John Rocker is Still Alive, Against Baseball Diversity Initiatives
By Ty Duffy
Rocker used the movie “42” and this USA Today articleas a platform to ridicule baseball’s inner city diversity initiatives. He wondered when the NBA and NFL were going to implement task forces address the growing lack of “economically advantaged” athletes.
"The USA Today article announcing Selig’s 17-member committee failed to address some pertinent questions a few politically incorrect sports fans might have: Will the National Basketball League create a similar committee to determine why so few American-born white athletes are in the league? Will the National Football League hire Jason Sehorn to be on a committee to ascertain why there are no white cornerbacks on any of 32-team rosters?"
He seems to conflate MLB rebuilding fields and providing free equipment, uniforms and what not as some form of affirmative action scheme. He compared the struggle of Jackie Robinson to the struggle of every MLB player to reach the Major Leagues.
"It took Jackie Robinson an unbelievable, unimaginable amount of courage to integrate baseball; but don’t for one second believe that it doesn’t take an unbelievable amount of time, effort and sacrifice for every athlete – black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc. – to make the MLB today. To somehow downplay this fact is incredibly disingenuous and a slap in the face to every major leaguer – black, white or foreign-born."
Rocker also “postulated” the decline in African-American MLB players was due to absentee fatherhood.
"With Father’s Day approaching, perhaps one reason for the drop in roster spots for black players is the high rate of absentee fathers in the black community. But to postulate that theory is to suggest certain segments of society should showcase greater accountability when it comes to their children, which is another sure-fire way to be attacked by the left."
Rocker also lamented “political correctness.”
"We live in a country so dominated by political correctness, which forces everyone to walk on eggshells lest they offend some protected class of people, that we’ve reached a point where rational discussion (not even debate, but discussion) of many important matters are impossible."
Yes, John, we’ve clearly reached a point where rational discussion “are” impossible, with you. Excuse me while I visit “Beirut” and cower from “queers with AIDS” on the subway…
[Photo via Getty]