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NFL's Matt Birk: Let's protect marriage -- and speech
Mpls Star Tribune ^ | 9/30/12 | Matt Birk

Posted on 09/30/2012 2:57:41 PM PDT by rhema

It should come as no surprise that the National Football League supports the right of its players to share their opinions on important public matters, nor should it come as a surprise that I personally support my colleagues' rights to voice their opinions.

But the conversation during the last few weeks on the subject of same-sex marriage has told a different story -- one that appears to be drawing a false connection between supporting true American values like free speech and the institution of marriage, our most fundamental and important social institution.

I think it is important to set the record straight about what the marriage debate is and is not about, and to clarify that not all NFL players think redefining marriage is a good thing.

The union of a man and a woman is privileged and recognized by society as "marriage" for a reason, and it's not because the government has a vested interest in celebrating the love between two people. With good reason, government recognizes marriages and gives them certain legal benefits so they can provide a stable, nurturing environment for the next generation of citizens: our kids.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: Maryland; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: athletes; baltimoreravens; gaymarriage; homosexualagenda; marriageamendment; mattbirk; md2012; moralabsolutes; nfl

1 posted on 09/30/2012 2:57:46 PM PDT by rhema
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To: rhema

Way to Matt and Go Ravens!!


2 posted on 09/30/2012 2:59:37 PM PDT by DarthVader (Politicians govern out of self interest, Statesmen govern for a Vision greater than themselves)
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To: DarthVader
Birk is the reasoned antidote to the Vikings' petulant, profane Chris Kluwe.
3 posted on 09/30/2012 3:05:50 PM PDT by rhema ("Break the conventions; keep the commandments." -- G. K. Chesterton)
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To: rhema

Harvard man.


4 posted on 09/30/2012 3:30:31 PM PDT by pie_eater
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To: rhema

They will find a way to punish this guy


5 posted on 09/30/2012 3:39:14 PM PDT by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: rhema

God bless him. Hope he has political ambitions in the future.


6 posted on 09/30/2012 3:57:52 PM PDT by peggybac (Hope and Change has become Divide and Conquer)
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To: DarthVader

I am sending the whole team chic-fila


7 posted on 09/30/2012 4:05:28 PM PDT by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
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To: rhema

Great arguments——nothing more selfish and ugly than homosexual behavior-—really dehumanizing and debasing. To force Vice through Law removes Virtue from “Justice”——it is irrational and unconstitutional since US Laws HAVE to be Just Law to be Constitutional. Forcing Vice as “good” can not happen if we follow the Supreme Law where Rights come from God —not Barney Frank.

To raise children in such a society which throws out the Laws of Nature and nature’s God will be regressive-—back to the days of the Ancient Greeks (or to today’s Afghanis)-—where human dignity and worth were never absolute-—where little boys are used as recreation and lust and women are used as breeders, babies have no Natural Right to both a biological mother and father.

Very sick, brutal, evil, dehumanizing societies.


8 posted on 09/30/2012 4:10:09 PM PDT by savagesusie (Right Reason According to Nature = Just Law)
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To: savagesusie

Amen & Amen!

“Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD; Praise the LORD.” (Psalms 15:6)

“RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTETH A NATION” (Proverbs 14:34a)


9 posted on 09/30/2012 5:53:36 PM PDT by Letmarch75 ( If a man knows the right way to live and does not live it, there is no greater coward).)
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To: rhema

Maybe he can talk some sense to his teammate Brendan Ayanbedajo who is strongly for same sex marriage.


10 posted on 09/30/2012 5:55:43 PM PDT by NotSoFreeStater (If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice)
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To: DarthVader

Go Matt, boo Ravens.


11 posted on 09/30/2012 5:56:45 PM PDT by NotSoFreeStater (If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice)
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To: NotSoFreeStater

A Steelers fan I bet.


12 posted on 09/30/2012 6:33:19 PM PDT by DarthVader (Politicians govern out of self interest, Statesmen govern for a Vision greater than themselves)
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To: DarthVader
Way to Matt and Go Ravens!!

Just so you know, I don't like the Baltimore Ravens.

It has nothing to do with their won/loss record. It has nothing to do with the fact that Baltimore is close enough to Washington, D.C. that the grunge wears off on them. It has nothing to do with the NFL, or that footballs are not round, or that it hurts when you get tackled by a 285 pound defender and you weigh only 140, or that those guys in stripes keep throwing their snot rags on the playing field, or anything like that.

It has to do with the fact that I am from Ohio.

Now for those of you who do follow the NFL and have for a while, I have said all I need to and you have already filled in the remainder of the story. For those of you who are still scratching your heads, I will mention two more words that you can Google and that will give you the pertinent background information: Art Modell.

I am also not a fan of the Mpls Star Tribune which is, as are most members of the liberal press, a waste of good trees. (My experience with that rag comes from having at one time in the past spent some college time in St. Paul.) Sometimes though, even if it is only the 'stopped clock is right twice a day' thing I come across an item that allows me to set aside for a moment those things that would normally cause me to ignore anything that mentioned Baltimore Ravens, or the Star Tribune.

This linked article is one of those items. I have sent the link to my email list.

13 posted on 09/30/2012 8:40:20 PM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: All

Great to see players not afraid of PC and coming out as a Traditional American.

Nice job, Birk.


14 posted on 10/01/2012 1:45:39 AM PDT by rbmillerjr (Conservative Economic and National Security Commentary: econus.blogspot.com)
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