I was talking with my wife the other day about the recent news regarding ball teams “altering” their caps with Bible verses and the resultant pearl-clutching hysteria regarding it.
For those not necessarily following that news, seems that on a “Pride Night” at a MLB game, players were forced to wear rainbow-adorned gear because the owners felt it necessary to show solidarity for the alphabet people.
The players who found that distasteful took a novel, at least in my opinion, approach by having a Bible verse embroidered next to the rainbow (the symbol adopted by the alphabet people) that instead points to the covenant between God and his people. (Genesis 9:13-15, where God tells his people that he no longer will destroy the earth).
The players were issued a formal warning from the powers that be at the MLB about altering their uniforms.
A minor league team in Pennsylvania actually canceled a game resulting in a forfeit because players would not wear a rainbow-bedazzled uniform. Apparently, the team leaders felt it more important to show respect and tolerance instead of standing true to principles.
It’s quite the puzzlement to me that people who are exercising their right to free speech – which is enshrined in the Constitution – are being treated as pariahs while a group of people who define their existence by their sexual preference – which is not written into the Bill of Rights – are being celebrated.
It also begs several questions: What is the importance of sexual preference that it requires an entire month of slavish recognition? Has the choice of sexual partner become the defining character trait for society?
And this is where Red Buttons comes in, aren’t there better things that we can observe?
For the younger readers, Buttons was a regular contributor to “Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roast,” his shtick being “Why are we honoring this man when there are so many other more deserving people to honor?”
I like to extend that to “Why honor sexuality when there are more deserving groups?”
Here’s a few examples:
Doctors
Nurses
Military, past and present
Teachers
Humanitarians
Farmers and ranchers
Firefighters, ambulance crews, police
Social workers
Animal rescue operations
Clergy
Volunteers
If there is any type of hesitation with any of these groups, I would point out that applies to Pride Month as well. Many if not all of these groups have received black eyes, such as doctors and exorbitant medical costs, or police brutality, or clergy being painted as non-Christian tax dodgers, but I ask this: If the point of recognition is validation, such as with Pride Month, then wouldn’t that same logic apply to all subsets of society that are viewed in less-than-charitable light?
You want better doctors, cops, volunteers, nurses, etc.? Show them some love. You want clergy that brings the word of Christ with passion and conviction? Recognize their contributions.
Everyone knows that simple recognition and appreciation will make anyone better, so let’s recognize people who have dedicated their lives to becoming the best at what they do and help everyone they can, and leave matters of the heart private.
Tony Farkas is editor of the San Jacinto News-Times and the Trinity County News-Standard. He can be reached at tony@polkcountypublishing.com.
