On Saturday night several Tampa Bay Rays players refused to wear a rainbow colored logo as part of the team's pride night game that celebrates inclusion and equality and Cardinals catcher Jack Flaherty called them out for it.
Using the typical right wing religious exemption garbage, The Tampa Bay Times reported that pitchers "Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson were among those who did not, electing to peel off the burst logo and wear the standard hat."
Jason Adams used the non-existent Jesus rule to act on their homophobia.
"I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — it’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like (Jesus) encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different."
The Cardinals pitcher was not impressed and tweeted this out in response:
An "Absolute Joke" it is.
The only change these players deemed was a bridge too far to their cap was the TB logo was hued in rainbow colors.
That's it.
Rays player Kevin Kiermaier gets props who disagreed with his teammates.
“It’s one of those things, my parents taught me to love everyone as they are, go live your life, whatever your preferences are, go be you,” Kiermaier said. “I can’t speak for everyone who’s in here, obviously, but this is a family-friendly environment here at a big-league ball field. … We just want everyone to feel welcomed and included and cheer us on. No matter what your views on anything are.”
Tampa Bay Rays have been very supportive for the LGBTQ+ community over the years.
