“Jeff, they CAN’T hear you!”. I had to remind myself of this several times, as I found myself yelling in my car as I was driving home last night. No, the voices in my head weren’t getting the best of me. As so often happens, I was allowing myself to get riled up over conversation on talk radio.
You’re probably thinking, “What did the President do to raise Jeff’s blood pressure now?” Well, I wasn’t even listening to THAT sort of talk radio, but rather sports talk radio. The host was giving his opinion, and taking calls on the recent comments by San Francisco 49ers cornerback, Chris Culliver.
In order to make a long story short, Culliver, who will be participating in the Super Bowl this Sunday, was “interviewed” this week by Artie Lange. Lange, of course, is a well-known, hard-hitting journalist that always asks the tough questions. (Pause for laughter). Artie Lange is a joke. He’s essentially a comedian, and not really all that funny of one at that. He’s best known for being part of the Howard Stern radio show for many years. He also has a history of heroin use, has spent time in a psychiatric ward, and attempted suicide with a kitchen knife. In other words, he’s no Bob Costas. Why someone like this is even granted a media pass by the NFL, and given access to the players is beyond me.
Given the opportunity to interview some of the players, when Lange was speaking with Culliver, he chose not to ask questions relevant to the upcoming title game, but instead asked Culliver (an African American) how many “white chicks” he expected to “bang” this week. Naturally, this is the kind of thing every sports fan wants to know. He then went on to ask Culliver if any “gay guys” approach him, and if there are any on the 49ers. Culliver, being the Rhodes Scholar that he is, actually engaged in this conversation and said some things that rocked the “tolerance” boat.
Before I go any farther, in the spirit of full disclosure, let me say where I stand on the subject of homosexuality. As a Christian, I believe that the Bible is clear that homosexuality is a sin. It is wrong. (That said, so is lying, or cheating, or many other things that each of us does on a regular basis.) I believe that, as a Christian, I am called to love those that I disagree with, be it due to their political beliefs, religious beliefs, or what have you. I do not have anything against homosexuals, as a group, or as individuals, but rather their lifestyle. I also believe that committing a homosexual act is a choice, just as it is a choice for heterosexuals to commit heterosexual acts. I say these things NOT because I want to push my agenda and my beliefs, but because I want to be clear about where I stand. Please do not get hung up on this one paragraph.
Culliver, who has since put out the “standard issue” apology for what he said, was pretty adamant that there are no homosexuals on the 49ers, and that they would not be welcome in the locker room. The San Francisco front office obviously went into immediate panic mode, issuing statements declaring that Culliver’s position is not that of the 49ers, reminding everyone that they “have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.” They did state that they have “addressed the matter with Chris”, but have not made public what that looked like, or what punishment, if any, that will entail.
NOW we get to my in-vehicle outbursts. The host on the radio show tonight was calling for Culliver’s immediate suspension, including removal from The Super Bowl. According to Colin Dunlap, of 93.7 FM, Chris Culliver should not be allowed to play in what is likely to be the biggest game of his career. Why? Because he verbally expressed his opinion. Publicly. In the United States of America. This opinion happens to be one that Mr. Dunlap disagrees with, so naturally, that means he should be punished for it. I have no idea what Colin Dunlap’s political leanings are, and quite frankly, I don’t care. I can however, venture a guess, based on what he is demonstrating his definition of “tolerance” entails. Mr. Dunlap repeatedly expressed his concern over the fact that there have been no repercussions for Cullilver’s comments. We should keep in mind that just because they are not public does not mean that there are no repercussions. He will have to face teammates that disagree with him. He may have to face discipline from his employer. Quite frankly, it’s not our business.
This got me thinking a little more. Last season, Tim Tebow’s name was in just about every other article on the NFL. Much was made of his blatant Christianity, and his vocal pro-life views. He was also attacked, regularly, in the media for said views. At least one fellow player took shots at him in the media. I wonder if Colin Dunlap, or any other sports broadcaster, would have been willing to call for the suspension of Terrell Suggs for taking shots at Tebow and his faith. Of COURSE they wouldn’t. Why? Because there’s a blatant double-standard in society that allows people to take shots against Christians, and people of faith, but not against homosexuals. Or Muslims. Or any other group that the media deems “under attack”.
Do I think Terrell Suggs, or any other player should be suspended for voicing his opinion, even if it’s against something I hold dear? No, I do not. This nonsense of people not being able to speak their mind in this country is sickening, and has to come to an end. Additionally, the media should quit forcing polarizing issues on us when those issues have nothing to do with the subject at hand. There is no reason in the world for questions about sexual relationships to come up in an interview with someone that is a few days removed from playing in the Super Bowl. The National Enquirer mentality in this country is disgusting, and Americans should be ashamed of themselves. There are things that go on in the lives of celebrities and athletes that simply are NOT OUR BUSINESS!
Under normal circumstances, I would have picked up my cell phone, dialed the radio station, and told Mr. Dunlap how I felt. Unfortunately, I was catching the last 5-10 minutes of his show, and I would not have gotten through in time to discuss the matter. So, instead of the listeners being stuck hearing my opinions, you readers get it instead. Aren’t you the lucky ones?
