Mariners Fan Takes His Case Over Yankees T-Shirts To ACLU
After the Mariners threatened to eject fans wearing T-shirts with the phrase, "Yankees Suck," from Safeco Field during last weekend's Yankees-Mariners series, Mariners fan Dave Chesson, who took off the shirt and changed into another, contacted the Seattle ACLU office on Monday "to see if he has a case against the team," according to Jose Miguel Romero of the SEATTLE TIMES. Chesson said he believed the team was "violating my rights." But Mariners Dir of Public Information Rebecca Hale said that the team's actions "were justified under the Safeco Field code of conduct regarding fans' enjoyment of the game and the ballpark's family-friendly atmosphere." ACLU of Washington Public-Education Dir Doug Honig confirmed that the Seattle office "is 'looking into' the issue and will do some research before deciding whether to assist Chesson." Honig: "Insulting the other team is part of baseball. In a publicly-owned stadium, the ownership shouldn't prevent people from watching the game because someone is wearing a T-shirt." Hale: "We've got a code of conduct and a policy, and we've enforced it many times previously. We will continue to enforce our code of conduct" (SEA. TIMES, 5/1).
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