Bigot of the Week
After all the voices for equality emerging from professional football lately, it was perhaps inevitable that a player would feel obligated to buck the trend. Jumping in with both feet (in his mouth), Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk decided to blast his homophobic bigotry far and wide ( I suppose he is a wide end receiver hehhehe). The man who was named NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in February wrote an OpEd for the Minneapolis Star Tribune (the home of his previous team, the Vikings) aggressively opposing marriage equality. On what basis? His desire to impose his religion on everyone (he’s Roman Catholic, you know the Pope in his beautiful frock covering up all the sex scandals) and the sad lie that marriage exists only for the children.
Same-sex unions may not affect my marriage specifically, but it will affect my children — the next generation. Ideas have consequences, and laws shape culture. Marriage redefinition will affect the broader well-being of children and the welfare of society. As a Christian and a citizen, I am compelled to care about both.
Yes, you should care about both, Matt, and the fact that this “redefinition” creates equality and sends that next generation the message that everyone has value. I guess that doesn’t matter to you. Not content with his essay, Birk also recorded this toxic PSA for the Minnesota Catholic Conference reiterating his stand. I guess all of you single parents are sinners in the eyes of Matt Birk.
Thank you to my friend, Jennifer Carey for inspiring this week’s Dishonorable Mention, which goes to the Arizona legislature. Not content with their state’s abhorrent racist laws on immigration, they’ve decided to join the war on women as well. HB2625, which passed the house in March, is now working its way through the Senate. This odious bill allows employers to opt out of the mandated provision of birth control. Employees must submit to intrusive questions,verifying the purpose of the medication to be solely for medical reasons and not to prevent pregnancy. The bill would grant employers the ability to deny female employees the right to be covered based on religious beliefs. Given the makeup of the Senate and the nasty beast sitting in the Governor’s office, it is very likely that the bill will become law before long.
I would like to ask him to read and study the bible. You know the book his religion is based on. That might clear up some of his concerns.
Bonnie,
You are so kind and generous; you are presuming he can read.
So true, so true
Two true things: you are very kind and generous and true, I don’t believe Birk can read.
I think maybe Salon deserves an honorable mention as well for enabling this asshat. They agreed that he was wrong, but made statements along the lines of “at least he shows that people can disagree and still be respectful.” Yes, because he deserves a cookie for not dropping blatantly homophobic epithets.
Christine,
You are absolutely right! Oy! How sad, for I usually hold Salon in great esteem.
Exactly *how* does gay marriage negatively impact society, culture, and children? It’s such a vague argument. No one actually has anything to back up this statement other than “people will not kill gay people with sticks for being gay if it’s ‘okay’ to be gay.” That actually seems okay to me…
Jennifer,
Thank you for being such a strong ally! Exactly, marriage equality does NOT impact hetero marriages. It does, however, send a message of equality and that people in the LGBTQ community are not sub-human, as a certain Presidential candidate would have people believe.