Billy Bean
Billy Bean

Billy Bean, who was one of America’s most high-profile DEI executives, died on August 6 from acute myeloid leukemia. Major League Baseball’s senior VP of diversity, equity and inclusion was the league’s second openly gay player.

“Billy was a friend to countless people across our game, and he made a difference through his constant dedication to others,” said MLB commission Rob Manfred. “He made baseball a better institution, both on and off the field, by the power of his example, his empathy, his communication skills, his deep relationships inside and outside our sport, and his commitment to doing the right thing.”

Bean played six years for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres before retiring in 1995 at the age of 31.

Since he felt that neither baseball nor society could accept an openly gay active player at that time, Bean didn’t come out of the closet until 1999.

His decision to come out made national headlines in media outlets such as the New York Times, CNN and ABC. Bean’s 2003 memoir, “Going the Other Way” became a national best seller.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig hired Bean in 2014 as the league’s first ambassador for inclusion. Bean focused on LGBTQ inclusion, social justice initiatives and player education matters.

He was promoted in 2017 to the VP and special assistant to the commissioner post with the additional duties of anti-bullying work. Bean was upped to senior VP in 2023.

RIP, Billy. You helped usher in a more equitable and accepting world

Elon must be paid—or else… Elon Musk’s X is suing the more than 100-member-strong Global Alliance for Responsible Media for allegedly conducting an advertising boycott of the platform.

Linda Yaccarino, X CEO, says the loss of advertising dollars puts her company at long-term risk.

The World Federation of Advertisers formed GARM in 2019 to help the industry address the challenge of illegal or harmful content on digital media platforms and its monetization via advertising.

It was created in the aftermath of the Christchurch Mosque shootings in which the killer livestreamed the attack on Facebook.

Though a colorful global character, Musk does not have the divine right to the advertising dollars of marketers. Companies still have the right to spend their dollars wherever they want.

Perhaps Unilever, CVS and Mars, which are named in the suit, do not want to be linked to the disinformation and drivel that live on X.

The X lawsuit sounds like the rant of a spoiled child who is not getting his way.

Crazier and crazier… The Republicans may want to follow the lead of the Democrats and do a switcheroo on top of their presidential ticket. That’s because Donald Trump is sounding more and more like the Crazy Old Uncle Up in the Attic.

On the day that Vice President Kamala Harris announced her running mate, Trump posted:

What are the chances that Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla, Barrack HUSSEIN Obama, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Shifty Adam Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and others on the Lunatic Left, CRASHES the Democrat National Convention and tries to take back the Nomination, beginning with challenging me to another DEBATE. He feels that he made a historically tragic mistake by handing over the U.S. Presidency, a COUP, to the people in the World he most hates, and he wants it back, NOW!!!

Are those the ramblings of a sane person? Trump would love another debate with Old Joe, rather than going head-to-head with an energetic Kamala. Dream on, Donald.