Thread: Torrii Hunter: Homophobe

Originally Posted by Tuba

I hate to break this to you but this is how most professional athletes feel.

Did you actually read the article. Thats the whole point. In a society where homosexuals are becoming more accepted, professional sports is one area where gays are hardly welcome.

I'm not sure what's worse, Hunter being a douchebag homophobe, or the people defending him.

Yes this is a fairly common attitude in professional sports and Hunter is certainly not alone. I have a hard time believing, however, that pro athletes are much worse in this regard than any other group of people who have strong "religious" upbringings and no real reason to care about changing their attitudes about things (stuck on sports autopilot starting from an early age, then come into a lot of money, etc.).

Originally Posted by snepp

I'm not sure what's worse, Hunter being a douchebag homophobe, or the people defending him.

Standard "right to his opinion" fare. Total garbage.

Society is turning the corner very slowly. We proved that in MN a few months ago by voting down the amendment to outlaw gay marriage and amen to that. I do not agree with him at all and still I will not expect everybody to automatically be on board. His comments on this issue did seem fairly mild to me and they seem like an opportunity. To blast him and call him a bigot vs. calmly pointing out why his comments hold no water seems counterproductive. A largely emotional response might be the bigger enemy.

Well he is a bigot, sorry if that hurts some of your sensible feelings or whatever. But if it quacks like a duck, etc etc

Originally Posted by Shane Wahl

Standard "right to his opinion" fare. Total garbage.

Well....it is America. He does have a right to be a douchebag. And you have a right to call him a douchebag for it. That isn't a defense of Torii....it's the truth. Nothing garbage about it. I completely disagree with his ignorant opinion, but he has a right to have it. Just like you do yours.

Hunter's opinion on this is not unpopular.

Nishioka > Hunter

Ultima... My name is Mike Sixel...there, not anonymous.

For those of you saying he has a right to an opinion, replace gay with "Mexican" and defend your argument. Please. I'm dying to see you do it.

(and if you say it's not the same, it IS. The exact same arguments used against gays today were used through the 1960s against people of color).

Intolerance toward the intolerant is the one time it's fine to be intolerant. Say that five times fast.

Originally Posted by Brandon

Homo's practice a behavior that some deem unacceptable. They are not a class of people.

1. Nice use of "homo".

2. Yes. Yes they are a class of people.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

For those of you saying he has a right to an opinion, replace gay with "Mexican" and defend your argument. Please. I'm dying to see you do it.

(and if you say it's not the same, it IS. The exact same arguments used against gays today were used through the 1960s against people of color).

Intolerance toward the intolerant is the one time it's fine to be intolerant. Say that five times fast.

People have a right to think like racists too. What's your point?

I doubt that replacing "gay" with "Mexican" would be any more or less idiotic, and he still has a right to his opinion. In fact, I'm not sure that that changes the analysis at all.

I think (and this is my personal opinion, so feel free to jump down my throat and call me a horrible bigot) that we should just kind of shake our heads and move on. This world is largely populated by idiots, and that's made manifest in constant and varying ways. Instead, we've taken this as an opportunity to engage in a holier-than-thou circle jerk.

Yeah, I disagree with him. That doesn't make me special.

This is a touchy subject and I'm willing to let people speak their minds, even if their viewpoints happen to be as misguided as Hunter's. But referring to gay people as "homo's" is a good way to get your comments deleted and your account in danger of a ban.

Originally Posted by 70charger

I doubt that replacing "gay" with "Mexican" would be any more or less idiotic, and he still has a right to his opinion. In fact, I'm not sure that that changes the analysis at all.

I think (and this is my personal opinion, so feel free to jump down my throat and call me a horrible bigot) that we should just kind of shake our heads and move on. This world is largely populated by idiots, and that's made manifest in constant and varying ways. Instead, we've taken this as an opportunity to engage in a holier-than-thou circle jerk.

Yeah, I disagree with him. That doesn't make me special.

If you replaced "gay" with "Mexican", I'd bet that MLB would immediately bring the hammer down on Hunter.

Just speculation, though...

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

Well....it is America. He does have a right to be a douchebag. And you have a right to call him a douchebag for it. That isn't a defense of Torii....it's the truth. Nothing garbage about it. I completely disagree with his ignorant opinion, but he has a right to have it. Just like you do yours.

I understand the "right to have an opinion" but not all opinions are equal, especially in the case of hate-filled ones. What I mean is that "entitled opinion" often merely leads to agree to disagree discussions. But that isn't aligned, at all, with the pursuit of truth (not capital T Truth, but little t truth). The truth is that there is nothing wrong with being gay. There is no way around that and it isn't simply open for valid disagreement because there is no rational basis whatsoever for the contrary view.

While Hunter's fear of homosexuals is wrong, after reading the article the comments weren't nearly as inflamatory as I was expecting. He said he'd be uncomfortable with openly gay teamates, the comment sounded less hate-filled than the statements that about half of our elected officials make when they are asked to opine on the subject.

I'll offer my own small-minded thought: What do you expect from a guy from Arkansas?

Originally Posted by 70charger

I doubt that replacing "gay" with "Mexican" would be any more or less idiotic, and he still has a right to his opinion. In fact, I'm not sure that that changes the analysis at all.

I think (and this is my personal opinion, so feel free to jump down my throat and call me a horrible bigot) that we should just kind of shake our heads and move on. This world is largely populated by idiots, and that's made manifest in constant and varying ways. Instead, we've taken this as an opportunity to engage in a holier-than-thou circle jerk.

It wouldn't be any more or less idiotic but it puts the argument into far less socially acceptable terms for those that still cling to the "gay people are less than me because I disagree with their lifestyle" camp.

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

This is a touchy subject and I'm willing to let people speak their minds, even if their viewpoints happen to be as misguided as Hunter's. But referring to gay people as "homo's" is a good way to get your comments deleted and your account in danger of a ban.

The preferred nomenclature is Brock1978