A minor-league affiliate of the Washington Nationals has apologized to US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the “misleading and offensive editing” of a Memorial Day tribute video shown in the stadium that appeared to equate the New York lawmaker with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and former Cuban president Fidel Castro.
The Fresno Grizzlies, the Nationals’ Triple-A team, said the montage of patriotic imagery set to excerpts from president Ronald Reagan’s first inauguration address was intended as a “moving tribute” to the US armed forces. But during a sequence near the end of the video, as Reagan references “enemies of freedom” and “potential adversaries”, an image of Ocasio-Cortez was displayed in between photos of the dictators and pictures of protesters holding Antifa signs.
The Grizzlies claimed to have not seen the entire video before it was played. In a statement issued late on Monday night, the team apologized for what it called “undue distraction on such a solemn day”.
We're embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first. We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt. It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.
— Fresno Grizzlies (@FresnoGrizzlies) May 28, 2019
The statement continued: “Unfortunately what was supposed to be a moving tribute ended with some misleading and offensive editing, which made a statement that was not our intent and certainly not our opinion. We apologize to our fans and to our community for the error and for not properly vetting the video. We also apologize to those who have served and are currently serving the country for the undue distraction on such a solemn day.
“We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first. We unconditionally apologize to Rep Ocasio-Cortez in addition to those we hurt. It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.”
Derek Franks, the Grizzlies’ team president, told KSEE-TV playing the video was “truly an oversight”.
Ocasio-Cortez, who initially declined to respond to the episode through a representative, later addressed it on social media.
“What people don’t (maybe do) realize is when orgs air these hateful messages, my life changes bc of the flood of death threats they inspire,” the Bronx congresswoman tweeted. “I‘ve had mornings where I wake up & the 1st thing I do w/ my coffee is review photos of the men (it’s always men) who want to kill me.”
