This year marks the 10th anniversary of the San Francisco Giants’ 2010 World Series victory. The Giants plan on marking this occasion by reuniting the members of the 2010 roster on Aug. 16 at Oracle Park. However, there will be one player noticeably absent from the celebration, infielder and outfielder Aubrey Huff.
Since his retirement in 2012, Huff has chosen to spend his time on Twitter, expressing his political opinions and making “jokes.” Political opinions like how he is teaching his son to fire a gun just in case Bernie Sanders wins the election in 2020 over President Donald Trump. “Jokes” like how Americans should kidnap Iranian women and enslave them: “Let’s get a flight over and kidnap about 10 each. We can bring them back here as they fan us and feed us grapes, amongst other things…” Huff said in a tweet.
Huff was astonished to find out he had been unanimously voted out of the Giants celebration this year. In a statement to The Athletic, the Giants said Huff had made statements that were, “unacceptable and run counter to their values as an organization.”
Huff responded with a statement of his own, where he cited that his “locker room humor” and his support of Trump were the reasons he wasn’t invited. Huff also raises concerns over what this censorship means for our country.
“We live in a country that is under attack. Society is desperately trying to take away our First Amendment, our freedom of speech and our freedom of political association,” Huff said.
On Twitter, many have supported Huff, stating that denying him from this celebration is “anti-American BS” because speech should be free. “Free means free. Not conditionally free as long as you agree with me.”
The Giants have every right not to allow Huff to attend this ceremony. It is in no way going against freedom of speech. What many do not understand is that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. The Giants aren’t disallowing Huff to say these things online; he is free to tweet hate-filled, racist, misogynistic vitriol all he wants. They just don’t have to invite him to their party.
Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can say terrible things and nobody can call you out on it. To say that people can’t hold negative opinions toward you and judge you off what you say is in a way policing people’s thoughts. Isn’t that the whole point of this outrage? To rail against censorship? How is it that the Giants expressing their decision to not associate with Huff is any less freedom of speech than the garbage Huff spews on social media?
Being asked to participate in this celebration is a privilege. Nobody is owed a spot on that stage. While Huff was a key member of the Giants’ World Series run, it isn’t in any contract or legal document that he has to be in attendance on Aug. 16. The Giants had their board vote and they decided to ask Huff not to come. Unanimously.
Huff has no one to blame but himself. If he was a true advocate for the First Amendment, he would continue about his day. It is the Giants’ right to not want to listen to or associate with what he says. It is their freedom to do so, as it is Huff ’s freedom to continue to be a terrible human being online. I can say that about Huff. It’s my right.
