Boston Redsox Fans Yell the ‘N’ Word at Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles
I was disgusted as I read Mike Carraggi’s article in today’s patch. “Red Sox, Government Officials Apologize After Fans Racially Abuse Orioles Player.”
As a person of color growing up in Brookline Massachusetts, which is considered to be a suburb of Boston, I was disgusted and dismayed to hear that Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles was verbally assaulted during Monday nights game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Jones was repeatedly called the ‘N’ and had peanuts tossed at him. There is no excuse whatsoever for that inexcusable behavior. Fans must know that this in no way helps the Red Sox nor the community in which they play.
I am at this time ashamed to say that I live in a suburb of Boston Massachusetts. We claim to be such a diverse and excepting community, however whenever people think no one is looking or listening, the ugly truth rears its head.
The mistakes we make are not made because of our skin color. They are made because in that exact moment we’ve made a human error. When we make mistakes, we must own up to them. Each of us represents the town and the communities in which we live as well as those surrounding us. All things both good and bad, will be highlighted and remembered by those visiting us.
Please remember that when race gets involved, things get ugly and people get hurt. Apologies end up being empty, meaningless words to those that have been inflicted. It’s my feeling that racism is caused by an individuals unwillingness to accept that the color of a persons skin is just that, a color. Underneath it all, we are all the same. We must all allow our brains to see things as they are and not how we may have been conditioned to see them.
If we want people to look to Boston as a good place to visit, then we must continue to be open and welcoming to everyone and when the chips are down or things don’t go our way, we can’t choose to verbally or physically assault others. We are not cavemen.
No one likes to be told that they come from one of the most unfriendly, or the most racist cities around. I know that people in Boston and it’s surrounding communities have some of the most friendliest and giving people, which I’m sure is true of most places. Unfortunately, sports seems to bring out the bad in every and any one when things don’t go the way they had hoped they would. Poor sportsmanship is not what we want to relay to those visiting our great cities. Nor should apponants see our teams fans as soar losers. What kind of message does that send? Are we not all adults?
I hope that Adam Jones and the Baltimore Orioles will understand and believe that The majority of those living in Boston, Massachusetts and its surrounding suburbs are good people and are usually quite welcoming. It’s my hope that any future visits by the Baltimore Orioles to our great city will prove this to be true.
Felina Silver Robinson
The Writings of Felina Silver Robinson 