The Kansas City Royals will host the St. Louis Cardinals next Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. It won't just be any other night at the K. It'll be Right to Life night at the K.
"Come cheer on the Royals as they play the St. Louis Cardinals and
support the Missouri Right to Life," says a line on the Royals' Web site promoting the June 19 night game.
The timing seems awkward given that not even three weeks will have passed since abortion provider George Tiller was slain in a Wichita church. But the choice of date coincides with what's sure to be one of the most well-attended games of the year.
Scott Hartley doesn't like his sports mixed with politics -- especially right-wing politics. He's a district aid for Missouri Sen. Jolie Justus (they split a season-ticket package), but speaking as a baseball fan, he really doesn't like the idea of controversial groups taking over the K for a night. He says hosting hot-button groups is in "bad taste" and "stupid business wise."
"I think they're basically setting
themselves up for what could be some pretty heavy ridicule," Hartley
says.
He concedes that the date was probably scheduled long before the season
started, but he sees fault in the Royals' organization failing to separate itself from the fundraising groups it hosts.
"It's not abundantly clear that the Royals aren't organizing and
sponsoring and putting this whole thing together," Hartley says. "And I
think that's their fundamental mistake, and they're just setting
themselves up for trouble ... if
the perception is that the Royals are taking sides on this issue. Especially since they're more or less a publicly
sponsored entity with how much money Jackson County is pouring into
Kauffman. I think that's what kind of irked me. They're just not really
thinking that people are paying attention and this is going to be a
problem. They should really take the time to sit down and say OK, we don't condone the principles of this organization. we're just providing them with a venue to do a fundraiser."
Whether the Royals are making a political statement or are simply oblivious to the fact that hosting a Right to Life Night at the K could offend plenty of fans, Hartley says the team is sending a message. "They're just putting out this vibe that they're not terribly friendly
to certain political points of view," Hartley says. "Or certain faiths,
for that matter. ... It's not an inclusive place anymore, it doesn't
feel like."
A Royals spokeswoman referred The Pitch to the Royals' ticket sales department. Several messages were not returned.
An e-mail obtained by The Pitch says the Royals have no
restrictions for groups wanting to participate in such fundraisers. The
only requirement is documentation proving the organization is a
501(c)3, a signed agreement to sell 100 tickets (a portion of which goes to the organization), and specification of
where the group wants to sit and the price of the tickets.
Tickets for Right to Life night at the K cost $16 plus service fees. The password to buy them online is "life."
The Royals have a history on this subject: In a 2007 Catholic Key story, team broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre talked about driving his girlfriend to an abortion clinic and lamented the child he never fathered.
The story highlighted a fundraiser put together by then-Royal Mike
Sweeney to raise $30,000 for an ultrasound machine at a "crisis
pregnancy" center.
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Don't mix abortion and/or politics with my baseball - plain & simple!
The Royals are idiots (and that's coming from a fan of 30+ years).
Taking a bunch of Unitarians to Faith and Family Day tomorrow, will report back on any conversions or incidences of "getting saved."
It appears this Right to Life function has been deleted from the Group Sales page.
(beyond putting the group's name on the web and scoreboard--again, they'd do that for anyone)
Really? So we can look forward to KKK Night at the K later this summer?
I appreciate that. Thanks. I guess I just feel that sometimes it takes a bit of harshness, but polite, appropriate harshness nonetheless to make a point. Especially in light of Dr. Tiller's murder. Points need to be made and incorrect rhetoric and actions need to be pointed out. I also guess that is my intent in posting my comments; I feel like I'm point out what I think is wrong. ( I suppose that is every other bloggers intent here as well, and I completely respect that. )
In response to those above again, with the anti-choice comments, even those of us who identify as 'pro choice' would love to seen the need for abortion go away. The best way to do that is for all of us to work together to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. The common misconception that we can't work together is what we all need to be talking about; if we worked together, joined forces, got comprehensive sex education back in all of our schools and made sure that family planning services/contraceptives were available, we'd be making that first step in helping to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. To anyone reading this blog passionately, please consider writing to your local state rep asking them to support medically accurate, age appropriate comprehensive sex education in our schools. Kids need and deserve this information.
I understand what you're saying. I was just trying to express that I feel it's a bit harsh to boycott (and ask friends and family to boycott) simply because they allow a group to buy tickets and don't publicly disassociate themselves from said group.
But hey--free country, to each his/her own, etc. I know that pro-life groups would likely not only boycott but picket if a pro-choice group did the same thing as Right to Life is doing.
jjskck,
I understand how it works and how it happened, thank you. I am very aware that the same rights might be accorded to a pro-choice organization. If you scroll back up to my original post, you will see that I am not saying that they should not be allowed. I am merely stating that in order to make all individuals patrons comfortable at the game, over such a divisive issue, as soon as all the attention became directed at this June 19th game (preferably BEFORE it did) Royals/Kauffman stadium/ the Special events and programs department should have issued a statement stating that the views of organizations that have gotten these privileges from purchasing a large block of seats are not the views of the organization as a whole.
What concerns me and will lead me to encouraging my pro choice friends, colleagues and family not to support the royals/kauffman stadium is that Royals/Kauffman stadium has not (to my knowledge) made such a statement in reference to this situation; this leads me to believe that they may actually be anti choice...in which case, I don't want to be giving them my money.
(please excuse my poor punctuation; I realize it's absent and am trying to get all this typed at work without wasting tooooo much time.)
Pro Choice -
Same comment to you. If you want to get a large group of pro-choicers together and buy a block of tickets, I'll bet dollars to doughnuts you'll get the green light. Web mention, scoreboard mention, the whole shebang.
For the last time, the Royals are NOT sponsoring Right to Life night at the ballpark. Right to Life is buying/has bought a bunch of tickets.
Katie -
None of your tax dollars are going to this.
Again, a pro-life group is buying a block of seats at the game. The block of seats is large enough that they get special mention on the web and scoreboard on gameday.
That's all. Simple as that.
To the posters attacking my comment, as a pro choice individual, that does not mean that I want all pregnancies terminated. It means that I feel that all women should have the option to choose what is right for them. I am not anti-life; on the contrary, I consider myself very much pro family, pro child and pro choice.
It is a sad world when instead of comments creating a dialogue, angry people post comments that serve only to put incorrect words in the 'mouths' (comments) of others. Again, in no way is any pro-choice person saying that all pregnancies should end in abortion; we are saying that every woman should have the knowledge, opportunity and freedom to make informed, private decisions about reproductive and sexual health.
'Right to Life' groups are for limiting women's rights when this is an issue that is LEGAL, something very personal, and specific to each individual's belief system. Need I remind all the angry posters that not everyone shares the same religious beliefs and it is not their right to try to impose their beliefs/moral system on anyone else?
Needless to say, I will NOT be attending the Royals games anytime soon, and until a statement is issued by Royals or Kauffman stadium, will be encouraging all of my coworkers, friends and family not to attend either.
Well I can tell you as a Jackson County taxpayer, I am none too happy with this situation. I'd much prefer my tax dollars go to schools and food stamps than pro-life events. This is disgusting.
Plath-
That's kinda the point. It's a divisive, politically charged issue that most people really don't want to be bothered with when they're trying to have a good time at the ballgame--no matter which side you're on.
You can't tell me pro-lifers wouldn't freak out if there was a pro-choice night at the ballpark.
It's always going to be "bad timing" or "too divisive" to have a night like this for the pro-choice crowd.
Pro Choice Jackson Countian
GREAT MISLEADING FACTS about abotion! If a women has 3 abortions that does not mean 3 women have had an abortion.
Here are some facts that are very direct
100% of successful abortions means a child dies
100% of everyone that is pro-abortion is already born
Pro choice is a great liberal name. It hides the truth of what you really want. A dead child.
Have a great life you don't have to worry about being aborted!
I find it great that you find it disgusting that people actually want a child to live. Considering that the right for life groups were also digusted with what happened to dr. tiller you really cant make a connection. Yet whenever a child is killed you feel that you have done something good for the world.
Then the shooting of an american soldier does not even pass an hour before MSNBC starts saying they should all be put in jail (american soldiers that is).
Back to the main point. It is a horrible thing that people think a child should live. This is truly disgusting.
Thanks for writing this Justin- it's not very cool that the Royals folks would let such a divisive group sponsor a game-night without issuing a statement saying that the views/beliefs of said org are not the views of the Royals/Kauffman. 1 in 3 women has an abortion by age 45; imagine going to a game where you're intending to just have fun and let loose and then have such a judgemental group be in-your-face all night. Royals decision-makers should have issued a statement making the other half of fans that feel uncomfortable with such a group feel more welcome on June 19.
Rick-
You bring up a great point.
The Right to Life "night" is a bit misleading; it's really just a group sales event with which the Royals aren't affiliated (beyond putting the group's name on the web and scoreboard--again, they'd do that for anyone).
Faith and Family is a ROYALS-SANCTIONED event, which means they named it and booked the concert afterward.
Even so, I personally view it as a money-making promotion rather than an affiliation with any religious views. They'd do Muslim night or Latvian-American night or Arrested Development fan club night if it would draw enough people.
The Royals are sponsoring "Faith and Family Day" this Sunday, formerly known as "Christian Family Night," to wit: "The Kansas City Royals will host the annual Faith & Family Day at the K on Sunday, June 14th. The event features a post-game concert with Grammy nominated Christian band Mercy Me and appearances from Royals executives and players. ... shortly after the conclusion of the game the concert will take place inside Kauffman Stadium. Seating for the concert will be general admission. For more information, please contact the Group Sales Department at (816) 504-4040 option 4 or email groupsales@royals.com."
As you mention, any group can do this if they want. Pro-choice groups, anti-immigration groups, Satanic groups...at least, I'd like to see Satanic groups try. Just to see if there's a double standard.
Come to the K to see the Lord of Darkness send the Tampa Bay Rays to purgatory! Infield view level tickets are $16. It's also T-Shirt Tuesday!
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