OPINION:
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“This is part of the problem people have with the left.”
Liberal comedian Bill Maher’s admission about the unhinged furor over Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s now-infamous commencement speech is incredibly telling — and spot-on.
The comedian, like many others, understands that, as the flames of cancel culture continue to rage, many of the people demanding hyper-diversity simply have no patience for it when it comes to ideas outside of their own progressive bubbles.
In a normal era, the unfettered rage over Mr. Butker’s comments would seem extreme, but here in the upside down, inside out, it’s become woefully expected.
Still, something about this latest example of the outrage run amok is more acute than normal. The bombastic demand that Mr. Butker essentially be canceled is an alarming elevation of the intolerance we’ve come to expect.
The wrath is so intense that a Change.org petition openly and unabashedly demands the Kansas City Chiefs “dismiss Harrison Butker for discriminatory remarks.” Far from scraping together a few random folks intent on seeing ideological opponents suffer, the flummoxing treatise has attracted more than 223,000 signatures — and counting.
“The harmful remarks made by Harrison Butker, kicker of the Kansas City Chiefs, during his commencement address at Benedictine College were unacceptable,” the petition opens. “His comments were sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist.
“These dehumanizing remarks against LGBTQ+ individuals, attacks on abortion rights and racial discrimination perpetuate division and undermine human rights,” the text continues.
What’s so remarkable about the progressive outrage spewing over the commencement address is the level to which critics of Mr. Butker are willing to descend. Disagreement isn’t enough. They want him fired and removed from the American mainstream.
His crime of sharing his views is so repulsive he must be silenced, the critics argue.
“We demand accountability from our sports figures who should be role models promoting respect for all people regardless of their race, gender identity or sexual orientation,” the petition adds.
To be clear, while I don’t agree with every granular facet of Mr. Butker’s address, much of what he said was absolutely true, and other parts are simply beliefs he holds dear and to which he is entitled.
The swelling outrage is really rooted in an uncomfortable reality for many progressives: Mr. Butker holds strong views, isn’t afraid to share them, and seemingly has no interest in bending to the mob.
Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey said it best when she said that Mr. Butker’s main crime, in the eyes of progressives, was targeting everything they hold dear.
“Harrison Butker tipped over all the sacred cows — abortion, IVF/surrogacy, anti-motherhood, anti-masculinity, etc.,” Ms. Stuckey wrote on X. “And, instead, promoted the enemies of our cultural rot: fatherhood, marriage, courage, purity, sacrifice, respecting the dignity of life.
“That’s why people are screeching. They don’t like their idols threatened, and they have a profound disdain for goodness and truth.”
See, Mr. Butker did what many have failed or even refused to do. He called out President Biden for advocating the “murder” of the unborn while still calling himself a Catholic, he spoke out against “dangerous gender ideologies,” and he hit on surrogacy, euthanasia and — in the NFL star’s own words — “the pervasiveness of disorder.”
Despite all of those sentiments, it was his congratulations to female graduates on their achievements — and a warning about the “diabolical lies” they’ve been told — that seemed to rile his detractors most.
“How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?” Mr. Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
This was a bridge too far for many, who decried the comments and angrily dismissed them as “sexist,” a reaction that perplexed observers such as Mr. Maher.
“I don’t see what the big crime is. I really don’t,” Mr. Maher said. “And I think this is part of the problem people have with the left. … He’s saying, ‘Some of you may go on to lead successful careers, but a lot of you are excited about this other way that people — everybody — used to be.’”
Mr. Maher is right, and one doesn’t need to agree with Mr. Butker to defend his right to say such a thing. Those rallying to cancel the Catholic football player fail to recognize the unfettered irony embedded in their rejection of free speech and alternative ideals.
Again, the brouhaha over Mr. Butker’s speech seems even more freakish and frenetic than normal — and there’s a reason for that: He’s willing to speak about topics that, as Ms. Stuckey indicated, are sacred cows to the American left.
Many progressives can’t believe someone would call out their worldview without any fear of retribution, and now they’re enraged. But in an era when truth is under such assault — and when free speech is being rampantly constrained — we truly need more Harrison Butkers to help us call out dysfunction and right the ship.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” He is the author of four books.
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