Jerk Kicker
Photo by Ben Hershey
Harrison Butker has been in the news recently over comments he made while providing a commencement address for Benedictine College. Benedictine is a small Catholic based school in Atchison, Kansas, which a total enrollment of approximately 2000 students and about a 50/50 mix of women to men.
Why they asked Harrison Butker to speak is beyond me. He has been the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs for the past seven or eight seasons which begs the question, so what? That means nothing towards why he should address your commencement in the first place. Benedictine refers to itself as a community of Faith and Scholarship. It can be considered to be part of a larger conservative movement in the Catholic church. This movement uses things such as traditional Latin mass and has all night prayer vigils along with a strict code of conduct. Maybe that is why Butker was asked to speak. A US college with backwards views asks a young professional athlete who thinks like a dinosaur to address a graduating class in 2024. A perfect match.
Butker, is clearly a misogynist and homophobic asshole. His views are both archaic and insulting. It is 2024 and we do not have room for this type of thought anymore. Sometimes I wonder why we still have so many problems in this world and then I see something like this and it all comes back into focus. His views do not promote anything or anyone. They just keep people down.
Some of the filth he spews out in this address are his warnings of “dangerous gender ideologies centered around Pride month”.
“Not the deadly sins sort of Pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”
Butker also said women should prioritize their “vocation” as mothers, wives and homemakers.
Pope Francis who is the recognized leader of the Catholic Church has begun to change the way the Church views homosexuality. Over the last decade he has tried to soften a stance that has shifted the Church’s tone and ideas on this issue. Pope Francis has even authorized the blessings of same sex couples. He wants “respect compassion and sensitivity” and “unjust discrimination” is to be avoided. He has said, “God made you like this. God loves you like this.”
I am actually shocked that the Benedictine College actually admits women in the first place. Think about approximately 1000 women who come to college to learn and pursue their dreams. Maybe some women would like to pursue careers in science or business. Others might be future doctors or writers. Yet Butker would see them all in a home raising children folding clothes and cooking meals. Forget about the four years of college that they have worked hard to finish and whatever other dreams they might have. I am sure that they all considered themselves future homemakers and baby producers that do not have opinions nor are they allowed to pursue goals.
Some of Butker’s more famous teammates have spoken out that they do not believe in his ideas. The team has come out saying that they do not support his views either. But is that enough? What if Butker spoke out against Black Lives Matter or Latin people in the US? The player, most likely, would be fired. Would the reaction have been the same?
Women have been looked down upon and ignored by the NFL for as long as there has been football in this country. They are finally starting to take violence against women seriously although there is still far to go on that front. Pro Football cannot muzzle Butker but to not come out and slam this man openly is a disgrace. Even though they stay hidden, there are gay players in the NFL. Statistically, there must 5-10% of the players are gay. Not forgetting the thousands of fans that spend thousands of dollars each season that identify as LGBTQ+ members. Are we supporting them in any way? And to that I have to ask why not? Are they not people too?
I consider Butker to be less than human. He is an asshole and it is sad that the being an NFL player has given him a louder voice in this world.
The NFL does not support anyone except their own profit margins. Screw everything and everyone else.
