Is it Getting Better? Chris Kluwe, Aaron Rodgers and LGBT Rights in Sports

[xchrom]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/177763/iit-getting-better-chris-kluwe-aaron-rodgers-and-lgbt-rights-sports


Former Minnesota Vikings punter and outspoken gay rights activist Chris Kluwe chats with some of his ex-teammates. (Licensed through Creative Commons. (Courtesy of Flickr user Ioweonthego, CC BY-SA 2.0)

In terms of football stature, it is difficult to imagine two more different players than former Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Green Bay Packers All-World quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In terms of courage in the face of homophobia, it is also difficult to imagine two more different people than Chris Kluwe and Aaron Rodgers.

Kluwe released an article on Deadspin this week called, with his trademark subtlety, "I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot.” He tells the backstory behind his release from the team after spending his off hours during the 2012 NFL season fighting to stop a Minnesota anti-gay marriage referendum.

He quotes Vikings coach Leslie Frazier telling him that he “needed to be quiet, and stop speaking out on this stuff.” Frazier also said, according to Kluwe, “a wise coach once told me there are two things you don’t talk about in the NFL, politics and religion.” We also hear from his special teams coach Mike Priefer, who allegedly told Kluwe he would “wind up burning in hell with the gays” and “we should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows.”

Before we get to Mike Priefer, a brief aside to Leslie Frazier. Coach: there is zero empirical evidence that a player’s political interests interfere with team goals. In fact, opposite examples abound. From Bill Russell (eleven titles in thirteen years) to UCLA college star Lew “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar” Alcindor (three straight NCAA titles) to Steve Nash and Los Suns rallying around immigrant rights while upsetting the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs, there are actually far more instances which demonstrate that players who also fight for a better world should be considered valued parts of any team.

[rurallib]

1. Those players who were able to speak out were

almost unreplaceable. Russell, Jabbar, Nash were among the very top players ever and on their particular team they were the star. As a punter, Kluwe was very replaceable.

Probably the closest I have ever seen a team come to dumping the star was John Wooden told Bill Walton that if he continued his political demonstrations, his services would no longer be needed.

[William769]

2. Kick & recommended.

[Initech]

3. Wasn't Jordan Rodgers' fraternity under investigation by Vanderbilt for illegal discrimination?

[joeybee12]

7. No, the christo-fascist was a part of some Christian Sports group, the name

eludes me right now, and Vandy said they couldn't hold meetings on campus if they discriminates, so Jordan goes on FUX Noise and everywhere about how Christians are under attack...worthless asshole...Aaron doesn't sound much better.

[dsc]

4. I didn't particularly have a problem with Aaron Rodger's response

presuming he is really not gay. I think that he has a right to have people know he is straight, if he indeed is straight. He didn't demean gays in his answer nor did he say he was horrified that people might think he was gay. I have to say, I don't think he is. If he really were a closeted gay athlete he would not have had that guy living with him but would have instead set him up in his own place.

[nomorenomore08]

5. He seems comfortable enough with his sexuality that I don't "suspect" him of being closeted either.

Even if his answer was a tiny bit defensive, unfortunately you kind of expect that in a macho environment like the NFL.

[dsc]

6. Heck in education in can be the same way

though things have changed alot. Even now though it can be risky to take the none of your business line let alone be open. I moved districts and have reverted back to the none of your business line from being open. I can only imagine what it would be like to be such a public figure and have to try to navigate that issue.