Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes thought he was making a funny when he recently tweeted that he was mildly afraid of spiders and homosexuals.
Spikes, a frequent Twitterer posted, “I’m homophobic just like I’m arachnophobic. I have nothing against homosexuals or spiders but I’d still scream if I found one in my bathtub!”
When the complaints starting coming, Spikes tweeted, “PEOPLE !!!! It’s a joke … seriously a JOKE !!! Chill out,”
Meh, it’s not exactly Yunel Escobar writing “tu ere maricon” on his eye black—it’s just one of those things that didn’t need to be broadcast to his 283,585 followers. Now we’re gonna have to hear about Spikes doing some sort of PSA with GLAAD, or wearing purple on Spirit Day.
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How about we all just tweet that we’d never want Brandon Spikes in our bathtub either?
zaneymcbanes
There’s definitely a fine line, but I don’t think he meant any harm. Maybe just a poor choice of venue.
MikeE
how would people have reacted if a white player said the same thing, but about “blacks and spiders”?
yeah, NO one would have accepted it as “just a joke”.
tazz602
Come on – have a sense of humor – so he equated us Gays with little bugs you squish and pay someone to kill. Hmmmm – ok – maybe it’s not that funny.
2eo
@MikeE: But we’ve been told by the GOP and NOM that it isn’t the same, because we’re less than human. That makes it okay.
Err….
MACDONALDBANK
Being black or left-handed or being gay is just as natural. It is a sometimes rare occurrence to fall in Love and to hold that person in your heart and be loved in return … it is something that should be celebrated! If it’s between two guys or two girls — all the better. It takes even more courage to defend that LOVE!
There is no scientific evidence to prove any of the cross related bogus elements of christianity and other religions. Our early human ancestors; on this earth … go back more than 6 million years … 5,996,000 years before the Greeks, Romans and the Jews. Christianity is basically a 2012 year old fictional cult. In the year 300 AD when Emperor Constantine, who to some was the first pope; went on to fabricate & market Christianity – a fantasy – which turned out to be one of the most hateful & evil concoctions ever perpetrated on the world. The evil writings in Leviticus 18:22 … against gays – depict: “P” … “priestly rules” & expanded by the pope; homophobes and religious frauds … to attack the gay community and never meant to apply to the public — but to priests. Leviticus was written long after Moses — 600BC.
The pope and churches fully aware that Leviticus 18:22 applies to priests only … refuse to remove this stigma … maliciously persecuting gays. Kids are being bullied into suicide …!
Reddick Harris
Hey, Brandon, grow up, you play football and leave the important matter to the adults. This is from one Florida gator to another.
Reddick Harris
Hey, Brandon, grow up, you play football and leave the important matters to the adults. This is from one Florida gator to another.
Steven S2
who cares, he can tweet whatever he wants. people need to grow up! and worry about their own tweets.
felaschiavo
He got nerves! As he look like a shady black spider… the dreads and face “TARANTULA” anyone…
USC Trojans Fan
Guess who these “jokes” hurt? gay and lesbian black people.
Do you think having prominent black public figures joke about comparing gays to meeting an unexpected spider, or constant ‘jokes’ about how icky gays are helps foster a welcoming environment for black youth to come out? To feel accepted within their communities? Do you think it has NO bearing on reinforcing (gay=bad) in street culture, that trickles down to instigating more homophobia for straight black youth..homophobia that GAY black youth have to deal with.
IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND.
We need to tell our black heterosexuals that we are in a fragile state, that our children are hurting, our men are on the down low, our gays are feeling anguish and we need more support. Let’s joke after we have an indepth conversation about homophobia.
LadyL
@USC Trojans Fan: ABSOLUTELY, and thank you for saying it so succinctly.
As a Black lesbian living and working in an urban, working class community of color, I can tell you from long experience that this kind of “joke” registers less as flip humor and more as “telling it like it is” in far too many Black minds. I’m sick of it, I’m sick of celebs like Spikes thinking he can get away with it by immediately insisting he was just joking around, and I’m sick of people defending this behavior. Really, what is with these guys that they think it’s necessary to say stuff like that? Are they that insecure, that desperate to signal everyone that they’re not “that way”? I’m at a point now that I’m ready to believe that guys like Brandon Spikes are all closet cases throwing the rest of us under the bus. It’s not like there aren’t plenty of closets in pro sports, after all.
*
Know what else I’m good and sick of? The thundering silence coming from Black Queer celebs of all stripes when this kind of homophobia rears its ugly head. I’m sick of that most of all.
LadyL
@MikeE: No, they wouldn’t–you’re quite right. And we need not to be afraid to make that point.
streeteditions
Does a “real” man SCREAM????? Couldn’t resist.
KDub
@zaneymcbanes: Yeah, this is way too silly to be offended by. This is not hate speech in any way. Making a big deal over this would seem oversensitive IMO.
KARUADAM
Fucking FAGS! I find it to be very funny and the probelm you got is you don`t like to face yourself as a HOMOSEXUL, so all yourself “GAY” fuck gay I am homosexual.
hyhybt
The big, tough football player screams when he sees a little spider?
Sebizzar
@felaschiavo: LOL! You’re right xD