Letters to the Editor: Dodgers lost some fans
Dear Editor:
Myself and family have been lifelong Dodgers fans. Their recent decision to include the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence changed that. Previously we proudly flew our LA Dodgers flags and wore team jerseys, team logos and stickers on our vehicles; even a tattoo on one family member.
I wonder how Vin Scully would feel about this decision if he were still with us? It is shameful.
As a team it is obvious to anyone watching there are many Catholic members as is evident when they make the sign of the cross while on the field, and also raising hands giving praise to God for scoring a run. Not just Catholics, there are also other Christian denominations on the Dodgers team. I wonder how the team members feel about this choice? I realize team members are under commitment of a contract, but forcing a person to go against their religious beliefs should be a dealbreaker.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a group of men in drag) is blatantly disrespectful to all Christians and Christ followers. Have you seen one of their performances? Maybe not. They perform explicit sexual pole dances on a crucifix, and grind sexually on an actor portraying Jesus Christ. It’s mockery, it’s blasphemous and totally disrespectful.
I’m really not sure what entertainment and statement this type of performance makes? I mean other than the obvious mockery of the Christian faith.
Having this performance at a family attended baseball game, even on Pride night, serves what purpose? It seems to me this is simply done for “shock-value” and disrespect and mocking of the Christian faith.
Regardless of any of the good things that this group of performers may have done in the past to educate about sexual diseases, or helping those in need, awareness, etc. for decades, certainly the same goals could have been achieved without any of this blasphemous portrayal that they have included in their performances.
The Dodgers organization needs to make better choices.
Patty Waters
Downey
Dear Editor:
I’m canceling my Spectrum Account and Dodgers channel. I bought it in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, since I couldn’t continue buying game tickets and some season tickets, as I did for decades. When I moved to LA in 1981 and told myself to either become an Angels fan or a Dodgers fan. 1981 was an exciting year! When I met my wife she was already a Dodgers fan so we instantly had comradery. As our kids were born and grew up, we taught them to be Dodger’s fans, took them to countless games and now they’re teaching their kids, but all this will come to an end soon. Over the years, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Dodgers tickets, food, accessories at the stadium and in many local stores. But I can no longer support the Dodgers organization because of the current management way of openly mocking our faith in Jesus Christ.
I was proud of Vin Scully and the wholesome family environment at the stadium, under the old organization management. One time when I saw people selling drugs in the stands, I told the host attendant, who told the police, who came to investigate and ushered the drug dealers out of the park. My family was impressed at how fast they acted to keep us safe. When my mother of 80+ years wanted to attend a game, a Dodgers staff member picked her up in a golf cart from my car and ushered her into her stadium seat. After the game, they brought back the golf cart to usher her back to my car - that is how to add value with Customer Service! Now, I’m afraid to take my family and grandchildren to Dodger Stadium because of who might mock us, or ridicule us or even assault us!
Dodgers used to have Christian / Catholic nights where families were safe and love flourished, but over the last few years Dodgers advertising is trading Family Values for gay nights and transexual nights. Inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and hosting Pride Night games must bring in money, but they also bring in hatred, crime and violence, which are all more than I care to be a part of. I might feel different if these organizations did anything good for their communities, but from what I can see their selfish agenda is for their selfish pleasures. Men dressing as women only to mock and make fun of good people has no value to me and not in our society, yet our Constitution allows all of us our freedom of speech. These people who participate openly indulge in their own fantasies to mock and criticize good people - and what constructive value are they adding to our society?
I’ve decided to donate the money I used to spend on Dodgers to my local church, who is serving people in the community and feeding 250 families each week through a food bank.
I’m thankful for all of those people who have already spoken up, including many of the Dodgers players and other teams players! I hope the Christian night is a tremendous success on July 30, but I will not be attending.
Dodgers management is backpedaling into a Christian Night, which is too little, too late for me to respect the organization as it is today. It is no longer the organization that I loved the last four decades. I may listen to Rick Monday and Tim Neverette on the radio, but I will not spend another dime supporting the Dodgers organization and I hope that millions and millions of people do the same! I hope the Dodgers organization feels a loss of revenue from the effects of their poor choices like Anheuser-Busch, Target and other businesses who openly mock and degrade middle-class families of faith and our values.
Jim Wilkinson
Downey