In an interview conducted by NFL writer, Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, with former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach and NBC sports commentator, Tony Dungy, Tony said the following regarding openly homosexual NFL player Michael Sam:
“I wouldn’t have taken him,’’...“Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it. “It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen.’’
Now, I watched and listened as this firestorm took wings. As the new U.S. Socialist, Secular Humanistically inspired, politically correct, talking head police moved in like vultures to devour fresh roadkill on an Arizona highway....I have never heard more blatantly ignorant commentary in my life regarding a subject that was blown so far out of proportion.
I heard people blaming Tony's Christianity and belief in the bible for his so called "small" views and that he was a secret "homophobe" (whatever that is) because he stated some rather obvious points from a coaching and team management perspective. There were so many people ready to bash Christianity, the bible and the biblical teachings against homosexuality when Dungy made his comments that it was sickening. Local news personalities claimed to be upset that Dungy would invoke his "Christian beliefs" and others were ready to bash the bible as an old irrelevant book, further demonstrating their ignorance that the WORD of God IS a LIVING document.
Then further, not only did we hear that because Coach Dungy stood with Michael Vick and Plaxico Burriss through their life's struggles that he was somehow less than a Christian by making statements that were "against" Homo-Sam... I heard the continued ignorant ramblings of a comparison of being Black or a minority, and the struggle for civil rights based on color with homosexuality and the struggle for their acceptance in society and homosexual marriage....Look...ANYONE can have sex and stop having sex...every one is free to have sex with whomever they wish, within the bounds of law, however RACE is something that NONE of us can stop, turn off or turn on...There is NO COMPARISON between being Black, and the struggle for civil rights based on color and being a homosexual and struggling for recognition within society based on who you "love" and how you like to have sex...STOP THE MADNESS!
Although homosexual advocates are piggybacking on civil rights advances by Blacks and minorities within society, homosexuality is STILL a choice of sex and sexual activity that DOES NOT deserve to be favored or protected in law as we see happening within America's courts. Certainly, all people deserve dignity and respect. That is NOT the question. But stop the PRETENSE that Black parallels are gay parallels. They ARE NOT!
Stephen To The Rescue?
Until Stephen A Smith (ESPN Sports Analyst) undertook the topic, I thought to myself, what happened to the "tolerance" of the so called tolerant? And why are these folk bashing the bible and Christianity when the man did not invoke ONE bible scripture, nor was he preaching a message?
Stephen may be challenged on many issues, and is certainly not one that fights for Christian conservatism, but his comments were much better than almost any that I heard within the media:
Tony's subsequent statement on the issue:
On Monday afternoon while on vacation with my family, I was quite surprised to read excerpts from an interview I gave several weeks ago related to this year's NFL Draft, and I feel compelled to clarify those remarks.
I was asked whether I would have drafted Michael Sam and I answered that would not have drafted him. I gave my honest answer, which is that I felt drafting him would bring much distraction to the team. At the time of my interview, the Oprah Winfrey reality show that was going to chronicle Michael's first season had been announced.
I was not asked whether or not Michael Sam deserves an opportunity to play in the NFL. He absolutely does.
I was not asked whether his sexual orientation should play a part in the evaluation process. It should not.
I was not asked whether I would have a problem having Michael Sam on my team. I would not.
I have been asked all of those questions several times in the last three months and have always answered them the same way—by saying that playing in the NFL is, and should be, about merit.
The best players make the team, and everyone should get the opportunity to prove whether they're good enough to play. That's my opinion as a coach. But those were not the questions I was asked.
What I was asked about was my philosophy of drafting, a philosophy that was developed over the years, which was to minimize distractions for my teams.
I do not believe Michael's sexual orientation will be a distraction to his teammates or his organization.
I do, however, believe that the media attention that comes with it will be a distraction. Unfortunately we are all seeing this play out now, and I feel badly that my remarks played a role in the distraction.
I wish Michael Sam nothing but the best in his quest to become a star in the NFL and I am confident he will get the opportunity to show what he can do on the field.
My sincere hope is that we will be able to focus on his play and not on his sexual orientation.
Conclusion:
Sorry, if I were a football coach, I would not have drafted Sam either. Not because of his homosexuality, or ability/inability to play the game, but because of his desire to have all attention on him and to maximize and play his sexuality into the shame of others...
Yes, SHAME...Michael Sam strategically came out as gay BEFORE the NFL draft in order to make his being gay a human and humanistic issue in exchange for a NFL chance. He focused on his sexual orientation when noone cared although it was speculated. Certainly he may have suffered in the draft by obtaining a lower place, the fact is that all eyes were not on Michael Sam and the NFL would have taken a hit in the socialist media by not drafting him or giving him an opportunity. It was a "PR hot potato" from the day that he was compelled to open up and say that he was gay. All the liberals in the world were calling him "courageous" and claiming that it was "great to have an openly gay NFL football player". One way or another, Sam was getting an NFL chance. Of that there was no doubt.
Further, for an new athlete to have a reality show deal at a time when a coach and team are building and learning one another(and he is not even officially on the team yet) is more NARCISSISM. I could not in good conscience draft a man who not only poses a disruption in the locker room but a disruption in the way of doing business. There is certainly more to it than who is taking showers with whom and where...(and THAT is a consideration...I wouldn't want any gay gawkers looking at me in the locker room!) There is the continuity of a TEAM and common goal that must be considered, and like any coach Dungy spoke from that place of concern.
Sorry you Christian and bible haters! If you think that Christians hate gays and that the bible endorses gay hate, you are critically deceived and need some sort of lifeline to come back to reality. Our love for God does not diminish the love for humanity, it only orders it placing it in full perspective.
Tony did not mention the bible, he only tries to live out its virtues, and it may be surprising to you to know that there are many more considerations in life than the considerations of those who embrace the sin of homosexuality. We love you, but please don't be upset because we don't encourage, embrace or endorse your lifestyle and we won't be shamed into doing so. Thank you very merch!
Blessed!
I don't think he should be celebrated for being the "first openly homosexual player", especially since he was a 7th round draft pick I believe. I don't see the fact that he prefers men instead of women as something to be celebrated, I think it belongs in his bedroom in the privacy of his own home (or hotel room, etc). That being said, I do think that some people can be born that way. I was reading an article in Scientific America, I believe it was, and it was saying that lesbian women have brain structures similar to heterosexual men and gay men have brain structures similar to heterosexual women. It also went on to say that if one has a homosexual identical twin, then they are more likely to be homosexual due to genetic causes.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe it to be true based on just what I see in everyday life. For instance, most mechanics you see tend to be men and the reason for that is because of the way men's brains are wired, that's why there are so few female mechanics. The difference is genetic. Think about this as well, when you do see a female mechanic, what do they tend to be? Normally, they turn out to be a butch lesbian. Likewise, when it comes to make-up and fashion, that tends to be more of a woman's domain, that's why most make-up artist tend to be women, but when you do see a man as a make-up artist, it tends to be a homosexual male. My point being, just by looking at the world around you, you can see how the brain of a straight woman may be similar to the brain of a gay male, etc. Generally, I tend to lean more towards nature rather than nurture.
FM, I agree with your statements. What he does and who he loves should have been his business and he should have kept that to himself. Now, he did deserve to tell his teammates because some of them may be uncomfortable with him gawking at them and as much as they say, "it's his profession" by virtue of his confession he is not and asexual being or a unisex being as most modern futuristic science fiction shows when we see men and women not in relationships taking showers together and other such things.
DeleteSo far as genetics, I agree with that as well. If our birth and genome is less than perfect, why is it hard to believe that individuals can be born with a less than perfect slant or what we would otherwise call imbalance? I mean look, people are born with cleft palates. I'm not comparing a homosexual to that condition, but the fact is that it is a way people are born for genetic reasons. I just believe, like we fix cleft palates, and other less than perfect situations, we should be busy about "fixing" homosexuality...I know that is loaded and ripe for all kinds of "homophobic" centered rants saying that I believe that homosexuals need to be "fixed", but I believe that ALL MEN, straight and gay, who are without Christ need to be FIXED because they are broken. I was broken when I was in sin as well.
Some of my friends hold that men were born with a right or unbroken sexual orientation. That may be the case, but I don't necessarily hold to that because no matter how we were born the first time, we MUST be born again! (John 3:1-7) That rebirth allows us to address the issues created in our first birth and what happened when we had an appetite for sin.