Brookhaven Courier

Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: Sports

Our society has almost gotten to the point where we can all accept each other for who we are. In the last 10 to 15 years when someone announced they were gay, or came out of the closet, not much was said about it.

I'm not saying that all is right, and everybody treats gay people as equals, but at least we are making progress.

This is not the case in the realm of sports, where testosterone is king and the thought of a gay teammate is unacceptable.

For the first time in the NBA a former player, Jon Amaechi, has come out and announced he's gay. In fact people like Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers have praised Amaechi for his courage.

There are still people in this world who cannot accept other individuals for who they are. For the entire span of American history the majority has found a way to condemn another group of people.

From the founding fathers, and the free slave labor that built our country, to men trying their damnedest to keep women from voting, it seems in our society, to feel good about ourselves we have to make others feel unworthy.

Most people in the league have kept quiet about Amaechi's sexual orientation. Former Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway and current Cleveland Cavaliers star Lebron James made some comments that make me sick to my stomach.

Hardaway blatantly said he hates gay people and admitted to being homophobic. James didn't have such harsh words, but he said if a player is gay, and isn't honest with his teammates, then he can not be trusted.

I guess these guys don't understand being gay isn't a choice people make. I don't care what other people say and what they think is right or wrong, the fact of the matter is no one can control who they are attracted to. The fact that people like James and Hardaway still exist makes it apparent why Amaechi waited until after he retired to announce his secret.

How could a gay man, in the prime of his playing days, confess this to his teammates? Most men's reactions would be what is going on in the locker room. And most players' reactions would be:

"Is this guy going to come on to me?"

"Is he looking at me in the shower?"

I think it's great that Amaechi disclosed an obviously troubling secret. I only wish more players would do the same, and they would announce it before retire from the league.

Maybe it would make more of an impact in the way the sports world looks at gay men.

I hope in my lifetime I can see the end of racism, sexism, and homophobia. It might be asking a lot, especially given our world's history of acceptance.

But like Benjamin Franklin once said, "We must hang together gentlemen … else, we shall most assuredly hang separately."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools