San Francisco Giants Manager Gabe Kapler said he felt like a coward for failing to protest on Wednesday following the mass shooting in Texas that took 21 lives. Kapler said he was conscious that it could be misunderstood as an act meant to be offensive “to the military, to veterans, to themselves.”
“My brain said drop to a knee; my body didn’t listen. I wanted to walk back inside; instead I froze. I felt like a coward. I didn’t want to call attention to myself. I didn’t want to take away from the victims or their families.
“… But I am not okay with the state of this country. I wish I hadn’t let my discomfort compromise my integrity. I wish that I could have demonstrated what I learned from my dad, that when you’re dissatisfied with your country, you let it be known through protest. The home of the brave should encourage this.”
Kapler’s statement follows other examples from notable sports figures such as Steve Kerr from the Golden State Warriors. Social media teams from the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees also collaborated to raise awareness about gun violence on Thursday, reaching out to over 4 million followers on Twitter.
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