(East Los Angeles, CA) May 28, 2022 [From The Editor’s Desk]: To All of our followers who are parents, single-parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster-parents, with school-aged children or high school students, we invite you to please join with us now as you read this, in a “Moment of Silence – In Memoriam” of those nineteen 4th graders and their two loving and devoted teachers, all innocent treasures taken too early from their Families and us. For, of all these “little angels,” who could know how many of them would someday pursue a lifetime career in the world of sports either as player, a coach, a journalist, a photographer, an official/referee, a team administrator, or an owner. And, if not in sports, then perhaps in the career of their “Dreams.”

According to several national news reporting agencies, one of the young girls, Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, was set to play the last softball game of her season that day. One of the boys, Uziyah Garcia, 10, loved playing football, was a fast receiver with very good hands. Both were potentially on that very path we’ve described as they were already excelling in their choice of sports.

Let’s prayerfully keep in mind that we should all try to console these deeply grieving Uvalde Families through our sincerest sensitivity and unity as though they were our very own Familia of Parents/Padres, Brothers and Sisters/Hermanos y Hermanas, Uncles/Tíos, Aunts/Tías, Cousins/Primos, Nephews/Sobrinos, and Grandparents/Abuelos. 

We certainly hope that many other sports organizations and leaders will follow in the fresh and dynamic footsteps of taking the baton from Golden State Warriors Head Coach, Steve Kerr. He was courageous and driven enough to devote his 5/24, NBA Pre-game comments, to the tragedy that occurred in Uvalde, TX’s, Robb Elementary School. Hopefully we will begin to see more of them and their teams’ use their distinct media platforms to speak out on this horrible scourge of violence that we are witnessing way too frequently in our country. We must advocate to “Stop the GUN VIOLENCE Now.”  During his pre-game address, Coach Kerr very emotionally implored and challenged the Republican Senate group to bi-partisanly pass emergency gun legislation ASAP and prevent any future and senseless deaths of our young children and youth while attending their local community schools.

And yesterday, 5/27, Friday, in another high profile major sports leader’s protest, MLB’s San Francisco Giants Manager, Gabe Kapler made the decision NOT to leave the team’s Clubhouse for the singing and/or playing of our national anthem. He will return when he “feels better about the direction of our country.”  Certainly, that implies bringing an end to the gun violence that adversely impacts ALL of the innocent victims in our nation.

(Closing Thoughts): Let us, as sports fans and sports media outlets, continue to share our concerns when tragedies such as this, a senseless gun violence act that was perpetrated against innocent school children, weepingly impacts us all in our daily walks of life. Time has come today to demand a change. In a recent national survey, 80% of Americans are in favor of strengthening our State & Federal gun laws now. Unfortunately, and at this present time, the grim question remains, what community and location may be next?

Let’s never forget what happened in Uvalde, TX, Buffalo, NY, El Paso, TX, Newtown, CT (Sandy Hook), here in Saugus, CA, nor the many other occasions where there has been the needless and tragic loss of innocent and vibrant life. During your day today and those that are coming, please try to give all those who have passed away another meaningful and personal “Moment of Silence – In Memoriam.”  Thank you and Muchas Gracias!