Sam Coonrod entered the United States’ line of sight on Thursday night, when he just stood up during a planned unified peaceful protest. A light followed him around Friday, and he could stay with him for a while.
All the Giants pitcher did was exercise the right that all Americans have, at least theoretically. Freedom of Choice. The right that millions of Americans fought for, and many died. For that reason, Coonrod’s decision to stand up rather than join his kneeling manager and teammates during a pre-game drive moment at Dodger Stadium should be above criticism.
He did nothing wrong.
However, he said quite badly, offering an explanation that slipped from his tongue and dripped down his chest like a liquid contradiction.
“I am a Christian,” he said.
When did real Christianity choose humanity? Give a pass to injustice and inequality? Do you decide that it is disrespectful to offer support, if not refuge, to those in need? Doesn’t Coonrod realize that pastors of all faiths are joining multitudes all over the world fighting for these ideals?
Like many others swimming against the current of progress, Coonrod pointed to the Black Lives Matter network, saying “he just can’t participate” with some of his beliefs. Nothing wrong with that. Again, having that option is one of the purposes of freedom.
But if Coonrod had taken a moment to educate himself, he would see that the motive behind this movement does not need to be affiliated with BLM, but rather, to create greater awareness of the racial injustices on which it focuses.
Ian Williams, an NBC Sports Bay Area analyst and a former 49ers defensive lineman, responded to Coonrod’s reasoning by calling BS.
“Let me clear this up,” Williams tweeted. “You don’t have to be on board with BLACK LIVES MATTER. But I do need you to be on board with EQUALITY FOR ALL and ENDING RACISM.
“It’s simple. If you don’t want those 2 simple things, you know what you are.”
Which implies that Coonrod’s own interests are in conflict with the protest of racial inequality.
[CAREERINAMERICA:[RACEINAMERICA:[CARRERAENAMÉRICA:[RACEINAMERICA:Listen to the last episode]
You see, you don’t need to be a BLM card-carrying member to report the obvious misguidance of America’s ways. That some see the desire for equality as a “political” statement says a lot about them.
It is only political because some continue to place politics on the concept of humanity.
It is only political because certain elements of the government perceive the protesters, not all of whom are loyal to all elements of the BLM, as terrorists who must be silenced, if not crushed.
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See, what Coonrod didn’t say but surely slipped into the minds of listeners and readers alike is that he believes that the various evolutions of America’s two greatest sins (the other is stealing land from the natives) are acceptable. That equality is something that others must deal with.
That Christianity somehow disqualified him from the cause.
There are only two rational explanations for what Coonrod said. One, no one heard. Or, two, you heard every word he said and you know he didn’t say what he really meant.
