Comments by Strgt Sprts Writer on anti gay & now pro? Tim Hardaway
I don't often agree with Yahoo! Sports' Kelly Dwyer, but in regard to his latest entry on the Ball Don't Lie blog
about former Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway, I have to say he and I are of one mind.Before I begin to get into what I agree with him about, let me start this piece out with one statement. I'm a heterosexual male.
It's a shame that in our society it's even necessary to make that distinction, but the fact is some very intolerant people are likely to read this article and leave with the impression I'm a homosexual trying to "push their agenda."
In fact, even with my statement above, I'm sure many will still believe that.
However, I'm not trying to push any agenda other than the one for equality and justice. I'm not trying to champion anything other than the self-evident truths that all men (and women), as the United States Declaration of Independence states, "are created equal," and are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," and "that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
Growing up in America those truths were instilled in me as I went to school. I learned of them, along with the rest of the history of this great nation of ours, including the forming of the Constitution of the United States, the actions of our Founding Fathers, and the sacrifices so many have made over the centuries to assure us all of our freedoms.
It's what made me proud to be an American, knowing the ideals that stand as the bedrock principles of my country are some of the greatest in the history of the world. These are ideals that surpass and are untroubled by momentary fashion and caprice; for they are solid, not ephemeral.
They aren't even America's alone. They're ideals for all mankind, and are what we as a nation have been tasked to try and spread across the globe. They're the ideals that stand up in the face of bigotry and hatred and say, "No, this should not be."
They're the ideals that stand up in the face of greed and avarice, and say, "No, we will not allow it."
They're the ideals that stand up in the face of injustice and intolerance and say, "No, we will be heard."
They're the ideals of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and all the rest of the great men and women who helped forge this country. They're the ideals of the many men and women since who've carried on that tradition of freedom, such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
And apparently they're now the ideals of Tim Hardaway.
As a fan of the Miami Heat, there've been few days I was more disappointed in a man I'd loved to watch play for my team than the day Hardaway went on WAXY-AM radio and proudly declared himself a homophobe who "hates gays."
The interview with Miami Herald columnist Dan Le Batard came on the heels of former NBA center John Amaechi announcing he was gay, and understandably Le Batard asked Hardaway how he would deal with a gay teammate.
Now, knowing what I know about the sports world, and the very macho, homophobic attitude of many players, I certainly wasn't expecting Timmy to respond with something akin to saying he would run up and hug the guy at the news, but I also wasn't expecting the level of vitriol and hatred that began pouring out in his words over the course of the rest of the interview.
Like Heat president Pat Riley, I was a bit "shocked by some of the words that he used" and felt he'd lost a great deal of my respect in the exchange.
His rant didn't go unnoticed, either.
When NBA Commissioner David Stern learned Hardaway said stuff like, "You know, I hate gay people, so let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States." he immediately banned the 6-0, 175 lbs. former member of the Texas-El Paso Miners known for his crossover dribble from taking part in the NBA All-Star Weekend events he'd been scheduled to be a part of.
The fallout from the hateful diatribe didn't end there, and Hardaway heard quite a bit of criticism from many around him about his hateful words; including friends, family members, and many around the NBA.
However, unlike many who hear such criticisms over their bigoted views, Hardaway seems to have worked hard to take heed of those criticisms, and is now championing the rights of gays.
Talk about a crossover.
For instance, as Marty Schladen of the El Paso Times details in his latest article—while attending a golf outing in the city—Hardaway is currently working hard to oppose recall efforts against El Paso Mayor John Cook and city Reps. Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega for their role in trying to restore health benefits to unmarried partners of gay city employees; rights stripped from them by a ballot initiative this past November.
"I opened my eyes and went to counseling," Hardaway said recently to describe his transformation.
We can only hope the fine folks in El Paso, as well as everyone else in the world open theirs as well, for ignorance, bigotry, and hatred have no place in a civilized society or on the hardwood.
I'm proud of Hardaway, and feel he's taken a remarkable journey to find himself "on the side of the angels" as my grandmother would say, and I can only hope all those who share his initial views on the subject are one day able to enlighten themselves.
For one thing, unburdening yourself of such bigotry and hatred only makes your own life better, and shouldn't that be what everyone's out to do? I know I am.
Now, if I could only find $12,500 laying around somewhere so I could fly out and take part in the First AnnualDwyane Wade(notes) Fantasy Camp.
Game On!
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All stats and information taken from personal notes and verified at Basketball-Reference.com, and Yahoo! Sports.
Read more by Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke at TFS Sports.
*Daniel Barber has been a fan of all Miami teams since he was a child or since their inception having been born right above Miami.
Source:
'I've got to make sure people know I don't hate gay people,' ex-star says
Former NBA star Tim Hardaway says he wants a "second chance" to revamp his reputation after his hate-filled remarks about gay ex-player John Amaechi, the Miami Herald reported.
"People have been trying to kick me when I'm down," he told The Miami Herald. The reaction was "very, very shocking. People saying my wife left me -- that's not true. My family is OK and my finances are OK.
"... I'm looking for a second chance and trying to clean up my image. I haven't been in trouble with drugs or guns. I'm an upstanding citizen. Like I told my children, life is not easy. This is a big bump I have to overcome. I'm going to deal with it like a champ. I've got to make sure people know I don't hate gay people."
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