Florida U.S. Senator Marc Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) on Monday (April 5) saying that their withdrawal of the All-Star Game from Georgia was “hypocritical” in comparison to MLB’s disregard for human rights issues in China, and that it was a cheap moral statement that did not harm its It was a cheap moral statement that did not harm its financial interests.
He also accused MLB of making money by working with the Chinese government or Chinese companies with close ties to the Chinese government while doing nothing to address the serious human rights abuses in China.
Major League Baseball President Robert D. Manfred Jr. last week called for the All-Star Game and the MLB draft to be moved to another state because of his opposition to the passage of the Election Reform Act in Joe’s state.
The new bill requires absentee voting to be equivalent to in-person voting by providing photo identification (ID); it also requires enhanced security at the ballot box and mandates early voting dates, among other things. Republicans say the law will restore confidence in the state’s elections, but Democrats claim the law will limit voting privileges.
In his letter Monday, Rubio charged that MLB’s decision to withdraw from Atlanta was “hypocritical” and that the move would “have a greater impact on countless small and minority businesses in Atlanta and the surrounding area than the new election law.
“Will Major League Baseball now end its cooperation with countries like China and Cuba? They don’t hold (real) elections at all. Will you end your lucrative financial relationship with Tencent? Tencent has deep ties to the Communist Party and actively helps the Chinese (Communist) government hunt down and silence political dissidents.” He wrote.
He questioned whether Nippon Professional Baseball would demand that the Chinese Communist Party end its genocidal policy against the Uighurs in Xinjiang because of the same call.
“Since Major League Baseball is now showing an eagerness to use its ‘platform’ to demonstrate its ‘unwavering support’ for basic human rights, will you stop your relationship with the Chinese (Communist) government as they are at this moment are committing genocide against Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region?” Rubio wrote.
“Of course, I don’t expect any of that. Pulling the All-Star Game from Joe State would be effortless and could send a virtue signal without significant economic damage. But speaking out against the CCP (Communist Party of China) would result in significant revenue loss and being shut out of a market where there is money to be made.” He said.
Rubio said what is truly courageous is to speak out against evil, rather than listen to disinformation.
“As citizens of a free country, you and Major League Baseball have the right to speak out against U.S. laws you disagree with, even if the information you listen to is disinformation. However, what’s really gutsy is when you can speak out on behalf of the voiceless who face arbitrary imprisonment, forced sterilization, forced abortion, rape, against the ones who did these things, your business partners, that’s really gutsy.” He said.
Finally, Rubio said he doesn’t expect professional baseball to make a showing against the CPC. “I have no illusions that Major League Baseball will sacrifice business revenue for its supposed corporate values.” He wrote.
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