San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler suspended his national anthem protest on Monday — Memorial Day — to honor the brave men and women who lost their lives while fighting for the U.S. military through the years.
In a personal blog post from Monday, the MLB manager wrote:
''While I believe strongly in the right to protest and the importance of doing so, I also believe strongly in honoring and mourning our country's service men and women who fought and died for that right.
''Those who serve in our military, and especially those who have paid the ultimate price for our rights and freedoms, deserve that acknowledgment and respect, and I am honored to stand on the line today to show mine,'' Kapler added.
Last week, in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which led to the deaths of 19 children and two adults, Kapler publicly refused to take the field for the national anthem, as a means of protesting until he ''felt better about the direction of our country.''
Before Monday's Giants-Philadelphia Phillies game, Kapler announced he would donate to nonprofit entities such as Everytown for Gun Safety and the Heart and Armor Foundation, an organization that aims to protect veterans' health and connect civilians to the experience of military service members.
''Voicing concerns thoughtfully and protesting peacefully are both patriotic actions; so is supporting organizations that are in the weeds solving problems,'' he wrote.
Two days ago, Chicago White Sox manager Tony LaRussa said he agreed with the sentiment of Kapler's initial protest, but didn't approve of the action.
''I think [Kapler's] exactly right to be concerned ... with what's happening in our country,'' LaRussa said on Saturday. ''He's right there. Where I disagree is the [American flag and the anthem are not appropriate places to try to voice your objections.''
Kapler's national anthem protest will likely resume with Tuesday's Giants-Phillies clash from Philadelphia.
''Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I'm participating in a self congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place,'' Kapler wrote in a recent post.
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