The Baltimore Ravens’ Brendon Ayanbadejo found himself caught in a controversy last week when Maryland Delegate Emmett Burns wrote Ravens’ manager Steven Disciotti, claiming Ayanbadejo should be censured for speaking out in favor of gay marriage.
This morning Ayanbadejo joined out football veteran Wade Davis and former Clinton advisor Richard Socarides on CNN’s Starting Point to discuss the controversy and how it’s playing out. “More than anything I’d have to thank [Emmett] for bringing national recognition to the cause and the effects worldwide,” Ayanbadejo tells guest anchor Zoraida Sambolin. “I’ve received e-mails from all over the world. More than anything he’s brought attention to the cause… He really just made it a national issue. Now it’s on the front pages of all the papers and all the media. If he wouldn’t have written his letter I don’t think we would have received this type of attention.”
The linebacker also discussed the shift he’s seen among his teammates: “It’s been amazing. Back in 2009 I wrote an article for The Huffington Post. If you talked to people about this issue, people made fun of me. ‘Oh, Brendon’s coming out.’ I’d hear snickering in the background. Now I talk to my teammates, and whereas 95% of the people were against it then, now it seems like 95% of the people are for it.”
That’s only two-and-a-half years. The speed of progress is amazing.
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Burns, meanwhile, is changing his tune: “Upon reflection he has his First Amendment rights and I have my First Amendment rights,” he told the Baltimore Sun. “Each of us has the right to speak our opinions. The football player and I have a right to speak our minds.”
Yes, except Ayanbadejo was speaking as an individual and you wrote a letter on official stationery and presented yourself as a representative of the Baltimore County Leglislature. Not a free-speech issue.
MikeE
Emmet Burns, despite his ineffective “retraction”, should be censured by whatever governmental authority has that power in Maryland.
He blatantly abused his standing and power as a government representative by trying to breech the 1st Amendment rights of a private citizen. This is a VERY serious offense. It goes directly against everything that the American Constitution stands for.
The man is not worthy of holding political office.
rand503
We need to clarify a few things here:
Emmet Burns did not abuse any 1st amendment rights. Had he actually invoked sanctions against anyone, then it would have been a violation, and those sanctions would have been dismissed. That’s it on that issue.
As an elected official, Burns may have violated standards of ethics and conduct — I don’t know, that would have to be looked into. The punishment for those sorts of violations are usually just a reprimand.
lildoggy
Funny how in all the interviews and articles, Burns is described as a delegate. Folks, he’s a DEMOCRAT! Its not just the Republicans who are the homophobes.
mlbumiller
@lildoggy:
what the hell are you talking about? do you know your Maryland State Government structure?
the General Assembly is made up of the Senate and the House of Delegates. Burns is a member of the House of Delegates. People are using his honorific Delegate, you know like Senator, Reprisenitive, Honourable, etc.
FStratford
Burns did not abuse his own first amendment rights.
He abused Ayanbadejo’s first amendment rights by threatening the latter’s source of employment using government’s coercive power.
KARUADAM
Marriage, is NOT a fucking Christian idea no never will be!.
STOP! the Christian form taking the USA over…D`Homo