Minor-league team apologizes to Ocasio-Cortez for video
FRESNO, Calif. — A minor league baseball team in California apologized to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a Memorial Day tribute video that lumped her image with those of Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro.
The Fresno Grizzlies said in a statement the scoreboard video broadcast during Monday night’s doubleheader was supposed to be a moving tribute.
However, it “ended with some misleading and offensive editing, which made a statement that was not our intent and certainly not our opinion,” the team said.
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 team said it failed to properly vet the video found on YouTube, the Fresno Bee reported.
“We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first,” the statement said. “We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in addition to those we hurt.”
The video called a “Memorial Day Tribute – We Are Americans” is filled with patriotic-themed images playing behind excerpts from President Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural speech.
Toward the end, as Reagan mentions “enemies of freedom,” the video shows images of the North Korean leader, Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and the late Cuban leader.
The Triple-A team is part of the Pacific Coast League and an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.