(no subject)

[fredericks]

Former NBA player John Amaechi publicly outted himself a couple of days back, and the media picked up the story like it was government cheese. To my recollection Amaechi was more well-known for his international player status than for anything he did on the court and I was sort of "meh, okay" on the news, but I was curious as to what players would think. Then I caught Tim Hardaway's little diatribe on SportsCenter yesterday morning (or was it this morning?) My response to that? Thank God. Not "thank God, let's be an asswipe" but thank God he's being straightforward. Don't sugarcoat the hate or hide it; it makes it much easier to know who to avoid and who to write off as a dickwad. I'm with Amaechi's response all the way.

Comments

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Progress is being made. Maybe not as fast as Amaechi would like, or as slow as Hardaway would prefer, but we're approaching a moment when being a gay athlete in a predominantly straight world simply doesn't matter.
Sure, buddy. Sure we are. And that occurs when people like Amaechi step up and put themselves out there.

Woj. isn't the sharpest Crayola in the box, but I can see where he's coming from. Doesn't mean he's correct, of course. I can't believe he suggested Hardaway should have been kept in the All-Star activities. Yes, let's show fans that people who publically claim to hate gays and believe they shouldn't be allowed in the US are welcome at NBA events. Dickwad. Also - many athletes out themselves after they're retired or after they've left the spotlight in their sport. Gene W. never wondered why people wait until afterwards?

Frankly, I'm all for Hardaway not getting any attention by the press. But not seeing ramifications for public statements like that? a bit foolish. And yeah, keeping the man from working the All-Star gig isn't going to turn him from a homophobe to a friend of the Friends of Dorothy, but appearances count.

[emily-goddess.livejournal.com]

Part of me is appalled by the NBA's decision to ban Hardaway from the All-Star game. Punishing him for having and articulating his views - even if they are disgusting and backwards - amounts to censorship, and that makes me a little queasy. The bigotry will be there, whether we hear it or not. In a country that prides itself on both the legal and social support of free speech, I think we need to be very careful about who we shut up and why. I dearly want to cheer on the NBA and support people's efforts to humiliate and silence the ignorant fuckwad homophobes, but something in my gut just keeps telling me that censorship is Not Right and is not the answer. Believe me, I feel guilty about it.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I hear you. I mean, whether or not Hardaway was allowed to participate in the All-Star rigamarole, he'd said his piece. His opinions and mindset were known. Not having him participate certainly wouldn't go back in time and erase what he said...but Hardaway the private citizen is different than Hardaway the representative of the NBA. Stern and Co. said that Hardaway was given das boot from the All Star gig because his publically stated beliefs didn't mesh with the policy of the NBA. Censorship? again, there's no magic erasure going back and muffling Hardaway's words. He wasn't being silenced - Hardaway can go back on any radio talk show and say what he wishes. Anyone who's listened or read Hardaway's apology - a simply "I'm sorry for saying what I did" - knows the man is not apologizing for his beliefs, and no one at the NBA asked that of him.