Ah, summertime. When the days are longer, the sun shines brighter, and, according to Major League Baseball, it’s the perfect season for mandatory virtue signaling. Once again, the powers that be in baseball have found themselves tangled in a colorful conundrum, thanks to a handful of San Francisco Giants players who dared to scribble Bible verses on their Pride hats. You’d think they were plotting to steal the last rainbow frosted cupcake at a vegan bakery with the kind of uproar it caused. In this latest saga of the culture wars, we’re treated to yet another episode where feelings are prioritized over free expression.

In San Francisco’s famed Oracle Park, otherwise known this time of year as the epicenter of all things rainbow, Giants pitchers Landon RP, JT Brewbaker, and Ryan Walker decided their caps needed a little holy glow-up. They chose to ink Genesis 9:12-16 onto their Pride Night chapeaus. For those keeping score, that’s the part in the Good Book about God’s covenant, a promise adorned with the first rainbow. The horror, right? Next thing you know, they’ll suggest that maybe the Easter Bunny isn’t real either. But alas, the liberal media industrial complex saw this as a challenge to their authority and promptly threw a tantrum.

Major League Baseball couldn’t let this act of biblical bedazzling slide quietly. Oh no, they quickly issued the sternest of stern looks—reading from the ‘you better not do that again’ playbook. Warnings were sent faster than you can say “free speech,” and the media went to town, metaphorically clutching their pearls. For all their talk of inclusivity, it seems the inclusion stops the moment someone colors outside the lines of the prescribed narrative. If biblical verses can’t be a part of the festive mix, one must wonder what “diversity” really means after all.

Now we find ourselves in a world where expressing your personal beliefs on a cap is akin to sporting a “kick me” sign at a pride march. Meanwhile, those bastions of boldness, our dear Republican lawmakers, are huffing and puffing in the distance. Their mighty weapon of choice? Strongly-worded letters, of course. God forbid they actually wield some real power or launch a counterattack against these one-sided crusades. It appears the only tools left in their arsenal are reminders that discriminating against Christians is technically not kosher—thanks for the memo, Senator Josh Hawley. Not that anyone was listening.

All in all, this saga is nothing short of a circus, complete with rainbow tutus and the occasional biblical verse. As these players stood firm in their faith amidst the glitter bomb of criticism, it seems they inadvertently showcased the real meaning of courage. Maybe it’s time to take a step back and remember that everyone enjoys a little color in their lives, just not when it’s force-fed. Here’s to hoping for a future where individuality—whether it’s expressed through rainbows or scripture—is celebrated in its truest form. Until then, stay tuned for the next episode of “Who Wore It Best: Principles or Pronouns?”