1) Jason Collins
At the end of last month, NBA player Jason Collins came out of the closet.
Associated Press/ Micheal Dwyer
Jason Collins
Some have said that Jason Collins was the first NBA player to do so.
But then again, we already had Dennis Rodman who wore women's clothing, publicly fantasized about sleeping with men, but admitted that he has only had sex with women. All this while he was still playing the NBA!
Yahoo
Dennis Rodman
But dont you dare call them soft or "sissy" as many NBA rivals have learned the hard way!
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Because it is rare for a male athlete to openly admit to being gay, some have said Jason Collins is a "hero".
And of course, people get offended of the idea of Jason Collins being a "hero".
Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro was known as saying
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/ben-shapiro-jason-collins-hero_n_3178701.html
"So Jason Collins is a hero because he's gay? Our standard for heroism has dropped quite a bit since Normandy."
Well, nobody said "Jason Collins is a hero because he's gay"
Actually, Jason Collin's bravery is coming out of the closet in a world where homophobic bullying is common!
From MidWeek's sports pundit Steve Murray
http://www.midweek.com/collins-not-a-gay-man-just-a-man/
Phillip Parker was 14 a year old when he hung himself in the bathroom of his foster parents’ home. After years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his classmates, the high-schooler killed himself rather than face the continued torment that comes with being an openly gay male. His final cry for help was found in a nearby wastebasket, “Please help me, mom.”
This is why NBA veteran Jason Collins came out – not because he wanted attention or to flaunt the “gay lifestyle” in front of wholesome Americans and impressionable youths, but because he, like Parker, wants to live his life without prejudice or scorn.
We all do. It’s just much harder when you’re gay.
Ironically, it's the conservative correctness warriors like Ben Shapiro who make Jason Collins look brave.
In fact, when the conservative correctness preachers promote homophobia, that inspires many teenagers (even the ones who could care less about conservative values) to bully students who are (or seem to be) homosexual.
That bullying inspires the victims into self-hatred and even suicide.
I mean, if both the conservative preachers and the your neighborhood thugs are against you, who do you turn for help?
In many communities, the answer is nobody.
And then we're surprised something like this happens
Eric James Borges, a film-maker, speaker and counselor, says in a online video for the “It Gets Better” project that his name wasn’t Eric, but faggot. He was spit on, assaulted, ostracized and thrown out of his family’s home. Months after the video was recorded, Borges, then 19, committed suicide, leaving a note thanking his friends, while noting, “My pain is not caused because I am gay. My pain was caused by how I was treated because I am gay.”(above quote from Steve Murray's article at http://www.midweek.com/collins-not-a-gay-man-just-a-man/)
And more quote from the above article
Homosexuality is not about living one’s life as the outrageous center float in a gay pride parade. Collins came out because he wants to live a normal, open life without the threat of ridicule or judgement.
By going public with his sexuality, Collins further helps disprove the myth of inferiority. Bigotry grows in the silence of fear and ignorance.
Now, I have to admit some guilt in all this! I have said some things I am not proud of! I have occasionally made some homophobic comments when I was younger. Back then, I didn't know anyone who was out of the closet. I was unaware of the internal struggles that many LGBT youth had to deal with!
But now that I know better, I will stand up against homophobia!
Just like the famous quote from Rodney King "cant we all just get along?"
2) Tom Apple
Tom Apple is the chancellor (fancy word for principal) for the UH-Manoa campus
Star Advertiser
Tom Apple
Earlier this week, Tom Apple said this
http://www.kaleo.org/sports/could-uh-athletics-leave-division-i/article_930fd484-b5f6-11e2-9ff7-001a4bcf6878.html
“If we’re not breaking even in three years, I really have to look at whether we will continue Division 1A athletics,” Chancellor Thomas Apple said.
Excuse me?
Your telling us that the flagship university of our state shall be demoted to Division 2?
That's like asking Hawaii's people to accept 2nd class citizenship!We refuse to be treated like 2nd class citizens dammit!
By telling us (and the world) that it's possible that UH athletics could drop out of Division 1 is an early Christmas present to all rival college recruiters!
That's right, all the folks at Fresno State, Stanford, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, BYU, Utah ....................... and on and on ..................... now have a new weapon to use against us when they go out for recruiting!
In other words, Tom Apple's words can have serious ramifications for the UH sports programs. Therefore, Tom Apple shall be fired!
