I believe we have the right to speak up about the things we’re most passionate about. I believe we also have the responsibility to find organizations that are doing good work and support those organizations when we speak up about issues. Voicing concerns thoughtfully and protesting peacefully are both patriotic actions; so is supporting organizations that are in the weeds solving problems.
This Memorial Day, I will be donating to two organizations. The first is Everytown, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence.
The second is Heart & Armor, an organization devoted to veteran health and linking the experience of veterans to civilians.
Today, I’ll be standing for the anthem. 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.
Great! Glad you are doing this Gabe!
One has to define the problem before being able to solve it. There are two problems that people confuse here. One is sometimes cited as “280+ US school shootings”. These are different than Uvalde, though, they are kids from within a school bringing guns to school and settling scores amongs themselves, often gang-related. This problem persists due to the ease of getting illegal handguns and the fact that the areas affected are politically disenfranchised. This definitely isn’t a worry for your average active American voter, which is why they don’t truly care to address it.
The other problem is mass shootings like Uvalde. You can’t call these a “US problem”. Canada had two mass shootings of high renown in past five years, Quebec City and Nova Scotia. 28 dead total. Best US data set for these is Mother Jones Shooting Database, which shows 360 US mass shooting deaths since Jan 2017. Do the math to make it per capita yourself. 28 dead / 35 million people is 0.75 dead per million since 2017. In US, it’s 360 dead / 340 million, so 1.06 dead per million in same time frame. Amplified in US because the population is 10x, but similar scale issue. . NZ, Norway off the charts on these scales, e.g. 51 dead in NZ in 2019 Christchurch/5M population.
Mental health is clearly part of the issue on the mass shootings problem. Look at the extensive list of mental health involvement on the Mother Jones database and consider individual known mental health problems for Vegas shooter, VA tech, long ago the UT tower shooter.
Germany had a school shooting problem in the decade after Columbine, hit 0.5 dead per million in the single decade that followed. They addressed it by requiring every person under 25 who sought a gun to have a psychiatric evaluation. This hasn’t fully solved their problem – they had one school shooting already this year and they foiled one with no deaths as well – but it seems to have helped. By numbers of deaths, since 2009 they are looking good on mass shootings.
The other common data mistake is to talk about “gun deaths” in the US being high. But “gun deaths” is every death by gun. US Suicides by gun are 25k per year, and suicides not by gun are 20k per year. Homicides by gun are 15k per year and homicides not by gun are 5k per year. This all obviously is a far different problem than mass shootings, which by the Mother Jones database is about 30 people dead per year. Not 30k, 30. So 0.0005 of the “gun deaths”.
If you want to solve the problem of high US gun deaths, that is a good thing. But talk about it outside of the outrage over mass shootings which are virtually unrelated and contribute little to the issue.
Unfortunately, the major component of gun deaths is suicide where yes, suicide rates may be higher because of guns, but for example the UK has 11 deaths per million due to suicide per year and the US has 13. The presence of guns only contributes 20% and this suggests that hanging and self-poison are easy “switching” options. Most of the homicides in the US are gang-related and the non-gang homicide rates in US actually compare well to Europe.
I’m heavily in favor of modifying gun laws to reduce deaths. For example, Trump’s ban on bump stocks post-Vegas was important and I can’t believe Congress didn’t act to put that in law. However, we have to address the underlying mental health issues too. Germany’s school attacks 2000-2010 saw deaths of 15-20 with handguns only. Nova Scotia involved only single action rifles and handguns, 22 dead. VA Tech in US was handguns and 31 dead. On average you are going to lower deaths by focusing on weapon capacity and firing rate, etc. But you don’t remove the problem by doing so. Norway had a mass shooter last year – 5 killed with bow and arrow.
I also worry about switching to other methods. What was the Uvalde shooter going to do if he couldn’t buy guns? Sit at home and sulk or find a different way to take out his evil measure of pain? Total deaths could be higher with non-gun methods. Terrorists killed 86 in a truck attack in Nice with less access to guns. Bombing – technically hard for most mass shooters, but risk of high deaths upon success. Need to address mental health issue for sure and not create logjam by considering that just an NRA talking point to be ignored – that ensures inaction.
If you think not showing respect for the United States of America by not standing for the national anthem is going to change anything, you are either not very smart, have a seriously inflated opinion of yourself, or both. It may help you understand the senseless of more gun laws if you simply review how effective the “War on Drugs.” has been. History has proven that making the possession of sell of anything does NOT stop people from obtaining that object. You can argue about it all day long. It has been tried on several occasions. Getting back to our basic foundation and emphasizing what is important instead of all the garbage we hear about daily will help considerably. Each and EVERY parent taking an active and enthusiastic role in each of their children’s lives every day will make an even bigger difference, particularly if each parent teaches by living an example of love and perseverance.
Spot on, Lou.
Politics in any sports detracts from team effort.
Emphasis on any divisive topic dilutes endeavor to form team cohesion.
Thank you for having conviction. I appreciate you.
I think you are a national hero. I respect your choice to do as you see fit. I thank you for giving a shout out to Everytown. We may be able to make a difference this time because of people like you.
You are very impressionable.
Nobility. That is all I can say 👏 Bravo Gabe!
I hope your action inspires others to speak up and stand up for what they believe in. Thank you!
Such an ass. If you don’t like this country, leave. I’ll help you pack.
He loves our country more than you love your guns. Always remember the 1st Amendment comes before the 2nd Amendment. If you really cared for life, you’d be doing anything to stop this violence. Kapler is doing what he can. What have you done Sir?
I served my country for 25 years and think Gabe is the 2nd most selfish man in this country next to the NFL players that kneel. Why doesnt Gabe move to a country that his views fit in like China, they protest and refuse to acknowledge our anthem
If you have served for 25 years. What did they teach you those 25 years? Other than bullying other people. There is a big difference between freedom of speech and bullying. Use your words carefully. People can still understand your point without losing respect for you.
Based on your comments you dont understand what bullying is and freedom of speech. At no point did I attempt to bully anyone, I just simply made a comparison to ones views and another similar view. You obviously dont understand that the first amendment is a 2 way street and you believe that unless someone agrees with an individual or you, they are not afforded the same rights. This is the problem in this country, a lack of education and understanding of the constitution and just because you dont like the constitution doesnt mean that you can just change it, it has to be voted on by the people, not just the uneducated that believe that the freedom of speech only works 1 way.
👍
Wow, call other person an “ass”,”selfish” ask him to “leave” the country, and denied “At no point did I attempt to bully anyone.” Google cyber bullying! Also, every sentence you wrote, you have to verbally abuse other people. Don’t call other people uneducated when you don’t know for sure how many degrees they have earned. Just: Wow! I don’t need to waist more time.
Let me reiterate my statement about uneducated, just because you have a degree or 10 degrees doesnt make you educated. Education is NOT defined anywhere with “having a degree”. Again…lack of education or do you (generallyspeaking) prefer the adjective “naive”.Secondly never once did I use the word “ass”…please try again. As there is a difference between earning a degree and receiving a degree..much like there is a difference between understanding what honoring the flag means and pretending to understand what the flag means (gabe kapler)
You served your country for 25 years and you won’t defend Mr. Kapler’s right to free speech and to exercise his conscience peacefully? Must be terrible for you to know that you wasted 25 years of your life. Thank you, Gabe!
Yes I did, and what have you done for your country. If he had done something for this country other than ride on the backs of those people that have spilled blood for this country it maybe different, however like most athletes they have all the money and access to every platform in the world and do nothing except shit on the flag, demand change, yet does nothing except complain and never provide answers. That is the liberal way, hate America, complain how bad it is and never provide answers. Chicago,,Washington DC have since of the most strict gun laws in this country, yet they are some of the most violent cities, why not use those cities as metrics for you background checks and other”laws” that toy wasnt to use at the federal level and see how well they work. Protesting is fine, be creative to get your point across, don’t be a drain on society and complain and not give answers, dont say ” Well..Memorial Day is good enough to honor those that did what I was afraid to do, however since memorial day is over, those service members are no longer important as Gabe being party of the problem, Gabe (like all liberals) wants to point at a problem and provide ZERO solution. Its easier to disrespect others than it is to raise your right hand and do something about it.
You communists are truly delusional. kapler admitted his father was communist and didn’t stand for the anthem. Why are you so afraid to admit your communists???
Gabe, as a vet I support you 100%! To all those that might see my comment, I worked as the dugout security for the Red Sox for a few years. Gabe is one of the best I’ve ever worked with and I know he would never disrespect veterans. On the contrary, I believe by not appearing for the anthem, he’s in a way, honoring those that made the ultimate sacrifice by exercising his constitutional rights. Good on you Gabe.
100% support you Gabe always a big fan of yours.
So I guess in your eyes today is the only day that we should honor our service members that paid the ultimate price and never came home to see their families. Tomorrow in your eyes the service members sacrifice doesnt mean a thing because the calendar flips. Very selfish, too bad I retired to defend selfish people like you that pick and choose when the ultimate sacrifice is honored.
The National anthem began at a Cubs vs Red Sox game as a way to honor those we lost in World War 1. It was adopted into sports as a way to allow us as Americans to show our respect to those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice. I am extremely offended that Kaplar chooses to use the anthem as a platform to exercise his 1st amendment. Shame on him for protesting on the backs of our veterans. My father in law lost both legs while serving in Vietnam. My son in currently in the Air Force. He was deployed in Afghanistan when the kneeling protests began. I am very proud of all who chose to serve our county. It is my belief that Kaplar and the other millionaires that are on the playing fields with him could utilize some of their wealth to make a difference. They regularly have the media at their disposal. I also believe this action further divides our country and does not bring us closer. Get out and be active in the community with at risk people, don’t just blame the politician you voted for. I have been a lifelong Giants fan but will not support this organization any further.
Gabe has a hard time understanding that the Flag, our military, our veterans and our HONORED dead are ALL part of the same cloth. You don’t get to pick and choose when you believe in america and when you choose to turn your back on our Flag, our military our veterans and our heroes AND our ANTHEM. . He hasn’t earned that right. and all you fawning lemmings, I’ll wager not one of you ever served either or else you’d understand.
Funny thing the great part about the USA is you can pick and choose when you believe America is morally correct or wrong! First Amendment allows us to protest and defend our beliefs in any way seem fit. Just like you feel the need to defend your belief by commenting what you commented! God bless the USA, Kapler, and the SF Giants!
You are absolutely correct, you just dont recieve the same respect when you speak and have done nothing for this country or flag, those rights were written in the blood of those very heros that gave Kepler and other athletes spit on (you included). So you are correct in that you can run your mouth, just remember that you will never be respected when you have done nothing but be a drain on society and be an “arm chair american”. Its always safer on the sideline then it is to raise your right and swear to support and defend this country like I did for 25 years.
You obviously have no clue what you ‘served’ for. If, as an American, I choose not to stand for the anthem in protest, that is my or anyone else’s right, buffoon. Don’t like it? Leave.
I served defending a flag give people like you that would prefer someone else do the job defending our country the right to call people a ” buffon”. The difference between you and me is…I can say I defended the flag, whereas you can tell everyone you prefer to ride the coattails of people like me and protest the flag. You prefer that your freedoms be given to you because you are a citizen, and dont want to earn them, whereas I did ir for 25 years.
Gabe-
I support your views/opinions on the Uvalde nightmare 100%. Your comments are spot-on and I applaud you for speaking up on tis horrible event.
Gabe, I never heard of you until I heard you were not going to stand for the National anthem. Your choice your privileged. My great great uncle died in the civil war, my mother’s 2nd cousin died in France during WWI. Stand, knee or don’t show. This depicts your total lack of understand of why the country has a national anthem. Enjoy this on the sacrifice of my ancestors.
Gabe – you are a clueless idiot and a liar. This also goes for every moron who supports you above.
Be quiet Georgie. You’re looking more like the moron.
You are obviously a clueless cunt. Go move to China bitch.
Those who think you are disrespecting the flag and anthem are ignorant of American values. Veterans know that their oath is to the constitution. They also know that your protest does not violate flag code while star-spangled merchandise like underwear and F150s are disrespectful and cited as direct violation of flag code.
So you are saying that american values are are only honoring the flag on certain days of the year (veterans day, flag day, memorial day) and standing to honor those because of a calendar day only while not doing it on others?..you are what is wrong in this country and have ZERO what the flags means every day that it flies. You are the type of person that has ridden on the coattails of those who bleed on the battlefield while you sit at home and complain about why no one listens to you…maybe you should look in the mirror and see what the problem is and who a totally has no idea what the flag and the honoring of the national anthem
they didnt sacrifice themselves so u can protest jeez. they did so u can live free. free of oppression. free to voice ur own opinion without fear of retribution. aint so free no more.
Wise decision for Memorial Day. You’re a mensch!
Thank you!
Rose
Respectfully disagree with your stance, but for a different reason: you’re a distraction to your team. As most coaches teach our players, “stay out of the news.” I get the “this is bigger than baseball” thing, but this isn’t the platform–taking away from baseball–to do that. Start a non-profit, but be a silent partner. When people think of the Giants, it shouldn’t be of the manager, it should be of the on-field play.
Gabe, will you protest for all the youth killed from the fentanyl smuggled in through our open borders? Or how about all the kids that are sex trafficked through our open boarders? How about the 40+ people annually shot in Chicago every Memorial Day? I’m all for protesting but you can make a larger impact if you start talking about some other real injustices.
Gabe, you are a man of values. Today was the right day to honor veterans, and of course we should all appreciate the sacrifice made by American service members. But I appreciate you making a statement about the scourge of gun violence that only this country engenders by those that hide behind the 2nd amendment. Outside of the military, no one should have the right to own a weapon of war. As John Prine once sang, “your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore, it’s already overcrowded by your dirty little war.” Today we can substitute assault rifles and school massacres for the reference to the 58,220 Americans killed in the Vietnam war.
we all have our thoughts on the state of the union—–issues, problems, solutions. I have never based my decisions or beliefs based on overpaid, prima donna athletes or coaches’ opinions. do us all a favor and do your job without running your mouth and pissing off 50% of the country. and if you’re going to run your mouth and virtue signal, you might want to think hard about the date you choose to start kneeling and boycotting the anthem. cause you look like a damn fool–making a stand, errrr taking a knee, errrr sitting on your ass—-and then walking it back when you get blown up in your bitch blog
Hey Jackie, take a seat and sit this one out, loser. You’re on the wrong side of things.
Nah, he’s paid to manage baseball games. If he wants to do this, he can do it on his own dime and time. Idiot.
In today’s America, cowards using fake names feel emboldened to attack others. Just as you choose to hide in anonymity to assert an opinion protected by the First Amendment, Gabe has that same right to express his opinion and take action based on it.
I live in Texas where we have had mass shootings in schools (Santa Fe and Uvalde), a Walmart (El Paso), a church (Sutherland Springs), and against the police (Dallas). In response, we have had Republican “leadership” give their “thoughts and prayers” but offer no solutions and say that they are “livid” when questioned as to why the “good guys with guns” stood by while the children – now dead – repeatedly called 911 begging for help. In a typical Trump move, they are now looking for the scapegoat to blame.
When expressing opinions, we have choices: (1) keep quiet and voice no opinion; (2) fall into line behind a loud mouth bully, letting them do all the talking and/or hiding behind a fake name to hurl insults; or (3) step up, express your opinion, and accept the consequences from one’s deeds or words.
It is ironic that many of the loudest mouths attacking Gabe never served in the service, never lost someone in the fight for America’s freedom or the defense of our country, and are doing so for personal gain (Nick Adams) or jealousy (Lenny Dykstra).
Those same people who say “it’s all about you (Gabe)” have no issues with Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election. Trump had multiple opportunities to address this problem, starting with the school in Parkland, Florida but wouldn’t. He would rather dance at the NRA convention.
As for those like Nick Adams who say “I will never attend another baseball game,” it’s easy to say that when you haven’t invested the money in season tickets or the time going to games. Another chicken shit move in my opinion.
Gabe, thanks for what you have said and are doing.
you’re an ass
i like what girardi had to say about it, “”Everyone has a choice in this country, right?” Girardi said. “I mean that’s what America is founded on. It’s not the choice that I’ll make. But with all the choices we make in life there are consequences, no matter what you do, so you have to be prepared to explain why you do things in this world. And it’s not something that I would do.”
I would have loved to been in philly to hear the fans give it to Kapler-nick…
After blowing it in the playoffs against the Dodgers last year, and likely leading the Giants to a stellar 500 record this year, Gabe will walking a beat at the unemployment office by mid-2023 and telling everyone what a hero he used to be. Yes, Gabe, it’s all about you.
Kapler is not wrong for his concern about the direction of our country, but the reason Kapler suspended his Anthem protest today is exactly the same reason we should not bring the Anthem into any protest.
The anthem is a moment to unite us all in honoring the ideals on which this country is founded and those that have surved to protect our rights and freedom.
The National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance give each of us the opportunity to recommit ourselves to the principles, the promise, and to the constant effort needed to work towards make this country great for the benefit of all!
Kap, I appreciate your post and your peaceful protest. Go Giants!
Thank you, Gabe, for being a public figure willing to take a stand against stupidity and injustice a la John Lennon. The Second Amendment be damned, nobody in this country should own military-style assault rifles (hello, Canada). And for those who treat the Second Amendment as holy testimony just remember it’s that same US Constitution that protected slavery. Let’s move on. Hope the Giants have the second-best season in baseball this year (second-best to the Cardinals ;-).
Thank you for using the privilege of your public position to take a stand and give a voice to those victimized by gun violence. I appreciate your deliberate decision regarding standing on Memorial Day as I am a Gold Star family member as well as hope that it was only a temporary stay and that you will continue to model integrity for those in your circle of influence. Thank you.
But you take those dirty American dollars, don’t you. Such ignorance.
it’s Tuesday and Kapler is still an ass
“A Little Rebellion Now and Then Is a Good Thing”, as Thomas Jefferson once wrote.
What some people don’t seem to get is that freedom includes the freedom to protest. And that freedom applies to all Americans. “Freedom” doesn’t mean you have to implictly agree with everything. Most of what has made America has been about protest, from the Boston Tea Party, to Rosa Parks. Protest has formed America. Saying that someone doesn’t have a right to protest because they haven’t served or because they’re an athlete is missing the point completely. Or should only ex-service personnel have the right to an opinion? As is evident here, not all ex-service personnel have the same opinion. I know quite a few people who served in the US Army and Air Force who have very “liberal” views. You don’t earn the right to determine what’s right or wrong by serving. You’re as free to agree or disagree as anyone. As anyone.
America was founded on the very principle of protest, on the freedom to criticize the system, oppose your king, to think freely, challenge things, and to be free of oppression and persecution from ANYTHING.
To say to someone that exercising their right to protest means they should move to China is just about the most ignorant thing I’ve seen in a long while, because China is exactly the place where you can’t protest.
If you don’t like Kapler’s views, watch another team. Switch channels. Go vent somewhere. You’re free to do so. Saying Kap doesn’t have the right to protest simply because you DISAGREE is about as un-American as you can get. And you’re welcome to disagree with that as well.
I appreciate the sincere wrestling with this issue, however, I would urge you (9/13/2013) to consider (8/11/2014) that in many areas (4/27/2022) of the country (3/16/2021) children are not safe (2/23/2022) in their own homes. This whole flag stuff is super cute, and I’m sure you’ll gettcheryourself lotsa clicks, and a buncha internet attaboyz, but the real work happens in silence. The real work is the boys and girls club at 6AM on a Tuesday. A fund raiser for that city counselman with the good ideas. Pushing to keep Arts and Krafts in your school even though there is no $$. Pushing the mayor to repave and RELIGHT the broken parts of her city. All this flag allegiance stuff is just virtue signalling, and for those of us who live in these neighborhoods, well, quite frankly, you look like an idiot, Kap. — And you’re too smart for that brother.
no, if you dont like america LEAVE…. bottom line, also, so the national anthem is only for service men/women on memorial day, the other days it is for racists and terrible america, got it.
Don’t listen to all these guys. It brings tears to my eyes just imagining how difficult it was for you to pretend to care about any of the boys buried under that flag.
I support Kapler who is using his platform to bring attention to a problem America is and has been unwilling to address. The soldiers who fought for the flag also fought for Kapler’s right to protest.
it’s Tuesday night and kaplrr is still an ass
Gabe’s original discussion was about the murder of 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary school. Why is it necessary to allow an 18 year old to purchase assault rifles as it was in Parkland, Florida. The police initially showing up at these schools are less equipped then the shooters. Our police and our citizens are not collateral damage. Tell that to the families that loss their loved ones.
Go fuck yourself. My brother’s and sisters didn’t just die for that flag on Memorial Day. They died for it to be honored every day. You disrespect their sacrifice when you shit on the flag and anthem because of your political ignorance. Stop pretending to care about us.
nicele said
its thursday. Kapler is still an ass
I’ve noticed you stopped posting after your little uvalde rant
Looks like we scared you off