Does anyone else see the irony here?

[talisyn]

It's precisely because this man is at the end of his career that announcing he's gay won't hurt his career. Why is this important? BECAUSE if it was at the beginning or middle of his career we'd never see him play professional basketball again. Because people in certain fields cannot be openly homosexual and survive. This is the problem. Not an encouraging phone call from the president.

[Wingnut]

Because people in certain fields cannot be openly homosexual and survive. This is the problem. Not an encouraging phone call from the president.

I very much agree. It's for this reason that I'm very pleased that he has come out. Not because I think it will make a ton of difference for other professional athletes who might also be gay, but because I hope that it will encourage teenage boys who play sports and who are also gay to not experience such personal conflict and torment in choosing between the two.

I think it's dumb that the president called at all. Well, I think it's dumb that it was included in a press release. Whatever.

[MorningStar]

When I'm famous, I'm going to announce that I love having sex with my husband! I hope the president calls me.

[Vort]

When I'm famous, I'm going to announce that I love having sex with my husband! I hope the president calls me.

There is nothing courageous or praiseworthy about having sex with your husband. That's completely normal and [shudder] holy. Only deviant sex, identified as spiritually deadly by prophets, can rightly be praised.

[Dravin]

I think it's dumb that the president called at all. Well, I think it's dumb that it was included in a press release. Whatever.

I dub a new term, assuming it hasn't already been dubbed: The Phono Op. When a politician calls someone and makes sure it makes it into the press release.

[carlimac]

It's precisely because this man is at the end of his career that announcing he's gay won't hurt his career. Why is this important? BECAUSE if it was at the beginning or middle of his career we'd never see him play professional basketball again. Because people in certain fields cannot be openly homosexual and survive. This is the problem. Not an encouraging phone call from the president.

Yes- it's hard for homosexual men in the sports world. They get picked on. That's unfortunate. I don't really care that the president called him. He can hob-nob with whomever he wants. I DO care though that the president said in a public statement on live TV before the nation that we shouldn't be judging someone on their sexual orientation but on their accomplishements. Well...apparently this guy's professional basketball career was nothing to get excited about. Most people haven't ever heard of him. He hasn't done anything else notable that we know of. So the ONLY reason Obama called him was because of his announcement about his sexual orientation. He was doing exactly what he was telling people NOT to do. Focusing more on his sexual orientation than his accomplishments. Lauding him in respect to making his sexual orientation public.

[bytor2112]

It's precisely because this man is at the end of his career that announcing he's gay won't hurt his career. Why is this important? BECAUSE if it was at the beginning or middle of his career we'd never see him play professional basketball again. Because people in certain fields cannot be openly homosexual and survive. This is the problem. Not an encouraging phone call from the president.

That's because many if not most men still view homosexuality as a deviant perverse behavior. Although, Dennis Rodman was openly Bi and played for a very long time. This announcement may actually lengthen his career as a bench warmer...nobody wants to be labeled as the team that let the gay guy go because he was gay.

Sadly we celebrate this "courageous" announcement...Gone are the days when Prophets and Apostles spoke boldly as in this comment from Elder McConkie:

Amid tears of sorrow—our hearts heavy with forebodings—we see evil and crime and carnality covering the earth. Liars and thieves and adulterers and homosexuals and murderers scarcely seek to hide their abominations from our view. Iniquity abounds. There is no peace on earth.

Edited May 2, 2013 by bytor2112

[carlimac]

I dub a new term, assuming it hasn't already been dubbed: The Phono Op. When a politician calls someone and makes sure it makes it into the press release.

Ok. To be fair. I don't know how the press found out about the phone call. I heard about it before the press conference. Perhaps it was never meant to be made public. ( That's the naive Me talking. ) The topic of the phone call came up at the very end, essentially after Obama had finished, but some dude wedged one more question in there. " Is it true that...?" Obama didn't bring it up himself. BUT he didn't shy away from the question at all.

[beefche]

Ok. To be fair. I don't know how the press found out about the phone call. I heard about it before the press conference. Perhaps it was never meant to be made public. ( That's the naive Me talking. ) The topic of the phone call came up at the very end, essentially after Obama had finished, but some dude wedged one more question in there. " Is it true that...?" Obama didn't bring it up himself. BUT he didn't shy away from the question at all.

I watched West Wing. How did the press know about it? Because someone in the know told them. Probably not Pres Obama himself, but his press secretary or one his flunkies.

[carlimac]

Sadly we celebrate this "courageous" announcement...Gone are the days when Prophets and Apostles spoke boldly as in this comment from Elder McConkie:

Amid tears of sorrow—our hearts heavy with forebodings—we see evil and crime and carnality covering the earth. Liars and thieves and adulterers and homosexuals and murderers scarcely seek to hide their abominations from our view. Iniquity abounds. There is no peace on earth.

No kidding! There was another little news piece yesterday I wish I had missed that told of a rapper who exposed himself and engaged in a sexual act with a fan on stage during his concert- while he was rapping.

[norah63]

It is just the next big hurdle for the politically correct crowd.

Abortion was pushed as 'choice'. Now the latest is that the homosexual has no choice. They like it both ways.

Every tv show has their resident "gay". Putting a spin on it that if you resist you must be 'unloving' and hatefilled.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Eowyn
rule 1

[Guest Godless]

But I do find it offensive that our President only takes personal time to interact with people who will make him look better. He is the most shallow leader I know of (including foreign dictators).

1. The fact that he made ONE phone call to an NBA player means that the president spend ALL of his free time boosting his public image? A bit overly-dramatic, no?

2. Politicians (of all parties and politial leaning) will do anything to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public. That trait is not unique to Obama. And if anything, I think he's generally less guilty of it than most other politicians.

[Guest Godless]

To answer the question stated in the OP, this is a big deal because professional sports is still a somewhat homophobic culture. It takes courage for someone to come out as gay to their friends and family. It's hard. To have the national spotlight on you as a result of your announcement must be harder still.

I don't think the President's actions were out of line in any way. Frankly, I don't care what he does in his spare time. If he wants to chit-chat with athletes and celebrities, he can go right ahead. It's one of the perks of the job, I guess. Was the phone call politically-motivated? Maybe. That's part of the job too. You'd be hard-pressed to find a politician who wouldn't make a simple phone call to boost his/her public image. So let's not pretend that Obama is any more shallow self-serving than any of the other suits in DC.

[Guest]

To answer the question stated in the OP, this is a big deal because professional sports is still a somewhat homophobic culture. It takes courage for someone to come out as gay to their friends and family. It's hard. To have the national spotlight on you as a result of your announcement must be harder still.

I don't think the President's actions were out of line in any way. Frankly, I don't care what he does in his spare time. If he wants to chit-chat with athletes and celebrities, he can go right ahead. It's one of the perks of the job, I guess. Was the phone call politically-motivated? Maybe. That's part of the job too. You'd be hard-pressed to find a politician who wouldn't make a simple phone call to boost his/her public image. So let's not pretend that Obama is any more shallow self-serving than any of the other suits in DC.

Sports is not "generally homophobic". Sports is a GENDER discriminatory environment. Women do not play with Men in the court. So, there's no issue about having to share locker rooms and go physically on the court with somebody who just might be sexually aroused by such contact.

[carlimac]

1. The fact that he made ONE phone call to an NBA player means that the president spend ALL of his free time boosting his public image? A bit overly-dramatic, no?

2. Politicians (of all parties and politial leaning) will do anything to make themselves look good in the eyes of the public. That trait is not unique to Obama. And if anything, I think he's generally less guilty of it than most other politicians.

I hope you're kidding. I've never seen a president so focused on the hip Hollywood crowd.

[Lakumi]

I hope you're kidding. I've never seen a president so focused on the hip Hollywood crowd.

That's what a lot of the upcoming generation wants these days, they don't want the presidents of their parents day. Times change and politics has to change along with it...

[selek]

That's what a lot of the upcoming generation wants these days, they don't want the presidents of their parents day. Times change and politics has to change along with it...

Thus ends the Republic...with thunderous applause from the rabble of Babylon.

[Lakumi]

Thus ends the Republic...with thunderous applause from the rabble of Babylon.

I ddin't say it was right, just that it was.

But then how can you have a "good" country when so many people believe so many things.

Some might think completely the opposite, where as others will agree one hundred percent

[selek]

So let's not pretend that Obama is any more shallow self-serving than any of the other suits in DC.

Now THAT'S a ringing endorsement, if ever I've heard one!

Go easy on poor Barry... despite the fact that he actively sought (twice!) to be a leader and rolemodel for the American people, it's not fair to hold him to a high standard of any sort; after all, he's not any more morally corrupt or incompentent than a man who deliberately left a woman to drown in Chappaquidick, or the homosexual Senator who allowed his paramour to run a prostitution ring from official residence, or than the avowed child molesters currently trying to avoid prosecution (I mean YOU Bob Menendez).

Talk about the bigotry of low expectations!

Edited May 3, 2013 by selek

[selek]

I ddin't say it was right, just that it was.

But then how can you have a "good" country when so many people believe so many things.

Some might think completely the opposite, where as others will agree one hundred percent

I understand that.

I also understand that your words are the literal fulfillment of warnings made more than two centuries ago by Benjamin Franklin and Alexis de Tocqueville.

[talisyn]

I ddin't say it was right, just that it was.

But then how can you have a "good" country when so many people believe so many things.

Some might think completely the opposite, where as others will agree one hundred percent

You can have a 'great' country, or you can have everyone belong to the same party. Can't have both at the same time

[Lakumi]

You can have a 'great' country, or you can have everyone belong to the same party. Can't have both at the same time

yes and we all know how well single party systems work:p

[Matthew0059]

yes and we all know how well single party systems work:p

About as well as two-party systems.

[Guest Godless]

I hope you're kidding. I've never seen a president so focused on the hip Hollywood crowd.

You're right. Previous presidents have tended to pander to other segments of our society. Honestly, I don't give a flying fudge who the president panders to so long as he does his job well (and I believe he is to some degree).

Now THAT'S a ringing endorsement, if ever I've heard one!

Go easy on poor Barry... despite the fact that he actively sought (twice!) to be a leader and rolemodel for the American people, it's not fair to hold him to a high standard of any sort; after all, he's not any more morally corrupt or incompentent than a man who deliberately left a woman to drown in Chappaquidick, or the homosexual Senator who allowed his paramour to run a prostitution ring from official residence, or than the avowed child molesters currently trying to avoid prosecution (I mean YOU Bob Menendez).

Talk about the bigotry of low expectations!

I'm not talking about corruption and immorality. I'm talking about simple gestures to gain public favor (pandering, if you will), like making a phone call to a homosexual athlete (which I believe was the original topic of this thread). I'm not sure how you went from that to child molesters and prostitution rings.

I loathe the corruption and immorality in politics and would love to see it be rid of. Having said that, I don't view Obama as either corrupt or immoral. Does he pander to people? Yes. But as I stated above, I don't mind that so long as he does his job.

[Suzie]

I agree it was dumb to call him, but I am not going to use the opportunity now to bash his sexual orientation.