Brendon Ayanbadejo tackles the subject of gay marriage

[Brock Beauchamp]

Which prompts a Maryland Congressman to tell the Ravens to keep their employees quiet, which spurs this very NSFW letter from Chris Kluwe:

 

http://deadspin.com/5941348/they-wont-magically-turn-you-into-a-lustful-cockmonster-chris-kluwe-explains-gay-marriage-to-the-politician-who-is-offended-by-an-nfl-player-supporting-it

 

I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. Mr. Kluwe deserves a slow clap for this masterpiece of a rant.

[PseudoSABR]

Beautiful Oppressionism. Ha!

 

That was great. Good for Kluwe.

[gunnarthor]

I'm actually quite impressed by both football players. Good for them and remember to vote no! this November. Also, feel free to give money to groups http://www.aclu-mn.org/ and http://mnunited.org/ that are working on the equality issues.

[biggentleben]

Kluwe 1, Maryland Congressman 0

 

Beautiful work by Kluwe...just wow. Beautiful.

[TheLeviathan]

Probably not effective, but damn sure entertaining.

[Squirrel]

This is all kinds of awesome on so many levels.

[DaveW]

Probably not effective, but damn sure entertaining.

 

It already got 1.2 million reads on Deadspin within the first 20 hours and MSNBC interviewed him last night as well. I'm pretty sure this is the largest story deadspin has had since the Favre Scandal.

 

Kluwe is awesome, after his career I hope he writes somewhere. His live chat on deadspin a month or two ago was golden.

[Joe]

Probably not effective, but damn sure entertaining.

 

It already got 1.2 million reads on Deadspin within the first 20 hours and MSNBC interviewed him last night as well. I'm pretty sure this is the largest story deadspin has had since the Favre Scandal.

 

Kluwe is awesome, after his career I hope he writes somewhere. His live chat on deadspin a month or two ago was golden.

 

I have no doubt he will become some sort of writer. While I don't think he has been on much lately, Kluwe is/was a fixture on the Half-Assed morning show sports segment since becoming a Viking. His wit is uncanny for sure. You can tell the guy is pretty sharp as well.

[Bark's Lounge]

One thing for sure is Chris Kluwe is definitely a character. His letter was passion charged, witty and of course very profane. I have no problem with it as that is the criteria that brings me enjoyment with the written word and of course I share the same belief on the same sex marriage issue with Kluwe. If I was to have any issues with it, it would be a scenario where his letter had an impact on a voter who was on the fence, trying to juggle their religious morality with their social/human rights responsibility and chose the former, rather than the latter because of his letter to Emmett Burns Jr.

 

Other than that...

 

Chris Kluwe - Great Job!!!

[TheLeviathan]

Probably not effective, but damn sure entertaining.

 

It already got 1.2 million reads on Deadspin within the first 20 hours and MSNBC interviewed him last night as well. I'm pretty sure this is the largest story deadspin has had since the Favre Scandal.

 

Kluwe is awesome, after his career I hope he writes somewhere. His live chat on deadspin a month or two ago was golden.

 

The people entertained by this don't need convincing. This won't be effective because no one on the other side of the aisle is going to take is seriously or be persuaded by it. The effort was fantastic for what it was, but it's not going to accomplish a damn thing.

[snepp]

The people entertained by this don't need convincing. This won't be effective because no one on the other side of the aisle is going to take is seriously or be persuaded by it. The effort was fantastic for what it was, but it's not going to accomplish a damn thing.

 

Party pooper.

[fatbeer]

Which prompts a Maryland Congressman to tell the Ravens to keep their employees quiet, which spurs this very NSFW letter from Chris Kluwe:

 

http://deadspin.com/5941348/they-wont-magically-turn-you-into-a-lustful-cockmonster-chris-kluwe-explains-gay-marriage-to-the-politician-who-is-offended-by-an-nfl-player-supporting-it

 

I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. Mr. Kluwe deserves a slow clap for this masterpiece of a rant.

 

When you have people like Chris Kluwe and John Kriesel on your side it makes it really hard to vote no. If your under 40 and hate gay people you suck at life. That being said Chris Kluwe sucks at life.

[fatbeer]

Has anyone ever told Kluwe he's a punter?

[Brock Beauchamp]

The people entertained by this don't need convincing. This won't be effective because no one on the other side of the aisle is going to take is seriously or be persuaded by it. The effort was fantastic for what it was, but it's not going to accomplish a damn thing.

 

Who cares? Sometimes, people just need to stand up and call the douchebags out for being, well, douchebags. If we can shame just one of these bastards into shutting up, it's a small victory. If not, at least we all got a good laugh from it.

[TheLeviathan]

Who cares? Sometimes, people just need to stand up and call the douchebags out for being, well, douchebags. If we can shame just one of these bastards into shutting up, it's a small victory. If not, at least we all got a good laugh from it.

 

Dave's response is indicative of why it's worth pointing out.

[biggentleben]

The people entertained by this don't need convincing. This won't be effective because no one on the other side of the aisle is going to take is seriously or be persuaded by it. The effort was fantastic for what it was, but it's not going to accomplish a damn thing.

 

Who cares? Sometimes, people just need to stand up and call the douchebags out for being, well, douchebags. If we can shame just one of these bastards into shutting up, it's a small victory. If not, at least we all got a good laugh from it.

 

Does that include those d-bags participating in this thread? Just saying....

[fatbeer]

I like the fact that nobody covering this story is mentioning the guy is a Democrat. As a Republican on the vote no side this kind of media bias will make my decision in the ballot booth harder then it should be.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I like the fact that nobody covering this story is mentioning the guy is a Democrat. As a Republican on the vote no side this kind of media bias will make my decision in the ballot booth harder then it should be.

 

It sounds to me like you're making up excuses to vote "yes". Since when does "media bias" change your personal conviction? Are you that easily swayed by what others have to say that you take umbrage over the fact that a rant by a football player didn't address party affiliation?

 

Democrats can be just as douchey as Republicans. I don't see anyone here arguing that point.

[DaveW]

Who cares? Sometimes, people just need to stand up and call the douchebags out for being, well, douchebags. If we can shame just one of these bastards into shutting up, it's a small victory. If not, at least we all got a good laugh from it.

 

Dave's response is indicative of why it's worth pointing out.

I dunno, its got over 2 million reads now, I'm sure there are plenty of people on the "fence" about Gay marriage. Who knows if this Ayanbadejo/Kluwe thing is tipping point for some of those folks.

[fatbeer]

The amendment doesn't change a thing in reality. If the pro rights side is going to hurt Republicans chances of winning elections by stereotyping them as anti gay while not pointing out other groups that nearly always oppose their rights it won't be nearly as easy to vote my convictions.

 

And the "sounds like you're" stuff can end now buddy. You've crossed the line with me one to many times.

[Brock Beauchamp]

The amendment doesn't change a thing in reality. If the pro rights side is going to hurt Republicans chances of winning elections by stereotyping them as anti gay while not pointing out other groups that nearly always oppose their rights it won't be nearly as easy to vote my convictions.

 

I don't know about "nearly always oppose their rights". There are Democrats against gay marriage, sure. Thankfully, that number is dropping (I'm sure it is in the Republican camp as well but those candidates have a tougher road to admitting it because of the GOP's policy). Either way, I don't know how that changes what you believe to be the right thing. Just because both sides have their examples of douchebaggery doesn't mean that it's suddenly okay to act that way.

 

And the "sounds like you're" stuff can end now buddy. You've crossed the line with me one to many times.

 

I'm not the one waffling on personal conviction because politicians across the aisle say stupid things. And I don't even know how I've "crossed the line" but that's not a debate to be made on the forums. If you have issues with my past moderation, PM me (or another admin) about it. Thinly veiled threats aren't going to score you points with anyone.

[TheLeviathan]

dunno, its got over 2 million reads now, I'm sure there are plenty of people on the "fence" about Gay marriage. Who knows if this Ayanbadejo/Kluwe thing is tipping point for some of those folks.

 

Cockmonsters and the rest of his verbage is not the means to change minds. In fact, I'd argue this sort of thing is highly counter productive compared to letting someone's attempt to squelch free speech stand for the offensiveness that it is. Now that is lost in the shuffle of this gag, hilarious as it may be.

[fatbeer]

Thinly veiled threats aren't going to score you points with anyone.

 

I never make threats I simply state my opinion. I've learned from you that when there is an issue we post it from within the threads, and I happen to have an issue with you are statements that insult me.

 

As for the specific issue that opposes gay rights it's African Americans and it's way worse then Republicans, and if we can't have the discussion about black people who hate gays we have a problem.

[fatbeer]

My big problem is this is Kluwe, and his complete lack of the ability to make a point without being an idiot and offending people. This amendment will pass this fall in large part because those in favor of it are unwilling to fight for the support of Republicans. If this was simply about gay rights then the vote would be simple, but the pro no side has made it about so much more. As a Republican who wants to vote no (again on something that will not result in any change), I need to know that the other side is not trashing Republicans in the process. You can't trash everything I believe in and get my vote. Politics is way to important to let the other side get away with this crap.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Chris Kluwe is freaking HILARIOUS. Big thumbs up to this follow-up post about his letter:

 

http://blogs.twincities.com/outofbounds/2012/09/08/out-of-bounds-blog-no-8-inquisitive-kitten-pawing-at-yarn/

[Brock Beauchamp]

As for the specific issue that opposes gay rights it's African Americans and it's way worse then Republicans, and if we can't have the discussion about black people who hate gays we have a problem.

 

The fact that the black vote heavily favors bans on gay marriage saddens me to no end. It's so hypocritical that I sit there in stunned silence every time I see an example of it. I don't know how to describe it beyond that.

[biggentleben]

It sounds to me like you're making up excuses to vote "yes". Since when does "media bias" change your personal conviction? Are you that easily swayed by what others have to say that you take umbrage over the fact that a rant by a football player didn't address party affiliation?

 

Do you really even need to ask that?

[fatbeer]

It sounds to me like you're making up excuses to vote "yes". Since when does "media bias" change your personal conviction? Are you that easily swayed by what others have to say that you take umbrage over the fact that a rant by a football player didn't address party affiliation?

 

Do you really even need to ask that?

 

Is he just a football player the same way Sandra Fluke was just a college student? First of all Kluwe is a punter not a football player, second of all he's been a loudmouth jerk for years now. I'll vote no because it's the right thing to do, but Yes will win because of people like Kluwe who want to throw it in peoples faces. By the way Kluwe might want to learn what the 1st amendment means. If I was the NFL I'd start finning Kluwe until he learns how to make his point in a PG 13 way.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Is he just a football player the same way Sandra Fluke was just a college student?

 

I have no idea what that even means.

 

First of all Kluwe is a punter not a football player, second of all he's been a loudmouth jerk for years now. I'll vote no because it's the right thing to do, but Yes will win because of people like Kluwe who want to throw it in peoples faces. By the way Kluwe might want to learn what the 1st amendment means. If I was the NFL I'd start finning Kluwe until he learns how to make his point in a PG 13 way.

 

I'm pretty sure Kluwe knows what the First Amendment means. He wasn't saying that the Ravens (the employer) couldn't tell Brendon to be quiet, he said that it was inappropriate for an elected official to tell a citizen to sit down and shut up just because he's a football player. There's a significant difference between those two things.

 

And I think Minnesota is going to vote this amendment down. The polls are showing a significant reversal on gay marriage in the past year.

 

And I love the "throws it in peoples' faces" line. As if the Religious Right isn't "throwing it in peoples' faces" by making gay marriage Double Secret Illegal in Minnesota or by routinely telling gay people that they're abominations and that they're going to hell. Nope, that's not inflammatory at all.

[biggentleben]

Is he just a football player the same way Sandra Fluke was just a college student? First of all Kluwe is a punter not a football player, second of all he's been a loudmouth jerk for years now. I'll vote no because it's the right thing to do, but Yes will win because of people like Kluwe who want to throw it in peoples faces. By the way Kluwe might want to learn what the 1st amendment means. If I was the NFL I'd start finning Kluwe until he learns how to make his point in a PG 13 way.

 

Kluwe is a football player who also is vocal about a cause he believes in. If you want to equate that to Sandra Fluke, then sure, he's more than "just" a football player, and thank God he is! Too many football players attempt to fit to the thug, womanizing, uneducated stereotype that many have of professional football players.

 

Kluwe is a punter AND a football player. One of the best athletes on the Gophers when I was part of the squad was Preston Gruening, who happened to be a punter. I had a high school teacher who went to three training camps as a punter before being cut each time, and he was one of the most athletic men I've ever met. Most special teams guys put in as much practice or more than any other player on the team to master their craft of the game. Calling Kluwe a punter, not a football player would be akin to saying Peyton Manning is a thrower, not a football player. It shows incredible ignorance of what goes into the game.

 

Kluwe's language would barely get bleeped on network TV most evenings, so before you go high and mighty about the language, evaluate the point behind the comment. And he had no violation of the first amendment, so you may want to brush up on the amendment yourself.