Hardaway, on a live radio interview, made no bones about how uncomfortable he feels playing on a team where a fellow player is homosexual. He responded honestly to a question about how he would feel about having a gay team mate. Hardaway simply stated he would not want that person on his team. And if there was a gay team mate, Hardaway said he would distance himself from that person. Why? Because as he put it, "I don't think that is right". That's called an "opinion".
The radio interviewer pushed him in his response by asking Hardaway if he realized what he was actually saying was homophobic or even bigotry. Hardaway answered with the quote that landed him in hot water both with the general public & the NBA: "''Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States. So yeah, I don't like it."
Then that's when everyone started jumping off the deep end.
Myself, I don't hate gay people. I know gay people & I've been in close proximity of gay people. Gay people do not bother me any more than a Democrat does. My applecart doesn't get upset by a gay person anymore that it would by an Arkansas Razorback supporter. But....
What I really don't like is taking away my first amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
So, I realize Congress has not passed any legislation recently that would cause Mr. Hardaway to be arrested for his comments on that Florida radio talk show. But NBA commissioner David Stern, upon learning of the remarks, banished Hardaway from this year's All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. Well, I guess that's the price you pay for expressing an opinion.
While Hardaway, I'm sure, feels badly for how his foot got placed in his mouth on a national platform, I guess the next move for him is to be required to take sensitivity classes for homophobes. And this has also unleashed a wave of reactions from all the gay / lesbian groups. ESPN.com says, "[John] Amaechi taped a spot for PBS' gay and lesbian program In the Life. He said the anti-gay sentiment remains despite Hardaway's apology. 'It's vitriolic, and may be exactly what he feels,' he said. 'Whether he's honest or not doesn't inoculate us from his words. It's not progress to hear hateful words.'"
I understand Mr. Amaechi may be hurt ...even offended by Hardaway's words. But has he ever ran for public office? He would hear enough "hateful words" to put him in therapy for the rest of his life.
I realize this is not a famous All-Star Basketball figure, but consider these lines from a blog I read from a gay friend of mine: "I hate homophobes. Specifically, the ones of [his hometown]. ...If you are a homophobe and live in [this town] and happen to be reading this wonderful blog of me, guess what. I hate you. I said it." Whether we want to admit this to ourselves or not, this sort of expression goes on all the time around us. People have the right to say what they want to say & how they want to say it.
Frankly, I would love it if Hardaway, while agreeing he made one huge faux pas, sued the britches off of the NBA for their display of bigotry toward him over his personal opinion. Everyone has the right to have their own opinion...we are reminded of this every time a minority gets on TV. We should respect the opinions of the minority...but not the opinions of the majority.
Did I get that right?
Did the NBA have to ban Hardaway for his comments? I don't think so. Why? Because of the law of action vs. reaction. His punishment would've come (if it hasn't already) from society who reacted to his expression of opinion. He is the one who will have to live with his comments...not the NBA. But the NBA banned Hardaway for one reason & one reason only: To protect their own butt. Not specifically to "punish" Hardaway. The NBA just wants to keep their nose clean & out of the target of any special interest who might assume that they just might be in agreement with Hardaway by their inaction toward his offensive comments.
Hardaway displayed no aggression toward gay people, he never threatened any gay people, and he has not had any instance where he has done any sort of violence to gay people. What he did do, however, is voice his opinion about gay people. And I have always thought that in America, anyone can do that.
