Belated Thoughts on The San Diego Mosque Shooting

I would be remiss if I did not put forward a comment concerning the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday which claimed the lives three people who were employed by the institution.

For starters, violence targeting Muslims is every bit as abhorrent as it was with the Christchurch massacre in March 2019. I mention this attack as the two teenaged perpetrators were inspired in great part by this attack. Although the perpetrators were also anti-Semitic, racist, anti-LGBTQ, they focused their ire on Muslims.

While it must be said that the Imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego has justified the October 7th attacks it does not give anyone the right to murder anyone associated with this religious institution. 

It is possible to condemn the view of the Imam where it concerns Hamas without wishing grievous harm upon those who worship or work there. 

Indeed, it is well worth noting that a senior figure in New Zealand's Muslim community claimed, without evidence, that Israel was behind the Christchurch attack. As defamatory as this statement is, those who were killed in the attack still deserve our sympathy. As Rob Eshman pointed out in The Forward:

The teenagers who opened fire on the Islamic Center of San Diego didn’t care what the imam said about Gaza. They saw Muslims, and they wanted them dead — the same way the Pittsburgh and Poway shooters saw Jews. Our enemies are not making the distinctions we make about each other. Maybe it’s time we stopped making them too.

Let me put it another way. The Imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego might very well have delighted in the murder of Jews on October 7th and would wish grievous harm upon Jews in America. If this is the case, I still don't wish bloodshed to be visited upon the Imam or anyone else associated with the Islamic Center of San Diego or any other Muslim institution in this country. 

Amtrak & Air Conditioning

Earlier this evening, I returned home from a business trip to New York. 

You may recall that my first official business trip ever was to New York in April 2025.

As with the previous trip, I travelled by Amtrak. 

However, this time around traveling by Amtrak was a considerably less pleasant experience. At least when it came to traveling from Boston to New York.

The problem was the air conditioning was not working in the coach car where I was seated. As time went on the trip became increasingly uncomfortable.

I was informed there was no air conditioning in the car and that AC was only accessible in business class and in the snack bar/concessions area.

Complicating matters is the fact that the Northeast has been experiencing a near triple digit heatwave.

Needless to say, I was quite anxious about the return trip today.

I spent nearly 2 hours on the phone with Amtrak only to be told that the best they could do is give me a voucher once I got back to Boston. I also tried to talk to someone from Amtrak when I arrived at Penn Station late this morning, but they told me they have no control over the conditions on the train. Of course, when there is a monopoly situation it is a classic case of "He who makes the gold, makes the rules."

As it turns out, poor air conditioning has been a problem on Amtrak for years. Worse still, they are under no legal obligation to provide it.

Fortunately, when I got on the train early this afternoon, I felt instantaneous relief throughout my whole body with the blast of cold air.

We were more than 30 minutes behind schedule in departing and there would be another delay of about 15-20 minutes after departing New London, Connecticut due to "police activity." But so long as there was air conditioning, I could handle those annoyances and inconveniences.

Nevertheless, I remained concerned because I will very likely be taking another business trip to New York come mid-August. It will be surely every bit as hot. 

Amtrak's Acela service has air conditioning on all its cars but I'm not sure if my employer would be prepared to foot the bill. And even then, there's no guarantee of avoiding a mishap.

Aside from rail, the only other option available to me is by plane and again I'm not sure if the company would foot that bill. Then again, a plane ride to NYC can't be that much more expensive than the train ride and I would likely take me less time to from Point A to B.

At this point, we'll cross that bridge later this summer.

In the meantime, on the subject of air conditioning, I have some happy news where it concerns my apartment. Since returning to Boston nearly five years ago, there has been an annual ritual of my friend Don Hammontree helping me to install my air conditioner. To be accurate, he installs the AC while I prevent it from falling out of the window.

However, earlier this year, my landlady had HVAC pumps installed throughout the house. Yesterday, she sent me a text notifying me that she had changed the pumps from heat to AC due to the heat wave.

Alas, the heat wave will be short-lived as we will revert to seasonal and cooler temperatures tomorrow and through the Memorial Day weekend. But I think should be able to manage for the moment.

Massie Will Be Leaving Congress Because of Trump, Not Israel

I don't know what kind of Congressman Ed Gallrein will be. There's a good chance that he will be yet another Trump lickspittle.

Nevertheless, I am glad that Gallrein ousted soon to be former Kentucky GOP Congressman Thomas Massie in tonight's Republican primary. 

Massie came across to me as a guy who only gave a shit about himself. I remember when Massie was the lone Congressman to vote against COVID stimulus package, former Secretary of State John Kerry said that Massie had "tested positive for being an asshole." I have my own issues with Kerry, but in this case, truer words were never spoken.

Massie was one of those fellows who insisted on likening COVID vaccination mandates to the Holocaust. As often happens those who are quick to liken things to the Holocaust have a way of not liking Jews very much like former Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who compared just about everything under the sun to Nazis except actual Nazis. Like Greene, Massie consistently opposed measures to combat anti-Semitism.

In recent months, Massie has become very vocal in trying to release the Epstein files. Nothing wrong with that. Yet frankly, I somehow doubt that Massie would have been so outspoken if Epstein wasn't Jewish. After all, Massie claimed the Epstein files were being withheld because of his ties to Israeli intelligence. Never mind that Epstein maintained a close friendship with the notoriously anti-Israel Noam Chomsky. Amid Gallrein's primary challenge, Massie let it all hang out insisting that his race was "a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy seats in Congress."

Yet for all his indecency, Massie didn't lose his seat because of Israel, but because he ran afoul of Trump. That is all you need to know. Had Massie been a pro-Israel stalwart, his political career would have been over. Just ask soon to be former Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. Trump wanted Cassidy gone because of his impeachment vote. Trump wanted Massie gone because of his position on the Epstein files. Trump cares not about the issues, but of his own interests. Like Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie got in Trump's way. Now he is out of Trump's way.

The Phillies Have Righted The Ship Under Don Mattingly

In less than 20 days, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned around the 2026 season.

On April 28th, the Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson and replaced him with bench coach Don Mattingly on an interim basis. 

Mattingly, of course, previously managed both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins and then served two seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays bench coach before joining the Phillies this season.

At the time, the Phillies were 9-19 which was tied for the worst record in MLB along with the New York Mets, their NL East rival.

Under Mattingly, the Phillies have gone 15-4 including a 6-0 victory this afternoon over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Zack Wheeler pitched 7 scoreless innings besting reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.

As a result, the Phillies now have a winning record of 24-23. 

Now the Phillies still have their work cut out for them. They are 8 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, but they are now in the NL Wild Card hunt tied with the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at 3½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the third NL Wild Card berth. 

The 2026 season is not yet a third of the way through, but Mattingly has to be considered an early favorite to be NL Manager of the Year. If nothing else, Donnie Baseball has righted the Phillies ship this season.

William Paul Apologized Not for Making Anti-Semitic Remarks But For Calling a Congressman a Jew

Consider this headline from the Lexington Herald-Leader:

Son of Sen. Rand Paul apologizes for antisemitic comments made to congressman

Yet if one takes the time to read the article, the headline is demonstrably untrue:

William Paul, son of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, has apologized for antisemitic remarks made to a New York congressman at a bar in Washington, D.C. earlier this week.

William Paul “drunkenly hurled antisemitic insults at Rep. Mike Lawler, R-New York, at a Capitol Hill bar and restaurant,” according to NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman, who witnessed the interaction.

William Paul introduced himself as Rand Paul’s son and confronted Lawler about Rep. Thomas Massie’s Republican primary election in Kentucky on May 19. If Massie loses against President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate Ed Gallrein, William Paul told Lawler it would be because of “your people,” according to the report.

“My people?” Lawler asked.

“Yeah, you Jews,” William Paul said.

Lawler clarified he wasn’t Jewish, and William Paul apologized for “calling (him) a Jew,” according to the NOTUS report. William Paul continued and said Jewish people were “anti-American,” and Lawler and his “Jewish supporters” served Israel more than America. 

Lawler told William Paul he was being antisemitic and defended his support of Israel.

Yes, William Paul made an apology. But his apology wasn't for making anti-Semitic remarks. 

Paul apologized for calling Rep. Lawler a Jew.

To be clear, William Paul harbors hatred towards Jews and confronted Lawler on the basis of that hatred.

Oh, Paul made a formal 'this isn't who I am' apology and blamed it on his drinking for which he says he is getting help. 

In vino veritas!

Keep in mind that the younger Paul has had multiple run ins with the law concerning his drinking going back more than a decade.

Paul might very well be a recovering alcoholic, but he is not a recovering anti-Semite.

When it comes to Paul's anti-Semitism, I don't think the acorn fell far from the tree. His grandfather, former Congressman and GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, had no qualms about associating with anti-Semites and was more than happy to excuse such conduct. Senator Paul is more circumspect but goes out of his way to support anti-Israel bills and opposes governmental action against anti-Semitism.

So, when I learned William Paul went on a drunken, anti-Semitic tirade, consider me completely unsurprised.

It is said that one cannot recover from alcoholism until one admits a drinking problem.

Likewise, one cannot recover from anti-Semitism until one admits a problem with Jews and a willingness to change attitudes.

I don't think William Paul will admit to being an anti-Semite no matter how many anti-Semitic things he says.

In 1974, A Pitcher Named Capra Made Quite a Buzz

 

Former MLB pitcher Buzz Capra, who toiled for both the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves, passed away on Monday at the age of 78.

Born Lee William Capra in Chicago, he enjoyed a distinguished collegiate baseball career at Illinois State University before being selected in the 27th round of the 1969 MLB Draft by the New York Mets. Capra would make his big-league debut with the Mets in 1971 as a September callup. 

Over the next two seasons, Capra would shuttle between the Mets and their Triple-AAA affiliate in Tidewater although he would be part of the You Gotta Believe Mets which won the NL pennant under Yogi Berra in 1973. 

Alas, Capra did not pitch in the post-season. The only action he saw was partaking in a brawl during the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds when Pete Rose slid into Bud Harrelson starting a pier-six brawl. Capra would end up scrapping with Reds reliever Pedro Borbon who would take Capra's hat and wear it taunting the Mets dugout. Well, at least Capra wasn't bitten by Borbon.

Prior to the start of the 1974 season, the Mets sold Capra's contract to the Atlanta Braves. Capra began the season in the Braves bullpen and would earn a save the night Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth on the all-time HR list.

Capra would be moved into the starting rotation following an injury to Ron Reed in which he would pitch six innings of one-hit ball against the San Diego Padres. Four days later, Capra would pitch his first career complete game against the eventual NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Over his next four starts, Capra would generate a buzz tossing complete game shutouts in three of those starts - one against the Houston Astros and back-to-back shutouts against the Montreal Expos. Between May 15th and June 6th, Capra pitched 51 innings allowing only 3 earned runs. During this period, Capra lowered his ERA from 3.06 to a miniscule 1.18 ERA. To put that number in perspective, Bob Gibson posted an MLB record 1.12 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968. 

Following a rough start against his former team in which he was knocked out in the second inning, Capra rebounded with four consecutive wins against the Cardinals, got even with the Mets, had another complete game victory against the Dodgers before throwing a 10-inning shutout against the Big Red Machine. By the end of June, Capra was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA. 

Capra would come back down to Earth in July but was 10-5 with a 2.08 ERA at the All-Star Break and would be named to the NL All-Star Team by his former skipper Yogi Berra although he would not pitch in the game. He would finish the 1974 season with a 16-8 record with a league leading 2.28 ERA along with 11 complete games. This was good enough to finish 9th in NL Cy Young balloting and 20th in NL MVP balloting.

Unfortunately, Capra could not sustain his success beyond 1974. Capra would injure his pitching shoulder, and a biceps tendon transfer did little to help matters. Over the next three seasons, Capra would only win 10 more big league games before the Braves released him during spring training in 1978. In 7 MLB seasons, Capra appeared in 142 games (61 as a starting pitcher) and went 31-37 with a 3.87 ERA over 544.1 innings pitched. Capra recorded 362 strikeouts against 258 walks. More than half of his big-league wins would come during that magical 1974 season with the Braves.

Capra would stay in the game as a minor league pitching coach with the Braves and Mets as well as the Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos and the Chicago White Sox as well as at the collegiate level at Northeastern Illinois University. He would also work as a carpenter in his spare time often helping his friends and neighbors. R.I.P.

Jason Collins Raised His Hand, But Few Have Followed

Jason Collins, the first and thus far only openly gay man to play in the NBA, passed away of brain cancer. He was only 47.

Although Collins had a 13-year career in the NBA, he is best remembered from coming out as a gay man in the spring of 2013:

I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

Collins, who spent the bulk of his NBA career playing center with the New Jersey Nets before stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, would return to the Nets (now in Brooklyn) at the behest of his former teammate and then head coach Jason Kidd thus becoming the first openly gay player in any of the four major professional sports leagues. Kidd, who now coaches the Dallas Mavericks, paid tribute to Collins praising his "courage" calling him "a pioneer."

While Collins courageously raised his hand, few have followed suit.

In fact, there has been no other active NBA player who has raised his hand in the 13-years after Collins raised his hand.

The same can be said for both the NHL and MLB although athletes in both sports have come out at the minor league or at the collegiate level.

In pro football, Carl Nassib became the first active openly gay player in the NFL when he came out while a member of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. Michael Sam, who was the first openly gay player selected in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams in 2014, played briefly in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes in 2015.

Conversely, the WNBA has numerous openly gay players. Ditto for the recently established PWHL.

In the context of professional sports, being gay remains less of a stigma for women than men. The attitudes of former New York Mets player Daniel Murphy and future Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw haven't helped matters.

As such, I suspect that male professional athletes who are gay will not be forthcoming with that information until after their career is over, if at all.

Yet I also wonder if the passing of Jason Collins might inspire one of these male professional athletes to raise his hand. R.I.P.