So really, getting the Phillies AAA affiliate pretty much in my backyard was a bit exciting. We really needed something positive and sports related here in a major way. Say what you want about us, but we love our sports. I wasn't particularly fond of naming the team the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, but that's cool. So they have a mascot naming contest and it was won by a 5 year old girl. The choice as voted on by the fans. The democratically elected choice was "Pork Chop." Innocent name, I'm sure the little girl was ecstatic when she found out she won the contest. One problem. One man found it to be offensive and had the name overturned because he was once called "Pork Chop" and found it to be derogatory when worked at Bethlehem Steel (you would think the pain he experienced would have dissipated now that Bethlehem Steel is being torn down to build a casino). Outrage on a national level erupts from "Pork Chop," as Guillermo Lopez was called this a few times when he worked there "decades" ago, and amazingly, horrendously, Chavez and Castro-esque, the folks with the IronPigs declared that the name just had to be changed because, in their own words:
"If it offended a few, it's a few too many."
Utterly disgraceful. At one point, I had planned on going to many games, my girlfriend and I, a bunch of our family and friends were looking forward to going...before of course, this idiotic bow to the wishes of only a handful of people. Look, no one is advocating racism or prejudice here. The name "Pork Chop" was submitted by a FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL, voted on, and received the majority of the votes. However, because of some old racist term, which practically no one, NO ONE, knew was even in the slight bit racist until Mr. Lopez decided to spark feigned outrage, the team changes the name to "Ferrous," which is Latin for "pertaining to iron." He also succeeded in giving racists everywhere a new word to add to their idiotic routine. I for one would like to point out that I am offended by this name "Ferrous" for multiple reasons:
1. I do not eat red meat as I have allergic reactions to it, and thus the lack of iron in my diet is made up for in vitamins. Hearing the name Ferrous is offensive as I am reminded of how sick I get when I steak, which I used to love before I got sick, Oh the Humanity!
2. I am offended at the out and out butchery of a democratically decided election by what is to be comprised of the fan base.
3. I am offended that Mr. Lopez has now, undoubtedly, by his actions, now made "Pork Chop" an unacceptable term, even in a butchery, less a person be declared racist.
4. I am most offended that the little girl undoubtedly had to be explained that someone accused her of being a racist for an innocently submitted name. I am offended that this little girl most assuredly cried her eyes out when she was forced to have had a conversation and exposed to what racism is at such a young age, robbing her of a good portion of the innocence of her youth. I'm offended that at the first pitch, when she is out there, when she looks over at the mascot, that she will only think, "Pork Chop", and her eyes well up with sadness as she is reminded that the name she chose for the team mascot was taken away from her for her being racist. I'm offended that at some point during that night she may cry and seek the love of her parents and utter the words..."Pork Chop."
-Caomhin
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