A sleepy college campus on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River languished for 53 years in anonymity. Benedictine College was content with its unique role as private Catholic institution in Atchison, Kansas. A single commencement speech catapulted the college into the nation's headlines.
At the college president's invitation, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker delivered a 20-minute speech to the 485 graduating seniors. His comments about his faith ignited ovations from students and parents who cheered his message, grudgingly admits the Associated Press.
Once the national media became aware of Butker's speech, it created a firestorm of reaction over the NFL player's comments about the role of women as mothers and wives. Stinging rebukes filled the traditional media and online sites, condemning Butker for talking openly about his religious beliefs.
Here are samples of the vitriol that oozed into headlines:
"Social media slams Butker as "sexist..." "Stars react to Harrison Butker"s controversial remarks..." Women roasting the KC Chiefs over Harrison Burker's speech.." Every alphabet activist organization from LGBTQ to pro-abortion lashed out at the star kicker, once celebrated by Chiefs fans.
Mounting backlash forced National Football League brass to issue a statement distancing the organization from Butker's comments. "His views are not those of the NFL.... The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which makes our league stronger," a spokesperson dutifully said.
A Kansas City Star columnist called on the Chiefs to fire Butker and replace him with a female kicker. Social media erupted in a volcano of expletives and hateful ridicule of Butker, who was chosen as the commencement speaker specifically because of his conservative Catholic prospective.
Judging from the coverage and accompanying fall out, few actually read the entirety of his speech. Butker, who frequently espouses his faith, leveled his fiercest criticism at the Catholic Church and its leaders for bowing to the cultural vultures instead of upholding the faith's doctrinal traditions.
Butker, a key member of the Chiefs' three Super Bowl titles, bemoaned society's impact on traditional Catholic morality, chiding bishops and priests for "pretending the Church of Nice is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice."
He derided church bishops for remaining silent on touchstone issues such as abortion, euthanasia and gender ideology. The kicker's biggest sin in the media's eyes--singling out professed devout Catholic President Biden for full his throated support of abortion. However, most failed to report the quote.
The legacy media cast Butker as a misogynistic Neanderthal who wanted to enslave women and exclude females from the business world.
Lacking even a pretense of objectivity, the media mocked Butker without putting his remarks in context. The father of two children lauded his spouse, applauding her for living a vocation as a wife and mother. Isabelle, who played basketball at Rhodes College in Tennessee, freely chose her role as homemaker.
What a sad commentary that one person's profession of faith and moral values is savaged in the name of cultural compliance. Elites and the media demand fealty to their doctrine on every issue. No one is permitted to disagree without a public flogging, including destroying their livelihood if necessary.
The critics figured the backlash would bully into silence anyone who might consider backing Butker. They were wrong. The daughter and spouse of the Kansas City's Chief's CEO Clark Hunt praised the 28-year old kicker's speech. Tavia Hunt, married to billionaire Clark for 30 years, weighed in:
"Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman's hard work in raising children is not in vain."
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid defended Butker's right to express his views. Others were embolden by the growing pushback to raise their voices, including the Catholic bishop of the Kansas City Diocese and former Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz.
Liberal talk show maven Whoopi Goldberg, while disagreeing with Butker's views, maintained his right to free speech. Actor Matthew McConaughey added his endorsement for the right to air your beliefs. Sales of Butker's Chiefs jersey rocketed to the top of the NFL list. The majority was no longer silent.
Contrast the media's trashing of Butker's brief remarks to the news cabal's sanitized coverage of the antisemitism roiling American college campuses in the wake of hundreds of protests from California to New York. The lackey media painted the protests as "anti-war" and "pro-Palenstinian."
In reality, the majority of the demonstrations were hate-filled attacks on Jews and Israel. Chants of "death" to Zionists and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state were routine parts of the protests. Graffiti sprayed on campus buildings at USC, Columbia and Duke included the Nazi Swastika.
The most egregious agitators masked their faces to avoid being identified as they spewed their ugly antisemitic tropes and epitaphs. Cowardly protestors vehemently declared their support for Hamas, a terrorist group dedicated to the murder of all Jews in Israel.
The media trumpeted free speech as rationale for administrators to allow students to erect tent cities, occupy buildings and trash campuses. In today's climate, speech is free only if you adhere to the cultural dogma supported by the news media, elites and a few vociferous activist organizations.
Dare to talk about issues from the perspective of your personal faith-based values and you will be excoriated, banished and disciplined. Free speech dies when groups orchestrate plots to silence those who disagree with their cultural theology. That's the lesson of Harrison Butker.
