Red Sox slugger JD Martinez got wrapped up in a little social media controversy this week when a five-plus year old Instagram post resurfaced depicting a picture of Adolf Hitler. Within the picture was a supposed quote from the Nazi dictator stating “To conquer a nation, First disarm it’s [sic] citizens.” Although according to Snopes it hasn’t been proven that Hitler actually used that direct quote that was portrayed in the picture.
Nonetheless, Martinez (back during 2013) captioned the photo on Instagram stating the following; “This is why I will always stay strapped! #thetruth.”
Since the backlash, Martinez has responded.
Via People:
Martinez defended the post at a press conference on Tuesday after it was resurfaced, according to ESPN. “At the time I posted that, the Second Amendment at the time was definitely a hot topic,” Martinez said. “The point of it wasn’t to offend anybody.”
“I saw it and I posted it,” continued Martinez, who pointed to his family’s experience fleeing Cuba under Fidel Castro. “I had no intent to offend anyone, but it was mostly just to state a point — a political point at the time that I believe in… I stand by the Constitution and the Second Amendment. It’s something that I take pride in, and it’s something that I’ll back up.”
Martinez added:
Saying that he did not “want this distraction,” Martinez added, “You guys are talking about something that happened six years ago. I posted it and that’s why I’m out here talking about it, but I’m worried about a championship. I’m worried about winning a championship. Everyone here has a right to their own political beliefs, and everybody has the right to stand by what they believe in. That’s what makes us American. We’re all not going to agree on the same things, but that’s what makes this country so great.”
There’s nothing wrong with Martinez trying to make a point about the second amendment and the loss of that right as an American. I would agree with him too that a tyrannical government like Nazi Germany will certainly look to disarm its citizens. Not to turn this into some second amendment gun debate but the United States government isn’t looking to take anyone’s guns. Not during Obama not Trump it’s simply not going to happen. Likewise it’s extremely difficult to change an amendment of the Constitution within Congress. Most of this shit is simply overblown, Alex Jones conspiracy theory that people like to use as a fear tactic to change minds.
The real issue here is optics. The optics are horrible and posting a picture of Adolf Hitler with some quote that may or may not be from him totally gets away from the point trying to be made.
Why? Because the point is lost in the visual of some genocidal scumbag that almost killed an entire race of people. It’s almost like posting a giant swastika on Instagram with the small caption underneath that says “I don’t like Nazis”. Okay… that’s great but if that’s the case can you make that statement without the optic of a giant swastika? Again the message and the point is completely lost.