Chicago Sun Times Editorial - Guillen was right to apologize
Chicago Sun Times Editorial - Guillen was right to apologize
Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times
June 22, 2006
It's hard not to like White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. He's smart, charismatic and obviously knows a thing or two about winning baseball. Part of his charm is that he tells it like it is. But calling Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti a homophobic name crossed the line from colorfully blunt to thoughtlessly crass, and he was right to apologize.
Mariotti wasn't the issue, and he can certainly fend for himself. By using such a term, Guillen didn't just insult Mariotti -- he disparaged anyone who is gay, including in all likelihood a significant number of fans.
Guillen insists he holds no ill will toward gays. (Why, he declared, he even goes to WNBA games and Madonna concerts!) But you can't explain away his comment by citing cultural or language differences. He's been in this country a long time, and he was speaking English.
This is not the first time his coarse words have gotten him in trouble. The White Sox organization -- which earlier issued a sort-of apology -- says it has been working with Guillen on some of the things he says to prevent him from again crossing the line. But if that still doesn't work, maybe it will take a serious penalty like a suspension to get his attention. Fans are willing to cut him a lot of slack because he won a World Series, but this time he went too far -- and it must not happen again.
Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times
June 22, 2006
It's hard not to like White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. He's smart, charismatic and obviously knows a thing or two about winning baseball. Part of his charm is that he tells it like it is. But calling Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti a homophobic name crossed the line from colorfully blunt to thoughtlessly crass, and he was right to apologize.
Mariotti wasn't the issue, and he can certainly fend for himself. By using such a term, Guillen didn't just insult Mariotti -- he disparaged anyone who is gay, including in all likelihood a significant number of fans.
Guillen insists he holds no ill will toward gays. (Why, he declared, he even goes to WNBA games and Madonna concerts!) But you can't explain away his comment by citing cultural or language differences. He's been in this country a long time, and he was speaking English.
This is not the first time his coarse words have gotten him in trouble. The White Sox organization -- which earlier issued a sort-of apology -- says it has been working with Guillen on some of the things he says to prevent him from again crossing the line. But if that still doesn't work, maybe it will take a serious penalty like a suspension to get his attention. Fans are willing to cut him a lot of slack because he won a World Series, but this time he went too far -- and it must not happen again.
posted by Carlos T Mock at 8:07 AM
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