If you found Taylor Walls offensive, you may be part of the problem

This is what I saw:

Taylor Walls is a wonder with the glove. He looks both explosive and effortless, which is a difficult combination to pull off. He’s considered a valuable commodity, even though he started the week with a .160 batting average, and that should tell you how much the Rays value his defense at the shortstop position.

So much, I assume:

Walls’ worldview is conservative. That’s not an irrefutable fact, just an assumption based on conversations and observations in the clubhouse over the past few seasons.

This much I know:

Walls’ political views don’t matter. At least not to me. He could support Donald Trump, he could support Kamala Harris, he could support Cornel West, and it wouldn’t change my appreciation for his work with the glove or my despair over his bat.

Which brings us to this question:

What do you think?

Do you believe in an America where everyone is free to choose their own political and religious views? Do you believe in respecting your neighbor’s right to have different views? Do you believe that a nation is stronger when it has a potpourri of beliefs and ideas?

Because that’s what we should be talking about this morning, rather than the hysterical finger-pointing of the past 24 hours. It shouldn’t be unusual or disturbing that a 28-year-old baseball player could be a fan of the former president, but it is disturbing how much glee and vitriol his brief gesture provoked.

In case you missed it, Walls sparked an avalanche of social media praise/condemnation/curiosity/exploitation with a fist-pumping “fight, fight” tribute to President Trump after a double at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. When asked about it a day later, Walls dismissed the entire episode as an inside joke among the players.

You can believe him or not. That is your decision.

Personally, I believe that Walls took a step back after seeing the uproar his gesture caused. He didn’t deny it, but he wanted to defuse it.

And I find that sad.

It’s not that I share his admiration for Trump. (Just to be clear: I don’t.) But it goes against everything we’re supposed to believe that a fairly innocuous gesture of support can lead to so much national intimidation. Not to mention the glee of conservatives who often moan about activist athletes.

Shouldn’t we be better?

If you’re proud of the Rays for having the courage as a company to stand against gun violence, support the removal of Confederate statues, or be on the front lines of advocating for LGBTQ issues, shouldn’t you also have the dignity to allow others to express their views?

Freedom of speech may be one of America’s greatest gifts, but it doesn’t come cheap. It means not only allowing someone to say something that makes you angry, but also defending their right to say it.

That’s how I feel about Walls this morning.

Was the gesture out of place in the fifth inning of a game? Yes, probably. Was it disrespectful, over the top, mean, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate? No, it wasn’t. In fact, it was only a big deal because some on social media were outraged and others were hilarious.

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The whole episode reminded me of a line from a Bob Dylan song:

“We always felt the same thing, we just saw it from a different perspective.”

Most of us have different beliefs. It may be because of the religious family you grew up in. It may be because of the poverty you faced. It may be because of the ridicule you had to endure. It may be physical, cultural, economic, geographical or educational differences.

Whatever your story, it has shaped you in a unique way. That doesn’t mean we can’t disagree. Of course we can. But the vitriol and vindictiveness online and the gloating over the Walls episode was just disgusting.

We’ve accepted that these things happen in the real world, but ballparks, stadiums, and arenas are different. This is our safe zone. It’s where we gather to forget the worries of the day and cheer on our hometown teams and athletes.

Now, you could argue that Taylor Walls himself was to blame. That’s a valid point, and I wouldn’t disagree. But it doesn’t excuse personal attacks, and ridiculing him doesn’t make you a better person.

I heard someone ask if Walls might learn from this.

I wonder if the rest of us will, too.

Reach John Romano at [email protected]. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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