Woe unto you who haven’t joined the rhapsodic hymns to Jason Collins’ heroism and genuflected before the altar of diversity. You have incurred the wrath of Mike Wise.
The Washington Post sports columnist, who is rumored to
sometimes write about sports, doesn’t like Christians or conservatives (“Bible [1]-thumpers”
to him and Charles Barkley), and he’s not shy about it. His May
1 column [2] was a tour de force, dripping contempt for anyone not enthused
that NBA player Jason Collins announced he’s gay.
Wise sneered at the “heterosexual religious zealots” who “used [Collins’] historic announcement to call homosexuality a sin and an open rebellion toward God and otherwise trumpeted their bigotry under the guise of ‘religious beliefs.’”
Although he didn’t name him, Wise was specifically referring to ESPN’s Chris Broussard [3], who had the temerity to answer honestly when asked about Collins. Broussard was about the only public voice of dissent amid the fawning, celebratory hype.
But liberal true believers cannot abide heresy, and any dissent was too much for Wise. Since they disagree with him, those Christians must be hypocrites. “Let’s at least be consistent: If the outrage at Collins is all about religion, where was the contempt for Shawn Kemp’s and Antonio Cromartie’s serial fathering? Really, why is an openly gay athlete evoking such fervor while a womanizing athlete is just one of the fellas?”
Because that’s how the sports media treats them. The good and decent liberals Wise pals around with aren’t outraged, so why should anyone dependent on them for information be outraged?
Wise saved the best of his fire and brimstone for near the end of the sermon. “The sexual orientation of others isn’t something to be ‘tolerated’ any more than their ethnic heritage is.” Fair enough, but should it be celebrated? Because that’s exactly what Wise the left are demanding.
“Collins being gay is about him, not anyone else,” Wise went on. “By sharing his sexual identity publicly, he’s stating who he is, not what anyone else should be.” So the glossy spread in Sports illustrated, the exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulos [4] was a quiet, personal moment? Please. Collins is up front about the importance of being “the first.” Collins action, and all the “gee, isn’t he courageous” media fawning, is about manipulating public opinion on homosexuality.
Wise and other liberal sports media types have spilled an awful lot of ink [5] waiting for their gay Jackie Robinson, speculating on his reception and anticipating just the kind of reaction Wise is so outraged about. Recently, Wise wrote about a gay former Redskin “Yes, Burgundy and Gold faithful, two of Lombardi’s grittiest, durable players in his one season in Washington had a dalliance. Get over it [6].” He’s been incensed about the lack of lesbian smooching on jumbotron kiss cams [7], and he’s touted a “very gay spring [1].”
So asserting that Collins’ announcement is just about Collins is about as true as saying Wise’s column is about Collins. It’s not. It’s about Mike Wise and the people he hates.