Minnesota Vikings Punter and Anti-gay Legislator Face Off

In a battle of editorials, Minnesota football player Chris Kluwe and Baptist minister and state representative Emmett C. Burns Jr. take on not only the controversial issue of gay marriage, but the right to voice one’s opinion about the topic.

The brouhaha began when Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo made public his support for marriage equality.  An outraged Burns immediately demanded that the team’s management put a stop to it.

“Many of my constituents and your football supporters are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other.  I am requesting that you take the necessary action, as a National Football Franchise Owner, to inhibit such expressions from your employee, and that he be ordered to cease and decist such injurious actions. I know of no other NFL player who has done what Mr. Ayambadejo [sic] is doing.”

Next, Minnesota Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe jumped into the fray with an open letter published on Deadspin.com:

I find it inconceivable that you are an elected official of Maryland’s state government. Your vitriolic hatred and bigotry make me ashamed and disgusted to think that you are in any way responsible for shaping policy at any level. The views you espouse neglect to consider several fundamental key points, which I will outline in great detail (you may want to hire an intern to help you with the longer words)

As I suspect you have not read the Constitution, I would like to remind you that the very first, the VERY FIRST Amendment in this founding document deals with the freedom of speech, particularly the abridgment of said freedom. By using your position as an elected official (when referring to your constituents so as to implicitly threaten the Ravens organization) to state that the Ravens should “inhibit such expressions from your employees,” more specifically Brendon Ayanbadejo, not only are you clearly violating the First Amendment, you also come across as a narcissistic fromunda stain. What on earth would possess you to be so mind-boggingly stupid? It baffles me that a man such as yourself, a man who relies on that same First Amendment to pursue your own religious studies without fear of persecution from the state, could somehow justify stifling another person’s right to speech…

Forbes magazine has called Burns “the most ignorant politician in America” over his attempted censorship of Ayanbadejo. In firm support of the First Amendment, Forbes strongly suggests that Maryland voters look for a representative who believes in the sanctity of free speech.

Burns’ term is up in 2014, and he sits in a rubber-stamp district controlled by the party machine (in 2010, the Democrats put up a slate of three candidates for three legislative seats – the token Republican got about 6% of the vote). If Maryland Democrats believe in free speech and the rights of business, he won’t be overseeing regulation during the next legislative term – and he won’t carry his party’s banner when he’s up for election.

The issue is no longer whether you are for or against gay marriage – it has quickly turned into a battle over free speech and the right for any American to voice his or her opinion. Should freedom of speech only exist in particular occupations?  Should freedom of speech only exist if you agree with the government or the church?

As Ayanbadejo tweeted in response to Burns’ request, “Football is just my job it’s not who I am. I am an American before anything. And just like every American I have the right to speak!!!””