If Georgia chooses to turn the “religious liberty” bill into law, be prepared: Atlanta may not get a Super Bowl. That was the suggestion from the NFL on Friday when the league released a statement in response to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s question about whether the league had any position on Georgia House Bill 757.
The statement from league spokesman Brian McCarthy reads, “NFL policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard. Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites.”
Falcons owner Arthur Blank has hoped to land multiple Super Bowls in the team’s new stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2017. The NFL has previously moved a Super Bowl from Arizona to the Rose Bowl near Los Angeles in the 1992 season after that state refused to recognize the Martin Luther King holiday.
WOOT there it is!
I wonder if the good “Christians” of ‘Merica will boycott the NFL over this?
After a week of intense pressure, ridicule, and complaints the owner of the Houston Texan’s football team Bob McNair is rescinding a $10,000 contribution he made to Campaign of Houston, the anti-gay group that is trying to overturn the city’s the anti-LGBT discrimination law otherwise know as HERO in an upcoming voter referendum.
Texans owner Bob McNair is rescinding a $10,000 contribution he made to Campaign of Houston after being involved in a controversy surrounding opposition to HERO, the city’s equal rights ordinance. McNair released a lengthy statement Friday where he said unauthorized statements attributed to his beliefs were distributed that were never discussed with him, saying he won’t tolerate any personal or professional discrimination.
McNair’s full statement:
“I recently made a personal contribution to Campaign for Houston because my thorough review of the HERO ordinance led me to believe that a thoughtful rewrite would provide a better ordinance that would provide strong non-discrimination protections for all Houstonians, which I would support, and would be less divisive of our city.
“It was on these principles that I made my personal contribution to Campaign for Houston. To my great dismay, Campaign for Houston made numerous unauthorized statements about my opposition to HERO in print, broadcast and social media – including attributing certain statements of belief to me. Their actions and statements were never discussed with nor approved by me. Therefore I instructed the Campaign to return my contribution.
“I do not believe in or tolerate personal or professional discrimination of any kind. I also believe that we Houstonians should have an ordinance that unites our community and provides a bold statement of non-discrimination. I encourage all Houstonians to vote on November 3. Robert F. Kennedy once said, ‘Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work together to change a small portion of events, and in the total of those acts will be written the history of our generation.’”
It has come to light that Bob McNair owner of the (crappy) NFL team the Houston Texans’ has donated $10,000 to the viciously anti-gay coalition that has placed a repeal of Houston’s LGBT rights ordinance on the November ballot.
After incencensed fans contacted the team they sent the following cop-out reply:
“Our team Founder, Chairman and CEO, Bob McNair made a personal contribution relative to the HERO issue. Mr. McNair’s rationale for his personal opposition to the HERO issue is based on the way the current ordinance is written, it has begun to separate rather than unite our community. He believes this problem can be solved by defeating the current bill in November, thoughtfully rewriting it and then resubmitting it to voters for approval.
“The Houston Texans as an organization are neutral to the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) and believe that the issue should be decided by Houston voters. We encourage Houston residents to study the issue and vote their conscience on November 3rd. We appreciate your email and would like to thank you for your continued support.
Thank you & Go Texans, Houston Texans.”
So the Houston Texans’ are “neutral” on LGBT rights. are they also “neutral” on racism, the holocaust, and other social justice matters?
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, quite simply you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
“If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” ~ Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
You can leave a note of disgust on the Houston Texans Facebook page by CLICKING HERE
” Defending historic Judeo-Christian morality and being horrified by sinful, perverse acts like same-sex kissing in public is not ‘hate’ or ‘bigotry.’ It’s called being normal. Please pray for this lost soul, Michael Sam, who could lead many young men astray by popularizing a grievous sin. It is tragic that the establishment power structure–media, Hollywood, academia, the corporate world–now reward those who embrace homosexuality, and punish those who oppose it. The very opposite of anti-sodomy laws, huh? Yes, America is now, morally speaking, an upside-down culture–descending willy-nilly into godlessness and sexual/gender chaos. But no civilization that glories in sexual immorality will survive in the long run.
Please pray for this lost soul, Michael Sam, who could lead many young men astray by popularizing a grievous sin. It is tragic that the establishment power structure–media, Hollywood, academia, the corporate world–now reward those who embrace homosexuality, and punish those who oppose it. The very opposite of anti-sodomy laws, huh? Yes, America is now, morally speaking, an upside-down culture–descending willy-nilly into godlessness and sexual/gender chaos. But no civilization that glories in sexual immorality will survive in the long run [see AFTAH piece HERE].
Christians and those who haven’t yet drunk the “gay” kool-aid need to boldly proclaim the politically incorrect truths surrounding this issue: the fact that many men and women have left homosexuality behind (ex-”gays”); the very real threat that “gay rights” activism poses to our First Amendment and religious freedoms; and the stunningly disproportionate link between homosexual practice and disease–e.g., a new CDC report documenting that a whopping 84 percent of primary and secondary male syphilis cases now are tied to homosexual sex.“ – “Prono Pete” LaBarbera, attacking Fox News for having the nerve of running an AP story that did not bash Michael Sam.
Chill out Pete. I’ve had the heterosexual agenda forced on me since birth and I am still a complete homosexual, so there’s no need to worry about ” young men astray by popularizing a grievous sin.” Believe me I’ve tried. By the way. What is Gay Kool-Aid?
“The NFL is celebrating the sexual equivalent of a brain concussion by going gaga over Michael Sam’s sexual proclivities. For a league increasingly priding itself on concern for player safety and health, it is bizarre that they are enthusiastically praising a draftee for a lifestyle that could send him to an early grave. If the NFL possessed one ounce of genuine compassion instead of the ersatz kind that exalts what should be condemned, they would be meeting privately with Michael Sam to urge him, in the strongest possible terms, to pursue reparative therapy in the hopes of saving his life. Alas, the only people who truly care for Mr. Sam are those who love him enough to tell him the truth about the health risks of homosexual behavior – and that sadly does not include the leadership of the NFL.” – American Family Association hate group spokesdouche Bryan Fischer,
With the 2015 Superbowl scheduled to take place in Glendale, Arizona the NFL has taken a keen interest in what the next move is going to be by Governor Jan Brewer and if she is going to sign the Jim Crow-esque “We Don’t Serve The Gays” bill into law. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, today made an official statement today letting Brewer know that they are watching.
“Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard. We are following the issue in Arizona and will continue to do so should the bill be signed into law, but will decline further comment at this time.”
This wouldn’t be the first time that Arizona could have trouble with the NFL and lose its hosting of a Superbowl.
Super Bowl XXVII was originally scheduled to be played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the home of the Phoenix Cardinals. However, a controversy over the state’s recognition of a newly created federal holiday changed things.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a national holiday honoring African-American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1986, the first year that the holiday was observed, Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, a Democrat, had issued an executive order creating the holiday after the state legislature voted against it. Babbitt’s successor, Republican Evan Mecham, rescinded the order on the grounds that Babbitt did not have the authority to issue such an order and Arizona ceased to observe MLK Day for the time being. Mecham also made his displeasure for the holiday widely known, saying that King did not deserve a holiday and that black supporters of the law should have been more concerned about getting jobs. In response, Dr. King’s widow Coretta Scott King and musician Stevie Wonder spearheaded a complete entertainment and convention boycott of Arizona. Blacks across the nation supported the boycott. In 1989, after Mecham had been removed from office the state legislature did approve the holiday but opposition to it forced the holiday to be put on the November election ballot in 1990
Earlier that year, in March, the NFL had its annual meeting in Orlando and one of the items on its agenda was to determine a host city for Super Bowl XXVII. Among the cities being considered was Tempe, and Arizona civil rights activist Art Mobley was sent to the meeting to make sure that the Arizona ballot initiative was a talking point at the discussion. The vote was conducted and Tempe was awarded the game, but committee chairman and Philadelphia Eagles owner Norman Braman warned that if the MLK Day ballot initiative went against adoption of the holiday, the NFL would not hesitate to pull the game from Arizona and move it somewhere else. The fact that the majority of NFL players were African-American was a big factor into this threat, as many of them felt uncomfortable of having the Super Bowl in a state that didn’t honor a national holiday honor Martin Luther King, Jr.
The opposition to the holiday in Arizona was large, however, and the voters defeated the law at the polls. The NFL responded by making good on its threat to remove the Super Bowl from Tempe and held another vote, with Pasadena was chosen as the site for the first time since Super Bowl XXI was played there six years earlier. Meanwhile, after having lost out on millions of dollars in revenue from the boycott of the state by entertainers and the loss of the Super Bowl. Arizona voters finally approved the MLK Day holiday in the 1992 elections and the NFL responded by awarding Tempe Super Bowl XXX at their 1993 meeting.
Phenomenal LGBT Straight ally Chris Kluwe is calling on Olympic athletes to speak up on the human rights abuses administered by the Russian government against its LGBT citizens.
“What is the true price of fame? The price of fame is what you risk when you have the platform. As an athlete, a role model for society, people listen to you. As an athlete, when you make a statement, that statement is heard, no matter what that statement is. Speak up for LBGTQ rights, for human rights, for empathy? The world will pay attention, and take notice. Stay silent, keep your head down, count the money and endorsements? The world will pay attention, and take notice. Either way, you’re the one who has to live with what you did or didn’t do. I hope that athletes speak out at Sochi on LBGTQ issues, even knowing the possible risks that await them.
“I know that it could cost them their livelihoods, their careers, everything they’ve worked towards. I know that it can lead to recriminations, harsh words from a public who just wants their entertainment, no matter how much blood it’s packaged in. I know that it’s one of the hardest steps a person can take, and that there is no guarantee of a reward at the end, other than knowing you did the right thing at the right time with nothing to show for it but angry tweets and emails tempered by the messages of support and affection from those in whose lives you made a difference, those currently being abused by the oppressive and ignorant.”
In the opening of the piece, Kluwe never for a loss of words slammed Sochi’s corporate sponsors suggesting certain replacement marketing slogans: “Today’s refreshing anti-gay beating brought to you by Coca-Cola!”
“I vehemently deny today’s allegations made by Chris Kluwe. I want to be clear that I do not tolerate discrimination of any type and am respectful of all individuals. I personally have gay family members who I love and support just as I do any family member. The primary reason I entered coaching was to affect people in a positive way. As a coach, I have always created an accepting environment for my players, including Chris, and have looked to support them both on and off the field. The comments today have not only attacked my character and insulted my professionalism, but they have also impacted my family. While my career focus is to be a great professional football coach, my number one priority has always been to be a protective husband and father to my wife and children. I will continue to work hard for the Minnesota Vikings, the Wilf family and all of our loyal fans.” – Vikings special teams coach Mike Preifer, in a statement published by NBC Sports.
When a bigot says he “loves” and “supports” a gay family member, he means he “ministers the truth of Jesus to” (i.e. viciously condemns) that gay family member and tries to force the gay family member into an “ex gay” conversion program. That’s what Christian bigots mean by “love” and “support.”
In other news it its been discovered that Mike Preifer’s “gay family member” is also Sarah Palin’s “gay best friend”. Harvey Preifer is reported to be 6 feet tall and a rabbit.
“Hello. My name is Chris Kluwe, and for eight years I was the punter for the Minnesota Vikings. In May 2013, the Vikings released me from the team. At the time, quite a few people asked me if I thought it was because of my recent activism for same-sex marriage rights, and I was very careful in how I answered the question. My answer, verbatim, was always, ‘I honestly don’t know, because I’m not in those meetings with the coaches and administrative people.’ This is a true answer. I honestly don’t know if my activism was the reason I got fired. However, I’m pretty confident it was. [snip]
“It’s my belief, based on everything that happened over the course of 2012, that I was fired by Mike Priefer, a bigot who didn’t agree with the cause I was working for, and two cowards, Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman, both of whom knew I was a good punter and would remain a good punter for the foreseeable future, as my numbers over my eight-year career had shown, but who lacked the fortitude to disagree with Mike Priefer on a touchy subject matter. (Frazier was fired on Monday, at the conclusion of a 5-10-1 season.) [snip]
[One time] As we sat down in our chairs, Mike Priefer, in one of the meanest voices I can ever recall hearing, said: “We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows.” The room grew intensely quiet, and none of the players said a word for the rest of the meeting. The atmosphere was decidedly tense. I had never had an interaction that hostile with any of my teammates on this issue—some didn’t agree with me, but our conversations were always civil and respectful. Afterward, several told me that what Mike Priefer had said was “messed up.”
One of the main coaching points I’ve heard throughout my entire life is, ‘How you respond to difficult situations defines your character,’ and I think it’s a good saying. I also think it applies to more than just the players.” – Chris Kluwe, (Do yourself a favor and read the whole posting over at Deadspin
Knuckle-dragging bigotry in the NFL? Now there’s a shocker.
I absolutely believe Chris. He’s handled this whole thing with class and grace. No malice, despite everything they were putting him through with the Vikings. He’s a good man and an excellent ally to have on your side and I thank him.
