Dissecting Tim Hardaway
So I'm sure most people have heard Tim Hardaway's comments about gay people, right?
In the event you haven't, I'll provide a snippet:
"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "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."
I really only had one thought when I read what Tim had said. I wish there were more people like him out there. Dan Le Batard, the host and Hardaway's interviewer, threw him a question that is supposed to come off as hard hitting and edgy. He expected to get the softball answer that 99% of professional athletes will give. They clear that hurdle and then it's time to move on. But this time Tim Hardaway hit that ball right out of the park. A slam dunk, if you will.
The point that people are missing is that it is not the answer that he gave, it's that he gave an honest answer and that's all you can ask for from anyone, really. For 50 or more years it was considered acceptable to hate someone not for the color of their skin, the religion that they practiced, whom they slept with, or what their hobbies were. If that person lived in a Communist country is was ok to hate that person. It was government sanctioned even.
So how is that different than hating someone because they are gay? Some will argue that to be gay is not a choice a person can make. Some will say it is a choice and a sin. I have no idea who is correct because I'm not gay. But I do know this, I'm very tired of the very small gay community and politically correct crowed imposing their will on our society. The overwhelming majority of this world are not gay. They never have and never will be. Some of us "straight" people don't care what gay people do. Some of us do care.
My answer to the question of gay marriage is that I support it. I think gay people should be allowed to be as miserable as any hetrosexual couple that has experienced love and finally bitter divorce. But of course marriage is primarily a religious ceremony, so good luck finding a willing church. But on a more serious note, I'd support gay people being given the opportunity to make legal arrangements, live together, file taxes as a joint unit, carry each other on their insurance, etc, etc. None of that matters to me, I don't feel threatened by gay people.
Whether it's right or wrong gay people are going to have to accept a few points. They are small in numbers which means they will always be persecuted and discriminated upon in some degree. They may not be right, but it is a fact. Ask the Jews or Johovah's Witnesses. Secondly, regardless if a gay person can make a choice or not, regardless if it can be proven that homosexual tendencies can be shown in other animals in this world, homosexual activity is unnatural. Two males can't reproduce and advance the species, neither can two females. Because of that fact you will never be the majority. If you want to live in a world that isn't going to hassle you, you may want to reconsider your strategy - and not get so pissed off when someone has the balls to say they don't like you.
In the event you haven't, I'll provide a snippet:
"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "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."
I really only had one thought when I read what Tim had said. I wish there were more people like him out there. Dan Le Batard, the host and Hardaway's interviewer, threw him a question that is supposed to come off as hard hitting and edgy. He expected to get the softball answer that 99% of professional athletes will give. They clear that hurdle and then it's time to move on. But this time Tim Hardaway hit that ball right out of the park. A slam dunk, if you will.
The point that people are missing is that it is not the answer that he gave, it's that he gave an honest answer and that's all you can ask for from anyone, really. For 50 or more years it was considered acceptable to hate someone not for the color of their skin, the religion that they practiced, whom they slept with, or what their hobbies were. If that person lived in a Communist country is was ok to hate that person. It was government sanctioned even.
So how is that different than hating someone because they are gay? Some will argue that to be gay is not a choice a person can make. Some will say it is a choice and a sin. I have no idea who is correct because I'm not gay. But I do know this, I'm very tired of the very small gay community and politically correct crowed imposing their will on our society. The overwhelming majority of this world are not gay. They never have and never will be. Some of us "straight" people don't care what gay people do. Some of us do care.
My answer to the question of gay marriage is that I support it. I think gay people should be allowed to be as miserable as any hetrosexual couple that has experienced love and finally bitter divorce. But of course marriage is primarily a religious ceremony, so good luck finding a willing church. But on a more serious note, I'd support gay people being given the opportunity to make legal arrangements, live together, file taxes as a joint unit, carry each other on their insurance, etc, etc. None of that matters to me, I don't feel threatened by gay people.
Whether it's right or wrong gay people are going to have to accept a few points. They are small in numbers which means they will always be persecuted and discriminated upon in some degree. They may not be right, but it is a fact. Ask the Jews or Johovah's Witnesses. Secondly, regardless if a gay person can make a choice or not, regardless if it can be proven that homosexual tendencies can be shown in other animals in this world, homosexual activity is unnatural. Two males can't reproduce and advance the species, neither can two females. Because of that fact you will never be the majority. If you want to live in a world that isn't going to hassle you, you may want to reconsider your strategy - and not get so pissed off when someone has the balls to say they don't like you.
posted by Mark at 6:27 PM
3 Comments:
I agree. Honesty is something this world lacks, and it is nice to see when someone has the balls to speak their truth. I guess because I feel being gay is a genetic thing, rather than a choice, I disagree with the last part. But, people are people and no matter who you are, a person is going to feel rejection at least once in their life, so deal with is pretty much it in a nutshell.
Kudos to him for his honesty, but I think he's misguided. Regardless of the social acceptance of any particular prejudice, hatred of a whole group of people is just plain ignorant.
Despite how sensationalist the whole thing is, I really can't bring myself to care what Tim Hardaway thinks
I agree that marriage in whatever terms you wish it to be (church, city hall, Vegas, common law), with the same perks and disadvantages of us straight people should be just fine. When politicians use the church as their basis for making rules and policies, we end up in the chaos we are in today.
Topics like this make me grateful to be Canadian.
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