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Gay athletes don’t fit in what is perceived as a homophobic NFL
Kansas City Star ^ | October 30, 2009 | Randy Covitz

Posted on 10/31/2009 6:02:52 AM PDT by Zakeet

Athletes have heard the ugly words on practice fields for most of their lives. They hear them in the streets and at neighborhood hangouts.

But when Chiefs running back Larry Johnson used an antigay slur on his Twitter account and in the locker room this week, he struck a nerve that makes professional sports leagues wince.

The NFL, like other pro sports leagues, is perceived as homophobic. Of the more than 20,000 athletes who have played in the NFL, less than a handful have identified themselves as gay — David Kopay was the first in 1975, followed by Roy Simmons and Esera Tuaolo — and only after their careers had ended.

Now the image-conscious NFL — which fines players for wearing droopy socks or the wrong-colored chin straps, is frightened by the prospect of Rush Limbaugh as an owner and enforces a rigid personal conduct policy — is confronted with how to deal with gay-bashing.

“It seems like every single season I’m getting phone calls about some athlete saying a gay slur, and using the word ‘gay’ and ‘faggot’ and ‘homo’ and ‘queer’ in such a negative term,” Tuaolo said in a phone interview with The Star from his home in suburban Minneapolis.

“There are gay athletes in the NFL and in baseball and in the NHL … it’s so crippling to someone who is going to work knowing there is no support in their organization. What is also crippling to an athlete is hearing slurs like that thrown around like it’s just the thing to do. When you use the term ‘gay’ or ‘faggot’ or ‘queer’ and you use it in a negative term, it’s the same as calling a woman a ‘bitch.’ It’s demeaning to another human being. And it’s not right.”

(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: absolutemorals; gay; gaystapo; homobama; homosexualagenda; nfl; nflisgay; perverts; romoshomos; sodomhusseinobama
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To: Reaganesque

Imagine if you will how many times both the offense and defense would be drawn offsides with slobbering Barney Franks at quarterback.


21 posted on 10/31/2009 6:36:08 AM PDT by bitterohiogunclinger (America held hostage - day 163)
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To: Zakeet
FDRQ in the NFL...
22 posted on 10/31/2009 6:37:56 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist *DTOM* -ww- I AM JIM THOMPSON!)
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To: flowerplough

The most famous-Donovan McNabb!


23 posted on 10/31/2009 6:38:05 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: misterrob

Don’t the ‘musicians’ sing about ‘bit*hes’ as much as they can ?


24 posted on 10/31/2009 6:38:20 AM PDT by Freddd (CNN is not credible.)
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To: scooby321

“I guess Rush was too divestive for this league.”

What do you mean?


25 posted on 10/31/2009 6:39:48 AM PDT by RoadTest ( But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do)
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To: Zakeet

Or at least have one standing by.

26 posted on 10/31/2009 6:43:08 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (You don't have to be ignorant to be a Democrat...but if you are...so what?)
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To: Zakeet

There are plenty of professions for gays (like interior design, fashion model, actor, hair stylist, flight attendant, etc.). Why can’t they leave one of the few areas where true men compete alone?


27 posted on 10/31/2009 6:44:02 AM PDT by BobL
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To: Reaganesque

Or wide receiver?


28 posted on 10/31/2009 6:45:17 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (You don't have to be ignorant to be a Democrat...but if you are...so what?)
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To: Renderofveils

Guess you’ve never seen Haruki Nakamura of the Ravens. He’s a safety and special teams demon. Graduate of the University of Cincinnati. His father was a judo gold medalist in the `64 Olympics in Tokyo for Japan.


29 posted on 10/31/2009 6:45:28 AM PDT by Buckeye Battle Cry (Enjoy nature - eat meat, wear fur and drive your car!)
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To: Zakeet; newgeezer

I thought it was the National Felon league not the National Fairy League.


30 posted on 10/31/2009 6:46:18 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (Love your neighbor as you love yourself.)
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To: scooby321
If Rush was a liberal, he could get away with saying divisive things.

If he started supporting Obama, he'd be welcomed into the NFL with open arms.

31 posted on 10/31/2009 6:46:37 AM PDT by airborne (I'm from an older generation. When killing the enemy was a good thing!)
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To: Zakeet
When you use the term ‘gay’ or ‘faggot’ or ‘queer’ and you use it in a negative term, it’s the same as calling a woman a ‘bitch.’ It’s demeaning to another human being. And it’s not right.”

Regardless of the oppression the homosexual fascists want to inflict upon us, you simply cannot alter the natural revulsion that occurs when encounter something so unnatural, as unwholesome and completely disturbing as open homosexuality.

It is the height of man's inhumanity to their fellow man to deny these people the treatment they need to recover from this mental illness.

It disgusts me beyond further commentary.

32 posted on 10/31/2009 6:51:14 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Glenn
How about queer NASCAR drivers? Why aren’t we hearing more about them?

(Southern)That's 'cause they ain't none, son! 'Course I wonder about that Gordon fella....(/Southern)

33 posted on 10/31/2009 6:55:03 AM PDT by hoagy62 (Obama: slowly sucking the positive attitude out of the US since 11-4-08)
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To: Dr. Ursus

The most famous-Donovan McNabb!

I was hoping someone else would add him to the list. I’m, to some degree, a location-motivated Eagles fan, but Andy Reid just doesn’t seem to have the creativity and originality to direct and optimize the talent on his team, and Rush was right about that over-rated, aging, Irish-Scotsman quarterback.


34 posted on 10/31/2009 6:58:23 AM PDT by flowerplough ( Pennsylvania today - New New Jersey meets North West Virginia.)
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To: I_Like_Spam

I suspect that professional wrestling also has a significant homosexual demographic in its fan base—certainly in comparison to other sports. It’s not much of a stretch that the athletes would be more open about it.


35 posted on 10/31/2009 6:59:02 AM PDT by Burkean
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To: Reaganesque
How could any sport be homophobic that has as an on field position called “tight end?”

Or "wide receiver?"

36 posted on 10/31/2009 6:59:21 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (You must choose ... death, or bulunga.)
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To: Zakeet

Action is needed. The NFL should start wearing pink shoes!!


37 posted on 10/31/2009 7:01:09 AM PDT by Tribune7 (I am Joe Wilson!)
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To: Past Your Eyes
These are the more seasoned players. :-)
38 posted on 10/31/2009 7:02:20 AM PDT by verity (Obama Lies)
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To: flowerplough

NE pa. born-Lifetime Phillies fan,but lifetime Giants fan.
Seriously, the black community both male and females don’t
like homosexuals especially black ones that’s why its called
“ON the Down Lo” in the black community.


39 posted on 10/31/2009 7:04:25 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: Zakeet
it’s so crippling to someone who is going to work knowing there is no support in their organization.

What were you planning to do at work that would require "support" for your homosexuality? (Not sure I want to know, but sure I wouldn't approve.)

I'm nostalgic for the days of Oscar Wilde's The Portrait of Dorian Gray. The "love that dare not speak its name" has become the love that won't shut the h*** up. There's nothing more disgusting than a 300-pound whiner.

40 posted on 10/31/2009 7:06:31 AM PDT by SamuraiScot
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