement through its Executive Director Michael Weiner in response to this bill. In a show of solidarity and commitment to not just the Diamondback players but all Major League players, Weiner had this to say:
“The impact of the bill signed into law in Arizona last Friday is not limited to the players on one team. The international players on the Diamondbacks work and, with their families, reside in Arizona from April through September or October. In addition, during the season, hundreds of international players on opposing Major League teams travel to Arizona to play the Diamondbacks. And, the spring training homes of half of the 30 Major League teams are now in Arizona. All of these players, as well as their families, could be adversely affected, even though their presence in the United States is legal. Each of them must be ready to prove, at any time, his identity and the legality of his being in Arizona to any state or local official with suspicion of his immigration status. This law also may affect players who are U.S. citizens but are suspected by law enforcement of being of foreign descent.”
“The Major League Baseball Players Association opposes this law as written. We hope that the law is repealed or modified promptly. If the current law goes into effect, the MLBPA will consider additional steps necessary to protect the rights and interests of our members.”
Kudos to the MLBPA for taking a clear stand and realizing the racist qualities of this law. And stay tuned to Imagine2050.net for more news on this tomorrow…
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