Leroy Butler, the former Green Bay Packer whose church speaking engagement was canceled after he tweeted a note of congratulations to out athlete Jason Collins, tells Anderson Cooper the church offered to let him speak if he agreed to their conditions. The pastor insisted Butler would not only have to remove the tweet but he would have to ask God to forgive him for having sent it. Oh, and the topic on which he was to speak? Bullying!
During on interview on Anderson Cooper 360, Butler said he the stipulations angered him and he declined.
“So basically you’re asking me to … some 16-year-old kid is somewhere in a closet with his father’s gun that he found and he’s thinking about putting it to his head because he’s been tormented in school every single day because they may have found out he is gay, or they suspected he’s gay,” Butler argued. “He doesn’t have a voice right now. You’re asking me to take all that back so he doesn’t have a voice. I won’t do that.”
Butler, who speaks to young people at churches each summer refused to bend.
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“That’s taking my dignity, my respect away. I want that young man to come out of the closet, put the gun down, and you’re a part of society. When did we get to this, starting to judge who gets to be a part of what society? It just bothers me. And I told the pastor to blame it on my mom because my mom brought me up to love everybody.”
The former Green Bay Packers safety has declined to name the church because he doesn’t want it to be subjected to any kind of extreme reaction to its decision.
Gigi Gee
If only every straight person could be as accepting as this wonderful man!
Homophile
You’re awesome Mr Butler.
marc sfe
Mr Butler, you are a true gentleman and a man to be admired for standing in your truth…and in fact truth that every single person should be. Well done sir and thank you for standing up to the bullying of this church and pastor. Well done!
KentonForshee
Wow, I love this guy. He is a true hero.
Alan down in Florida
I still don’t understand why he won’t reveal the name of the church. Its parishioners have a right to know what kind of bigots run their church. They’re the ones paying this bully’s salary after all.
JAW
@Alan down in Florida:
Because as Mr Butler said… He fears guys like you will harass the church and most likely bully the Pastors family… He is a smart man not to tell.
Dakotahgeo
That is no Christian church! It is an indoctrination/re-education gulag where even God and Jesus Christ are being imprisoned! Bullying in a church that bullies… wouldn’t that just piss off the Pope? (Probably not!) Beware of christians who call themselves “Christians!”
northwest
Love this guy, wish more people would follow his example.
Scribe38
@Alan down in Florida: The church members know, last week the player was coming to give a talk and now he isn’t. If they want to get rid of the chief-a/hole they can
hanakeaka17
Omgosh, please proofread!
balehead
Something’s wrong with this if he won’t reveal the name of the church…is he playing a victim card?…..
Dionte
Thank you Leroy Butler.
Kieran
Meanwhile, the pastor of the “church” is probably divorced and/or has a mistress. Woe onto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites!
Bulls Eye
What a great moral compass that man has — and he also has the humility to credit his mother.
Now THAT’s a role model.