http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20259831/matt-joyce-oakland-athletics-suspended-2-games-yelling-gay-slur-fan

Commentary by Ms Bob

Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce received a two-game suspension without pay Saturday for directing an anti-gay slur toward a fan in Anaheim. Major League Baseball announced the suspension Saturday, saying that Joyce will take part in a public outreach initiative with PFLAG, a family and ally organization supporting the LGBTQ community. Joyce’s penalty was set to begin Saturday, when he also apologized through the team. Joyce said in a series of tweets that he is “beyond sorry,” and the Athletics made a statement insisting that his language was unacceptable and wouldn’t be tolerated. The A’s are donating more than $54,000 of Joyce’s lost salary to PFLAG. “In regard to last night’s incident, I sincerely apologize to the fans, the Oakland A’s, MLB and most importantly the LGBTQ community for my comments and actions,” Joyce’s statement said. “A fan yelled vulgar and obscene words about me and my family and I let my frustrations and emotions get the better of me. “I am beyond sorry for the inappropriate language that I used and understand and agree that those words should NEVER come out of someone’s mouth no matter the situation. Anyone who knows me will tell you that it is not reflective of me as a person, how I treat others, how I live my life and that those hurtful words are not my views. I fully support and hope to help the LGBTQ community with their efforts in being treated fairly. I intend to let my actions speak louder than anything more that can be said about this truly regrettable moment.” The exchange occurred in the eighth inning of Los Angeles’ 8-6 win after Angels first baseman C.J. Cron made a diving stop of Joyce’s hard-hit grounder. As Joyce returned to the dugout, he uttered several profanities at the fan, called him an anti-gay slur and challenged him to fight,according to Associated Press photographer Mark J. Terrill, who overheard the exchange. Terrill said he didn’t hear the first part of the exchange.

When you challenge someone to a fight. Or want to belittle them with name-calling. You should only use words that won’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Words that don’t personally offend anyone.

But it’s totally cool for a ball player to threaten to whip a fan’s ass. Or cuss him out. Especially if that fan used vulgarity in reference to his wife and kids.

He should totally tell him to fuck off. Call him a pussy. Threaten to beat his ass. Say he’s going to gouge his fuckin eyes out and skull fuck him. Even say disgusting, perverted things about his mother and wife. Whatever.

I’m sure the kids in the stands have heard worse on TV. And the women have all been cussed out a time or two by their husbands. Or by their various boyfriends when they were in college. No biggy.

But when you call someone a faggot. Or a nigger. That crosses the line. Then it goes beyond hurting someone’s feelings. Then it gets personal. And psychologically traumatic. It can even cause PTSD.

Even though that’s what name-calling is all about. Hurting someone’s feelings. Making them feel like shit. You don’t have to go there. Tell them you’re going to fuck their wife in the ass while he watches. Or whip his ass in front of his punk ass kids. But don’t call him a faggot. Or a nigger. That’s just going too far.

Besides, think about the thousands of gay fans in those stands that heard that ball player call that man a faggot. Think about how traumatized all the gay children were afterwards. I mean, this is serious. I’m really surprised this homophobic bigot didn’t get permanently banned from Major League Baseball.

Straight people don’t understand the emotional impact the word faggot has on us queers. It’s devastating. The first time someone called me a faggot I cried for six days. To the point of dehydration. I was literally all out of tears. I had severe cotton mouth. And dry eyes. My lover at the time was so angry because I couldn’t give him head before he went to sleep. He was such a jerk. That’s all he thought about. Ugh!

I’m so proud of the Oakland A’s organization. They suspended the fag-hater for 2 games without pay. And even better, the A’s are donating the bigot’s lost salary of $54,000 to PFLAG. As well as making him volunteer his time with the pro-homosexual organization.

PFLAG is amazing group that does terrific work for the gay community. I’m not sure exactly what they do, but I know they’re really awesome. They’ll do something spectacular with that $54,000. Like put up a billboard that says, “Love Everybody. Even Fags.” With a rainbow colored background. Or something cool like that.

Basically PFLAG is a support group for parents with gay kids. I think most of them are just pissed off they’re never going to have grandkids. So they join PFLAG as an excuse to drink cheap wine with other parents who have children unfit to reproduce. Knowing you’re not alone is intoxicating.

PFLAG was founded by a Jewish lady named Jeanne Manford in the 70s. She founded the organization after her gay son got his ass beat for being gay. And distributing pro-gay literature at a New York gala in 1972. He came out as gay to his parents at 15, just after his older brother killed himself. He was great guy. One of the pioneer gay activists. He died from AIDS in 1992.

The moral of the story is think about the words you use before you cuss someone out. You want to hurt their feelings. And make them feel really bad about themselves. But do it in a respectful manner.

Remember. Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Except faggot. And nigger.