Take eight minutes and 37 seconds to watch CNN’s Kyra Phillips dismantle former NFL player David Tyree. Tyree made a video for the National Organization of Marriage in which he called marriage equality unnatural and said it would lead to anarchy. Phillips really goes after him and Tyree fumbles. She is our hero of the day.
TV BEATDOWN
Watch CNN’s Kyra Phillips Pwn David Tyree Over His Anti-Gay Video
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christopher di spirito
Usually she’s a homophobe. Good for her.
Pete n SFO
Does anyone else find it pathetic that we are LOSING to this idiot & people like NOM???
All the gay interviewers that could really slice these people to shreds are busy with their privileged, semi-closeted lives…
Here’s a primer:
1. Are you ready to adopt the laws of other religions that are not your own, ie: no alcohol, no divorce, no smoking, no contraception?
2. This is Civil Marriage, not religious; do you not agree that Civil Law is separate from Religious law?
3. What kind of discounted tax rate do you support for gay people to offset legal fees required to protect their children as adequately as your own?
4. Would it upset you if your widowed spouse had no claim to any of your benefits, although you spent a lifetime together?
5. What kind of quid pro quo resulted in your speaking up on this issue which has no direct affect on your life?
et f’n cetera!
Not an Ex-NFL Player
Hey, give the guy some credit… it took him eight whole minutes to mention polygamy!But then again, it took seven minutes for him to explain the mind-bending tautology that marriage should only be one man and one woman because marriage is one man and one woman.
Caliban
Damn! She went after him like a Pitbull on a steak!
But this guy is low-hanging fruit. I want to see her ask Maggie Gallagher these same questions.
Michael
It’s unreal a man who was raised WITHOUT a father is saying every child needs a mother and father.
You can totally tell he has the NOM checklist right next to him because he keeps saying the same talking points word for word.
The best thing about him coming out with this is it’s exposing what insane hypocritical bullshite it is.
If anything, this has totally backfired on NOM.
Steve
I wish we had time machines so we could send him back in time about 100 years and see if he still agrees with his very own views.
MikeE
when he keeps repeating the “natural” comment, why the HELL doesn’t the interviewer get him on that lie? these anti-equality tools keep repeating the same lies over and over and no one seems to ever toss them back at their faces!
Marriage has NOT “traditionally” been one man and one woman “throughout the ages”. There has been a larger portion of human history where marriage was one man and multiple wives than the short time we live in now where monogamy is the norm.
It frustrates me beyond belief to hear interviewers keep MISSING the opportunity to toss that back at these idiots.
TomMc
If NOM is smart, they will distance themselves from Mr.Tyree ASAP; poor guy can’t (to mangle a saying) argue himself out of a wet paper bag.
Indeed, your sensibility during *that* segment is much appreciated Ms. Phillips.
Winter
If he’s worried about redefining marriage, I can’t help but wonder what he feels about interracial marriage and I wish she’d asked him about it. Regardless of the fact that I believe Loving v Virginia was a high-point in the history of civil rights in America, it certainly altered the way that we defined marriage in this country. I wonder if he has the self-awareness to realize how closely his arguments against SSM dovetail with the bigoted arguments used against interracial marriage in the years leading up to the Loving case.
Oh, and as someone who was in a three person marriage for eight years (we had a religious ceremony, but obviously not a legal one) I really wish folk on all sides of the fight for SSM would leave us poly folk out of the debate.
Jay P
I love that he argued that since marriage is a tradition that predates our country, we have no right to change it. Umm, how about slavery? or owning women? They also predate our country. (Granted the same arguments were made in each case)
And what is so bad about polygamy? If a group of people consent to being together, then why not? I’m all for “redefining” marriage. Its an outdated conservative tradition anyways.
Tim
This is why I watch CNN. Finally someone asks these “people” the substantive
follow up questions. Great job Kyra Phillips
tjr101
This line of tough questioning is something you will not see on Faux News with the likes of the bleached blonde Meghan Kelly. Won’t be surprised if Faux hires David Dumbass Tyree.
Elloreigh
It’s very simple. For true believers, belief > fact. You can’t reason with people who hold their beliefs to be superior to everything else.
So Yo
@Pete n SFO: I would love to see those questions asked. The awkward silence from the interviewees might be painful to watch though. They’ve got nothing.
chpinnlr
@Tim: agreed! Kyra Phillips did a great job. She asked simple straight forward questions, and that was all it took to make this guy look like the bigot he is!
ewe
Someone should have just told him that using gODD as his defense to hate is not acceptable. Try again. Once someone calls a gay person unnatural the interview should be terminated. That would have been a better response.
MattGMD
Tyree uses many words but is barely coherent.
John A. Leopard
Much better than the usual CNN material. Kyra Phillips earned her salt. But I wish someone would tell homophobic bigots that same-sex marriages were common throughout ancient history. And if someone claims to follow “the Bible” ask him how many wives did King David or his son, Solomon, had? The Bible is full of multiple marriages and at least one same-sex marriage, David and Jonathan.
redball
@Pete n SFO: That’s a WONDERFUL list. You should be hired as some sort of consultant.
The complacency in the mainstream media is shocking.
Pete n SFO
@So Yo: @redball: Wow, thanks you guys! 🙂 You kinda made my day.
Please feel free to copy, paste & share. The more people that ‘get-it’ the more knuckleheads that will be called out on their bullshiz.
drums
Wow, I kept hearing the interviewer cite facts and actual scientific and sociological studies, while Tyree kept on replying “I believe xyz,” “I believe blah blah blah.” THAT’S NOT HOW A REASONED ARGUMENT WORKS. She cited the studies about children raised by gay and lesbian parents who do just fine, and then when he said “I believe that a man and a woman raising a child give the child the best chance, and I believe that there are studies that will support that,” my eyes got real wide. You can’t just “believe” there are these mythical studies that don’t exist! What on Earth! From the look on the interviewer’s face before she rolled her eyes down, she was thinking the same thing.
FunMe
Even though Krya did good, a great reporter would be shredding to pieces what David “believes”. Still, what David says is so ignorant that it only makes look more stupid that he is.
People need to ask “how exactly does gay marriage affect YOU?” over and over again. There is no logical reason to care what other people do with their lives if it does not affect them.
mike
Kyra did great, and I don’t want to take that away from her …
BUT JUST ONE EFFING TIME I’D LIKE TO HEAR A TV HOST SAY THESE TWO THINGS:
1. polygamy is a marital norm in the Old Testament and in many cultures around the globe today …. in NO WAY has so-called “traditional marriage” been traditional marriage for the last 2 or 3 millennia. (ask Mitt Romney, if you don’t believe me )
2. when speaking with David Tyree, why aren’t commentators saying that his own words are the same words used when arguing against the freeing of slaves?
robert
david tyree is so incoherent…kyra was great
Mike
David Tyree has no individual opinions or views on the subject. It is all the same thing out of every anti gay’s mouth… “It is not natural, marriage is supposed to produce children, we will have to teach our kids that gay is ok, if we allow gay marriage then we must allow polygamy and bestiality?, we will have to let gays marry in our church”
My ex best friend of 12 years, who grew up going to Orange County’s hugely conservative Saddleback Church, gave me these reasons when she voted yes on 8. Not before flipping out and telling me I am judging her and disrespecting her faith simply by asking how she voted on the proposition(why so insecure! I always respected her for her faith and knew what it believe about gays)
Since then, they are the only reasons I have heard from anyone why gay marriage is bad. You know the pastors actually talk about this in there sermons, it is like they are being mindwashed… told they have a duty to god to blindly follow the church. They say the average person only uses about 5% of their brain? well these guys only use .5%.
Leroy Laflamme
Has anyone ever thought of asking these loudmouths how many times they’ve been married? And if they think it’s ‘natural’ for heterosexuals to marry, then divorce, then remarry as any times as they like. Where then is the sanctity of marriage? This fool is, you know, not very, you know, articulate, you know, I mean “adamancey”?! I know she wouldn’t have wanted to derail the coversation, but I would love to have heard her ask “What on earth is adamancey?” I mean, you know?
Jeffree
Mr. Tyree seems to have been coached to use talking points. The register of his language appeared to change gears when Ms. Phillips asked questions beyond the basics.
The aternative questions suggested by @Pete n SFO & by @fun me were better than what Kyra asked, but she still did a good interview.
Roman
The Posterboy of Ignorance, Intolerance and Religious Brainwashing.
Franco
Why does anyone care what he thinks? He is clearly very stupid.
Jeffree
@Franco: Why does anyone care what Tyree thinks or says? Answer: because we have a culture in the US that cares what “celebrities” think, & that includes names in sports.
NOM may be evïl but they’re not stupid. They know, like Dan Savage does in his It Gets Better campaign, that sports “heros” can influence public opinion, so they went out & found someone to speak from that manly world (lol).
I think I’m supposed to use an analogy here like “Hail Mary Pass” or “Touchdown!” but i don’t really know that vocab !
Bob
Again….another black who wants another minority to look down on and to discriminate against. Funny that a black man talks about marriage with all the black kids born to single mothers and all the black men getting multiple women pregnant.
Q
No. 31 · Bob
Again….another black who wants another minority to look down on and to discriminate against. Funny that a black man talks about marriage with all the black kids born to single mothers and all the black men getting multiple women pregnant.
What does his definition of marriage have to do with black community? You bashing the black community is hate. Gay racist is hate. The two community need to come together but if he believe a marriage is a man and a woman that’s his belief. Gays needs to accept that. Just because you’re black doesn’t mean you’re pro-gay. I am sure tired of the gay community using the black community to push their gay agenda. How come you don’t go after the right wing? Jews or catholitcs/ Y
MIke
Who the f)(k cares and why is this news? People have a right to agree and disagree with gay marriage.
Bob
@Q:
My point was, many, many gay men and women believed in, and fought for civil rights for African Americans, while I see very little support of African Americans supporting Gay Rights. A perfect example is the gay marriage bill in California. I would think that a minority who knew the pain of discrimination would not discriminate against another group, but I guess I am wrong. So…okay…he is against gay marriage. He should keep his opinion to himself instead of showing what a bigot he is…
scott ny'er
@Pete n SFO: those ARE good questions. I particularly relate to no. 1.
NOM should be really pissed about having Tyree as spokesperson. He did not argue their position very well. Which is great. I’m glad Tyree is getting air time to show how stupid NOM’s position is.
gregger
This man is an ignorant jackhole. What is natural to him is un-natural to me. So by his argument in my view his marriage is invalid.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anarchy
Avinash Arora
This is dumb. Tyree has a lot of very strong points. Marriage should be a man and a woman, it’s strictly a religious term. Civil Unions however should be legal as well. The word Marriage has its own connotations and if the religious fanatics want to argue it to no end then that’s fine, let them have Marriage with their sanctimonious ceremonies that in the US end unceremoniously in divorce, what used to be a black pariah in Christianity.
It’s ridiculous. The reporter isn’t all that bright either, she tries to go O’Reilly on him by dissecting word for word what he’s trying to say and what he’s trying to say is not overly complicated. The whole segment just made them both look stupid, but I like segments like this because it brings attention to the fact that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed the same tax, government, and citizen rights that every other marriage has. It’s unfair and downright segregating to it’s core. Laws based in a country founded on the ideals of acceptance of other cultures should not be so dated to consider a union that a majority of the population cannot understand as invalid.
I’m a fan of the Giants and when I first heard of this it made me sad. I’m glad he’s a FORMER player.
THUNDERBEAST OF THE BLOODNIGHT
@Jeffree: JEFFEREE YOU GET YOUR FAGGY LITTLE HOMO ASS OUTTA HERE GOD DAMNIT, YOU DARE TO BLASPHEME THE GREAT GAME OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL WITH YOUR FAGGY LITTLE LIPS. WHY DON’T YOU LEARN A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT THE MANLY TRADITION OF DRESSING UP IN MATCHING UNIFORMS WITH TIGHT TIGHTS, RUNNING AROUND SCORING TOUCHDOWNS AND THROWING HAIL MARYS AND SLAPPING EACH OTHERS PLUMP ASSES BEFORE YOU TRY TO JUDGE IT. FOOTBALL IS THE EPITOME OF MANLINESS, AND IF ONLY YOU HOMOSEXUALS WOULD TRY TO LEARN FROM ITS IDEALS, MAYBE OUR COUNTRY WOULD BE IN BETTER SHAPE. THE IDEALS OF TEAMWORK, THE DEEP TRUST AND LOVE OF THE MAN NEXT TO YOU, AND THE PURSUIT OF THE SWEET, SWEET TASTE OF MANLY GREATNESS ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU BUTT-LOVERS COULD STAND TO LEARN A LESSON FROM.
Jeffree
@THUNDERBURST: That was almost poetic. I’m going to have it embroidered on my hockey jersey.
You do have a way with words: Can you come up with a pithy quote to put with my gun permit?
PS, lose the caps lock, cupcake. It’s the typographic version of drooling. I don’t blame you for dreaming of me —most men do— but you need to step to the bad of the line. Bring snacks, it’s a long wait.
Kris
@TomMc: If they are Smart? Hell, I’m sure they hired him!
Kris
@Pete n SFO: BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! I am using your first point as it is a true clincher now in this arguement. Maggie Gallagher – get ready to wear a burka! I have re-posted this on Facebook because I think it is so insightful.
Thank you Peter N SFO
Kris
Q – we go after the Right wing all the time. Since the vast majority of No on gay marriage vites are cast by the right wing, that is EXACTLY what we are doing.
We aren’t bashing the black community as you say here. What we are doing is holding everyone to an equal standard. I don’t care who this guy is, if he stands here and tells me about the sanctity of marriage but he himself had 2 kids prior to getting married, I raise the mirror up to him and tell him he is a hypocrit and his words are completely worthless. The double standard with this stuff is extraordinary.
We are asking for the same rights as any other citizen – oddly like what black people in this country were demanding several decades back – and wouldnt have gotten if they had left it up to a vote of the people. Rights are Rights. People should never get to vote on them. And gay people, due to the passage of prop 8, are the first people in the US that have ever had rights taken away.
Jeffree
Many of the arguments used to fight equality of African Americans were based on religion. (The Bible sure had a lot to say about slavery).
Most* of the rhetoric against marriage equality is based on the Bible, too.
The degree to which someone opposes the rights of gay men & lesbians to marry their chosen one IS NOT an independent function of skin pigmentation, it’s based on the exposure to religious ideology & acceptance of those beliefs about right /wrong.
Given the role that Black churches had in fighting for civil rights, and still has in many communities, the religious beliefs drive voting patterns. Same voting style goes for Mormons (mostly white) & Catholics (same).
The reason we jump to conclusions is that we can tell fairly reliably by looking that someone might be African American, where we can’t tell if someone is LDS (without an underwear check) or Catholic or Evangelical.
If a religious African-American couple adopts a white or Asian kid & raises that child same as their other ones, that child’s involvement in religion will be the best determinant of her/his social views.
Same goes for an AA adoptee in a family of atheists or evangelicals.
Sarah
I see a lot of gays can be just as judgmental, mean spirit, racist.