The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night – a game they won quite handily which included two position players pitching. However, the game itself was a secondary storyline thanks to the national anthem, which was sung in spanish by musical artist Nezza. Now, such a rendition wasn't all that surprising given the events occurring in Los Angeles these days. ICE raids have led to protests against the Trump administration. That, when paired with the escalation of such events thanks to Trump calling in the national guard and marines, makes for a stressful environment in LA.
Now, we should mention that the vast majority of protests in Los Angeles have been peaceful. The right to a peaceful protest is in the constitution, whether you agree with the cause or not. That being said, the Dodgers reportedly were not in favor of Nezza singing the anthem in a different language, despite a mostly positive positive response from the public.
“We are going to do the song in English today,” an unidentified Dodgers employee told Nezza in video she posted on TikTok. “I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.”
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Dodgers are on the wrong side of history
Los Angeles Dodgers player Kiké Hernandez spoke out in favor of Nezza's performance, and against ICE raids happening in the city.
“I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own. I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants," Hernandez wrote on Instagram.
Hernandez went out on a limb by speaking out against his own organization, and surely some Dodgers supporters. Heck, Hernandez went further than Dave Roberts would, as the Los Angeles manager didn't make much of a statement with his commentary.
“Honestly, I don’t know enough, to be quite honest with you. I know that when you’re having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it’s certainly unsettling for everyone. But I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it," Roberts said.
Dave Roberts, Dodgers didn't want to take a stance
While I certainly understand that Dodgers executives, coaches and players are in a tough position, this presidential administration does not give a free pass to those who cave. Playing dumb, or refusing to take a stance, will not help in the long run. Los Angeles has a heavy Latin American population. Nezza understood that, and while she likely won't be invited back to sing the anthem at Dodger Stadium anytime soon, she felt she had no other option.
“I didn’t think I’d be met with any sort of no,” Nezza said in the later video. “Especially because we’re in L.A., and with everything happening. I’ve sang the national anthem many times in my life, but today, out of all days, I could not. I just felt like I needed to do it. Para mi gente.”
No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall under, is there anything more relatable than that? Nezza spoke out for her community. No one in the Dodgers organization could tell her otherwise. Baseball, at its core, is about family and community. Surely, the Dodgers ought to understand that.