Blue Jays Disavow Santander's Abdul El-Sayed Posts After US Midterms Win
The Facts
- The Toronto Blue Jays said videos shared by outfielder Anthony Santander after the U.S. midterm elections "do not represent our organization's values and beliefs". Santander deleted the posts Thursday and the team announced no disciplinary action.
- Referencing the winner of Michigan's U.S. Senate race Abdul El-Sayed, Santander reposted two videos — one featuring a Christian preacher saying there's "no such thing as kind Muslims" — to his Instagram story. One post was captioned "America voted for Sharia Last Night" and another titled "Islam is not peaceful." Screenshots circulated online before the posts were removed.
- Amira Elghawaby, Canada's former Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, said Santander "owes fans an apology" and that the Blue Jays should take a stronger stand. El-Sayed was the target of Islamophobic rhetoric during his campaign.
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The Spin
Left narrative
Spreading anti-Muslim conspiracy theories has no place in a ballpark that bills itself as welcoming to everyone. Young fans shouldn't have to wonder whether a star outfielder thinks Muslims are violent or that kind Muslims don't exist. Anti-LGBTQ+ posts drew swift consequences before, so the same standard and a full apology are the bare minimum here.
Right narrative
Calling out a politician's open embrace of Sharia obligations and cozy ties to anti-American voices is political criticism, not religious hatred. Slapping an Islamophobia label on every uncomfortable observation is the same tired playbook that burned out the racism charge. The irony of an "inclusive" ballpark excluding certain beliefs is not lost on the public.
