Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker’s commencement speech has reached a new level

[MillennialModerate]

The Superbowl had the highest viewership of anything since the Moon Landing, you don’t get those numbers without universal appeal.

Um, that probably had to do something with the current girlfriend of a certain player.

Yes - that didn’t hurt but it was a GREAT matchup. An absolutely loaded team against a team trying to become the first repeat champ since the (first) dynastic Patriots run. And a QB trying to become the GOATNNTB (Greatest of All Time Not Named Tom Brady) and I think the game being in Vegas added to its appeal as well…. music was a letdown though

[MasterJedi]

The Superbowl had the highest viewership of anything since the Moon Landing, you don’t get those numbers without universal appeal.

Um, that probably had to do something with the current girlfriend of a certain player.

Yes - that didn’t hurt but it was a GREAT matchup. An absolutely loaded team against a team trying to become the first repeat champ since the (first) dynastic Patriots run. And a QB trying to become the GOATNNTB (Greatest of All Time Not Named Tom Brady) and I think the game being in Vegas added to its appeal as well…. music was a letdown though

The “great matchup” that was bitched about by those fans since apparently “nobody” wanted it.

[Torie]

Gay bashing always is going to be noticed  around here.  

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

Most of Butker's speech was NOT about what people are talking about here.

Most of it was a discussion of specifically Catholic issues to a particularly CATHOLIC audience.  This was Benedictine College, a small liberal arts college sponsored by a particular Catholic order, as opposed to more secularized Catholic universities.  Butker spoke at length about matters such as:

**Talking about the idea that a Catholic Priest should be an authoritative figure, not a friend or pal.  Now this is a very "Catholic" idea; the Priest's role is modeled far more after the Old Testament Priests and not the 1st century church, but it's consistent with a Church that has a top-down hierarchy and a Magesterium (teaching office) that is there to, essentially, tell the flock, "THIS is the Apostolic Faith, and not THAT!". 

**Suggesting that HOW people worship is important to God.  Now Butker is a proponent of Traditional Latin Mass, and I'm not, but he pointed out that in the Old Testament God set forth a specific way in which He wished to be worshipped.  I'm not a TLM person (indeed, I'm not a Catholic), but that's far from a ridiculous idea.

**He called out prominent Catholics for living in opposition to the faith while insisting that they are Catholic.  Biden, of course, the guy that made the sign of the Cross as a pro-choice event, was an example he used, but he raised the issue of whether or not one can be a Catholic and live at odds with the Faith.

**He made a courageous comment regarding the Church ceasing activity during COVID-19 that I agree with wholeheartedly, as a Pentecostal who watched Churches cancel Healing Services during the Pandemic:

As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, church leaders leaned into their vocations, and ensured that their people received the sacraments. Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally, it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.

Is this un-Christian?

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Much comment has been made on the role of women in the view of Butker.  One thing I will say unequivocally is that a great many women would absolutely love to stay home with their children in their formative years, but do not believe that they can afford to.  He talks about his wife not only being a mother, but part of an at-home business.  He wishes to see society place importance and dignity on motherhood, and I'm at an age where I see people who didn't put enough effort into being parents having regrets.  I'll quote Proverbs 31:10-31 and you can tell me if they're describing a barefoot, pregnant airhead:

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I will also say this:  In the aggregate, children from two (2) parent intact families that stay together have the best outcomes in terms of accomplishment and happiness.  I've been posting on that since I came here, and I stand by this.  Butker makes far more sense on the topic of marriage and family than his critics do.

[Continential]

Perhaps an even more telling- even saddening - demonstration of how popular butker's views are. His T-shirt is now the highest selling one in the NFL store.

I think part of that is that sports in general is turning into a clique for reactionary bearded men. Even real sports like football seem to be turning into MMA or NASCAR in terms of the type of fandom it attracts.

It doesn't help that football is horribly boring to watch now because of the penalties and commercial breaks. You'd have to be pretty weird to enjoy watching two hours of commercial breaks and another hour of watching people stand around waiting for the official review of every other play.


I also forgot to mention it's extremely expensive. You'd have to be a total asshole to waste money going to a game in person at this point, and you have to have cable or premium streaming services to watch everything. It's a mess.

This is false lol . The NFL just recorded its 2nd highest average ratings ever last season so it’s just as popular as it ever was . The fact is conservatives, liberals have both attacked the nfl constantly but in reality it has done nothing to dent the NFL’s popularity .

Also it’s false to say you need cable to watch the NFL as at least 90% of NFL games are broadcast on CBS NBC or Fox all of which you only need an antenna to watch .

https://fortune.com/2024/01/10/nfl-ratings-tv-second-highest-ever-football/

The ratings may not be declining, but the types of people watching it have definitely changed. Fewer and fewer young people care about sports and, regardless of what the ratings say, a lot of people who used to watch football regularly have given up on it. Not for political reasons, but because the experience is terrible. Nonstop commercials, nonstop penalties, nonstop official reviews, and it is less accessible than it used to be. "You only need an antenna to watch." Lol.

You should visit a game of your Cornhuskers in your native Nebraska where there exists the longest sellout streak in college sport history. I'd imagine plenty of young people there.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I got my Chiefs ring today and this is Mahomes team not the kicker team

[DaleCooper]

Perhaps an even more telling- even saddening - demonstration of how popular butker's views are. His T-shirt is now the highest selling one in the NFL store.

I think part of that is that sports in general is turning into a clique for reactionary bearded men. Even real sports like football seem to be turning into MMA or NASCAR in terms of the type of fandom it attracts.

It doesn't help that football is horribly boring to watch now because of the penalties and commercial breaks. You'd have to be pretty weird to enjoy watching two hours of commercial breaks and another hour of watching people stand around waiting for the official review of every other play.


I also forgot to mention it's extremely expensive. You'd have to be a total asshole to waste money going to a game in person at this point, and you have to have cable or premium streaming services to watch everything. It's a mess.

This is false lol . The NFL just recorded its 2nd highest average ratings ever last season so it’s just as popular as it ever was . The fact is conservatives, liberals have both attacked the nfl constantly but in reality it has done nothing to dent the NFL’s popularity .

Also it’s false to say you need cable to watch the NFL as at least 90% of NFL games are broadcast on CBS NBC or Fox all of which you only need an antenna to watch .

https://fortune.com/2024/01/10/nfl-ratings-tv-second-highest-ever-football/

The ratings may not be declining, but the types of people watching it have definitely changed. Fewer and fewer young people care about sports and, regardless of what the ratings say, a lot of people who used to watch football regularly have given up on it. Not for political reasons, but because the experience is terrible. Nonstop commercials, nonstop penalties, nonstop official reviews, and it is less accessible than it used to be. "You only need an antenna to watch." Lol.

You should visit a game of your Cornhuskers in your native Nebraska where there exists the longest sellout streak in college sport history. I'd imagine plenty of young people there.

I've been to dozens of Husker games and those have declined significantly too. Fewer people (especially young people) care than at any point in my lifetime and the games are miserable to attend now for the reasons I mentioned in previous posts. There are too many boosters willing to set their money on fire so I doubt the streak will end, but I'd be surprised if that sellout streak isn't artificially maintained soon if it isn't already. Obviously part of that is because the team is embarrassingly bad right now, so I didn't think it would be fair to bring up.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

This story is really just culture war churn peddled by nefarious actors who want to spread hatred.

Another great example of media outlets trying to keep this week-old story alive is NPR, whose headline at the top of their feed when I just checked was:

Some NFL fans see disparities in its responses to Harrison Butker and Colin Kaepernick

This kind of lazy journalism shouldn't be rewarded with clicks so I haven't (won't) read the article, but who are these fans? How many of them? What differences are there, and could any of them possibly be explained by the fact that these two incidents occurred a decade apart? I'm pretty sure it's going to be another article that cites tweets and talks to professor ideologues. This headline basically reads like something Trump would say at a rally ("many people are saying...")

This whole story is like catnip to these provocateurs because it gives both sides what they want - ability to arm their own siege mentalities. The sooner people realize this and stop reading or rewarding this kind of garbage (or as some people would say, "touch grass") the better off we will be as a society.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Most of Butker's speech was NOT about what people are talking about here.

Most of it was a discussion of specifically Catholic issues to a particularly CATHOLIC audience. 

Yes, and it was actually significantly worse on the Catholic inside baseball level than it was as generic culture war effluvium.

[Badger]

Most of Butker's speech was NOT about what people are talking about here.

Most of it was a discussion of specifically Catholic issues to a particularly CATHOLIC audience.  This was Benedictine College, a small liberal arts college sponsored by a particular Catholic order, as opposed to more secularized Catholic universities.  Butker spoke at length about matters such as:

**Talking about the idea that a Catholic Priest should be an authoritative figure, not a friend or pal.  Now this is a very "Catholic" idea; the Priest's role is modeled far more after the Old Testament Priests and not the 1st century church, but it's consistent with a Church that has a top-down hierarchy and a Magesterium (teaching office) that is there to, essentially, tell the flock, "THIS is the Apostolic Faith, and not THAT!".  

**Suggesting that HOW people worship is important to God.  Now Butker is a proponent of Traditional Latin Mass, and I'm not, but he pointed out that in the Old Testament God set forth a specific way in which He wished to be worshipped.  I'm not a TLM person (indeed, I'm not a Catholic), but that's far from a ridiculous idea.

**He called out prominent Catholics for living in opposition to the faith while insisting that they are Catholic.  Biden, of course, the guy that made the sign of the Cross as a pro-choice event, was an example he used, but he raised the issue of whether or not one can be a Catholic and live at odds with the Faith.

**He made a courageous comment regarding the Church ceasing activity during COVID-19 that I agree with wholeheartedly, as a Pentecostal who watched Churches cancel Healing Services during the Pandemic:

As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, church leaders leaned into their vocations, and ensured that their people received the sacraments. Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally, it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.

Is this un-Christian?

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Much comment has been made on the role of women in the view of Butker.  One thing I will say unequivocally is that a great many women would absolutely love to stay home with their children in their formative years, but do not believe that they can afford to.  He talks about his wife not only being a mother, but part of an at-home business.  He wishes to see society place importance and dignity on motherhood, and I'm at an age where I see people who didn't put enough effort into being parents having regrets.  I'll quote Proverbs 31:10-31 and you can tell me if they're describing a barefoot, pregnant airhead:

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I will also say this:  In the aggregate, children from two (2) parent intact families that stay together have the best outcomes in terms of accomplishment and happiness.  I've been posting on that since I came here, and I stand by this.  Butker makes far more sense on the topic of marriage and family than his critics do.

 Yes you disingenuous liar. Just read what this conservative Catholic College wrote in response to Butkers BS self-serving sexist double standard masking as Christian piety and you'll see it has nothing to do more than your own keep them women in the kitchen level personal beliefs. Pound salt

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

As I said before the reason why whites like Brady, Butler and Mike Piazza are Rs because of the gun issue they hunt.  So, it's not surprising he said this, BLM is anti Gun because of the George Floyd incide and many don't hunt they Golf.

White baseball players golf too and other athletes but they golf with Trump. Obviously, since Tom Brady is a Trump supporter he golfs with Trump

[Ancestral Republican]

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Kelce put a good spin on his teammate comment you don't have to agree with him but you can just appreciate what he does

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

For the record, I've never said that athletes should just shut up and play sports. 

I will say that Kaepernick and James are full of crap on the issues they push, and they shouldn't be taken seriously on the merits of their arguments, but they are free to make them, and others disagree.

More people here have advocated for Harrison Butker's just shutting up and kicking than the other.  People are obviously free to criticize his views.  His views on marriage and the nuclear family are infinitely more sound than the views of Kaepernick and James because the two-parent nuclear family leads to better outcomes of children.  This is a fact and cannot be reasonably denied. 

I'll say something else:  Butker was talking to Catholics about Catholic issues, criticizing Catholics for some points and calling Catholics to be accountable.  While I don't agree with every point he made, and while I'm not a Catholic, his willingness to take his own to task was refreshing.  I'll not comment on the inability of James and Kaepernick to do the same; that's for another time and another thread.

[Ancestral Republican]

For the record, I've never said that athletes should just shut up and play sports. 

I will say that Kaepernick and James are full of crap on the issues they push, and they shouldn't be taken seriously on the merits of their arguments, but they are free to make them, and others disagree.

More people here have advocated for Harrison Butker's just shutting up and kicking than the other.  People are obviously free to criticize his views.  His views on marriage and the nuclear family are infinitely more sound than the views of Kaepernick and James because the two-parent nuclear family leads to better outcomes of children.  This is a fact and cannot be reasonably denied. 

I'll say something else:  Butker was talking to Catholics about Catholic issues, criticizing Catholics for some points and calling Catholics to be accountable.  While I don't agree with every point he made, and while I'm not a Catholic, his willingness to take his own to task was refreshing.  I'll not comment on the inability of James and Kaepernick to do the same; that's for another time and another thread.

Yes, we know you are the guy in the meme.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Butker's speech wasn't just sexist; it was anti-Semitic, homophobic, and conspiratorial.

It's funny how the media only focused on the parts he said about women but not the other parts as well (which should also have gotten attention).

[Anti-Trump Truth Socialite JD Vance Enjoying Juror]

How is this thread 4 pages?

This story seems to be "NFL player gives speech and says things that some people don't like"

You posted 50 times in a thread about someone making a pair of shoes you didn't like

[HisGrace]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

And LOL at the suggestion at the top of this page that this will have any impact on Super Bowl ratings. You guys have no idea what a big deal the Super Bowl is in normieville. Legit might be the second biggest day of the year besides Christmas.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I have already moved on from this speech he is a white Republican athlete no different than Mike Piazza wearing a Trump hat. Most white athletes are Rs anyways because they hunt or play golf and Hockey players have been known to golf with Trump, belong to country club Trump golf clubs. Tom Brady golfs with Trump

The only reason why Blk athletes are D because of gun violence towards George Floyd

This speech just exacerbated that divide from blk and white athletes but white actors like Jim Carey are D due to Wayans Bros In living colors

[Ancestral Republican]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

"Muh both sides. Of course da libs are whining about telling women they should stay in the kitchen and Pride Month is evil, those are roughly equivalent to opposing police brutality in my eyes"

[OSR stands with Israel]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

"Muh both sides. Of course da libs are whining about telling women they should stay in the kitchen and Pride Month is evil, those are roughly equivalent to opposing police brutality in my eyes"

The difference is Kap did his protest on the field itself and gave the NFL a massive headache by doing so . NFL ratings actually did fall a lot in 2016-17 which was the peak of the kneeling controversy which is why he ended up not getting signed by any team .

https://www.statista.com/statistics/289979/nfl-number-of-tv-viewers-usa/

[Ancestral Republican]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

"Muh both sides. Of course da libs are whining about telling women they should stay in the kitchen and Pride Month is evil, those are roughly equivalent to opposing police brutality in my eyes"

The difference is Kap did his protest on the field itself and gave the NFL a massive headache by doing so . NFL ratings actually did fall a lot in 2016-17 which was the peak of the kneeling controversy which is why he ended up not getting signed by any team .

https://www.statista.com/statistics/289979/nfl-number-of-tv-viewers-usa/

That validates the veracity of the meme.

[OSR stands with Israel]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

"Muh both sides. Of course da libs are whining about telling women they should stay in the kitchen and Pride Month is evil, those are roughly equivalent to opposing police brutality in my eyes"

The difference is Kap did his protest on the field itself and gave the NFL a massive headache by doing so . NFL ratings actually did fall a lot in 2016-17 which was the peak of the kneeling controversy which is why he ended up not getting signed by any team .

https://www.statista.com/statistics/289979/nfl-number-of-tv-viewers-usa/

That validates the veracity of the meme.

No it does not . Butker did not say this at an NFL press conference or start saying he won’t stand for the national anthem before each game during this so the two situations aren’t comparable at all .

You can compare the reaction to what LeBron said but not Kap as Kap did his protest during work time which is obviously a bigger no no regardless of what was being said .

[HisGrace]

As with just about all partisan "double standard" accusations you could say the same thing in reverse. The people who thought it was "great for athletes to be bigger than their sport and speak out on issues they're passionate about" seem to like that a lot less when socially conservative Catholics do it.

"Muh both sides. Of course da libs are whining about telling women they should stay in the kitchen and Pride Month is evil, those are roughly equivalent to opposing police brutality in my eyes"

You're not really disagreeing with me. You like players speaking out when they agree with you, but not when they disagree with you which is the same position you're criticizing conservatives for having. The "free speech" defenses of Kaepernick weren't really why they supported him, it was just because they agreed with him.

Also not really sure where he told women to "stay in the kitchen" he just said being a parent was important, which wouldn't have been remotely noteworthy or controversial if he said it about men. This whole thing is a nothingburger, was expecting it to be so much worse when I looked at what he said based on the reaction to it. If anything the reaction proves that it needed to be said.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I'd really rather people not be writing off Butker as "a conservative Catholic," as if what he said is representative of Catholic opinion (even in a country like the United States that has a frankly pretty reactionary local Church). The people I know who were most immediately and personally horrified by this speech were fervent Catholics and, in particular, fervently Catholic women.