Organizing a Million Cards #25 - Why are we like this?
I was scrolling through Twitter and saw two threads that just pissed me off.
The first was a friend of mine posting about Trevor Bauer. She is one of many people who feel like Bauer should not be in the MLB. I agree with this. Bauer has been a massive pain since his debut. The accusations against him make it that much more noticeable. Obviously, I wasn't there, so I can't say he did anything or did not, but people are entitled to their opinions when you make millions playing a sport and do something reprehensible in the public eye.
Personally, he seems like he would be the type and then try to cover it up, but I digress...
Regardless of your stance on the matter, when someone makes a statement about it, they have the right to make said statement without the male bravado and trolling nastiness that occurred. When a friend is attacked, I take it like a call to arms against the person attacking. When that friend is being attacked because she is a woman who likes sports, I am even more pissed.
My wife is a massive Red Wings fan. When you attack a female MLB fan online, I think of it like you were attacking her. Not happening. Enter PTSD rage...
The second thing I saw involved the lashing out at women or anyone who liked the upcoming version of MLB The Show. Adding the ability to make it to the Majors in Road to the Show mode as a woman adds depth and gives every little girl out there who loves baseball a chance to see what could happen.
For the "alpha" males out there who believe this is unrealistic--how's your HOF two-way player that vaguely looks like you minus the receding hairline and gut but ended their career with 1,200 Homers? Realistic isn't it?
Why shouldn't women have a chance to play as a woman? Why shouldn't a woman be able to play in the MLB? If they can compete at that level, why should the lack of "dangly bits" stop them?
Again, for all the "alpha" males out there... Be nicer to people and maybe stop sharing your insecurities by yelling at women who celebrate steps forward. You are not the gatekeeper. And 99.9% of you "big" men have never seen a Major League pitch. Just because you weren't good enough to play professionally and you can't get a date you don't pay for, doesn't mean you have the right to take it out on my friends...
And that's the biggest part. These women--daughters, mothers, sisters, wives, etc.--are surrounded by equally badass women and a plethora of us men who understand that to be a "man" doesn't require being a "tool" or demeaning women.
Last thing... To the guy who put in all caps "GET OUT OF OUR HOBBY"--who said it was okay for you to take up the mantle for men everywhere or for sports fans at all? I'm pretty sure if we put it to a vote, you would be banned from sports with your man-card rescinded and not be the one to speak for us.
I posted a comment that I stand by. I was in Combat in the Middle East for 4 1/2 years. The people fighting along side me came from every walk of life. Men and women--side by side--fighting a common enemy. I would trust my life in the hands of any one of those women--heroes--before I would even consider taking any of these "alphas" into battle.
Be better. Be better men. Be better human beings.
The next time you want to attack a women on the internet, don't...
It's that simple.
TOTALS:
- Main Collection: 69,308
- For Trade/Doubles - 4,226
- 1991 Topps Glow Backs - 0
- Mattingly Doubles - 237
- Total Cards Logged - 73,771
- Complete Sets - 64
- Insert Sets/Errors - 15
Joe
(Vonnegut37 on TCDB)
