NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar used his speech at Los Angeles Dodgers’ Memorial Day about Jackie Robinson Day to call President Donald Trump’s politics.
As always, Robinson was honored on Tuesday on the 78th anniversary of the fact that he broke the color barrier in MLB. He did so with Dodgers, who had a party for the late Robinson who involved Los Angeles Laker’s Great Abdul-Jabbar, who grew up a Brooklyn Dodgers fan in New York.
Between telling stories of coming in matches with New York Giants and Yankee’s fans as a child and said he always made sure his dodgers hat was not beaten, Abdul-Jabbar also called Trump to “get rid of dei” or diversity, justice and included programs.
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Former Los Angeles Lakers-Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (left) and Frem James Worthy participates in a game between Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports)
“I think it’s just a ruse to discriminate,” Abdul-Jabbar told the audience via the New York Times. “So I’m glad we’re doing things like this to let everyone in the country know what’s important. They also tried to get rid of Harriet Tubman. But it didn’t work. There was just a revolt at it. But you have to take it into consideration when we think about what’s going on today.”
Trump issued an executive order last month to terminate the DEI offices, positions and programs within the federal government. It also completed stock-related grants and contracts, including orders.
The White House delivered a “fact sheet” to the executive order and said it “restores the values of individual dignity, hard work and expertise.”
Yankees remain obliged to diversity and inclusion in the middle of MLBS quiet rollback of dei
“President Trump believes that employment in all parts of the government should be based solely on profits,” said the White House fact sheet.
However, the executive order led to the scrubbing of many sites where DEI was involved, which included the Department of Defense Web site, which highlighted Robinson’s military service. Abdul-Jabbar also brought up Tubman, whose side with National Park Service was to be restored, just like Robinson’s Ministry of Defense.
For Robinson, a story entitled “Sports Hero, serving: Baseball Great Jackie Robinson was a wwii soldier,” was taken down short before he was restored. ESPN initially reported it being taken down, which led the media to jump after the executive order.
DOD released a statement that a group was asked to mark any pages considered DEI content. They only got a week to investigate thousands of documents, and human errors came into play due to the condensed timeline. Errors were made, including marking Robinson’s article.
Late mlb icon jackie robinson (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“Over the past few weeks, we have taken steps to identify and archive the DEI content from our sites and social media platforms,” said Sean Parnell, assistant to the Defense Secretary of Public Affairs, in a statement last month.
“Without a doubt, this task was a tough but incredibly important business. We enforced an aggressive timeline for our dead services and agencies to fight through a wide range of content, while ensuring that our strength remains clear and deadly.”
But it was not just federal. MLB removed references to diversity on its career page in the last month, according to The Times.
Abdul-Jabbar thinks what Robinson was fighting for in baseball still being treated today.
“Jackie had an idea of what we had to confront,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “We had to confront separation. And in many ways we still confront it. But it’s worth it. And it certainly makes people respect us as a country when they see that there is some excitement there and good people are trying to do the right thing.”
Dodgers were ridiculed by some to visit Trump in the White House to celebrate their World Series Series Series Series.
President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony honored by the members of the world champion in 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers in the East Room in the White House. (Leah Millis/Reuters via Imag images)
Manager Dave Roberts explained the team’s rationale for going to the White House on Tuesday.
“I don’t see it personally as talking out of both sides of our mouths,” he said. “I understand how people feel that way. But I think that supporting our country, staying together, adapted is what I believe in personally. I just believe in doing things the right way and I think people will have their opinions on what we did last week.
“But I know we all stand united and we all have different stories and backgrounds and economic, political beliefs. But I was proud that we all stood together.”
Roberts was also pepped with questions about Robinson, Dei and more before turning to Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.
“This country needs a waking call,” Roberts said. “I touched it a little (under the memory). This is not a one-day situation. It’s Jackson Robinson’s day to break the color barrier, but this is like a daily kind of mind, appreciation.”
Yankees remain obliged to diversity and inclusion despite the national rollbacks of the DEI programs.
Former Los Angeles Lakers-Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar participates in a game between Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports)
“We are constantly working with the members of our diversity and inclusion committees and are actively involved with our neighbors and community partners,” Yankee’s senior vice president of business and community relationship Brian Smith told New York Daily News at Jackie Robinson Day.
“Our dedication to these efforts remains unchanged and our diversity and inclusion committees continue to do its work.”
