Max Kepler and the Cost of Silence

 

Lack of awareness is not an excuse. Plain and simple. Kepler has lived in the United States for more than a decade and is a 27-year-old adult. No one's asking him to fully understand the intricate historical context of racism and police brutality in America -- Kepler played at Target Field the night Philando Castile was murdered miles away in 2016. It's been one of our nation's foremost social issues for the duration of the time he's lived here and frankly its relevance extends beyond the United States, if you look at the widespread protests taking place across the world (including Germany). 

 

And again, no one is accusing him of having any racist feelings. The issue here is apathy and dismissiveness toward a crisis gripping our city and country. If we don't start calling it out, it won't change.

We can agree agree to disagree.    I believe it does.  Its not as if he is inherently racist, and he has not gone through history 101 at the high school level or the college level, and has apparently had no negative interactions to make his conscience aware.   Its similar to kid, you need to educate.  If this is his first awareness, educate, let him have some conversations with his teammates, done. You are taking a moral highground approach, that everyone should be on your level of awareness, and if not should be blasted.  That approach does not create change, as I have posted above.  Its from honest conversations, relationships and putting the work in to cause change.  

 

I am impressed Brock and a few plan to donate.  However, that will cause a pittance of change of what any of us can cause by merely getting involved, getting out of our own comfort zones, and becoming good role models, friends, confidants ect.  Relationships cause more change than money any day.   

Just curious, has anyone here been in the blue eyed, brown eye experiment?  Did it in 10th grade.  You want enlightenment, have a little taste of prejudice and it opens your eyes really quick.  Still stuck with me 20 years later.  That singular day in the morning was one of the most awful experiences I have ever had.   You learn real quick why individuals who are subjected to racism are jaded, don't excel as well and generally do not achieve their potential  and make poor decisions due to the negative feedback loop they receive. 

 

Agreed 100%, which has been the over-arching theme of my dozens of posts in this thread.

 

Donating is good. Acknowledging the problem and actively working against it is better.

I don't think anyone on here is refusing to acknowledge that there's a problem. It seems as if everyone agrees that police brutality, indeed brutality of any kind, is wrong. The disconnect seems to be on the cause of the brutality. There are those that believe it stems from a racist system that targets a particular minority because of their skin color. Others believe the problem stems from that fact that some people (and please forgive my swearing even though I know it's going to come up as an asterisk) are *******s and huge pieces of human excrement who work their way into positions of authority where their evil deeds can affect people. Again, there is no disconnect on the problem. It's on the cause. I'm just afraid that sometimes we can forget that.

I want to say something, guys, about Max Kepler and the Twins in general. Somewhere back in time I have seen one or more comments that the Twins haven't done as much as some would expect speaking out about this matter. I was disappointed when I read that, but not about the Twins.

 

You see the Twins are different than the other teams in town. Of the 25 players on their roster at the end of last year, I believe there is only one who is in fact an African American. That's Byron Buxton, who's tweets I recall seeing. Unless I am missing someone, all the other black players aren't African American as they aren't from the U.S. (realize that Eddie Rosario may be in the grey area) 

 

So there may be four reasons they aren't speaking out about this: 1) they are back wherever they are from and aren't even aware of it as I believe at least half of that team were foreign; 2) they don't speak English all that well; 3) they don't use twitter and any of the other social media outlets like some of you; or 4) they are aware and want to stay as far away from the issue as they can. Some of you will claim that this fourth item is a mistake on their part. But looking at what happened to Kepler will cause them to think long and hard about opening their mouth or applying their finger to their phone.  

 

Actually, everyone I know was outraged over it, as it was yet another example of police shooting first and thinking second.

 

Excellent.  However, I don't recall Max Kepler taking a public stand on this episode of police misconduct.  And I do not recall TD calling out Kepler for not taking a public stand.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Excellent.  However, I don't recall Max Kepler taking a public stand on this episode of police misconduct.  And I do not recall TD calling out Kepler for not taking a public stand.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't want to speak for Brock or Nick and other posters, but I don't think its their full point, as to his initial post, they seem to be more upset by has lack of understanding and publicly making a sincere apology.  I somewhat understand their stance, I also think Max unwittingly walked into a hornets nest and merely tried to get out of it as quickly as possible.  In my opinion he doesn't  deserve vitriol or negative response he has received.  Intention is more important to me than the actual act.   Max had no intention of demeaning african Americans, and to insinuate as such is short sighted.  We at all times have to be educated on issues. His lack of awareness is nothing more than lack of awareness.  Education on the issue is the number 1 key.  Acknowledge issues and create solutions while minimizing destructive forces is our best way to move forward. 

 

Have you turned on the news in the past week? Protests and riots have broken out in almost every major city across the country, and many across the world. This isn't about TD responding to what happened, it's about humanity responding. Kepler's insensitive remark didn't hit me in a bad way because I was upset about the situation, it hit me in bad way because the city he plays in was on fire and tearing itself apart in anguish when he made it.

 

If you think what's happening right now is solely about George Floyd, I'm afraid you are the one showing a one-dimensional viewpoint. This has been building up for a long time. This is about so much more. I thought that was beyond obvious, personally. 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but did your op-ed not take aim at Max Kepler for not taking a public stand (or an incorrect one) respecting the Floyd murder, and that you were disappointed that he did not do so?  The correct expression was one of outrage against police misconduct based on skin color, no?  I think I got your drift right. I resent the snark about current events.  

 

What's happened in the past week has long been unacceptably so.  The Noor-Damond incident is an example.  None of it's right.  But, no one recalls anyone at TD writing articles when Noor shot Damond about anyone being in anguish about police misconduct or interracial murder, or about ballplayers remaining silent at Noor's misconduct.  And my direct experience is that until your op-ed, TD rebuked all comments it deemed political.

 

TD can change its theme anytime it likes.  But, trying to replicate the Strib's op-ed page will prove to be a poor business model. 

 

 

 

Both Nick and I have clarified that we aren’t even angry at Kepler, we’re just pointing out that it’s a form of privilege to be able to simply say “not into politics, peace” and we should all strive to be better than that.

I will admit, I haven't read through the entire string, but I've read through the majority of it, and the initial 2 pages of response, that is not the perception that is being relayed in the messages (evidence by the response, and in my opinion it is not as much lack of individuals concern of the issues as has been portrayed).  However, trying to clarify after already blasting him, is no better than him having to backtrack, or a cop trying to fix a situation after they fired first without asking questions.  Personal interactions need improvement across the board - not just this board but in society.  

 

 

 

I don't want to speak for Brock or Nick and other posters, but I don't think its their full point, as to his initial post, they seem to be more upset by has lack of understanding and publicly making a sincere apology.  I somewhat understand their stance, I also think Max unwittingly walked into a hornets nest and merely tried to get out of it as quickly as possible.  In my opinion he doesn't  deserve vitriol or negative response he has received.  Intention is more important to me than the actual act.   Max had no intention of demeaning african Americans, and to insinuate as such is short sighted.  We at all times have to be educated on issues. His lack of awareness is nothing more than lack of awareness.  Education on the issue is the number 1 key.  Acknowledge issues and create solutions while minimizing destructive forces is our best way to move forward. 

Several years ago, ESPN became political.  I turned them off.  They did politics subjectively.  Their views weren't original or thought-provoking, but repetitive and trite like much of the pathetically inept print and electronic media.  Recently, after having just about burned its brand to ashes, ESPN chucked the political and returned to concentrating on sports.  I turn them on once in a while.

 

Several years ago, ESPN became political.  I turned them off.  They did politics subjectively.  Their views weren't original or thought-provoking, but repetitive and trite like much of the pathetically inept print and electronic media.  Recently, after having just about burned its brand to ashes, ESPN chucked the political and returned to concentrating on sports.  I turn them on once in a while.

Different situation, different time.  Societal issues from the pandemic to uprisings is infringing on baseball.  This is a baseball topic, with one of our players.  I don't agree with all of the premise, but I understand it.  I've always been one, that you aren't forced to read this thread, and obviously you disagreed with the post.  That is fine I can understand it, but to dismiss it all together is not improving any situation.  If thats not what you come here for, open up the other 99% of posts and everyone will be in a better place once baseball hopefully opens back up again. 

 

Both Nick and I have clarified that we aren’t even angry at Kepler, we’re just pointing out that it’s a form of privilege to be able to simply say “not into politics, peace” and we should all strive to be better than that.

 

I'm mad as hell at a lot of you from preventing change from happening

 

But you're mad as hell at a lot of us.  Why is that?

 

Well, it sure pissed off the white nationalists that he was elected, and woke up and accentuated their racial agendas. But Obama didn't cause that "racial division". I guess it was caused by the majority of the American people that voted for him, both elections. Usually, when the person that gets the most votes becomes President, it is more unifying. Seemed to me to be a much more comfortable time.

The "Obama caused racial division" line seems be pushed by those who thought simply electing him meant racism was over, and it wasn't, it must be his fault for not magically "fixing" it. It's ridiculous.

Isn't the latter a good working description of how the former is implemented?

Can you prove statistically that what we have is the latter causing the former? Because if not then no, it isn’t a good working description.

 

Boy am I glad I didn't see this post for a couple days.  Even still, a lot to unpack. 

 

I am glad that you did.  What a brilliant post!

Max isn’t tromping around, screaming about rioters while conveniently ignoring the reason for the riots and protests.

 

Max fumbled. He didn’t recover particularly well but he apologized and it’s hard to attribute his actions to malice. While that doesn’t entirely excuse his fumble, intent also matters.

The focus on Kepler is based on flimsy information. We have no idea how he feels on this subject and to demand that he do something perfectly acceptable to you or Nick is the ultimate in condescension. I think this whole situation is a travesty and I am going to take steps I personally value to try and improve this problem. Meantime I suggest you lay off the holier than thou attitude. You are not helping the cause.

 

Max isn’t tromping around, screaming about rioters while conveniently ignoring the reason for the riots and protests.

 

A lot of us aren't posting on this article.  But a lot of us are reading it.  In a forum that I've found to be based in exceptional writing based on statistics there is a lot of assumptions flying around.  

 

Speaking for myself, I happen to agree with the mayor of St Paul, the governor and a few dozen other folks that have publicly stated that there is a difference in the heartbreaking reasons people rightfully feel the need to protest and the people who are instigating the riots.  The Mayor of St Paul, the governor etc have said the rioters are different people who have a different agenda.  If that makes you mad as hell at me, then ok. 

 

 

As a point of fact, I happen to know that much of this site's readership falls into a category that is able to make a difference but rarely does.

 

I'd like to call shenanigans on that one Nick.  I've done a good amount of analytics for my clients.  If you have a statistic that backs up this statement I'd love to read it and I will take back my call of shenanigans.  If you said "My fear is that much of this site's readership..." then fine. That's an understandable opinion. But stating it as fact is wrong. And Nick if your next question is "What have you done to ever make a difference?"  I wouldn't suggest it.  I am 99.9% sure that my resume for helping those in need beats yours.  And if it doesn't, I would totally buy you a beer.

 

I, like everyone else here, love baseball and enjoys reading articles written by people who are way smarter than me on that topic. I visit the sponsors of your events and this page.  I don't post a lot but I love to see people dive into the deepest minutia about a player or some stat I don't quite understand.  But as a listener to one of the owner's podcast, I'd like to try my hand at a garbage analogy.  Imagine going into my favorite restaurant.  I'm looking forward to another amazing meal.  But when I'm ready to order, the server tells me the world is in a shambles because of global warming and if I'm not talking about it, I'm complicit in causing it. I might agree that global warming is a huge deal, but at that particular moment, I'm just looking for a burger. 

 

From what I know of the owners of this site, I genuinely like them.  And if the owners had used their collective influence to say "Hey TD readers, we all love and miss baseball but it's nothing compared to the tragedy of George Floyd.  We need to come together and we would like our baseball community to be a force for change! So join us on (whatever day) at (whatever place), bring non perishable food and your checkbooks, listen to our stories from the protests, help us to do our part to bring peace and justice to our town. Donate some of the money you would have spent on Twins tickets this season. Let's stand together with and for those who are scared for their lives"  

 

That would have been a $ six figure event. 

Damn, people are acting like I’m calling for Max’s head.

 

Did you even read my post? I said he fumbled. I said it wasn’t malicious.

 

Stop blowing my words WAY out of proportion, especially if you’re going to come at me like that.

I’ve read every single one of them. I don’t think you know how you are coming across to well reasoned people. Take a breath. We are (and probably 95% of the posters ) here are on the same side. Not everyone has to think exactly like you.

Now you're just being silly. I stand by my statement. Horrible outcomes don't necessarily happen because of some nefarious top-down plan. They easily come from the bottom-up, when the higher-ups don't show a little backbone, and/or the upper echelons contain a few of the lowlifes that were described in the post I responded to.

 

So me asking you for evidence of your assertion that police are systemically racist is now silly? If you can’t prove the positive, why exactly are you asking me to prove the negative? If I asserted to you that I thought the Twins coaching and recruiting system produced the best ball players in the history of baseball, would you just take my word for it? No. You’d ask me to provide the statistical evidence that led me to that conclusion. If we do that for something as trivial as baseball, you’d better believe I’m going to ask you to provide some cold, hard facts to back up your claim that the entire profession of law enforcement is systemically racist. Also, no one has argued that there are no cops who are racist. Both of these things can be true. There can be cops who are racists in a system that isn’t. Saying, as you point out, that if there’s a few lowlifes in the system, the entire system is now corrupt, is the same as saying since some residents of Minneapolis are twins fans, all residents are twins fans. You are painting the many with a brush that is justified for only the few.

Now you're just being silly. I stand by my statement. Horrible outcomes don't necessarily happen because of some nefarious top-down plan. They easily come from the bottom-up, when the higher-ups don't show a little backbone, and/or the upper echelons contain a few of the lowlifes that were described in the post I responded to.

 

Seriously. What you’re asserting is that the entire law enforcement establishment is systemically racist. You don’t fix that by firing a couple of people. You tear it down and start over. IF that is the case, I’ll be right there with you doing it. All I’m asking for is that you provide the evidence that would show that’s what is required. Now please do me a favor, take a step back. If you were a neutral observer reading this, and saw someone ask for evidence that law enforcement is systemically racist, and the response they received was that the request for proof/evidence was “silly”, and that response doesn’t SCARE the hell out of you then we might as well abandon this line right now because we aren’t going to reach a point where either one of us is satisfied with the outcome.

You are a good writer. But this differs from your restaurant analogy. Here, there was a sign in the window of the restaurant that you must have read before you came in. And you were a click away from a different restaurant (thread or website).

 

I get your point about not coming to TD for political discussion. I go to ESPN for baseball, not hockey. If I accidentally end up with hockey then I click on baseball.

 

Bottom line -- TD is the best place to discuss Twins baseball. Our community has made this so, and that includes the moderators and hundreds of members. So please just treat political threads like I treat hockey -- not something to care about and something that can be clicked away easily.

I’m not sure the “if you don’t like it, you can leave line” is really a good tack to take. Because then people can just flip it around and point at the protesters and say the same thing. Would you want someone on here dropping” well if the protesters dont like how policing is done in the country they can move somewhere else”? Just my two pennies