Jackie Robinson West

By now, everybody has heard the story about how the Jackie Robinson West team was stripped of its world title by Little League Baseball for rules violations. The reaction of Father Michael Pfleger, as expressed in this tweet, is interesting:


QUOTE (see NOTE 1):

I am both angry and disgusted at the obsession of this man from Evergreen Park to try and take away the championship from the Jackie Robinson West Team...REALLY?  Is the fact the an African-American Team could do so well, Unite the City, and prove the Great Children that is the Norm on the South Side, is that so Distasteful to you Sir, that you have worked day and night to discredit these young children? GET A LIFE....and Leave these Children, leave our Children alone....THEY WON DAMN IT!!!!!!

:UNQUOTE.


And these words come from a priest, whom one would think would have shown more honesty!

The whistleblower, a coach from a rival team, had merely brought rules violations to the attention of Little League officials. What's wrong with wanting to get the truth out? He wasn't trying to "discredit these young children," he was trying to right a wrong. Shouldn't a good Christian, especially a priest, applaud that sentiment?

But, no. Father Pfleger is trying to play the race card. He calls this "an African-American Team," but I wonder: "Did the adults in charge of the JRW team feel compelled to use out-of-district ringers so they didn't have to consider using any white kids on the team?" Not only are all of the kids on the team black, but they're all the same shade of black. What's with that?

Supporters of the JRW team's attempt to coerce Little League Baseball into reinstating their world champion status come across as connivers trying to asshole the League into submission. These supporters claim something is being taken away from these kids, while failing to mention that the team did not earn this prize according to the rules. Some even believe that every team that competed should be investigated to assure they'd complied. LLB doesn't have the resources to micromanage to this extent. However, I'm sure if they'd been offered proof of non-compliance by other teams, they would have treated those teams as they'd treated JRW.

And then there's the perennial fame-seeker, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who actually hailed the JRW team as "heroes." Aren't we all a little tired of hearing the H-word flung around so liberally? The kids on the JRW team are superb baseball players, but that alone doesn't make them heroes. To claim so would only debase that word.

It's sad that "supporters" of JRW are teaching these kids: "All you have to do in life in order to get your way - right or wrong - is to make enough noise and attract to your cause those who are really acting in their own interests." As for engaging legal counsel to push the envelope even further, there will never be any shortage of lawyers ready to take your money. And that's a pretty good life lesson for the young to learn as early as possible.

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Steven Searle, just another member of

the Virtual Samgha of the Lotus and

former candidate for USA President (in 2008 & 2012)

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com

NOTE:

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/02/12/opinion-pfleger-emanuel-should-be-ashamed-in-wake-of-jrw-scandal/