"In My Not So Humble Opinion"

  So Major League Baseball, has decided to suspend Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker, until May 1st, fine him $20,000 and ordered him to go thru sensitivity training. You can accuse John Rocker of being narrow minded if you want, but what about Bud Selig? Selig the commisioner of Major League Baseball wants to punish Rocker for exercising his constitutional right to free speech. Let's review Rockers statemaent. In a December issue of Sport Illustrated he said he would never play for a New York team because he didnt want to ride on the subway "next to some queer with Aids next to some dud who just got out of jail for the forth time  next to a 20 year old mom with four kids" he also stated "I'm not a big fan of foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square without hearing a word of English. How the hell did they get in this country". Many people have called this a hate filled tirade. I'm inclined to disagree with that statement. Rocker never once in those sentances never once mentioned hating anyone of the people he describes in those sentences. Nowhere in the interview does Rocker utter a racial slur, or encourse any sort of hate related violence against anyone.  John Rocker has an obvious dislike for people who in his view lead an immoral or deviant lifestyle. He doesn't care to have to rub shoulders with these people on his way to work. He's not the only person who feels this way. Many people in this country feel that premarital sex, homosexuality, and disobidience to civil law are inappropriate, and evern immoral ways of behaving. And many people would like to see the influx of foreigners into this country  grow smaller.These certainly maynot be popular veiws but a lack of popularity certainly does not make such oppinions wrong. It certainly not wrong to express such a view. Thats why thier is a First Ammendmant in the U.S. Constitution. To give us the right to express what we think and believe. The only source of hatred from John Rockers interview comes from his disdain for heavy traffic,(which I'm sure all of us have experienced), and towards rude, vulgar, and all around obnoxious Mets fans(which I'm sure many baseball players have experienced). Certainly no one can blame Rocker for being irritated by slow drivers on the interstate, or at Mets fans who, throw objects on to the field, spilled beer on his girlfried or yell obcene vulgarites about his mother. Major League Baseball has not been harmed by John Rocker. People won't stop going to games, merchandise sells won't slump, thier won't be mass protests outside Turner feild. If anyone has been hurt by John Rocker, it is John Rocker. The next time he plays the Mets, the obcenities will be louder, the objects thrown will be larger, and Shea stadium will propably sell out every game. We don't live in a comunist state where secret police make people with unpopular oppinions dissapear. We live live in a free society where the expression of different points of view are supposed to be encouraged. Instead of disciplining Rocker, Comisioner Selig should have simply released a statement saying that Major League Baseball does not share, support, or endorse the veiws of John Rocker, but at the same time recognizes his CONSTITUTIONAL right to have and express such oppinions. Baseball has no right to inringe upon Rockers rights,and I wish the Players assosiation the best of luck in thier appeal.