The Giants/Phillies series resumes tonight at 6:45 p.m. There’s some irony in Gabe Kapler potentially being the dagger that ends the Joe Girardi era, but we’ve been predicting Girardi’s firing for weeks now. We’ll see what happens when the Phillies inevitably find a creative way to lose this game.

But anyway, Kapler, as you know, is currently doing his own Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe routine, and after the Uvalde shooting decided he was going to remain in the clubhouse during the national anthem because he wasn’t happy with the current state of the country.

That protest was actually suspended briefly on Memorial Day, with Kapler writing this on his blog Monday:

“Today, I’ll be standing for the anthem. While I believe strongly in the right to protest and the importance of doing so, I also believe strongly in honoring and mourning our country’s service men and women who fought and died for that right. Those who serve in our military, and especially those who have paid the ultimate price for our rights and freedoms, deserve that acknowledgment and respect, and I am honored to stand on the line today to show mine.”

Fair play to Kapler, as the Brits would say. To me that statement shows self-awareness on his part. How refreshing it is to see critical thinking and detail applied to anything in 2022.

The assumption is that the protest will continue today, but Kapler hasn’t confirmed that, so we’ll have to find out. I’m on record saying that I like the national anthem at sporting events because even though it has nothing to do with ball games, it provides a moment to pause and reflect and be thankful for what we have in this country. It doesn’t mean we’re perfect, but you look at the spectacle of tens of thousands of people gathered in one spot for recreation and entertainment and realize that we’ve got it better than a lot of people do. Plus, you create a ton of memorable and meaningful moments with the anthem. Look at double-amputee Ron Brooks at the Sixers games. Marvin Gaye at the 1983 NBA All Star Game. Mo Cheeks helping out that poor girl. And the Hockey games, where they do the Canadian and American anthems back-to-back. That’s powerful shit! And not for nothing, but Canada’s anthem is a banger.

If Kapler wants to use his platform to deliver a message, that’s perfectly fine. He should do it. You can feel however you want about him, about Kaepernick, and about Rapinoe, but you have to understand that there’s nothing more American than protest. This country was founded by dissidents. It was the Revolutionary War, not the “Let’s Be Careful Not to Upset England” war. It’s always been apex American to digress and speak up. That’s the whole point, to pull people out of their comfort zones and force them to think. The people bitching about Kapler would probably have told Rosa Parks to dial it back, but in both cases, you’re trying to get people to consider something that they’d otherwise find uncomfortable. If receiving other viewpoints is too much to handle, then we’re really headed toward Idiocracy. Welcome to Costco, I love you.

Anyway, San Francisco Giants moneyline tonight. Lock it in at +110.