AL MVP Mookie Betts won’t be visiting the White House with his Red Sox teammates in May.
The Boston Red Sox were a unified group en route to winning the 2018 World Series, but manager Alex Cora let it be known back in October that he wasn’t really happy with President Trump’s take on the body toll following the devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico. He wouldn’t commit to a White House visit at that time.
Despite the recent unified success on the field, Boston’s racist past inevitably clashes with its progressive future when it comes to the issue of visiting Donald Trump’s White House.
Red Sox ownership and the white players on the team said they were looking forward to the traditional White House visit for MLB’s World champs, but 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts says he will not attend the scheduled May visit.
No White House for Mookie Betts pic.twitter.com/6AJsKoj9Ar
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 27, 2019
Betts was asked about his plans at a dinner Saturday night where he was honored as the American League MVP, according to the Boston Globe. “I won’t be going there,” Betts said. “I decided not to.”
Betts isn’t the only Red Sox player who is not attending the visit. Trump’s recent immigration policies, which ripped thousands of families apart didn’t do much to endear 45 to the many Hispanic MLB players. Dominican Rafael Devers has also said he won’t attend, telling reporters, “The opportunity was presented and I just wasn’t compelled to go.”
Bravo #RedSox MOOKIE says NO To WH. "Betts joins third baseman Rafael Devers"…Lefthander Eduardo Rodriguez said "unlikely." Xander Bogaerts & Eduardo Nunez, "undecided"…"@RedSox manager Alex Cora appears unlikely."https://t.co/ObgBUVn9vK via @BostonGlobe
— Jean Trounstine⚖️ @spoutible & @bluesky (@JusticeWithJean) January 28, 2019
At this point, Boston is a team divided politically and socially. At least three other players are undecided about the visit. Cora, the guy who first hinted at a boycott of the White House visit eventually succumbed to the request in December. The native Puerto Rican said he will use his visit to call on Trump to do more to help the hurricane-ravaged island.
“I’m going to use my platform the right way. I’m not going to embarrass anybody,” he said at the premiere of the team’s championship documentary. “Actually, I’m going to represent 4 million people from back home the right way when we go there.”
There are various methods that can be used to attack the problems emanating from the White House. Cora chooses to face the demon head on and demand justice (Although, recent reports indicate that Cora might have a chance of heart again).
Betts, Devers and a few other Red Sox players have decided to remain in solidarity with the many athletes and entertainers who refuse to support any entity or person who devalues the lives of women and people of color.
