rocket domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/da961834/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114The last month has not been kind to Major League Baseball, and it has nothing to do with attendance, marketing<\/a>, or pace of play<\/a>. Instead, it has everything to do with morality.<\/p>\n In recent weeks, four players \u2013 Milwaukee\u2019s Josh Hader, Atlanta\u2019s Sean Newcomb, Washington\u2019s Trea Turner, and the New York Yankees\u2019 Sonny Gray \u2013 were exposed for posting racist and\/or homophobic tweets<\/a>. For whatever reason, Hader, the first player to be exposed, received a standing ovation<\/a> in his next appearance for the Brewers.<\/p>\n Really? A standing ovation for a guy who was openly racist and homophobic?<\/p>\n Compare that reaction to, say, Colin Kaepernick, who took a stand against social injustice, was vilified by millions, and now can’t get a job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That, to me, is wrong. We live in a divided time, which, truth be told, is nothing new for our country. The divide is perhaps more noticeable due to social media, but it exists \u2013 and has throughout my life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These tweets, though, are alarming \u2013 not only because baseball last year had its lowest percentage of African American players since 1958<\/a>, but also because of the generation tweeting them. Everybody \u2013 especially younger people \u2013 should know that if you put something on the internet, there\u2019s a chance it will be seen, even if you delete it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many people have excused these players\u2019 tweets, some of which date back to 2011. I understand that sentiment, but instead of simply dismissing or rationalizing discriminatory social-media posts, let\u2019s do something about them. Let\u2019s use them as an opportunity to educate others. We shouldn\u2019t think<\/i> these things about people, much less say them, much less say them publicly. All people \u2013 minorities, LGBTQ, special needs \u2013 deserve to be treated with respect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So why aren\u2019t they?<\/p>\n Now, do I believe that the mistakes we make in our youth should define us forever? No. But I also don’t think we should automatically excuse people simply because they were young. After all, a lot of young people reach adulthood without making or posting incendiary comments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If athletes \u2013 or people in general \u2013 want to learn how to atone for past mistakes, Trea Turner is a model example<\/a>. He didn’t make excuses for his words or blame them on his youth. He owned his comments, condemned them, and apologized. Turner, it is worth noting, participates in MLB\u2019s Shred Hate initiative, an anti-bullying program for which he has spoken to youth and filmed public service ads. The 25-year-old, however, doesn\u2019t think that\u2019s enough. He wants to do more and use his platform to help others.<\/p>\n I challenge all athletes \u2013 all people \u2013 to follow Turner\u2019s example. It\u2019s one thing to complete mandatory sensitivity training; it\u2019s another to go above and beyond the minimum punishment, to go to high schools and speak, to try to reach others and have a positive impact. High school kids are highly impressionable. Being vulnerable and admitting your mistakes can have an enormous impact.<\/p>\n To me, it\u2019s not enough to issue an apology. I want to know why<\/i> you thought what you thought originally and, perhaps more importantly, what caused that to change<\/i>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I especially want to hear this from Roberto Osuna, who was charged with domestic assault in May and served a 75-game suspension<\/a>. On July 30, the Astros, despite having a zero-tolerance policy on domestic abuse, acquired Osuna from Toronto, despite questions surrounding Osuna\u2019s remorse \u2013 or lack thereof \u2013 for his actions<\/a>.<\/p>\n I find Houston\u2019s decision puzzling, to say the least. After all, the Astros were the best story in baseball last year. They won their first World Series title in franchise history \u2013 and they did it against the backdrop of Hurricane Harvey, providing hope and happiness for a region that so desperately needed it. This year, they’re once again one of the best teams in baseball \u2013 maybe the<\/i> best \u2013 and they trade for Osuna.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I believe in second chances, but I also believe in demonstrating genuine contrition. If I were running the Astros, I wouldn\u2019t have traded for Osuna. As an owner or general manager, one of the most important things you can control is the character and makeup of the players in your locker room. When times get tough, you need to have men and women of strong character in your organization. I don’t understand how someone like Osuna could fit into that culture or contribute to it, especially when clubhouse leaders such as Justin Verlander had spoken out against Osuna in the past<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I understand the desire to win \u2013 and clearly the Astros believe Osuna can help them do that \u2013 but I don\u2019t understanding winning at all costs. Some view baseball and other sports as simply entertainment or a distraction from our everyday lives. I do not. Love it or hate it, sports are a reflection of our society. They speak to what we value as a people, and they have a great amount of pull and sway in our lives.<\/p>\n Which is why it seems odd, for example, that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he won\u2019t tolerate players kneeling during the national anthem but has had no problem signing players accused of \u2013 or suspended for \u2013 domestic violence. Is taking a knee worse than beating a woman? I would say no. I understand that kneeling during the anthem is a tricky issue, but Jones\u2019 response indicates a lack of perspective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I was 12 when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists during the 1968 Olympics. That made quite an impression on me. In the 1970s, I would go to high school sporting events and sometimes see African-Americans not standing for the anthem. At the time, I didn\u2019t know exactly why they were sitting, but now that I\u2019m older, I understand. They were making a statement. I\u2019ve never found it wrong or offensive for people to demonstrate or speak out or silently protest. That\u2019s the beauty of living in America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We, as a country, are divided in many ways for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons? Too many people have a problem with Colin Kaepernick yet no problem with Josh Hader. Too many people excuse domestic violence yet have no patience for a silent protest. Instead of working to end discrimination, too many people deny it exists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How do we solve this? We need to judge less and listen more. I would encourage all people \u2013 especially young people \u2013 to get to know people outside of their social circle. When you interact with people unlike yourself, you open yourself to growth opportunities. Six of my sons went on two-year mission trips, and they can speak to the power of getting to know different groups of people. When that happens, you become friends with people you normally wouldn\u2019t be friends with. You assume you won\u2019t have much in common, but inevitably, you find common ground.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You connect.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re in high school or college, especially, I would encourage you to join a service organization that exposes you to different groups of people. Or have lunch with a student who is eating alone. A lot of adolescents struggle to find themselves and fit in, and you have the power to validate people and instill a sense of self-worth. Small gestures can go a long way.<\/p>\n