After defending President Obama, baseball legend receives hate mail
A week after baseball legend Hank Aaron’s comparison of Obama’s GOP critics to the Ku Klux Klan, the Hall of Famer is now receiving hate mail.
During an interview with USA Today, the senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves told the publication: “Sure, this country has a black president, but when you look at a black president, President Obama is left with his foot stuck in the mud from all of the Republicans with the way he’s treated. We have moved in the right direction, and there have been improvements, but we still have a long ways to go in the country. The bigger difference is that back then they had hoods. Now they have neckties and starched shirts.”
It was those remarks that caused a wave of hate mail to the Braves headquarters.
(USA Today only referred to those who sent letters by their first names.) The letter [from Edward], which included racial epithets, said: “Hank Aaron is a scumbag piece of s—.”
“The Braves have been besieged by hundreds of letters, e-mails and phone calls deriding Aaron for comments he made to USA TODAY Sports,” the newspaper said. Sportswriter Bob Nightengale continued:
Marion calls Aaron a “racist scumbag.” Ronald won’t attend another Braves game until Aaron is fired. Mark calls Aaron a “classless racist.” David says that he will burn Aaron’s I Had A Hammer autobiography.
Sheer racism, exposed in vile letters directed to Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, have poured into the Atlanta Braves offices over the past week.
Yes, it was like 1974 all over again, the year Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, with letters laced with the most hateful epithet known to African Americans.
Read more at The Washington Post
Being the target of racist hate mail is nothing new to Aaron. He received a ton of it as he closed in on, and eventually broke Babe Ruth’s home-run record in 1974. This new crop of racist mail came just as the league was celebrating Jackie Robinson Day on April 15.
According to a Huffington Post infographic, the number of black players is no better than it was during the 1950s.
Thoughts on the hate mail and Aaron’s comments?
Does the response prove him correct?
Sound off below!
