COLUMN: Kicker's controversial commencement should not lead to new precedent

By Tony Capobianco ~ Southeast Missourian

Friday, May 17, 2024

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gives a commencement speech at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, on May 11.

Benedictine College

"Controversy: disagreement, typically when prolonged, public, and heated."

We never usually think disagreeable speech would lead to controversy, but it fits the definition.

Harrison Butker, kicker of the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, recently delivered the 2024 commencement address at Benedictine College, a small Catholic school in Atchison, Kansas.

It was a long speech, over 3,700 words which volume alone could remind the graduates of the horrors of having to write numerous term papers for four years.

There's no sense in trying to summarize and compact it within this column. That much has already been done and we are in the backlash stage of the media cycle.

However, having read the controversial speech in its entirety, my one overarching takeaway is that Butker comes off as a typical religious conservative, who believes abortion shouldn't happen, LGBT is wrong, men are the breadwinners and providers who set the culture, and encouraged the graduates to stay true to the mission of their faith as they enter "into mission territory in a post-God world."

"But you were made for this and with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint," Butker said at the conclusion of his speech.

I mean, who watches Fox News or listens to a right-wing podcast like the PBD Podcast or Daily Wire and does not hear these themes on a routine basis?

There are plenty of disagreeable points in the commencement but the main point of it sounds like a speech one could give at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau or St. Vincent High School in Perryville.

Personally, I agree with the backlash. I don't think any female graduate would want someone to tell them on the day of their ceremony that they're better off being a housewife and mother after spending a total of $104,000 getting a bachelor's degree in Kansas.

I personally don't think there is anything inherently wrong with being queer, and the church would be better off no longer treating the rainbow as an enemy faction. I'm not alone in thinking this, as Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples this past December.

Therein lies the problem of Butker's commencement, or more appropriately, the theme. The main leaders he criticized in his speech (Anthony Fauchi and Joe Biden) are also Catholic. It's not enough to be Catholic. You must walk the narrow path, accept your lane, and stay in it.

"It is safe to say that over the past few years, I've gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind," Butker said. "I never envisioned myself nor wanted to have this sort of a platform but God has given it to me so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it."

It's quite ironic of a kicker to tell others to accept their lane and stay in it. After all, his own quarterback admitted on the Pat McAfee Show after winning the Super Bowl that he doesn't talk to him.

So what do you do about it? The "post-God counter-culture" (or everyone who isn't conservative) falls into the trap of openly disagreeing with Butker's thesis and he then becomes the flag in the eternal tug-a-war between left and right.

An executive of the NFL's diversity wing recently stated that Butker's views "are not those of the NFL as an organization." At the same time, his jersey is currently among the top sellers at NFL.com.

All that means is there are more people who think like Butker than one would think.

To disagree and openly criticize is one thing. To release him for his conservative views, which are likely no secret to anyone in Arrowhead, would set a dangerous precedent. A Change.org petition demanding the Chiefs release him has over 172,000 signatures as of Friday morning. David Samson, former Miami Marlins president and host of Nothing Personal predicted that he would be released because of controversy.

The think pieces and comments are already fresh off the presses. Including the equally predictable "nuh-uh" response pieces from Fox News and Outkick.

The Chiefs should not cut Butker for his conservative comments and set the precedent that will truly make a public mess and lead to an unnecessarily divisive battle between those who agree and disagree with him.

Just say your peace and keep the peace.

Comments

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This is a conservative area... most people believe in the same things as this kicker. If his speech offended you crawl back into your safe space in your parents basement.. oh and do us all a favor and stop voting for DemocRATs!

-- Posted by Ohweeohahaha on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 6:54 AM
Soft generation offended by speech. As far as your comment goes about the church accepting queer people, you can love someone without accepting what they do. The moment it is accepted is the moment they go away from what the bible teaches. Just because I don't like what you do doesn't mean I have to hate you. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

-- Posted by SEMOFAN86 on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 7:47 AM
Please. Conservatives lost their collective minds when players took knees. Liberals going nuts because some athletes speak their minds publicly is a harsh optic, since who wants to deny anybody their rights to free speech? Keep him on. Cutting him now is knuckling under to pressure and displays a lack of leadership. Trade him and his golden sneakers later.

-- Posted by AverageJo on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 9:13 AM
Tony, I respect your opinion and admire your courage to write on this subject. As a life long Catholic I understand Butker�s commitment to being a true conservative practicing follower of the oldest religion in the world founded by Jesus Christ. Seems his speech is being misinterpreted by the liberals in journalism, talk shows, podcasts etc. Harrison is grateful of his God given talent, which allows his wife to be a homemaker and raise their children. By no means is he saying all women should not work outside the home or pursue a college degree. He is expressing what it means to him and his wife to have her in the home with their children. His thoughts about the current culture is very much in line with our long standing, conservative, traditional Catholic values! He spoke the truth, which some cannot accept!

-- Posted by Outfield on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 1:34 PM
If Harrison Butker is the best Benedictine College can come up with for their commencement address then that says a lot. Does the school truly want young women to subscribe to what Butker says they should aspire to do with their lives? If so, why would they want to enroll and pay for a degree he obviously thinks they don't need in the first place? Unless they think spending over $100k of tuition will land them a prize catch like Harry Butker and his extreme patriarchal views. I bet the Admissions department staff was cringing through the whole speech.

Also, I've never been able to reconcile this "Love the sinner, hate the sin" claim. It sounds nice and all and people are REALLY good at "hating the sin" part. But, practically speaking, what does "loving the sinner" actually look like other than judgment, condemnation, and exclusion spoken "in love" over coffee?

-- Posted by Grussman71 on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 1:53 PM
You don't have to reconcile it, Grussman.

But people should not be afraid to affirm their beliefs, whether we like it or not.

I don't care personally for people taking a knee or students protesting against Israel. But within the legal parameters, they should be allowed to do so.

People have a right to be offended by what Butker said. But he should have every right to say it.

-- Posted by Sandinista on Fri, May 17, 2024, at 2:18 PM
In terms of having every legal right to say it, I don't disagree with you, Sandinista.

But, regardless of Butker, it'd probably be wise in most situations if many of us (myself included) would spend a little more time listening before exercising that right to speak.

-- Posted by Grussman71 on Mon, May 20, 2024, at 4:48 PM

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