Dodgers Echo Manager Dave Roberts In Denouncing Violence Against Asian Americans: 'Such Bullying Is Nothing Short Of Cowardice'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Dodgers issued a statement Tuesday denouncing the recent spike in violence against Asian-Americans across the country, echoing the sentiments of manager Dave Roberts, who is Black and Japanese, in an internal email to the team.
"Over the last year, there has been a sharp increase in violence and hate crimes against Asian-Americans across the United States. This bigotry and hatred has no place in our society and to be clear, the Dodger organization condemns this widespread xenophobic violence and intolerance," the team's statement said. "Such bullying is nothing short of cowardice."
The statement comes after Roberts wrote an internal email to entire Dodgers organization and obtained by The Athletic. Roberts was reportedly moved to write the email after a Facebook post from professional basketball player Jeremy Lin. In his email, Roberts denounced the intensifying attacks on elderly Asian people in California and New York.
"Unfortunately anti-Asian sentiment is a part of American history (see 1880s, 1940s, or the 1980s as examples) and it has resurfaced again during the pandemic as some seem to blame the world's problems on one ethnic group. To blame Asian-Americans at all for the global pandemic is just wrong," Roberts wrote.
The team touted its history of signing a diverse roster, including Jackie Robinson, Hideo Nomo, Chan-Ho Park, and Hong-Chih Kuo. Roberts himself is just the second Asian-American manager of a Major League Baseball team.
The Dodgers organization is located in one of the most diverse counties in the nation, with a sizeable Asian population. The team also pointed out that its fan base extends far beyond Los Angeles County and spans the globe.
"The Dodgers stand with every American who knows that our nation's diversity is one of our greatest strengths," the team's statement says. "We all have a responsibility to call out and act against racism, and to work toward a more just, equitable and loving nation – not only during moments of protest but always."