Baseball As Nation's Pulpit
A 'Sick, Sick, Turn'
Peter Hopp
From: "Peter Hopp"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Re: They Even Got America's Favorite Pastime!!
Date: October 23, 2001 2:40 PM
Cliff,
It is abhorrent to the point of absurdity. I attend approximately 40 baseball games a year all over the nation. Yes, I am a serious baseball fan, and I have been playing and watching the game, the greatest game, for 32 years.
I traveled to Yankee Stadium to bid Cal Ripken farewell in America's grandest ballpark. The 7th inning stretch came along. The sheep around me stood up and sang, even my friend, an atheist for 30 years herself, who recently caved in and reverted to referring to herself as an existentialist.
I plopped my hat on backwards, hunkered down in my seat and folded my arms tight. The message was sent because my friend proceeded to bring it up later on and tell me of my disrespect for people's feelings and needs. I did nothing but remain silent, and portray a demeanor of dislike. Last I checked, I don't have to like a song about god.
The commissioner of baseball has very little leeway in this matter. The clubs are privately owned, though governed by a set of rules regarding the game. One twist, however is that many, if not all of the ball clubs receive some kind of tax break from the government for their stadium costs. This, in essence, makes them at least a partial governmental entity. What may be available to us is a challenge through the violation of the SOCAS. Don't know for sure. It's a sick, sick turn for baseball to become the nation's pulpit.
Sincerely,
Peter Hopp
I Am Atheist
I Am America
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