Relative Something

Sometimes, progress moves pretty slow in societies. Resistance to change is not easy to overcome. In the world of professional spectator sports in the US, we are seeing some rather impressive progress of late. Movement from entrenched mindsets that were blatantly white supremacist and discounted people of other races, toward decisions that show respect and inclusion.

Of particular note, the NFL team from Washington has dropped their “mascot” name; the Cleveland MLB club is changing their “mascot” name; and this week, Major League Baseball has announced they are reclassifying Negro Leagues as major league, bringing the statistics from the past into the MLB record books.

MLB has said it is “correcting a longtime oversight in the game’s history” by elevating the Negro Leagues on the centennial of its founding.

I understand how some can express criticism over the fact this should have happened a lot longer ago than just now, but I feel that now is better than never, so I’ll accept this progress and celebrate it.

May these changes be mere samplings of greater advances toward equitable social justice to come at increasingly rapid rates.

It feels so refreshing to experience a broadening hopefulness for the possibilities of greater love, truth, and justice in this country again.

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