Pro wrestler CM Punk has found that fiery rhetoric might win over fans at WrestleMania, but it doesn’t fly in the political arena.
The straight ally tweeted his opposition to North Carolina’s Amendment One yesterday, saying “Same sex marriage should be legal. The fact that it’s illegal is embarrassing.”
The ballot initiative is being voted on today, and apparently (unfortunately?) is the number one reason why people are turning out to the polls—which means that NC voters want to shut the door on civil unions and domestic partnerships more than they want to elect local and state politicians.
After a British fan of CM Punk’s said “Man was meant for woman, and even the thought of homo’s make me sick,” the wrestler tweeted back: “Kill yourself.”
Later, he backed down and said to the British homophobe: “I apologize. I don’t want you to kill yourself. I want you to better yourself. Just as I want to better myself.”
We’re glad to have the Punk’s support (he does have almost 900,000 followers) and it’s great that he is trying to influence a fairly conservative demographic (wrestling fans), but he would be well advised not to tell people to kill themselves on such a public forum.
As for whether Amendment One will pass, we’ve combed the feeds and so far found no predictions about the measure today, though polls in the last few days have given supporters of its passage a double-digit lead. Stay tuned for election results later this evening.
John
His comments should be condemned by GLAAD and other LGBT organizations. Should people who choose not to support a repeal of polygamy or marriage of consenting adult relatives(You actually can’t marry a step-sibling in some state..which is crazy since they aren’t blood related) “kill themselves”?
Tadpolicus Wex
John, trolls should most definitely kill themselves!
xamthor
“kill yourself” is a poor reply.
BUT remember, this is a guy who get hit in the head with chairs for a living…
He apologized. He corrected himself.
and it’s great that he is trying to support us in front of a demographic that … usually does not support us.
1equalityUSA
John, why don’t you just do it? Why don’t you pull out that old fossil, “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”
Polygamy is denied to both straight and gay alike. Marriage, to even one spouse, is denied to the “unpopular” Americans due to their immutable characteristic. This slippery slope argument is so tired. It didn’t work in Prop H8 and it’s not going to work here. As long as rights are given to one set that are denied to another set of people, inequality will exist. It cannot be rectified. Religious beliefs shall not have any bearing on this civic, contractual, secular, family arrangement.
As for harming marriage, similar arguments were shot down in Massachusetts. Their moral beliefs cannot strip others of contractual protections. We should not have any “onus” or burden, or any other hoop to jump through to justify our existence. We are American citizens and many disagree with their beliefs. There are over 1300 rights that we are being denied because of other peoples’ beliefs. This persecution has gone on long enough and we are not tolerating “outsider status” any longer, just to satisfy their comfort level. The government’s ENDORSEMENT of one group’s values, especially if others that don’t hold those views, is COERCION. Their unfounded fears didn’t prove to have a legitimate secular purpose and it failed, hence, same-sex marriage. We won in Massachusetts, we won in California, we will keep on winning until every American is equal and all families are similarly protected. Being nice will not get them to change their minds. Legally, we have a valid argument, secular, contractual, and quite possible.
charli
@John:
John John John
I DO see now that you precious are REALLy interested in that whole “marrying your sibling” thing arent cha baby? Aha! TSK TSK TSK I feel sorry for your sister,oh wait its really your brother isnt it? BC I seen that other comment board you were saying the EXACT same thing.Its always on your lil mind isnt it sugar britches?
John sweety? Go back to the rock whence you came
w.e.
People, people, you should know better than to respond to trolls. That is the oldest trick in the book. Ignore, it works beautifully.
hush
i wonder how Linda McMahon, former CFO of WWE now running for the republican nomination for senate in Connecticut, feels about the champion of her family’s company coming out in support of marriage equality.
Robert
I can’t say I agree with the way he responded, but he issued an actual apology instead of some “I’m sorry if I offended you” non apology. That’s a lot more than you can say from the anti-gay crowd.
HM
Admirable support. Proper apology….but enough about gay marriage.
…he looks like one dude who could make a lot of homo hating bullies at school shit their underoos!
Hephaestion
God bless CM Punk! Thank you!!
bbg372
He was right the first time. They should kill themselves.
Nick
Worst retraction ever.
Macmantoo
As nice as it sounds, we really shouldn’t be avocating anyone to kill themselves. That makes us better than them. You can’t convince bigots of the way things should be so to argue with them is a wasted breath.
bbg372
@Macmantoo: Which is why they should kill themselves.
NC_voter
“which means that NC voters want to shut the door on civil unions and domestic partnerships more than they want to elect local and state politicians.”
What about all of the voters who came out just to vote against this horrible amendment? I know it’s fun to bash NC but those of us trying to make things better here would appreciate a bit of support too.
BlackRockRitual
I wish I had a nickel for every time I saw someone say “kill yourself” on the internet. I’d like that mansion in Hawaii.
Anyway, if there’s anything who deserves that wretchedly common thing to say on the internet thrown at them, it is a filthy homophobe. He didn’t even need to apologize, in my book. It’s okay that he did apologize, but I have to say, I’d just as impressed if he didn’t. It’s refreshing to see someone fight back against homophobes and not pull their punches at all. After all the gay suicides, it’s cathartic to hear a homophobe told to “kill themselves”.
Sometimes, you have to give it to people tough, not pull your punches, and tell it like it is. And CM Punk is just the sort of person to do it. And a glorious verbal smackdown was delivered.
mike
You just got yourself a new fan Mr.Punk. C.M.Punk, C.M.Punk all the way, Yeeeaaahhh!
Eric in Chicago
actually since people voting for this anti-gay marriage amendment does hurt gay people and GLBT families I have no problem with them committing suicide. The world would be a better place without the bigots.
Belize
I was actually a big fan of CM Punk’s pro-wrestling when he was at ROH. They severely toned him down at the WWE. But I never thought of him as an LGBT ally since I remember seeing him telling a story about being taken to a bar filled with transexuals and, if I recall, being freaked out by a tall transgender. Ergo, this comes as a shock to me.
As for @John: ugh… just… no.
Belize
@HM: You should see him kick. LIKE. SERIOUSLY.
Belize
Ironically, some of the most iconic pro wrestlers in recent years came from North Carolina. Ric Flair, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Lita, the list goes on. Punk of course, came from Chicago.
Belize
@hush: If he was a girl, chances are, he would’ve gotten released already. But since he is a guy, and quite frankly, one of the most popular in the company, they’d probably angle this into a storyline or something.
I remember that there was this one girl who was within Punk’s team and she was supposed to have an “I don’t smoke and drink” straight edge lifestyle for her WWE character. But when photos of her drinking came out, she got fired.
Bipolar Bear
Of course we shouldn’t advocate for anyone to kill themselves. The irony is, the main supporters of this amendment should be only too happy to leave this world because they care nothing about the wellbeing of the people in it. Their religious ideology is dangling the carrot of a supernatural reward if they obey their god’s law, as dictated to them by their hypocritical leaders.
We pay the price. And their taxes.
http://bipolarbear.co.nz/2012/05/06/there-should-be-no-debate-on-gay-marriage/
ousslander
I love me some Punk