ESPN and its family of networks and media properties have been trumpeting former NBA player John Amaechi, and his coming out as a homosexual. ESPN Books released Amaechi’s book, Man In The Middle, last week, and ESPN has promoted it like crazy on its TV and radio networks. I don’t believe this is a story worthy of being on the bottom-line ticker, as it was last week along with NBA and Top 25 basketball scores. However, ESPN wants us to show them the money.
Yesterday, on a Miami radio station, retired Heat guard Tim Hardaway (above) made some comments regarding homosexuality, and his feelings about gay people. In today’s environment, he sounded really ignorant. However, he has a right to express his opinion.
I am a Neanderthal. I hold the Cro-Magnon view that marriage is to be between a man and a woman, and that all sexual activity outside the marriage relationship is wrong, whether it is heterosexual or homosexual.
I have friends and acquaintances that are gay. I find that lifestyle repulsive, but I find a lot of things repulsive. With that being said, I don’t hate gay people.
Hardaway went too far with his comments, by detailing publicly his hate for homosexuals. In my opinion, though, it’s ok for him to believe homosexual behavior is wrong. I’m sure he’d like to do that interview over. However, I believe he told the truth about the general feeling about homosexuals among professional athletes.
What I find even more troubling, though, is the endless chatter on this by ESPN and other media outlets. I have a problem with the agenda being promoted here. ESPN is a sports network. It does not, or should not, exist to promote a political or cultural agenda. I have a hard time believing that a host would be able to espouse the traditional view of marriage, and expect to keep his job. Gay-bashing is wrong. However, so is political correctness. The PC machine is running amok in Bristol. They’re telling us: “Hey, there’s an ex-pro athlete that’s gay. And, you better like it! Oh, and by the way, buy his book from us!”
This is a free country. Just as people have the right to have sexual relations with whomever they choose, we also have the right to declare and believe that some things are right, and that some things are wrong, no matter how unpopular that may make us.
2 comments:
The guy interviewing him tried to let him off the hook many times, but he just didn't want to be let off. Maybe he can go to the rehab where Isaiah Washington went when he made his gay comments about his co-star.
Just when he got through sticking one foot in his mouth, he decided to put the other one in.
He sounded really ignorant.
Post a Comment