Last week, I mentioned the case of a Marine Corps sergeant who was dismissed from the service for comments made against the president of the United States. The sergeant was wrong and he received the consequences he deserved. However, a completely different case emerged this week dealing with Miami Marlins’ manager Ozzie Guillen. Mr. Guillen is a man known for saying outrageous and controversial things and the Marlins’ new skipper, in his first week on the job, came out of the gate firing on all cylinders.
To Time Magazine, Mr. Guillen said he respected Fidel Castro and his ability to hang on to power for so long. In 2008, he said that while he did not respect Mr. Castro’s philosophy, he admired the man’s ability to stay in power, surrounded by those who would push him out. On Tuesday of this week, the Marlins suspended their manager for five days, without pay and repeatedly assured its fan base, made up, in part, by Cuban refugees, that it will not tolerate such comments. However, can it be said that the Marlins do not tolerate free speech?
The manager has the right to say and to voice whatever opinion he wants, though now he suggests that his comments were more nuanced than what was reported. However, the Venezuelan-born baseball manager seems to have forgotten his surroundings and his new fan base. The state in general and the city in particular is home to one of the largest concentrations of Cuban exiles in the country. Mr. Guillen’s comments were about as ill-fitting as one wearing a “Che” shirt through Little Havana in Miami.
The manager has been quick to emphasize that he does not believe in or endorse the methods of Fidel Castro, as he also emphasized in 2008. However, activists demand his job and promise they will protest until he is fired. A firing could happen but it is not likely. Mr. Guillen was paid a huge contract to come to Miami and oversee a group of players that represent even more money as they play in a brand new ballpark. Still, the Marlins are very sensitive to their Cuban constituents, as they should be.
As for Mr. Guillen, he does have the right to say what he wants but with every right guaranteed us in the Constitution comes responsibilities. To what extent he can re-ingratiate himself with the Marlin fans is something we will have to wait and see. The question that began the blog was, do the actions of the team constitute a disregard for Mr. Guillen’s freedom of speech. In short, no. The manager represents a part of the leadership of the Miami Marlin organization and as such, his comments, intended or otherwise, are seen as reflections of team attitudes. Even in a case as blatant as this, where it is clear that the opinions were that of Mr. Guillen alone, he still is part of the face of the franchise. As such, he has a responsibility to the fan base and must be answerable to them.
Personally, I think the Cuban outrage, as legitimate as it is, can be used as a force of good. This is an opportunity to teach the real story behind Fidel Castro and his regime. As young people walk around with “Che” shirts on, celebrating a person responsible for the death of thousands on behalf of the Castro government, this is a chance to right a historical fallacy. As for the manager, who will have began this dialogue, perhaps Mr. Guillen has learned a lesson and might be permitted to stay.
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