Getty Cardinals' S Budda Baker has issued a strong warning after a fan entered his home.
Budda Baker doesn’t want fans trying to enter his house, attempting to meet him in person. The Arizona Cardinals’ Pro Bowl safety has taken to social media to issue a warning to any over-zealous fan who contemplates breaching his residence.
Baker issued his statement shortly after a recent incursion by a fan who entered the grounds of his home. The incident understandably left Baker and members of his immediate family shaken.
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Baker ‘Will Die to Protect the People’ in His Home
Baker took to Twitter on Sunday, February 27 to tell fans he wouldn’t hesitate to take extreme measures to protect his family.
My little sister was terrified today because a fan went into my gate of my house and walked down to my garage where she was leaving… I never thought I would need to say this but PLEASE DO NOT enter my house wanting to greet me. That is my HOME. I will Die to protect the People in it. If that was me I would have drawn my weapon on you quick. I don’t know who you are pulling into my house. So once again PLEASE do not come to my home thinking it is appropriate to ask to meet me. Thank you.
The player’s frustration is clear and beyond reasonable under the circumstances. It’s obvious how the sight of any stranger not known to you nor your family roaming the areas in and around your home would cause concern.
That concern would only increase if said stranger began making moves designed to gain an unsolicited entry to the grounds. It’s no wonder the incident left Baker’s younger sister unnerved.
A fan willing to trespass is different than any supporter acting out of mere idle curiosity. Baker is right to make his feelings clear and ask those who follow the Cardinals and their players to respect his wishes and boundaries.
Fans Must Respect Boundaries
The personal and physical space of those in the public eye represents a boundary nobody should cross. Maintaining those lines can be difficult in a social network brought closer together by the many interactions across various digital platforms.
Fans can message their favorite players and converse on a wide range of topics. It’s brought the two sides closer together, but sadly, it’s also blurred the boundaries for some.
While Baker’s warning may sound forceful to some ears, it’s only in response to behavior that falls outside the accepted norm. For a fan to find the exact address of an athlete would take work and cross lines governing access to information. To then make the trip to a specific abode and brazenly walk onto the property is an obvious violation of a person’s right to privacy.
There are times and places to meet and greet with star players at team-backed and led events. Asking for autographs on game day remains an obvious option for interaction open to all of the keenest members of a particular fanbase.
The spotlight inevitably increases on the most visible athletes, and Baker is one of the more visible members of the Cardinals. He’s earned his stardom by becoming one of the best all-around safeties in football, receiving four Pro Bowl invitations, including the last three in a row.
Baker is naturally a player Cardinals fans are proud of, but that’s no reason to violate his and his family’s right to privacy off the field, especially within their own home.