The Detroit Tigers did a nice thing today. They added a purple border to their logo on Facebook in support of Spirit Day, a campaign against anti-gay bullying.
"Stand up against bullying and stick up for LGBT youth by going purple for #SpiritDay 10/17," the team wrote on their Facebook wall this morning.
And, hey, who could disagree with that? After all, what we've labeled as bullying is the kind of physical and emotional abuse and torment that too often drives kids to suicide. No kid should feel that unsafe or unworthy to live. Can we all agree on that? And can't we all agree it's nice that the Tigers would use their platform to share such a message?
No. No, we can't.
Shirley Larner Weiss, being the type of person who live in perpetual fear of gay things being tossed in the general direction of her head, complains: "Why do you find it necessary to throw that in our face when it has nothing to do with baseball???? So tired of it. And you wonder why there is intolerance."
Because people who are like: Let's not beat up the kid who is different from us, they are the real intolerant people.
Kyle Fisher is worried that maybe the players are personally posting these messages instead of preparing for tonight's big game: "Come on Tigers, don't start this, just focus on baseball."
If Omar Infante goes 0-4 tonight, we'll know who was responsible for this Facebook message.
CoryandAlyssa Townsend may have to root for the Cardinals or Dodgers if the Tigers make the World Series: "Smh. My Tiger love just fell a notch...bleh."
I hear Cardinals fans are the best fans in baseball. Go root for them CoryandAlyssa.
Stephen Marcum will never read the Tigers' Facebook page again: "I am un-liking this page. This is a page about baseball, not agendas"
He has probably written an angry letter to Sports Illustrated canceling his subscription after received the Swimsuit Issue.
AndyDebi Janette is just tired of baseball teams branching out: "What does this have to do with baseball.....seriously....stick to what you are good at"
No professional sports team should ever lend their image or support a good cause such has not tormenting children.
Doug Lemmen blames that scourge of pro-gay hackers that are ruining everyone's good time on the internet: "Prolly hacked."
Doug is so sick of these gay hackers jamming things down his throat.
Doug B. Warren II is just really concerned this will hurt the Tigers and the box office: "Really? Are the Tigers intentionally trying to alienate their fan base? Stick to baseball and keep your political agendas to yourselves."
Pretty sure Justin Verlander's paychecks won't bounce anytime soon.
Gary Baade is insulted: "Seriously Tigers?!? And just because I disagree doesn't make me an intolerant bigot . Stick to baseball and leave out the political agenda"
Yes, if you disagree with the idea that kids should get attacked and harassed for being different, then you are an intolerant bigot.
But, fortunately, the reaction wasn't entirely negative. Many fans responded like decent human beings to the Tigers anti-bullying post.
Mark Neese makes a great point about how the Tigers have become a more inclusive organization: "The Tigers have come a long way from the Walter Briggs era. I applaud your efforts at being open-minded and inclusive."
Jason Moore, also pleased: "As the commissioner of a large LGBT softball league in metro Detroit, this post completely made my day! Thank you, Tigers!"
And Brandon White kind of sums it up nicely: "Brandon White Political agenda? Supporting people that love each other is political? Last I checked it was just the right thing to do. You guys are the bullies and we wouldn't mind you never letting people know your ignorant selves are tigers fans. Gay rights are human rights, no different than non segregated water fountains."
Go Tigers.
