Yunel Escobar is 29 years old and is originally from Havana, Cuba. He has played in the majors for five years with the Atlanta Braves and Blue Jays. Prior to this he spent three years in the Braves minor league system. I would expect something so immature as putting an offensive phrase on your eye black to be done by a much younger player. But Escobar is nearly 30 years old, and he has established himself in the major leagues. What did he expect would happen after he essentially putting the phrase 'You are a faggot' on his face? Did he think that nobody would see the phrase and want to know what it meant? Well this afternoon all questions would be answered during his press conference, hopefully. John Dujay, of o.canada.com, was nice enough to provide the Internet with what he said through a translator.
Well that wasn't an explanation. That was the generic 'oops I screwed up' apology that we hear so often from star athletes and celebrities. You put a phrase that could be translated into English as 'You are a faggot' on your face as a joke? Are you kidding me? You are from Cuba. You know better than Americans how offensive that phrase is and yet to still put it on your face. Then when you inevitably got caught, you use the excuse it was just a joke? Do you think Americans are stupid? You think you can pawn it off an a 'just kidding' moment, and we will say, "Oh, OK, Don't worry everyone, he was only joking." Now you've not only insulted gays worldwide, but you've insulted Americans with your excuse.
He also said he didn't mean for it to be misinterpreted. There is a problem with that statement, a major problem. The phrase was not misinterpreted at all. It was interpreted the only way it could be interpreted. The phrase does not have a double meaning, one offensive and one humorous. It only has one, very offensive interpretation. He knows it, I know it, everyone with Internet access knows it. If it was truly misinterpreted, then he would have provided what he actually meant. Since he did no such thing, then it was not misinterpreted. Yunel Escobar is not sorry what he did because what he did was blatant. Yunel Escobar is sorry for getting caught.
The three-game suspension he received by the Blue Jays was not enough. Three games is a slap on the wrist. There is no excuse for what Escobar did. He is not young and immature. He was not coerced in any way. Homosexuality is a sensitive issue, especially the use of the word 'faggot,' and he not only displayed that word, he displayed in the most visible place he could. The Blue Jays have 17 games and are not in playoff contention. There is no need for Escobar to play again this year, and so he should have been suspended for the remainder of the season. I am very surprised the MLB did not step in and say three games was too lenient. Major League Baseball should have made an example of Escobar. Stupidity like that should not be tolerated. Instead, Escobar will be back to work in three days. Three days off in the middle of September will do more good than harm to a baseball player. But I guess the Blue Jays or the MLB were not out for justice on this rainy Tuesday.
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