I know I said in my last blog that I was not giong to write about baseball every time, and that is true, but today's blog will contain a reference to a baseball game. My topic here will be respect, spurred by the events of a baseball game. Let me set the stage.
March 30th was opening day for baseball season. The Washington Nationals were also opening their brand new stadium and the team they were playing was the Braves. This game was the ESPN Sunday Night Game of the Week. Throwing out the opening pitch was President George Bush.
As President Bush came out from the Nationals dugout, he was greeted with applause. Then through the clapping, I began to hear some booing. Now, I am in no way assuming that everyone should like or approve of all that George Bush is doing or has done. What I am saying is, he is our President and as such deserves respect. I do not believe booing our President at a baseball game makes a statement, other than one of complete irreverence.
Prior to the game, President Bush spent some time in both the Braves locker room and the Nationals locker room. While in the Braves locker room he spoke with back-up catcher Bryan Pena and short-stop Yunel Escobar. Both defected to the United States from Cuba. Pena is in the final stages of receiving his citizenship. Each of these young men spoke of the great honor it was to get to meet President Bush. Pena commented that he did not know all there was to know about being a Republican or a Democrat, but that he was grateful to America and thankful for his freedom.
As I read the above mentioned article regarding Pena and Escobar, I couldn't help but wonder what the players were thinking as they were lined up along the third base line. What was going through their minds as they stood with the rest of the Braves, watching President Bush throw out the first pitch? Were they as embarrassed as I was to hear the boos overshadowing the cheers from the crowd?
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