Catholic Church Volunteer Baseball Coach Fired for Anti-War Post Labeled Antisemitic

A former youth church baseball coach in a small Midwestern town has been dismissed from his volunteer role after posting a three-word statement on X: “End all wars.”

The phrase, intended as a general call for peace, sparked outrage among some members of the local Jewish community, who interpreted it as a veiled critique of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Palestine. The backlash was swift, with accusations of antisemitism, racism, and homophobia leveled against the coach in the town’s newspaper, leaving the Catholic church he served with little choice but to terminate his position.

The coach, Tom Henderson, a 52-year-old hardware store clerk, had volunteered for the church’s youth baseball league for over a decade. His post on X, made after scrolling through news of global conflicts, was meant to express a simple desire for peace, he later explained to friends.

“I just think wars are bad, you know? We shouldn't be forced to fund them and kids shouldn’t grow up with constant never-ending wars,” Henderson said.

The complaint originated with a letter to the editor in the local paper, penned by a parent of one of the team’s players. The letter argued that Henderson’s post was a “dog whistle” for anti-Israel sentiment, which the author claimed was inherently antisemitic.

Within days, the accusations expanded to include racism and homophobia, though no evidence was provided to support these additional charges. The church, under pressure from a small but vocal group, announced Henderson’s dismissal in a brief statement, citing a need to maintain community harmony.

Local resident Miriam Katz, who spearheaded the campaign against Henderson, doubled down on her stance.

“His words were dangerous, plain and simple. We can’t have someone who refuses to support our greatest ally coaching our children,” she said. Katz’s comments were echoed in subsequent letters to the newspaper, which described Henderson as a threat to the town’s values.

The church, despite its initial reluctance, felt compelled to act after the story gained traction on social media, where users piled on with further allegations.

Henderson’s supporters, including several parents and former players, expressed confusion over the ordeal.

“Tom’s the kind of guy who’d give you the shirt off his back. This is ridiculous,” said Mike Larson, whose son played under Henderson for three seasons.

Larson noted that Henderson had never discussed politics or religion during practices, focusing instead on teaching kids how to hit curveballs.

The church, meanwhile, has remained silent on whether Henderson might be reinstated, leaving the community divided.

The controversy has raised questions about the boundaries of free speech in small-town volunteer roles. Henderson, for his part, has stopped posting on X but maintains he meant no harm.

“I guess I’ll stick to baseball from now on,” he said.

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