Open Post to the Royals Organization and Personal Resignation as a Fan

by DC Royal on Jul 2, 2009 4:25 PM EDT

I am extremely disappointed in the Royals’ response to Rany Jazayerli’s blog post of June 24, 2009. Blacklisting Rany Jazayerli from Kauffman Stadium is fundamentally upsetting to me. This shows a lack of class and lack of respect for the basic right of free speech, and the Royals’ response should be protested.

I would have been able to tolerate, even understand, a response of blacklisting someone if Rany Jazayerli were employed or associated with the Royals in any professional capacity. But he’s not. Rany identifies himself on his blog as a dermatologist, blogger, and Royals fan. For years he’s been extremely articulate, incisive, and at times, critical of the Kansas City Royals organization from an outsider’s perspective, and my personal fandom of the Royals has been made all the better by his independent contributions to discussions of my most beloved sports franchise. It is very sad to hear that as a result of his love for the Royals (admittedly, sometimes a "tough love" as in his 6/24/2009), the powers that be have deemed him a pariah.

I’ve been a Royals fan all my life, but this lack of acceptance of freedom of speech by the Royals offends me as a person and citizen of this country. It’s not about whether Nick Swartz should be fired or not. At this point, I could care less, because freedom of speech comes first for me, before fandom. In result, it pains me to say this but I am no longer a fan of the Royals until they issue Rany a public apology. As such, I will no longer provide any support to the Royals – whether that be be monetary, emotionally, and sadly, contributing to this website.

The Royals’ front office response to Rany fundamentally offended my sense of right and wrong, and I will not sacrifice that for anyone, even the franchise that I have loved for so long. It’s time to move on. I wish the Royals all the best, and I extend a warm thank you to all of the contributors to Royals Review. This is an excellent online community – the Royals have such a wealth of intelligent and thougtful fans, it amazes me that so many bright people have been able to tolerate so many years of managerial and company executive ineptitude. But alas, that’s part of being a fan, and I have such a deep respect for you all. It really saddens me to leave this behind. Hopefully, this will not be a permanent self-imposed exile.

All the best,

Jonah Gillespie
Washington, DC

Tweet Comment 32 comments | 11 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

someone should walk down to the dugout and fly it into the dugout as a paper airplane

Farnsworth's imitation tight-pants now on sale at Dick's!

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jul 2, 2009 4:55 PM EDT reply actions

I really wonder who was behind this decision?

I doubt it was Moore

by Freneau on Jul 2, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, me too, even though it's fun to speculate on

I wonder if Dr. Nick might be an old personal friend of the Glass family? I’m not judging his competence or anything, but this really seems to be an odd thing to take personally after all the other criticisms.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 2, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

especially considering it is a valid concern

by MarioVanPeebles Republic of China on Jul 2, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

BTW

I liked your joke on Rany’s post about DM not having a computer.

by hippdoghipp on Jul 2, 2009 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm going to keep making it until it becomes univeral

TucsonRoyal and I joked about him writing a “story” about a couple sabermetricians and other Royals FO staff fighting over the use of the one comptuer in the building.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 2, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Why would he have to fight over the one computer?

They have plenty of typewriters laying around.

by AxDxMx on Jul 3, 2009 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Sam Mellinger takes a typically harsh stance

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 2, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

DC you will be missed......

Hopefully not permanately though. I totally under your frustration and decision. Thank you for all of your contributions

by 2LegittoShit on Jul 2, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

ditto

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Jul 3, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Rany says it’s cool now, and he’ll have a post up in a few minutes.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 2, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

Perhaps

The Royals already know that what Rany wrote is true. They want to make a change but now it makes it harder because it might look like they are just doing what a mere blogger said they should do. That would be a shame if they were going to fire all those idiots and now won’t.

Just a theory.

"Well, if we destroy Kansas the world may not hear about it for years." Blofeld

The General Theory of Royaltivity

by kabrink on Jul 2, 2009 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

So in that vein, if we call for Boone's/Muser's/Buddy's/Hillman's head, they will do the opposite?

Just because we said they should?

by AxDxMx on Jul 3, 2009 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

No

First, yes, I’m giving them WAY too much credit with this supposition.

But, what I’m simply saying, for example, is that IF they had been planning to fire our fatso physical trainer and staff on, say Wed and suddenly on Tuesday night this type of article came out “telling” them to do that very thing, I think they would definitely delay doing it for some time simply for appearances.

Fuck This Team. Period.

The General Theory of Royaltivity

by kabrink on Jul 3, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions